A Hunted Man (The Men of Halfway House)

by Reese, Jaime

  "What are our options?" Hunter asked.

  "They never got a statement from Cameron back then so getting one now, out of the blue, might cause some waves. So that's not an option until we have something a little more solid. It's been ten years, so we need to check out the house before jumping to any conclusions. I can scope out the place for a bit, off record, to see if there's anything that merits pursuing." Aidan folded the map and stood with his hands on his waist. "If I see anything, I might be able to pull a warrant from a judge. But I'd need to have something concrete at that house before that can happen. And I need a judge who won't tip off Mackler."

  "I've got a name for that. Dylan Stanford. Peter recommended him," Hunter added.

  Aidan nodded. He held out his hand for Cam to shake. "Thank you," he said.

  Cam's eyes widened as he extended his hand. "I should be thanking you."

  Aidan shook his head. "You've finally given me a way to pay back Hunter. I've got quite a tab with him. I have some time tonight so I'll go check it out for a bit and keep you guys posted."

  "Thanks," Hunter said to Aidan with a slap on his friend's back.

  He hoped Aidan would find something at the house quickly so he could move on from this never-ending nightmare that haunted them.

  Cam pressed his forehead against the cool glass of the passenger side window. He absently stared at the outside edge of the highway as it raced by in a blur, the road fading into the trees and neighboring cars in a mix of colors. The smooth, quiet rumble of the car's engine revving let him know Hunter was just as anxious to start the weekend as he was.

  Hunter had picked him up after leaving his office, when the weekend pass time period started. After obsessing for far too long about having some alone time with Hunter, he was finally granted a weekend of heaven. But all he could feel was utter disappointment.

  "You okay?" Hunter asked, breaking into Cam's thoughts.

  "Huh?" Cam asked as he leaned back against the headrest and looked over to the man who had stood by him, without fail, during the past few days.

  Hunter shifted his focus off the road for a moment to glance at Cam. He smiled as unmistakable affection with a hint of mischief glinted in his eyes. "I asked if you were okay?" He reached over and gripped Cam's neck.

  "I'll be fine." Cam moaned and reveled in the rhythmic massage.

  Hunter's brow furrowed with obvious concern, as he switched focus between watching the road and trying to decipher Cam's mood. "I know you'll be fine, but something's bothering you now. You look…disappointed. Do you want me to take you back to the halfway house?"

  "No!" Cam immediately responded and straightened in the seat. "Hell, no!"

  Hunter smiled then withdrew his hand from Cam's neck. He pulled off into the emergency lane and put the car in park. "I'm glad, but I know something's bothering you."

  Cam sighed. He had not expected their first weekend together to start like this. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm just pissed off. I was hoping…I thought…fuck!"

  "We can do that later. Right now, I want to know what's bothering you," Hunter asked playfully with a raised eyebrow.

  Cam couldn't help but chuckle. "You're worse than I am."

  "Hey, you think I haven't been thinking about our weekend together for a while now? I don't want you to be pissed off. So just tell me what's eating away at you." He reached over to stroke Cam's cheek.

  Cam leaned into the caress like a cat craving a scratch. "I just thought that by pointing out the house, something would have happened by now, you know? That this would be over or something," he finished with a deep exhale.

  "I know." Hunter continued to stroke his cheek with his thumb. "It's only been a couple of days, and you can't wave a wand and have everything magically resolved in seconds. Aidan did say it seemed as if there was some activity at the house so he promised to keep going by and checking up on it."

  "I know," he said, his shoulders hunched. He was tired of worrying about everyone who managed to get close to him. Sometimes, all the attention was a bit overwhelming, but secretly, he craved the closeness he was deprived of for far too long. He had fallen victim to a false sense of security and had actually grown to care about Lucy, Bill, and overprotective Julian and Matt. Now, he bordered on panic at the thought of these people suddenly becoming collateral damage. He closed his eyes as he tried to control his racing heartbeat.

  Hunter cupped Cam's face with both hands. "Cam, breathe."

  Cam opened his eyes to see Hunter's fiercely steady gaze. That was all it took to wipe away his disappointment and focus on their weekend together.

  "Fuck, you're hot when you look at me like that."

  Hunter gave him a wicked smile.

  Cam reached over to kiss that smile off his face but was stopped by the seat belt locking him in place. "Ugh, I hate these fucking things," he said, struggling while trying to loosen the strap that seemed to get tighter.

  Hunter laughed. "Hold that thought," he said, turning back in his seat. He put the car in gear and eased into traffic again then casually placed his hand on Cam's thigh.

  Cam focused on Hunter's large hand on him, the pressure of his grip, the heat of his touch through his jeans. All his thoughts evaporated, he couldn't even remember what they were just talking about. He closed his eyes, numb with the sudden flood of desire that coursed through his body.

  He opened his eyes and looked over at Hunter. "How far are we?" His voice so hoarse he barely recognized himself.

  Hunter's vision snapped to Cam with a glare of equal desire. "Don't do that to me. We're almost there."

  Cam inched over toward him as much as his belt permitted, and leaned over to run his fingers though Hunter's hair, happy to finally figure out how to pull the belt without it locking. "How far are we?" he asked again, closer this time to Hunter's ear as he ran his finger under Hunter's shirt collar.

  Hunter noticeably swallowed and withdrew his hand from Cam's thigh, then firmly grabbed the steering wheel with a white-knuckled grip.

  Cam reached into Hunter's suit jacket and began to loosen Hunter's tie.

  "What are you doing?"

  "I thought it was obvious."

  "Here?"

  "I'm getting a head start. You've got way too much shit on."

  "We're almost there."

  "You keep saying that, I'm tired of waiting." He slid out Hunter's tie then slowly began to undo the top button of Hunter's shirt. He smiled when the car's engine revved. He reached into Hunter's shirt. Ripples of desire spread through his body with the touch of Hunter's heated skin and the wiry hair on his chest.

  "Four minutes."

  "That's a long time," he said, then began working the second button of Hunter's shirt.

  "You're killin' me."

  "Don't they call it the little death?"

  "Three minutes."

  "We're counting down now? Two buttons down, about four more to go."

  Two more buttons and two minutes of additional torture later, Hunter slowed as he rounded the corner of the neighborhood of homes. Cam immediately straightened in his seat and was awestruck by each house they drove by. Hunter pulled into the driveway of a Spanish-style home surrounded by trees. The one-story was a bit smaller than the other insanely-sized multi-story Coral Gables homes on this block, but far more welcoming. The exterior was a pale mustard shade of stucco with a dark barrel tile roof that accentuated the earthy tones of the exterior. Minimal landscaping was needed with the huge black olive tree in the front and the mixed purple, red, and pink bougainvilleas surrounding the property. The open spaces, absent of fencing and with plenty of land between the neighbors, gave the illusion of openness with a touch of privacy.

  "This is yours?" Cam asked, stunned.

  "Yup, this is my house. I wanted something away from the craziness of the city. This came up as a steal some time ago so I bought it. It's very private, which is a major plus."

  "It's just you here?"

  "Yeah, just me. As a
n added perk, the neighbors use theirs as winter homes so there's no one else on this block for the better part of the year."

  Cam frowned. He looked down at his frayed jeans and long-sleeved T-shirt and knew he was out of place.

  "C'mon, grab your bag," Hunter said as he exited the car.

  Hunter unlocked the front door and stepped aside so Cam could enter first.

  "Wow." Cam walked inside and looked at the equally impressive interior. Impeccably clean, incredibly organized, and impossibly sterile. No pictures on the walls or tables, everything was a stark black, white, or steel…elegant and sleek, but cold and unwelcoming. A complete contradiction to the warm, welcoming exterior and the man Cam had come to know. He didn't belong in this house and for some reason, he didn't think Hunter belonged here either.

  He opened his mouth to say something, but suddenly, Hunter was there, pushing him hard against the wall by the entrance. They kissed, the first real, private, passionate kiss where Cam wasn't worried about someone seeing or walking in on them. Hunter devoured Cam's mouth and held him still as he pushed Cam's shirt up and over his head. Untamed desire he had controlled for almost a decade instantly flooded his system. He stepped back just enough to let Hunter peel the shirt off him and immediately latched on to his mouth again with equal ferocity. Without breaking contact, he frantically finished undoing the buttons on Hunter's shirt.

  Hunter's breath came fast and hard, his nostrils flaring like a bull. He broke the kiss to work his way down Cam's neck. "I want you so much."

  Cam's heartbeat raced and his entire body began to shake with the need to feel the heat of Hunter's body. He pulled Hunter's shirt open and down his arms. Hunter deftly freed himself then pushed his body up against Cam to hold him steady against the wall.

  Groin to groin, there was no denying the want between them. Cam grabbed Hunter by the hair and pulled him into another searing kiss.

  Hunter groaned and grabbed Cam as he pushed against him in a slow sensuous movement. Cam let out a strangled moan when Hunter's hand pushed inside his jeans and closed around his shaft.

  "Fuck." Cam gasped into Hunter's mouth then reached behind Hunter to grip his ass and pull him closer, needing more friction.

  Hunter's solid, hard-muscled chest pressed against his was better than any fantasy he could have conjured up. He frantically reached past the curls of Hunter's treasure trail and tried to unzip his pants. Frustration bloomed as the desire that shook him prevented him from coordinating his movements. He wrapped his arm around Hunter's neck and held on when his legs began to give way with each stroke of Hunter's hand.

  It had been too long, and now, there was just too much too soon and with entirely too much desire to extend this past a few quick thrusts. Cam was close and could tell from Hunter's short breaths that he wasn't far behind. Cam focused on the deep, slow rhythm Hunter had set—the grind of their bodies swaying together, Hunter's hands on him, pulling up and down Cam's shaft with deliciously mesmerizing pressure. His skin became hypersensitive to the brush of Hunter's stubble against his neck and his warm breath against his ear.

  Everything faded to black. Nothing existed but this man, his presence, the way Hunter's body pressed against his, each groan and gasp he caused. He reveled in the utter desperation Hunter showed, taking what he needed as soon as they were alone. Hunter wanted him in spite of everything he knew about Cam. He could hear the catch in Hunter's breath, and that was all that was needed before he lost it hot and hard in Hunter's hold.

  Cam finally settled his breathing and began to feel his legs again. Hunter's strong arms were still wrapped around him, holding him in place.

  Hunter rested his forehead against Cam's after a few moments. "Fuck."

  Cam jolted back to reality when he registered Hunter's tone. "Don't you fucking dare," he shouted in a throaty voice. The thought of Hunter rejecting him was like a flaming hot knife slicing through his chest. With renewed vigor, he desperately pulled himself out of Hunter's hold and pushed him away.

  "Cam—"

  "Do you regret what we just did?" he yelled, trying to ignore the pain that cracked his voice.

  "No," Hunter thundered in response. "All I've been thinking about is you, being with you, wanting to touch you and feel you. You can't imagine how much I want you, but to grab you and rub off on you like a horny kid for your first time in ten years was not how I fucking pictured our first time would be!"

  Hunter's loud, powerful voice resonated off the bare living room walls and echoed his anger. Cam stalked forward. Hunter stilled when he was a mere breath away, invading his personal space.

  In a calm, level tone Cam said exactly what he thought in that moment, "Mr. Donovan, feel free to slam me up against a wall…anytime…anywhere…just make me one promise." He punctuated each word, intensely staring at Hunter, refusing to back away.

  Hunter's breathless voice shook. "Anything."

  "Don't ever stop wanting me enough to do so."

  With enough power to rival Hunter's grip on him earlier, Cam grabbed Hunter and shoved him against the wall, pressed his body against Hunter's, held him prisoner between the wall and himself. He gripped Hunter's hair and delivered a no-holds-barred kiss with unmistakable desire. Hunter didn't protest being held by Cam. Instead, he simply moaned his approval into the kiss.

  A devilish grin curled Hunter's kiss-swollen lips, when they separated. "I promise."

  Cam kissed a path up Hunter's neck. "So, what else have you pictured us doing?"

  Hunter moaned then pulled Cam into an embrace. "How about we move things into the bedroom and slow it down a bit?"

  Cam pressed his cheek against the side of Hunter's face. He loved the heat of Hunter's body against his, the way he held him in his arms, the way his chest hair brushed against his skin, his scent. He was past the point of no return. He didn't care about location or pace, he just wanted Hunter, any way he could get him.

  "Okay," he responded softly.

  Hunter grabbed his hand and pulled him to follow down the hallway into the bedroom.

  Cameron entered the room and was immediately taken aback by the high ceiling and open space. The room looked like a sparsely furnished, oversized, one bedroom apartment with four pieces of furniture. The large bed and small neighboring nightstand faced the door on the right-hand side of the room. A narrow, long window between the bed and the master bathroom on the right allowed for a clear view of the yard. The sofa shared the same wall to the left of the bed—both available sitting areas to view the large television mounted on the opposite wall. Even though both the bed and couch looked welcoming, Cam would bet the angled desk area off to the far corner of the room was the most used.

  "This room is set up like what most studio apartments would look like. You know, you could hang out in your living room and make it look a little lived in," Cam said with a wry grin.

  Hunter chuckled. "I've spent more time in this room than in any other part of the house."

  "It's obvious the second you walk in. Why do I have a feeling you spend more time at that desk or sleeping on that couch than you do this huge bed," he said, looking over to Hunter.

  Hunter wrapped his arms around Cameron from behind. "Because I think you know me pretty well by now."

  Cam smiled as he leaned back into the embrace and rubbed Hunter's arms around his midsection.

  "I'm going to jump into the shower really quick. Give me a few minutes," Hunter said, releasing him. "Make yourself at home."

  "Huh? What?"

  "I picked you up right out of work. I want to wash the office off before we get into bed and my suit pants are starting to stick to me. I'll be quick." He delivered a chaste kiss before heading into the bathroom.

  Cameron heard the shower turn on. There was no way in hell he was going to waste even five minutes of their weekend away from Hunter. He stripped his jeans and took a deep breath before entering the bathroom.

  Hunter was under the spray of water rinsing his hair as the steam rose and obstruc
ted part of Cam's view. He opened the shower door and Hunter looked in his direction with eyes that immediately darkened with desire. Finally, in full view of Hunter's body, Cam's brain froze. His eyes took in the sight, staring at every curve and how the rivulets of water traveled along each arch and crevice of his muscles. The heat burned in Cam's blood and a jolt of lust shot straight to his core. His brain may have stopped processing, but his body was more than ready.

  "Get in here," Hunter said in a raspy voice.

  Hunter pulled Cam into the shower by the waist and closed the door. Cam was sandwiched between the cold, wet tile walls and Hunter's hot and ready body. The full skin on skin contact wasn't enough. He gripped Hunter's broad shoulders and pushed up against him, groin to groin.

  "You feel so fucking good," Hunter growled before biting his ear then jawline.

  A tingle began at the base of Cam's spine. No way was he going to lose it this quickly again without getting more of this man. He gripped Hunter's face and turned his head to expose the neck he desperately wanted to taste.

  Hunter groaned and thrust forward in time with Cam's suction. His hold around Cam's waist tightened, his thrusts sped up.

  Cameron stopped torturing Hunter's neck and released his shoulders, then, without hesitation, dropped to his knees on the shower floor and was at eye level with Hunter's full arousal. He grabbed Hunter's shaft with one hand and swallowed as much as he could.

  "Shit," Hunter yelled. He reached out for support, one hand on the wall, the other rattled the shower door with the force of his push to steady himself.

  Cam closed his eyes and reveled in the feel of Hunter heavy on his tongue. Each moan he pulled from Hunter drove him harder and deeper.

  "Fu…" was all Hunter managed to say on an exhale before digging his fingers in Cam's wet hair, encouraging him to continue.

  Desire chased up Cam's spine when he saw Hunter's intense, darkened gaze on him. Hunter's hand moved from Cam's hair, to below his jaw, nudging him to stop.

  "Get up here," Hunter said in a raspy voice.

  Cam dug his fingers in Hunter's hips and sealed his mouth on him, harder. Hunter's taste was addicting, and the feel of him filling Cam's mouth drove him to desperately need more.