Emory didn’t make him feel small. He made him feel like the center of the universe, with his steady gaze and soft smiles. At least, that’s how his octopus felt.
“Yes, of course, cuddle buddies,” Emory said with another chuckle. “They are very out and proud cuddle buddies. Ronan is ace—uh, that is, asexual—and rather uninterested in dating right now, and Chris is hoping to one day meet his fated mate. In the meantime, they seem to really enjoy each other's company. In fact…”
Emory’s voice trailed off as his gaze traveled to the couple sitting next to them. They were taking turns eating off each other’s plates, laughing and whispering to each other. “If you’d like to meet them, they’re having a New Year’s Eve party at their place, and I’m sure you’d be welcome to come.”
Cameron sat up straighter in his chair. He definitely wanted to meet Emory’s friends. Thomas had kept Cameron and his friends apart for a long time, and when they finally met, they turned out to be even worse than Thomas had been. If Cameronhad met them earlier, perhaps he would have come to his senses sooner.
Still, the idea of going to anyone’s home had even his brash octopus fidgeting anxiously. He chose to ignore the invitation for the moment, instead focusing on something else Emory had said. “I actually do know what ace means. I think there’s a chance my sister is aspec. She’s still figuring it out, but I don’t think she’d mind me saying so.”
Emory inclined his head in interest. “Will you tell me more about her? And your friends as well?”
Cameron snorted. “You checked my social media, right? I guess you could say I’m a bit of a loner. I have some coworkers I see on occasion, but really, Shay is my best friend in the world. When I’m not talking to or going to see her or my parents, I’m working.”
“Do you get to see them often?”
Cameron swiped his next piece of steak through the sauce as Emory had done, shoving it into his mouth as he nodded vigorously.
“Well, will you tell me more about your family then?”
Cameron swallowed the delicious bite before answering. He decided to skip over hisfullfamily history, not wanting to welcome any more thoughts of his biological parents into their dinner. Instead, he shared how his dads had met on a research trip, mated, and then adopted him and Shay.
“I’ve always been a bit jealous of seahorses and their mating practices. The courtship and intricate dances make the bonds seem so well earned,” Emory mused.
Cameron had never thought of it that way, but he couldn’t help but agree. It was rather similar to how he felt about marriage. Like it had to be earned and fought for. Obviously, it was way too early to bring that up, but he wondered if Emory had similar feelings about his own mating traditions.
“Is it rude of me to ask about you? What are your shifter traditions?” Cameron asked.
Emory stretched back in his chair. “I’m surprised it took you so long to ask. It’s not rude, but I guess I was curious. As an alpha, I often have a strong enough sense of smell to be able to tell what sort of shifter a person is. Is it similar for you?”
The tines of Cameron’s fork struck the now-empty plate, and he glanced down in surprise. “No, I can barely tell if someone is mammalian, avian, reptilian, or aquatic.”
Emory smirked. “What do you think I am?”
Cameron placed his silverware down, probably in the wrong place. “Well, you told me you were a land mammal, which I was sort of able to tell on my own. I’m also assuming you’re a rather large land mammal?”
Emory finished his own final bite of food and tried to hide his smirk behind his napkin as he wiped his mouth and nodded.
“Are you…a wolf?” Cameron guessed.
“No. Try again.”
Cameron hummed in thought. Feeling emboldened from the wine, he reached across the table and offered his own hand this time. Emory took it and made a low noise deep in his chest that reverberated through Cameron’s arm.
“A sloth? Oh, wait, your hair color isn’t right for that.”
“Definitely not a sloth.”
Cameron was about to guess some sort of woodland predator when their server returned to take their plates. Emory made no move to release Cameron, so Cameron didn’t either. They both declined coffee and dessert, and Emory requested the check.
“Did you have another guess?” Emory asked, sipping the last of his wine.
While talking about his family, Cameron had accidentally drunk the next two glasses of wine their server poured, and hewas beginning to feel it. His eyes kept wandering to Emory’s throat, watching the way it bobbed with each drink.
Emory squeezed his hand to get his attention.
“I, uh…seem to have lost my train of thought,” Cameron said, and Emory tilted his head. The motion was already beginning to feel familiar, helping Cameron regain an ounce of composure. “What a shame because I’m pretty sure I was about to figure out what kind of large land mammal you are.”
Emory’s head tipped impossibly farther to the side. The movement seemed almost feline, but as soon as the thought entered Cameron’s head, it drifted away again.
