Page 65 of Stray for You

“Of course, Mom,” he says. “I wouldn’t. I just need a breather.”

She nods, but sweeps him into a crushing hug. Tux gets trapped between them, but doesn’t seem to mind the attention. Then Miss Brooks leaves my apartment to get dinner with my mom.

God, this is a weird day.

Once they leave, Julian and I collapse on the couch. Tux skitters away, fed up with human attention for the day. I can’t blame him. It’s been a whirlwind. I’m tired down to my bones and immensely grateful to have a space of quiet filled only by Julian’s presence.

He takes my hand while we sit on the couch, leaning into me to rest his head on my shoulder. I stroke his hair while we enjoy the quiet. I could throw on that detective show we’ve been working our way through, but I think right now we both want nothing but each other. No other sounds. No other people. Just us in our new life in my apartment.

It still gives me vertigo to realize this is real.

Julian sighs as he sits up. “I feel gross from being in the car. I’m going to take a quick shower.”

I don’t want to let him go, but I do. I nearly fall asleep on thecouch while he’s gone, only opening my eyes again when I hear him returning from the bathroom.

“Hey, Cam.”

I blink, and find him standing in the bedroom doorway in nothing but a towel. Not unlike the way I approached him a few months ago.

“Let’s head to bed, Cam,” he says.

Meaning strikes my brain like a bolt of lightning. Suddenly, all my exhaustion evaporates, and I lurch to my feet.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Julian

ALL OF CAM’S EXHAUSTION dissipates in a flash. His dark eyes sharpen as he jerks to his feet. I have to bite the insides of my cheeks to hold off a smile as I back into his bedroom,ourbedroom, and let that towel around my waist drop to the floor.

Cameron peels off his shirt as he pursues me. He hops on one leg to wrench off one sock, then the other. By the time he reaches me, his belt is undone, his top button open. He cups my face in his hands and yanks me to his mouth while we’re still stumbling toward the bed. Our ravenous mouths don’t relent until I bump against the edge of the mattress.

“I missed you,” Cameron says.

My heart seizes in my chest. As far as we’ve come over these past months, that’s the first time I’ve heard him admit that out loud.

“I missed you too,” I say. “So fucking much. I couldn’t stand it some days.”

Cameron is kissing along my neck, his hands roaming my body. He responds with a groan.

“I thought I’d go crazy waiting for the moving day,” I say. “You have no idea how long that drive across the country felt.”

Cameron pulls away at last, looking straight into my eyes as he says, “But you’re here now.”

I smile as warmth washes through me. “I’m here. I’m not leaving ever again.”

This time, I’m the one doing the pulling. I yank Cameron with me onto the mattress. We tumble onto the sheets in a messy heap. Cameron kisses along my chest while I thread a hand through his hair. I cling to him while his mouth drops dollops of warmth all over my naked body, suffusing me with a heat that builds and builds from every kiss. I end up on my back, my legs spread around him so I can fit him closer against my body.

“Those jeans need to go,” I groan. They’re starting to pose a hazard as I instinctively yearn to grind myself against him, incapable of resisting the desire blooming inside me from his every touch and kiss.

Cameron grumbles, but sits back to all but tear his jeans off. I prop myself up on my elbows and shamelessly bite my lip as I watch him get undressed. He isn’t even aware of me watching his body flex or tracing the trail of dark hair that carves a path down his abs. My head swims with vertigo as I contemplate that this beautiful man is fully, truly mine at last. No more hesitation. No more barriers between us. We belong to each other now.

Cameron finally notices my staring after he flings his pants and briefs aside to join the scattered clothing on the floor. “What?” he says.

I don’t bother responding, just push myself up to wrap a hand around the back of his neck and pull him down to the mattress with me, kissing him the whole way. This time, I let my hips grind when the urge overwhelms me. The friction that awaits me leaves us groaning into each other’s mouths.

Cameron pulls away with a frustrated noise. Before I can complain, he tosses me onto my side, immediately dropping down to place himself between my legs. I can only gasp as his tongue suddenly licks along me. Cameron holds me open to his attention as he bends down to glide his tongue over my hole.

I squeeze my eyes shut as a flash of sensation barrels into me. When I recover, I reach for myself, grabbing my own cheekto open myself to more of his merciless exploration. Freed, Cameron dives in even more ardently, his tongue trailing along me. He swirls and prods, everything inside me lighting up like his tongue is leaving stars in its wake.

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