Oscar nodded, his head spinning from lack of oxygen and the sheer relief of hearing that. This was all he’d wanted. If Ryan didn’t leave, they could get past anything.
“You okay there?” Ryan asked, concern in his voice.
“I ran,” Oscar said, as though Ryan didn’t already know that. “The whole way.”
He was still working on catching his breath, and he was already getting a preview of how sore he’d be in the morning.
This was more than worth it, though.
“You look like you’re gonna pass out,” Ryan responded.
“Maybe,” Oscar admitted. He felt a little like that was a possibility.
Ryan wrapped his arms around him, splaying both hands over his back. Holding him up so he wouldn’t fall, Oscar realized.
“I love you,” Oscar murmured, letting Ryan take his weight and pressing his face to Ryan’s broad, strong chest.
He just needed a minute. A few minutes.
Okay, maybe a little more than a few minutes, but if it meant Ryan was going to hold him while he recovered, he wasn’t exactly upset about it.
“I love you, too,” Ryan said. “Sorry it took me so long to say it. I was… figuring some stuff out.”
“Me too.” Oscar sighed happily, his overworked muscles soaking in Ryan’s heat. This was nice.Ryanwas nice.
He could hardly believe now that he’d nearly lost this. The thought was still enough to make him feel sick. Letting go of Ryan any time soon was going to be a challenge, now that Oscar had managed to grab hold of him again.
“I should’ve trusted you,” Ryan murmured, nuzzling Oscar’s hair. “Ididtrust you. I just…”
“It poked a raw wound. I know.” Oscar took a deep breath, drawing the familiar scent he couldn’t quite describe but thought of asRyaninto his lungs.
They could talk now. As long as Oscar had a firm grip on Ryan, he could talk about this.
“I won’t leave,” Ryan promised. “Not unless you tell me to.”
Hysterical laughter bubbled up in Oscar’s throat. “I’m never telling you to leave again. You’lldoit. Don’t take me so goddamn seriously next time.”
Ryan huffed in response, rocking Oscar side to side. “I’m glad you changed your mind,” he said after a moment. “Think we oughta head back?”
“Actually…” Oscar pulled away from Ryan, just far enough to look him in the eyes. “I don’t think anyone’d mind if we took the rest of the day off. And ithasbeen almost three days since I last saw you naked.”
Like he always did, Ryan blushed. Oscar was never, ever going to get tired of watching him do that.
“I could go for… getting reacquainted.” Ryan smiled slowly. “But you’re gonna have to give directions, because I’m already lost.”
Oscar pulled back a little further, taking Ryan’s hands as he dropped them away from his back.
“Not as long as I’m here,” Oscar said. “And I’m planning on being here for a long, long time.”
