CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
By the time the sun had set, the heavy rains had dissipated into nothing more than a hazy mist. Pulling to a stop in front of Cameron’s two-bedroom cottage near the banks of Grove Lake, Asher cut the engine and slid out of his Lexus, grabbing the damp, muddy towel he’d draped over the driver’s seat to protect the leather.
Then, he strolled around the front of his car and waited for Cameron to join him.
The moon hung low in the sky, only half-full but unusually large, its rays reflected off the lazy waves of the water.
Bullfrogs croaked from the reeds, their voices joining that of the cicadas and crickets to create the symphony more suited for summer than mid-fall. Still, it was kind of nice…peaceful.
A little farther down the street, soft, twinkling lights and bold, bright streetlamps filtered through the trees from the Boardwalk. Music drifted on the air, accompanied by the dull, muted hum of conversation, and interrupted occasionally by raucous screams and jubilant laughter.
Across the lake, more lights glowed from porches of what appeared to be cabins, all lined up in a neat row. “What are those? ”
Tossing his own towel over his shoulder, Cameron glanced to where he pointed. “Rental cabins. I think three have full-time residents. The rest usually sit empty until spring.”
Following Cameron into the house, Asher shook his head. “You don’t lock your doors?”
“No one around here does.” He said it as a statement of fact, nothing more, nothing less. “This isn’t Dallas,” he added. “I trust the people who live here.”
True, but not everyone in town lived there. In fact, Cameron had pointed out several people during the day who had come to the festival from the surrounding towns, some even smaller than Mission Grove.
“You should be more careful.”
Cameron neither agreed nor argued. He simply peeled off his wet, muddy T-shirt and tossed it toward a door at the back of the kitchen, along with both their towels. “I’m completely safe,” he finally answered. “Now, stop worrying so much and come wash my back.”
As much as he wanted that, Asher hesitated.
Before leaving the park, Cameron had promised his sister that he’d meet her at the haunted house, which didn’t leave them much time to shower and dress.
So, while it fucking killed him to do it, he shook his head.
He’d waited this long. He could wait another couple of hours.
“If I get in that shower with you, we’ll never make it to the haunted house. ”
Cameron grinned. “Okay.”
“Dirty flirt,” he muttered under his breath. The guy was temptation on legs, but Asher was determined to resist. “I’m not trying to get on Natalie’s bad side.”
“I wasn’t aware that she had any other side.”
“I’ve had thirty days to picture all the ways I want you, all the things I want to do to you. I want to make you squirm and moan. I want to hear you scream my name until you can’t scream anymore. I want this entire town to know exactly who is in your bed.”
“Fuck,” Cameron breathed, reaching down to press the heel of his palm against the obvious erection straining behind his zipper.
“So,” he continued, ignoring his own aching cock, “let me be a gentleman for just a little while longer.”
Cameron swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down his throat as he took a shaky step backwards. “Later…”
Asher wonder if his grin looked as predatory as it felt. “Later…you’re mine.”
~
“Wow, I can’t believe you actually made it.” Natalie stepped to the side, making room for them in the line outside the old courthouse .
Cameron didn’t know how to take that, so he glared at his sister and said nothing. He loved the haunted house. It was one of his favorite parts of the Fall Festival, and the community theater people always put on an amazing show. His heart just wasn’t in it this year.
“Did you doubt us?” Asher asked, smirking at Cameron’s crankiness.
“Absolutely.” Showered and changed into a pair of wide-legged, black pants and a matching sleeveless blouse, Natalie flicked her curls over her shoulder and grinned. “I’m glad to be wrong for once.”
Her good mood was infectious, and with Asher laughing right along beside her, it became impossible for Cameron to hold on to his temper. Thirty days had never passed so slowly before, but he didn’t regret it, even if the anticipation was making him crazy.
The line ahead of them shuffled forward as the attendant hustled the next group of six through the doors.
Exactly six more people stood in front of them, which meant he, Asher, and Natalie would comprise the start of the following group.
Trying to be inconspicuous, he glanced over his shoulder, wondering who would follow them into the courthouse.
“Hey, Cam.” A pair of big gray eyes, partially obscured by a mess of shaggy brown curls, stared back at him .
Cameron smiled. “Hi, Derek. Where’s Tyler?” He looked passed Derek, his smile faltering. Rarely did he ever see the two apart. “Is he not here?”
Clearing his throat, Derek looked away. “Uh, he had a date. They’re around here somewhere.”
Mentally sighing, Cameron offered what he hoped was a sympathetic nod.
Everyone knew Derek Lang was half in love with his best friend, just like everyone knew the same could be said for Tyler.
If Tyler would just get his head out of his ass and stop insisting he was straight, they’d be magic together.
Not that he had anything against straight guys, but there was nothing platonic about the way those two looked at each other.
“Are you here alone, then?”
“Nope.” With a salacious grin, Nico appeared, seemingly from thin air, and wound his arm around Derek’s shoulders. “He’s with me.”
Rolling his eyes, Derek shrugged off Nico’s arm. “I am definitely not with him.”
“But you could be.” Nico laughed as he swayed sideways to bump their arms together. “Think about it.”
Cameron stared, his eyes darting back and forth between them. “What just happened?”
“Nothing,” Derek answered before Nico could say anything. “He’s just trying to make Riley jealous.”
“Riley Preston?” It hadn’t occurred to Cameron to keep his voice down until Nico glared. “Seriously? Tyler’s baby brother?” he asked at a more conversational volume. “That’s who has you all bent out of shape?”
“He’s twenty-seven, not a baby, and I never said anything of the sort. It’s not like that.”
“Only because Riley won’t give him the time of day,” Natalie added, stepping up beside Cameron to nose her way into the conversation. “Isn’t that right, Nico?”
On the one hand—total shocker. On the other—no, still completely insane.
No wonder Nico hadn’t wanted to tell him.
Riley was a good guy, smart, handsome, charming, and he’d just moved back to town to open a new veterinarian clinic.
Not that Nico wasn’t all those things, minus the vet part, but Cameron couldn’t picture the two of them together.
Mostly, because he remembered what a dick Nico had been to Riley throughout high school.
“Who’s Riley?” Asher asked, sliding up behind Cameron and winding his arms around him. “I feel like I’m missing all the gossip.”
Chuckling, Cameron introduced Derek, then gave Asher the summarized version of Nico’s predicament. “Now, he wants to kiss him.”
“Jesus,” Nico muttered. “Grow up, Cam.”
Asher rested his chin on the top of Cameron’s head and hummed. “Let me see if I have this right. You were a complete dick to this kid, humiliated him in front of the entire school, and now, you want to be friends.”
“With benefits,” Natalie quipped .
“More than friends.” Solemnly, Derek shook his head. “He wants to make sweet, sweet lo—”
Nico effectively silenced him with an elbow to the ribs. “Okay, everyone, laugh it up. I’m glad my tragedy of a love life can entertain you.”
Everyone did laugh, completely unrepentant, and the line moved forward again. They were next, but their circle of friends only totaled five. Turning again, he searched farther back, looking over Nico’s shoulder, and froze.
“Mom?”
“Mom!” Natalie yelled, far more excited than Cameron could even pretend to be. “Where’s Dad?”
“Parking the car. He’ll be along in a minute.”
“What are you doing here?” Cameron demanded.
“Cameron Michael Stone, you watch your tone.”
Ducking his head, he cursed the heat that stung his cheeks. “Yes, ma’am. I just thought you were out of town this weekend.”
“And now we’re not.” She smiled warmly, holding her arms out, giving Natalie a hug first, then Cameron. “Hello, Nico. Derek.”
“Hi, Mrs. Stone,” they both answered at once, shuffling their feet through the grass.
With laser precision, those bright blue eyes zeroed in on Asher. “Cameron, aren’t you going to introduce me to your handsome young man? ”
“He’s not mine,” Cameron said automatically, groaning when he realized how stupid and childish that sounded. “Uh, Mom, this is Asher. Asher, this is my mom, Sarah.”
Without missing a beat, Asher kissed his temple, then stepped forward to offer his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Stone.”
“None of that.” Batting his hand away, she pulled him into a tight embrace. “You’ll call me Sarah.” She leaned back but held him by his elbows. “Let me look at you. My goodness, you are handsome, aren’t you?”
“Fuck, Mom.”
“Language,” she snapped, not even looking at him. “Natalie tells me you’re an author.”
“Yes, ma’am, that’s right.” If Asher was anxious about the surprise meeting with Cameron’s mother, he didn’t show it. He smiled easily, and the bastard actually winked at her. “I make up stuff for a living, so really, don’t believe a word I say.”
She giggled at that, but it lasted only a moment before she turned a critical eye on him. “You’re a good one.” Apparently, it had been decided, and her tone invited no argument. “I have a sense about these things.”
“Next!” the attendant called, and Cameron nearly wept with relief.
“Sorry, Mom. That’s us. ”