The Right One - Felice Stevens Page 0,72
the beginning.”
Morgan nudged him. “Rude. I thought I did really well, considering I hadn’t lived on my own in forever.”
“Don’t get all offended.” Leo kissed him. “Have I mentioned I like a bit of a challenge? And I noticed you right away.”
Morgan chuckled. “I’m sure you did. I fell right at your feet when we met.”
Leo kissed him again, his mouth resting on Morgan’s cheek. “I should’ve known then.”
“Known what?”
“I was always going to be there if you needed someone to catch you when you fall.” His lips curved upward. “Or tried to burn the place down.”
Morgan wiggled away. “You’re never going to let me forget that, are you?”
“Not a chance. Years from now I’ll be telling the story of my lost cookies.”
The unspoken sat between them—were they in this for the long run? Morgan wasn’t finished yet. He still had questions.
“You know, I’ve told you everything about my ex, but I know nothing about yours, except a name. Diego.”
Leo collapsed on the pillow. “I’m not proud of myself for that.”
Morgan sat up to peer at Leo’s face. “Tell me what happened.”
Instead of answering, Leo left the bed, slipped on his briefs, and walked to the living room to stare out of the window.
“I met him in line at Starbucks. Classic New York, right? The app on his phone wasn’t working, and he had no cash, so I offered to pay for him.”
“That was sweet.”
Leo gave a brief smile. “Yeah, he said that too. And he offered to pay me back. When I told him to forget it, he asked me out for a drink. One thing led to another…” He bent his head. “We were together, if you could call it that, for about eight months. And he was a great guy, but I couldn’t step past that line with him.”
“What line?” Morgan had no idea what Leo meant. “You were obviously a couple. I mean, Peter knew him and everything, so…I don’t get what you’re saying.” He rose from the bed and stepped into his boxers. Tension radiated off Leo with an almost living, breathing force.
“Neither did Diego, because I couldn’t explain it until now.”
“Now?” Morgan licked his lips, suddenly light-headed.
“Yeah.”
Again showing off those lightning-quick moves he must’ve picked up from boxing, Leo had him against that broad chest of his before Morgan could take a breath. And he didn’t want to break free—this was his version of heaven, and he was content to do nothing but soak it all in and stay like this. His forever.
“I didn’t miss him when he wasn’t with me. After he left, it never felt lonely. He wanted more. He told me if I couldn’t give him a commitment, he’d see other guys. I told him to have at it. It didn’t matter to me.”
“After eight months? I can see why he wanted something more.”
“He was right. I never denied it, and Diego deserved more because he was a nice guy. But anything else was more than I could give because I didn’t care enough. I know it sounds shitty, but I was honest. I thought something was faulty inside me because I never did care. Until you.” Leo’s arms tightened around him.
“Me?” He wanted to hear Leo say it, but a small part of him still didn’t believe he was enough for Leo.
“After you’re gone, the walls just echo.…It’s empty, and I miss that wiseass mouth always popping me off about something. I like it when you get all up in my face, outraged. It’s fun to tease you, and if I don’t get to see you every day, I don’t like it.” Leo shook with laughter. “I wonder what trouble you’re getting into.”
“I do not get in trouble every day.”
Leo kissed his head. “Okay. Every other day. But the fact is, the thought of you with someone else pissed me off. Because I didn’t want to think about anyone else touching you but me.”
“I don’t want anyone else to touch me either. So it looks like we both want the same thing. Each other.”
Leo smiled against his hair. “How about that? Crazy, huh?”
Morgan held him tighter.
How about that, indeed.
* * *
TWENTY
* * *
Two weeks later, Leo was still smiling. He didn’t even mind Peter’s good-natured jokes or Marla making goo-goo eyes whenever he and Morgan touched in front of her. They’d been spending time at Peter’s shop, and he was impressed with how quickly Morgan had taken to boxing.
“I like sharing what’s important with you,” Morgan said when he’d mentioned