Page 65 of Resist

“I am.” He’s panting. His hair is a mess, his chest is tan, and a dark stain of sweat covers the top band of his shorts.

“You haven’t called.” And an even more brilliant statement. Especially for someone who isn’t supposed to want him to call. Who isn’t supposed to check her phone more often than not because she’s thinking about him.

“Did you miss me?” Without asking if he can, he takes a seat beside me and blows out a breath, clearly relieved to take a break from his run.

“No.”

No. Not now. Lucy’s coming.

But yes, please. Sit.

“Liar.”

Yes. “No.”

“Okay. Back to my run then.”

“Wait!” I say, hand reaching out to clasp his forearm as he starts to stand up just as Lucy turns the last corner of her path and heads back toward us.

“Wait?” He cocks one eyebrow and fights the ghost of a smile lighting up his lips.

No.

Go.

Lucy is coming. I don’t want him to know about—

“Who’s this?” Lucy’s grin spreads wide as she stares at Ryker, her helmet askew, a smudge of dirt on her cheek, and a drop of the chocolate ice cream we shared earlier on her shirt.

Ryker turns from me to Lucy, and every part of my body goes on high alert as I watch his expression. His natural smile flashes at Lucy before I see the confusion hit his features, followed by the softening of his smile into a look of realization. “Hi there. You must be the magical unicorn I dreamed about last night. Are you coming to take me to Rainbowville, where there is cotton candy and ice cream for dinner?” he asks, voice comforting, while my insides try to stay on guard but melt at the way he’s just put Lucy at ease.

Her giggle electrifies the air as she shakes her head and sits down cross-legged right in front of him. “Ice cream for dinner? That’s silly,” she says and angles her head to the side as she studies Ryker without shame.

“Ryker,” I say, voice shaky, heart stumbling over the fact that now he knows more about me than I’d ever divulge. Now that I’ve seen a softer side to him that I’d never expect.

Now that he knows the one way to bring me to my knees. My Lucy.

“Mmm?” he says as Lucy picks his hand up and starts to hold it, her fingers running over his in the way she does when she’s getting to know somebody. And Ryker lets her. He watches with fascination etched in the lines of his face as she goes through her routine of memorizing his hands, but I can’t find the words that were just in my head to voice. It’s only when he turns to look at me and lifts his eyebrows as if to tell me to continue that I realize I’m staring at him.

“This is my niece, Lucy.”

Ryker’s eyes widen for a split second when he realizes his assumption that she’s my daughter was incorrect. He nods ever so slowly, his smile telling me he’s okay with the unique behavior she’s exhibiting with his hand before turning back to her.

“Lucy?”

“Yeah.” She looks up and smiles at Ryker. It’s big and happy, and I hate that the sight of it—of her being so at ease—causes tears to burn in my eyes.

“This is my friend, Mr. Ryker.”

“Friends aren’t called mister. What’s his real name?” she asks as she sets his hand back down on his leg but keeps hers resting ever so gently atop it.

“His real name is Ryker, but we add the mister before it. Remember? That’s how we show respect.”

“How come I can see his boobies? I have to keep my shirt on so no one can see mine.”

Ryker stifles a chuckle as I answer. “Because that’s just one of those things that isn’t really fair. Boys can go shirtless and girls can’t.”

Lucy stares at Ryker intently as if she’s deciding whether it’s his fault or not that society has decided this social standard.