Reckless (Pier 70, 1)

by Nicole Edwards

  “Anytime.”

  Feeling bolder than he’d ever expected—perhaps a few hours outdoors wasn’t such a bad thing—Gannon decided to do something incredibly forward. Cam had already blown him off once, but Gannon had seen it more as a dare than a rejection, so he was hoping if he was persistent, Cam would eventually give in.

  “Have dinner with me tonight.”

  Cam’s mouth slowly curved up as he kept his eyes on the ground in front of him, walking slowly beside him. “Is that an order or a request?”

  “Which do you prefer?” Gannon asked, curious as to the answer.

  Cam stopped, then turned to face him, pushing his sunglasses up on his head, that penetrating blue stare lifting to meet his. “I’m not sure you can handle my response to that.”

  “Try me,” Gannon said, hoping Cam could see the challenge in his eyes.

  Another smile tilted the corners of Cam’s eyes as he looked at him, this smirk much more dangerous than before. Gannon held his breath when Cam pulled the hat from his head, fidgeted with it, and then put it back. When Cam’s hand brushed Gannon’s ear, the heat from his touch shot straight to his groin.

  “What makes you think I’m even interested?” Cam’s smile faded, and Gannon wondered if he’d felt it, too.

  “You’re still standing here,” Gannon responded without hesitation.

  “You’re a customer. It’s my job.”

  “You look at all your customers the way you look at me?” Gannon retorted, enjoying the easy banter. He could tell Cam was interested, but he could also sense that Cam was testing him, just as he’d thought he would.

  “How’s that?” Cam asked.

  “You’ve been eye fucking me for the last two hours.”

  “I thought it’d been the other way around.”

  Unable to help himself, Gannon took a step closer, keeping his eyes locked with Cam’s. “Is that a yes or a no to dinner?”

  That obviously surprised Cam, because he didn’t have a quick retort.

  “I’ll pick you up at seven,” Gannon told him when it was clear Cam wasn’t going to answer.

  “I’m not big on going out,” Cam informed him, his eyes searching Gannon’s face.

  “Then what’s your suggestion?”

  “Your place,” Cam answered.

  Gannon nodded. “Be there at seven.” Not waiting for an argument, he quickly turned on his heel.

  “I don’t know where you live,” Cam called out as Gannon continued to walk off.

  Without looking back, Gannon said, “Show me how much you want to have dinner with me, Cam. You can figure it out.”

  With that, he made his way to his car, relishing the surge of adrenaline that coursed through his veins. It was another feeling he hadn’t experienced in a long time. This one made him feel alive.

  And he found that he enjoyed the fuck out of it.

  Nine

  “Where are you goin’ all dressed up?” Dare asked when Cam came downstairs a few minutes after five.

  Cam peered down the length of his body. “I’m not dressed up.”

  “Bro, you aren’t wearin’ flip-flops. For you, that’s dressed up.”

  “Touché.”

  Cam hadn’t expected anyone to be in the office, but he should’ve known Dare would be finishing things up after having taken a few hours of personal time. It wasn’t that they had set hours, or even days—they did the job because it was what they loved to do—but generally, that late in the evening, they weren’t hanging around inside.

  “Date,” Cam rumbled when it was clear Dare was waiting for an answer.

  “Holy fuck, man. With that gamer guy?”

  “His name’s Gannon.”

  “Whatever,” Dare remarked with a grin. “You asked him out?”

  Cam smiled, remembering his conversation with Gannon. No, he hadn’t asked him out; it’d been the other way around and a nice change of pace for Cam. Generally, he was the pursuer in the few relationships he had under his belt. He tended to go out with men who were looking for someone to take the reins. Granted, he hadn’t had a clue what to expect from Gannon. Truth was, the man had surprised the hell out of him with his demand for dinner. It hadn’t been a question, and had it been, Cam probably would’ve turned him down.

  But the way Gannon took control… That had set off something inside Cam. Something that’d been dormant for a while, and he was strangely looking forward to whatever Gannon had in mind. Cam got the impression, although different, he and Gannon were matched pretty evenly.

  “He asked,” Cam told his friend. “I’m meetin’ him at his house.”

  “He live around here?” Dare asked.

  Cam shook his head.

  “You sure you’re good with that?” Dare’s concern was evident. “I know how you are about the long-distance thing.”

  Yeah, Cam wasn’t fond of it, but he’d come to a decision. Since Gannon had already come to the marina three times, it was only fair that Cam made an effort. He’d know more tonight, after they had a little privacy.

  “I’m steppin’ out of my comfort zone,” he told Dare.

  Dare responded with a long, slow whistle, followed by, “So, you’ll be back … in the mornin’?”

  Cam laughed but didn’t answer. He wasn’t sure when he’d be home, honestly. Hell, dinner could be hell and he could be home early. Or…

  He didn’t want to think about the other option. There was some serious chemistry between him and Gannon, strange as it was, but it came down to the fact that they were polar opposites and didn’t know the first thing about one another. Although the sex had the potential to be spontaneous and fucking hot, Cam wasn’t looking for one night of passion.

  “You got condoms?” Dare asked teasingly as Cam pushed the door open.

  “I’m good,” Cam answered with a chuckle.

  “Later, man.”

  Cam stepped outside, the evening sun sliding lower in the sky but still shining bright. As he walked to his truck, the gravel crunching beneath his feet, he realized he was still smiling.

  It had taken him all of ten minutes to find Gannon’s address, and another twenty to convince himself that he really was going to do this. He’d spent the next half hour getting ready, though he hadn’t put too much effort into what he wore. At first, he’d considered going to Gannon’s in what he’d had on for the day, but thought better of it at the last minute, choosing to jump in the shower.

  It was one thing to enjoy the back-and-forth between them, but Cam was far more interested in Gannon than he was letting on. More than he cared to acknowledge. That didn’t mean he’d dressed up for the occasion, but he had put on jeans and a T-shirt and dug his Nikes out of the closet rather than going with flip-flops. After he’d brushed his teeth, he’d even added a touch of cologne at the last second. He looked presentable, or at least he thought so.

  After programming the address into his truck’s GPS, Cam set out for the hour-long drive. When he’d learned that Gannon lived in a house that overlooked Lake Travis, he had to admit, he’d been even more intrigued. Not because the homes in that area ranged from seven figures on up but because he was interested in the view.

  Money didn’t appeal to Cam the way it did to a lot of people. As long as he had what he needed to survive, he was happy. Granted, he wasn’t hurting, by any means. The marina was thriving, continuing to remain in the black, and allowing them enough to grow to accommodate the steadily increasing business. But he had never been attracted by a flashy man with a big wallet. It just didn’t do it for him.

  By the time he arrived at Gannon’s nearly an hour later, Cam’s nerves were acting up. He’d tried everything from blasting the radio to rolling down the windows, but he couldn’t stop thinking about Gannon and what this night might have in store for him.

  First dates were hell.

  Apparently he’d been even more worked up than he’d thought because he hadn’t realized he was still sitting in his truck, parked in Gannon’s driveway, un
til Gannon appeared at the window, tapping solidly three times to get his attention.

  With an embarrassed smile, he looked over at Gannon and shut off the engine. Before he could open the door, Gannon was doing the honors.

  “I see you found the address,” Gannon said, his tone low, oddly seductive, as though he liked the fact Cam had put forth the effort to find him.

  “I did,” he replied, climbing out of the truck.

  “So, what? Your truck having separation anxiety?” Gannon teased.

  He caught the spark in Gannon’s eyes as his heated gaze slowly perused Cam’s body, down, then up again to rest on Cam’s face.

  “Somethin’ like that.”

  “You look good,” Gannon said, and the blatant approval in those dark, dark brown eyes had heat blooming deep inside him.

  “Dressed up for the occasion.” Cam kept his eyes on Gannon’s face, his gaze dropping to those soft, smooth lips. Not for the first time, Cam wondered what it would be like to kiss Gannon, to feel those lips against his own.

  “I can see that.” Gannon flashed another smile. “Come on in.”

  Cam followed Gannon along the winding path that led up to the front door. Trailing behind him, he took stock of what he was up against tonight.

  Faded Levi’s that accentuated a very, very nice ass. Check.

  A black polo that shifted over a well-muscled back. Check.

  Bare feet. Oh, yeah. Something about the sight of Gannon’s feet made Cam’s blood pump faster.

  Or possibly, that was just his increased heart rate from the long trek. Although doubtful.

  Gannon’s house was built on a hill, so it took a few minutes to make their way to the front door. When they did, Gannon stood there, waiting for Cam to come inside.

  Taking a deep breath, trying to slow his rapidly beating heart—which he admitted had absolutely nothing to do with the walk—Cam stepped over the threshold and resigned himself for whatever Gannon had in store for him tonight.

  And after that, he willed his nerves to chill.

  As they’d done during the entire drive over, they ignored him once again.

  Gannon had been pleasantly surprised when he’d seen the big, black Ford Super Duty F250 Lariat—a truck that suited Cam to a T—parked in his driveway. Part of him had expected Cam to be a no-show, so when he’d looked on the security camera monitor and noticed he did have a guest, he’d actually felt a little light-headed with relief.

  What it was about Cam, he still couldn’t put his finger on, but Gannon was looking forward to the chance to get to know him better. He had absolutely no expectations for the night, other than a nice dinner, some conversation, maybe a little wine out on the deck overlooking the water.

  “Smells good,” Cam said as Gannon led him through the house toward the kitchen.

  “Me? Or the food?” Gannon probed, casting a quick look at Cam over his shoulder.

  The way Cam’s eyebrow lifted casually, the corner of his mouth curling just a little… That was probably the sexiest look he’d ever seen on a man.

  When Cam didn’t answer, Gannon laughed. “It’ll be ready in about half an hour. Thought we’d have a drink while we wait. Preference?”

  “What do you have?”

  “Beer, wine, scotch, iced tea, water.”

  “Beer’s good,” Cam said, his eyes scanning the room briefly before coming to rest on Gannon again.

  Gannon nodded toward the double doors that led out onto the back deck. “If you wanna go out there, I’ll bring it to you.”

  Their eyes locked for a brief moment. That same spark he’d felt earlier that morning ignited, sizzling in the air between them. Gannon was the one to turn away first, breaking the connection, the heat spiraling through his veins leaving him edgy.

  The door opened and then closed, signaling Cam had gone outside. Without looking back to confirm, he made his way to the refrigerator and took a deep breath, holding it in, then letting it out slowly.

  “Get a grip,” he told himself.

  “How ’bout I do that for you?”

  Gannon’s heart slammed against his ribs as he spun around to find Cam standing directly behind him, less than two feet away. Shit.

  “I thought…”

  Cam’s slow smile was so seductive Gannon’s pulse kicked into overdrive. “I know. You thought I went out, but I needed to do something first.”

  Gannon’s brain scrambled, and he couldn’t come up with words as Cam closed the remaining distance between them in less than two steps. When they were practically chest to chest, he mentally reached deep down and lassoed every ounce of his self-control, not wanting to touch Cam for fear if he did, he wouldn’t be able to let go.

  Ever.

  God, the man looked so damn good. Smelled even better.

  Gannon swallowed hard.

  “Thought maybe we’d get this part outta the way,” Cam mumbled softly.

  This part? Which part was…?

  Cam’s mouth brushed his, the warmth of his breath fanning his face, and Gannon no longer had questions. He knew exactly which part Cam was referring to, and though he admired Cam’s aggressive nature, it went against everything he was to let him take the lead. So, before their lips firmly touched, Gannon reached for Cam, spinning him around so that Cam’s back was against the refrigerator, trapped between Gannon’s body and the stainless steel. Cupping Cam’s face in his hands, he allowed his lips to brush against Cam’s, slowly, gently, while Gannon maintained control.

  “Definitely a nice change of pace,” Cam muttered.

  Gannon didn’t ask what that meant. That control he’d lassoed threatened to snap when a deep rumble rose up from Cam’s chest, followed quickly by a desperate growl. Always looking for an opportunity, Gannon took advantage, urging his way into Cam’s mouth, their tongues sliding together.

  A second later, Gannon pulled back, separating their mouths. “Your tongue is pierced.” It wasn’t a question; he’d felt it for himself.

  Cam grinned but didn’t say anything.

  Wanting to feel the foreign glide of that barbell against his tongue again, Gannon put his lips back on Cam’s, leisurely sliding his tongue in Cam’s mouth. Curious, he licked the barbell, then Cam’s tongue, mapping it out with his mouth.

  Then, tilting his head so he could explore further, Gannon gave in to the intense desire that had left his breath lodged in his chest. Crushing their lips together, he slid his hand behind Cam’s neck, holding him as he persistently drove his tongue against Cam’s, licking, tasting. He fucking tasted good, like mint and the promise of sex. A heady concoction that had Gannon craving more.

  When Cam gripped his waist, hands twisting into his shirt, Gannon slid his fingers into Cam’s short hair, tugging his head back and plundering his mouth, taking all that was being offered.

  The rough groan that escaped Cam, combined with the way Cam jerked him forward, their bodies aligning perfectly, had Gannon reassessing the situation. Given the opportunity, Gannon could easily let this get out of control. And as good as Cam’s lips felt against his own, as much as he wanted to devour every delectable inch of him, Gannon wasn’t going to let this move too quickly.

  There’d be plenty of time for that later.

  With his fingers twined in Cam’s hair, Gannon separated their mouths, brushing a kiss over his lips, inhaling the intoxicating scent of the man as he stared into those mesmerizing blue eyes. “As far as first kisses go…”

  Cam’s mouth quirked as he filled in where Gannon left off. “Not bad.”

  Yeah. Not bad. Understatement of the fucking century.

  Pulling back enough to study Cam’s face, Gannon took a moment to catch his breath. He knew Cam was goading him, and he liked that about him. The constant push and pull was riveting, leaving Gannon desperate to see where this went. But that was part of the appeal. He enjoyed the chase as much as Cam clearly did, and he got the sense that Cam was still testing him.

  “If you’re nice,” Gannon told him,
drawing his hands back down to cup Cam’s jaw once again, “we’ll pick that up later.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  Taking a step back before he gave in to the nearly irresistible urge to see just how far he could push Cam, Gannon reached around him and pulled on the refrigerator door. When Cam stepped out of the way, he retrieved two beers, handing one to Cam.

  Cam eyed the label and another smirk formed.

  Yes, Gannon had purposely picked up a six-pack of the same beer Cam had offered him on the pier, hoping it might earn him a few points. From the lopsided grin on Cam’s face, he’d accomplished his goal.

  “Come on,” Gannon said. “Twenty minutes till the food’s ready. I’ll give you a tour of the outside so you won’t be eager to jump me again.”

  The bark of laughter that escaped Cam did strange things to Gannon’s insides.

  Yeah, he definitely liked this man. A lot.

  Ten

  Pretending not to want to pick up where they’d just left off, Cam shook off the haze of lust that had consumed him the instant Gannon had taken control and nearly leveled Cam with a single kiss. He could still feel the intensity of that heated caress, the strength in Gannon’s hands as he’d maintained control, the urgent, almost desperate need that had pulsed between them.

  It’d been a long damn time since Cam had felt anything even remotely as powerful as that. And never during a first kiss.

  Cam wasn’t sure what had compelled him to approach Gannon that way, but the need to feel the man’s mouth, to find out whether his lips were as soft as they looked had spurred him on. His feet had taken on a mind of their own, and the next thing he’d known, he’d been succumbing to the most deliciously enthusiastic kiss of his life.

  As far as first kisses went … that one was by far the best he’d ever had. Not that he would let Gannon know that, because he’d seen the glimmer of arrogance in Gannon’s dark gaze. He knew very little about the man, but he knew that Gannon was used to getting what he wanted. At the same time, Cam also got the impression Gannon was familiar with having to work for it, as well.

  And Cam intended to make the man work for it.