The Manny Page 7

  “Yup, and considering my sisters are all less than two years apart, and even with seven years between Cara and Celeste, they still look like bookends. Like quadruplets. So between the matching names and the matching looks, we’re all kind of carbon copies of each other. I’m the anomaly being the only boy and the youngest.”

  “And you said they’re older?”

  “Much older.” He nodded. “Celeste is twelve years older than me, and Cara is almost twenty years older. When I came along, it was quite a shock.”

  “Your family sounds big,” Nathan said with a smile. “Confusing.”

  “From the outside. Five of us, four husbands, and twelve kids.” He grinned. “It can be a bit overwhelming if you haven’t been born into it. Do you have a big family?”

  “Just me.” He shook his head. “Only child. And we’re not in contact with any of Jason’s family.”

  “Wow. I can’t imagine not having a big, nosy family.”

  “The kids have me, and I have them. It’s all I need.”

  Cameron bit his lip and looked down at his hands. “I don’t know what it is about you that makes me want to overshare. I normally don’t open up to people.”

  “Must be my winning personality,” Nathan teased, trying to lighten the moment. “Or the fact that I’m the only one in the house.”

  Cameron laughed and looked up from his hands. “That must be it. Sharing because of proximity.”

  “Way to make a guy feel special,” Nathan teased. “I’m getting a drink. Can I get you one?”

  Cameron hesitated.

  “Cameron?”

  “What are you having?”

  “Scotch.” Nathan went to the cupboards and pulled out two highball glasses and a bottle half-filled with amber liquid. “Can I tempt you?”

  “I’m not much of a scotch drinker,” Cameron admitted. “I’ve actually never tried it.”

  “Then give it a try, live a little,” Nathan said as he gave Cameron what he hoped was a charming smile.

  “Sure, why not.”

  Nathan poured two fingers of scotch into his glass and one into Cameron’s. Scotch was one of those drinks people either loved or hated, so he would ease Cameron into it.

  He brought the drinks over and handed Cameron one as he leaned against the counter in front of him.

  “Cheers,” Nathan lifted his glass.

  “Cheers,” Cameron echoed as he clinked their glasses together. “Here’s to living a little.”

  Nathan watched as Cameron took a small sip of the drink. He drank down a good portion of his own and tried to hide his smile as he watched Cameron’s face.

  His first reaction was to grimace, but after a moment Cameron looked thoughtful, then he smiled, and he took another sip.

  “You like?”

  “I do like.” Cameron nodded. “It’s smoother than I thought. Not as burny.”

  “Burny? Pretty sure that’s not a word,” he teased.

  “You know what I mean,” Cameron rolled his eyes playfully as he put his drink down and twisted and stretched out his back, closing his eyes tightly as he did.

  “You okay?” Nathan asked, a smile playing on his lips as he appreciated the view. As Cameron twisted and turned, his shirt rode up and tightened around him so he could see more of his shorts and a thin stretch of his tight stomach.

  “Fine.” Cameron stopped twisting as picked up his drink. “Just stiff.”

  “I might be able to say the same if you keep stretching like that in front of me.” Nathan knew he shouldn’t have said that, but he was in a teasing mood, and he wanted to see how Cameron would respond. It was dangerous, but he couldn’t seem to make himself stop.

  “Really...” Cameron grinned as he took another sip from his glass. “How about saving that description for your drink?”

  “Deal.”

  Cameron blushed and looked away for a moment.

  They didn’t talk as they sipped their drinks, but things weren’t awkward or strained. It was a comfortable silence.

  Nathan knew this was stupid, and he shouldn’t be doing any of this. He should have walked away before Cameron realized he was home, but now that he was standing with him he didn’t want to leave.

  He was comfortable with Cameron. It was strange because they’d really only had a few real conversations since he’d come to work at the house. They hadn’t had any interactions other than those few talks, their time together with the kids, and their kiss, but he was inherently comfortable with him.

  He enjoyed talking with him, and he really liked joking with and teasing him. It had been a long time since he’d felt this comfortable with anyone.

  Cameron caught him looking and blushed as he took another sip of his drink. Nathan laughed and watched as Cameron drank down the rest of his scotch. He was cute when he blushed.

  “Another?” he asked as he drained his glass as well.

  “Please.” Cameron nodded and watched as Nathan went and refilled their glasses.

  “Thanks,” Cameron said as he accepted his drink.

  “Feeling adventurous?” Nathan asked with a grin as he took a liberal swallow of his drink, noticing that Cameron had already drained half of his.

  “A little.” He nodded, smiling. “You’re only young once.”

  Nathan laughed and raised his glass to his in a mock salute before they both drained their drinks.

  “If I didn’t know better, Cameron, I’d say you were trying to get me drunk,” Nathan teased as he put his empty glass down on the counter.

  He hadn’t had enough to get him even tipsy, but there was a pleasant flush running over his body, and he felt a little freer, like at least some of his inhibitions had been stripped away.

  “Me?” Cameron asked innocently.

  “Yes, you.”

  “Not my style.” Cameron laughed and put down his empty glass.

  “No? What is your style?” he asked with a grin as he toyed with the rim of his glass.

  “I actually don’t have one. I just try not to say something stupid and hope for the best. Unlike you.”

  “Me?” Nathan asked with mock innocence. “What’s my style?”

  “You know how to talk to a man. You’d look at them like they’re the only person in the world. You’d listen and drop little innuendoes that are half-sweet, half-sexual, and you’d talk with your body.”

  “I’d talk with my body?”

  “You’d lean in, tilt your head to the side like you’re about to come in for a kiss, point your pelvis toward them as you move a little closer to give the best view of your body...” Cameron’s voice trailed off as Nathan shifted towards him.

  “You seem to know me pretty well,” he said in a low voice, moving even closer. “Even though we haven’t spent all that much time together, and you’ve never seen me with another man.”

  “I’m good at observing.” Cameron’s voice was a little breathy as he tilted his head slightly and looked from Nathan’s eyes to his lips and back again. “Good at reading people.”

  “Is that what you’ve observed?” he asked, staring into Cameron’s gorgeous eyes. “Is that what you’ve read?”

  “Yes,” he whispered.

  Nathan had no idea what he was doing, why he was going there. He’d wanted to tease Cameron a little, but now that he’d started he couldn’t seem to pull back. Cameron was captivating, and in that moment, he wanted him more than he’d ever wanted anyone before.

  “And is it working?” he asked, his voice husky.

  “A lot more than getting me drunk would.” Cameron suddenly cleared his throat and shifted away from him as he shook his head. He was flustered, and the fact that he was affecting him so much only made Nathan want him more.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked with a sly grin. “Getting a little warm in here? You’re flushed.”

  “You’d better go, get to a bar or something,” Cameron said shakily as he licked his lips. “You’ve got the charm turned up to a thousand, and there’s a guy
out there ready and waiting for it.”

  “What if I’m trying to charm the guy right here?” Nathan moved so that he was right in front of Cameron, almost touching him. If Cameron wanted to move away, he would have to step backward.

  “Then I’d say you’re doing a pretty good job.” He let his gaze flicker over Nathan’s body as he wet his lips again.

  “You want me to stop?”

  “Yes and no.”

  “Yes and no?”

  “Yes, because it’s working, and no, because I like it.”

  “That’s a very honest answer.” He looked at Cameron closely. “Where’s the sarcasm I’ve grown accustomed to?”

  “It left with my self-resolve. Are you trying to seduce me?”

  He was so close Nathan could feel the heat from Cameron’s body on his skin. “I take it it’s working?”

  “Like a charm.”

  Nathan lifted his hands and slowly cupped Cameron’s cheeks. His breath caught as Cameron leaned into him, and his eyes fluttered closed a moment before their lips touched.

  Nathan had no idea how they’d gotten here, but his flirting had gone beyond innocent teasing into full-on seduction, and now they were kissing. Cameron sighed against his lips as he slid one hand so it rested at the base of his neck, holding Cameron against him. He traced his tongue over Cameron’s bottom lip, and when he opened to him, Nathan swept it inside his mouth so he could tease and taste him.

  Ever since their first kiss, he’d sworn up and down that he wouldn’t give in again, but as his lips moved over Cameron’s, he couldn’t bring himself to pull away. Cameron was intoxicating, and the more he kissed him, the more lost Nathan became.

  “Wait,” Cameron pulled back slightly, “what are we doing?”

  “I don’t know,” Nathan said honestly as he looked into his eyes.

  He could see how conflicted Cameron was and waited to see what the other man would do. As much as he wanted to keep kissing him, Cameron would have to make the next move.

  “Me either.”

  After a slight pause, Cameron leaned forward and pressed his lips against his. Then Cameron shifted slightly, pulling him closer as he trailed his hand down Nathan’s chest and moaned.

  At that sound, Nathan was lost. He grabbed Cameron by the waist, pulling him so their bodies were flush.

  Cameron gasped as he fisted his hand in his hair. His other hand slipped under the bottom of Cameron’s shirt and slid up his back, running over his smooth skin.

  Nathan usually preferred men with muscles, who could match him in strength and power, but there was something about Cameron’s smaller frame that was driving him wild. He loved how Cameron seemed to fit perfectly against him, how he had to lean down to kiss him. It made him want to protect and dominate Cameron, and that was a new feeling.

  His cock was so hard it ached. His balls were heavy, and he desperately needed some friction to try and lessen his arousal. Before he could move, Cameron grabbed him by the hips and pressed their torsos together, wiggling against him as he did.

  Nathan groaned at the starburst of pleasure that poured out into his body and slid his hand down so he could cup Cameron’s perfect ass. He was a fan of bubble butts, and Cameron had one of the best he’d ever seen.

  Nathan was just about to slip his hand under the waistband of Cameron’s sweatpants when he suddenly came to his senses.

  He had to stop things, now. It didn’t matter how much he wanted Cameron, how much his body was screaming for him. He had to pull back before it went too far and they reached a point they couldn’t come back from.

  He broke the kiss but didn’t let go of Cameron right away. He wanted to hold him for a moment longer, to feel his body against his as long as possible.

  “We can’t,” Cameron said, his voice shaking as he looked at him.

  “I know.”

  “I should go.”

  “Yeah.” Nathan reluctantly let him go and stepped back, his body instantly going from overheated to cold.

  Cameron opened his mouth, almost as though he was about to say something. Instead of talking, however, he shook his head and darted around Nathan as he sprinted out of the kitchen.

  Nathan watched Cameron race away and shook his head.

  He didn’t understand what it was about him, but every time Cameron was close Nathan lost his head. This couldn’t keep happening. He needed to get control himself, no matter what.

  Chapter Seven

  Three days later, Cameron needed to talk to Nathan.

  Nathan had been avoiding him, and because of that, he’d been avoiding the kids. They’d hardly seen him at all in the last three days, and they were asking about him.

  They needed to figure out what was going on between them and find a way they could coexist in the same house and not have things be awkward. The kids had to come first. They needed their father. He had to talk to Nathan about this, now.

  The first thing he did was check to see if Nathan’s car was in the drive. It would be pointless to try and find him if he wasn’t even home. When he saw it was there, he steeled his resolve and kept on searching.

  He looked all over the first floor. Nathan wasn’t in the kitchen, the living room, dining room, sitting room, or the media room. He wasn’t outside, and as Cameron headed up to the second floor, he wondered where he could be.

  He knew that he wasn’t on the third floor, and he wasn’t in the kid’s rooms. He wasn’t in the library because he’d just been there, so he had to be in either his room or the study. As he was heading to Nathan’s side of the hall, he saw a light under the door to his office.

  “Nathan?” he called out softly as he knocked on the door.

  When he didn’t hear anything, he paused, glancing around the hallway as he put his hand on the doorknob and twisted it.

  He pushed open the door and took a half step in. The room was not what he’d expected, not at all. The rest of the house was so perfect and pristine, but the office was the exact opposite.

  It was clean, but the walls were covered with sticky notes, pictures, and prints. The bookshelves were crammed so full of books they were piled on top and squeezed into every nook and cranny. The desk was the only surface that was clean, and there was a closed laptop in the corner of it.

  Completely at a loss as to where Nathan could be, Cameron started to close the door as he backed out of the room and backed right into a very solid and firm body. Cameron gasped, whirling around in shock as he found himself looking at Nathan’s chest. Fearfully he lifted his eyes, apologies and excuses already forming on his lips.

  “Find what you were looking for?” Nathan asked, his face unreadable. He didn’t look angry, but he didn’t look happy either.

  “I’m so sorry,” he blurted out. “I was looking for you, and I thought I heard something. I swear I didn’t go in—”

  “It’s okay,” Nathan interrupted, raising his hands to stop Cameron’s stammering. “I’m not going to bite your head off.”

  “I’m sorry,” he repeated, letting out a breath he hadn’t even realized he was holding.

  “You were looking for me. You found me,” Nathan said, a smile tugging at his lips. “And?”

  “I wanted to talk to you about the other night,” he said, his face flushing as he fought not to look away.

  “I thought you might.”

  “You’re my boss. I shouldn’t have kissed you like that.”

  “I believe I was the one who started it, both times.”

  “Yes, but I should have stopped it.”

  “Why is all the blame on you?”

  “Because.”

  “Because why?”

  “Because...” he trailed off. “I don’t know.”

  Nathan looked down at him, and Cameron’s body flushed as a tingle moved over his skin. Nathan’s eyes were so filled with heat and desire, and something deep inside Cameron tugged.

  Suddenly Nathan swept him into his arms, his lips descending on his as he pulled Cameron agains
t his body. Cameron gasped at the suddenness of the move, and then sighed as Nathan’s tongue swept inside his mouth, teasing his.

  He wrapped his arms around Nathan, standing up on his tiptoes as he kissed him back with everything he had. All thoughts of why they shouldn’t be doing this flew out of his mind, and he gave in to the moment.

  Nathan’s cock was hot and hard against his abdomen, and Cameron whimpered softly as a jolt of pleasure shot up his spine. His own cock was so hard it was almost painful, and his balls were heavy with need.

  Nathan gripped him around the waist, pulling him up so his feet were off the floor as he carried Cameron into the study, kicking the door closed as he did.

  Cameron gasped as he was deposited on the desk and wrapped his legs around Nathan’s waist.

  Nathan’s body was strong and hard against his. His skin was hot, and every place his lips and hands touched left a trail of fire on Cameron’s skin. He was almost dizzy from the onslaught of sensations, and he wanted more.

  Cameron grabbed the bottom of Nathan’s shirt and tugged the material up. He needed to feel Nathan’s skin against his. He broke away from the kiss long enough to pull the shirt off and then ripped off his own in a swift motion. He tossed their clothes aside and kissed Nathan again, their tongues and lips battling for control.

  Nathan cupped Cameron’s face, holding him still as he took over the kiss, and Cameron cried out as jolts of pleasure shot through his body and went straight to his cock.

  He was lost. Feeling Nathan’s smooth skin under his hands, his hard muscles holding him tight, Nathan’s thick hair running through his fingers. It was almost too much, and Cameron needed more. He reached between them, fumbling slightly as he grabbed the waistband of Nathan’s jeans.

  Nathan groaned as Cameron pulled open the jeans and slid his hand down the front of them so he could cup Nathan in his hand. His cock pulsed against Cameron’s skin as he gave it a few tentative squeezes. He felt big, and thick. Nathan let him stroke him a few times before he pulled Cameron’s hand away. Nathan reached into Cameron’s sweatpants, his hand bypassing Cameron’s briefs as he gripped Cameron’s leaking cock.