The Single Dad (Red's Tavern 4)

He shifted on the mattress, moving around.

“What are you doing?”

“Taking off my pants.”

“I knew we were going to hook up—”

“Quiet,” he said. “I just don’t like sleeping with jeans on, believe it or not.” He pulled one of the big flannel blankets over his legs.

“Wait, what?” I said, sitting up. “You’re going to sleep? And we’re sleeping out here? What if something happens?”

“Hmm? What do you mean?”

I looked to the front flap of the tent, which he’d just left totally open to the outside. “Bugs, or raccoons, or squirrels, or—”

“Hardly any bugs yet,” Luke said, unaffected. “If the squirrels come in, they’ll leave as soon as you move.”

“If they come in? Like, they regularly come in? Christ, Luke, you’ve got a whole system. This is insane.”

“A squirrel has only come in here once.”

“Once is enough.”

“It was two years ago, and it was not a problem. Just hush, Cam. If you let yourself enjoy this, maybe you’ll like it.”

I shook my head, glancing again at the lush grass and flowers just outside of the tent.

Fuck it. It was nothing like my normal, but right now, I was realizing I didn’t have a normal, anyway. I was in a hot guy’s house—his tent—and for one night, I could sleep here. I kicked off my shoes and then took off my jeans, just as he had. I slid under the flannel blanket, which was already warm from his body heat.

“Here,” he said, grabbing a pillow and shoving it between the two of our bodies.

“Oh my God,” I said. “We aren’t in middle school, Luke. I promise it’ll be fine to just sleep next to one another.”

“The pillow stays,” he told me, but as I looked over at him in the dim light, I saw a playful smile on his face.

“Fine. Our little pillow of separation can stay there. But if you play footsie with me in your sleep, I’m not going to stop you.”

“I’ll allow it,” he murmured softly.

It sounded like he was already peacefully falling asleep. Lucky bastard. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d fallen asleep that quickly. Especially lately, getting to sleep was a feat unto itself, and sometimes I lay for hours, thoughts racing through my head.

I settled in on the mattress, taking a few deep breaths, trying to focus on the leaves visible through the gauze panels of the tent. The night sounds should have calmed me. But suddenly I was aware of every slight rustle of the blankets as I moved, of how unlikely this situation was. I’d gone to the bar just to have some company, to keep my mind from going absolutely insane being in my house alone. I’d never planned on ending up anywhere.

I didn’t do things like this. I had my routines. I should have been alone in bed at home right now, sad but in my own place.

Luke breathed peacefully next to me as he fell asleep, happy as a clam.

And at the back of my mind, at all times, all I could think about were my kids. It was the first full weekend I’d had without them, even though we’d done a couple trial runs before. It didn’t feel right, even though I knew it was.

I turned over on the mattress and quietly picked up my phone, opening Rachel’s texts from earlier. I looked at my kids’ faces, hoping they were actually as comfortable as they seemed. It was enough just to see their faces. It had to be enough right now. I tossed my phone back onto the bottom of the tent, taking a deep breath.

Dumb, stupid Cameron.

I had the hottest guy I’d seen sleeping right next to me, and I’d turned him down. His plush lips could have been wrapped around my cock right now if I’d just kept my mouth shut earlier. He was probably damn good at it. The way he looked me in the eyes was enough in itself to get me hard as hell, practically begging him to let me kiss him. I couldn’t imagine how good he’d be if I actually let him touch me.

My cock was certainly responding now, just thinking about it. I felt like I was breaking some sort of rule, lying here right next to him as he slept, my cock getting harder and harder even now. Maybe it was good that he’d stuck a pillow between the two of us. Being close to him had been way too tempting.

And the fact that he cared enough to deny me a hookup only made me want him more.

He was a kind person, trying to look out for my feelings even though he didn’t owe me a damned thing.

4

Luke

I woke with a start in my tent, seeing movement in the dark. I let out a startled grunt, bolting upright, adrenaline sending an icy chill through my veins.