Lazily, Leo raised a smile, and Morgan reddened. “I mean…stop looking at me like that. I know I’ve made a few mistakes, but they could’ve happened to anyone. Not you, of course, but…dammit. You know what I’m trying to say.” His eyes shot sparks, and Leo couldn’t deny how much he enjoyed Morgan Cantrell when he got feisty with that smart mouth of his.
Leo slung his arm around Morgan. “I’m just busting your ass. You’re a nice guy, and people take advantage of that.”
The fire lighting up Morgan snuffed out. “Yeah, I know. Been there, done that. Not going to happen again.”
A furious protective wave rolled through Leo, and he ground his teeth. “Yeah? Good thing I didn’t know you then. I don’t like when people take advantage of others, especially nice guys.”
Morgan’s shoulders drooped. “I’m so fucking sick and tired of people thinking I’m nice. Just one time I want to be that bastard.”
“I couldn’t even picture that. Besides, I bet you’ve called me plenty of names in your mind.”
Morgan slanted a look at him. They were almost the same height, and Leo caught the hint of a smile on his lips. Lips so close to his, he could see their velvety smoothness and imagine how they’d taste. His stomach tightened into a knot as something hot and electric flashed in Morgan’s eyes. Anticipation crawled through his veins.
What would Morgan Cantrell think if he knew I’d jerked off to that sweet mouth on my dick? Picture that.
“You’d win that bet. And you’re not a bastard. Not that much of one, anyway.”
“You mean I’m slipping? Maybe I’d better up my game, then.” Leo snickered, relieved the weird connection between them had vanished.
“Such a jerk,” he heard Morgan mutter.
Georgie had two burgers waiting on a plate. “I made them plain, but we got tomatoes, onions, pickles, and ketchup over at the picnic table.”
His arm still resting over Morgan’s shoulder, Leo took the plate from Georgie. “Wanna fix up our burgers and sit?”
At Morgan’s nod, they walked over to the table, and after putting all the toppings on their burgers, sat next to each other. A cooler of beers and sodas rested on the ground, and he took two beers and gave Morgan one. Leo drank some, took a bite, then washed it down with another gulp of beer. The food was delicious, and Leo, warmed by the beer, good food, and the strong press of Morgan’s thigh next to his, found a peace he hadn’t known in years.
“I’m sorry if I embarrassed you earlier.” Morgan set his hamburger on the paper plate.
“Embarrassed me? How so?” He finished his beer and held his face to the sun.
“Mentioning my mother and the cookies.” Morgan gazed at him, his face tight with anxiety. “Sometimes I don’t think before I speak.”
Leo waved him off. “Don’t worry about it. It was nothing.” He took another beer and cracked it open.
“It was stupid, I know. I should’ve kept my mouth shut. You were really nice to her, and I wasn’t expecting her, plus I was nervous and excited about meeting your friends and new people, and when I get nervous, I run off at the mouth. It’s a bad habit.” Misery hung heavy on his shoulders. “I’m sorry.”
Leo didn’t even think about the fact that they were out in public and that Peter and his entire family could see them. He didn’t like to see the sunny-dispositioned man unhappy and beating himself up, and knowing he was indirectly the cause twisted his heart. Leo rested the palm of his hand on Morgan’s face.
“How about I give you something else to be excited about?”
His thumb stroked Morgan’s cheek, and those big green eyes met his, dazed and unfocused.
“Wh-what?”
“Shh,” Leo murmured and covered Morgan’s mouth with his. Those soft lips tasted even sweeter than he’d imagined, sweeter than the cookies he’d eaten earlier. Heat poured through him, and he closed his eyes, pulling Morgan closer, falling into his scent, his touch. Nothing else mattered but his lips moving over Morgan’s, coaxing quiet sighs of pleasure that vibrated in the air, drowning out the sounds around them and quieting the frantic noise playing in his head.
“Leo,” Morgan breathed, that incredibly soft, hot mouth pressed on his. “What’re you doing?”
“If you have to ask, guess I’m not doing it well enough. Now shut up and let me kiss that smartass mouth again.”
Taking Morgan’s chin in his hand, Leo pushed his tongue past Morgan’s lips, sliding their tongues together in a slow tangle of wet heat that intensified as Morgan moved closer and fisted Leo’s T-shirt in his hand. Leo was fast losing control, demanding more from Morgan. Needing it. He threaded his fingers in the silk of Morgan’s waves and captured his tongue, sucking, licking.
Devouring.
“Leo, we can’t.” The words cut through the roaring in his ears. Morgan broke free, but Leo grasped his nape, their foreheads touching. He was almost at the breaking point.
Eyes glittering, face flushed, lips red and swollen yet curved in a shy smile, Morgan whispered against his mouth, “I think we’d better stop, otherwise we might get arrested.”
