Free A Hunted Man (The Men of Halfway House) by Jaime Reese Page B

and motioned for Hunter to sit on the side chair. "Sit over there so you don't stink up my good couch."
    Hunter laughed. "Sorry, Dad. I had to work off some stress at the gym." He took a seat and watched his dad position himself more comfortably. He noticed the thinner frame his father now bore and how his hair shone silver against the light. Regardless of his appearance, Thomas Donovan was fiercely independent and strong-willed.
    "Stop looking at me like that. I'm not your courtroom prey."
    He groaned and rubbed his face. "Sorry, Dad."
    "What's wrong?" his father asked, obvious worry coloring his expression.
    Hunter sighed. "Even when I don't want to, I think I give off that vibe."
    "A case going badly?" he asked with concern. "You're married to that job. You need to go out, find yourself a nice young man, and settle down."
    Hunter stared at his father in disbelief.
    "Fine, then find yourself a guy and go fuck like bunnies."
    "I'm so not having this conversation with you." Hunter got up from the couch and headed to the kitchen.
    "You're not going to find any bacon in there," his father yelled from the other room.
    Hunter shook his head and smiled as he raided the cupboard.
    "Pantry, top shelf," his father said, leaning on the doorway. "Get enough for both of us."
    Hunter looked over his shoulder and stared at his father as he walked over to sit in one of the seats at the kitchen table.
    "And get some milk too while you're up."
    Hunter grabbed the package of sugarless treats from the pantry then poured two glasses of milk. He slid one of the glasses over to his father and sat in the seat next to him.
    "Wow, the whole package. That bad?"
    "Dad, stop." He opened the container and dunked one of the wafers in the milk. "These things taste like shit."
    "Suck it up. They're the only thing my stubborn son will let me sneak into this house."
    Hunter glared.
    His father watched him chew on the soggy treat.
    "What!"
    "What's his name?"
    Hunter closed his eyes and heavily sighed while he finished chewing. The image of Cam immediately came to mind. Cam's bright blue eyes and the way he easily smiled with some of the customers at the diner. The way Cam's muscles flexed and his ass tightened slightly in his jeans when he moved boxes around. The smooth, firm timbre of his voice when he spoke, echoed in Hunter's head.
    "What's his name?" his father asked again, jolting Hunter back to the conversation.
    "Why do you assume there's someone?"
    It was his father's turn to glare.
    Hunter caved. "Cam. His name is Cameron. He works at the diner by the office," he finished before jabbing another wafer into his milk.
    "Obviously, you like him. So what's the problem?"
    "I don't know," he mumbled with a mouthful of moist treat. "I don't know what to say."
    "That's a new one. Knowing you, you're probably doing that stare thing rather than talking to him."
    Hunter shook his head as he chewed.
    "You're a stubborn ass. You don't even know you're doing it. You're probably freaking him out."
    "What the hell am I supposed to say, Dad? 'Hey, Cam, I like you—let's go fuck like bunnies?' You can't be serious."
    Hunter almost spilled his milk when his father slapped him across the back of the head. "What the hell, Dad! Those were your words not mine," he said, rubbing the back of his head.
    "I can't believe I'm having this conversation with you." His father pressed his palms to his eyes. "You obviously like him so damn much you don't know what to do. What are you worried about?"
    Hunter shrugged. "He's younger than I am."
    "Is he legal?"
    Hunter pinched the bridge of his nose. "For fuck's sake, Dad. Really?"
    His father laughed. "Son, it's not like you're my age. How much younger?"
    "I don't know for sure. I asked him but I didn't get an answer."
    "And?"
    "And what?"
    "I was fifteen years older than your mother, and I loved her more than I thought it was possible to love someone else, and she loved me the same. Age is bullshit. Ask him out."
    "It's not that easy.