“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I know you loved him. But at least you can make a fresh start.”
His eyes stung, and he blinked. “Thanks. I’m sorry I disappointed you.” He blinked again and sniffed. An acrid smell hit his nose just as the smoke detector went off. “Shit. My cookies. Mom, I have to go. Something’s burning. Love you, bye.”
He rushed out of his bedroom alcove to a haze of smoke hanging over the living room and kitchen. The alarm beeped continuously, and coughing, Morgan waved his hands to clear the air as he made his way to the stove, where black smoke puffed out. He turned off the oven and opened the door to a fresh wave that sent him choking.
“Oh God,” he sputtered and rushed to open the windows. He stuck his head out to gulp the fresh air. He heard pounding on the door, and dragging a breath in, he ran to the door and flung it open to an outraged Leo. A haze filled the hallway, and the smoke alarm in the hall buzzed incessantly.
Blue eyes spitting fire, Leo roared, “What the hell is going on here? Are you trying to burn the fucking place down?”
Morgan’s heart pounded. “I was baking something and forgot.” He rubbed his eyes. “It started to burn.”
Disbelief rose in Leo’s eyes. “How do you forget you have something in the oven? Go turn it off.” Without waiting for a response, Leo stomped into the apartment, pulled over a chair under the smoke detector, and reached up to unscrew it. In a second, the relentless, annoying beeping stopped, but Morgan’s heart continued to pound at the sight of all the bare, tanned skin where Leo’s shirt rose above his shorts. He swallowed hard, the rawness of his throat from the smoke forgotten, and quickly averted his eyes.
“I did already,” Morgan said, irritated by Leo’s presumptuous manner. “And come on in, why don’t you.”
“What the hell were you making?”
The smoke had begun to dissipate, and Morgan fanned the air around him. “Cookies. For you, as a matter of fact.”
“For me? Cookies?” Leo’s brows twisted, and his mouth fell open. “You’ve got to be kidding.”
“No, I’m not kidding.” He set his jaw. “I was trying to be nice, after being in your way before and-and everything else I’ve done, so I decided to make you some, and why are you laughing at me?” Morgan yelled.
Leo pressed his lips together, but Morgan noticed the laugh lines fanning out from his eyes. The hard jaw, dusted with dark, sexy stubble, softened.
“You made me cookies.” Oddly subdued, Leo stared at him as if he’d grown a second head. “Cookies,” he repeated in a strained voice.
“Yeah. Chocolate chip. And they looked like they’d be really good too. But I got distracted by a phone call that led to another, and then…to hell with it.” Morgan slipped on an oven mitt and dumped the still-smoldering, charred lumps into the garbage. “Why am I bothering to explain it to you?”
Disgusted, Morgan flung himself onto the sofa, putting some room between himself and Leo. To his amazement, Leo followed but didn’t sit next to him, for which Morgan was grateful. Having him in the apartment was bad enough—the man was like a magnetic force field, drawing all the energy toward him. Morgan’s gaze remained firmly on the ground, knowing full well if he met Leo’s, he’d lose himself in those deep blue pools.
“Listen…Cantrell…I-I’m sorry I yelled at you.”
At that, Morgan couldn’t help but respond. “You’re apologizing? To me?”
Leo’s lips twitched. “Yeah. Don’t get used to it, though.”
“Oh, I know. You’re not the type to say you’re sorry.”
“What does that mean?” Leo’s growl sent a flutter through him, and Morgan licked his lips.
“Nothing. Don’t get angry.” He hitched himself farther away from Leo.
But Leo wasn’t paying attention to him. “I’m not angry. I’m frustrated.” He pushed a hand through the inky strands of his hair.
“Well, how am I supposed to know the difference? You’re always yelling at me.”
“ ’Cause you’re always fucking things up.” Leo threw his hands in the air. “First the electricity, now this. I should register you with the housing department as hazardous material.”
That hurt. Morgan bounced off the sofa, coming almost nose-to-nose with a startled Leo. “You know, why don’t you just leave already? You’re not needed anymore.”
A light flickered in Leo’s eyes. “I’m not so sure about that.”
Morgan’s breathing sped up to match the furious pounding of his heart as Leo’s intense gaze pulled him in. God, he wanted Leo to kiss him. Imagining that hard mouth over his, those strong arms around him, the push of his tongue licking at his lips…he swayed, his whole body on fire like never before.
“Whoa.” Leo took his arm, and the mere pressure of those rough fingers against his skin sent him reeling. “You feeling faint? Did you inhale smoke?”
Embarrassed at being caught out, Morgan yanked away. “What? No. I’m fine. Fine,” he repeated and scrubbed his face. “I’m sorry I set off the fire alarm.”
“Smoke detector. Big difference. If you set off the fire alarm, I might have to take matters into my own hands and teach you a lesson you’d never forget.” Leo crossed his arms. “I guarantee it would never happen again.”
Funny how those words coming from Leo sounded so sensual and dirty. Morgan’s breath hitched.
Emotions all over the place, he forced a faint smile. “Well…whatever. I won’t ever do that. Promise. And I’m sorry about the cookies. I really was making them for you as a peace offering.”
Leo walked over to the windows and closed them. “Don’t want to waste your electricity. And I can wait.”
“Wait? Wait for what?”
A wicked grin spread over Leo’s face. God, the man was so fucking gorgeous. That dimple in the hollow of his cheek alone gave Morgan enough fantasy material for a month.
“For a second batch. I’ll be home all night, watching the baseball game. I gotta go shut off the other alarm now. Bye, 5C.”
Leaving him with his mouth hanging open, Leo sauntered out of the apartment.
Leo was into guys?
And was he flirting? With him?
More importantly, what the hell was Morgan going to do about it?
* * *
SIX
* * *
Shit.
What the hell was he thinking? The door to his apartment slammed behind him, and Leo immediately hit the refrigerator for a beer. Why’d he go and say those things to Cantrell? Like he was inviting him over for a fucking date.
But even as he ran the words through his mind, Leo couldn’t pretend the thought of having that smart-mouthed man under him wasn’t a huge fucking turn-on. Those big, dreamy green eyes…that full mouth sucking Leo’s tongue…
For a start.
Damn. He glanced at his hard-on and shook his head in disgust. What the fuck was wrong with him? Cantrell might be living in a crummy apartment, but Leo knew he wasn’t staying for the long haul. Cantrell was a Nice guy with a capital N, and Leo didn’t have a good track record with Nice guys.