Odd Ball Out by Winter Woods Read Free Book Online Page A

now please Haden? Please?
     
    I drop my phone onto the mattress and pull him close. Our bodies are flush, especially our groins and chests. It feels so good I never want to stop. “M-Morgan.” I say his name because there’s so much of him inside me something has to get let out or I’m going to explode. He says softly, “Haden. I hate that that happened to you. I’m so sorry. I wish…” He trails off and shakes his head before hugging me tighter. I want to know, “w-w-what?”
     
    I feel him shake his head and pull back a bit. I’m startled to see his face completely flushed. I grab my phone.
     
    HADEN: you wish what? Why are you blushing?
     
    MORGAN: I wish you could have a new first time
     
    HADEN: oh
     
    I have no idea what else to say. How can I have a new first time? Would it make a difference to have a different experience… maybe with one adorably charming green eyed pixie? I bite my lip and decide to take a page out of Morgan’s playbook.
     
    HADEN: you offering?
     
    I see Morgan’s eyes fly to mine and I’m terrified but exhilarated but scared to death but overly excited and I have no idea what Morgan reads on my face before he goes back to typing
     
    MORGAN: you asking?
     
    HADEN: cheeky minx, what if I was
     
    MORGAN: what if I was offering
     
    HADEN: are you
     
    MORGAN: maybe, are you?
     
    HADEN: maybe
     
    We leave it at that for now, neither of us willing to go farther, happy to flirt and enjoy each other. Morgan slides off my lap and sits down next to me. I imagine his knees were getting sore, I know my legs were. He starts texting.
     
    MORGAN: Mallory
     
    HADEN: It’s terrible, I guess, but I just don’t feel anything for the kid. He might as well be a stranger. I know he’s mine, my parents did blood testing, of course, but I don’t feel anything.
     
    MORGAN: do you feel anything for your mom?
     
    HADEN: yeah
     
    MORGAN: what
     
    HADEN: well, I appreciate her help
     
    MORGAN: do you feel emotions for her like love, warmth, tenderness
     
    HADEN: I think so?
     
    MORGAN: have you ever felt anything you’re sure about?
     
    HADEN: anger
     
    MORGAN: what about toward me?
     
    HADEN: that’s a loaded question Morgan
     
    MORGAN: well, I’m basically half in love with you, so I’m kind of a sure bet, I have a theory though so just go with me on this
     
    I snap my gaze to Morgan. His head is bowed and I see how hard the admission was for him to make even though he made it sound lighthearted and offhanded. His body is rigid and shaking. I blurt without thinking, “what?”
     
    Morgan looks miserable and I can see his lower lip trembling. He’s turning his phone in his hands so fast I know he’s going to drop it any second. Then he’s talking and I forget about the phone, “you’re so kind Haden. Gentle, caring, sweet. I know you know I sleep on your floor at night.” I suck in a shocked breath, but he’s already continuing, “but you haven’t said anything to make me feel embarrassed. You haven’t pushed me. You’ve let me touch you and hold you and I know it’s such an amazing and special gift from you and yeah, Haden, I know we haven’t know each other long enough and I’m your employee but... I do. I love you.”
     
    I am speechless. Granted, not really a new thing for me. So, let’s just say my mind is a complete blank. I don’t know how I feel. I don’t know what I think. I sure as hell don’t know what to do now. Actually, there was something I was wondering. I start typing.
     
    HADEN: why do you sleep on my floor?
     
    MORGAN: I don’t feel safe alone. I can sleep if I’m near someone else and I feel safe with you.
     
    HADEN: sleep in the bed then, it’s big enough for both of us
     
    MORGAN: I don’t think that would be a good idea
     
    HADEN: ?
     
    I watched as Morgan struggled to type a reply. He kept deleting everything he wrote. I said as kindly as I could, “t-tell m-m-me.”
     
    Morgan looks at me, finally. His face said he felt