CHAPTER 12
Icing tastes just as sweet,
even when eaten off the cake.
“SATAN, I’M AFRAID TO open it,” I grumbled as I stared at the package now resting on the kitchen table.
“I’m here for moral support,” Cam reassured me as he patted my back comfortingly.
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Knowing Alice, it’s probably a couple’s dildo or something.”
“Would she really give a sex toy as a gift?” Cam asked curiously.
“I don’t know, probably.” I groaned. “If she knew magic, I would think she’d put a curse on it.”
“Want me to open it up for you?” he offered, grabbing the scissors to slice through the tape.
I released a breath. “No, I can do this,” I said with grim determination.
Cam chuckled as he handed me the scissors, and I proceeded to slice through the tape.
I cautiously lifted open the flaps of the box, half expecting it to explode, but my tensed posture relaxed as I noticed a small, wrapped parcel nestled within.
When I lifted it out, it had the dense weight and somewhat floppy feel of a book, so I peeled the Halloween-themed wrapping paper off to reveal... Yep, a book.
A somewhat familiar book.
I released an incredulous huff, lips quirking upward.
“I can’t believe she remembered...” I trialed off as I stared at the cover with its two half-naked men in a rather sensual embrace. The title read, “69 Shades of Us” in overly elegant scrawling cursive.
I barked out a genuine laugh, “Wow, I can’t believe she remembered this!”
Alice and I liked to read the same types of books. Gay erotica, in particular. And I recalled briefly mentioning this one to her after me and Cam’s late-night adventure to the convenience store.
When I flipped open the cover, a small white envelope fell out.
I handed the book to Cam so he could check it out, figuring he’d be interested too, and picked up the note.
As usual, there was no card; we didn’t do cards.
They just ended up in the trash. We tended to write holiday notes on anything we had at hand.
This year Alice had written on the actual envelope.
Lazy, I thought as I rolled my eyes with a fond smile and read the note in her neat handwriting.
Victor, Happy birthday you old man! What are you, 30 already?
“I’m twenty-nine, asshole,” I grumbled, but continued reading.
I’ll keep this short. Here’s the smutty porno book you mentioned to me.
I took the liberties of reading it first and boy, *insert whistle here* is it a doozy.
You’re totally ‘gonna LOVE it. Make sure to have some lotion and tissues handy. Or Cam. Maybe you two can read it together you kinky bastards. Love you bunches. Have safe sex. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.
Or do. Makes life far more interesting. Say hi to your hubby for me!
-XXX Ali Cat
P.S. – Open this for the actual gift. Have a great time!
I was slightly stunned. Her letters tended to lean toward chaotic, but I loved them all the same. What had she meant by...
When I opened the envelope, three pieces of paper fell out. No, not paper. Tickets. Well, two were tickets. When I flipped them over, I was even more stunned.
“Unholy shit,” I whispered, nearly dropping the tickets.
Cam peeked over my shoulder. “Cresthill Music Festival. Featuring... What? No way. Bull Witchery? How did she manage to get tickets?”
He sounded just as bewildered as I felt.
They were my favorite band, Cam’s too I had recently found out.
But I had given up hopes of ever seeing them live because the tickets to their shows always sold out insanely fast. I had thought I would get lucky to snag some when I found out they would be headlining at a local music festival.
But apparently even being over Thanksgiving didn’t mean people would be less inclined to attend.
Especially considering it was Halloween themed despite being held in late November.
“I have no idea,” I told him, still in awe. “Last I knew, they sold out during the presale.”
I turned my attention to the third piece of paper which was... a hotel reservation. Unholy shit, this could knock two date ideas off my master list!
“Damn, Ali Cat,” I chuckled. “Really pulled all the stops this year. She found me you, now these tickets... I really owe her an amazing Christmas present.”
I could feel Cam’s gaze on me full of warmth, but it faded as the name of the city where the festival was being held registered.
“Wait...” Cam began as he studied the tickets. “Cresthill as in where you used to live?” Cam asked carefully. The words “with your ex” being left unspoken. “Did Alice know?”
“No.” I shook my head. “She knew that I moved here to get away from an abusive ex, but not where I came from. It’s not her fault.”
“We don’t have to go,” Cam offered softly. “I’m sure once you explain to her-”
“No way.” My tone was firm. I was done hiding from my past. I wouldn’t allow the memory of Ron to control me anymore, and I certainly wasn’t going to let it affect my future with Cam. “We’re going.”
Cam’s gaze radiated pride and understanding. How had I managed to get so damn lucky?
When we got back from our walk, I grabbed a quick shower before dinner.
Cam was cooking, bless him. He had wanted to take me out for my birthday dinner, but seeing as he didn’t have a job yet, he was making something special.
He’d refused to tell me what, though, wanting it to be a surprise.
He hadn’t even let me look at the ingredients we’d had to pick up earlier in the afternoon.
I was drying my hair, towel slung around my hips, when the blaring of an alarm made me jump violently, heart going straight to my throat. That kind of sounded like the fire-
“Oh shit,” I blurted then bolted out of the bathroom, clutching the towel to my waist.
When I made it to the kitchen, I saw poor Cam fanning a skillet that was pouring smoke like a volcano, quickly filling the small kitchen with its pungent scent.
“Cam,” I gasped and coughed as I reached his side to help, eyes watering. “Are you alright?”
His face was flushed with embarrassment as he turned the stove off and set the angry pan in the sink. I rushed over and pulled the alarm off the wall, yanking the batteries out to stop its incessant shrieking.
I coughed a bit more at the bitter smoke lingering in the air.
Waving a hand in front of my face, I strode toward the kitchen windows and shoved them open.
The crisp autumn breeze swiftly blew in, but a wave of magic from my palm had the smoke already clearing.
The chill made my still damp body shiver, nipples pebbling.
I then walked back over to Cam, ready to soothe the worry etched on his face.
“I’m sorry,” he said, meeting my gaze. His despondent voice was filled with disappointment. “I didn’t... I think I burnt dinner.”
I looked between him, the smoking pan in the sink, then back at him. The remains were so charred that I couldn’t even tell what he’d been attempting to make. I gave him a lopsided smile, brow quirked, and said through an amused laugh,
“Ya think?”
He practically wilted before my eyes. “I really wanted to make you something special. You’ve done so much for me, and I want to show you how much I appreciate you. I’m sorry, Victor.”
“Oh Cam, babe.” I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him securely into my embrace.
He immediately melted into me, face nuzzling in my neck.
Only then did I remember I was basically naked with only my towel covering my junk, but I didn’t care.
Cam certainly didn’t mind. I ran a hand over the back of his head, those silky strands sliding through my fingers.
“Don’t apologize. I really appreciate the effort. ”
I stood on my tiptoes to give him a kiss.
I swore I felt him tremble against me, so I held him tighter, kissed him harder.
My tongue swept through his mouth, and I greedily lapped up the taste of him.
I only pulled back when he’d gone loose and pliant, humming with pleasure as I rained sweet kisses all over his face.
His hands gripped my bare waist hard, holding me against him.
“How about takeout?” I asked, then nibbled on the ring in his bottom lip.
His eyes flared with heat, but he only nodded dazedly along.
With him thoroughly distracted, I ordered us some fried chicken – knowing it would get here the fastest – and got dressed in my sweatpants and one of Cam’s baggy band t-shirts.
I took immense pleasure in how much he loved me wearing his clothes.
Would have forgone the pants, but the house had gotten cold fast, even after I’d shut the windows once the smoke had cleared.
It wasn’t long before the food arrived and I was glad to grab it without flinging a dildo across the living room this time.
With our bellies full and the burnt skillet left to soak in the sink for the foreseeable future – though I was more likely to just pitch it – Cam and I curled up on the sofa for the night.
He tucked the cozy cashmere blanket around my hips as he stood and placed a kiss on my cheek.
“I’ll be right back,” he said. “Pick out a movie for us.”
I thought nothing of it as I scrolled. Cam flicked the main lights off, leaving only the side table lamp filling the room with its soft, warm glow.
But when another flickering glow off to the side caught my attention seconds later, I turned to see Cam holding something between his hands. Was that...
My jaw went slack, and I dropped the remote as Cam carefully made his way back to the sofa, sat down, and placed the homemade cake decorated with flickering candles right onto my lap.
I was so distracted by the cake that I didn’t even see the flowers before he placed the bundle delicately into my empty palms. I looked down to see a handpicked bouquet of white hibiscus, violet primroses, pink oleanders, and a few others seasonals I couldn’t name.