Page 4 of Trust Me Always

“Oh no. I’m talking a full-on, over-the-knee ass whoopin’, Cammie Baby.” He steps in close. “No one messes with my food.”

I hum, cocking my head to the side, straw stuck between my teeth. “Is that what you tell the girls at night, Big Daddy?”

“Wouldn’t tell you if it was, Little Mama.”

“Original,” I tease.

“I was trying to be matchy-matchy.”

A laugh spurts from me, and Brady’s chuckle follows.

He shuffles back only to lock his arm around my neck so he can tug me along at his pace. “Come on. I think the sugar is kicking in, so we should hustle our asses to the library before the good spot is gone.”

“Good spot,” I deadpan. “At the library? Aren’t all the tables in the same area?”

“You’d know if you ever spent any time in there.”

“Hey, number ninety-eight,” a group of girls calls out, giggling and waving at Brady.

“Ladies,” he damn near croons, glancing back at me with a laugh he swallows for their benefit.

I, unfortunately, accidently let mine slip but continue withour conversation. “Why would I do a thing like that when I have a perfectly good dorm room?”

“Uh-huh, and how much studying did you get done last night?”

“None. I watched a whole season ofThe Last Kingdom.”

Brady throws his head back with a laugh and mine follows. “Thanks for making my point, even if I have no idea what that is.”

“Vikings. Big ones.Hotones.” I side-eye him, peeking up at his dirty-blond hair. “Actually, you would make a good Viking.”

“That right?” His lips quirk, and he nods at someone who walks by, guiding me along the walking path.

“Oh yeah, I can see it now. You would be right at home—eat meat with your hands, never have to wear a shirt, and fuck whoever you wanted.”

Brady’s head snaps my way, and he gives me a teasing glare. “First of all, I don’t eat meat with my hands.”

I raise a brow. “Three weeks ago. Santa Monica Pier.”

“It was a food truck festival, and they had turkey legs!”

“That you…” I lead.

He grins, tickling my side, and I duck out of his hold, pointing my drink at him.

“See? Right at home.” I laugh.

“You’re a brat, Cameron Cox.”

“And you still love me.”

He scoffs, but it’s playful, and this time when he hooks his arm over my shoulders, he curls it, using his other to make a mess out of my hair.

“Shithead!” I shove, but his big-ass body goes nowhere and then we’re both laughing, but as I face forward, I instantly pout, realizing we reached the steps of the dreaded library. “Curse you for dragging me here…but bless you for feeding me sugar first.”

“You didn’t really think I’d expect you to make it through the walk here, let alone the rest of the morning, without a pick-me-up did you?”

“I would very much like you to pick me up right now, thank you.”

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