“You keep telling yourself that.” Seth grinned at him, all the melancholy over his life apparently having evaporated. If that was all Oz accomplished by hanging out with Seth, he was happy.
Not that it was any kind of hardship. He liked Seth, and part of him wished that this didn’t have to be the end for them. It had been fun, and he didn’t want to give it up just yet.
He knew he had to, but it didn’t hurt to dream of a universe where he didn’t. It wasn’t that not getting a chance to have something more with Seth would devastate him, but Seth was fun, and a little different from the guys he usually dated, and it might have been cool to see where it went.
As it was, he was grateful for what he’d had with Seth the past two weekends, and basking in it just a little longer sounded like a great plan.
“I’ll give you the tour if you’re ever in town,” Oz promised. He intended to stay friends with Oz, whatever happened. They were family now, anyway.
“I’ll keep that offer in mind.” Seth smiled, grabbing the last pancake. To Oz’s surprise, he hesitated, and then held it out to him. “Do you want this?” he asked.
Oz laughed. Seth must have liked him, too, if he was offering to forgo food for his sake.
He shook his head, weirdly touched by the gesture. “No, all yours. I’m full.”
Seth took the pancake, but eyed Oz suspiciously. “You ate maybe two pancakes,” he said.
“Three,” Oz responded. “They’re big pancakes, and I don’t have the same bottomless stomach you do.”
Shrugging, Seth started in on the final pancake, making happy sounds as he ate.
Oz couldn’t imagine why no one had made a play for his heart already, but he hoped that when they did, it was someone great.
Chapter Twelve
Airports made Seth uncomfortable in a way he could never quite explain to himself or anyone else, but he was glad now that he’d decided to leave Oz off personally. He’d told himself it was because it was easy to get lost on the way, or to get a cab driver that took you around in circles for half an hour to get there, but really…
He was going to miss Oz.
It wasn’t as though he had any feelings for him, or anything, it was just that he’d been fun. And considerate, and still there in the morning so Seth didn’t have to feel abandoned.
Oz was the kind of man Seth fantasized about falling in love with, even though he knew he couldn’t afford to fall in love with anyone. That was the quickest route to getting his heart broken.
“I actually had a great time this weekend,” Seth said, surprised at his own sincerity. Normally, he would have left Oz with a filthy joke and a broad grin.
He wanted to leave him with a soft kiss and a promise that they’d see each other again, but he wasn’t going to do that, either.
They weren’t going to see each other again. Not in a non-family context, anyway. Not like this. Oz was a much better man than Seth deserved, and Seth didn’t want him to figure that out before they parted ways.
He wanted Oz to think well of him.
“Me too,” Oz agreed, glancing up at the departure and arrival signs for his flight status.
“Have I mentioned you have a great ass?” Seth asked, making a show of checking it out.
To his delight, Oz blushed. He blushed easily, but it was as cute now as it had been the first time.
“Can’t say I’m sure you have,” he said, clearing his throat delicately. “Doesn’t compare to yours, anyway.”
Seth grinned. Oz was going to make someone so happy one day. “I don’t believe that, but thank you. You’re all charm.”
“That’s me.” Oz hefted his overnight bag off the ground, slinging it over his shoulder casually. “So… I guess this is it?”
“I guess it is,” Seth said. “But if you’re ever in town again, feel free to drop by.”
“I’ll check first to make sure you haven’t got someone over, but you’ve got yourself a deal.” Oz extended his hand.
