13. Cameron
CAMERON
At around eight thirty, with the last light lingering in the sky, Gwen welcomed someone into the store: “Hello, how can I help you?”
“I’m Nico. I’m painting the mural.”
The chatter between Nico and Gwen filtered into the back room, and I resisted running out there to sweep him into my arms and kiss him the way I would if I were really his boyfriend.
I was not going to give Gwen any reasons to ask questions, and I was not going to hook up with Nico at my workplace. Again.
When I came out of the kitchen to check on things, all those good intentions melted faster than a popsicle on the pavement on an August afternoon.
Nico’s hair was still wet from the shower, curling around his ears, and he was wearing red and green plaid drawstring pants and a Henley.
The images of what he’d look like before bed haunted me without permission.
When Nico saw me, he held out a Tupperware. “Josie made an amazing stew for dinner tonight. I brought you some in case you hadn’t eaten yet.”
“Are you wearing pajamas?” I rounded the counter to accept the offering.
“Figured I’d be prepared in case I ended up crashing here again,” Nico said. “I paint in these clothes all the time, so they’re already ruined.”
I scanned his body, telling myself I was looking for paint splatters. When my gaze made it back to his face, Nico was watching me with a knowing expression. I cleared my throat.
“Hey, bossman,” Gwen said, glancing between us like she was trying to solve a puzzle. “I remembered I’m behind on my summer reading. Is it ok if I take off early tonight?”
Her voice broke the spell, and I shook my head to clear my thoughts. “Sure. But I’m going to dock your pay if you call me that one more time.”
“Seems illegal,” Gwen said, pushing into the kitchen. She reappeared with her backpack in tow and saluted me as she walked to the front of the store. “See ya tomorrow, bossman.”
“You are so annoying,” I threw back.
“Workplace harassment!” Gwen stuck her tongue out at me before making a dramatic exit.
I rolled my eyes and turned to Nico. “Were we that insufferable when we were teens?”
“I love her,” Nico said. “I’m sure we were worse.”
The silence of the empty store settled around us, and I swore he could hear my heart beating.
I turned abruptly and escaped to the kitchen to heat up the leftovers.
I wouldn’t let Nico’s thoughtfulness mean more than a white flag in our truce.
He was trying to prove that he’d matured in the last decade, and I was letting him.
That was it.
But when he followed me into the kitchen and whispered in my ear that he’d locked the front door, I was on my knees in a flash.
“What—”
“Shut the fuck up or this is over,” I said, rubbing my face against the front of his soft pajama pants.
Nico peered down at me, his eyes wide with shock and his bottom lip between his teeth.
He had his arms lifted like he didn’t know where to put his hands.
His cock hardened beneath my tongue as I dragged my open mouth along the fabric.
Once I reached his waistband, I loosened the drawstring with my teeth.
Nico gasped as I tugged his pants down over his thighs.
His cock was flushed and red, precum already dripping from the tip, and his foreskin pulling back.
I swear I was possessed by the horny Ghost of Christmas Past because there was no other explanation for why I had Nico’s dick in my mouth right now.
This was not part of our agreement, but the taste of him on my tongue was enough for me to forget all the reasons why I shouldn’t.
My hands went to Nico’s bare hips and squeezed, holding him steady as I began to trace his length with my tongue. He gave a choked moan when I pulled him into my mouth. At least he was trying to follow instructions.
My lack of gag reflex made me a pro at giving head, and I wanted to show off. Nico and I may have fucked in college, but I still had plenty of surprises up my sleeve. Or down my throat. So I took his cock all the way to the base right away.
Nico fought against my hold, breathing fast, but I wouldn’t let him move.
I slid my hands around to his ass and held him at the back of my throat until my eyes watered and my chin was spit-soaked.
I loved this feeling, a mouth full of fat dick.
When I pulled back to breathe, Nico collapsed forward, his hands going to the countertop behind me.
I’d have to clean everything before I closed down tonight, but that was future me’s problem.
I dove back onto Nico’s cock, sliding my lips up and down, and swallowed around him when he was deep in my throat again. His thighs shook in my grip.
“Fuck, Cameron,” Nico said, the words spilling from him as if he couldn’t hold them in any longer. “I’m so close. Don’t stop.”
His words reminded me who I was with and what I was doing, which was exactly why I’d told him not to speak. If I were conscious that it was Nico coming undone on my tongue, I’d be in danger of feeling too much. I pulled off his dick and scowled up at him.
He must have been too far gone because not a moment later, he was coming all over my face.
I was so shocked that I didn’t react quickly enough when Nico knelt in front of me and began licking the cum off my face and neck. He avoided my lips, a stark reminder of what this was and wasn’t. I still groaned when he sucked gently on the sensitive spot below my ear.
Before I could pull away, Nico shoved me down to the floor and worked my jeans open.
“You don’t have to,” I said. “Now we’re even.”
Nico paused, and his forehead crinkled in confusion. “What do you mean?”
“Well, you made me come on Monday…” Whatever had been so clear in my head a moment ago was now all fuzzy.
“So, what? You were paying your debt?” Nico’s lips pursed as he leaned back on his heels.
I pushed myself up to my elbows. “That’s what this is, right? A trade?”
Nico sighed, but then he slid his hands up my thighs and crawled to hover above me. I sucked in a breath.
“Maybe that’s what this is for you, but not for me,” Nico murmured. “I’ve missed you. And I really like you. You’re loyal and kind, and sexy as hell. I hope you can come to appreciate who I am now, too, because I’m doing my best to make up for lost time. Can we not keep score?”
My arms gave out, and I fell back to the floor, looking up at his face.
His eyes were glassy, but he blinked the moisture away before I could ask anything else.
I’d probably end up totally fucked when Nico went back to Boston, but I didn’t think I could keep up this wall between us anymore.
I’d carried a torch for him since I was fifteen, and apparently it had never gone out.
“For what it’s worth,” Nico said, pushing his hips down into mine and making me gasp. “I came on Monday, too.”
“You did?”
“In my pants.” Nico’s eyes were now crinkled with laughter at the edges, his cheeks tinged pink with embarrassment, and I surrendered.
I never stood a chance.