Cam nodded, surveying the beautiful expanse of water laid out before him. That explained why Gannon had a view when Cam would’ve preferred a house on the water.

“What do you think?” Gannon asked, coming to stand next to him.

“Eh,” he said teasingly. “It’s all right.”

Gannon laughed, bumping Cam’s shoulder with his own. “Looks like I’m gonna have to ramp up my game if I hope to impress you, huh?”

Cam smiled to himself. Little did Gannon know, but he was already impressed. More so than he wanted to be.

“So, how long have you been in the area?” Gannon asked. “From what I gather, I’d say you’ve been here your whole life.”

Cam turned around to face Gannon, leaning back against the railing. “What gives you that impression?”

“You’ve just got that vibe,” Gannon said with a teasing smirk.

“What vibe is that?”

“The keep Austin weird thing.”

“That right?” Cam smiled. “Or did you read up about me on the website?”

“I plead the fifth,” Gannon answered, tilting his beer to his lips.

Enjoying the playful banter, Cam dropped his eyes to the deck floor. “Yeah, I’ve been here my whole life. Couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.”

“And how many years would that be?”

“Subtle, Gannon. Very subtle.”

“I thought so.”

Lifting his gaze to meet Gannon’s, Cam saw the not-so-subtle glimmer of curiosity. “Thirty-two.”

“Well, I don’t feel old now.” Gannon’s eyes slid away, his attention focused on the water below.

“Old?” Cam figured Gannon was close to Teague’s age, though he wasn’t positive.

Gannon lifted his eyebrows as though waiting for Cam to continue, so he did.

“Fine, I’ll take a stab at your age,” Cam said lightheartedly, wanting to draw Gannon back in. He liked the way the man looked at him, as though he wanted to figure out every little nuance. The feeling was mutual, because Cam wanted to know what made Gannon tick, what had driven him to become one of the most successful video game developers in the nation, possibly the world.

And yes, Cam had done a little digging of his own.

“Careful,” Gannon said, his gaze sliding back up to rest on Cam’s face.

“Sensitive about your age?” Cam joked. “Well, I’d say you’re in pretty good shape, which probably hides a few years.”

Gannon laughed. “Go on.”

“And you’ve got the air of success that seems to come with age and wisdom.”

“Is that right?”

That absolutely fucking adorable dimple formed in Gannon’s left cheek, and Cam was suddenly riveted by it. “Only none of that matches up with the baby face. You still get carded for alcohol, don’t you?”

Cam loved the way Gannon blushed, his eyes darting away quickly.

“Yep,” Cam continued, “I’m gonna take a wild guess and say you’re closer to twenty than you are to thirty.”

“Wrong. But because you tried hard, you earn a participation medal, but that’s about it.”

Cam chuckled, once again transfixed on Gannon’s handsome face. He was tempted to reach up and brush the lock of dark hair from Gannon’s forehead, see if the strands were as soft as they looked. “I’m more of a first place kinda guy,” he told him.

“I get that about you.”

“Am I close?”

“On my age?” Gannon shook his head. “Try closer to forty than thirty.”

Cam couldn’t hide his surprise. Since the first time he’d laid eyes on Gannon, he’d thought he was in his twenties. Definitely thought Gannon was younger than him.

“I like that look on you,” Gannon said with a grin. “I’m told I look a lot younger than I am.”

“Okay, I’ll bite. How old are you?” Cam was too curious now.

“Try thirty-six.”

Thirty-six? Huh. He would’ve never guessed.

And oddly, that made Gannon even more appealing.

“How long have you lived here?” Cam inquired, curious to know more about this man with the nice house, impressive view, and more than kissable lips.

“Here? As in the house? Or here, as in Austin?”

“Both.”

“I moved to Austin eleven years ago, right after I got my company off the ground. Bought the house three years ago,” Gannon answered, glancing down at his watch. “Dinner’s about ready. Hungry?”

Starving, but not for food, Cam thought. “Sure.”

When Gannon turned to go inside, Cam followed, grinning to himself. He’d expected an awkward tension to have enveloped him by now. That was the way things normally went for him. Most of the time, it was his own fault because he’d gotten used to keeping himself distanced out of habit. Although he’d been on a few dates in the last couple of years, he’d yet to find someone he felt comfortable around. And strangely, despite the fact he and Gannon were definite opposites, and there was the whole long-distance thing, there was something about him that Cam connected with.

“Have a seat.” Gannon motioned toward the table in the small breakfast nook.

Cam knew he should’ve offered to help but worried he wouldn’t be able to focus enough to provide assistance. He was too busy staring at Gannon, taking in every inch of him. Lean and trim, it was evident Gannon took good care of himself. Unlike the clothes he’d had on that morning, the jeans he wore looked well-worn and soft, the black polo as well. But regardless of how he outfitted himself, there was an air of confidence to Gannon that said he was comfortable in his own skin.

Cam liked that about him. It was sexy.

“Do you cook?” Gannon asked Cam as he brought in a casserole dish.

“Only if I have to,” he admitted. “If you’re asking whether I know how, then yes. I can make enough to get by.”

The deep rumble of Gannon’s laughter echoed in the small space. “Are we talkin’ Pop Tarts and chicken noodle soup from a can?”

“Maybe.” Cam wasn’t much of a cook, no, but cooking for one had never appealed to him. He didn’t care for fast food like Dare and Teague, so he had learned to make a few things over the years.

“Hope you like lasagna,” Gannon said when he returned, this time carrying two wineglasses and a bottle.

“Depends.” Cam met Gannon’s gaze. “Did it come from the freezer section?”

“Not this time. I knew Stouffers wouldn’t impress you on a first date, so I pulled out all the stops.”

“Smart man.”

Smart and irresistible. Two things Cam figured he’d be hard-pressed to resist.

Although he wasn’t sure he even wanted to anymore.

“You said you spent most of your time in the water,” Gannon mentioned as they dug into the lasagna and garlic bread he’d made after pulling up a recipe online. “Is that all you do for fun?”

“I’m sure there’re other things.” Cam looked up at him, wiping his mouth with a napkin. “But not many.”

“You have family here?”

Cam nodded, picking up his fork again. “One sister, she’s younger. My dad’s got a place on the lake, close to the marina.”

“And your mom?” Gannon prompted.

He regretted the question when he noticed the sadness reflected in Cam’s gaze.

“She died sixteen years ago. Brain aneurysm.”

“I’m sorry,” Gannon mumbled, wishing Cam would elaborate. It was obvious his mother’s death hadn’t been easy on him, and even all these years later, he was still dealing with it.

Cam’s eyes dropped back to his plate.

Realizing it was a sensitive subject, Gannon redirected. “And your dad and sister? You see them often?”

Cam’s face seemed to soften somewhat. “My sister, Holly, and her husband, Keith, work at the marina. Dad’s a retired police officer.”

Gannon took a bite, gave Cam a few minutes to eat as well. He didn’t want to drill him with questions, but there were so many things he wanted to know about him.

“What about you?” Cam asked, using his fork to point at Gannon. “Family here?”

“No,” Gannon said simply. He knew he should elaborate, but telling Cam that his parents, along with his straight-laced older brother, had disowned him years ago would only put a damper on the mood, and that was the last thing he wanted.