28. Cameron
Cameron
I’ve always heard about how crazy trivia night at O’Malley’s gets. And tonight, I’m fully immersed in it all. The place is packed, and the energy is high as everyone’s hands finds a drink and we’re all having a good time.
Each team is huddled up together around their tables, and Wes is in full competition mode as well, elbows on the table, eyes narrowed at the host, ready to pounce on every question.
Kinsley is across from him, smirking as she swirls her drink. “You two are so embarrassing. You do know it’s just trivia, right?”
I take a slow sip of my beer, leveling her with a look. “Just trivia? Kins, this is actual life or death.”
Gabrielle snorts beside me, leaning against my stool. “Yeah, if life or death were a discount on overpriced alcohol.”
Wes gestures with his hands in the air like she’s on his side. “Exactly, Gabs. You get the stakes.”
Kinsley rolls her eyes. “What we get is that you two take any game way too seriously.”
I laugh, sliding a hand around Gabrielle’s waist and turning her, placing her between my legs as I press my chest against her back. She’s warm against me, and I take a second to just breathe her in before dipping my head so only she can hear me.
“You keep smelling this good…” I murmur, my lips grazing her ear, “and I’m gonna forget we’re answering trivia questions in front of a room full of people and start thinking about bending you over the side of this table instead.”
She inhales sharply, her fingers tightening around the edge of the table. Then she tilts her head slightly, just enough to glance up at me. “Cam, you cannot say things like that to me.”
I smirk. “Why not?”
“Because,” she hisses, shifting slightly against me, “I will absolutely drag you out of here and make you take me back home.”
I groan against her neck as my fingers dig into her thighs. “You say that like I wouldn’t happily oblige.”
She bites her lip, clearly debating the decisions in her head.
“Hey, lovebirds!” Wes calls, snapping his fingers at us. “Lock it in. We’re up next.”
Gabrielle huffs out a breath and shoots me one last look before sliding into the seat next to me.
The host clears his throat, holding up a card. “Alright, next question for Team Hazardously Hot.”
Kinsley snorts. “Geez, could you two be any lamer?”
“Shh,” Wes waves her off. “Game faces, people.”
I sit up straighter, focusing as the host reads the question.
“What was the first toy to ever be advertised on television?”
Wes and I exchange a quick glance.
“Um,” Wes mutters. “I don’t know, a Barbie?”
I shake my head. “Nope. It was definitely Mr. Potato Head.”
Gabrielle snickers. “You sound very confident about that.”
“I am. It’s a weird fact that’s been taking up valuable space in my brain since I was like, eight.”
Kinsley raises a brow. “That’s a pretty weird and oddly specific fact to hold onto.”
“Trust me,” I say, leaning forward. “Lock it in.”
Wes groans, but relents. “Fine. Final answer—Mr. Potato Head.”
The host glances at his card, then nods. “Correct!”
I throw my hands up in victory. “Hell yeah!”
Wes slams his fist on the table. “That’s right! Suck it!”
“Very mature,” Gabrielle laughs out.
“Thank you,” I say, grinning. “We try our best.”
As the next team gets their question, I lean back, wrapping an arm around Gabrielle’s chair. She looks up at me, her eyes still full of that heated look from earlier.
“We’re still sneaking out of here early, right?” I murmur low enough for only her to hear.
She smirks, lifting her drink to her lips. “Oh, babe. That depends on whether you keep winning or not…I don’t take home losers.”
“Well then, guess I gotta put my A game on.”
* * *
Trivia night is over, and we won—obviously. But instead of heading straight out of this place to go home, Gabrielle grabs my hand, tugging me outside and toward the sidewalk.
“Come on,” she says, grinning up at me. “Let’s take a walk.”
I raise a brow, glancing back at Wes and Kinsley, who are still inside, locked in some heated debate.
Those two are actually weirdly made for each other.
“You sure you wanna ditch the chaos?” I ask, smirking.
She shrugs, lacing her fingers through mine. “I kinda like the chaos. But I’d rather have you to myself for a little while.”
I nod and follow her, because I’d follow her anywhere.
The city is alive around us. The streets are still buzzing with people, and the air is getting cooler, making her shiver slightly in the dress she’s wearing.
I pull her in closer, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as we walk. “Cold?”
She hums, leaning into me. “Not anymore.”
I’ve spent over a decade wanting this.
What I would do to go back and talk to sixteen-year-old Cam—tell him his world isn’t actually ending, being taken away from her. That all the years between them will make him love her more than he ever thought possible.
We walk in this comfortable silence for a while, just letting the city continue to breathe around us, basking in the comfort of having her in my arms—for good, hopefully.
At some point, we pass a street musician playing his guitar, and Gabrielle slows down.
“You remember when we used to say we would learn an instrument together?” she asks, smiling.
I chuckle. “Yeah. You wanted to be a rock star, and I wanted to be…what? A sax player?”
She nods, laughing. “You thought it would make you ‘mysterious and broody.’”
“I was an idiot.”
“You still are,” she teases, and I tug her closer, my fingers pressing into her side just enough to make her gasp.
“You wanna say that again, Ms. Voss?” I whisper, leaning my head into the curve of her neck.
She grips my shirt, gasping a little. “Nope. I’m good.”
I chuckle and kiss her before guiding us forward again.
A few blocks later, she stops in front of a bakery that’s closed for the night, but the display case in the window is still lit up, showcasing rows and rows of pastries.
Gabrielle presses her palms against the glass, eyeing a croissant like it personally offended her by being out of reach.
“You’re gonna start drooling in a second,” I tease.
She sighs dramatically. “Why do I always crave sweets after everything is closed?”
I lean in slightly, my lips brushing the shell of her ear. “I could think of something to satisfy your sweet tooth. Well…it would definitely satisfy mine. I can taste—”
Smacking my chest, she inhales sharply, laughing. “Cameron Hayes, stop it!”
I grin, wrapping my arms around her.
We stand there for a little while, leaning against the brick wall, just talking to each other, and I can’t help myself from leaning down and catch her lips while she’s mid-sentence. She instantly melts into it, her fingers curling into my shirt, and I swear I could kiss her like this forever.
I pull back and just stare at her.
“You ready to head back?” I ask, brushing my thumb over her cheek.
She nods. “Yeah, I guess. I’d much rather stay right here, though.”