Page 67 of Flirt
Cameron would have his balls if he heard him say it. According to him, puppies and toddlers were cute. An elderly couple holding hands in the park was cute. Paper machete hearts, second-grade plays, and a girl with her first crush were all cute. The word had no business being applied to a grown man, but Asher couldn’t think of a better one right then.
“Relax, Cam.” Natalie flipped a curl over her shoulder as she leaned back in the booth. “You know how mom is. If you react, it’ll only get worse. Remember what happened when I brought Aiden to meet her for the first time.”
Asher didn’t know the story, but when Cameron pulled away from him and offered his first genuine laughof the day, he really wanted to hear it. Another part of him, a protective part he hadn’t known existed, rankled at the mention of Natalie’s ex-boyfriend. He had never met the jackass, but he’d hurt Natalie, and for that Asher felt inclined to hurthim.
“Mom asked if he gave good head,” Cameron explained.
“Since I don’t have the right anatomy for that specific activity,” Natalie added, “you can see where there was some confusion.”
Cameron leaned into Asher’s side, looking a lot calmer and less like he might have a stroke. “The guy’s face goes completely white, and he’s looking and back and forth between me and Nat. I thought he was going to pass out, to be honest.”
Sarah tried to speak, probably to say something in her defense, but Natalie talked right over her. “Aiden turns to Cameron and blurts out that he’s not going to suck his dick just to date his sister.”
“Idiot,” Mrs. Stone muttered, but she seemed content to let her children finish telling the story.
“Crawfish,” Cameron said. “We were having a crawfish boil, and Mom was making a joke about sucking the heads. Aiden spent the rest of the afternoon explaining how he wasn’t homophobic, but hewasstraight.”
Sighing, Natalie shook her head as she lifted her coffee mug from the table. “Needless to say, not the best first impression.”
The story kept everyone laughing until their food arrived, and Cameron seemed glad to have the spotlight off him. Asher, however, wanted to know more about the man, and he didn’t know when he’d have another chance to ask.
“Tell me,” he said about halfway through his pancakes, “what was Cameron like as a kid?”
Natalie and Nico both lifted their hands and pointed to Cameron at the same time.
“You’re looking at it.” Chuckling at the glare Cameron aimed his way, Nico shrugged. “It’s true. Smart, kind of nerdy, but really sweet.”
“Cameron has always had a tender heart,” Sarah added. “He came home crying once in the fifth grade because they wanted him to dissect a fetal pig. I tried to explain to him that the poor thing was already dead, and he wouldn’t be hurting it, but it didn’t make any difference.”
“It was a baby pig!” Cameron practically shouted, all fire and indignation.
“That wasn’t even as bad as the bug collection.” Elbows on the table, coffee cup between his hands, Mr. Stone smirked. “You know the kind where they pin them to a corkboard? Not Cameron.”
“I couldn’t just kill them,” Cameron grumbled. “That was so wrong.”
“So, he made different habitats for all of them in mason jars.” Mr. Stone laughed and shook his head. “I had to haul twenty of those damn jars up to the school.”
Cameron grumbled some more, but a tiny smile curled his lips. “I got an A.”
Yes, Cameron really did have a tender heart, as well as a protective nature. Asher also realized Cameron loved animals.
“Why don’t you have a dog or a cat?” he asked.
If Cameron found his question odd or out of place, he didn’t show it. “I don’t have the time. I’m at work for ten to twelve hours a day, and that’s when things are slow. When I do make it home, I don’t have the energy to walk a dog.” He cut off a piece of his country-fried steak and slathered it in white gravy. “I’m allergic to cats.”
Asher nodded, but didn’t say anything. They’d revisit the topic later, because despite Cameron’s protests, Asher hadn’t missed how his eyes had lit up at the mention of having a furry companion.
Things settled after that, and for the rest of the meal, they mostly talked about their plans for the day. Cameron’s dad needed to start preparing for the chili cook-off. He’d brought home the first-place ribbon for the past four years running, and he wanted to keep the streakgoing. Sarah and Natalie had plans to hit up the vendors down by the Boardwalk.
“I can’t wait to see what you two come up with this year.” Natalie bounced in her seat a little as she turned her attention to Asher. “Cameron and Nico have won the pumpkin-carving contest every year since high school.”
Sarah beamed with pride. “They’re very talented.”
As a tattoo artist, Nico would have an advantage, but Asher had never seen Cameron’s creative side. “Then, I look forward to it as well.”
“Oh, well, I was kind of thinking…” Trailing off, Cameron glanced at Nico, guilt and contrition written all over his face.
“It’s fine.” Nico grinned and waved his hand. “I’ll see if Derek wants to partner up this year. It’ll be fun to kick your ass.”
