Busted chapter 56
[Ah... I got nothin']
"Yes," Joe said. It was a reflex, the word coming out before his brain was at all engaged.
"Don't I get a say in that?" Chris said from behind them. His voice was almost a growl. This was how things had gone with Megan. She'd always done what she'd wanted, and made sure he'd done it too. Whether he wanted to or not. He'd hated that, how insignificant it made him feel. How insignificant he'd let it make him feel.
Joe turned and gave Chris a smoldering look. "Always," he said. "You always have a say, Chris." He meant it, and Chris knew it.
Chris was up and around the table in a second, pulling Joe into a crushing kiss. Joe's head started to spin. When Chris let him go he had to grab onto Toby's chair to keep from falling.
"Are we going over Aunt Mary's now?" Toby sounded impatient. His Papa and Joe were doing boring kissing things, and he was ready to go.
"Sure, sport," Joe said. He took the boy's hand. "I can always kiss your Papa later."
Toby rolled his eyes and pulled Joe towards the kitchen door.
"See you tonight?" Joe called as he was dragged away.
"About six," Chris called after. He was smiling, amused at how quick Toby had taken to Joe.
When they were outside, Joe grabbed Toby under his arms and swung the boy around. He was rewarded by a squeal of laughter. He pulled Toby in close and he wrapped himself around Joe.
He was still like that when Joe knocked on Steve's door. Joe was surprised it was Steve answering. He'd expected Mary.
"Good morning," Steve said. He hadn't expected to see Joe, and he was shocked at the change. Monday afternoon he'd looked like his world had ended. Now, two days later, he looked happy. Ecstatic, really. Rumpled, too. His hair was messy, his shirt was rumpled, and his lips were a little swollen.
Steve grinned. He knew exactly what had gone on. He was tempted to hassle Joe about it, but Toby being there would've made it tough. He'd get Chris instead when they got to the station.
"I came to drop Toby off for the day. I've got to go run some errands and get a few things from my apartment."
Toby started to bounce. "C'n I come with you? Can I, can I? Pleeeeeeeease?"
"Uh, I dunno? Help?" he asked Steve.
"I think this is your call," Steve said. He was grinning like a maniac, watching Toby try to get Joe to do what he wanted.
Joe took a breath. He didn't know what was the right thing to do here. If he was going to be with Chris, though, that meant he was going to be one of Toby's parents. He had no idea what that meant, but he figured there was at least some responsibility involved. He certainly didn't mind Toby coming with him, and he was pretty sure that his apartment was at least mostly safe for a kid to be in.
"Okay," he said. "if it's okay with your Aunt Mary, you can come with me."
"You'll need a car seat too," Steve said.
"Oh. Um, I don't have one. Sorry, sport."
"Aunt Mary does, Aunt Mary does!" Toby said. "You c'n burrow it. Please, Daddy?"
Steve cocked an eyebrow at that, but it hit Joe like a punch in the head.
"You can borrow one of ours, Daddy," Steve said, snickering. Joe was obviously in shock, and he thought it was hilarious.
"Chris is going to have a fit," Joe muttered.
"Nah, I don't think so," Steve said. "Or is that going to get you confused in bed?"
Joe blushed. "You could shut up, you know."
"Oh, I know. I'm just not going to."
"Bastard," Joe grumbled. It didn't matter, though. He was pretty sure this was the best day of his life.
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