CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Instead of writing, Asher spent the rest of the afternoon on the phone, finding homes for the stuff in his house that hadn’t sold during the estate sale.
Some pieces of furniture, like the sofa in his den and the beds in the guest suites, he’d decided to keep.
The rest had been donated to a non-profit organization that helped women fleeing abusive relationships.
His arcade games had gone to a local LBGTQ shelter for teens, while his art and collectibles would be appraised and sent to auction.
After getting Natalie’s number from Cameron, he’d texted her to ask if there was anything she wanted for her store.
He had then spent the next several hours, in between phone calls, sending her pictures of some things he thought might be ideal for her shop.
In the end, he had agreed to set aside two antique, floral Tiffany lamps, a jade dragon, the set of vases displayed in his foyer, along with the nineteenth century Victorian desk.
With her last name being Stone, she’d been stubborn, protesting the entire time.
More than once, she had offered to pay him, but Asher didn’t want her money.
Instead, he had suggested a trade for the pirate chest in her store.
She’d countered with the chest, an oak library table with a hidden compartment, and a stained-glass fruit bowl .
They had battled back and forth—Natalie called it negotiating—for what felt like forever.
When they’d finally reached an agreement, Asher had found himself the proud new owner of the coveted pirate chest, an outdoor fireplace that looked like a dragon breathing flames, and its matching loveseat in the shape of a sleeping dragon with thick, fluffy red cushions.
The woman was just like her brother—insanely frustrating and completely irresistible.
A glass of bourbon in hand, Asher stood on the balcony of his upstairs office, leaning his elbows against the cast iron railing and staring up at the night sky.
Even with the neighborhood lights aglow, he could make out a handful of stars sprinkled around a crescent moon.
It had been a long time since he’d watched the stars.
It had been a long time since he’d really taken the time to stop and just enjoy anything.
Summer’s tight grip on the city had finally started to ease, the temperatures cooling with the threat of coming storms over the next couple of days.
The sky was still clear, and he couldn’t smell the rain in the air yet, but there was a subtle chill in the wind, a prelude of things to come.
He wished Cameron was there to enjoy the night with him.
Jesus, he had it bad.
He’d left Cameron just over six hours ago, and already, he couldn’t wait to see him again. It seemed no matter what he did lately, he was always thinking of the guy. Even when he wrote, he would find himself smiling as he imagined Cameron’s reactions to certain scenes.
Thursday night couldn’t come soon enough, and yet Sunday always came too soon.
As long as the forecast didn’t change, they could cuddle on his new loveseat, in front of his new fireplace, under the safety of his covered patio, and watch the rain together.
It wasn’t something he would have ever suggested in the past, probably because he’d never wanted to spend time with anyone else.
Sex was great, fun, and uncomplicated. When it was over, he and his partner for the evening went their separate ways, and everyone was happy.
He never worried about saying the wrong thing or making the wrong move.
He didn’t care what they liked on their pizza or who their favorite actors were.
He didn’t stock their favorite coffee creamer or make sure he had edible food in the fridge.
He didn’t show up at their offices to take them to lunch, then happily offer to comfort their sisters after an embarrassing breakup.
He damn sure didn’t agree to a sexless relationship for thirty freaking days…and be completely fine with it.
Sure, every minute he was with Cameron, he fantasized about having the man under him, naked and writhing, hearing his name as a sigh on those soft lips.
He had every confidence that when they did finally make it to that stage, they’d be combustible together, but he didn’t need it.
Getting to know Cameron, learning his likes and dislikes, just being with him was enough.
It was more than enough. Hell, it was all he ever wanted to do anymore.
When the hell had he become that guy?
Thankfully, before he could spiral into a full self-examination that included all his least desirable qualities, his phone vibrated against his thigh.
Smiling, he pulled it from his pocket, knowing without looking that the text would be from Cameron.
The message on the screen turned his smile into a full belly laugh.
Cameron: Are you fucking insane?
Clearly, he’d gotten around to reading the chapters Asher had left him.
Asher: What? Too much?
Cameron: No. Maybe. Holy crap, Asher!
Okay, he couldn’t really tell if that was a compliment or not. Sure, he’d been taking a chance when he’d sent Detective Kane undercover as a drag queen, but he thought it had been a pretty good chapter. Now, he wasn’t so sure.
Asher: Do I need to take it out? Rewrite it?
Cameron: What? Oh! No !
Two seconds after the last text came through, Asher’s phone rang, a picture of Cameron’s smiling face filling his screen.
“I’m sorry,” Cameron said as soon as Asher answered the call. “I just got home, and I haven’t had a chance to read the chapters yet. I was talking about the stuff you’re donating to my sister’s shop.”
Asher couldn’t decide if he was disappointed because Cameron hadn’t read his partial manuscript yet, or relieved that his comments hadn’t been about Asher’s writing. Mostly, he was just happy to hear from the guy at all.
Fuck, he was so screwed.
“I didn’t donate anything. We made a fair trade.”
Cameron scoffed. “Right. I saw the price tag on that writing desk during the estate sale. It’s worth more than everything you traded for combined.”
Asher shrugged, even though no one could see him. “I wasn’t using it anymore.”
“And those Tiffany lamps,” Cameron continued, raising his voice to talk over him, “are worth half a million at auction.”
They were worth that much apiece , but Asher didn’t correct him. “It’s really not a big deal.”
“It is a big deal, Asher.” Cameron spoke quietly now, and there was a tenderness in his voice that made Asher’s chest tighten.
“The lease on the store is up at the end of the year, and the owner wants to sell. Natalie has been looking for a new space, but the increase in rent was going to hurt. This…what you did…I don’t know how to thank you. ”
Asher hadn’t known any of that when he’d offered the pieces to Natalie.
He’d just wanted to cheer her up and maybe score some brownie points with Cameron.
Still, he had to admit that he felt kind of warm and tingly knowing that he’d helped provide a security blanket that would make the transition into a new location easier.
“I would have given her more, but she’s as stubborn as you are.”
“That’s actually really sweet.”
Asher’s grip on is phone tightened, and he tilted his head back to stare up at the stars again. “Don’t tell anyone. I do have a reputation, you know.”
Cameron chuckled. “Your secret is safe with me.” He paused, then asked, “Are you writing?”
“Not yet, but I’m going to try to get a couple of hours in before I crash.” He pulled the phone away from his ear to check the time. “Wait. You said you just got home?” Cameron usually left his office by five, not that Asher paid attention to his schedule or anything.
“Yeah, a potential client called as I was getting ready to head home. Normally, I would have set up a meeting for tomorrow, but… ”
“Big fish?” Asher guessed when Cameron didn’t continue. “You had to reel them in while they’re still on the line.”
“Huge,” he confirmed. “As in Braxton and Nash.”
Asher whistled low. Forget the city, Braxton and Nash were one of the top law firms in the entire state. “Congratulations.”
“It’s not official yet, but I have a good feeling.”
He knew Cameron had worked with attorneys on high-profile cases before, but not much else about what he did. Still, even he understood this was a big damn deal. It seemed strange to have pride in someone else’s accomplishments, but he realized that was exactly what he felt.
“We should celebrate. Are you coming over this weekend?”
He expected Cameron would come to his house after work on Thursday like he had for the past two weekends, but maybe that was too presumptuous. If he did land this account with Braxton and Nash, that would likely mean a heavier workload for the foreseeable future.
“Uh, about that.”
Asher’s heart sank, and his stomach twisted with disappointment. “That’s okay.” He smiled, hoping it would come through in his voice. “I get it.”
To his annoyance, Cameron laughed. “Knock it off, Asher. ”
“What?”
“Stop trying to pretend like you don’t care. I see right through you.”
“I don’t know—”
“What I was going to say,” he interrupted, “is that the Mission Grove Fall Festival is this weekend. I thought maybe we could change it up, and you could come stay with me this time.”
“Oh.”
Cameron laughed a little louder. “Yeah. Oh.”
In his defense, he hadn’t been doing this boyfriend thing for very long.
He didn’t know the rules. His instincts weren’t much help, either, since he mostly just bailed before feelings ever became involved.
Feeling insecure or out of step was a new experience, and he wasn’t completely sure that he liked it.
He did, however, like the idea of seeing where Cameron lived. Hell, they could have spent the weekend in his car, and he’d have loved every minute of it as long as Cameron was with him.
Yeah, he was so fucking screwed.
“Sure, that sounds awesome. I’ll probably need to bring my laptop with me.”
“Not a problem. I live out by the lake, so there’s plenty of peace and quiet for you to write. Is there anything special you need? ”
Asher grinned, his heart nearly beating out of his chest. Fuck, he liked this guy. He liked him a lot , way more than he should after only a few weeks, but damn, it felt good.
“Just coffee.” He was a walking cliché, but he really couldn’t write without being properly caffeinated. “Is there anything I should bring? I’ve never been to a Fall Festival before.”
“Never?”
Cameron sounded so scandalized Asher couldn’t help but laugh. “Nope. Never.”
“Well, just bring comfortable shoes, and clothes you don’t mind tossing at the end of the night.”
Asher blinked. “Why am I throwing away my clothes.”
“You’ll see,” he teased.
Tilting his head back, Asher looked up at the sky again. “Isn’t it supposed to rain this weekend?”
“Don’t be a wuss. A little rain never hurt anyone.”
Asher couldn’t resist turning the tables. “You just want to get me wet so you can get me out of my clothes.”
“Trust me, I don’t need an excuse to get you out of your clothes.”
So much for turning the tables. “Jesus, Cameron.”
“Hey, you started it.”
Yeah, and now he was going to have to try to write while managing a raging hard-on. “I’m going to hang up now. ”
Cameron’s chuckle was wicked and seductive. “I’m going to let you, but only because I have some reading to do. Goodnight, Asher.”
Not trusting himself to speak, Asher disconnected the call without responding and slid his phone into his pocket. He didn’t know how the hell he was supposed to make it until the end of the week when Cameron said things like that.
Yet, he knew he would. He’d wait. He’d be hard and miserable and still, he’d wait. He’d wait, because Cameron Stone was worth it.
~
An hour later, Cameron placed the last page of the manuscript in the stack on his lap and sunk back into the couch cushions with a big smile on his face.
The book was going to be the best Asher had written yet. He could tell just from the first few chapters. It was new and fresh, and the characters had jumped off the page with all their hilarious quirks and colorful personalities.
From the beginning, he had loved the series, but lately, it had become bogged down with too much procedure and angst. That didn’t stop him from pre-ordering every book as soon as it became available, and he still had a huge crush on the fictional Detective Kane.
This latest addition, however, was…fun .
He couldn’t wait to read more about Miss Dorothy or Lady Kiki. Marshall Kane in high heels for the first time had sent him into peals of laughter that had tears streaming down his cheeks. He wanted more.
Glancing over his shoulder at the clock on the microwave, he bit his lip and debated if it was too late to call Asher back.
He’d said he wanted to try to write for a couple of hours, and it was only a little after nine.
Cameron bit down harder on his lip. On one hand, he really wanted to call and tell Asher how much he’d loved the chapters.
On the other hand, if he interrupted him, it would take longer to get more chapters.
He snatched his phone up from the coffee table, brought up his recent calls list, and tapped Asher’s name. Clearly, he had issues with impulse-control, but he promised himself he’d only talk for a minute, maybe five.
“Hey, Cam,” Asher answered on the third ring, his voice light and filled with happiness. “Did you read it?”
“I did.”
Be cool. Be normal. Don’t be weird.
Then he immediately launched into all-out fanboy mode and spent the next fifteen minutes recounting every, single thing he loved about the book so far. Super cool. Way normal. Not even a little weird.
“It was really good,” he finished lamely.
Asher laughed, the sound rich and warm. “That’s what I like to hear. I’m glad you enjoyed it. ”
“So, when do I get more?”
“I give you a little taste, and you’re already demanding more.”
The teasing tone made Cameron all shivery inside, and he gripped his phone a little tighter. “I could beta read for you,” he offered. “You know, to help you out.”
“Of course, because you’d get nothing out of it at all.”
“Hey, what can I say? I’m a nice guy, willing to sacrifice for the greater good.”
“I’ll have more chapters for you by Thursday,” Asher promised, the grin evident in his voice. “Goodnight, Cameron.”
Cameron closed his eyes and sighed, happy right down to his bones. “Goodnight, Ash.”