“Dunno about cute,” Morgan rubbed the back of his neck. “A total pain in the ass, the way my mom tells it. Pink glitter rain boots werenoteasy to get in my size, and you know how fast kids grow.”
“I mean. I’m a very small man,” I said. “I haven’t grown nearly as much as you have.”
“You’re exactly the perfect size,” Morgan corrected. “I’m the weird giant, here.”
“I’m alittleshort,” I insisted. Morganwastall, but the contrast between us was only as huge as it was because I was on the short side.
“Perfect size,” Morgan repeated, warmth in his voice. “I wanted to thank you,” he added.
“For?”
“Standing up for me earlier. You know, when Brad was saying—”
“You don’t need to repeat it,” I interrupted. “I remember what he said.”
None of it had been fair, and it hadn’tmattered, anyway. Morgan was exactly the way I would have made him if someone came to me with the opportunity to build-a-boyfriend. Whether or not I could do better was irrelevant.
He was exactly what I wanted, and that was only getting clearer and clearer to me.
“I meant it,” I added. “I meant… all of it. You’re a thousand times the man he is.”
“You mean, like, by volume?” Morgan teased, self-deprecating as always.
I’d realized over the last two days that he just didn’tseehow incredible he was. His kindness, hisgoodnesscame so naturally to him that he barely noticed he was doing it. Every time I’d so much as sniffled or cracked my neck, or been too short to grab something or cold or hungry or…anything, he’d been right there, offering help as easily as breathing.
I’d had acrushon Morgan before, but there was more to it now. A lot more.
“I mean by every possible measure,” I said. “Except maybe volume, I feel like you’re only twice his size.”
Morgan smiled wryly.
“Meant a lot that you said I was the smartest man you’d ever known. Most people think I’m an idiot.”
“I’m a genuine idiot, so I know what those are like,” I said. “You’re not one of them.”
“You’re not an idiot,” Morgan said. “You don’t need a college degree to be smart. I don’t know even a tiny fraction of the shit you know about the wilderness. I’d die out here unsupervised. So. Pretty glad you’re here with me.”
“Pretty glad you’re here with me, too,” I said, hoping Morgan could hear how much I meant it. “Was it my turn?”
Morgan’s eyes widened in surprise. Obviously, he’d thought we were done playing—but I had a few more truths to tell.
And I needed to tell them now, before I lost my nerve.
“Both of my nipples are pierced,” I said. “I want to kiss you more than I’ve ever wanted anything,” I added. “And all my underwear are black.”
My stomach knotted up in the beat after I stopped talking, tendrils of fear curling around my heart. What if Morgan rejected me now? What if the next thing he said was a gentle let-down, telling me I was great and I’d meet someone wonderful one day, but it wasn’t going to behim?
“I was ambivalent on the subject before,” Morgan began. “But I’mreallyhoping your nipples are pierced right now.”
The way he said it was so hesitant that it made my heart clench, then swell with hope.
With a surge of courage, I hauled myself into Morgan’s lap, knees resting either side of his hips on the low bench, blanket still wrapped around my shoulders and falling over his.
“Lift my sweater up,” I said.
Morgan looked at me with wide eyes, reflections dancing in the light of the few little flames of the fire I’d managed to bring back to life, unsure. I curled my hand around his and guided it to the hem of my sweater, helping him push it up and out of the way, resting my hand on his as he got the hint that he was allowed, that I really didn’t mind if he did this.
I hissed as his work-rough fingers caught on delicate skin, belly clenching at the touch.
