"Aria, I understand," he started, a little disappointed, but he figured this might be a possibility. "If you would rather not start a deeper relationship. And I have no wish to hurt you, you know that. If you're not ready... I understand." Morgan closed his eyes for a moment, he had wanted to say 'nothing ventured, nothing gained,' and that all relationships had risk of pain, but he didn't. He wanted the younger man to make his own decisions, then he couldn't influence him more than he'd already done.