10. Lux

TEN

LUX

Our first FaceTime started with a thud, followed by a loud clatter, and what sounded like fuck . All I could see was beige before Radley's face appeared as she bent over and picked her cell up.

"Lux?"

I held back the smile at the confusion on her face. "Yeah?"

"What are you doing?"

"FaceTiming you. What are you doing?"

She sat down, propped the phone in front of her, and lifted a couple of very heavy looking books to the screen. They were so thick I could probably do bicep curls with them. "Studying."

From what I could see of the background, it didn't look like she was in the library, but the books were so big I couldn't see anyone making the effort to carry them either.

"Where are you?"

"In my dorm." She smiled softly, and for some reason, that smile tugged hard in my chest.

No, I knew the reason. She was in her dorm because she felt safer in there.

I rubbed my jaw to ease away the clenching that kicked in.

"How long does this Pledge Week thing last?"

She shrugged with a single shake of her head. Based on what she'd been telling me, it was way longer than a week. Someone needed to give these fraternities a calendar – or math lessons. One week equals seven days.

"Why are you calling me?"

"I wanted to see your face. Is that okay?"

She blinked in surprise, and a little quirk curled her lips. "Um… yeah. I just wasn't expecting it."

"Is that why you dropped the phone?"

"It buzzed off the desk before I could pick up."

I grinned at her. "How much more studying do you have left?"

"About three years' worth." She smiled, that same smile she'd given me at Asher's; the soft one that crinkled up her nose and made the gold in her eyes as bright as the sun.

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

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 was not a 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 110 th and 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 .

Radley stepped out of the car; one dark-green Lycra-clad leg hit the sidewalk, followed by the other. And…

Holy shit … where had those legs come from? Had I been walking around with my eyes closed? I made a mental note to see the eye doctor. Long and toned, curving into an ass I'd already been dreaming about on the regular.

But fuck me… those legs. What was it Cosmo said? Oh yes, wear them as earrings.

Even though I'd seen her not an hour ago on FaceTime, and three days ago in the bookstore, she was more beautiful than I remembered. The fall leaves were blowing gently around her, putting on a show so they weren't upstaged, but they were wasting their time. She'd outshine the sun. I closed my mouth before my jaw unhinged permanently.

How did I ever question not texting her the first time?

"Hello," she said with a smile, that nervous, slightly anxious, not sure what to do with herself smile. The same one I was wearing.

Before I could speak, the agents I'd met at the bookstore jumped out of the Escalade to join Special Agent America as it eased back into the traffic.

"He…" The word stuck in my throat with an un-dignified squeak. I coughed it away and tried again. "Hello."

Radley's eyes swept over me, rising up from my legs, over my abs, and lingering a second longer than she needed on my chest.

Interesting.

I hoped I was more subtle when I'd been checking her out.

She pointed to my arm. "What's behind your back?"

"A gift." I removed my hand, holding out the black New York Lions ballcap I'd brought for her, the same as the one I was wearing. "I know you don't like us matching, but I kinda do."

Her eyes flared wide as she gasped. "I can't wear that!"

Not the reaction I was looking for. "Why?"

"I'm a Phillies fan."

Her face was so serious and earnest that I couldn't help but smile. Even the agents standing a couple of meters away cracked one.

"Not today you're not. Think of it as a disguise."

"I'm disguised as a Lions fan?"

I laughed louder at the disgust in her voice. "There's over two million of them in New York City; you'll blend right in."

She frowned but took it anyway and pulled it on, threading her long ponytail through the space at the back. I was so tempted to tug on the end of it, but instead, I flicked the peak of her cap.

"See? You look amazing. Being a Lions' fan suits you." I winked, enjoying the scowl she was shooting directly at me. Though if looks could kill, hers would only cause a slight bruise. "Ready?"

"Mr. Weston?"

I spun around at the sound of someone calling my name. Special Agent America was looking right at me, waiting for a response. Huh. Mr. Weston was a definite upgrade from whatever he'd called me a few weeks ago.

"You can call me, Lux."

"What's the route you intend to take?" he continued, clearly ignoring me, and his tone said he'd rather I was anyone else. Maybe he was a Phillies fan too, or he was still pissed I'd thought he was a creeper. "Agent Hernandez will run a maximum of ten yards ahead of you, and Agent O'Leary and I will be behind."

I didn't ask if it was also by a maximum of ten yards. Or whether he'd forgotten his sense of humor, if he even had one. Probably not.

I pointed at the entrance on the corner. "We'll go along the path to the left as we enter, running clockwise down the Upper East Side. We'll assess how far we go once we're past the reservoir, but let me know if you need to stop and catch your breath at any point," I grinned.

It took a beat, but a smile appeared, though it was the designated ten yards away from his eyes. "We run alongside moving cars. We'll be fine."

"No need to brag, Special Agent America," I replied, and turned to Radley. "Ready, Goldilocks?"

"Lead the way."

We took off, Agent Hernandez ahead of us, heading under the ornate iron archway leading into the top corner of the park and around to the left as I'd instructed. Truth be told, I didn't care what route we took if it meant I was running next to Radley.

I'd never run with anyone except the boys before, and we always wore headphones with a playlist Tanner had usually made. We'd push each other to work as hard as our bodies would allow; there wasn't time or headspace to think about anything else. But now, listening to Radley's short, steady breaths, and trying to sync mine to them as we fell into stride together, I realized for the first time how weirdly intimate running together was. That the two of us – discounting her armed guards – were the only two focusing on this exact same thing in the exact same moment.

Truthfully, I wasn't sure how running would go. I ran every day in some form – relaxation, warm up, or steady cardio to keep my heart elevated – so I kind of assumed this would be an easy ride for me, and provide a perfect opportunity to watch Radley while I barely broke a sweat. I thought we'd make a couple of miles before we needed to stop, but Agent Hernandez was setting a healthy pace, and Radley was having no trouble keeping up.

After we hit the corner taking us down the Upper East Side, I knew this wasn't going to be a jog in the park – pun intended – this was a workout.

No wonder Special Agent America needed to practice alongside moving cars if he had to run with Radley.

With each step that hit the smooth asphalt path, her entire body calmed; her shoulders relaxed, and her strides became longer as her rhythm balanced. For the first time since I'd met her, it was like the wall she surrounded herself with was crumbling away and she was enjoying herself. Her edges were softening as quickly as her pink cheeks became coated with a sheen of sweat.

When I wasn't stealing quick glances at Radley, I was watching everyone we passed. My gaze didn't leave a single person until they were no longer in my eyeline. I watched to see if they noticed us, if they paid any attention to our running buddies, still ten yards in front and behind.

I watched to see if they did a double take. No one did.

More than once I jogged half a step ahead of her, blocking her from the view of passers-by, but I needn't have.

No one noticed her. No one noticed me. No one noticed us.

The blaring of ambulance sirens outside Mount Sinai announced the two-mile marker, and without looking at my watch, I knew this was one of the fastest times I'd run the route, and I was bored with not talking .

Obviously, this was the point my cell began buzzing, and while I did want to speak to the caller, I had more important things to do right this second.

Radley slowed her steps as she glanced in my direction. "You can take the call, I don't mind."

I shook my head. "Nah, it was only my sister. I'll call her back later. She has tryouts for the track team this week, so it'll be about that. It's all we've talked about for weeks, and weeks ." I rolled my eyes and pulled a face, making Radley laugh.

"You have a sister?"

"I have two." The words came out more staccato that I wanted, especially as Radley was barely puffing.

"How old are they?"

"Maddie is thirteen and Sienna is fifteen. It's Maddie trying out for track. Sienna plays basketball."

"I ran track at school."

I huffed – or puffed – a laugh. "That explains why we're running at a hundred miles an hour."

Her head whipped to mine, a shocked look on her face before a slow smirk curled her lip and her pace slowed. "Are you having trouble keeping up?"

I shook my head. "No. I just wasn't expecting the Olympic speed trials."

She laughed again, but this time it was a new sound I hadn't heard from her before. Not this type of laugh anyway. I'd heard her giggle, and a couple of light little chuckles, but they'd been nothing like this – deep, loud, belly shaking, and so uninhibited and genuine I never wanted it to end. I would dedicate the rest of my life to running around the park if it meant I got to hear her laugh like that again.

"Do you want to slow down? "

"Only to make this run last longer so I get to spend more time with you," I replied truthfully, and I wasn't going to lie and say I didn't enjoy the sharp inhale or shock on her face at my words. As well as hearing her laugh again, I was going to teach her how to take a compliment. "We can run as fast as you want. You're in charge."

We continued past a long line of Elm trees, under which two black Labradors were chasing squirrels, and up toward the reservoir.

"I used to run every day, but I haven't been able to run much since I've been here. I didn't realize how much I missed it."

"There's no way the frat boys can keep up with you."

"They can't, but the last time a couple followed me from campus and figured my route. They crossed a path and…" she trailed off. She didn't need to finish the sentence.

"I bet Special Agent America back there wasn't happy."

"No," she chuckled.

"What happened to them?"

"One ran off, the other got invited back to the Secret Service H.Q."

We moved to the side as a group of power-walking, stroller-pushing moms passed by, taking up most of the path.

"Shiiit. I'm lucky that invite wasn't extended to me. And now Ace is fully healed and back to his usual annoyingly handsome self, it's like it never happened."

Except if it hadn't, I wouldn't be here with her now. And I would let Special Agent America throw me to the ground another thousand times if it meant I had more time with her, especially when she giggled.

"Do you have siblings? "

Radley slowed until she was walking, and stopped. I stopped too. So did the agents.

The expression on her flushed pink face was kind of confused, and a little wary. Her brows knitted together as she looked up at me. "Do you really not know?"

The disbelief in her tone stopped me from answering immediately, because something told me she wasn't asking if I knew whether she had siblings. She was asking if I'd read every column inch, and every mention of her name, saw every picture. It was a feeling I knew well. My name had millions of hits if you googled it, but they were limited to mentions alongside baseball, or something mind-numbingly dumb like the ‘hottest sport star'.

But I didn't make the mainstream news like Radley did – or her mom.

I shook my head, slowly. "I don't. During the season, my focus is on baseball. I exclusively read sports pages, and whatever book I'm working through when I get into bed. My knowledge of you is limited to what one would normally know about the President of the United States, and half of that I've forgotten. So, I'm asking you , because I want to hear it from you ."

"Oh," she replied, scuffing her sneaker on a loose piece of gravel before looking up at me. Her eyes had darkened to a golden bronze, reminding me of the fire which burned the first night I saw her. "I have two brothers. Henry is twenty-six and he works for a lobbyist firm in D.C., and Ben is about to graduate from law school."

"You're the baby."

"And don't I know it." Her shoulders dropped with a heavy sigh, and whether she meant to or not, her eyes flicked to where the agents were standing with their backs to us, making it clear exactly how she felt like the baby of the family .

"You'd have these guys anyway, right? The president's family always has protection?"

"I have more than my brothers," she replied, and I watched tension slowly rise back through her until one of her shoulders jerked up in a defensive shrug. "I dated the wrong guy, and my parents got a little more protective than usual."

I didn't say anything, because I knew she wasn't done. Her eyes flicked down and she looked at her hands, reminding me of the night I'd seen her in the bar.

"I'm not this party girl the press makes me out to be."

Gently, I reached up and freed the lip she was chewing down on. Her eyes tracked the motion of my hand dropping back. "Radley, I was telling the truth before – I haven't read anything about you, and I'm not the person the press makes me out to be either, so I understand."

Anger flared in her eyes, the fire burned bright and her jaw clenched. "Bet they've never called you a slut, or posted naked pictures of you. Stolen pictures."

Her words sucker punched my gut, but me reacting with the rage now coursing through my veins wouldn't help her. "No, they haven't."

She shrugged again, and the anger vanished as quickly as it arrived, way quicker than I could process her words still ringing around my ears. "Anyway, I'm sure you've been wondering why I've been a little slow or standoffish. But spending time with you… this is a big deal for me. I find it hard to trust people, if you hadn't realized." Her laugh was dry and devoid of humor.

I dipped my head, so she had nowhere to look but my eyes. "I wasn't wondering, and I never have. This – us – spending time together… we will take things as slow as you need. But I will promise you this, Radley, I will earn your trust, if it's the la st thing I do."

"Thank you," she repeated again, like it was ingrained in her to be grateful that someone behaved like a decent human being. Then she smiled as though the conversation had never happened. "Shall we run again?"

I blinked, slightly confused at the abrupt change, but managed a smile. "Yeah. Get going."

She turned and nodded to Agent Hernandez, who took off ahead of us.

As I matched my pace to Radley's, one single thought bounced around my brain: I'd met her for a run, but now I was on a mission… because somewhere between our first steps and the almost dead sprint I seemed to be in now, I'd decided that I was going to show Radley what a real man was like.

Oh, who was I kidding? I decided the first time I laid eyes on her and got my ass kicked by the Secret Service.