The One I Want Read online

  “Lance used to take me to clubs closer to Cleveland and when we got there, he’d pair off with other guys. At first, I thought he was just…chatty. Then I caught him blowing a guy in an alcove. I brushed it off until I walked in on him in bed with yet another man. Couple that with his drinking problem and we just weren’t going to work.”

  “Damn.” Josh eased up to Cameron and slid his palm along the back of Cameron’s neck. He and Cameron hadn’t been together long, but he was already enchanted by him. “I’m not like that. I’m the boyfriend type.” Being so close to Cameron intoxicated him. He gave in to his instincts and kissed Cameron.

  Although he jerked at first, Cameron didn’t stop the kiss. Instead, he placed his hand on Josh’s chest. He kissed back with vigor and, when Josh opened to him, he sucked on Josh’s tongue.

  Josh moaned. He toyed with the downy soft hairs at the base of Cameron’s skull. He could get used to kissing the shy teacher. Part of him wanted to leave the club. They couldn’t explore each other in the midst of all those dancers. But the rest of him needed to see this night through. He’d found the courage to ask Cameron out and they should at least have most of the date in public.

  Cameron broke the kiss first. He blushed from his hairline to the collar of his button-down shirt. A lazy smile curled his lips.

  Josh bumped noses with him. “I’m not the kind of guy who steps out on my date. Besides, you’re one hell of a hottie.” He studied the flecks of emerald green in Cameron’s eyes. “Want to go inside? I’m dying to grind against you.”

  Cameron shivered and his smile widened. “I’d love that.” He fell into step beside Josh as he walked up to the club.

  Music flooded out into the foyer. Josh paid the cover charge, then held Cameron’s hand. He hadn’t been to Club26 in over six months. Why would he come back to the place where his ex had dumped him? Because he wanted to start fresh with someone new. People gyrated on the dance floor and the strobe lights flashed. The scent of perfume and something fried wafted in the air. Josh crinkled his nose. He’d been hungry on the way to Cameron’s, but now he wasn’t interested in food.

  “Do you want something to eat?” Josh asked.

  “I’m good.” Cameron tugged Josh into the throng of people. What he lacked in dance skills, he made up for in enthusiasm. Cameron moved to the beat rather well but did better when he followed Josh’s lead.

  Josh held Cameron close and ground his crotch against Cameron’s thigh. Cameron’s breath tickled in his ear. Despite the heat in the room, Josh shivered. He grabbed Cameron’s ass. The bulge in his jeans rubbed against Josh’s hip. At least Cameron was as turned on as him. Sweat prickled on Josh’s skin and for a few moments he lost himself in the world of Cameron. He hadn’t been this swept up in a long time.

  The music continued to drone on, but Cameron stopped dancing. He nodded to the outdoor portion of the bar. Josh wandered through the people to the edge of the dance floor, and out into the chilly night air on the enclosed patio.

  “That was fun,” Cameron said. “I haven’t used those muscles in forever.”

  “Which ones? The sexy ones?” Josh laughed. He plopped onto one of the metal chairs, then tugged Cameron onto his lap. “I’ll bet Dolly misses me.” He snapped his mouth shut. Where in the hell had that come from? He had a sexy man in his arms and the first thing he thought of was his dog?

  “Wow. I’m that lousy a date.” Cameron laughed again. “I’m second place to a dog.”

  “No.” He kissed Cameron. “I like you.”

  “But?” Cameron straddled Josh’s thighs. “There’s more to the story here.”

  Shit. They were having a sexy time and he’d bungled it. He had to explain himself. Cameron deserved nothing less. “It’s been me and Dolly for a long time. She’s like my right arm. I feel odd without her being there.” I’m used to being ignored at work until someone needs me, I’m tired of being walked on and I’m having a hard time trusting my gut concerning you. No, he couldn’t say all that.

  “Well, I’m sorry I’m not sorry. A boy needs his dog,” Cameron said. “I did start the date off by worrying about Winston.” He shrugged. “I’d rather be with a guy who likes dogs and understands they aren’t just pets than one who can’t stand my furry best friend.”

  “I think it’s a sign. We’re both worried about the dogs, but having a great time together. We’re original, but we’ve got each other.” Josh patted Cameron’s ass. “What are we going to do with ourselves?”

  “How about we ditch the club and head back to my house? Bring Dolly over. We can hang out by the pool, talk and actually hear each other.”

  “Are you sure?” He didn’t want to impose.

  “I’ll admit it. I’m not much of a club guy. This was fun, but I prefer quiet.”

  Josh smoothed the wrinkles in Cameron’s shirt. “A guy after my own heart.”

  Cameron blushed. He fumbled for his words before he managed, “The back yard is fenced in and if Win can’t get loose, she won’t. She and Winston seem to be pals already so I’d bet they’d like to play. Call it a double date.” He toyed with Josh’s collar. “We’ll have the house and pool to ourselves since my sister and her boyfriend went out.”

  “I like the way you think.” A night in beat a night out any time. Plus, he could let Dolly run while he explored Cameron. Win-win.

  Cameron left Josh’s lap but stayed at his side as they maneuvered through the club. He paused at the bar and tensed, then ducked out of the main room. He didn’t say anything as he walked straight to the car.

  “What was that all about?” Josh unlocked the passenger door. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. I just saw someone I didn’t want to see.”

  Josh frowned. He didn’t know who would bother Cameron, but he’d prefer not to have the evening spoiled. He drove in silence across town to his apartment. Being with Cameron was exciting and overwhelming. Despite Cameron’s shyness, he liked to hold hands and hadn’t been afraid to show affection in the club. Josh didn’t see any downsides to Cameron—unless Dolly decided to switch gears. If she had an issue with him, then the whole thing was off. Please don’t let Dolly decide she hates Cameron.

  Once Josh stopped in the lot, he tapped the steering wheel.

  “What’s wrong?” Cameron tipped his head. “You okay?”

  “Things have been going so well. I’m waiting for my luck to kick in and it all falls apart.” Josh waved his hand and opened the main foyer door.

  “I understand.” Cameron stayed beside Josh as they headed into the building and ascended to Josh’s floor.

  “Excuse my mess. I haven’t cleaned in a few days,” Josh said.

  “It’s cool. My sister hates housework, too. If she had her way, my sister would have a maid.”

  Josh unlocked his door. Dolly sat on the rug beside the half-wall separating the foyer from the dining room. “Hey, you.” He knelt and scratched her ears. “We’ve got company. Don’t eat him.”

  Dolly wiggled around Josh, then plopped down at Cameron’s feet. He dropped to his knees and offered his hand. She sniffed him, snorted and licked his fingers.

  Josh chuckled. “She isn’t fond of too many people. She’s got the typical Collie snooty temperament.” He stood and picked up her leash, then some treats. “She must like you as much as she does Winston.”

  “It’s my animal magnetism.”

  “Horrible.” Josh laughed. “But funny.”

  “I’ve never been good with jokes.” He stepped into the hallway, leaving Dolly and Josh alone.

  “Should we go?” Josh clicked the leash onto her collar. “Car ride?”

  Cameron said nothing as he and Josh went back to the parking lot. Dolly hopped into the back seat and stood on the console. She stuck her nose in Cameron’s face and nuzzled him.

  Josh drank in the moment. Seeing Dolly so at ease with Cameron and him taking her in stride. Josh hated to think in terms of love yet, but he’d fallen for Cameron. He wanted a man who
loved him as much as his dog. Part of him wanted to be cautious, but the rest of him craved Cameron.

  “Why’d you name her Dolly?” Cameron asked, breaking the silence. “Win’s name…well, I told you about that. Did you want her name to rhyme?”

  “No, I like the musical.” He laughed. Back when he’d picked her up from the kennel, he hadn’t really thought about her name. “But the rhyming thing sounded cute, too. Once I realized it did, I refused to change it. Plus, when she was a pup, she was so small and adorable, like a doll. The name stuck.”

  “I like it.” Cameron reached around to pet her while Josh drove. “Winston was originally named Skip. When Churchill passed, I swore I wasn’t going to get another dog. But my kids sponsored the shelter here in town. I got the honor of taking the money in. When I saw Winston—er, Skip, I couldn’t pass him up. He didn’t strike me as a rough dog. Just silly and pushy. Anyway, I snagged the pup and now he’s goofy old Winston.”

  “So, what will the next one be?” Josh asked. “I love my Dolly, but I can’t handle not having a dog. A chocolate Lab?”

  “Probably. I’d rather not think about it, though.”

  Josh pulled onto Cameron’s street, then grasped his hand and kissed the back of his palm. “Your house is dark.”

  “Yeah, Nikki and her current boyfriend, Nathan, went to Cleveland for the night.”

  “And left Winston alone?” He stopped in the driveway and parked. “That’s terrible.” Not that he was much better when he left Dolly alone all day while he worked.

  “She assumed the date would be a dud.” Cameron shrugged. “I’ve not had the best luck with men. Lance was a cheating drunk. Barstow was a cheater. It’s just sucky.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that, but I’m hoping to change your view of guys, too.” He left the car and helped Dolly out of the back seat. “So, this is your oasis?”

  “Yeah. My sister dated a guy who was a contractor. He used our house as his showplace. He’d fix up the landscaping and encourage people to drive by to see what he could do.” Cameron tugged his keys from his pocket. “When they split, he threatened to rip up the flowers. I’m just glad he found another girlfriend already.”

  “Men. We do silly things for the ones we love.” He followed Cameron into the house and unclipped Dolly’s leash. Winston bounded up to him and collided with Dolly. The two dogs became a mass of tumbling, sniffing fur. Winston barked, then Dolly replied.

  “At least they like each other.” Cameron put his keys in the glass bowl on a small wooden table. “If she’s got to go out, the backyard is fenced, like I said. It’s well-lit and you can see her from pretty much any angle out there.”

  He snagged Cameron in his arms. Damn, he was in trouble. He’d fallen for the teacher. “I love dog people. My last date wanted me to pen her up all the time. Thought she’d attack him. Since he was a dick, she might have in an attempt to protect me. He was a narcissistic jerk.” Now he’d found someone so much better.

  “Mine hated Winston. He insisted I choose between him and the dog. You can see who I picked.” Cameron draped his arms around Josh’s shoulders. “I didn’t think I could be happy again.”

  “I understand.” He rested his forehead on Cameron’s. The feeling was mutual. He ground his body against Cameron’s and breathed in the scent of him. He hadn’t thought he’d have another chance at love or a decent relationship. Cameron was different and they hadn’t even fucked yet. Soon. He wasn’t sure he could wait much longer.

  Chapter Three

  Cameron sighed. He hadn’t felt this good in a long time. He tucked his fingers into Josh’s front pockets. He didn’t want the moment to end, but he also couldn’t leave the dogs unsupervised. “We should go out to the patio.”

  “Yeah.” Josh brushed his lips over Cameron’s. “I don’t care what we do.”

  He hadn’t thought Josh would mind. “My sister texted while we were at the club. She’s not coming home until Sunday. We’ve got all weekend.” He pulled away from Josh but grasped his hand. “Come with me.” He led Josh through the house to the back door. “Normally, I leave my sister’s part of the place alone, but I don’t feel like going upstairs just to come back down on the other side.”

  “Makes sense.” Josh collided with Cameron and wrapped his arms around him from behind. The bulge in his pants rubbed against Cameron’s ass.

  Cameron sucked in a ragged breath. He wanted nothing more than to strip Josh down and lick every inch of him, but they had to go slow…at least slower than warp speed. He flipped on the lights and bathed the backyard area in a warm yellow light.

  “Damn.” Josh let go of Cameron and ventured out onto the patio. The dogs darted past him and bounded into the yard. He glanced back at Cameron. “Your sister’s boyfriend did this?”

  “Mom and Dad wanted the pool, but he added the details. I’m the muscle that keeps it nice. My sister’s current boyfriend is our pool boy.” He wasn’t sure why he’d mentioned all those details. Did Josh really care? “There’s no gate, so the dogs won’t get out and the walls are high enough—on my sister’s demand—so we’d have privacy.”

  Josh grinned. “I like the way she thinks.”

  “Me, too.” He hadn’t cared about privacy much. Why should he have? He and Lance never hung out at his place. Lance insisted on staying away from Winston. He tucked his hands into his pockets and strolled down to the grass. Winston darted across the lawn with Dolly in tow. Both dogs barked, then wrestled before chasing each other again.

  Cameron leaned on the porch post. For a moment, he allowed himself to imagine sharing his life and space with Josh. They’d be a family. Christ, he’d jumped the gun. He’d gone from hi, how are you to let’s be together forever without even asking Josh how he felt.

  Josh patted the seat of the glider. “Join me. I don’t bite and I’ve had my shots.”

  “Have you? I’m not so sure.” He grinned. “You’re a sketchy-looking guy, all dressed up and smelling like sin.” Did that sound silly? He hoped not. Based on the way Josh licked his bottom lip and crooked his finger, Cameron guessed he sounded sexy enough. “As for joining you, I thought you’d never ask.” He made his way over to Josh. The dogs stretched out on the grass. Cameron grinned. “It’s pretty out tonight. I went to college down in Columbus and we never saw stars. As soon as I could come home, I did.” He sat beside Josh and draped his arm across the back of the glider. “I love the peacefulness. Sometimes I wonder if that’s how the ancients felt.” He met Josh’s gaze. “Did they feel small in the cosmos or did they admire the beauty of the stars the way I do?” He’d babbled again. Damn it.

  “I bet they drank it in the same way you do.” Josh scooted closer to Cameron. He slid his hand over Cameron’s thigh and tipped his head to kiss him.

  Cameron groaned into the kiss. He leaned into Josh and caressed Josh’s neck. Warmth flooded him. He couldn’t get enough of Josh and his fingertips sizzled when he touched him. He’d found someone enticing and exciting.

  Josh trailed his fingers along Cameron’s chest, drawing a shiver from deep within him. He opened Cameron’s shirt, one button at a time, and continued to kiss him. Cameron whimpered and when he opened to Josh, he deepened the kiss. Josh swiped his tongue over Cameron’s teeth, then tangled their tongues together.

  Oh fuck. He loved a man who could take control. Being a natural bottom, he preferred to give over power. Cameron sagged in his seat and moved his palm to the bulge in Josh’s jeans.

  Josh broke the connection and slid his hand underneath Cameron’s shirt. He tweaked Cameron’s nipple. When Cameron whimpered again, Josh dragged his nose along Cameron’s jaw. “Like that?”

  “Yeah.” He worked Josh’s belt open, then unzipped him. Fire lit in Josh’s eyes. Cameron dragged his tongue along the curve of Josh’s ear. “Want to touch you.”

  “You are.” Josh chuckled and adjusted his pants until Cameron could wrap his hand around his dick. “Fucking balls, that feels good.”

  “Yea
h?” Cameron stroked Josh’s erection. He liked the way Josh felt in his grasp. So, warm and hard…like silk-encased steel. He slid the pad of his thumb across the top of Josh’s shaft.

  Josh groaned and rocked his hips. The glider moved in time with his thrusts. “I want to touch you, too.” He bumped noses with Cameron and kissed him.

  Cameron continued to stroke Josh and used his free hand to open his pants. His cock pushed through the gap in his boxer shorts.

  “You’re ready.” Josh met Cameron’s gaze. He said nothing else, but his lips parted. He panted and his warm breath feathered over Cameron’s cheeks.

  “Bet your ass I am.” He bit back a groan. He tried not to swear, but Josh had him caught up. “Want you.” He dug his feet into the grass for leverage. Desire overwhelmed him. He tipped his head back and pushed his cock into Josh’s hand in time with his strokes. Rational thought left his head. All he could do was feel. He grunted and closed his eyes. His legs trembled and the heat in his belly surged through his veins. Nothing else mattered, except being in this moment with Josh.

  “Oh, my God.” Josh tugged Cameron’s head to his and mashed his mouth down on Cameron’s.

  Stars exploded behind Cameron’s eyes. He moaned into Josh’s kiss. The breath wrenched from his body and his resistance snapped. He opened his eyes and gave in to the orgasm. His cock throbbed. Cum landed on his belly in a hot stripe.

  Josh pulled away from Cameron’s mouth but stared into his eyes. A strangled cry erupted from his throat. He tensed. Cameron, though limp now, focused on Josh. He increased the speed of his strokes.

  “Come for me,” he murmured. “Do it. Come apart. I want to see it.”

  Josh whimpered, then jammed his cock into Cameron’s hand. Sticky cum shot onto Cameron’s fingers. Josh moaned. He sagged against Cameron. “Wow.”

  “Damn. Wow. Holy shit.” Cameron relaxed in his seat. “I wanted to go slow.” He didn’t regret what they’d done, but he wasn’t the type to give in on the first date…until Josh. “I went so much faster than I’d planned.”