Carefully, he touched Ollie’s bare shoulder, letting his hand slide gently down Ollie’s bicep to his elbow, and he leaned over and kissed Ollie’s cheek lightly.
“Good morning, love,” he said, his lips lingering close to Ollie’s skin. His body pulsed with some deep need, reminding him of how he’d felt the evening before, when he’d given Ollie a back rub and massage. Finally getting to touch his boyfriend, to feel the smoothness of his skin and the solid muscle Sam had only ever felt through a layer of cotton. He’d meant for it to only be a massage, and that’s what it had been—a massage.
But also, it had been so much more than that.
It had been... so much progress. A representation of how far Ollie had come since the assault, since the time when he’d barely been able to tolerate any touch at all, even over his clothes, even just simply holding hands, without flinching away or worse.
And after the massage, Sam had lain down next to Ollie, pulled him in close, and told him again just how much he loved him.
It had been a perfect afternoon. Just the two of them. And when they’d later gone to bed early, with plans to get up for a sunrise hike, Ollie had asked if they could... try yet again. And they’d cuddled up in bed without their shirts on, snuggled up in each other’s warmth.
And he was so happy.
“Hmm?” Ollie inhaled deeply and turned over onto his back. “Wha-what time is it?”
Sam laughed lightly. “Time to get up?”
“Ah, okay, yeah, um . . .”
Carefully, because Sam was very aware that yesterday’s progress might not carry over to today, Sam let his hand drift down Ollie’s chest and come to rest on his abdomen. He grinned as he heard Ollie’s quiet hum of approval, and he leaned over his boyfriend and kissed his forehead softly.
“I’ll make us bagels to eat on the drive?” he suggested, and Ollie nodded with a groan.
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll, um... Is it really morning, already?”
“Yes, love. Five o’clock. Sunrise is six thirty. And the hike’s just a couple miles.”
“Right. Um, so... we have a few minutes then?”
Sam’s gaze narrowed as he pulled back to look down at his boyfriend. “Well, I guess, but—”
“Good. Because I need you to kiss me again.” Ollie grinned and reached up to cup Sam’s cheeks, tugging him back in for another kiss.
Sam whimpered as Ollie’s hands slid around to the back of his neck, pulling him down, holding him there as the kiss deepened. He kept himself propped up on one arm, but he felt his arm start to shake as his body pulsed with need.
“God, Ollie,” he breathed, and he pulled back and lowered his forehead to rest against Ollie’s.
“Sorry, was that... too much?” Ollie sounded as breathless as Sam felt.
“No, no. I just... I love this so much, I love you so much, and... and... But, we should—should really get up.”
Maybe some of that made sense. Sam wasn’t sure. He was too distracted by the feel of their chests pressing together andhis arousal straining against the thin cotton of his briefs. He felt Ollie laugh—a sound that made his heart feel so full and happy and light.
“Yeah, you’re probably right.”
“I’m . . . uh, right. Yeah, I mean—”
Ollie cut him off with another kiss, laughing against his lips, and then they both got up. Sam tried, he really did, but seeing Ollie shirtless again just sent his senses into overdrive, and he gently pulled Ollie to him for another hug, letting his hands caress up and down Ollie’s back. For his part, Ollie wrapped his arms around Sam’s waist and rested his head on Sam’s shoulder. And they just stayed that way for another few moments, Sam taking in all the wonderful new sensations as he closed his eyes and pressed a kiss into Ollie’s hair. Finally, he loosened his arms from around his boyfriend, and Ollie backed up a step, his face lit up with so much joy.
It sent a jolt of warmth through Sam, and he shook his head and smiled. “Um, you can get dressed first, love, and I’ll make our bagels?” Somehow he strung the thought together in a way that sounded coherent enough. And it must have been because Ollie didn’t laugh at him again, just nodded.
“Yeah, yeah. Just give me a couple minutes,” Ollie replied, and with a final grin—that was bright and brilliant and made Sam’s heart thrum wildly in his chest—Ollie turned and headed toward where their luggage bags sat.
Sam let out the breath he’d been holding and then exited the bedroom and headed down the stairs toward the kitchen. Bagels. With... something easy, like scrambled eggs and cheese. They had just enough left, he figured.
Fifteen minutes later, they pulled out of the driveway and headed down the dark, quiet road toward town. They chatted quietly while Sam followed the navigation instructions on his phone to take them to the trailhead for Mount Grant. In lessthan fifteen minutes, they reached the turnoff to Mount Grant Access Road. Sam then found a parking spot in the tiny dirt lot at the trailhead and grabbed his hiking backpack, which contained a couple of water bottles and some granola bars. Then they both exchanged their shoes for hiking boots and got started, the very weak twilight just beginning to brighten up the sky.
The air was crisp as they made their way up the hill, the trail weaving through tall Douglas firs and Western redcedars. It was a relatively easy hike for both of them, and they made it up to the top with a good fifteen minutes until sunrise. Together, they settled in a spot in the clearing and looked out toward the east. Ollie leaned into Sam, and they watched in silence as the sun rose slowly, its light growing brighter with each passing moment.
