Bedroom Games (12 page)

Jendan nodded. “They told Marla that the plan
is to put you two up on the block. They won’t put me and Marla up,
and they said they can control Sunnie and Casper. That leaves you
and Brodie on the outs, and the plan is to keep Brodie.”

My eyes widened. I sat up.
“Wait,
I’m
the
target? Not Brodie?” Shit. Maybe everyone liked my partner
too
much.

“Calm down,” Jendan said, glancing around.
“And lay back down.”

I did so, though I wanted to drum my feet—or
go swim a lap—out of nerves. I settled for twirling a lock of my
long hair, over and over again. “So tell me about this plan. Why
me? What did I do to them?”

“It’s not you specifically. It’s that they
don’t trust the two of you together. Too sneaky. And everyone’s
suspicious of a house romance.”

I sputtered. “House romance? Are you
serious?”

“Sunnie, Marla, and Jayme all think there’s
something going on between you and Brodie.”

“There’s not!”

Jendan turned on his side and gave me a
suspicious look. “You’d tell me if there was, right? Because it
affects how I vote, too.”

“I swear, we are not sleeping together.” I
made an X motion over my chest, a simulation of ‘cross my heart.’
“He’s just my partner.”

“Yeah, but you guys are pretty tight. You
have to admit that’s true. And he pushed that last vote hard
because he wanted to protect you from Mickey.” Jendan tilted his
head, studying me. “And I saw him coming out of your shower,
naked.”

Damn. He’d seen that? I twirled the lock of
hair harder, the coil around my finger getting tighter and tighter.
“He just did that so we could talk.”

“Uh huh. Naked?”

“So we could talk privately,” I amended.

“And I ask again,
naked
?”

“It wasn’t my idea.” But it
sounded lame even as I said it. “We’re not together. Honest. I
really like Brodie—he’s impossible not to like. But I saw
The World Races
and how he
sucked face with Tesla and ditched Katy as soon as he had the
chance. So do I like the guy? Yeah. Do I trust him not to throw me
over? Not in the slightest.”

“As long as you promise to tell me if it
changes…”

I gave Jendan a fierce look. “Of course. I
would tell you if we were together, okay? You’ve had my back this
entire time. I’m not about to screw you and lie to you.”

After a moment, he nodded. “That’s what I
thought, too. But the other girls aren’t buying it. They think that
you’re playing Brodie—and me — to secure your place.”

The lock of hair I was winding around my
finger was so tight it made my finger throb. “Oh they do, do they?
I guess they didn’t point out that both Jayme and Sunnie are
totally content to play kissy-face with Brodie at every chance they
get? But I guess that’s fine? Because I’m friends with you, too,
I’m the house ho?”

Jendan chuckled low and laid on his back,
throwing an arm over his eyes to shield them from the sun. “Well,
my guess is that’s why they want to keep him and not you.”

This was ridiculous. “So I’m going out the
door because they think I’m a tramp.”

“Not necessarily a ho,” Jendan said. “They
need a target this week, and since they love Brodie, it falls on
you.”

I released my hair and let it unwind,
thinking.

As if they knew we were talking about them,
the back door opened and Sunnie came streaking out, racing into the
yard in a bikini top and shorts. She squealed loudly, chased by
Brodie, who had a water gun in hand. Both Jendan and I turned to
watch as he caught Sunnie by her waist. She giggled, flailing in a
way that rubbed her breasts against him, and they continued to
wrestle until Brodie tossed her over his shoulder. With a wink at
me, he went to the back door with the celebutante over his
shoulder.

“That’s some strategy,” Jendan said. “Wish
I’d thought of it.”

“You did,” I said. “But you chose to ally
with me instead, and I’m not doing as good with the flirting as I
hoped. Too bad for you.”

“Maybe you should try harder,” he said with a
smile.

“I’ll kick you if you try to toss me over
your shoulder,” I said in a warning voice and watched Sunnie and my
partner go inside, trying not to frown as Brodie’s hands moved over
Sunnie’s bare back. Her breasts were pushed up against his
shoulder, and her red hair was spilling everywhere. Sunnie was
pretty, and bouncy. Brodie flirted with her constantly. It
shouldn’t have bothered me, but the sight of their playfulness was
sticking in my craw. I was his partner.

It was a business arrangement, I reminded
myself. We were both after the money. He was just flirting so he
could get ahead…or so he’d told me. Was it just a line? I honestly
had no idea.

“Well, you have me,” Jendan said. “You know
you have me, but it won’t be enough to keep you safe this week. So
unless you have a plan, I’m going to have to vote with the house so
I don’t stick my neck out for nothing.”

“I’ll think of something. I just need a
bigger target than me, right?”

“Right.”

I considered my options. Jayme wouldn’t put
her team up on the block. Marla and Jendan sounded like they were
in tight with them. Nor did I want them on the block, unless I
could guarantee that Marla left and Jendan stayed. Considering
Marla was the house mom and everyone loved her? That wouldn’t be
happening anytime soon.

That left Sunnie and Casper or me and Brodie.
I needed to find a way to target Sunnie or Casper and get the big
red X off of my back, or I’d be the next one evicted. “I’ll see
what I can do,” I told Jendan. “I’ve still got a few days to
scramble.”

He nodded. “Scramble hard, because you and me
to the end is part of my game plan, and I don’t want that to
change.”

Mine, too.

~~ * ~~

I didn’t share my concerns with Brodie. He
was a lot of things, but he wasn’t good at flying below the radar.
Once he found out that the others were gunning for me, he’d start
trying to work everyone to save me, and they’d all be aware of what
he was doing again…which would mean I’d be going home for sure.

There was always the chance
that Brodie would find out that they were all going to vote for
me…and that he’d sell me out to save his own hide. I didn’t trust
Brodie Short
not
to
try and save his own skin when it came down to him or
me.

It was best for both of us if I kept things
quiet. It’d give me time to figure things out and quietly maneuver
myself into a stronger position before anyone knew I was aware that
there was a target on my back.

I still hadn’t thought of a plan hours later
when the intercom came on. I was in the attic room with Marla and
Jendan, burning sage. Marla had sworn she’d heard footsteps last
night, and she had insisted that they smudge the room to try and
get rid of evil spirits. Jendan had told us it was a common
practice among mediums (something he’d found out in a film he’d
been in) and that you burned a bundle of sage just enough to make
it smoke and then waved it around all corners of the room.

I’d been all too glad to assist, just in case
they talked strategy.

We all looked up as the intercom chimed twice
in a row. “House Guests, it’s time for the reward challenge. Please
head to the main living area to receive your costumes and then
proceed to the challenge area outside.”

I blew out the smoking bundle of sage I held.
“Did I just hear the word ‘costumes?’”

Marla groaned. “I’m afraid you did. That’s
not good.”

Jendan grinned at us and blew out his sage
bundle and then waved it through the air to make sure it was out.
“I thought girls liked to dress up for special occasions.”

“Ha ha,” said Marla. “Very funny.”

When we got downstairs, everyone groaned at
the sight of the six costumes laid out. They were big, ugly blob
costumes covered with leaves and made of a spongy material. No one
would look cute in that. Still, we laughed as we dressed up and
groaned again when we were each handed leafy crowns to put in our
hair.

“What do you suppose these are supposed to
be?” Jayme asked, wrinkling her nose at the sight of the
potato-shaped costume.

“A jolly green giant of some kind?” Fido
guessed, and we laughed. Waddling in the overstuffed green
costumes, we headed out to the challenge area.

Jayme waited for us there, with Fido at her
side. She held a card to read out to us, and pointed us to the
starting line. We lined up, and I eyed the challenge area with
interest.

I had to give the crew of
the
House Guests
TV
show credit. I hadn’t even realized that they’d been out in the
back yard, working on the challenge area. It was completely
transformed. There was a leafy green vine that served as a starting
line, with six mats for each of us to stand on, spaced out. Beyond
that, the challenge area had been transformed into a swampy
obstacle course. Vines dangled from prop trees on the sidelines,
and fog machines made a thick mist roll through the area. Lily pads
decorated scummy green water, and a series of rocks, fallen trees,
and other items created an obstacle course we’d have to wade
through to get to the other side. On the far end stood a blow-up
doll in a tiger-print dress and fake blonde hair tied to a pole.
Cute.

“Hello House Guests,” Jayme
said in a cheery voice, reading from the card. “Today’s challenge
is called Swamp Things! You’re the monster that lives in the swamp,
and you’re mighty lonely. At the word ‘go,’ you need to rush
through the swamp and head to the other side to rescue a girlfriend
on the far end of the swamp. Retrieve your mate and then make it
back to the finish line. Does everyone understand?” When she saw us
nodding, she continued reading. “This contest is set up slightly
differently than the regular contests. You will be competing as
individuals for this challenge, and you do not want to be last. The
first four to cross the finish line will get a ticket to the
House Guests
open bar that
is now being set up in the living room!”

We all cheered. After nearly a month in the
house, a stiff drink sounded great.

“There’s a catch, though. The last two people
to cross the finish line will have to sit around and watch everyone
else get drunk around them.” She ran a finger down her cheek,
mimicking a tear. “Since Fido and I have Power, we automatically
get tickets to the open bar. Is everyone ready to compete?”

“Ready,” we chorused back. We got to our
starting positions and leaned forward, ready to race. I was
situated between Marla and Brodie.

“Go,” Jayme called.

We raced into the water. The challenge area
had been filled knee high with liquid, and calling it ‘water’ was
being kind. It was more like sludge. It was thick and viscous, and
with the costume on, it was hard to walk. Considering that the
costume was also soaking up the disgusting water? Every step became
heavier and heavier.

I watched Brodie lunge forward only to plow
into the goopy water head first, and I couldn’t resist
laughing.

It took an eternity to drag one leg in front
of the other, longer to crawl over one of the rocky obstacles and
to maneuver under a low-hanging ‘tree’ branch. Jendan and Brodie
were in the lead, followed by Casper. Sunnie was clinging to Casper
as he helped her along, and Marla panted and heaved at my side.

By the time I retrieved my blow up doll
‘girlfriend,’ I was in close to last place. Marla and Sunnie were
dragging behind me, but I was confident I could beat them.

I…just wasn’t sure I wanted to.

Alcohol might be the key to discovering where
the cracks were and exploiting them. People tended to lose their
guard under the influence of alcohol, and I wanted to hear what
they had to say. I noticed Casper slowing down before he hit the
finish line and then turning around to go and help Sunnie move
across the line. Marla was neck and neck with me, so when I hit the
rock obstacle, I pretended to lose my footing on the other side and
went splashing into the water, belly first. My costume immediately
soaked up water, and I struggled genuinely for the next minute to
get back to my feet.

By the time I did, I watched Marla and Sunnie
limp across the finish line, and Casper moved to me to offer me a
hand up in case I needed it. He’d clearly played the gallant and
opted to let the girls win.

I was still out. I smiled at Casper. “Looks
like it’s you and me missing out on the bar.”

“I don’t drink,” he said, voice blunt. “So
this is one reward I won’t mind missing out on.”

“I’m disappointed,” I lied as I crossed the
finish line with his help. Immediately, Brodie was at my side and
hugging me through my wet costume. I tried to feign sadness as he
squished me into a wet, swampy hug.

“I’m sorry, Kandis,” Brodie said. “I didn’t
realize you were so far behind.”

“It’s okay,” I told him, and I gave him a pat
with my soggy glove. “It’s not important. I’ll get the next
one.”

Jendan was there to hug me next. As he leaned
in, he whispered, “That was the worst pratfall ever. Take it from a
stuntman.”

I put a finger to my lips and shushed
him.

~~ * ~~

“One…two…three…drink!” Brodie called from the
kitchen. A series of cheers rose, and then silence as the others
chugged.

I listened to them from my place on one end
of the couch, blowing on my freshly painted nails to dry them.
While I hadn’t won the reward challenge, just watching the others
get hammered had provided hours of entertainment. Marla couldn’t
hold her liquor, but Sunnie downed whiskey shots like a champ.
They’d all been downright hilarious until Sunnie wrapped her arms
around Brodie’s waist and buried her face against his neck. He
hadn’t pushed her away, and I’d no longer found the drunken antics
quite so amusing.