Page 39 of Delicious (Delicious #1)

Chapter Ten

Euan

I ’ve made a mistake.

It turns out it’s not the mistake I thought I’d made.

It wasn’t a mistake to kiss Cameron. It wasn’t a mistake to let him feed me cupcakes. It wasn’t a mistake to take him to bed.

It was a mistake to tell him it had to be a one-off. To make excuses about his dad or his age. All right, maybe they’re not excuses, but do they need to be obstacles?

I haven’t stopped thinking about Cameron. Every morning, I’ve woken up from erotic dreams about our encounter, my cock hard as a rod. I wanted to talk to him but told myself there wasn’t a good time. When I drop Peter off before I go to work in the morning? No. The boys are there. When I pick Peter up after work in the evening? No. The boys are there. I haven’t even made eye contact with him because I know if I do, I’ll want to kiss him.

I was a coward when I told him our post-cupcake encounter had to be a one-off. Now I’m pathetic and a coward.

It’s Friday evening. It’s been a long two weeks. Usually, I leave work promptly on a Friday, but tonight, knowing Cameron was taking the boys to their sleepover party, I stayed late and got all my marking and planning for the following week done. It’ll be good to take the whole weekend off for a change.

It’s almost seven when I arrive home. By some miracle, I’m able to park outside my house, right in front of Cameron’s car. I stay in my car, staring at his house. Lewis’s house. What would he think of me and Cameron hooking up? What would he say if we wanted more? Not that I have any reason to hope for more. Or rather, I can hope but not expect. I upset Cameron with my cowardice. Why would he want anything to do with me now?

With a sigh, I gather my things and get out of the car. I hesitate at the end of the path to my front door. I could talk to Cameron. Explain I was wrong. Tell him I miss him. Let him know I still want him. But why would he listen? I straighten my back, roll my shoulders, and lift my chin. I’m being a defeatist. A pessimist. What was it Cameron said? I’m a drama teacher, so I should be an optimist. I’m still not sure I follow his logic, but his words—and the earnest expression on his face—captivated me. He’s captivating.

I let myself into my house, drop my things inside the front door, lock up, stride next door, and ring the doorbell before I can second-guess myself.

Cameron opens a few moments later. He blinks, brow furrowed. “Oh, hi, Euan. Peter’s not here. Did you forget? The boys have a sleepover party tonight.”

“I didn’t forget. Peter was very excited about it this morning.”

He smiles. “So was Elliott. I think we’ll have two very tired boys tomorrow.”

“I think so too.”

He runs his finger over the inside of the door frame. “Why are you here?”

“Can we talk?”

His frown deepens. “What about?”

“Monday. Us.”

He folds his arms. “You made it quite clear there isn’t an us.”

“Can I come in? Please?”

He nods and steps backwards, away from the door. I go inside, shutting the door behind me. I can’t miss the tension in Cameron’s body. He still has his arms folded, his fingertips tucked under his armpits in a defensive gesture. His chin is lowered, and he’s glaring at the wooden flooring.

“Why are you here, Euan? Did you fancy a booty call?” His voice drips with sarcasm.

I gape at him. “That’s not why I’m here.”

“Then why?”

I spread my fingers wide. “To talk. To apologise.”

He raises his chin a little and makes eye contact with me.

“I’m sorry.”

Now I’m here, close to him, I want to hold him even more. I want to kiss any hurt away I’ve caused. Heck, I’d welcome him taking out his anger, annoyance, whatever on me via hard, rough sex if he wanted. Unlike on Monday, I need to make my head rule my cock. He’s just told me he’s not interested in sex.

“I was a jerk on Monday. I shouldn’t have shut down the possibility of us the way I did. The truth is, I want to be with you.”

“But?”

“But I’m scared.”

“About Dad’s reaction?”

“Yes.”

“And my age bothers you,” he says flatly.

“I don’t understand what you see in a guy ten years older than you.”

“That’s the thing. I don’t see the age gap. I see a gorgeous, creative guy, who I’ve been sweet on since the day I met. And yeah, maybe I did see the age gap six years ago. There was no way you were going to look at a nineteen-year-old. But I’m twenty-five now. I’m not a kid.”

“The age gap hasn’t changed.”

“No. But I have. I’ve grown up. I know who I am. You know what hasn’t changed?”

I shake my head.

“My crush on you. The more I got to know you, the more I fell for you. Not that it matters.”

I catch hold of his wrist. “It does matter. You’re amazing, Cam.”

He hunches his shoulders.

Right. It’s only the third time I’ve called him that. He must associate it with the intimacy we shared. I don’t blame him.

“It doesn’t matter if you can’t see past my age. If you can’t even bring yourself to find out what Dad might think about us. I’m fine with keeping a one-off secret but beyond that? If you truly want to be with me, it needs to be out in the open. You need to be proud to be seen with me. You need to be willing to tell Dad we’re together.” He wipes his hands over his face. “I’m running a million miles ahead. You came to apologise. Not ask for a second chance.”

I run my hand down his arm and thread my fingers through his. “I do want a second chance. If you’re willing to give me one.”

He stares at me.

“You’re amazing, Cameron. I haven’t stopped thinking about you and how good we were together.”

“We did make awesome cupcakes. They all sold, you know.”

“It was your decorating skills that made them look appealing.”

“It didn’t hurt that they tasted great.”

Especially when I was kissing crumbs and icing remnants off his lips and sucking them off his tongue.

“We can thank the recipe for that,” I say.

“Nah, it was our execution of the recipe.”

I laugh and then clear my throat. “I want to see where this thing between us might lead. Will you give me a second chance?”

He scuffs his foot over the wooden floor. Seconds tick by, turning into a minute. Waiting is excruciating, but I deserve to squirm.

“No secrets?” he asks.

“No.”

“You’d be happy for me to tell Dad who I’m seeing?”

It’s his nonnegotiable. The thing I have to agree to if I want to be with him. I do want to be with him. I could try to negotiate. Suggest we wait a month, two, or maybe even five, until Lewis is back in the country. Why potentially risk ruining our friendship or his relationship with Cameron over something that might not last? Which is a pessimistic viewpoint, if there is ever one.

I raise my chin. “Yes. I want to be with you. It turns out I’m sweet on you too.”

“You are, huh? Isn’t that an archaic thing to say?” He smiles, which makes his eyes twinkle beautifully.

“Maybe. But it’s true. Tell me what I need to do to prove it.”

“You can shut up and kiss me.”

I widen my eyes.

“Right now.” He taps his lips.

I pull him into my arms and ravage his mouth with my tongue. Damn, he tastes even sweeter than before. He holds on to me tightly, returning my kiss with equal passion. It’s not long before we’re whimpering and moaning against each other’s lips. My pulse races, my cock hardens. His erection presses against me.

“Do you want to talk more?” I ask, breathless. “Watch a film? Make dinner together?”

“I want you to take me upstairs.”

“I thought you weren’t interested in a booty call.”

“I wasn’t. But this isn’t that.”

“Oh. What is it?”

“How about a date?”

“A date?”

He chuckles against my lips. “You know what a date is, don’t you? Two guys enjoying getting to know each other better while enjoying a rare evening without kids around.”

“It sounds nice.”

He hums as he kisses me. “It does, doesn’t it?” He takes my hand and tugs me up the stairs, somehow still kissing me. “I hope you’re feeling energetic tonight, handsome. Because I intend to take full advantage of having you all to myself.”

I squeeze his hand, desire brimming in my heart. “I can’t wait.”