Page 32 of Warrior's Cross

Cameron colored a little and smiled shyly. “How about dinner now?” he asked as he slid the bottle and bowl onto the bar.

“Sounds good,” Julian agreed.

Cameron nodded and turned away to start scooping thick, sauce-dripping pieces onto cobalt-blue stoneware plates. “So, now what?” he asked. He had no idea where they would go from here, besides to bed.

“Well. Logic tells us that perhaps we need to get to know one another,” Julian pointed out as he watched Cameron work on the lasagna.

Cameron’s lips twitched. “Yeah, that would make sense,” he commented. He pushed one filled plate toward Julian. “We’ve already skipped ahead several steps to the sex.”

“Better to get that out of the way first to make sure we’re not wasting our time,” Julian deadpanned as he moved to stand behind Cameron. He tugged at Cameron’s hip to turn him around and then stepped back to put a little space between them and held out his hand.

“Julian Cross,” he offered with a twitch of his lips.

Cameron reached out automatically and slid their hands together, stifling a chuckle. “Cameron Jacobs,” he answered. His lips curled into a true smile. “Pleased to meet you.”

“Oh, no, no,” Julian murmured in a low voice as he held onto Cameron’s hand and slid his other hand up Cameron’s arm. “The pleasure’s all mine, I assure you,” he drawled with a smirk.

Cameron laughed softly. “Debatable,” he replied. He looked down at the lasagna and glanced back to Julian. “Um. Would you like to have dinner with me? Tonight?” he managed to get out, the oddness of the fact he was asking at all, much less in these circumstances, making him nervous once more.

Julian looked down at the lasagna and then back up at Cameron with a brilliant smile. “As long as it comes with dessert.”

Cameron raised an exaggerated eyebrow. “I thought you didn’t like desserts. To my knowledge, you’ve only ever ordered one.”

“Ah, but it was a good one,” Julian affirmed with a wicked smile.

Cameron popped open what must have been the twentieth bottle of champagne for the night. It was a little past ten, and the restaurant was in full swing, filled to capacity. New Year’s Eve was always a crazy, busy night. He’d been going full steam since before noon. He broke free of the table of twelve he was helping and headed to the service area while all his tables were safely occupied with the festivities.

Miri thumped her tray down next to him. “Geez, I’m tired. New Year’s is always a madhouse,” she muttered.

“A very good-paying madhouse,” Cameron reminded her absently as he punched numbers into the register.

“Well, yeah,” Miri said drolly. “I make more tonight than I do in a month. And you working all day when you don’t have to? You’ll be able to retire soon.”

Cameron shrugged. “What else am I going to do? Sit at home by myself and watch the ball drop on Times Square? I’d rather be here with you, gorgeous.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek.

Miri swatted at him playfully. “Get back to work, Romeo.”

Cameron nodded as she moved off and hit the button to review the next order, tapping his finger on the counter. Once done, he took a breath and glanced at the small clock. Ten twenty-four. On a Tuesday night.

Since Julian had left his place the morning after Christmas, Cameron had heard nothing from the man. He didn’t have a phone number to try calling. And tonight should have been the night when Julian returned to the restaurant, but he had yet to show. It was far past his usual time, and Cameron was telling himself a lot of things to keep from getting depressed about it all. It was New Year’s Eve, after all.

The restaurant had been booked weeks in advance, and even a regular customer like Julian couldn’t just walk in. Or maybe he had prior plans for tonight and couldn’t change them.

Maybe he’d had to work.

Cameron closed his eyes for a moment and sighed. Julian hadn’t asked for Cameron’s phone number to get in touch with him, much less offered one. He’d merely left the next morning with a farewell kiss. It didn’t bode well for any future between them.

Cameron was relieved when the soft bell signaling a ready order sounded so he could go back to work and stop thinking about it. He’d been delivering appetizers in the party room forabout fifteen minutes when he glanced up from taking orders to find himself looking straight at Julian. Julian’s eyes were on him, and when Cameron looked at him, the big man smiled slightly.

Cameron blinked a few times and then returned the smile brilliantly. He nodded ever so slightly and went on his way back to the service area, tempted the whole time to look over his shoulder. When he got back there, Miri was waiting, arms crossed, a smile on her face.

“Trade you tables,” she offered. Cameron flushed, and she laughed lightly, patted him on the shoulder, and handed him a table chit.

“Happy New Year.” Then she was out the door, moving toward the party room.

Cameron stood and looked at the chit before he shook his head and grinned. He snagged a bottle of wine and a glass and headed out to greet Julian.

Julian looked up from his examination of his little notebook, and he smiled discreetly as Cameron neared him. Cameron expected to be nervous when he saw Julian again. But he wasn’t; not really. He set down the wine-glass and tried not to grin. “Good evening,” he greeted, eyes sparkling and a soft smile curving his lips.

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