Page 54 of Warrior's Cross

“My privacy is nothing to your happiness. If you want to tell your friend, do it,” Julian told him firmly. “All I ask is that you tell her I deal in antiques, if she asks.”

Cameron closed his free arm around himself, shifting uncomfortably. “I understand.”

“Do you?” Julian asked carefully.

“As much as I can, I guess,” Cameron said in resignation. “Can’t really give away something I don’t know.”

“Cameron,” Julian said quietly. “Are you okay with this?”

“Okay with what? Doing what I can to keep you safe?”

Julian was silent for another uncomfortably long moment. “I have to go,” he finally said regretfully. “Take care of yourself.”

“I’ll be thinking about you,” Cameron murmured.

“See you soon, love,” Julian said, and the line went dead.

Cameron’s breath caught when he heard the endearment. It had stopped sounding out of place when Julian said it, but it still made his pulse flutter. He sat there staring at the wall for a long time, only jumping slightly when the phone started beeping at him to remind him he hadn’t hung up. He thumbed off the handset, closed his eyes, and sighed.

He wanted Julian here now, not later. It wasn’t fair to have only two days a week to begin with. To have one taken away made it even worse.

“Cameron?”

He looked up to see Miri waiting with a tray.

“Is it ready?” he asked uncomfortably, hoping he hadn’t looked too distraught.

“Yeah, I heated up the goose. Something nice and fattening for you. You lost weight in the hospital.” She poked his arm as she sat down and handed him one of the two plates.

“Yeah, a little,” Cameron acknowledged softly.

They ate quietly for a few minutes. “So. Who was that on the phone that put that look on your face?” Miri finally asked.

Cameron looked up at her, trying to decide what—if anything—to say.

Julian stood on the sidewalk, ignoring the snow flurries and staring up at the window he knew looked into Cameron’s apartment. It was late, well past midnight. And it was no longer Tuesday. He wrestled with the fact that he was here at all. It would be all too easy for Cameron to get hurt because of him.

It still bothered him that Cameron discounted his warnings so quickly. Julian didn’t know what he could tell him to impress the seriousness of the situation upon him without telling him the cold, hard truth. And that would certainly drive him away. But as much as he wanted Cameron with him, Julian couldn’t bear the thought of seeing his lover hurt because of him.

He wouldn’t let himself think about how he would feel if Cameron actually agreed with him and ended their relationship. It was a hard place to find himself, trying to do the honorable thing while at the same time hoping it wouldn’t work.

Julian peered up and down the street indecisively and then slowly made his way toward the entrance to the building. When he got upstairs to Cameron’s condo, he knocked gently.

When Cameron threw open the door several moments later, Julian stood in the hallway, hulking and covered with melting snow, expression blank as he tried to hide the nerves that surfaced. What if Cameron had changed his mind and didn’t want to see him? He wouldn’t blame the man for it.

But Julian broke into a smile as soon as he saw Cameron. It was obvious he’d been waiting up. “Sorry I’m late,” he offered.

Reaching out to grab Julian’s arm, Cameron practically yanked him inside the apartment so he could shut and lock the door behind them. Then he turned and threw his arms around Julian’s neck, hugging him close without saying a word.

Julian wrapped his arms around him and held him tightly. He rested his chin on top of Cameron’s head and closed his eyes. “You look better,” he finally murmured.

Cameron pulled back just enough to look up at Julian’s face. “You look tired,” he said as he pressed his palm lightly against Julian’s cheek.

“Well . . .”

Cameron shook his head ever so slightly. “We’ll talk later. Bed. Sleep.” He stepped back, pushing Julian’s coat off his shoulders. It fell with a soft whoosh to the floor, covering three of the four puppies, who continued to yip and romp playfully beneath the expensive material as the fourth sat and looked at the coat with her head tilted to the side.

Julian stood motionless, paying the dogs no attention. He met Cameron’s eyes seriously. “I’ve had a hard night,” he admitted.

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