Free Cali Boys by Kelli London Page A

ever seen or talked to or flirted with or wanted, including her one and only, Brent, was erased from her short-term memory. The dude in front of her was that fine.
    â€œHey. You all right?” the fine guy asked, pulling her from her semicomatose state. “I’m looking for an address around here. You know where twelve forty-five is? I’m looking for this older dude’s house for my pops, and can’t find it.”
    Romero walked over, nodding. “Nah, homie. She can’t help you. She’s new around here. But I gotcha,” he said, then told the guy how to reach his destination.
    â€œGood lookin’ out,” the guy said, giving Romero a pound. “I’m new around here, too. Name’s Diggs.”
    Kassidy nodded, understanding why Yummy’s jaw was to the ground. Cali was looking more promising by the day. First, Romero had given her something to do. Then Carsen had given her something to look forward to. And now Diggs, the one from Yummy’s list, the dude that she hadn’t even exchanged words with yet, had given her reason to forget New York, if only for the moment.
    â€œHe’s cute, huh?” Yummy asked, suddenly by her side.
    For once, Kassidy had to agree. “Yep, yeah, and yes. Who is he?”
    Yummy laughed, then elbowed her. “Don’t know. I’ve never seen him before,” she lied.
    Kassidy threw her a sideways glance. Yummy wasn’t being truthful. Diggs’s name was on the list of Yummy’s prom choices, which Kassidy had in her pocket, and she was just about to pull it out to let her stepsister know she was aware of her lying. But then something happened. Diggs smiled and awoke something in Kassidy. Something that intrigued her far more than his being delectable. “I know him,” she said, sure they’d met. She didn’t know when or where, but he was too familiar. She stared at Diggs, taking in his height, muscle tone, and stance. He didn’t look or stand or present himself like a regular dude. As he put one foot in front of the other, making his way down the block, she knew without a doubt exactly who he was because he didn’t walk like a regular guy, either. She’d been trained as a model, and she’d bet her last breath that he was a model, too.
    â€œExcuse me,” she said, chasing after him.
    â€œWhere are you going?” Yummy asked, trying to catch up. “You’re on punishment. Remember?”
    Diggs turned and warmed Kassidy with a beautiful, perfectly even smile. “Are you talking to me?”
    Kassidy nodded. “Yes. I know you,” she said, stopping feet from him.
    He shook his head. “I don’t think so.”
    Kassidy bit her lip, wondering why he hadn’t taken the bait. She’d given him the opportunity to say he’d like to get to know her better, as had almost every guy she’d ever said it to. But no-go. “I do,” she tried again. “I’m not sure where I know you from, but I do.”
    He walked closer to her, put his hands in his pockets, and hit her with the smile again. “Is that your way of saying you’d like to know me?” He drew his eyebrows together and stared into her eyes without the least bit of interest.
    Kassidy was taken aback. “Um. I’m not sure.” She shook her head, more baffled than she’d ever been in her life. His asking her such a question and not flirting with her wasn’t what she was expecting.
    Yummy walked up, inviting herself into the conversation. “Hey!” she sang to Diggs, confectionary sugar encircling her lips.
    â€œGo away,” Kassidy hissed as low as she could.
    Yummy widened her eyes, then rolled them. “That’s why you’re out here looking like that,” she spat back in a whisper, pointing to Kassidy’s feet.
    Oh, no! Kassidy looked down to where Yummy pointed. On her feet were her ragged house shoes, which were clearly too