“Hey, you’re the best actor in the whole wide world and last night proved it,” I said, letting my hand rest on his knee. “You deserve this. You’ve worked hard for it.”
Ryder smiled again, and this time his eyes did light up at least a little. “You’ve always thought I was a lot better than I am.”
“I think you’re the best,” I said. It made me sound like a little kid, easily impressed by my super cool best friend.
But I still meant it. I’d always thought it. I’d never stopped thinking it.
Understanding the odds Ryder had been up against just made me think he was even more incredible. I was lucky to know him.
“You mean that, don’t you?” Ryder asked, finally meeting my eyes.
“Always,” I said. “Always.”
“You know.” Ryder paused to brush his thumb over my lip again. “You’re pretty great yourself.”
“Prettygreat?” I raised an eyebrow.
“Pretty great,” Ryder said, grinning at me as he bent down. “You busy right now?”
I shook my head. “No. Nothing on this weekend.”
“Good,” Ryder murmured, a definitely real smile spreading over his face as he leaned in close enough for our noses to brush together. “Because I want you all to myself.”
19
Ryder
My phone wokeme on Sunday morning, and I’d never been more glad to see a text from Seth in my life. Not that I desperately wanted to be woken—not when it meant having to roll out of Ward’s arms and onto the cold side of the bed to check—but if I had to be woken by something, I was glad it wasn’t The Call.
I’d have to take it eventually, but the thought of it put more knots in my stomach than there were on a sailing ship.
“Hmm?” Ward lifted his head, squinting sleepily at me as I flopped back onto the mattress, setting my phone aside again.
“Just Seth, reminding me I promised to teach a class today.”
“When?” Ward asked, voice sleep-rough and soft.
“Noon.”
“Time is it?”
“Eight,” I said.
Ward relaxed again, head hitting the pillow with a thump, hand reaching out for me. “Come back to sleep.”
I laughed, shuffling over to him again and sighing as he folded me into his arms, content. I could’ve been happy here for a really,reallylong time.
The sound of Ward’s steady heartbeat lulled me into a doze with a ridiculous little smile on my face. I loved being with him, warm and safe and not having to care about the world beyond the cabin walls.
Peace had been a foreign concept to me until now. This? This was peace.
Birds sang outside, leaves rustled, the first morning rays of sunlight fell on my naked back to warm me up in the one place Ward wasn’t touching, and I never wanted to move again.
“You’re teaching a class?” Ward asked after a few minutes of sleepy silence.
I hummed, lifting my head to brush a kiss over his lips. “Physics,” I said.
“Physics?” Ward raised an eyebrow.
