God, he was gorgeous. Morgan could sense the restrained power in those biceps and almost feel the rough glide of that jaw against his skin. If Leo so much as touched him, Morgan would shatter.
Weak-kneed, he gulped as panic joined the desire dancing on the edge of his jangled nerves. His fingertips dug painfully into the dirty cement wall behind him as he struggled to maintain his composure. From their first meeting, this man had set him on edge. He swallowed and punched through his nerves.
Never let them see your fear. They can smell your weakness.
He’d spent the past few months reading self-help books and almost a year in therapy. He wouldn’t let himself be caught with his guard down. Not again.
“Gee, thanks,” he pushed himself to respond. “Did something happen with the electricity?”
The grin vanished, replaced by the angry, taut face from when Leo first entered the room.
“Did something happen…? Of course it did, you damn fool. You cut off the electricity tomyapartment.”
Morgan’s jaw dropped. “Yours? Are you sure? I thought—”
“Yes, I’m sure. Are you stupid? Why do you think I came here in the first place?”
“Stop yelling at me.” His temper flared. “And don’t call me names. None of this would’ve happened if you’d put in overhead lighting so I could see the writing inside the box. Treat your tenants better.”
Where the hell he’d gotten the courage to speak like that, Morgan had no clue. But he shouldered his way past a stunned Leo and out the door, not stopping to think until he’d reached the safety of his apartment, which was when he realized Leo was right. He was pretty fucking stupid.
The air conditioner had resumed blowing cool air, and the microwave panel light glowed. Legs shaking, he made it to the couch, where he sat with his arms wrapped tight around his waist. Trapped alone with Leo in that desolate room, anything could’ve happened after he’d called him out. Leo could’ve hurt him.
And yet, he couldn’t conceive of the man raising a fist to him. He might be gruff and brusque, but he didn’t scare Morgan.
Something else worried at his nerves at the thought of Leo DeLuca, something visceral that reached deep into his bones and ran hot through his blood. And that scared him more than anything.
