Page 19 of Warrior's Cross

Cameron blinked in confusion and looked down. He didn’t feel threatened, despite Julian’s larger size and his dark, mysterious demeanor. If anything, he felt safe in the other man’s arms, which was distracting in itself. Cameron slowly shook his head as he made his decision. “You don’t scare me,” he murmured. The gun, yes. Julian?

No.

“Good,” Julian murmured. He looked down at Cameron’s hands and flexed his own against the door, obviously wanting to touch him again but restraining himself. Cameron saw the twitch of Julian’s fingers, and he slowly reached out to slide their hands together.

“I’m sorry,” Cameron said as he took the tiny step to bring him right up against Julian again.

Julian shook his head and pulled Cameron to him. “It’s good to be careful.”

“Okay,” Cameron said. He looked at the gun. “Want to put it on the table so the dogs don’t try to play with it?” He inclined his head down to where the four little white puppies quietly swarmed Julian’s expensive overcoat, sniffing and pawing at it. Julian nodded and obediently picked the weapon back up, thencarefully set it on the little table beside the door, sidestepping the dogs with extreme care.

Cameron watched and nodded when Julian turned back to him. He felt tongue-tied, and he waited to see what Julian would do next.

Cameron wanted to touch him again. Kiss him again. He wanted more, despite the gun’s appearance. Irresponsible, probably. Foolhardy, almost certainly. But honestly, it wasn’t like Julian would need a gun to hurt him if he planned to. He wouldn’t need the knife he joked about, either.

Julian removed his gloves slowly and placed them on the table, revealing his knuckles, covered with cuts and bruises. He removed his suit jacket as well and reached up to loosen his tie as he moved back toward Cameron.

Cameron watched as one of his favorite dreams about this man came to life in front of him. It was intoxicating, and whatever dull fear he felt about the gun began to fade. His fingers reached out to brush gently over the abused knuckles. Julian caught his hand and used it to pull him closer, kissing the inside of his wrist gently as he did so.

Cameron’s pulse fluttered at the tender gesture, and he moved forward slowly until he was practically glued to Julian’s chest. Julian leaned to kiss at his neck and began undoing the buttons of Cameron’s shirt with one hand as he held him close. He was remarkably good at it.

He tugged at Cameron’s shirt, pulling it out of his waistband and unbuttoning it the rest of the way before he slid both of his cool hands along Cameron’s warm torso. Cameron sucked in a quiet breath as Julian touched him. He shuddered and leaned closer, eyes falling mostly closed as his lips parted on a breath. Julian brushed his mouth over Cameron’s teasingly and gently pushed the shirt off his shoulders.

He let his fingers drag across Cameron’s skin as he kissed along his jaw.

It was the simplest, most intoxicating seduction Cameron had ever been exposed to.

He was dizzy in Julian’s arms as the other man held him close, taking pleasure in the mere touch of their bodies. When Cameron’s grip tightened on him, Julian growled low in his throat and picked him up easily, taking a few steps to press him none too gently against the door again. His shoes barely brushed the floor as Julian’s body supported him.

Choking back his surprise, Cameron held on tight, even as his back hit the wood. He knew he was smaller and lighter than Julian, but...damn.

His hands finally began to move slowly, carefully over Julian’s shoulders, arms, and back, feeling the muscles under the dress shirt bunch as they worked. Julian kissed him demandingly, and Cameron gave in easily, wallowing in the way he felt devoured and wanted. He tugged where Julian’s shirt was tucked into his trousers, just below the small of his back. Julian reached between them with one hand just long enough to undo the top button of his pants, and then his hand returned to the back of Cameron’s thigh to support his weight. He hefted Cameron higher against the door.

Gasping, Cameron sought Julian’s lips once more as he pulled the shirt free and slid his hands under it to stroke smooth, warm skin that bunched under his palms.

Julian groaned softly into the kiss and pressed closer. “Can we take this somewhere that doesn’t involve gravity?” he panted finally.

Cameron nodded jerkily. “Bed,” he rasped.

Julian let him slide slowly to the ground without backing up any more than he needed to. Cameron couldn’t even take a breath as his aroused body dragged against Julian’s, and hiseyes flickered toward the other man’s to check his reaction. Julian’s eyes never left Cameron’s face, and far from their usual masked black, they seemed to spark with outright desire.

Cameron curled one hand around Julian’s. “Come on,” he urged breathlessly.

He stepped away and around Julian’s coat, where the dogs curled in a pile, sleeping soundly. A few steps later, the condo opened up to a large room with a twelve-foot ceiling. It was furnished comfortably, the big space divided into a living room, a dining area near the kitchen, and a bedroom sectioned off by tall decorative screens. Cameron got halfway across the living room before stopping to look back at Julian, then at the set of panels that hid the bedroom. He felt like he needed to give Julian a chance to change his mind.

Julian followed, glancing back at his coat when Cameron stopped.

“I may need some duct tape for that,” he muttered as he turned back around to look at Cameron.

The odd comment struck Cameron as funny. He snorted as he tried not to laugh. “Don’t worry. I’ve got about a hundred lint rollers. I wear black to work, remember?” He gestured to his mussed clothes.

“You look good in it,” Julian assured him in a low voice as he let his eyes travel over Cameron’s body. His lips quirked into an uncharacteristically playful smirk and he added, “You look good out of it too.”

Cameron’s cheeks flushed, and he dropped his gaze as he plucked at his unbuttoned shirt, pulling it slightly back up over one shoulder.

Julian’s frank regard was scorching, and Cameron wasn’t used to it. He indulged in the occasional casual roll in the sheets with someone who turned him on, yeah. But it was never like this.

Julian prowled closer to him, moving fluidly with a sort of catlike grace Cameron had only caught glimpses of before now. The movement caught his eye and fascinated him. He didn’t want to—couldn’t—look away. Julian caught him up in his arms and yanked the shirt the rest of the way off. His hands traveled over Cameron’s skin, dipping beneath his trousers teasingly as he toed off his own shoes and kicked them away.

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