Fallout: Friction, Book 2
Contemporary M/M Romance
70k+ Words
70k+ Words
For years, Asher Dare lived his life by one simple rule—always leave them wanting more. He’s worked hard and partied harder, looking for nothing beyond instant gratification and mutual pleasure. No commitments. No promises.
Then, Cameron Stone stumbled into his life with his color-coded lists and pressed polos, and nothing has been the same since.
Now, Asher has it all. A mansion on the hill. An impressive bank account courtesy of a dozen bestselling novels. A boyfriend with big blue eyes and a smile that lights up his world.
But having it all means having everything to lose, especially when the past he’s been running from is about to catch up with him.
Then, Cameron Stone stumbled into his life with his color-coded lists and pressed polos, and nothing has been the same since.
Now, Asher has it all. A mansion on the hill. An impressive bank account courtesy of a dozen bestselling novels. A boyfriend with big blue eyes and a smile that lights up his world.
But having it all means having everything to lose, especially when the past he’s been running from is about to catch up with him.
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Excerpt
Twisting around on the sofa, Luke tucked his socked feet under him and grinned like a Cheshire cat. “I want that one.”
Cameron snorted as Luke practically salivated over the security guy who had just entered the den. Not that he blamed him. Dressed in a black suit that molded to every muscled inch of him, the bodyguard was strikingly handsome.
His dark hair was cut conservatively in a high fade that emphasized his square jaw and high cheekbones. Cameron couldn’t tell what color his eyes were from that distance, but there was an unmistakable intensity to them he could practically feel from across the room.
Craning his neck, Nico turned to follow Luke’s gaze. “Dude,” he said with a snort of laughter. “It’s not a takeout menu.”
Still sandwiched between them, Cameron sank back into the cushions with a stifled yawn. “And he’s straight.”
Of course, he had no way of knowing that. He just liked fucking with Luke.
“Don’t say that,” Nico mumbled, covering his mouth to hide his own yawn. “You’ll just encourage him.”
“Hey!” Luke huffed indignantly, paused, then lifted one shoulder in a half-hearted shrug. “Yeah, okay, that’s fair.”
Everyone laughed.
“What’s fair?” Long fingers threaded through Cameron’s hair from behind, gently urging his head back. “Hey,” Asher murmured as he leaned over the sofa to steal a kiss.
“Hey,” Cameron echoed with a sappy grin. “Luke was just deciding which guy from Oz’s security team he wants to take home with him.”
The fingers in his hair tightened briefly before releasing him, but otherwise, Asher didn’t react to the news. No eye roll. Not a hint of a smirk. He didn’t even glance in Luke’s direction. Cameron’s smile instantly dissolved as he pushed upright and shifted around to look up at him directly.
“Is everything okay?”
Shoving his hands into the front pocket of his jeans, Asher took a couple of steps back and tilted his head to the side. “Let’s get out of here for a bit.”
Frowning, Cameron pushed himself up from the thick, leather cushions and took a few cautious steps. “Yeah, okay.” Asher definitely looked like he could use a breather. “Did something else happen?” As he rounded the sofa, he slowed, his footsteps heavy and measured. “What did Oz—?”
“Cameron.” Asher held his hand out and stared pointedly until Cameron took it. “Just come with me. Please.”
Cameron nodded.
Hands clasped, fingers linked, Asher led him through the den, past the kitchen, and down the short hallway to the base of the stairs in the foyer. As they climbed the staircase to the second-floor landing, the sounds of conversation faded away, leaving only their own muffled steps against the carpet to interrupt the quiet. It wasn’t until they were inside the master suite with the door closed firmly behind them that Asher finally turned to him with a tired, weary expression.
“Are you okay?” Asher asked. Worry and guilt bled into every syllable, and the muscles in his back and shoulders were so tense he hunched forward as he spoke.
It was on the tip of Cameron’s tongue to offer a dismissive, “I’m fine,” but he quelled the instinct and took a moment to really consider the question. He was nervous for Asher, angry on his behalf, and frustrated that he couldn’t do more to help. There was no crystal ball that would let him see into the future, but the way Luke had described it, the next few weeks were going to be a nightmare.
His routines would be disrupted. His life would be subjected to public scrutiny. Every detail of his relationship with Asher would be held under a microscope. So, was he okay? No, not really, but that wasn’t what Asher needed to hear.
“I don’t think everything has really set in yet,” he offered, carefully choosing each word. “I think once we meet with the PR rep and have a plan, it won’t feel so big and scary.”
The right corner of Asher’s mouth twitched, and some of the tightness around his eyes relaxed. “Is that your way of saying you’re freaking out?”
Dragging his fingers through his hair, he leaned against the end of the four-poster bed and sighed. “No. It’s my way of saying that I really do think we’ll both feel better once we have a plan.”
Cameron snorted as Luke practically salivated over the security guy who had just entered the den. Not that he blamed him. Dressed in a black suit that molded to every muscled inch of him, the bodyguard was strikingly handsome.
His dark hair was cut conservatively in a high fade that emphasized his square jaw and high cheekbones. Cameron couldn’t tell what color his eyes were from that distance, but there was an unmistakable intensity to them he could practically feel from across the room.
Craning his neck, Nico turned to follow Luke’s gaze. “Dude,” he said with a snort of laughter. “It’s not a takeout menu.”
Still sandwiched between them, Cameron sank back into the cushions with a stifled yawn. “And he’s straight.”
Of course, he had no way of knowing that. He just liked fucking with Luke.
“Don’t say that,” Nico mumbled, covering his mouth to hide his own yawn. “You’ll just encourage him.”
“Hey!” Luke huffed indignantly, paused, then lifted one shoulder in a half-hearted shrug. “Yeah, okay, that’s fair.”
Everyone laughed.
“What’s fair?” Long fingers threaded through Cameron’s hair from behind, gently urging his head back. “Hey,” Asher murmured as he leaned over the sofa to steal a kiss.
“Hey,” Cameron echoed with a sappy grin. “Luke was just deciding which guy from Oz’s security team he wants to take home with him.”
The fingers in his hair tightened briefly before releasing him, but otherwise, Asher didn’t react to the news. No eye roll. Not a hint of a smirk. He didn’t even glance in Luke’s direction. Cameron’s smile instantly dissolved as he pushed upright and shifted around to look up at him directly.
“Is everything okay?”
Shoving his hands into the front pocket of his jeans, Asher took a couple of steps back and tilted his head to the side. “Let’s get out of here for a bit.”
Frowning, Cameron pushed himself up from the thick, leather cushions and took a few cautious steps. “Yeah, okay.” Asher definitely looked like he could use a breather. “Did something else happen?” As he rounded the sofa, he slowed, his footsteps heavy and measured. “What did Oz—?”
“Cameron.” Asher held his hand out and stared pointedly until Cameron took it. “Just come with me. Please.”
Cameron nodded.
Hands clasped, fingers linked, Asher led him through the den, past the kitchen, and down the short hallway to the base of the stairs in the foyer. As they climbed the staircase to the second-floor landing, the sounds of conversation faded away, leaving only their own muffled steps against the carpet to interrupt the quiet. It wasn’t until they were inside the master suite with the door closed firmly behind them that Asher finally turned to him with a tired, weary expression.
“Are you okay?” Asher asked. Worry and guilt bled into every syllable, and the muscles in his back and shoulders were so tense he hunched forward as he spoke.
It was on the tip of Cameron’s tongue to offer a dismissive, “I’m fine,” but he quelled the instinct and took a moment to really consider the question. He was nervous for Asher, angry on his behalf, and frustrated that he couldn’t do more to help. There was no crystal ball that would let him see into the future, but the way Luke had described it, the next few weeks were going to be a nightmare.
His routines would be disrupted. His life would be subjected to public scrutiny. Every detail of his relationship with Asher would be held under a microscope. So, was he okay? No, not really, but that wasn’t what Asher needed to hear.
“I don’t think everything has really set in yet,” he offered, carefully choosing each word. “I think once we meet with the PR rep and have a plan, it won’t feel so big and scary.”
The right corner of Asher’s mouth twitched, and some of the tightness around his eyes relaxed. “Is that your way of saying you’re freaking out?”
Dragging his fingers through his hair, he leaned against the end of the four-poster bed and sighed. “No. It’s my way of saying that I really do think we’ll both feel better once we have a plan.”