by Jaxx Steele
Having Mel by his side comforted him. Cameron slowed his fingers in the soft fur between the dog’s ears until he stopped altogether. His breathing evened and the fear that jolted him awake eased away, allowing sleep to conquer his consciousness again.
The soft press of gentle kisses on his neck and cheek stirred him awake some time later. The caress of fingers in exploration tickled the skin on his chest as they brushed over his nipples. Cameron’s cock pulsed at the sensations the intimate touches created. The hand exploring his body became bolder, moving down to grip his growing erection. A surprised gasp melted into a satisfied groan as the strong hand stroked his thickening flesh. Cameron stretched leisurely, enjoying the tactile stimulation. It had been years since someone else had gratified him in that way and even then it hadn’t felt as good.
His eyes popped open. Bolting to a sitting position, he turned wide eyes beside him. A strange man lay in his bed.
What the hell! Who is this? How did he get into my room? Cameron looked around frantically. Where is Mel? Why didn’t he bark or something?
The questions slammed into his brain too fast for his mind to form any concrete answers. The mystery man reached out and took his hand. Cameron pulled in a sharp breath but didn’t snatch his hand away. Something in the man’s gaze spoke to him. Although stunned by the situation, somehow he knew he shouldn’t fear this man. Cameron searched his handsome face. He was sure they had never met, but still felt like he knew him from somewhere.
“Relax, Cameron. Nothing has happened to your faithful companion.”
Cameron swallowed loudly. “H-How do you know my name?”
The man smiled. “I know a lot about you. I’m your best friend. I am Mel.”
Chapter Three
Cameron’s jaw dropped at the man’s confession. His stunned expression remained fixed as he looked him over. Not only the man’s words but also his appearance shocked Cameron. The moonlight illuminated the room giving Cameron an unobstructed view of him. The stranger raised his arms above his head and leaned back against the pillow.
Almond-shaped eyes the color of glistening amber looked back at him. Full lips, exquisite to behold, parted slightly. His body looked like a perfect sculpture, intricately defined with fine muscle tone and beautiful lines. Wonderfully erect, his cock exuded power and the assumed ability to give pleasure. Cameron had never seen a more handsome man.
Still stunned to silence, Cameron’s gaped as his curiosity grew. His heart pounded, hard. Hesitantly, he reached his hand out, but fear drew it back. The man looked up with a reassuring smile and moved one large hand slowly to caress Cameron’s cheek. Cameron jumped slightly at the connection.
“You do not have to fear me, Cameron. I would never hurt you, nor will I allow anyone else to harm you.”
The man’s voice had a native sound with a soothing sensual tone. It sent exciting shivers over Cameron’s skin. His head filled with so many questions all fighting to be asked first. Finally, one managed to float to the surface.
“Am I dreaming?”
He chuckled. “No, you’re not.”
The man who called himself Mel took Cameron’s hand and brought it to his mouth, kissing the tips of his fingers. He moved Cameron’s palm slowly across his clean-shaven face, down his hairless chest to his taut stomach muscles, finally coming to rest on his blatant erection. An enticing shudder traveled from Cameron’s fingertips to the base of his spine. He grasped the magnificent piece without any coaxing.
“Mmm. As you can see, I’m very real,” Mel assured him.
The solid flesh felt very real in his grip. He couldn’t take his eyes from it or his hand. When he moved the skin over the steely muscle beneath, it’s warm silkiness tantalized him. It was real, all right, and very inviting.
“Yes, I see that. But— But how? You were just a dog. How can you—?”
“It’s a long story, Cameron, and I will tell it to you, I promise, but not tonight. Tonight, I just want to love you and thank you.”
His gaze shifted to the man’s face. “Thank me?”
“Yes, your love has freed me. I was trapped in that form, punished for a crime I did not commit.”
Cameron’s confusion deepened. He opened his mouth to ask another question, but the man silenced him with a finger to his lips.
“There will be time to speak tomorrow. Tonight, I want to make love to you.”
He slid from the bed and pulled Cameron to his feet. Cameron’s five foot six inches made him considerably shorter than his companion. He tilted his head back to keep eye contact. His face could have rested comfortably in the crook of the neck. If he wanted. As the thought entered his mind, he furrowed his brows.
“Your name isn’t really Mel,” Cameron said.
The man chuckled. “No, it is not, although I liked how you decided on that name. Now that you see me as I really am, do you still think that way?”
Cameron had thought the dog was such a pretty color, but he found that he liked the man’s skin hue much better. His tan coloring was beautifully exotic, especially in the moonlight washing the room. He swallowed to wet his suddenly dry mouth.
“Yes, I do.”
He smiled pleasantly at Cameron then leaned forward leaving a gentle kiss on Cameron’s forehead. His kisses moved down from Cameron’s temple to his cheek and along this throat. Erotic tremors traveled the length of Cameron’s spine. The feathery pecks made his knees wobbly and his cock throbbed with want. He grabbed hold of the man’s large biceps to hold him steady.
“What—? What do I call you if your name isn’t Mel?”
The man stood to his full height and smiled down at him. Cameron could almost see the lustful fire burning behind his eyes. No one had ever looked at him like that. It excited him immensely. A small smile touched the man’s lips, making him even more handsome. He gripped Cameron’s chin with his finger and thumb.
“My name is Reynaud Leduc.” He put a gentle kiss on Cameron’s mouth. “I cannot wait to hear it whispered from these sweet lips.”
Reynaud took his mouth again. He moved his hands over Cameron’s torso without hesitancy. Slipping his fingers along the band of Cameron’s pajamas, Reynaud pushed them until they fell to the floor. Cameron stepped out of them, not waiting to be asked. Reynaud knelt before him. He kneaded Cameron’s buttocks then moved on to caress his thighs and calves. Exciting tingles spread throughout Cameron’s body as Reynaud touched him. Fingers pressed into each butt cheek. Reynaud brought his arms closer to his own body, forcing Cameron to walk forward. When Cameron’s crotch aligned with his face, Reynaud inhaled deeply, pushing against Cameron’s pubic area. An uncontrolled groan left Cameron’s lips. Heat rose on his face as he forced his lips together to silence any other cries.
“Mmm,” Reynaud said before dragging his face up Cameron’s body as he stood again. “Even without my former heightened senses, you smell incredible to me.”
Reynaud guided Cameron back to the bed with a firm hand on his chest. When he lay down, Reynaud slid beside him, pulling him into his embrace. Long moments passed as Reynaud just stared down at him. Cameron didn’t know what to think. Just as he drummed up the courage to ask a question, Reynaud spoke.
“Your hair is like the sun,” he mentioned, pushing a lock from his forehead. “The innocence that looks back at me through those golden-brown eyes of yours is very refreshing,” he added, sliding his hand down Cameron’s temple then cupping his cheek. “And this mouth…”
Reynaud kissed him abruptly, causing him to gasp.
“I was beginning to think I would never be free, then you came along. You are a beautiful man, Cameron. All of you pleases my sight.”
Cameron didn’t know what to say. He was aware that he wasn’t a bad-looking guy, but he had never seen the lust-filled fire in another man’s eyes when he spoke of his attributes before.
“I don’t know what to—”
Reynaud cut off his sentence with a kiss. “Let me stay with you,” he suggested when he
released him. “You have shared your secrets with me. I know of your pain. The thought of no one touching you lovingly for all those years makes me sad deep within my spirit. If you will allow me, I will make you feel like no one has ever made you feel. I want you to be happy again.”
Wide-eyed, Cameron looked at him. Reynaud spoke bluntly and with such awe and caring in his voice. He glided his big hands over Cameron’s heated skin, exciting him and taking away all coherent thought.
“Will you let me, Cameron?” he urged.
Cameron didn’t know what to think. What had just happened was amazing beyond anything he had ever seen or thought. He so badly wanted what Reynaud offered. Cameron’s instincts told him that Reynaud spoke the truth and would not harm him. His mouth was dry. He had lost his ability to speak and he was sure his voice would not be there if he tried to talk again. Searching his brain for what to do, Cameron nodded frantically.
Reynaud smiled. Miraculously Cameron had enough conscious thought to roll to his side and rummage through the drawer on his nightstand where he retrieved a used bottle of lube. Reynaud took it and wasted no time moving toward the foot of the bed. He swallowed Cameron’s cock into his mouth, and a stuttered moan left Cameron’s lips.
“Oh, God. Reynaud,” he breathed.
It had been so long since a man had had his mouth on him. Reynaud was extraordinary. He swirled his tongue around the sensitive ridge of Cameron’s cockhead as his full lips gripped and sucked on it. Reynaud incorporated licking and sucking Cameron’s balls when he moved his hand over to do the stroking. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Cameron acknowledged Reynaud fumbling with the lube when his actions slowed for a moment.
Reynaud’s talented mouth lowered as his hand stayed behind to tantalize his raging hard-on. He moved his licking and sucking even lower to the sensitive area beneath his sac to continue the delicious assault on Cameron’s genitals. Incredible sensation burst into Cameron’s consciousness, like firecrackers in the sky. It increased tenfold when Reynaud’s ministrations dropped farther, seeking the hidden hole between his cheeks. Discovery ripped a scream from deep within Cameron’s chest.
The combination of Reynaud’s superior tongue lashing and stroking brought Cameron to the brink of ecstasy, but just as he thought he would explode, Reynaud pulled his tongue from his ass. Stunned, Cameron threw his legs wide in offering. Still gripping Cameron’s cock, Reynaud used his other hand to wipe the rest of the grease from the tube onto his own erection. Reynaud continued stroking Cameron and, with a quick swipe between Cameron’s cheeks with his slick fingers, Reynaud slid effortlessly into him. Cam released a sigh of pleasure.
“You’re so tight, so hot… So sexy.”
Reynaud was gentle and aggressive at the same time. The insistent stroking as he delved into his tight tunnel drove Cameron half crazy. Reynaud rode his ass with expert precision moving his hand in perfect sync, taking Cameron’s pleasure to new heights. Reynaud’s words and technique seduced Cameron quickly, bringing him to a mind-shattering orgasm. He yelled his pleasure aloud, no longer embarrassed by his shameless cries of joy.
Breathless, Cameron reclined soaked with sweat after his body had emptied its load. Reynaud pumped into him for a few moments longer then moaned his release as well. He pushed his erupting cock deep inside Cameron’s clenching body. Obvious pleasure twisted Reynaud’s handsome features while Cameron enjoyed each emptying pulse. With a slow, cleansing breath, Reynaud rolled off Cameron to his side then pulled him into his arms. Kissing his neck and shoulders tenderly, he sighed.
“Cameron, I have waited so long for this moment. I can’t begin to tell you how wonderful it was. Thank you again.”
The harshness of Reynaud’s breathing disappeared as it regulated to an even pattern. The arm Reynaud had draped over Cameron’s waist finally loosened its grip as sleep claimed him.
Cameron relaxed into his pillow. Reynaud was true to his word. Cameron was more content than he had been in years. Reynaud’s lovemaking was like nothing he had ever experienced before. Although he had shared hand jobs and blow jobs with guys before his time with Joe, Joe was his first lover and first real relationship.
He’d been a shy kid in culinary school, and Joe was this amazing older man blatantly flirting with him. Basically Joe had swept him off his feet with affection, time and money. He talked Cameron into moving out of his little studio apartment into his house. Cameron remembered the first year being like a dream. Unfortunately, the rest of their five years together was a nightmare.
Cameron had spent the past three years alone, fearful that all men were like Joe. Now, as aftershocks of bliss danced through his nervous system, he realized how wrong he was. He pulled Reynaud’s arm tighter around him. Reynaud shifted behind him, breathing peacefully. Cameron drifted off to sleep, lulled by the sound, hoping Reynaud was indeed real and not a hallucination. Now that he’d had a peek of what being with a man could really be like, he wanted it more than ever.
* * * *
Cameron opened his eyes. He was cold. The sheet lay bunched around his back, but that sweet warm feel of body heat was gone. He turned over. The empty bed confirmed his fears. He was alone. No Mel and no Reynaud. With a sigh, he lay back on his side, gripping his pillow and squeezing his eyes shut to stop the tears.
“Ah, you’re awake.”
Cameron flipped over with a loud gasp.
Reynaud stood in the doorway to the bathroom. The sunlight emphasized his beauty even more. His broad shoulders, long muscular legs and even his sleeping member all looked invitingly delicious in the sunshine. Reynaud smiled at him as he approached. Sitting beside him on the bed, he used his thumb to wipe away a tear that fell to Cameron’s cheek.
“You didn’t think I’d left, did you?”
“I still haven’t really processed if you are truly real.”
Reynaud chuckled. “And yet you were distressed that I had gone.” He leaned forward kissing him softly. “I am real, Cameron. Didn’t I feel real last night?” he asked with a teasing grin, sliding beneath the covers.
Oh, my God. Did you ever.
“Oh, yeah.”
“In my dog form, I had many people willing to feed me, but not one person wanted to take care of me and no one needed me. Fate has brought us together. I will not leave you… Unless you want me to, that is.” He paused to stack the pillow against the headboard. “Do you want me to leave?”
“No,” Cameron shouted. The happy smile that spread across Reynaud’s face made heat infuse Cameron’s face again. “I mean, no. I want you to stay.”
“Excellent because I’d like that as well.”
Reynaud opened his arm in invitation. Cameron rested his head on his shoulder, melting into the sense of security his embrace gave him.
“I’ve never heard the name Reynaud before.”
“It is an old Creole name. It means courageous, bold and strong.”
He chuckled. “That name fitted you perfectly when you were Mel.”
Reynaud laughed with him.
“How did—? Why were you a dog, Reynaud? What happened?”
“I was betrayed,” he answered with a sigh then delved into his story.
Cameron listened intently, nodding and gasping along the way. When it was complete, Cameron still had questions.
“How long were you a dog?”
Reynaud was quiet for a moment, seemingly in thought. “One hundred and fifteen years,” he said finally.
“A hundred and fifteen years?” he repeated. “That’s a terrible punishment for something you didn’t do.”
Cameron saw the melancholy that the telling of his past had left in Reynaud’s eyes. His heart broke for the loneliness the man must have felt. People coming and going in his life, some liking him, most not, while he remained locked in a dog’s body counting the days, waiting for someone to really love and need him. He thought his time with Joe was a living prison, but Reynaud knew that feeling all too well.
He gently palmed Reynaud’s ch
eek. A soft gasp left Reynaud’s parted lips when Cameron moved closer to him. As their mouths fused, Cameron knew that destiny had indeed brought them together. Reynaud was the man he was meant to be with.
Chapter Four
The summer heat had lingered into September. Luckily, a midafternoon breeze eased the sizzle on his skin from the sun’s bright rays. Joe slouched on a bench in the park under a tree chomping on a piece of gum. He eyed the man across the street with malice. He couldn’t see his face, but his mannerisms made Joe stare harder. The way his body moved as he greeted the people at the door… His cheerful manner… The nonchalant way he raked his hair from his face when he chuckled. The man’s laughter drifted across the heated air to Joe’s ears. It was barely audible, but he heard it. Its light almost musical pitch made a sinister smile appear across Joe’s face. The sound was just the way he remembered it. He would know it anywhere. That was his Cameron all right.
“So he really did it… Opened the little restaurant he’d jawed on about all those years.” He snorted. “Well, he couldn’t do much else, but he did know how to cook,” Joe admitted with disdain.
Joe’s narrowed his eyes as he watched Cameron holding the door open for all those who wanted in, smiling and laughing happily. Heat rose around Joe’s collar that had nothing to do with New Orleans’ sultry weather.
Joe knew he hadn’t been the best boyfriend. Cameron had been angry with him. That’s why he’d sent Joe to jail. He could admit he had some things to work on, but so did Cameron. Neither of them was perfect. The whole time he was gone, Cameron hadn’t answered any of his letters. When Joe was released, he went home to find his house in disarray. All of Cameron’s stuff was gone. No note, no forwarding address, nothing. Joe was confused at first. Three years was more than enough to calm down or even forget all the things Joe had done to upset him. He contacted their mutual friends, looking for him, but no one seemed to know where Cameron was. Then Joe remembered there was one person who would know where his Cameron had gone. Once he’d located her, it didn’t take long to find Cameron.
