Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 125852 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 629(@200wpm)___ 503(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125852 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 629(@200wpm)___ 503(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
She must see me looking, because pretty purple-colored fingernails tap the screen, and in my periphery, her head snaps up. “Holy shit, it’s already one.”
Yes. You forgot our lunch plans because you’re busy with him.
I shrug, keeping my grin in place when really, I want to show teeth like an animal and piss on what’s mine. I mean, for now, but mine nonetheless. I flick my hand toward the plates with nothing but a few crumbs on them. “It’s all good. Just glad you had time to eat.”
“Shit, Brady. I’m so sorry.” She starts shoving her things in her backpack hastily, and slowly, very fucking slowly, Alister does the same.
“Don’t be.” I knock my knuckles on the table, looking over as my boy Xavier steps up to the counter to order, his bat bag on his back. “I’m with X. We’re just coming to get a shake before we hit the cages over at FunWorks. I didn’t even know you were in here. Happy accident.” Fucking cringe again, my man.
I climb out of the booth, and her baby blue eyes follow me the whole way, narrowing slightly. “I’ll call you when I get back, see where you’re at,” I decide to add, because I think that’s what a real boyfriend would say—not that she seems too worried about pretending she has one at the moment.
“I’ll come with you,” she rushes to say, looking at Alister expectantly.
He stares, like the fucker forgot he has to move for her to be able to, having caged her in like a smart little prick.
“Nah, it’s good. Stay. Looks like you guys were getting some good work in.”
Why the fuck did you say that?
Cameron quickly drops her attention to her backpack, long, golden hair hiding her face as she moves a few things around to slide her laptop in with ease. “I am coming with you, Brady,” she says, laying down the law. Straightening, she offers Alister a small smile. “You did more than your half. Let me finish the section and we’ll start the next one together in class on Thursday.”
I can’t believe he joined her class as a late add. The dude is taking fifteen units now. That’s rough with the already-crammed schedules football gives us.
He nods, gets out of the way so she can exit the booth, then goes back to packing his shit.
Cameron comes up, pushing into me, and I give her hip a little squeeze.
“Sorry,” she mumbles quietly.
“For what?”
She gives me a little glare, so I give her hip another squeeze.
“You’re all good. You don’t have to leave just because I came over and showed my ass.”
She huffs. “No, I’m glad you did. Come on.” She grabs my hand and leads me toward the door, where Xavier is already waiting with our shakes.
“I’ll see you later,” Alister calls.
“Sure,” Cameron says at the same moment as I call out, “Yep.”
Both our heads yank toward each other, small frowns written across both our brows.
Xavier chuckles, pushing the door open, and we step out into the chilly October air.
“Why are you seeing him later?” she wonders.
“Why are you?” My delivery and grin are all teasing.
Huh. Would you look at that? All that tension my body was holding went away in the fresh air. Nothing to do with seeing them sitting there alone, looking at each other and touching and eating.
“I’m not.” Cameron frowns. “I just said that to be nice.”
“Maybe I did too.”
“Oh, please. You’re more likely to tell him to kiss your muscly ass.”
“I knew you were looking this morning.”
She shakes her head with a smile, and when her blue eyes meet mine, I realize I was waiting for one. Sort of like when you haven’t had something for a while but you know it’s coming soon, so you look forward to it. Fucking strange.
“You guys are cute. It’s gross.” Xavier winks at Cameron when she looks his way. “Wanna take my car since we have a third wheel?” he jokes.
“Nah, she can sit bitch.” I glance her way. “You really don’t have to come with us. I can drive around campus, drop you at your dorm. I think Paige is still at Payton’s if you want to go hang with the girls and play with the baby?”
“Trying to get rid of me?”
I shake my head slowly, tugging her hand to get her to stop walking and wait for Xavier to get a little farther ahead. “Cameron.” I hold her gaze. “Why did you leave just now? You do realize that wasn’t necessary, right?”
“Yeah.” She nods a little too hard. “But no, it’s fine. We were only supposed to spend a couple hours working on our assignment. I completely lost track of time.”
“You lost track of time because you were enjoying yourself.”
She starts shaking her head. “It wasn’t like that, Brady.”
I study her, words I can’t quite form working their way up my throat before knotting there, forcing me to swallow so I can speak them. “Tell me you know it’s okay if it were.”