The Single Dad (Red's Tavern 4)

“But I have no right to protect you. You don’t need it or want it.”

I was surprised when he puffed out a laugh against my chest. “What, like I’m some innocent little lamb going out into the big, bad dating world?”

“Yes,” I said.

“What?” he exclaimed, his voice going up an octave.

“Give me a break,” I said. “Everything about you is… is so pure, and charming, and fucking rare. And you’re more vulnerable than you’ve ever been right now.”

“I’m not that pure,” he said. “Actually, my mind is pretty filthy.”

A low chuckle escaped my chest. “I do love that side of you.”

“Filthy Cam is fun.”

I bit my lower lip. I was so glad to see that Cam wasn’t completely devastated by my secret, but it still didn’t make me feel right.

“You deserve to be happy,” I said. “So happy. I’ve never met anybody like you.”

He went silent for a while, looking down at my shirt and tracing his fingertips in little circles on the fabric above my chest. His expression changed as he thought through some puzzle in his mind.

I had no idea what he might be thinking. Maybe trying to figure out the best way to say goodbye to me, the best way to cut me out.

I would understand, if that’s what he wanted. Hell, it would probably be for the best.

He met my eyes again, a mixture of fear and courage in his eyes, all at the same time.

“Take me out on a date, then,” he said, his words filling the silence like a firework exploding.

“Very funny.”

“Is it?” he asked, the question sounding like a dare.

“I know that’s the last thing in the world you want.”

“I think I want it more than anything in the world, actually,” he said. “A real date. How you’d do it if you were really trying to win me over, y’know?”

It felt like some sort of tectonic shift had happened. Everything looked the same, but we had entered some alternate universe. There was resolve in Cam’s eyes, like I’d never seen before. Like he had nothing left to lose.

And now it felt like the fireworks were exploding inside me.

“I mean, if you don’t want to—”

“I don’t even know how to do real dates,” I interjected. “You know most of my experience is with hookups, right? I’m probably not very good at it.”

“I think you could be very good,” he said, his voice almost a purr. He ran a palm down my chest.

“Cam, you don’t have to do this,” I said. “Especially if you’re not ready. What about your no-dating rule?”

“Fuck it,” he said, his eyes wide and resolute.

“Who are you, and what have you done with Cameron Lyons-Erickson?” I asked.

A corner of his mouth turned upward in a half-smile. “I feel like the Cam I knew has been changing for over a year, now,” he said. “And to be honest, I’m a little tired of him. What’s the point of being in control of every aspect of my life if I’m not even happy?”

I felt like a warm glow had just been lit deep inside me.

I was proud of him. I was fucking proud of Cam. He really was doing something he was afraid of, and we both knew it, and he was doing it anyway.

“And so the new Cam really wants to go on a date with my ridiculous ass, huh?” I asked softly.

He nodded. “Very much.”

“I would love to figure out how to take someone on a proper date, and then take you on a date,” I said. “Only if you’re ready.”

He reached down, taking my hand in his. “I’m ready, and I’m waiting,” he said.

I leaned in to kiss him, softly and slowly. The gentle sound of the wind in the leaves surrounded us.

I didn’t think about what I was doing. Before I knew it I was putting my arms around Cam’s waist, picking him up and slinging him over my shoulder. His laughter filled the air as I hoisted him there and carried him off to the tent, putting him down, kicking off my boots, and climbing inside.

“If this is the date, Luke, I’ve got to admit I was hoping for something else,” he said as he followed me in.

“Oh, this definitely isn’t the date,” I said. “This is me taking you back to my tent because I need to cuddle with you under the sheets or I think I might float away into the night sky.”

We got under the covers and I took a deep breath in, letting it out slowly. He reached over, lacing his fingers through mine, looking at my face in the dim light.

My body felt like it was buzzing. It was overwhelming, actually, and something I hadn’t expected to feel. I’d been totally blindsided, and no matter how amazing it was, I couldn’t seem to get myself back down to Earth.