Page 70 of The Leaving Kind
“You see them often?”
Despite his efforts, the sadness crept back in. “Sunshine, whose legal name was Stan, he ... died when I was twenty-seven.”
If Cam picked up on Victor’s hesitation, he ignored it. “I’m sorry.”
“Thanks. I don’t know if a three-person relationship makes the death of a loved one harder or easier. I was glad Mom and Rain had each other, but watching them grieve together was awful.” His own grief ...
It was time to lighten the conversation. “Mom and Rain live in one of those retirement villages now. Say it’s almost like a commune. They still grow vegetables and have drum circles and braid each other’s hair. And then play golf and go to book club and all the regular old people things. Tez, the kids, and I fly out there every year to say hello.”
Cam wore a thoughtful expression. “We both had great parents. Do you know how unusual that is for people like us?”
“What do you mean?”
“Men who like other men.”
“Your parents knew?” After the mention of a high-school sweetheart, Victor had assumed Cam’s parents thought he was straight.
“Oh, yeah. They caught me kissing my best friend when I was about thirteen.”
“What did they say?”
“‘We love you, but be careful.’”
“Huh.”
Honey whined softly and twitched in her sleep. Cam bent and scratched her behind the ear. “Having a dream there?” He looked up. “How about you?”
“I think it was almost expected that I wouldn’t be straight. I mean, I had two dads who adored each other and a mom who loved them both. Honestly, the biggest surprise in our family has been my son, Sage. When he told us he was into girls and only girls, we were all, like, ‘No. How is this possible?’”
Cam chuckled, Victor smiled in return, and they sat there smiling at each other until Victor felt a bubble of laughter working its way up from his diaphragm.
“What?” Cam asked.
“Look at us. Connecting.”
Scowling, Cam said, “Don’t.”
Victor forced himself to sober up. “It’s all good. And as you know, I recently got out of a relationship. You and me, we’re still getting to know each other. So this—” he gestured between them “—what we’re doing right now? This is all I want at the moment. I’m not ready for more.”
Cam nodded. “Cool.”
“Of course, me also being me, I want to know what you’re so afraid of, but I’ve asked enough pressing questions for one night.”
“You have. But I’ve got another one for you.”
“Oh, yeah?”
Reaching between them, Cam rested his hand on Victor’s thigh. “How many times can you get it up in a night, old man?”
“Old man!” Victor spluttered. “I’ll have you know I am in my prime.”
Cam leaned in. “Oh, yeah? Ready to back up that claim?”
Victor met him in the middle and whispered against his mouth. “More than ready.”
Cam’s lips tasted of black beans and BBQ sauce. Victor wanted to devour him. He also wanted Cam to be the one splayed out on the bed this time, his body laid out like a buffet.
Ending the kiss, Victor drew back. “I need to feed the cats. See if Honey wants to run outside for a minute? Then we’ll rustle up something for her too. Then, we can play.”