TWENTY-ONE
Maybe hehadoverdone it. With a rueful smile, Morgan lugged the four bulky bags up the subway steps and stood for a moment at the top of the stairs to catch his breath.
Every start of the school year he swore he wouldn’t give in to the temptation, but then his eye caught something irresistible, and he tossed it into the cart. The hustle and bustle in the store, shelves stuffed with shiny new workbooks and guides, plus classroom toys and games, invigorated him. The space was filled with other educators, as well as parents and children looking to get a jump start on the school year.
Morgan glanced up at the threatening clouds gathering overhead, and sending up a quick prayer, set off at a fast pace, the bags bumping and banging his legs.
He did not make it. The moment he turned the corner, lightning cracked across the sky, aboomof thunder rattled his teeth, and the rain dumped over him like an ocean wave. It was one of those late-summer storms you looked forward to that would break the suffocating heat, but no umbrella would help with the rain coming at you sideways.
“Oh God, I think I’m drowning,” Morgan gasped as he dropped his bags and unlocked the front door of the building. Water streamed from his hair onto his face and neck. “Ugh, I feel like a wet rat.”
Shivering, he pushed the elevator button and waited. The sound of a door unlocked, and hearing Leo’s voice, he prepared to be scolded. Instead, a gorgeous man he’d never seen before walked shoulder to shoulder with Leo, whose eyes widened when he saw Morgan.
“What the hell happened to you?”
“What does it look like? I got caught in the rain,” Morgan snapped. Fear curled in his belly. Who the hell was this guy, and what was he doing with Leo?
“Which wouldn’t have happened if you’d called me.” Infuriatingly composed—and more importantly, dry—Leo leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. Laughter brimmed in his eyes, and Morgan itched to wipe that smirk from his lips.
“It’s like a monsoon out there. An umbrella wouldn’t have helped. Besides, you were obviously busy with company.” Hell yeah, he sounded like a jealous, petulant child, but he’d be damned if he’d ask Leo who this man was.
“Oh, sorry. This is Diego. Diego, this is Morgan Cantrell.”
“Diego?”
The pitch of his voice rang out in the hallway, making him wince, but he couldn’t help it. Of course it was Diego. This incredibly sexy guy, with huge eyes, legs that went on forever, and that cool, hip vibe was exactly whom he’d pictured as Leo’s ex. Dressed in tight black jeans ripped at the knees and a gray T-shirt that accentuated his broad chest, Diego was much more Leo’s type than a kindergarten teacher who looked like a drowned rat. Maybe they were getting back together. Maybe—
“Morgan, hi, nice to meet you.” Diego stuck out his hand, and Morgan wiped his wet palm on his unpleasantly soaked jeans before taking it.
“Nice to meet you too. I didn’t know you were stopping by.” Morgan was careful not to meet Leo’s gaze.
“Oh, I didn’t plan on it. I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d drop in to see if Leo was around.”
“Glad you two could get together.” The elevator door opened. “Well, I gotta go get out of these wet clothes. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around.” Still avoiding Leo, Morgan punched the elevator button, and the door slid shut. He began to shake and didn’t stop until the door locked behind him in his apartment.
Why did he act like such a jerk? He should’ve had more faith in them as a couple to ignore the sexy ex-boyfriend and behave like an adult.
“Confidence has never been your strong suit, idiot.” Morgan peeled off his soaking-wet clothes and dropped them into the laundry basket. He peeked out the window to see a car slow down in front of the building. The rain had stopped, and Morgan watched Leo walk Diego to the curb, give him a hug, then leave. Morgan hurried into the shower, washed up quickly, and put on fresh clothes. Without even looking at his hair, he opened the door, ready to run and see Leo, and found himself staring into a pair of amused blue eyes.
“Going somewhere?” Leo sauntered in, and Morgan shut the door behind him.
“Yeah. To see you.”
“Looks like we’re on the same wavelength. Care to tell me what’s wrong?”
“Wrong? Why do you think that?” He tossed out a blinding smile and walked away from those piercing eyes that probed right through him. Despite their intimacy and the fact that he loved Leo madly, Morgan still had doubts, especially when confronted with a man who looked like Diego. Knowing they’d been lovers cast doubts on whether he could be the man to keep Leo happy.
“Because you won’t look me in the eye.” Leo took his arm and walked with him to the couch, pulling Morgan to his side. “And I’m hoping you’re not thinking anything stupid, like Diego and me getting together again. He came to tell me he’s met someone and they’re serious.”
“He did?” A happy warmth settled through him. “They are?”
“Yeah. Like moving-in-together serious. And I told him about you.”
“Uh-oh. What did you say?”
“That you were a threat to my sanity when we first met.”
“Great. I can only imagine what he thinks of me.”
