Page 108 of Breakaway Goals
“No,” he corrected gently, squeezing Hayes’ knee again. It felt delicate under his hand, which was insane, because he knew how tough Hayes was. He was beautiful and sexy and he was also so good at hockey, at twisting D-men around his little finger, it made Morgan want to cry. Made him want to drop to his knees and worship him the way he deserved.
“No,” he continued, firmer this time. “No, I’ve been around for Finn, sure, and I’ve been watching him, but you know who I watch every single goddamn game?You. Every time Finn mentions your name, it’s like something inside me lights up. I’ve been paying attention. I know how much time you spend. You’re a great captain of a great hockey team. I’m not asking to take from that. I just . . .I just want you. However much of you that you’re willing to give me.”
It kind of killed Morgan how shocked Hayes increasingly looked. With every word he said, his mouth dropped open a little bit more. Like he couldn’t even believe what he was hearing. And yes, absolutely, Morgan knew he was an asshole. That he’d been an asshole to Hayes, for sure, but it really fucking sucked that Hayes didn’t know just howmuchMorgan cared.
He was going to make sure, no matter how this turned out, that Hayes never had a reason to doubt, again.
“You . . .” Hayes wet his lips. Morgan really,reallywanted to lean in. Chase that tongue. Taste him again. Take him to bed,again. Once had not been enough. A million times would not be enough.
They’d barely gotten to take the edge off their mutual hunger six years ago, and ever since, Morgan had never found anyone who’d ignited his own, not like Hayes had.
“Me what?” Morgan murmured, leaning in another inch closer. He knew what it had looked like, when he’d shown up after that first game. The last thing he wanted was for Hayes to think he was doing or saying any of this to get laid. He’d meant it then, and he meant it now. Hayes was theleastconvenient choice in the world.
But that didn’t mean he didn’t want him, desperately.
“I didn’t know you could talk like this. Say this stuff. You’re going to . . .” He laughed, sort of self-consciously. “You’re fucking me up, Mo.”
“In a good kind of way, I hope?”
He laughed again, but easier this time. “Yeah. It is good. But it’s scary. I don’t know. I don’t . . .I’ve spent a long time believing this was never going to happen. That you didn’t feel the same way I did.”
“And that’s my fault.” Morgan didn’t have to ask. Heknew.
“Yes, but no. Maybe I should’ve listened to you, after the game. Instead I just kicked you out.”
“You were brave. You were smart. You made the right choice.” It killed him to admit that, but it was true.
Hayes shot him a hard look. “Seriously?”
“You did what I couldn’t. Which was take a stand. I wanted you too badly to do the non-crazy thing.”
Hayes tilted his head closer. A mischievous look on his face. Morgan wanted to eat it up. “Can we do the crazy thing now?” he asked.
“Yes,” Morgan said and kissed him.
This time, he wasn’t going to let them get carried away without giving Hayes the thing he wanted. The thing he’d asked for. Morgan slid his hands up Hayes’ thighs and then settled his legs around Morgan’s waist. Then picked him up, Hayes giggling adorably into his mouth, and carted him right back into the house.
“Wait, your back, yourknees,” Hayes laughed as Morgan carried him into the bedroom.
“Angel, I’m forty-one, not a hundred and one,andyou’re really not that heavy.” He set Hayes on the edge of the bed, and it was impossible to resist leaning in and kissing him, gentle and soft.
They’d shared so many passionate kisses. And those were amazing. But somewhere in year two or three, he’d started thinking about it, not just when his dick was hard or when he was horny. What it might be like, when his bed felt particularly lonely, how it would feel if he could turn over and Hayes would be there, a tender look in his green eyes. Morgan would just press his mouth carefully against Hayes’. Not to start something. Not so he’d eventually get his dick wet. Just because he wanted to. Just because he could.
“I like this,” Hayes said, curling his fingers around Morgan’s shoulders more insistently, pulling him in closer between his legs. “I likeyou.”
“You might be the only one.” At one point, that thought would have filled Morgan with a nihilistic apathy, like it didn’t even matter if he was universally hated, as long as he was still Morgan Reynolds. It mattered now, only foroneperson. Okay, two maybe. Three if Jacob was in a good mood. Four if Danny texted him back—and Danny always texted him back.
The point was: Morgan’s circle of people who tolerated his shit, who he actuallylikedback, was extremely small.
But Hayes had always been at the top.
“Jacob likes you now. And you like Jacob now,” Hayes teased, bare foot hooking around Morgan’s calf, even that simple touch electrifying.
“Can we not talk about him now, not when we’re about to . . .” Morgan trailed off as Hayes used his considerable leg strengthto pull him in even tighter, until he could feel Hayes’ hard cock against his stomach.
“When we’re about to what?” Hayes pretending innocence should not be sexy. But it was unbelievably sexy. Kind of like every other part of Hayes.
It was insane how at one point, so long ago it was nearly impossible to remember, he hadn’t liked Hayes. Had barely ever let Hayes cross his mind. When he’d actively had to work not to resent him.
