Free Warrior's Cross by Madeleine Urban, Abigail Roux

jacket and undid his belt, then pulled a holster and gun off it, sliding it loose and holding it up to let Cameron see it. He set it carefully on the floor beside them, and then he met Cameron’s eyes carefully.

    Warrior’s Cross 51

    “What’s that for?” Cameron blurted, shocked, looking from bottomless dark eyes to the gun and back. For the first time, he felt a flash of fear.
    Julian pressed his lips tightly together and looked down at the gun.
    “It’s so I don’t get shot as often as I would,” he murmured.
    “What kind of job do you have that you get shot at so much you need to carry your own gun?” Cameron asked as his mind whirred, and he tried to tamp down the worry. “Are you a detective of some kind?”
    Julian licked his lips and tilted his head slightly. “Of some kind,”
    he answered vaguely.
    Cameron still felt very uneasy. A stranger was high enough on his danger list. But a stranger with a gun? But really, he reminded himself, how much of a stranger was Julian? Blake knew him. Cameron tried to focus on that. “Is it… safe?” he asked hesitantly, trying to convince himself it was okay. That Julian was okay, even if the gun wasn’t.
    Julian looked from Cameron to the gun and back again. “It’s loaded,” he answered, obviously worried that Cameron would send him away. “Safety’s on.”
    “You do realize how scary that thing makes this?” Cameron asked, voice a little higher. “I’ve just let a stranger into my apartment with a gun.”
    Julian lowered his head slightly and took a small step back, his palms on the door behind Cameron’s head.
    Cameron let his own hands drop, his arms crossing in front of him.
    “What am I supposed to think?” he asked shakily.
    “That if I were a psychotic killer, I would use a knife?” Julian answered hopefully as he met Cameron’s eyes.
    “That’s not really funny,” Cameron pointed out.
    “Do you think I’m going to hurt you?” Julian asked calmly.
    Cameron blinked in confusion and looked down. He didn’t feel threatened, despite Julian’s larger size and his dark, mysterious demeanor. If anything, he felt safe in the other man’s arms, which was distracting in itself. Cameron slowly shook his head as he made his 52
    Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux

    decision. “You don’t scare me,” he murmured. The gun, yes. Julian?
    No.
    “Good,” Julian murmured. He looked down at Cameron’s hands and flexed his own against the door, obviously wanting to touch him again but restraining himself. Cameron saw the twitch of Julian’s fingers, and he slowly reached out to slide their hands together.
    “I’m sorry,” Cameron said as he took the tiny step to bring him right up against Julian again.
    Julian shook his head and pulled Cameron to him. “It’s good to be careful.”
    “Okay,” Cameron said. He looked at the gun. “Want to put it on the table so the dogs don’t try to play with it?” He inclined his head down to where the four little white puppies quietly swarmed Julian’s expensive overcoat, sniffing and pawing at it. Julian nodded and obediently picked the weapon back up, then carefully set it on the little table beside the door, sidestepping the dogs with extreme care.
    Cameron watched and nodded when Julian turned back to him. He felt tongue-tied, and he waited to see what Julian would do next.
    Cameron wanted to touch him again. Kiss him again. He wanted more, despite the gun’s appearance. Irresponsible, probably. Foolhardy, almost certainly. But honestly, it wasn’t like Julian would need a gun to hurt him if he planned to. He wouldn’t need the knife he joked about, either.
    Julian removed his gloves slowly and placed them on the table, revealing his knuckles, covered with cuts and bruises. He removed his suit jacket as well and reached up to loosen his tie as he moved back toward Cameron.
    Cameron watched as one of his favorite dreams about this man came to life in front of him. It was intoxicating, and whatever