Not much changed after Nathan’s declaration of love. They kept the same routine and hid their relationship from the kids. They didn’t like the lying and the sneaking around, but it was what they had to do.

The only real difference was that now they said they loved each other every night. They continued to explore their limits with each other, but most of the time the sex was gentle and loving, and they spent a lot more time in Nathan’s bedroom. Some nights they would stay up talking as they sipped wine and enjoyed each other and the conversation. 

The one thing they didn’t change was their sleeping arrangements. Cameron would spend his nights with Nathan in his bed, but he would always go back to his own room to sleep. He was up with the kids, and when they were off to school, he would climb back into bed with Nathan, and they would get up around lunch.

Cameron would get his work done, pick up the kids after school, and occupy them until dinner. Nathan would do his writing; then they would all eat together, and Nathan would go back to work while Cameron took the kids upstairs to wind down before bed.

It was a comfortable routine, and for nearly three weeks they enjoyed their new relationship and kept growing closer and closer.

***

“WE SHOULD GO OUT.”

“Go out?” Cameron rolled over so he could look at Nathan as they lay in his bed.

“On a date.”

“A date?”

“Are you just going to repeat everything I say?” Nathan reached out and ran his fingers over Cameron’s cheek.

“Sorry. I’m just a little shocked. You want to go out on a date?”

“Is that so crazy? We’re seeing each other, dating, if you will. I think we should go out on a real date.”

“You mean it?”

“I want to take you out. I love spending time with you, but it feels like we’re hiding.”

“Well, we kind of are.” Cameron grinned and rested his chin on his arm.

“I know we have to be careful because of your agency and the fact that you work for me, but what if we went somewhere out of the way?”

“You really want to take me out on a date?” Cameron’s heart fluttered, and he tried to hide the fact that he wanted to grin like an idiot.

“Yeah.” Nathan laced their fingers together and brought their entwined hands to his lips so he could kiss them. “I know it’s foolish, but I’m a romantic at heart. I like dating and experiencing new things with my partner. I love sharing moments and creating memories. I want that with you, Cameron. I don’t want to just be hidden lovers.”

Cameron gave in to his urge to grin and scrambled on top of Nathan to give him a full body hug. 

“I take it you want that too?” Nathan laughed and held him close.

“Oh yeah. But you realize that after that buildup, you’d better plan one hell of a date.”

“I think I can manage to find something interesting.”

“I have faith in you.” Cameron playfully peppered Nathan’s face with soft kisses, making the other man laugh. “When are we going?”

“How about Thursday? I’ll get a babysitter for the kids, and we can do date night.”

“Isn’t Friday usually date night?” Cameron asked, slightly confused.

“Usually, but this way we get to skip the chaos of everyone being out on a date at the same time, and I don’t have to wait an extra day.”

“Then Thursday sounds perfect.” Cameron grinned cheekily. “I just wish it wasn’t Monday. That’s a long time to wait.”

Nathan laughed and grabbed Cameron around the waist so he could roll them over. He settled between Cameron’s legs, their erections lining up perfectly.

“I’m pretty sure we can think of a few ways to pass the time.” Nathan grinned lasciviously.

“What about your writing, and the laundry?”

“I’m ahead of schedule on my book, and we can always order new clothes if we run out.”

Cameron’s laugh was cut off by Nathan’s kiss, and every thought of books and washing machines flew out of his head as he kissed Nathan back.

***

BY THE TIME THURSDAY rolled around Cameron was beyond excited.

It had been a long time since he’d been on a date, and he was a little nervous, which was stupid. It might have been their first date, but they’d been seeing each other for months and sleeping together for longer.

Nathan had arranged for a sitter to come over at six, so he had an hour to get ready before they planned to leave. It had been a little hard explaining to the kids that he wasn’t going to be putting them to bed because he was going out and their sitter would be doing it, but when he’d given them frozen yogurt and berries for dessert, they barely noticed when the sitter showed up.

“Here.” Nathan held out a key as he was heading up to his room.

“What’s this?” he asked as he looked at the key.

“I thought it might be easier if you got ready in the suite downstairs. The kids will be heading upstairs soon, and your room is right there.”

“Thanks. I’ll just go get my stuff.”

“And I will see you in an hour.” Nathan let his hand linger on Cameron’s for a moment as he took the key from him.

“An hour.” Cameron smiled and headed upstairs.

When he got to his room, he found the surprise of a lifetime. There was a garment bag on his bed with another shopping bag next to it.

He noticed a piece of white cardstock on the bag, and he picked it up.

 

I thought you might like to wear something different tonight. I know you’ll look incredible in them. I hope they fit. Love, Nathan.

 

Cameron smiled as he read the card and then looked at the bags. It was the most romantic thing anyone had ever done for him.

He opened the garment bag and stared at the dress shirt inside. It was gorgeous. Most of the clothes he’d brought with him were casual, and the one dressy shirt he had in his closet was from the clearance rack at a big box store. This shirt was as soft as butter, the lines were crisp, and it was a vibrant aqua color. Cameron checked the tag and saw it was his size, and also designer.

He opened the second bag and grinned when he saw a pair of leather dress shoes. He had a pair of black sneakers he normally wore when he was trying to dress up. The shoes were his size, and he recognized the designer. They were high-end but still classic.

Cameron went into the closet, then bathroom to gather his things and grabbed the shoes and garment bag before he headed down to the basement.

The in-law suite was basically a high-end two-bedroom apartment. As he laid his clothes out on one of the beds, he was pleased to see the bathroom was absolutely luxurious and no expense had been spared. It was a lot nicer than his bathroom upstairs, and he felt like he’d died and gone to heaven as he stood under the double rainforest showerheads.

When he finally stepped out of the shower, he quickly dried his hair, taking a moment to style it before shaving and spritzing on some cologne. 

The shirt and shoes fit perfectly and went well with his charcoal gray slacks.

This was the first time in a long time he felt handsome.

When he came out of the basement, Nathan was in the hall waiting for him.

As soon as Cameron had stepped into the hallway, Nathan’s jaw had dropped

“You look amazing.”

“Thank you.” Cameron blushed as he looked Nathan up and down. “You look incredible.”

Nathan had put on a pair of black dress pants and a light blue dress shirt that set off his eyes, and the cut was a little conservative, so it clung to him nicely.

“Thank you for the shirt and the shoes,” Cameron said with a slight flush. “It was really thoughtful of you.”

“You look incredible in them. I went into your closet to check your size. I hope you don’t mind.”

“I was wondering how you got them right.” Cameron smiled as he shook his head. “That’s fine.”

“You ready?” Nathan asked as he nodded to the door.

“Ready.” Cameron nodded and took a deep breath as Nathan led him out to his car. It would be the first time he’d get to ride in it.

***

THE RESTAURANT THEY went to was nice. It was decorated in traditional Japanese style, and the female staff was all wearing kimonos while the male staff was in Japanese style jackets and black pants.

Nathan had called ahead and reserved a booth for them that was a little separate from the rest of the restaurant. It made the meal seem more intimate and gave them some privacy.

“I hope you don’t mind sushi. This is my favorite place.”

“Not at all; this is a really nice.”

When Cameron picked up the menu, he realized that even with a translation he had no idea what anything was outside of a few staples.

“You look lost,” Nathan said with a grin as he watched Cameron scan the menu.

“I recognize a few things. Tea, soda, rice.”

Nathan laughed, and just then their waitress came up.

“Two jasmine tea and two sake,” he ordered.

“Sake?” Cameron asked when the waitress left.

“A Japanese drink. It’s kind of like a rice wine.”

“Is it good?”

“I think so.”

“Then I look forward to trying it.”

“Do you have any favorites you want to get?”

“I’ve never been to a sushi restaurant,” Cameron confessed.

“No? But you have had sushi, right?”

“Sure, but that stuff you get at the grocery store.”

“Then you’re in for a treat.” Nathan grinned. “How adventurous are you?”

“Food wise?”

“Food wise.”

“Pretty adventurous,” Cameron said after a pause. “I won’t eat anything that’s still alive, but everything else is fair game.”

“So if I took care of the ordering, you’d be okay with that?”

“I can’t promise I’ll like everything, but yes, I’d be fine with that.”

When the waitress came back with their drinks, Cameron sat back as Nathan ordered. He had no idea what he’d ordered, but apparently it was some kind of combo they could share.

Nathan poured some of the sake into one of the small cups at their places and then poured out their tea into the other tiny cups.

“Cheers,” Nathan said as he lifted the cup of sake.

“Cheers.” Cameron smiled and lifted his own cup.

It was warm, which he wasn’t expecting. It had a slightly different texture than he was used to and was almost a little oily, but it was good.

“You like?” Nathan asked as he sipped his drink.

“I like.”

“This is nice,” Nathan said softly as he reached across the table for Cameron’s hand.

“It is. Thanks for asking me out.”

“I’m glad we can finally do this.”

“Me too. It’s been a long time since I was on a date,” he confessed. “And I’ve never been to a restaurant this nice before.”

“You said you didn’t grow up with much, but have you ever had a date spoil you?”

“Not really.” He shook his head. “Most of my dates have been casual things, low-key types of dates. The boyfriends I’ve had weren’t really into fancy stuff. They were more pizza and beer types.”

“Well, I’m glad I can introduce you to something new.”

“I’ve never really been one to step outside my comfort zone.” Cameron bit his lip and tried to think of a way to say what he was thinking without freaking Nathan out. “But you bring it out in me. I don’t want to be comfortable. I want to explore things, discover them, and experience everything I can.”

“I get it.” Nathan squeezed his hand. “Sometimes you don’t realize what you really want until you get a taste of it.”

“Exactly. Have you always been into the finer things?”

“I’ve always had it in my life. My parents were well off, so all of this was normal to me.”

“I like that you still believe in romance. So many guys I’ve met are all about hooking up and hanging out. It’s nice to feel like I’m more than a lay.”

“You were never just a lay, Cameron. Not even when I was kidding myself and pretending I could keep from falling in love with you.”

“You really know how to sweet-talk a guy.” Cameron’s face flushed.

“I like to put the effort into people who are worth it.”

“And I’m worth it?”

“You’re worth everything.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Cameron spoke up. “You’ve never really talked about your parents. What are they like?”

“My dad was kind of like yours in that he was distant,” he said thoughtfully. “He worked all the time. I hardly ever saw him, but he made a lot of money. He worked just to get more, but it was never enough.”

“What about your mother?” Cameron asked quietly. “You never talk about her.”

“She wasn’t a bad mother, just detached. She liked having me around, but she didn’t like the nitty-gritty of childcare, so I had a nanny when I was younger. When I was old enough to be self-sufficient, she started to take more of an interest.”

“Are they still alive?” he asked carefully. Nathan had used the past tense when talking about them.

“No.” He shook his head. “My dad had a heart attack about five years ago. My mother died almost ten years ago, complications from surgery.”

“What kind of surgery?”

“Cosmetic,” he said bitterly. “She was always going under the knife to try and stop the clock, but it caught up to her, and she reacted to the anesthesia during one of her surgeries. That’s another way I’m able to afford the house and this lifestyle while living on a writer’s wage. We got quite the malpractice settlement when she died, and when my father died, he had a very healthy life insurance policy, so it set us up quite well. Then when Jason died, his life insurance and the lawsuit against the other driver paid really well, so the kids are set for the rest of their lives.”

“Kind of a crappy way to pad the savings account,” Cameron said softly as he squeezed Nathan’s hand. “But at least they were able to help you and the kids in their deaths, which is a lot more than some people.”

“True.” He nodded. “Did you parents help you guys at all?”

“My mother didn’t have life insurance beyond funeral costs. When dad died, he’d had a little, but split five ways it didn’t go too far.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s hard to miss what I never had. I barely remember my mom, I was only five when she died, and Dad spent most of my life being disappointed in me and keeping his distance.”

“How about we talk about something lighter,” Nathan suggested as he squeezed Cameron’s hand. “Like how incredible you look.”

Cameron blushed and took a sip of his tea. Thankfully their food arrived then because he’d been trying to think of a clever retort but was at a loss. 

Cameron watched as several plates and something that looked like a boat covered with sushi was put down on the table. He recognized some of the contents, but most was completely new to him.

“You know how to use chopsticks?” Nathan asked.

“That I do know.” He nodded as he picked up his set and tested them out. They were plastic, so they were a little slippery, but he should be able to use them without making a fool out of himself.

“We have seaweed salad and miso soup to start,” Nathan said as he pointed them out. “Ever had either?”

“Miso soup yes, but not the salad, seaweed, thing.”

“Then we have an assortment of sushi and sashimi,” Nathan continued with a grin. “You don’t mind the uncooked kind?”

“I’ve liked the ones I’ve tried.”

“Then I’m not going to tell you what you’re eating. If you like it, then you like it. If not just leave it.”

“Sounds good. Makes every bite an adventure.”

Nathan laughed as he handed Cameron a small dish of the salad and pushed one of the bowls of soup over to him.

The meal was a lot of fun. Cameron tried everything, and the conversation was light and easy. Nathan seemed to love teasing Cameron when he would beg to know what he’d just eaten, but Nathan was true to his word. He didn’t name a single piece, and Cameron only found two that he didn’t like. It was a far cry from grocery store sushi, and he was definitely a fan of the authentic stuff now.

They laughed and joked, and when the meal was over, Nathan paid the bill, and they headed to a jazz bar to finish up the date.

The bar was exactly what Cameron expected it to be. The lighting was low, and the booths were small and cozy. There were candles everywhere, and there was a small stage with a jazz quartet playing.

Nathan led him to one of the corner booths, and he smiled as he slid into the seat. Cameron loved seeing live music, and this place was perfect.

“What do you think of the place?” Nathan asked as he handed Cameron a drink menu.

“I like it.” He smiled as he scanned the list. “I’ve never been to a place like this before. It’s pretty perfect.”

“You like jazz?”

“I like all music. My taste basically ranges from whatever’s popular to please don’t judge me.”

Nathan laughed and shook his head. “What’s your favorite?”

“Pop. I can’t help it.”

“Some of it is catchy.”

“Let me guess; you like opera?”

“I like classic rock.” Nathan grinned.

“Oh, that’s not at all what I pictured.”

“I like opera when I’m editing, but for music I mostly listen to classic rock and dance.”

“Wait, you listen to dance?”

“It’s great to work out to, or when you need something to pump you up.” He shrugged.

“Now I don’t feel so bad about liking pop.” Cameron chuckled.

“Any idea what you’d like?” Nathan asked as he nodded to the menu.

“A martini maybe,” he said as he glanced at the different types. “The mint chocolate one sounds like it could be the best thing I’ve ever had or the biggest mistake I could ever make.”

Nathan smiled and looked at the ingredients list. “I’d have to concur,” he agreed. “Why don’t you give it a try? If it’s terrible, then at least you can say you tried it.”

“Another adventure. What the hell. What about you, what are you going to order?”

“Scotch. Twenty years old.”

“So barely legal,” he teased with a giggle.

 

Nathan laughed and shook his head as they put down their menus. It was nice to see Cameron out of the house and letting his guard down. He was a lot of fun and had a sharp wit at home, but to get him out and see him enjoy new experiences gave Nathan a sense of pride and contentment.

As they listened to the music, Nathan let his hand rest on Cameron’s thigh and alternated between looking at him and watching the musicians. Cameron was glowing; his entire face lit up as he watched the musicians playing. It was incredible to witness, and Nathan made a mental note to take Cameron out to places he hadn’t been before. It might be old-fashioned, but he wanted to spoil Cameron.

They stayed at the bar for almost two hours, just listening to the music and nursing their drinks. The chocolate mint martini had been a gamble that hadn’t paid off, so Cameron had gone for a vodka cranberry juice for his second drink and had slowly sipped it as they’d talked and listened to the music that surrounded them.

Nathan kept to one drink and lots of water, and by the time they left to head home, Nathan was feeling light and happy.

“Nathan?”

A slightly nasal female voice rang out as Nathan and Cameron were leaving the bar hand in hand.

“Susan, hello.” Nathan stopped dead in his tracks when he turned to the woman who’d called out to him. He didn’t drop Cameron’s hand even when Susan stared down at them. They were out together, and he wasn’t about to make Cameron feel worse by pretending this wasn’t a date.

“I didn’t realize your agency was full service.” Susan looked at Cameron critically before giving Nathan a dark grin. “Too bad they don’t make nannies that would fit my tastes.”

Nathan wasn’t a big fan of Susan. She was the mother of Daniel’s best friend, but they’d had few interactions over the years. She had two nannies who took care of Daniel and was known to have affairs when her husband was away on business. She was also a gossip and an elitist. 

“It was nice to see you, Susan.” Nathan tugged Cameron closer to him. “I’ll see you around.”

“With that tasty little morsel living in your house? I don’t expect anyone will be seeing much of you for a long time.”

Nathan didn’t respond; he just gave Susan a tight smile and pulled Cameron from where he seemed to be rooted to the ground.

“I don’t know her, but I feel like I should.” Cameron hurried to catch up to Nathan’s quick pace.

“She’s Michael’s mother, but she’s not around much when he is.”

“Ah. She was at Logan’s party, right? Hung out with the beehive?”

“The beehive?”

“The ladies who seem to think they’re the shit. They stand around with their judgmental faces on ignoring their kids.”

“She’s definitely one of them.”

“So what does this mean for us?” Cameron asked when they reached Nathan’s car.

“It means she saw us on our date, and that’s the last we’re going to think about it.”

“You’re not worried?”

“Why would I be? So one of the other parents saw us out together. You’re an adult, and I’m single. It’s not exactly scandalous.”

Nathan saw Cameron bite his lip before he climbed into the car.

The truth of the matter was that he was a bit nervous. What they were doing was against the agency rules, and Cameron could lose his job. He hoped Susan could keep her big mouth shut for once, but he wasn’t banking on it.

They drove home in relative silence, but it wasn’t strained. When Nathan pulled up to the house, he knew that no matter what, this wouldn’t be their last date.

“What?” Cameron asked as Nathan turned off the car and turned to him.

“We should do this every week. Go out, have dinner, and do something.”

“Like a standing date night?” Cameron asked with a smile.

“Yeah. You work hard all week, I work.” He grinned. “We deserve to enjoy ourselves and have a night that’s just about us and our relationship and not about the kids or the house or anything that has to do with your job.”

“I’d like that. I had an amazing night.”

“So did I.” Nathan grinned as he looked Cameron up and down. “But the night isn’t over yet.”

“No?” Cameron gave him a coy smile. “And what did you have in mind?”

“Well, I think we could use a shower for two. Then maybe end the evening in bed.”

“I like the sound of that.”

“I might even let you get some sleep before you have to wake up.”

“Really? And what do you think you’ll be doing to keep me up for the next six hours?”

“I’m pretty sure I can think of a few things.” He grinned wickedly as he threw open the car door. “Another reason to have date night on Thursday is so you can sleep on Friday while the kids are at school.”

“I still have to get up and get them ready in the morning,” Cameron pointed out.

“True, but I don’t,” Nathan teased as he climbed out of the car. “And the best part of my morning is when you climb back into bed with me.”

“Mine too.”

***

“HELLO?” CAMERON ANSWERED his phone on the third ring. He was in the library reading, and he’d brought his phone in with him on the off chance that Nick might call. He’d called a few days ago just to vent, and Cameron didn’t want to miss his call in case he needed him again.

The number was from his agency. He had no idea why someone at the agency would be calling him at eight-thirty at night, but something told him it wasn’t good news.

“Cameron Adams?”

“Speaking.”

“This is Michaela Halloway. I’m the HR rep in charge of your file.”

“Yes, hi.” His stomach suddenly dropped. There was only one reason human resources would be calling him at eight-thirty at night.

“We’ve received a complaint about you from a concerned parent.”

“What kind of complaint?” He closed his eyes and tried not to sigh. This was the phone call he’d been dreading for a week ever since Susan had seen them out on their date.

“We’ve had a complaint that you’ve engaged in an inappropriate relationship with your employer.”

“Who complained?” he asked. Considering how much of a gossip Susan was, it could have been any of the parents around. 

“We keep our complainants’ identities confidential.”

“I see.”

“I’m calling to inform you of your termination.”

“That’s all it takes, a complaint?” he asked bitterly. “You don’t even ask if I did it?”

“We take complaints very seriously. We run a legitimate business, and we will not tolerate our employees engaging in inappropriate sexual relations with our clients.”

Cameron didn’t bother saying anything. She wasn’t wrong. 

“Effective immediately you are no longer an employee of Domestic Support Services. As per our contract, any owed wages will be issued to you in a check and sent to your address on file. You are not permitted to use any previous clients or the agency for references, and this will go on your file should anyone contact us regarding you.”

“I understand.” He opened his eyes and sat up straight. “Thank you for the opportunity to work for your company.”

Cameron had a lot of other things that he’d rather say, but he’d learned to take the high road and to always walk away from a conflict, letting the other person feel as if they’d won. It was one thing to stand up for himself, but it was another to burn bridges.

The woman on the phone didn’t even say goodbye. She just hung up, and Cameron was left holding a dead phone in his hands.

He’d been fired.

He would have to leave Nathan and the kids, and the thought was crushing. He didn’t care so much about the job, and he didn’t really care about losing his references. He cared about leaving the family.

The thought of having to leave Nathan or the kids made tears prickle in his eyes, but he pulled himself together and blinked them back. This should have happened weeks ago. Just because he’d gotten a pass for a little while didn’t mean he hadn’t broken the rules. Now he had to live with the consequences.

With a heavy sigh, he stood and headed toward the door. He might as well find Nathan. If he hadn’t gotten a phone call yet, he would be getting one soon.

When Cameron found Nathan in the media room, he was holding his phone in his hand, and Cameron could tell by the look on his face that he’d gotten the same phone call.

“We’ve been outed, and I’ve been fired,” Cameron said with a sigh as he sat down on the couch near Nathan but not directly next to him.

“Cameron—”

“It was only a matter of time.” He shrugged, blinking back a new batch of tears. “We were breaking the rules; I was breaking the rules. Just because I didn’t get caught until now doesn’t mean it wasn’t wrong.”

“I’m sorry.” Nathan shook his head. “It’s stupid, but a part of me actually thought Susan would keep quiet.”

“All of the moms know. It could have been anyone.” Cameron sighed. “I guess I’ll call one of my sisters.”

“Why?”

“I kind of need a place to live until I can get an apartment again. I gave up my place when I took this job.”

“Cameron.” Nathan smiled and reached out for his hand. “You don’t have to leave.”

“But I got fired.”

“By your agency. They fired you; I didn’t.”

“You want me to stay?”

“Of course. Now your checks will come directly from me, and there will be no processing fee so you’ll see more of your salary.”

“Really?”

“Yes. And now we don’t have to hide anything. I think it’s a good idea to keep it from the kids until we can figure out how to tell them, but screw what anyone else has to say.”

“So we’d be boyfriends?”

“Boyfriends.” Nathan nodded, smiling tenderly as he looked into Cameron’s eyes. “What do you think?”

“I think this is the best thing ever. I got fired but didn’t lose my job, and I have an official boyfriend” He grinned. “Not a bad night.”

“How about we make it a great night?” Nathan asked as he trailed his hand up and down Cameron’s arm.

“How great of a night?” Cameron asked teasingly as he shifted a little closer.

“A really great night.” Nathan took his hand and started to stand. “I hope you don’t mind being tired tomorrow.”

“I’m getting used to it.”

“Just think of it as splitting your sleep. A few hours before school and then a few hours after they’re off.”

“That’s one way of looking at it.” Cameron nodded as he followed Nathan out of the room. “Although you don’t really let me sleep after they’re off.”

“And I don’t plan on letting you sleep much before.”

“Thank God for coffee.”