Page 22 of Flirt
“Oh, you drink a lot of gasoline?”
“Hardy har. You’re a goddamn riot.”
But he laughed, and the sound went straight to Asher’s cock. “God, you’re a sexy motherfucker.”
Well, that shut him up.
“Relax,” he added when Cameron’s cheeks flamed. “I’m not going to maul you.”
Cameron ducked his head and mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like, “What if I want you to?”
He was too much, and while Asher’s dick was in full agreement, acting on his desires wouldn’t make him any better than Tarzan. “You want to go get coffee?”
The affirming smile he received was so damn sweet it made his teeth ache. Settling his tab, along with a generous tip, he took Cameron’s hand, pulling him across the club and through the exit.
Heat still infused the night, the same as it had the previous week, but the humidity had settled, making the temperatures bearable. Well, he wasn’t sweating through his shirt at any rate.
“You don’t have to do this.”
No, he didn’t, but they needed to talk, and Cameron probably needed to get some sugar and caffeine in him before the adrenaline completely faded. He didn’t look like he’d go into shock, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to crash hard once his body caught up with his brain.
“How did you end up on a date with that Neanderthal?” He hoped he sounded only mildly curious. “You said it was a blind date?”
“Yes and no.” Cameron squeezed their interlocked hands and smiled. “Long story short, Nico wanted to go out with James.”
“The guy in the tank top.”
He nodded.
The pieces began falling into place. “And he wanted to set his friend up with someone.”
“Basically. Lucky me.”
“Tell me what happened.” Yes, he wanted to keep Cameron talking, but surprisingly, he realized he actually wanted to know all the sordid details.
Cameron told him about how Scott had monopolized the conversation during dinner, his scathing comments to the server, and his delusional confidence that Cameron wanted to sleep with him. He’d just finished explaining about “pumpkin guy” when they reached the front entrance of Grinders.
“He was such an ass.”
Asher nodded in commiseration, but when he tried to lead the way inside, Cameron pulled back as he glanced up and down the sidewalk. “Are you sure about this?” he asked again. “There’s another coffee place two blocks down.”
Ah, he didn’t oppose coffee, just the location. Asher didn’t have to ask why. “I’m positive.”
He had no desire to see Kyle Anders or relive the past the man represented, but he refused to hide. Besides, he needed answers. Kyle wanted something from him, and Asher wouldn’t find out what he wanted unless he talked to the guy. The easiest way to accomplish that was to let Kyle find him again.
Sensing the questions spinning in Cameron’s head, he urged him into the café and turned the conversation back to the nightmare date. “So, tell me what happened when you got to the club.” He’d seen the entire thing play out from the moment they’d entered Outlaws, but he hadn’t been able to hear the words spoken between them. “He tried to kiss you, right?”
Cameron chuckled darkly. “Oh, yeah, he tried.” He placed their orders—caramel macchiato and a vanilla latte—then stepped to the side of the counter while he recounted everything that had happened up to Asher’s arrival. “Then, you showed up, and by the way, I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy to see anyone.” He blushed a little at the confession. “Well, you know what happened after that.”
Possessiveness, jealousy, or something far more tender—Asher didn’t know what came over him, but the desire to kiss Cameron overwhelmed him. Without thinking, without second-guessing himself, he pressed his palm to the side of Cameron’s neck, sliding is fingers around his nape, and dragged him forward.
Before their lips met, he hesitated, unsure for the first time in years. He realized he didn’t want to just take. Not this time. He wanted Cameron to want this.
Thankfully, his indecision lasted only a heartbeat before Cameron closed the distance and slanted their mouths together in a chaste kiss that stirred something in Asher beyond his libido. He didn’t understand why, but he had the sudden desire to thank him, as if Cameron had just offered him a priceless gift.
Instead, it was Cameron who thankedhim.
“Thank you for coming to my rescue.” He arched his neck, brushing their lips together again, a little firmer this time, and laced with silent promise. “And thank you for bringing me here.”
