Page 93 of Ravenous

“I heard my mom say that I shouldn’t be living alone.” Ollie slumped in his chair.

“Ah.” Sitting back, Finn rubbed his chin. “I hate to say it but I agree.”

“What?” echoed through the small restaurant as he straightened, tension running up his spine. Thankfully, nobody else sat around them; only their waitress peered out but Ollie didn’t care.

“Hang on.” Finn held up a hand. “The solution to that isn’t moving back in with your parents. They’re an hour away, how would you do the day program? And work? Living at Mason’s isn’t good either because he’s not really there. He’s in the basement all the time, you’d basically be alone.”

“I know.” Ollie deflated again.

“So, the only solution is that you move in with me,” Finn declared, slapping the table.

“What?” echoed again. This time the waitress didn’t look, probably because this was a shriek of delight. Within all those subconscious thoughts and worries had been a wish; Ollie wanted to live with Finn. He’d played those twenty-four hours they’d spent together over and over in his head. That sensuous night, how Ollie had woken with a sense of calm from sleeping next to Finn, sharing meals, going shopping, meeting Uncle Joe, it had all become one giant core memory and Ollie’s heart filled with hope as he realized that he could have that every day. His wish was coming true.

“I don’t want to push things.” Finn held up both hands this time. “It can be a safe place for you to stay, you can even have your own room.”

Getting up, Ollie slid into the other side of the booth, wrapping his arms around Finn. “Fuck having my own room, I’m sleeping in your bed.”

Finn lit up like a Christmas tree. “Really? You’ll move in? That’s a yes?”

“A big yes.” Leaning up, he claimed Finn’s lips and that single kiss had him whirring with desire. It had been months of soft sweet pecks and a few stolen deep kisses but Ollie needed more.

However, this pizza place was not ready for more.

“Two buffalo chickens, one with the fake stuff. Enjoy boys!” The waitress appeared, dropping two personal-sized pizzas in front of them. Ollie’s stomach growled in return, his hunger returning now that his mind had been sorted. Remaining next to Finn, Ollie grabbed a piece, sampling the cheese.

He hummed. “Why is this so good?”

“I told you it’s delicious.” Finn nuzzled his temple. “We’re gonna live together.”

“Don’t get full of yourself.” Turning, Ollie gave him another kiss.

Finn smirked once they parted. “Too late.”

“If you want, Owen and I can get your things and move them into my place, so you don’t have to lift a finger after you get out.” Strolling through a park, they stopped at a bench by a serene pond, Finn putting his arm around Ollie as soon as they sat down.

“Are you sure?” Truthfully, Ollie would love that but it was a huge ask, and yet somehow Finn had intuited exactly what he needed, selflessly offering his help. Every time he did that, Ollie fell a little more in love.

“Very sure. Owen owes me a move anyway.” Pulling Ollie a bit closer, he pressed a kiss to his temple.

“Mason won’t be happy,” Ollie sighed. He’d miss his odd landlord.

“Which is no change from the way he is now. Oh, wait, you probably didn’t hear yet.” Finn chuckled, mischief lining his smile. “He did the big Rushio wedding last week and the groom’s mother wasthrilledwith him.”

“Really? WithMason?” Shoulders shaking, Ollie laughed in disbelief.

“Yes! She constantly barked orders at everyone and I thought Marci and him were going to team up to throttle her. But she seemed to love his less-than-charming personality and now all her friends and family want to book him.”

“Oh my god, noooo.” Ollie laughed until tears sprung to his eyes. Finn snickered beside him, fist over his lips as if he were about to lose it too, but suddenly, he sobered.

“Come on.” Hauling Ollie up by the hand, Finn headed toward the parking lot. “I want to show you something.”

“I bet you say that to all the girls.” Giggling, Ollie let Finn half drag him into the car and they took off. “You know, the first time you drove me up to the lookout, for a few seconds I thought you were going to murder me.”

The car swung a bit to the side and instantly corrected. “You thought I was a serial killer?Me?” Finn gestured at his face. “With this gorgeousness?”

Ollie grinned at him. “But then I realized that you wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

“I would if it was biting you. Ah, here we are.” Finn turned onto another one of his secret dirt roads. This one was bumpier than usual, testing the shocks on the SUV as it bounced around until the route came to a sudden end, revealing a picturesque view of a lake. From where they stopped, the water seemed to stretch out endlessly into the horizon; ducks formed v-patterns across its surface and a heron’s reflection shimmered as it flew overhead.

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