Page 74 of Flirt

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The uncertainty on his face, and the resignation in his tone made Cameron’s heart hurt. Yes, some people would be uncomfortable seeing two men kiss, but many, many more would come to his and Asher’s defense if anyone was stupid enough to voice their bigotry.

Slipping two fingers into the collar of Asher’s shirt, Cameron pulled him closer, leaning in to bring their lips just a breath apart. “Let them watch.”

When their mouths met, nothing else mattered. No one else existed. It was only them in the park, maybe in the entire world, and for just a moment, time stood still. Cameron’s heart beat wildly, and each inhalation came shallower than the last, even though the kiss remained slow and sweet with only the occasional brush of tongues.

Cameron inched closer on the blanket, sighing into Asher’s mouth. Draping an arm over Cameron’s hip, Asher pressed a hand to his lower back, pulling him even closer. He made a little humming sound in the back of his throat, and Cameron grinned as he released Asher’s shirt and slid his hand up to palm the side of his neck instead.

“Let’s skip the fireworks.”

Asher hummed again but made no move to pull away.

“Ash,” Cameron tried again, trailing his lips over Asher’s stubble-covered jaw to his ear. “Come home with me.”

“Get a room, assholes. This a wholesome, family event.”

Groaning, Cameron rolled away, flopping onto his back as Nico lowered himself to the blanket with a shit-eating grin. “Go away.”

Nico stretched out his long legs, and held up three, clear, plastic cups. “I brought beer.”

Cameron lifted just his head and glared. “I hate you.”

Snorting, Asher rolled to hover above him. “You can take me anywhere you want.” His biceps bulged as he lowered himself into a pushup to steal another kiss. “After the fireworks.”

Hard and needy from the display of controlled power, Cameron huffed in frustration, uncaring who heard or what they thought. “Fuck the fireworks.”

Asher barked out a laugh but moved away to sit up and accept the beer Nico handed him. “Is that raspberry?” He sniffed the contents of the cup again before taking a tentative sip. “Not bad. Local?”

“Brewing company out of Austin,” Nico answered. “They just started making sour beers a couple of years ago. Excellent, but expensive.”

“Worth it, though.” Asher took a longer drink this time and finished by licking his lips.

Cameron watched every move, admiring the way his Adam’s apple bobbed and his lips glistened wetly. God, the man tempted him like nothing else. It just wasn’t fair. There Asher sat, calm, beautiful, looking completely unaffected as he talked about beer, and Cameron was about one touch away from creaming in his jeans.

“What do you think, Cam?”

Still prone on his back, Cameron looked up at Asher and frowned. “About what?”

“The beer,” Asher answered with a crooked smile.

“It’s good.” Groaning, he finally sat up and took the remaining plastic cup. “Not my favorite, but I like it.”

“What’s your favorite?”

“They make a blueberry barrel-aged sour that’s amazing.”

He’d basically just tolerated beer before Nico had introduced him to sour brews. Not all were created equal, though. Some of the grape sours tasted too much like they were trying to be wine and failing. The raspberry had a nice tartness, but the blueberry provided the perfect blend of tart, sweet, and malty.

Asher’s lips quirked up on one side, and he bobbed his head a couple of times. He didn’t say anything, though, and before Cameron could ask about the odd look, the lights in the park flickered out, plunging them into darkness.

The entire town seemed to hold its breath as everyone turned their gazes toward the sky, looking out over the lake to the south. A low murmur swept through the crowd, a quiet thrum of excitement, a building anticipation that reached its crescendo and exploded into cheers as the first boom echoed through the night.

~

A kaleidoscope of brighttendrils illuminated the sky, creating a colorful canopy over the park. People oohed and ahhed and clapped their hands, each of them mesmerized by the ever-changing display.

It was probably quite beautiful, but Asher couldn’t take his eyes off Cameron. The hue of the fireworks tinted his fair skin, and every burst of color highlighted the angles of his face. He was always gorgeous, but right then, he practically glowed.

With his head tilted back, Cameron ran his fingers through his hair, causing the short strands to stick up all over his head. Then he smoothed each lock back into place, and laughed, his smile alight in his eyes. As if he could feel Asher watching him, he turned those devastating blue eyes on him, and Asher lost the ability to breathe.