Evelyn shook her head. “It’s just at the corner, Elijah. I can handle carrying a few bags up the street. You stay here and enjoy the quiet.”
As the closing front door clicked behind her, Elijah stared at the man standing next to him. Camden gleamed with laughter, his shoulders were loose, and the hard planes of his face were smoothed by the brightness of his smile. The smile was so inviting, Elijah grabbed Camden by the hand and pulled him down until Camden was sitting in his lap.
“Thank you for all of this. It was a thoughtful gesture.” It was a simple act, but from Camden, someone Elijah was becoming more emotionally entangled with by the hour, its meaning ran much deeper than that. It was comfort, a reminder that he was safe and taken care of. Which was strange, considering Camden was the one who needed reassurance in this scenario.
The kitchen was a place he was either alone or where he was cooking to care for others. Besides his family, no one had ever taken care of him. In this one deed, Camden fed more than Elijah’s stomach. He’d filled his soul.
“I really enjoyed it. I hope you didn’t let my mother pressure you into cooking this morning.”
Camden slid his arm around Elijah’s neck, fingering his locs. “Your mom could pretty much convince me of anything. I think she could out-lawyer even me. But I was happy to learn how to cook your favorite meal. It’s the least I could do.”
Camden continued to stroke Elijah’s hair as their gazes connected. It was strange, the soothing way the simple repetitive motion made Elijah tighten his hold on Camden. Elijah didn’t allow many people to touch his hair. He wasn’t one of those dudes who allowed people to pet him like he was some oddity to be examined. But the simple way Camden touched his hair, as if it were something to be revered, made Elijah’s chest fill with the warmth and comfort that only came with the first buds of blossoming trust.
As smiling blue eyes look down at him, he recognized who he held in his arms. This wasn’t the man who walked out on him. This was a new man. The man Elijah was falling in love with.
Acknowledging that should’ve scared the hell out of Elijah. They were hiding out in his house because someone was trying to kill Camden, and according to Camden, even if they survived the Path, Camden’s father would never allow them to be together. Either of those things should’ve made Elijah run. But being here with Camden like this forced Elijah to admit the truth. There wasn’t anything that would make him run from Camden. Why would he when Camden possessed everything Elijah needed to survive? Camden held his heart.
He pressed a quick kiss to Camden’s cheek and nuzzled the curve of Camden’s neck as he thought of the words his mother had gifted him with. Maybe Evelyn Stephenson was right. Perhaps he would be surprised at the answer if he got up the nerve to ask Camden for the commitment he wanted. Maybe if Elijah pushed everything aside, he could find the strength to tell Camden exactly what he needed.
“If I had known fried ground fish patties would make you this happy, I’d have asked your mom for the recipe the first night your family arrived.”
Elijah pulled back just enough to take in the sight of Camden. Serenity beamed outward from the sparkle in his eye to the brightness of his smile. Camden was happy. Whether he noticed it in himself, Elijah didn’t know. But watching Camden as he reclined in his embrace told Elijah all he needed to recognize it. Whatever dreams Elijah had for tomorrow, Camden shared them.
“Why wouldn’t I be happy? I’ve got everything I want. My mother’s salmon cakes and biscuits, and you.”
A faint rose tint colored Camden’s cheeks as he closed his eyes. His long lashes fanning against the apples of his reddened cheeks made Elijah’s heart swell at the thought his words could have a physical impact on Camden.
“Your sister-in-law was right. You really are a sweet talker.”
There was no sense in denying the truth. Elijah’s charm, when it came to flirting, was a proven fact. He wasn’t much of a talker in most situations, but when it came to pulling the interest of a man, Elijah’s tongue was magic.
“Can’t lie, your man got game for days. But that wasn’t a line, Camden.”
Camden stiffened in Elijah’s arms, the easy smile he wore disappearing as he focused his attention on Elijah. “Then what was it?”
Elijah took a deep breath before speaking, trying to steady his heartbeat. For a moment, Elijah thought his heart was racing because of resurfacing fears. But sitting here in the quiet corner of his kitchen with Camden gathered in his arms, Elijah realized what he was feeling was excitement, anticipation, and hope.
“A request—” Elijah opened his mouth to let the question burning in his heart make its way to the air, but then he stopped to take in the vision of Camden. A slightly crooked smile softened the sharp angles of Camden’s face, warming Elijah’s heart.
He took a slow, cautious breath, afraid to disturb the moment in even the slightest of ways. He’d spent five years trying to erase the night he’d shared with Camden from his memory, and now, he’d give anything to preserve this moment where Camden sat in his lap, melting him from the inside out.
“Elijah, everything all right?”
For the first time in a long time, everything in his world was perfect. His home was filled with love and laughter, and the center of all that comforting heat had radiated from the man in Elijah’s arms. The timing was wrong, the situation was for shit, but everything about the way Camden made him feel was so incredibly right, Elijah ached at the thought of losing it when this was all over.
“I know this is the worst possible time, Camden.” Elijah picked up one of Camden’s hands, turning it palm-side up, placing a gentle kiss in it. “But when this is all over, I need us to have a conversation.”
Camden’s smile faded slightly as his eyebrow rose. “Regarding?”
Elijah kissed his palm again, savoring the tiny shiver rippling through Camden’s body in response. “Us. I need us to be very clear about where this is going.”
“As far as I remember, Elijah, my calendar is open for the next couple of days. I’m sure I can make time for a heart-to-heart anytime you like.”
Elijah shook his head. Although the thought of spilling the contents of his heart this very minute made Elijah’s pulse jump with excitement, he knew now wasn’t the time. There was too much going on, and Camden was too dependent on Elijah for his survival for either of them to be certain that this growing bond was born of their need for each other instead of the severity of the situation.
“Not the right time,” Elijah answered. “Too much going on. But the second this is over, I need us to lay our cards on the table. No running this time.”
Camden dropped his chin and closed his eyes. The lure of his cocky grin was gone, replaced by what looked to be shame.
