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She frowns. “Where’d you park it?”
Though I can tell he’s annoyed with her constant questions, he plays along. “In the middle of an intersection.”
Sadie places both his shoulders. “That’s a dick move.”
“Or I’m a nice guy.” Casually, he leans to the side again, away from Sadie. I have a feeling he doesn’t like people touching him. “He was parked in a handicap spot, and he wasn’t handicapped,” Cason adds, only to have Ez wrap his arms around his shoulders.
“You better take this boy home tonight,” Ez tells me, smiling at Cason and then me. “He’s the only trustworthy one out of all of us.”
“I can see that,” Nahla adds, still trying to get Forest to leave her alone. Sadie, she’s busy with who they tell me is Noah now. He looks in love, and I hate to break it to the kid, but my sister is so in love with that drummer that he’ll never make it past first base with her.
“Go away.” Cason pushes him off and shakes his head, annoyance in his tone when he leans into me. “Anytime you want to find a more private place, let me know.”
“How about outside?” I suggest. “I could use some fresh air, and I want you to show me this fastball. I need to see it in person. Tonight. Right now.”
He stands, his breathing slow and easy, but his eyes are lazy-lidded, and I find that damn near irresistible. “I don’t have a ball.”
I grab him by the hand, completely aware that we’re holding hands. “I have one in my van.”
He laughs, following along. “Sure you do.”
I stop walking and turn around. He runs into me, chest to chest. For a second, I’m caught up in the moment that I could lay my head on his chest and ask him to whisper like I wanted him to earlier. But I quickly realize that might sound weird, and I do want to see this guy in action. “I do. Seriously. I have a minivan. I have everything in there. Even a mini-fridge.”
He quirks an eyebrow. “No shit?”
“Yep. It’s amazing. Need a cold drink? I got ya covered.”
“Damn.” We start walking toward the doors, Nahla, Sadie, Ez, and of course, Forest, following us. “Maybe I should get a van.”
“No, no. Only pervy men drive vans.”
“I wasn’t going to get a white one.” He stops at the door and opens it for me. “I’m thinking a black one with blacked-out windows.”
“Even worse.” In the dark parking lot, I shake my head and click the button to my van to find that baseball of my dad’s I have floating around with the half-eaten chicken nuggets and applesauce squeezables. It takes me a moment to find the ball, but when I do, I hold it out to him. “Stop stalling.” This time, I lick my lips suggestively, and he watches with rapt attention. “Show me your fastball.”
“Damn.” Ez rests his head on Cason’s shoulder. “Is that metaphorical for his dick?”
Taking the ball in his hand, Cason shoves Ez. “Shut up.”
“Who’s gonna catch it?”
“Not me!” Forest notes. “Last time I caught for him, I couldn’t feel my hand.”
“I like it.” Ez grins. “Numb hands can be beneficial.” And then he makes a jacking-off motion, only to have Cason look at him like he’s grown a head out of his ear.
I start laughing so hard I nearly pee my pants.
Somehow, a glove is provided, and we’re all standing around next to the parked cars, Ez kneels on the ground, and Cason’s some sixty feet back. His eyes find mine in the darkness.
I smile. He does too and shakes his head. “I can’t believe I’m about to do this to prove a point.”
“I like my proof.”
His hand hangs at his side, the ball loosely gripped. His smirk finds me, and I’m not disappointed to be on the receiving end of it again. “You just wanna see me throw.”
I lean against the side of my van and give him my best flirty face. “That too.”
“Come on, baby, bring the heat!” Ez yells from his place in the gravel behind a row of cars. “Give it to me. Feed me, baby!”