EPILOGUE
One month later
“It’s really nice up here.” On their way to the forest at the far end of Morgan’s parents’ property, Leo tramped through the grass, still green beneath their boots. The beautiful autumn leaves were on display, and he loved the blaze of red, gold, and copper. “Before our first visit, I’d never been this far upstate. Oh, wow. You have apple trees!” He pointed to several directly in front of him, heavy with low-hanging fruit. “We didn’t get a chance to explore last time because of the rain.”
A few steps ahead of him, Morgan nodded eagerly, looking cute as hell with a thick, white scarf wrapped around his neck and a hat pulled over his waves.
“Yeah. My parents have around ten on the property. Mom wants us to pick a basket, and she’ll make pies and applesauce for us to take home.”
The long weekend they were spending at Morgan’s parents’ house gave them both a much-needed break from the city. Morgan had decided to press charges for Jeffrey’s violation of the criminal court order of protection and stalking, and Jeffrey had been arrested but only spent a few nights in jail and was out on bail. Through Sean, they’d learned that due to the arrest, Jeffrey had been let go from his job, and though he hadn’t made any attempt at further contact, Leo hadn’t left Morgan’s side, taking him to work and picking him up. Morgan had chafed at his insistence, but Leo didn’t care. Nothing was going to happen to Morgan as long as he was around.
“Whatever Becca wants. I’m not going to say no to her pie.” Leo climbed the stepladder and began to pick the fruit. He sank his teeth into a crisp apple, then devoured the fruit in a few bites. “These are great. Much better than the stuff we get at home.” He took the basket and descended the ladder, leaving it at the base of the tree.
“When you want the best, you go to the source.” Morgan had his own bucket half full, and from below, Leo took a moment to admire the curve of his butt as he reached for a particularly large apple.
“I did. I got you.”
Morgan’s big green eyes heated. “You are so going to get lucky tonight.”
A rush of pleasure spiked through him, only to get smothered immediately.
“You know we can’t. Remember?” He huffed out a breath and squeezed his eyes shut. The previous evening, they’d said good night after dinner, and warmed by lots of good wine and food, Leo initiated sex, but when they started, the bed creaked and squeaked, no matter how slowly they moved or what position they tried. Mortified, he’d jumped off Morgan, too embarrassed since to touch him, even in the shower. “I couldn’t look your parents in the eye this morning, knowing they’d heard us.”
Morgan undid his scarf. “I don’t care. I’ll send them out to the movies. Something. I can’t stand to be near you and not touch you. I’m horny as hell, and it’s driving me nuts.”
“You know what’s nuts? You in that tree. It’s too dangerous. We have enough apples.”
Morgan shot him a look and rolled his eyes. “Give me a break. I’ve been going apple-picking since I was six years old. I’ve climbed these trees a hundred times, so I think I’m fine. Watch.” To prove his point, Morgan reached up to grab the closest branch and pulled himself up.
Nervous, Leo stood a few feet away from the tree and peered into its depths. “Come on. Be careful. You don’t want to fall.”
“Stop being a worrywart. You’re worse than my mother.”
“Your mother is smart,” Leo muttered, watching Morgan scramble farther up.
“Peekaboo.” Morgan waved through the leaves, and Leo ran his hands through his hair.
“Okay, if you come down, I’ll take the edge off for you. Right now.”
Morgan’s eyes brightened. “Ohh, that’s something I never dreamed about. Sex in the open.” He licked his lips, and Leo’s breathing accelerated. Suddenly it wasn’t such a joke, and Leo was ready for him.
Morgan swung from the tree limb, and Leo watched as his scarf became tangled in the branches. He heard a horrifyingsnap, and Morgan fell to the ground, landing with an ugly soundingthud. He lay there, silent and unmoving.
Leo’s heart stopped for a moment, and then he sprinted over to Morgan, who hadn’t budged.
“Morgan. Are you okay? Can you talk? Say something.” Morgan’s eyes were closed, but he was breathing. “Please be all right.”
Morgan mumbled something.
“What? What did you say?”
“Closer,” Morgan moaned.
“What?” Leo bent over him.
“Closer.”
He put his face next to Morgan’s, and a hand clamped around his neck. Beneath him Morgan shook with laughter as he kissed him.
