Page 23 of Breakaway Goals
“I’m not being shitty, it’s complicated. Hayes is a teammate. I’m hiscaptain,” Morgan hissed. Other players were beginning to walk onto the bus. In a second, someone could maybe overhear this conversation, and that would make it all so much worse.
“Yeah for what, another week? If I swung that way, I wouldn’t let a little messiness stop me from hooking up with Monty. He’s hot.”
God damnit. Morgan wanted to close his eyes, wish this nightmare over, and sink right through the seat and off this bus.
“What? He is.”
“How do you know you don’t swing that way, then?” Morgan asked more for time to comprehend his own sudden sexual revelations than because he really wanted to know about Danny.
“I mean, I’m fundamentally notagainstdick, if you get my drift, and we all had our share of brojobs in the program, but a guy’s never really done it for me likethat, you know?”
“Maybe you just haven’t met the right guy yet,” Morgan said, and then wished the moment the words were out of his mouth that he hadn’t let them slip.
Danny’s eyes lit up. “Oh my God, that’s it, isn’t it? Monty’s the guy who made you want dick.”
“If I hear even ahintof this from someone else, I will kill you. Slowly. Painfully.”
“Well, duh,” Danny said, like this was a no-brainer. Like he didn’t personally power the NHL gossip train.
“I’m just saying.”
“I’d never out either of you, swear to God,” Danny said, smacking a hand over his heart. “You want me to take a blood vow?”
“No.No.” If he asked Danny, he probably would, and that would make everything even messier—literally—than it had been before. And the mess was already overwhelming him. “Just . . .uh . . .score a goal for me tomorrow, alright?”
Danny grinned. “Aye, aye, Captain.”
“Or a sick assist. That would work too.”
“I got you, Mo. We’re gonna come through.”
“We’re?”
Danny elbowed him. “Me and Monty. We got your back. I mean, Monty more than me, ’cause even though you’re still hot, you’re kinda old—”
Morgan buried his head in his hands. “Please, for the love of God, stop talking.”
Chapter 4
Hayesfeltlikehehadn’t been able to take a deep breath since yesterday.
Since the game. Since the elevator.
Then today, Morgan had done all the other normal Morgan things while also cranking it up another notch. Flirting. Teasing. Egging him on. Calling himbaby, twice.
If Hayes pressed his palms to his cheeks, he knew he’d feel his heartbeat, careening out of control.
“You okay?” Danny leaned over right into his space.
Morgan was sitting across the table, and for a second after he’d snagged that seat at dinner, Hayes had almost been disappointed.But I want to sit next to you. Feel your shoulder press into mine.
But instead Danny had taken that spot. Annoyingly.
At Danny’s question, Morgan looked up from his plate, where he was cutting his chicken.
“I’m fine,” Hayes said. But was he? He was slowly going out of his mind, alternating between total panic and total exhilaration.Maybe he was reading the signs wrong, or maybe Morgan hadn’tmeantto send any signs, but he didn’t think so.
Thebabyhad sealed it.
