When Our Worlds Stand Still (Our Worlds #3)(47)

“My girlfriend. She’s a waitress here,” I answer. “Kennedy Conrad.”

His unwelcome grimace doesn’t go unnoticed. His eyes travel from my face down, inspecting me. Either he’s gay and he’s picturing me naked, or he’s sizing me up for a fight. The two are hard to decipher sometimes.

“Take a seat. She’ll be out in a second. I’m David, by the way.” He motions to the barstool in front of me. His hand reaches out to shake mine.

Kennedy’s told me about David’s repeated attempts to get her to go out with him, so I grip his hand in a tight squeeze. If he’s looking for a fight, he’s going to know what he’s getting into.

“I’m Graham.” I release his hand and face the crowd to keep an eye out for Kennedy.

The lights dim to near darkness, and the country music fades. The crowd of guys around me goes crazy and pushes their way to the bar. The chatter of excitement and anticipation filters throughout the group. Heat radiates from my skin. The level of testosterone running through their veins is palpable.

“What’s going on?” I address David, who’s half-ass drying a glass. His eyes are plastered on the gray metal door along the wall. The grin playing on his lips is one of amusement and self-gratification. A familiar song booms through the speakers.

My eyes turn as the crowd’s holler of appreciation rings in my ear.

“She’s so fucking hot,” a guy says to his friend.

The friend bites down on his clenched fist. “Look at those shorts.” His eyes light up, piquing my curiosity.

When I spin around, I’m dumbstruck. My palms sweat so much, I have to run them down my jeans. Three sets of legs appear, Kennedy’s nestled in the middle. The sexy beat of the song eggs the thickening crowd to push closer. They, along with me, gawk as my girl dances her bare legs across the bar top. When she dips low in front of me, knees bent and spread, her eyes widen in shock. She’s quick to register I’m actually in front of her and not a figment of her imagination.

Kennedy recovers and pops up to finish her routine along the bar. The guys behind me yell rather grotesque expletives, aiming them all at my girlfriend.

“I’d kill to have the chance to make that girl scream my name.”

I whip around to glimpse a large build belonging to the idiot who’s two seconds away from getting his teeth knocked down his throat. My eyes set and ready for a showdown, I take a step toward the meathead.

“Graham,” Kennedy’s voice breaks my trance.

A ripple of jealousy runs through me at the way the crowd parts for her. Each of them takes the time to check out her ass as she saunters over to me. Her hands wrap around my neck. She stands on her tippy toes, and by the appreciative grins, I know her tank has risen, exposing the hot as hell dimples on her lower back. I hug her, taking special care to place my hands low on her hips.

“What’re you doing here?” Kennedy’s voice shakes.

I kiss her neck. “Mark claims I’ve been sulking,” I whisper in her ear.

“Someone must have been missing me, huh?” She pokes me in my side. A sweet smirk appears on her lips.

“You’ve got no idea, Kennedy,” Mark slides into our sides and wraps his arm around my neck. “This guy over here sat on the couch, staring at the TV, and didn’t say a damn word to anyone. Rico made the mistake of trying to engage in conversation with him, and the guy practically made him cry.”

“I did not,” I argue, pushing his hands off me.

“Be nice to Rick, Graham, or else,” Kennedy threatens.

“Or else, what? Are you going to punish me?”

She blushes, which only energizes my already semi-hard dick. He’s pushed up against my zipper, begging for a way out.

Mark groans and walks away, which is for the best because I have to adjust myself to find some sort of comfort. I don’t need my best friend witnessing how uncontrollable I am at this point. Kennedy’s eyes grin at the small but obvious movement. She bites her lip and fights back a smile when she looks up at me.

“I still have to work for a few more hours. I wish I could bail out, but,” she looks around the crowded bar, “it’s packed tonight. I can’t leave Bea and Alex hanging tonight.”

“When were you planning on telling me you dance on a bar?”

A smack across my stomach causes me to jump. “You knew I danced here,” she argues.

“Not like that.” I narrow my eyes at the bar.

She wraps her fingers into my black t-shirt and pulls me flush against her body. “So, you didn’t like it?” Kennedy’s stare falls to the tiny space between us.

Her boldness makes me more aware of the blood in my body rushing to that centrally located, special place, bumping against the sweetest part of her body. I nibble on her cheek. “I’ll text you where I’m staying, and you can come over when you’re out.”

“You aren’t staying at my place?” Her eyebrows pinch together, a hint of anger in her words.

“Amanda and Violet will thank me for getting a hotel room, trust me,” I explain without spelling out my intentions.

Her light pink cheeks burn a bright red, and I grow harder. My dick’s betraying me, right here in front of everyone, and she knows it.

Kennedy lifts up on her tiptoes again and kisses me softly on the lips. “I’ll see you in a little while, babe, okay?”