Page 105 of Breakaway Goals

Morgan chuckled, then, his chest vibrating. “I didn’t come here for this. But this . . .” The look in his eyes was deadly earnest. “It was more than I could’ve hoped for.”

It was hard to stay still and see that look. Hayes was pretty sure hehadto mean it, but then if that was true, why had it taken them six years to get here? Why had he ever left in the first place?

And what was going to stop him fromnotmeaning it in a week?

Gingerly, Hayes slid off, not saying anything. He padded to the bathroom, not bothering to flick on a light. It wasn’t hard to clean up—only took a few swipes of a wet washcloth—and he came out with another one in his hand for Morgan.

If it had been six years ago, Hayes might have wiped him up himself. But there was a chasm between them still. A careful distance that he’d just crossed, but now he wasn’t sure. He handed it over to Morgan instead.

“What didyouhope for?” Morgan asked, after he finished and then tossed it in the open hamper. He didn’t have to point out that only a week ago, Hayes had insisted—and wanted tomeanit—that he didn’t want Morgan around.

Hayes shrugged. His heart felt too close to his throat; like he was five seconds away from word vomiting everything he’d spent all these years thinking.

That would be bad.

Lifting himself onto his elbows, Morgan shot him a look full of uncomfortable honesty. “Aren’t you going to tell me you regret it?”

Heshould. Zach was screaming in his ear that he absolutely, one hundred fucking percent regretted it. But he didn’t.

“No,” Hayes said. Realized it was the first thing he’d said since it ended. Since he’d supposedly lost his mind.

“I don’t,” Morgan said.

Hayes considered repeating what he’d said six years ago, that he couldn’t take scraps, but these had beenverygood scraps, and it wasn’t like he hadn’t regretted saying that a thousand times after the words had left his mouth.

Instead, he turned out the light. Pulled the covers back and settled onto the bed. Morgan didn’t exactly cuddle up close, but Hayes could feel the heat of him, impossible to ignore.

“You gonna kick me out?” Morgan asked, in a low voice.

“No,” Hayes said again. Apparently that was the only word he knew anymore.

And he fell asleep like that. Morgan, closer than he’d been in years, but still far away.

Chapter 16

WhenMorganwokeup,it was still dark.

For a second, he was confused and unsure where he was.

The bed felt foreign. Firm and big, an acre of mattress. Cool sheets against his naked skin.

Then he remembered, his memory coming back in flashes.

Hayes.Him.

They’d slept together, again.

Morgan rolled onto his back and realized a moment later that he was alone.

Was that why he’d woken up?

He never slept next to anyone, not for years and years, so it didn’t make sense that he’d woken up when Hayes slipped out.

For a long minute, Morgan waited. Expecting him to come back from the bathroom. Maybe even the kitchen. But that minute turned into five, counted down in his head, and then Morgan realized maybe he wasn’t coming back.

Hayes had been quiet after they’d had sex. He’d barely said a handful of words, and Morgan had wondered if he should saymore, but then he’d been afraid to. What if he said too much? Said it wrong, again? Scared Hayes away before he could ever make it right?

But then he hadn’t kicked Morgan out of bed, either.