When Our Worlds Stand Still (Our Worlds #3)(33)

What the fuck did I do?

“Fair enough.” I shrug. “Now, what are the rules?”

She releases my hand. “The rules are simple, darling. Keep your hands to yourself. The first person to make a move, a real move,” Kennedy nods her head to emphasize that small detail, “loses.”

“You’re on.” I accept the challenge with a wink and smack her ass beneath the blanket. “My name’s gonna look awfully nice on there.”

Kennedy kicks off the covers. “It sure is hot in here.” She fans her face, looking like a sexy southern bell in the scorching heat.

Her claim is ludicrous. We keep the house at sixty-six degrees, even when it’s freezing outside. Rico claims it helps him sleep, and Lord knows, we don’t need a grumpy Hulk running around the halls, dying of heat exhaustion.

With Kennedy’s bare flesh on display, and her adorable boyshorts hugging tight to her trim thighs, a silent groan escapes my lips. It isn’t until she starts seductively bending and twisting beside me that I roll my eyes.

“Well played, Ken,” I slap her ass again, “but it’s not going to work on me.”

Pushing play, I sit up and lean against the headboard, shifting until the pillow behind me is comfortable. Kennedy squirms on the mattress, but I refuse to cover her.

“It’s so warm under this blanket,” I boast, rubbing the blanket between my feet. Kennedy’s strained lips cause me to laugh. “Not such a good idea now, huh?”

Kennedy squares her shoulders and moves next to me. “What are you talking about? I’m great.” She shakes her head frantically, trying to convince me, and perhaps herself, she doesn’t have a sheet of goosebumps over her skin.

The opening credits start and the infamous Halloween theme begins. A frigid Kennedy rubs her hands up and down her arms. Instead of paying attention to the movie, I keep my eyes on her. She flinches at all the right places. Midway through the movie, Kennedy reaches over and pulls the covers over herself, gaining an amused laugh from me. Still, her eyes stay trained on the television.

I inch closer, but never truly touch her. When Michael Myers pops up on the screen for the first time, she jumps. Her elbow grazes my chest. My eyes try to focus on anything other than her mouth and I mentally beg myself to not lean in and kiss her. My head tilts to the side and I witness her eyes widen with surprise.

“Giving up so soon?” Kennedy playfully jokes, but I hear a hint of relief in her words.

I abruptly turn. The movie holds my attention until the final credits roll. Kennedy flings the covers off her lap, jumps from the bed, and walks to the door. Over her shoulder, she waves.

“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” I yell as she steps into the hall. I’m quick on my feet and block her path. Every door flies open at my loud voice. Dan and Violet seem bored with our antics. Rico, on the other hand, scans his eyes over Kennedy’s near naked body. “Can you, at least, duck back in my bedroom and not have your ass on display for my roommates?” I point behind her, snapping my fingers at Rico to look anywhere else.

“You mean the ass you won’t be touching anytime soon?” she challenges, grinning from ear to ear as if she won.

Rico shouts, “Ohhhhh.” He clearly enjoys Kennedy’s jab at me.

I stride up to her. My bare chest bumps against her arm. She tilts her neck to the side, exposing the place I love to kiss the most. “If you want to play that game, we can, but know,” I blow a hot breath over the taut skin, “you won’t win. I’ll have you begging for me to touch you before you walk out the door tomorrow.”

“Why do you guys even do this?” Mark shakes his head and walks back into his room. Bea follows behind him with a laugh. She finds us amusing as much as Rico does.

“Rico, eyes up top.” I glare holes into his head over Kennedy’s shoulder, my eyes wide in a silent threat. “Don’t make me tell you again.”

Kennedy turns to smirk at him. “Rick, you can look.”

Who is this girl?

“She’s got a nice ass, man. Kudos,” Rico congratulates me. A hand I assume belongs to Amanda pulls him back into the room.

“I’d watch it. He’s hit every one of us for far less things when it comes to her,” Dan yells. He pulls Violet back into Griffin’s room.

Once we’re alone, Kennedy turns, her hands on her hips. “I’m going to bed.” She starts to walk to the stairs, but I pull her behind me.

“In my bed,” I demand.

“You want me to sleep in your bed?”

“For selfish reasons, yes. For this bet, no.”

Kennedy runs a finger across my chest and around my back as she passes. “You’ll be able to handle my ass up against your dick all night?” She stops beside me, leaning up and whispering in my ear, “You know I wiggle a lot in my sleep, Graham.”

“Who the fuck are you? And what the hell have you done to my sweet Kennedy Conrad?” I ask, curious to know this vixen in front of me.

She smiles that sweet, innocent smile of hers. “She grew up.”

“I think I like this side of you.”

“Enough to call it quits, drag me into your bedroom, and do what you’ve been thinking about doing since I walked through your door?” Kennedy runs her fingers down my arm.