Chapter 22 #2
Thomas gently squeezed his palm before letting go as they sat opposite each other.
The colorful and light meal was set on the small table between them.
“Is my approach unwelcome?” Thomas asked, making himself comfortable.
“If I don’t catch myself, I am the determined sort. You’ll have to excuse me.”
“Not unwelcome. You needn’t worry.” Cameron grinned as he filled their respective coffee cups. Usually, that sort of personality type irritated him. But with Thomas, he found that he liked it… or rather, he simply liked Thomas and the complex intricacies of his whole enigmatic being.
While Thomas waited for his coffee to be poured, he sat back and opened the second letter. After a moment, he scoffed and said, “This is a request from Wyatt to visit at the end of the month.”
“Perfectly timed.” Cameron picked up his coffee. “You didn’t even have to seek him out—just make certain your appointment doesn’t overlap with our evening at the bathhouse?”
“Oh, I won’t. I’m looking forward to that.
” Thomas shook his head, astounded. “It is so very like Wyatt to request an audience almost immediately after seeing me. He was exactly the same way in university—eager, needy and hasty. I absolutely detested his hounding me for sex and attention. He made me feel as if I were a hare being chased by a hawk. Always hovering over me and swooping in when I least desired it. It was demeaning and exhausting.”
“That sounds like a nightmare,” Cameron said after taking a sip of his coffee.
The liquid was robust, smooth and soothing in all the right ways.
In combination with the snowy morning and his present company, it was perfect.
“He shouldn’t behave that way now, at least, given your respective circumstances?
And of course, you’ll never need to worry about that kind of behavior in this house, I promise you. ”
Cameron took another sip, anticipating Thomas’s response. A sentiment of relief, perhaps? Instead, his angular jaw worked discreetly, then he reached over and picked up his coffee cup to drink. No response at all. It was odd, so Cameron decided to say as much.
“It’s concerning when you’re suddenly silent like this.”
Thomas brought his cup down to his lap and stared into the liquid. “Not every thought that materializes in my head should pass through the filter of my mouth. If I don’t say something, trust that silence is the optimum choice.”
Wildly curious, Cameron leaned forward. “May I be privy to the unfiltered thought? Just this once.”
Thomas lifted his heather gaze and spoke in earnest. “The unfiltered thought was to tell you that you could hound me for sex and attention, if you desired it. Ironically, I might welcome that behavior from you.”
Cameron sat back in his chair, his heart beating in his throat and his cheeks overwarm. “Oh.”
“Right.” Thomas’s lashes fluttered down as he lifted his cup to his mouth once more.
The sky was clear on the night of the bathhouse appointment. The expanse was like the darkest velvet sprinkled with a million flecks of crystal. Finally, the snow had let up, but the remains were piled high and blanketed over the fields and trees.
That morning, Lennon had informed Cameron that today marked exactly two months since Thomas had arrived at the Ashford estate.
Cameron had marveled. On the one hand, two months felt like nothing at all.
On the other, it was strange to recall that not so long ago, Thomas hadn’t even existed within his world.
It wasn’t that Thomas had filled a space or gap in Cameron’s life. Cameron hadn’t been living day to day feeling as if he was missing anything.
It was more like Thomas had come along and enhanced his existence. He’d turned the colors up a little brighter and made the atmosphere warmer with his witty conversation and intriguing conjectures. He’d made life even cozier with his tender affections and sweet patience.
Cameron wanted to express this to him, but he had no idea how without making it terribly awkward.
He’d already confessed a while back that he found Thomas physically attractive.
And quietly, it was even more than that.
With each passing day, Cameron found himself growing more curious about…
things. Carnal things he’d never cared to think about before.
It was uncomfortable to wrestle with—especially since he’d made such a big fuss about promising Thomas that he did not think about him (or anyone) in that way.
And yet here Cameron was, a mere two months later, wondering what it might feel like to kiss Thomas.
What it would be like to taste his mouth, and…
perhaps his blood as well. What would it be like to feed from him?
Thomas had told him that he needed to have a deeper, emotional connection with a vampire before having physical intimacy. He’d loved Dawn when he did those things with her. Could he love Cameron in that same way?
A tasteful and elegantly dressed employee of the baths welcomed them upon their arrival, then guided them back to the men’s changing area and gave them a brief tour.
As the invitation had promised, Cameron and Thomas were the only vampires present.
The lights were cast low and soft. Meditative music with string and woodwind instruments played over the discreet sound system.
As they undressed and draped themselves in complimentary robes, Cameron looked anywhere and everywhere except at Thomas. The nervousness and insecurity had taken root inside Cameron in a gnarled, twisted way. He barely knew what to do with himself and how to manage it.
When the attendant returned and guided them into the main bathing area, Cameron’s eyes widened and Thomas sucked in a breath beside him.
The roof was open to the night sky. The space formed a sizable rectangle of creamy marble pillars and ornate moldings beautifully carved around the edges.
Oversized torches burned openly and high along the walls with large pits of fire.
The sensation was like stumbling upon an ancient lair where sacrifices were made to the gods.
Steam rolled and swirled atop the green-tinted water, and it smelled of herbs and earth and stone. An elaborate waterfall made of red rock was situated at the opposite end of the pool, so the only sound was the gentle trickle of water against the cold silence of winter.
“This is breathtaking,” Thomas admired, lifting his chin to take in all the details.
“The showers are through here.” The attendant gestured to a fanciful stone corridor just off the main bathing hall. “There are towels available inside and hooks for your robes as well. If you need anything more, I’ll be outside in the main corridor. Please enjoy yourselves.”
The man bowed, and Cameron and Thomas thanked him. When he was gone, Thomas said, “Well, shall we shower first?”
“Mm,” Cameron said vaguely, then walked ahead toward the stone hallway.
Thomas continued talking even as they showered side by side, commenting on how beautiful the facilities were. Cameron agreed with him, but was so focused on not accidentally gawking at him in his nude state that he had difficulty engaging in the conversation.
Cameron left the showers first, wrapped an oversized towel around his waist and went back into the main bathing room. The fires burned brightly in the large pits overhead, the sensation mesmerizing juxtaposed against the night sky.
He folded his towel and set it down along the edge, then gingerly stepped into the water.
Just beneath the surface, there was a stone ledge for sitting that lined the entire length of the pool.
When Cameron sat, the warm water came up to his chest and below his shoulders.
He breathed in deeply and untensed his upper back, letting the heat and herbal scents and silence calm his frantic nerves.
“How’s the water?”
At the sound of Thomas’s voice, Cameron had the natural urge to turn around to acknowledge him. He started to, tensed, then remembered to stay looking forward. “It’s perfect.” He rubbed a wet palm down his face and took another breath.
Thomas climbed in beside him, making the water ripple and splash only a little. Once he was settled and the surface of the pool stilled, there was a beat of silence before Thomas said, “So… are you alright? Are you going to avoid making eye contact with me the entire time we’re here?”
Cameron turned his head then and met his bright gray eyes.
His dark brown hair was wet and slicked back.
His naked shoulders, neck and face were dewy and as milky as the marble pillars surrounding them.
“No,” Cameron said, lifting a hand to the back of his neck.
“Of course not. I-I wanted to give you… I meant to respect your space.”
“You could do less of that, quite frankly,” Thomas said. His fingers found Cameron’s beneath the water. Cameron turned his hand, accepting his palm as Thomas entwined their fingers.
“You say these things,” Cameron said softly, “but I’m never sure how to take them. If you mean them… if I’m welcome to act on them or if they’re in jest.”
“I would never say something to you that I don’t mean. I’m not really the ‘jesting’ type.”
That much rang true as Cameron considered it. Thomas was many wonderful things, but a “jokester” was not one of them. If anything, his character was more serious and direct. Truly, he was the “determined” sort, as Thomas so often declared.
Even still, Cameron didn’t know what to do with Thomas’s candid confessions. He wanted to do something, but what and how, he had no idea. Where to even begin.
“You confuse me,” Thomas went on in Cameron’s silent deliberation.
“When I feed from you, your nature tells me one thing, unequivocally. But then your demeanor and words tell me something else entirely. So, I don’t know…
I am never certain in my behavior toward you.
If, should I act on what I feel, it will truly be welcomed or not. ”
“I don’t mean to confuse you.”
“I know you don’t.”
Cameron squeezed his hand beneath the water. “You make me think about things that I… I’ve had no interest in—nor have I ever cared to dwell on. The revelation is awkward inside of my head. That I distinctly did not want something. But suddenly, I do want it. And specifically, from you.”
“What do you want from me, Cameron?” Thomas’s heavy lashes blinked slowly beneath the intensity of his gaze. He sat absolutely still, waiting for an answer.
I want you to kiss me, Cameron thought, searching Thomas’s eyes. I want to touch you. I want you to feel contented and peaceful in our home. I want you to stay with me and never leave.
Cameron swallowed hard, stifling those thoughts because they felt too needy and naked.
He was already physically naked. He only had so much nerve.
“Would you release my aura?” he asked, then took a breath.
“I’d like to know what it feels like. Only if you’re comfortable doing so… You shouldn’t feel pressured—”
“I would be honored to do that for you, Cameron. Do you trust me?”
Cameron nodded, feeling hypnotized by his ethereal gaze. “I trust you.”
Thomas let go of his hand and stood in the water.
He stepped over so that he was standing in the gap between Cameron’s thighs, looming over him but not touching him.
With his chin raised, Cameron’s throat bobbed heavily.
His nature twisted low at his spine and the heat flared up behind his irises in anticipation.
“Lennon told me that today marks our two-month anniversary… Ah, I mean… well, your two-month anniversary of living with us.” Internally, he cursed himself. He was nervous and trying to make conversation to lighten the intensity of the moment, but he sounded ridiculous.
Thomas lifted his palms from the water and gently cradled Cameron’s head. Slowly, his eyes warmed and burned blue-silver as he stared down at him. “Happy anniversary, my darling.”
Cameron’s heart warmed. He could barely breathe. “Happy anniversary.” As Thomas leaned in, he stepped closer so that the nakedness of his hips and groin brushed Cameron’s skin. One of Thomas’s hands traced around to his upper back while the other cradled his head.
Thomas licked his neck in a slow, unapologetic stroke, then bit down.
Cameron inhaled a soft breath and closed his eyes to the usual warm rush of gratitude and affection.
This time, though, there was something more.
A new, subtle thread weaved into the fabric of Thomas’s thoughts and actions. Something assured and profound.
It took Cameron’s breath away.