Page 25 of Saving You

The last person in the world he wanted to think he was weak was this man.

But he needed a hug, damn it.

Ridge didn’t wait for an answer. He must have read it on Oz’s face because he tugged him carefully into his arms and wrapped around him like the world’s softest, warmest human octopus. Oz shuddered, buried his face in Ridge’s chest, and while he didn’t hug back, he let himself breathe in his scent for a long, long moment.

And the second he felt his resolve start to break into spiderweb cracks, he pulled away. ‘Thank you,’ he signed with shaking hands.

Ridge nodded, his jaw tense, but he let Oz go and clicked the button on his key fob. The lights flashed, and Oz took that as permission to climb inside, close his eyes, and let himself sink into the darkness and silence of his own body.

Ridge didn’t take him home. Oz was expecting him to, but instead, he went through a drive-thru and then drove over to his own place and let the car idle in the driveway. Oz could feel the man’s dark gaze studying him.

‘Is this okay?’ Ridge eventually asked.

Oz nodded. In reality, going to his cold, impersonal condo was the last thing in the world he felt like doing. He wasn’t up for a lot of conversation or socializing, but right then, he wanted someone nearby.

Ridge jerked his chin toward the door, and Oz followed him out and up the three steps to his front door. The inside was almost as familiar as Frey’s place now. Oz didn’t spend a lot of time with Ina at home, but they did occasional language tutoring at her kitchen table, and Oz came in once every few months to make suggestions on new tech Ridge could install to make the place more accessible for his daughter.

He felt comfortable enough to drop onto the couch without waiting for an invitation, and he leaned his head back against the squashy cushion as Ridge went to the kitchen and returned with two glasses of water and a couple paper plates for their tacos.

Oz wasn’t hungry, but he knew he’d regret it later if he didn’t force himself to have at least a few bites. His stomach felt like it was full of rocks, but the food smelled amazing, so he took the plate Ridge filled for him and settled in.

‘Okay?’ Ridge asked, eyeing him carefully.

Oz let out a small sigh. He wanted company, but he didn’t want to be fussed over. He didn’t need to be mothered by anyone. He’d gotten by with a self-absorbed set of parents his entire life, and he didn’t need to replace them with a well-meaning friend.

‘Sorry,’ Ridge signed a second later.

Oz felt guilt hit him, and he set the plate down on his thighs so he could answer. ‘It’s not your fault. I’m just trying to process.’

Ridge’s brow was furrowed, and Oz had a feeling he didn’t understand what he was signing, but he didn’t have it in him to explain it. But Ridge seemed to get it all from context because a second later, he tapped his Y hand in the air a couple times. ‘Peh-peh. Eat. Relax. I’ll turn on the TV.’

And then he did just that. He reached for the remote, and a moment later, the TV flipped on to whatever streaming service Ridge had been watching earlier that day. The row of suggested movies and shows were all very clearly geared toward Ina, which made Oz smile. God, the guy wassucha good dad.

A small part of him wished that Ridge was a worse person so he didn’t have to deal with the scope of his feelings. He wanted a reason to shut it all down, but the longer he spent in Ridge’s presence, the more he realized that his crush wasn’t going anywhere. The guy was the whole damn package.

‘This okay?’ Ridge asked after waving at him.

Oz’s gaze darted back to the TV and saw it was some cooking competition show with rolling captions along the bottom. ‘Yeah. I’m not really paying attention.’

Ridge gave him a soft pat on the knee, then dug into the tacos like they owed him money. Oz watched, fascinated at how quickly he could take them down, and though he tried his best not to stare at the man’s biceps, it was impossible.

He had gorgeous ink on his arms, rippling muscles that probably extended into his shirt-covered areas Oz would probably never get to see. Even his neck was thick and corded.

He swallowed heavily and turned his gaze back to his plate. His fingers were still a little shaky as he picked up the first taco, and while his stomach gave a roll of protest, he bit down.

“Holy shit,” he said aloud.

Ridge’s head whipped to the side. ‘What’s wrong?’

‘Nothing, nothing,’ Oz signed quickly. He chewed and swallowed. ‘These are amazing.’

Ridge’s head tipped back with his laugh. ‘I know. The only good place around here. The only real decent place on the East Coast that I’ve found.’

Oz’s brow lifted. ‘You’re a taco expert?’

Ridge laughed again, but there was something else that flared to life in his eyes. Something a little…sad. And dark, maybe. ‘When I was fourteen, my parents got divorced. It was complicated.’ His hands were a little stiffer than usual. ‘I had to go live with my dad’s sisters in SO-CAL for a few years.’

Oz’s eyes widened. ‘A few years?’

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