“What the hell are you still doing here?”
Franklin looked up from the business pages of one of the newspapers he’d found laid out on the lions’ breakfast table.He immediately met Cameron’s gaze, but he took another sip of his coffee before he deigned to answer.“I’m checking the financial section.Good morning to you, too.”
Cameron seemed frozen in place in the doorway.He didn’t even seem to breathe until another lion nudged at his back in an effort to clear a path toward the food.Finally, Cameron stepped into the dining room, still glaring at Franklin as if he was offering him some sort of mortal insult simply by existing.
“You said you were leaving,” Cameron snarled, apparently not in the least concerned that most of the pride was there and shamelessly eavesdropping.
“No,” Franklin said, flipping over to the next page in the paper.“You said I should leave.That’s quite different.I don’t believe I’ve ever given you any reason to think I’m the kind of man who’ll obey your orders.”And he turned his attention back to the paper.
He hadn’t given Cameron reason to think he liked doing as he was told.Franklin was sure of it.He’d run their time together the previous night over and over in his head.He’d relaxed back and let Cameron do all the work while the guy went down on him.That was all.
As he tried to focus on the words in the article, the only thing he was really aware of was Cameron glaring at him.A shiver ran down his spine.A stupid little voice in the back of Franklin’s head actually wanted him to back down and apologise.He shook out his paper in an effort to hide his discomfort instead.
He had nothing to apologise for.And, if there was going to be any backing down to be done, he sure as hell wasn’t going to be the man doing it.
Reaching past the paper, Franklin picked up his mug and took another sip of his coffee.It should be almost impossible for a lion, even one as stunning as Cameron, to get another guy hard just by standing perfectly still on the other side of a room.But, somehow, Cameron was managing it.
Franklin snuck a peek at Cameron past the corner of his paper as he tried not to squirm too obviously in his seat but couldn’t think of a single thing to say.
“Would you like some breakfast, Cameron?”
Franklin glanced toward the other end of the table.Arslan’s sub was smiling across at Cameron, inviting him to take a chair at his side.
Cameron glared at Franklin for several seconds before walking across the room with more feline grace than anyone should be able to pack into just a few steps, and sitting down.Pulling one foot up to rest on the cushioned seat in front of him, Cameron leaned negligently against the carved mahogany back and reverted to glaring at Franklin.
Determined not to acknowledge just how aware he was of Cameron’s every movement, Franklin gave ferociously fake attention to his paper.
“Do you have any plans for today?”Ryland asked Cameron, as if he had no idea they weren’t all having a nice companionable breakfast.
Franklin made a point of keeping his attention on the paper, as if he didn’t care what the answer was going to be.
“I’m working tonight.”
“In that club?”Arslan asked, from the head of the table.
Franklin peeked over his newspaper.Arslan didn’t seem to like that idea at all.For once, that was something he and Franklin could agree on.
“There’s no need for you to keep working there,” Franklin cut in, before Arslan could say anything else.Setting down his paper, Franklin met Cameron’s eyes across the table.Cameron glowered at him in return.
“Oh?”Arslan asked.
Franklin ignored him in favour of keeping his attention on Cameron.“You needn’t worry about money anymore.”
Cameron’s eyes narrowed.“Because you’ll pay my way?”
Franklin took another sip of his coffee.“Yes.”
“No,” Arslan snapped, before Franklin had even finished the damn syllable.
Cameron said nothing.He just stared, apparently not the least bit grateful for the offer.
Franklin held his gaze for as long as he could, trying to ignore how uncomfortable doing that made him feel deep down in a part of his psyche that he’d never explored before.
Finally, he had to give up.He quickly turned his attention to Arslan in an effort to cover his lapse.“That’s not your decision,” he informed him.
“Cameron has no need of your money,” Arslan shot back at him.“His pride will take care of him.”
“You meanyou’llpay his way?”Franklin asked.He looked Arslan up and down, letting his doubts show clearly in his eyes.“Great.I’m sure Ryland will be thrilled at sharing you with another paid boy.”
