The front door banged open, and a whirlwind of emotions crossed Oscar’s face as he stumbled to a halt in the living room.

“What are you doing here?”

Roman might have laughed, had the flight back gone any better. If Greg hadn’t relieved him of duty and sent him for his scheduled sleep rotation, he might have throttled Cory at roughly thirty-three thousand feet.

Instead, Oscar’s surprise—even annoyance—at seeing him here in his own home rubbed him the wrong way. All those little daydreams of coming home to a fresh meal were stupid, he knew… they’d never even talked about the idea.

It didn’t stop him feeling strangely empty when they were so drastically challenged by reality.

“I’m here because I live here. Are you?”

He regretted it the moment it came out of his mouth, but Oscar just squared his jaw and drew his lithe body up to its full height.

“I don’t know. Do I?”

Roman hadn’t been ready for that answer. With the wind knocked out of him, it took him a few seconds to regain his composure. “Would you even want to?”

They were approaching each other slowly as if sizing each other up. The closeness, yet shut-off emotion was a stark contrast to the long-distance intimacy they’d shared on the phone just a few days ago.

“Would you want me to?” Oscar countered.

Roman scowled. This was starting to sound like a circular argument, and he hated those. “What do you want, really?”

“I don’t know. Not this.” Oscar was just arm’s-length away now, his gaze intense and unflinching. It felt like a challenge.

Roman reached out slowly to rest his hands on Oscar’s waist. When Oscar didn’t move away, he pulled him in until they stood toe-to-toe. “Me too.”

“Clarity, maybe. What are we doing?” Oscar murmured, his voice still hard-edged but less combative now.

Roman raised his shoulders in a quick shrug. “We weren’t supposed to be doing anything.”

“And yet,” Oscar murmured, his lithe body finally draped against Roman’s.

Something inside him uncoiled—something that been waiting for a warm body against his, arms around his shoulders, and finally, lips pressing his.

Roman leaned into the kiss and returned it, slowly but not ignoring the sparks that always ignited.

Kissing was better than talking. It said more, and the memory lasted longer. Even though it had been a constant ache under his skin for the last few days, he hadn’t realized how much he needed the physical touch until this moment.

Oscar slid his hands up under Roman’s shirt, and Roman knew he was screwed.

“I want you,” he murmured against Oscar’s lips. He was hardening already, his body responding to Oscar’s presence the best way it knew how.

Oscar ground their bodies together, hitching up one leg—the bad one, Roman noted—to carefully lean more weight against Roman. Roman was more than happy to support him, wishing only that there were fewer clothes in the way.

“Take me, then,” Oscar murmured.

Roman swept Oscar off his feet in one clean move. He was light enough that it was easy, but solid enough in Roman’s arms to knock the wind out of him for a moment.

Or maybe he was just breathless from looking down at the gorgeous man in his arms, meeting his lustful gaze, and trying to choose which of the many daydreams he’d had about the two of them to fulfill tonight.

They were in his bedroom within moments, and Oscar tipped his head to look around the room as Roman brought him to the bed. Roman wondered what he thought of it.

“I could get used to this whole being carried thing.” Despite Oscar’s light-hearted words, there was another harsh edge to his voice that kept Roman from laughing.

Right. Chalk that up to things not to kill the mood with. Instead, Roman smiled gently. “I could, too.”

Oscar snorted at him and pulled him down on top of him roughly. “Don’t fuck around with me.”

“I’m not!” Roman protested. “I’m going as fast as I can.” We talking about sex, or us?

“Are you?” Oscar swiftly shrugged his t-shirt off.

Roman gulped. “I am now.” He was aching to feel Oscar’s skin against his—even sensually, holding him close, like they had between rounds the first time they’d fucked.

At the same time, he was fully aware, and frustrated at himself for it, that it was his own damn fault they hadn’t had time together after their encounters since Oscar moved in.

Normally I need to stop chasing. Maybe with him, I need to stop running.

“Roman,” Oscar whispered, pulling Roman’s attention back to him as they fought their way out of their clothes. He sounded… needy. That meant Roman wasn’t doing his job.

“Sorry,” Roman whispered, pressing a kiss to his lips and shoving their discarded clothes out of the way. With their bodies stripped bare, when he let his weight rest on Oscar, it felt like far more than foreplay now.

He ran his hand slowly up Oscar’s chest, pausing over his heart to feel the quick thumps.

“Fuck me.” Oscar’s voice was low but clear. He rolled his head back against the pillow. His hard cock lined up with Roman’s as he arched his back and pressed his body up.

Roman couldn’t resist dipping his head to kiss the hollow of his throat. He breathed Oscar’s scent in—light, fresh water. Aftershave? Had he been dressed up to go somewhere? Whatever he’d been up to, it hadn’t gone well judging by his mood.

He pressed kisses along the side of Oscar’s neck to his ear, gently flicking his tongue along the lobe. When Oscar was squirming under him, he moved his attention to the sensitive spot behind his ear, running his hand down that narrow chest so he could play with one nipple at the same time.

“Fucking hurry up,” Oscar groaned his complaint after a few moments of this. “I said, fuck me.”

“Fine,” Roman growled under his breath and nipped Oscar’s neck, then pulled back to grab lube. He’s really in a mood, isn’t he?

While he did so, Oscar fidgeted under him. He ended up rolling onto his front with his legs pressed together.

“Oh, I see how it is.” Roman grinned. “A little doggy-style?”

“Don’t know if my knee can support it, but it’s worth a shot,” Oscar muttered, sounding frustrated.

Roman ran his hand gently down Oscar’s back and squeezed that gorgeous ass. “You can lie flat like that. That’s fine, too.” No way was he setting back Oscar’s progress selfishly.

Oscar sighed but said nothing.

He wants to get his mind off it all. Roman could understand that. He could do with distraction from his stupid fucking coworkers and stupid fucking schedule.

Frustration made his movements quick as he slid a slick finger around the tight hole. Oscar pushed into his finger as he pushed inside, his moan quiet and sharp.

“You okay?”

“Of course,” Oscar mumbled. “Just get in me.”

Roman knew that feeling. It had been a long week—especially without their usual text flirtation. Which was another thought for later—where had that gone? Was that something else he’d stopped? Shit. I really need to get this dating thing straightened out.

It felt like too long before he was pressing against Oscar and sinking into him. He shivered with delight at the sensation of being enveloped by tight heat. With his legs pressed together and Roman straddling him, Oscar felt even tighter. “God, I missed you.”

“That’s your dick talking.” Oscar sounded amused, his fingers curled into the comforter underneath.

“It’s telling me a lot right now.”

“Any pre-dick-tions?” Oscar sounded entirely too satisfied with himself at the pun.

Roman couldn’t help it—he laughed richly, then slid his hand up Oscar’s back between his shoulder blades as he sank deeper inside, inch by inch. “No puns during sex.”

“I suppose I can live with that rule.” Oscar turned his head to glance sideways back at Roman, wriggling to try to get a good view of what was going on. “Fuck, yes. It’s been too long.”

“It’s too long?” Roman teased. He kissed the back of Oscar’s neck when he pressed his face into the pillow again, slowly pulling back and thrusting again.

“Nnh! No. S’perfect,” Oscar grunted.

Oscar was beautiful when his body rippled under Roman’s, soft sounds spilling from his lips.

He was never ashamed to ask for what he wanted, and he always gave back as much as he got. It was like he genuinely cared about Roman feeling good, he wasn’t just lying there expecting to be given the world. And for some weird reason that he didn’t yet understand, Roman wanted to do just that.

Maybe because Roman loved not having to hold back with Oscar. They’d fucked like animals before, and he knew Oscar wasn’t breakable. As long as Roman was careful about the injured knee, he could pound Oscar and he would still be begging for more.

Roman set a hard and fast pace, his breathing coming quick and harsh pants across the back of Oscar’s neck. He pressed his chest against Oscar’s back, letting him feel his weight.

Oscar moaned, reaching behind himself to catch the back of Roman’s head and keep him there. “Yes! Like that,” he moaned. “Fuck. I missed you.”

“Missed you too,” Roman managed, his voice a rough growl of desire. There was so much wrapped up in those few little words that he didn’t even fully understand yet.

Oscar squirmed under him and gasped with every thrust, his whimpering moans playing counterpoint to Roman’s deep noises of approval and pleasure and… well, need.

I do need him. The realization wasn’t even a shock, after the week he’d had.

“I’m not gonna last,” Oscar laughed under his breath. “Not after all this time.”

Roman laughed, too. “We have all night.” He rubbed Oscar’s hip gently, then redoubled his own pace. He was breathless with the electric charge building under his skin.

His own need was harder to ignore, as much as he tried. Just watching Oscar’s back ripple made him hot, let alone hearing the noises he made.

Oscar pushed himself up on his forearms and turned his head for a kiss, so Roman leaned around to meet his lips in an open-mouthed, gasping, desperate kiss.

Then, Roman realized Oscar had worked a hand under himself and was jerking himself off, his whimpers vibrating through Roman’s lips as he licked his way into Oscar’s mouth.

Then Oscar’s eyes slid shut, and he gasped sharply and bucked against him. If he hadn’t felt the unbearably good tightness squeezing around him, Oscar’s orgasm still would have been unmistakable. His voice caught as he tried to whimper Roman’s name, and his hips shuddered forward into his own hand.

“Sexy,” Roman gasped. “I’m almost…”

“Keep going. Come for me,” Oscar gasped, his cheeks flushed and eyes hazy with pleasure. “Come on, baby. Show me what you’ve got.”

Heat flushed through Roman’s cheeks as he thrust a few more times into the quivering heat of his lover’s body, and then he finished so hard he could barely breathe. Tingles of pleasure coursed from fingers to toes, up to his scalp, and his world narrowed to Oscar and Oscar alone.

Which was an awfully familiar feeling.

“Oh, fuck,” Roman mumbled into Oscar’s neck as he collapsed on top of him, sliding his arms under Oscar and around his chest. He held him close as he rolled carefully onto his side and pulled off the condom.

Oscar rested his arms along Roman’s, his chest rising and falling in a deep sigh as he let Roman clean up.

“Good?” Roman murmured as his body softened and relaxed.

Oscar chuckled slightly. “Really good. Worth the wait.”

“You didn’t…” Roman trailed off awkwardly, not sure how to ask. They were just friends, right? He didn’t have any right to be jealous. But it wasn’t a jealous question, just a… clarity question. “You didn’t take off the edge with anyone else?”

“Nope.” Oscar said it slowly, popping the “p” sound. That sounded like there was a story there.

“Mm?” Roman murmured.

Oscar shook his head. “Guys are dicks.”

Roman’s hold tightened as his heart sped up. If anyone had taken advantage of Oscar… “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” Oscar laughed under his breath, then rolled slowly onto his back, shifting so that his head rested on Roman’s arm. His eyes were closed, and he was smiling slightly. “I’m good. Better than I thought.”

Roman rubbed Oscar’s chest gently while he gazed at him. “Good. Me too. Now that I’m home, I mean.”

“Sorry I screwed up my days. I was a little stressed and… uh, preparing for dramatics earlier. I thought you were home tomorrow.”

Roman chuckled. “Yeah? That explains the weird-ass greeting.”

Oscar’s cheeks, which had been steadily losing their flush, turned bright red again. “Sorry. That really wasn’t cool. I mean, you’ve been super-generous with your house and stuff…”

“No, no.” Roman brushed it off, gently pinching Oscar’s chin to turn his head toward him. “I scared you. It’s fine.”

When Oscar met his gaze, he relaxed. “Okay. But I am glad you’re home. And that… I’m here. And you’re here. You know. Stuff.” His gaze flitted away again, like he couldn’t quite meet Roman’s eyes, and he cleared his throat. “So, cool. Yeah.”

Roman let him dodge the bullet, but he was smiling. This is definitely more than friends. The thought was ridiculously exciting, and he had to take a few deep breaths to stay cool himself. “Cool. You sleeping here tonight?”

“I’m not hobbling down the hall, so unless you wanna carry me,” Oscar rolled his eyes, but the way he said it was tentative, hopeful.

Roman took the chance. “You want to stay?”

After a few long moments, Oscar looked back at him, and he looked adorably flustered. “If you… want me to… yeah?”

Roman winked. “Then stay. Like I said, we have all night. And I don’t know about you, but I’ve got a lot of daydreams to catch up on.”