Page 53 of A Winter Awakening

“I don’t understand what you mean by that. Because you are,” Gael insisted.

Orteo shook his head. “You heard what I said—”

“You saved me,” Gael said. “You searched for me when I was lost. You brought a healer. You brought me to Ores. And when I asked for your help, you helped me. You took care of me. You are caring. And you never asked for anything in return. What part of that is a lie?”

“I… I failed to save you yesterday,” Orteo stammered. “I let you fall.”

“What are you talking about?” Gael gave Orteo’s arm a shake. “Orteo, you carried me home! You took me to Sinoe. And when I saw the worry on your face, all I could think was how much you cared for me. How can you not see that?”

“If I had looked after you better, you wouldn’t have gotten hurt.”

Gael didn’t understand. It was as if Orteo couldn’t hear anything other than that he was terrible and he’d let Gael down.

“That’s not true!” Gael insisted. “Even if you weren’t in my life, I am perfectly capable of hurting myself and getting into messes,” Gael said. “I have a habit of it. Or did you forget how we met? I got myself lost, sprained my ankle, and almost froze to death. Then when I was here in Ores, I smothered the fire and burnt my food. I did all that. Me. And if you hadn’t been there to rescue me, there’s a good chance I’d be dead.”

Orteo flinched.

“It’s true, and you know it.” Gael dropped his crutch and placed both his hands on Orteo’s shoulders, fingers pressing into the skin. “And I don’t just love you because you look after me. Because that’s not it at all!” Gael needed Orteo to understand the true depth of his feelings.

“Because as much as I like how cherished, coddled, and protected I feel when I am with you, I also just like being with you,” Gael said. “I love talking with you, reading with you, sitting with you, eating with you.” Gael smiled. “And the sex! You know exactly what I want, even though I never knew those things existed!”

Orteo laughed, a shaky, uncertain laugh.

“I love you, Orteo,” Gael said. “You. As you are. Believe me. Please. I need you to believe me so we can be together. I don’t want to be without you.”

Orteo looked at him, so much uncertainty in his face.

After what seemed like forever, Orteo nodded.

Gael’s chest loosened. “And you have feelings for me too. Don’t you?”

“Of course I do, Gael.” Orteo’s eyes softened. “You brighten my life. You make me feel alive.” He lifted his hand and touched Gael’s cheek. “For so many years, I was alone and solitary. I’d gotten so used to it. Then there you were.” He stroked Gael’s skin. “Beautiful, lovely Gael. I adore you. You make me smile. You make me realise what happiness is.”

A tingling warmth spread through Gael. He beamed.

“I love you so much, Gael,” Orteo said.

“I love you too,” Gael said.

ChapterTwenty-Eight

Orteo’s head swam. Gael’s words swirled through his brain like snowflakes in a blizzard, a blur of white fluttering through his mind. He tried to process them, but they kept moving, and he couldn’t make sense of them.

He’d told Gael the truth.

Told him all about his past.

And Gael still looked at him exactly as he had before, vibrant green eyes brimming with worship and adoration. And love.

Because Gael loved him. As he was.

His eyes prickled. He felt like he might crumble and fall apart.

“Can we go back to the cabin?” Orteo asked.

“Of course.” Gael reached down and picked up his crutch. Then Gael took his hand and led him as if Gael was the one looking after Orteo.

And maybe Gael was. And maybe that was all right. Maybe he didn’t need to be the one always looking after Gael. His chest tightened.