“Morning,” Will answered. “What’s that?” He ran a hand over his face, propping up on an elbow to study Parker.

“A welcome home present.”

Will smiled. “You didn’t have to.”

Parker rolled a shoulder, mindful of his hands. “Wanted to.”

Will sat up in bed, fluffing pillows to lean against. He patted the blankets and Parker rested the tray over Will’s legs.

“This looks good.”

Parker flushed a little at the praise. He knew his cooking left a lot to be desired. “I’m still trying.” He sat at the opposite end of the bed by Will’s feet to not disturb him. He wasn’t surprised either when the first thing he went for was the coffee. Will moaned in appreciation.

“I think I missed that the most. Just a regular cup of coffee.” He returned the mug and gazed at a silent Parker. “What’s wrong, cowboy?”

He curled up on the bed, crossing his legs, lightly stroking the top of Will’s foot hidden beneath the blankets. He wasn’t exactly avoiding Will, but he couldn’t seem to look up, either. “I don’t know how to ask,” he finally admitted.

“Usually with words is a good place to start,” Will teased.

Parker grumbled under his breath, more laughter than annoyance. After a pause, he started with, “You know I love you, and I’ve never felt more for anyone else.”

“Parker.” Will shifted the tray to the nightstand and reached toward him. “This isn’t like you. What’s wrong?”

Parker crawled forward and rested against Will’s chest. “What do you think of kids?” He curled into his man’s body. He’d missed him like crazy the whole week he was gone. Holding him was heaven.

“The furry, four-legged type, or the type that require school grades?”

Parker smiled, snuffling into the blankets as he held on a little tighter. “School grade kind.”

Will didn’t react, or answer, right away. Parker almost held his breath. He’d been wanting to ask since Christmas, but everything in its own time. That was something he’d learned from Will.

He honestly felt now was the time. He and Will were going strong, the training was starting to pick up, and Will had fully integrated into Jasper by taking over the old dentist’s practice. Neither one of them were going anywhere.

“Are you ready for kids? You’re still young yourself,” Will mentioned.

Parker rocked against the arms holding him. “I know.” He was twenty-one, which in the common world was an adult, but by most was still too young for what he was wanting. A family. “And I also know that’s going to go against us.” He dared to arch on his neck to stare into Will’s beautiful eyes. “I want to try. Adoptions are legal for us. Maybe even foster.”

“But we’re not married,” Will stated.

Parker stiffened and tried to move away. Will refused to let him, keeping him close.

“I’m not saying no,” he told Parker. “I am saying, is now the right time?”

Parker snuggled into Will again. “I’ve thought about this for months, not a few days.”

Will fell silent for several minutes. Then he surprised Parker by asking, “Why children?”

Parker could answer that easily, and truthfully. “Because I want to give someone the home I didn’t have. A loving home.”