Page 54 of Fallout
On the other hand, he wasn’t often pretentious without cause. It had taken effort. He would have had to search for the bakery, order the cake, then drive out of his way in the opposite direction to pick it up…in holiday traffic. There would be a reason that only this bakery and this cake would do. It might only be a reason that made sense to Asher, but there would be one.
He was tempted to peek inside the box, but he didn’t. If it was something special, he didn’t want to ruin the surprise. If it was just a cake, well, he still didn’t want to ruin the surprise.
Lifting it out of the backseat, he tucked it carefully under his arm, doing his best to shield it from the rain as he headed back into the house. Just before stepping into the warmth of the foyer, he pointed the key fob over his shoulder and laughed when the alarm system chirped. He could almost guarantee that none of the other cars parkedin front of his parents’ house had their doors locked, but Asher was particular about things being secure.
Closing the front door behind him, he shivered as the heated air from the vents thawed him. Dragging his fingers through his damp hair to slick it back from his face, he grimaced when his hand came away wet and cold. The high temperatures hadn’t risen above the low fifties all week with the lows dipping into the upper thirties. It wasn’t exactly typical for central Texas that early in the season, and he worried what it might mean for the coming winter.
Hell, they might even get snow for the first time in six years. He shuddered at the distasteful thought. He really fucking hated the cold.
In the kitchen, he crossed to the small breakfast nook and placed the cake down alongside the other desserts. Three pies, two pans of brownies, three dozen chocolate chip cookies, and Aunt Nora’s famous banana pudding. They were all going to go into insulin shock if they ate even half of it, but at least they’d die happy and well-fed.
Turning away from the table, he started across the kitchen, intending to go rescue Asher from his uncles, but Natalie chose that moment to enter the room. Stopping in the entranceway, she stared at him, her eyes crinkled at the corners and a wicked smile curving her lips. Cameron had seen the look enough times to be worried.
“What are you up to?” he demanded, scowling at her.
“Me?” She pressed her fingertips to her chest with feigned innocence. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Cameron. I’m just surprised to see you up and walking around, that’s all.”
His frown deepened. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“Just that I wasn’t sure you’d be able to move after yourtalkwith Asher.”
Oh, fuck. Oh, fucking fuck. He’d completely forgotten that she’d been upstairs. In the bedroom right next to his. The bedroom that shared a wall with his. The wall his headboard had repeatedly slammed against.
“Keep it down,” he hissed, glancing frantically at the group of women gathered around the kitchen island. His face burned so hot he was pretty sure he could see steam rising off his skin.
“Relax,” Natalie chided, flicking her fingers at him. “It’s not like I don’t know you have sex. Jesus, Cameron.”
“Sex?” Aunt Elaine questioned in her deep, carrying voice. “Who’s having sex?”
Natalie didn’t miss a beat. “Cameron and Asher.”
All three of his aunts sniffed, looking mildly disappointed by this news.
“Well, of course, they are,” Aunt Kelly said. She shook her head. “I thought you were going to tell us something scandalous.”
“Upstairs in Cameron’s bedroom,” Natalie added, doing a damn poor job of suppressing her giggles. “About twenty minutes ago.”
Still, no one seemed particularly surprised by this, but his mother did twist around to give him a sharp look. “I just changed the bedding in there.”
If it was possible to die from humiliation, Cameron figured he should probably start getting his affairs in order. “Mom, it’s fine.”
“The comforter is in the laundry room,” Natalie tattled.
Cameron was going to murder her.
“Cameron Michael Stone.” His mother barked as his aunts shrieked with laughter.
“God, mom, chill. I’ll wash it, okay?”
She pointed a long, slender finger at his face and glared. “Yes, you will, and you watch your tone with me.”
Cameron hung his head. “Yes, ma’am. Sorry.”
Just when he thought things couldn’t get any worse, Asher strolled into the kitchen. The catcalls and wolf whistles that greeted him were deafening. If he found anything strange about that, however, he didn’t show it. He just grinned, gave the family matriarchs a little wave, then pulled Natalie into a crushing hug.
“Are you causing trouble again?”
Natalie snorted. “Of course, not. I merely mentioned that you and Cameron had a very…enthusiastic talk earlier.”
