Page 113 of Breakaway Goals

“Okay, maybe a little,” he corrected, trying not to grimace. “It’s . . .it’s a lot. Agoodlot, but I still don’t know how this all works. It was . . .well, it was really easy in Toronto—”

“So easy,” Morgan agreed.

That almost stopped Hayes in his tracks, because he hadn’t expected Morgan to be on the same page. But it was stupid to think that, because yes, back then, all the way up until the moment Morgan had ghosted him, they’d felt so in sync.

“And then nothing was easy,” Hayes said. “Not even hard, just impossible. I love you . . .” God, he hadn’t mean to say that again, so quickly, even if it was true. He’d meant to be a bit more circumspect, at least. You didn’tstarta relationship by declaring your undying love. But here Hayes was, launching himself right into the sun. “I love you,” he repeated, because he’d committed now. “But we’ve never really been together. Not in any way that matters.”

“You’re still stuck on that.” Morgan sounded indulgently sweet, and Hayes made a face.

“Don’t be an asshole,” he complained. “Imeanit.”

“We’re gonna figure it out.”

Hayes shot him a hot look. “You say that but what does that evenmean? That’s so freaking nebulous. Easy to say we’ll ‘figure it out’ when we just don’t.”

Morgan didn’t look so casual now. “That’s not what I meant.”

“Then what, you’ll show up here after a game and we’ll fuck? Like last night?”

“No,” Morgan said steadily. He didn’t look upset, but he was clearly serious. “Drink your coffee. You’re grumpy and freaking out. That’s not what we’re doing, and it’sespeciallynot what we’re doing if you think that’s what I’m here for.”

Hayes took a sip of coffee. Annoyed, in spite of himself, that itwasperfect. Exactly as he’d taken it six years ago and still how he liked it now. That fact shouldn’t have calmed him down, but it did. And Morgan must have known it would mean—woulddo—something, because the corner of his mouth turned up in a smile.

“What do you mean it’s not what we’re doing?”

“If you think I’m just going to fuck you and jet, we’ll skip that part.”

Hayes’ jaw dropped. “You want to skip having sex?”

“Angel,” Morgan said earnestly, and that should not have been so hot, but it was. So fucking hot. Normally, Hayes hated pet names. Once Alexander had called himhoneyand he’d iced him out for a full twenty-four hours. “I don’twantto. But if it’s the only way to prove to you that I’m serious, that we’re going to build something together, then sure. I can live without sex.” Morgan’s earnestness melted into smugness. Because of course it did. “I know you can too.”

Yes, stupidly Hayes had told him just last night that it had been awhile since he’d had sex. Maybe not Morgan’s year, but close to that long.

“Fine, okay. We can do that.” Hayes gave Morgan a ten percent chance of actually pulling off abstinence.

“And,” Morgan said, “I fell asleep before I could ask you what you were doing tomorrow night.”

“Not tonight?” Hayes asked archly.

“I have a work thing tonight. Or else you know I’d be yours.” Morgan was not a charming person, normally. He’d not been particularly charming in Toronto either. Definitely not any other time they’d met since then. But the earnest honesty he wasbringing to this conversation was charming Hayes even when he didn’t particularly want to be charmed.

“I don’t know that, actually.” Hayes was not this easy. He wasnot.

Morgan grinned. Didn’t even look like Hayes had hurt his feelings. “Don’t you?”

“I don’t,” Hayes insisted.

“Okay, well, that’s the first order of business then.” Morgan set down his coffee on the table next to the bed and leaned in. Didn’t kiss Hayes but the look on his face was as good as one. Hayes felt it all the way down to his toes. “Proving to you that I’m yours.”

Hayes shouldn’t be melting right back into the sheets.

But when Morgan crowded him into them, he couldn’t help it.

And when Morgan rolled over ten minutes later, both of them breathing hard, Hayes couldn’t help it, again. “Are you joking?” he whined.

“Hey,yousaid you thought I was just going to hit it and quit it.” Morgan smiled, but it was more half a grimace.

Hayes faced him, amused, despite some epic blue balls. And from only ten minutes of making out! “I don’t think anyone says that anymore,” he teased.