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.Doing anything with him had probably been a huge mistake.So much for holding out for Mr.Right.Clay had allowed himself to be swept away by the first guy who saw his vulnerabilityand was sympathetic.Mutual loneliness was not a good foundation.If anything, it was a recipe for disaster.If he got allclingy now, as was his usual MO, things would only get worse.Moving slowly, Clay extricated himself from Trent's heavy arm and slipped out of the sleeping bag.Trent shifted in his sleepand murmured something but didn't wake.Clay finished dressing and started to go outside.He paused at the tent flap andglanced back at Trent.Soft, pale light illuminated Trent's face--relaxed and younger-looking in sleep, with none of thehardness it held when he was awake.His lips, full and soft, were curved up into a tiny smile, his jaw still chiseled but lesssevere somehow.Heavy stubble dotted his cheeks and jawline.The combination of sweet and rugged was almost irresistible.Clay was tempted to throw caution to the wind and kiss Trent awake.He shook off the thought and left the tent.His history of giving in to urges hadn't worked out all that well in the past.Thistime he was going to be sensible.The dawn held a chill, but none of the rain of the previous day.The sun was already beginning to heat the air and ground, andthe air was thick with what promised to be stifling humidity later on.Right now Clay was glad for his flannel shirt.A fewhours from now it would probably be too hot and muggy for anything more than one layer of clothing.After a quick trip to quiet his protesting bladder, Clay worked on getting a fire started.The process took a lot longer than ithad when Trent started the fire, but once the flames were crackling, the sense of accomplishment Clay felt was worth thework.He smiled as he prepared a freeze-dried egg, ham, and green pepper mixture and heated water for coffee.So what if hewould never be a mountain man? He could start a fire and make food.Not bad for a skinny little fem.The rustle of the tent flap opening warned him Trent was awake.Clay pretended to be busy making a cup of instant coffee.Trent sat on the log, smothering a yawn."Hey."How would Trent react? Trying to hide his anxiety, Clay handed Trent the mug of coffee without looking at him."Hey.""Thanks." Trent accepted the mug and blew on the hot liquid before he took a cautious sip."You should have woken me up.Iwould have helped." He didn't sound upset or angry.Maybe he was going to go for the "pretending it didn't happen" angle.Clay shrugged."I hadit under control.I thought maybe you needed the sleep.""I guess I did.I haven't slept that well in a long time."They were both quiet for a minute or two, drinking their coffee and watching the fire.Clay tried not to sneak glances at Trent,but it proved impossible.Rumpled and half-asleep, Trent was impossibly appealing.He seemed to be thinking deep thoughtsas he sipped his coffee.Gray eyes slid up to meet his, and Clay couldn't look away fast enough.Caught, he stared back at Trent.Trent ran a hand through his disheveled hair."I'm not sure if I should say this.I'm probably about to make a huge ass ofmyself."Clay remained silent.Trent turned his attention to his coffee, but his words were for Clay."When I woke up alone this morning, I.Well, I kind ofwanted to wake up with you."The words were so far from what Clay had expected, all he could do was stare.Even in the harsh light of day, Trent wantedhim.And not just to fuck around.Trent wanted to wake up with him.It seemed too good to be true.Clay had the urge topinch himself.The silence stretched.Trent sighed."I guess I should have kept my mouth shut.I'm sorry.Forget I said anything.""But I don't want to forget." Clay put his cup aside and moved to sit beside Trent.Not too close, yet near enough to touch ifeither of them wanted to."I felt the same way.I wanted to stay with you until you woke up.""Why didn't you?" Trent's gray eyes were anything but cold this morning.They were warm and maybe a little hurt.Clay dropped his gaze.He picked at a loose thread on his jeans."I was afraid you wouldn't want me to.""Wouldn't want you to? Didn't I make it obvious last night that I wanted you?"Still not meeting Trent's eyes, Clay thought about the other times men had made it obvious they'd wanted him--and changedtheir mind in the morning, or after they got to know him.Forcing a lightness he didn't feel, he quipped, "That was then.Thisis now.""Yeah, this is now." Trent covered Clay's restless hand with one of his own."And nothing's changed.At least not for me.""Nothing?" Clay dared to glance up, only to find Trent's eyes locked on him.Trent's stomach emitted a loud growl.He grinned."Well, I am hungrier than I was last night."Clay laughed."I guess it's a good thing I made breakfast, then." Trent's hand fell away as he stood.He tried not to bedisappointed at the loss."Need help?""Nope.I got it." Clay picked up the bag he'd made the food in and peered inside.The egg mixture was finished rehydratingand heating.It looked surprisingly appetizing.He set about dividing the eggs into two servings.By the time he returned to the log with the plates, Trent had set out some dried fruit to go with their meal.Clay popped acherry into his mouth."Yum.I love dried cherries.""I love watching you eat."Surprised, he stopped with another cherry halfway to his mouth."What? Why?" He could feel his cheeks heating.He wasn't ablusher, as a rule, but since he'd come to Wilderness Adventures he felt like he'd blushed nonstop.Trent seemed to be makinghim do and feel a lot of things he usually didn't. Trent traced his parted lips with a fingertip."I think it's your mouth.It's so sexy."The heat in Clay's face intensified.He cleared his throat."I don't think anyone's ever said that to me before.""Nobody's told you how sexy your mouth is?"Shrugging, Clay put the cherry on his plate and moved his fork around in his eggs."It looks like a girl's mouth.It's part of thewhole fem thing.""Nobody with half a brain could doubt that you're anything but a man, pretty mouth or not." Trent shook his head in disbelief."What kind of douche bags have you been dating?"Clay stared at Trent, who gazed back at him with perfect seriousness.He couldn't help smiling."The extra-douchey kind,apparently."Trent snickered."Eat your breakfast.You're going to need your energy today
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