Page 138 of Breakaway Goals

“I love you.” He’d told himself he wouldn’t go overboard saying it all the time, but what else could he say to possibly express the way his heart felt like it just kept expanding, growingand growing until it felt like it could contain all the mysteries of the universe?

“Love you too.” Morgan kissed his shoulder. Then groaned and finally pulled out, rolling over. “Come on, angel. Shower time.”

They were quiet in the bathroom, waiting for the shower to heat up. Hayes stepping in first and Morgan following him.

They got clean and then Morgan crowded him against the chilly tile, kissing him soft and sweet.

They made out lazily and then finally got out, drying off.

Hayes got out new sheets and threw the others into the washer.

By the time he got back, Morgan had the bed made. Hayes raised an eyebrow.

“You’re probably exhausted,” Morgan said, cheeks flushed. Like it was something to be embarrassed about.

“Thanks, babe,” Hayes said, pressing a kiss to his mouth. “And if I didn’t say it sufficiently, I’m really, really glad you were here when I got home.”

“It wasn’t overstepping?”

“I literally invited you to let yourself in tomorrow morning.”

“Yeah, but it wasn’t tomorrow morning,” Morgan said because of course he was that literal.

Hayes shot him a look as he climbed into bed. “Don’t be ridiculous. I wanted you to stay the night before you left. I even gave you crap about it. I sent you a naked picture, even. I was surprised, but it was the best kind of surprise.”

“Good.” Morgan settled in next to him, pulling him in close. Hayes went easily, resting his head on Morgan’s chest, enjoying the way Morgan’s hands played with the edges of his still-damp hair.

For a long moment, Hayes thought he’d go to sleep, but then Morgan said, “You talk to Jasper?”

“After the game? Yeah.”

“It was a good shot,” Morgan said.

It had been. But they’d split the road trip, which wasn’t easy on a back-to-back.

“Yeah, I told him that,” Hayes said.

“You guys are playing lights out right now.” This wasn’tthatmuch different from the compliments Morgan gave Hayes over text during the games, but it felt a little more pointed. Like there was something else he wanted to say.

“Yeah?”

Hayes shouldn’t have even wondered if Morgan would say the rest of what was on his mind. ThiswasMorgan, after all.

“The Sentinels should be falling all over themselves to give you whatever contract you want.”

Hayes should have guessed this was what Morgan was getting at. He supposed it was inevitable that they were going to have to talk about it. Maybe Jacob had even mentioned their conversation during golf to Morgan. They were friends now, after all.

“They don’t want to give me the years I want,” Hayes said. He wanted to pull back, to get a little distance, suddenly, but he had a feeling Morgan wouldn’t let him squirm out of this.

“The money’s good?”

“Hm, yeah, basically. Just not the years.” Hayes tried to remember the last text Barty had sent about their negotiations. It had annoyed him so he’d tried not to dwell on it.

“Would you take less?” Morgan wondered.

Every time he’d tried to say something like that to Barty, Barty had freaked out. Ranted about how Hayes was worth more, and Hayes should know his own worth. And he did. He didn’t need the Sentinels to tell him what he was worth. He knew it already.

But this was Morgan, not Barty, and Morgan would understand, probably better than anyone else.