Page 47 of The Baller

“Oh!” My brows shot up. “I see you took your wiseass pills. For today, Goldilocks. How much have you got lefttoday?”

Her peach lips pursed as she thought about it, while I was thinking about how those lips would feel. Soft I bet, and they’d taste fucking amazing… as would the rest of her.

“I dunno. I’m going to try for another hour, but who knows.”

“Great. An hour’s perfect. I’ll see you then.”

Her eyes widened, serving as a reminder this wasnota girl who could be spontaneous. But I hadn’t forgotten that look on her face when she talked about running. It was the look of freedom.

“What? What are you doing?”

“I’m lacing up my sneakers, then I’m going to leave and will be at your dorm in an hour. We’re going for a run. It will be the first of many runs.”

She began worrying the corner of her lip, though I could also see a sparkle of interest flicker behind her eyes. “I dunno.”

“Radley, I promise I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“Where are we going to go running?”

“I thought we’d go to Central Park. I’ll show you the baseball fields and the reservoir, and we’ll run down the Upper East Side to where the Met is.”

Her eyes dropped down, so all I could see were lashes dusting her cheeks. “You know that Jake and the guys have to come too, right?”

“You afraid they won’t be able to keep up?”

“No,” she scoffed.

“Then what’s your next excuse?”

“I guess I don’t have one. You don’t mind that I come with… you know, security? Someone might see us.”

I ignored her question. It was too soon to tell her that she could come with the entire United States Armed Forces and I’d still want to spend time with her, though I’d probably need to find a bigger book store. Instead, I replied with, “Get changed, and I’ll see you in an hour.”

“Hang on, wait!” she blurted. “What are you wearing for the run?”

“Why?”

Her face split with a smile, all teeth and freckles and teasing. “I don’t want to match this time.”

“I’ll be in black, but I think it’s okay if you wear black too.”

I was about to hang up, but Radley was chewing on her lip again, giving me the impression there was something else she wanted to say.

“What’s up, Goldilocks? Tell me everything that’s worrying you, and I’ll give you my fix.”

“Can I meet you there? Instead of you coming here? It’s easier for me to hide in Central Park… I mean, people won’t notice me so easily. Here they’re waiting, and you’re recognizable too, and…”

“Hey…” I held my hand up to stop her before she descended into a full-on panic ramble. “I get it, we can meet wherever you’re comfortable. What about the corner of West 110thand Central Park West?”

She smiled, a soft, grateful smile I really didn’t like. “That’s good, thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me, Goldilocks, but you’re eating into your time. We’re down to fifty minutes. See you soon.” I hung up before she could add another stipulation.

Forty-five minutes later, I was standing outside the park. Even though we’d been back a week, September had turned to October and the air now had a crisp bite that hadn’t been present before we left for the Bahamas. Leaves blew through the air, and I pulled the neck of my hoodie up and my cap down, wishing I’d worn something longer than shorts.

I was about to start jumping jacks when a blacked-out Escalade with rims I knew Parker would sell his soul for pulled up to the curb, and out hopped Special Agent America before it came to a full stand still.

I hadn’t seen him since the night of the incident. I held back the smirk as his eyes passed over me to open the back passenger door. He didn’t look like he’d appreciate hearing that Ace’s face was all healed and pretty again.

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