When Our Worlds Collide (22 page)

I hear Kennedy’s voice as she speaks to her parents. She
stalls the conversation on how the visits to the museums went and if they got
to spend much time with her brother. Just the way her family speaks to each
other I feel my heart warming. I wish I had what they have.

I know they have their own problems from the argument that I
overheard the first night I came here, but in the end I think they only argue
for their daughter. They only want what is best for her. I don’t get the whole
“I love you” dynamic that her family has. I understand that not every family is
perfect and we all have different things that make us barely tolerate each
other, but I’d give anything to have my parents speak to me with such adoration
the way Kennedy’s speak to her.

At the end of the bed I sit waiting for my cue to leave, to
get the hell out of dodge before her Dad barges in here ready to lay my ass
out. I debate on jumping out the window but know better than to treat Kennedy
as if she’s something I’m trying to escape. I’ll face whatever’s waiting for me
on the other side of that door.

I don’t notice Kennedy swing the door open as I’m pulling on
a loose thread on my shirt. She’s standing against the doorframe with her
ankles crossed with the sexiest smirk I’ve ever seen decorating her face.
Something changed in her and I’d like to believe that I have a big part in that
change.

“You trying to decide if going out the window would be the
fastest route out of here?” Kennedy giggles as she steps closer to me.

“How’d you guess?” I look up just as she finds her spot in
front of me holding out her small hand to me.

“The scared look on your face was a dead giveaway. My
parents would like to meet you, the boy who’s corrupted me, so get up.” I grab
ahold of her hand as she pulls me up onto my feet. She wraps her arms around my
neck and whispers in my ear. “You’ll do just fine.”

I cup her head in my hands kissing her on the forehead. “How
can you be so sure? Girls love me. Parent’s not so much.”

“Don’t remind me…” Kennedy rolls her eyes. “I like you, so
they will too.”

“You like me, huh? I thought you said you might just love
me?” I wink at her as she tilts her head to the side in contemplation of what I
had said.

“Then I guess they’ll love you,” Kennedy smiles even bigger.
My hand sits low on her back as she leads me out of the protection of her
bedroom into what would seem like open waters of the deepest ocean. I just know
I’m going to be greeted by two protective loving sharks of their young pup. If
I were a father I wouldn’t want anyone slightly resembling me around my daughter.

Her parents are sitting on the couch molded together as if
they’re still sixteen years old with the television on, but barely paying
attention to it. They are too busy talking with each other. Mrs. Conrad’s legs
are draped over her husbands. I can’t help admire how much love they have
between them. It’s evident. Kennedy doesn’t release her hold on me when we walk
together into the living room where we are kept under watchful eyes. I see her
father’s eyes scan down to our hands that are now entwined. Instead of pulling
away from her grasp I give her a small squeeze trying to reassure her.

“Mom. Dad, this is Graham Black,” Kennedy’s voice is strong
as she introduces me.

“It’s very nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Conrad,” I release
her hand quickly to shake theirs quickly returning my hand to Kennedy’s. She
ushers me over to the loveseat where we sit down waiting for a plethora of
questions to fly from her parents. I have just walked out of their daughter’s
bedroom when they haven’t been home to protest my whereabouts. Surely that will
raise a few flags.

“So, what do you kids have going on today?” Mr. Conrad asks.
It appears that Kennedy and I are going to get a free pass for our
indiscretions.

“Homework. I’ll be doing that here soon but other than that
I don’t think we have anything planned,” Kennedy answers looking over at me for
back up.

“What about you, Graham? Do you have homework to do too?” I
can tell he’s trying to give me the Daddy of the daughter third degree. I don’t
mind. I’ve never had a girlfriend. This makes situations like these easy to
avoid. This one I’m willing to walk right into.

I smile at Kennedy who’s waiting for my answer with a glee
in her eyes begging me to say that I have homework to do. “I have some homework
that I could do.”

“We could always do it together, if you’d like.” Kennedy
playfully elbows me in my side causing me to jump in my seat. She never drops
her gaze on me. I start to feel self-conscious in front of her parents at the
way she’s looking towards me.

“Graham, why don’t you stay for dinner,” Mrs. Conrad’s voice
rings through the silence of the room. Her voice sounds just like her
daughters, just a pitch higher. I quickly look away from Kennedy turning to
face her parents.

“If that’s okay with you sir, I’d love to stay for dinner,”
I address Mr. Conrad. I can feel Kennedy’s tight stare bounce between me and
her father waiting for his answer. If anything, I learned how to be a gentleman
around adults from my Grandmother. She won’t tolerate anything less.

I remember when I was younger my Grandmother would smack us
upside our heads if we didn’t address an adult with Sir or Mam. It seemed to
stick with me. Too bad she didn’t stress how to treat girls. Maybe I wouldn’t
have gotten into some of the situations that I have in the past.

“Only with one condition,” Mr. Conrad’s voice is suddenly
unapologetically serious. “Graham, if you hurt my daughter I promise I will
hurt you twice as badly.”

“DAD!” Kennedy shouts from her seat on the couch. She’s
embarrassed by her father’s threat. Her reaction is sweet.

“Mr. Conrad, I already told your daughter that I’d never
intentionally cause her any pain. If you haven’t already, I’m sure you will
hear that I don’t have the best reputation, but somehow your daughter see’s
something in me worth knowing and I can promise you that I understand that I
don’t deserve someone like Kennedy,” I profess in a strong honest voice. My
confession surprises me. Mrs. Conrad grins over at her daughter and I making me
feel comfortable. I basically confessed my feelings towards their daughter
straight out the gate
. How embarrassing.

“That’s all I needed to know. You are more than welcome here
at our house as long as Kennedy will have you,” he stands up to shake my hand
before heading into the kitchen returning with a glass of water.

Mrs. Conrad’s looking at Kennedy with a knowing gleam in her
eye. It seems they’re having a silent conversation between the two of them. I
can’t see what she’s mouthing to her mother, but I know it has to do with me.
Her father sits oblivious of their interaction probably due to several years of
enduring these silent exchanges.

Kennedy gets up from the couch leaving me sitting alone with
her parents. Rubbing a hole in the top of my jeans seems only a few strokes
away from grinding my palms over the denim. I’m more nervous than I thought
waiting for her parents to throw another curveball my way.

“Are you coming or not?” Kennedy’s voice comes from her
bedroom. I’m not sure if I should follow her or sit exactly where her father
can see me. Disrespecting your girlfriend’s parents the first day meeting them
is not a way to start off on a good foot. I sit still pretending that I don’t
hear her even though my body’s practically throwing itself in her direction in
anticipation of just being near her.

“She’s calling for you. You might want to get in there. She
can be impatient,” Mrs. Conrad smirks trying her hardest to stifle a laugh.
They both fall into a fit of laughter. I think they enjoy watching me uneasy.

“It was nice meeting you and thanks again for allowing me to
stay for dinner.” I stand up to walk back towards Kennedy’s room.

I walk through her door closing it behind me to find it
empty. The shower’s running. The bathroom door’s ajar allowing steam to leak
through the small crack. I sit down on her bed waiting for her to come out
patiently twiddling with the fabric on the blanket thinking about what had just
happened earlier this morning.

I feel out of place. I push the thoughts to the back of my
head. I won’t allow my insecurities to cause a riff in our already fragile
relationship. That’s what we had here. We were in a relationship. She had just
given up a big chunk of herself to me and now I’d have to prove myself worthy.
Could
I be good enough for someone like her? I have my doubts.

“Whatcha thinking about, Black?” Kennedy’s voice sings as
she walks into the room. My eyes bounce around until I see her walking across
her room to her dresser with nothing but a towel wrapped around her body.

The small piece of purple cotton fabric barely covers her. I
don’t mind. I’m enjoying the show. If she were to pull it up any higher than
her ass will be exposed, but if she pulls it down her tits will pop out. She
manages to hold the fabric in place (even when I secretly pray for it to drop
to the ground) allowing just enough of both to be on display for me. I can tell
by the way she smiles that she knows exactly what she’s doing.

“Hasn’t anyone ever told you that it’s not nice to tease
others?” I stand with the intention of closing the gap between us. She reaches
into one of her dresser drawers to grab a pair of shorts, a tank top, and a
pair of black lacy underwear. I suddenly am perfectly in tune with every move
she makes and everything her hands grace with her gentle touch. There isn’t
getting enough of her for me.

Kennedy walks back to her bathroom and I follow in her wake.

“I don’t think anyone’s ever called me a tease, Mr. Black,”
she smiles innocently even though we both know she’s anything but. Just before
she grabs the door to shut it behind her she releases the tight hold on the
towel letting it pool at her feet. She bravely turns to face me standing there
completely naked. “Whoops!”

With a loud bang the door’s slams in my face. I can feel
myself beginning to wind up. The only thing that can fulfill my appetite is on
the other side of that damn door covering her body in far too much clothing. I
know I’d have to be on my best behavior when she comes out. There’s only a
short walk and a thin wall dividing us from her parents.

While I wait for her to come out, my mind keeps shouting out
to me “What the fuck?” What happened to the innocent Kennedy that shudders
under my very touch? She’s been replaced with this strong, confident,
flirtatious girl who openly teases me. I’ve created a monster. There will be no
complaining from me. I’ll gladly play along with her game of cat and mouse. If
she’s going to torture me all day then I can play along until she’s begging for
me to touch her.

Chapter Thirty-Three

-Kennedy-

Did I really just do that? What was I thinking?

How can one guy, just one guy have this much effect on me?
I’ve become the type of girl I never said I would be. Every move I make when
he’s nearby is deliberate and flirtatious as if I’m trying to keep his
attention. I’m living in fear that some other new shiny toy will step in his
eye line and he’ll quickly dismiss me.

I suppose that’s what I’m afraid of most. I’m scared of my
feelings for him being too big. How he makes me feel when he looks and touches
me is downright embarrassing. The way I feel now possibly can’t last forever.
That wouldn’t be fair to allow someone this much intense bliss for too long.
That’s not how life works.

I slide on my clothes slower than what’s necessary to
prolong what’s waiting for me on the other side of the door. Everything about
him screams trouble, but I can’t resist the urge I have pulsing through my body
when he’s close by. It’s in the way he looks at me as if he doesn’t see anyone
else.

I swing the door open to see Graham sitting on the bed with
his textbooks spread out in front of him. He must have grabbed them out of his
car. He doesn’t notice me leaning against the doorframe before I enter the
room. I take the few seconds available to admire him. The way his t-shirt snugs
against every muscle in his chest and biceps. The way his eyes widen when he’s
thinking too hard about something. His disheveled brown hair. Everything about
him is made to be appealing. I’d fallen underneath his spell willfully.

“Doing your homework?” I observe.

“It’s a damn good distraction,” he states with a wink making
me blush without much effort.

“Good idea.” I reach down to grab my books. “Give me a hand
up?”

He grabs my books placing them closest to the wall next to
his before reaching over and grabbing my hips hoisting me over the top of him
like I’m a sack of feathers. He pauses just as our bodies brush against each
other then quickly depositing me on the bed. I think, okay I hope, he’s going
to kiss me from the look in his eyes when we peer at each other. He resists the
urge.

Dammit, just kiss me. Screw doing homework. Calculus can
wait as far as I’m concerned.

We both work in silence not saying anything. It’s too quiet.
I let out a few over exasperated sighs to try to break some of the unnecessary
sexual tension that can be cut with a knife. Graham just laughs every time. I
want to punch him for torturing me. A fire has been lit and it’s almost
impossible to put it out when he’s sitting this close.

I feel his touch before I see it. My palm’s facing up on the
mattress between the spaces that separate us. His pinky finger skims over the
sensitive skin of my wrist at first and every minute or two he’d add another
finger until his entire hand is skimming over mine trying to distract me. His
plan’s working.

I run my available hand over my chest a few times to try to
persuade my breathing to regulate. Graham having this effect on me isn’t a
surprise. Still, I feel like a junior high love sick puppy.

Graham lets out a soft laugh as he watches me fall into a
delirium that he’s guilty of causing. He shuts the cover of his textbook
pushing his notebooks forward long with them. I know what his intentions are. I
choose not to move a muscle. I’m not going to give into his game that he has
started. I sit quietly making an effort to pretend I don’t notice his body
humming next to mine.

He brushes my hair from my shoulder moving it gently to the
side exposing my neck. He places a soft kiss on the nape. I sit silently
reading the same sentence that I had started at the beginning of this charade.
I feel his tongue trace along my collarbone catching all of my attention. I
managed to keep myself under control until he hits that spot. The exact spot he
knows will drive me mad.

My body shivers under his lips as they release from the
sensitive skin behind my ear.

 “God dammit, Graham,” I shout with my breathing
uncontrollable. I throw my text book onto his pile pushing him down into the
mattress. My leg swings over the top of him to straddle his hard body.

“Why’d you have to go and do that?” I lean down kissing him
along his strong jawline. His hands explore my back slipping beneath my tank
top.

“What do you mean?” Graham whispers into my ear acting
innocent with a faint laugh that he’s holding back.

I sit up glaring down at Graham who so happens to be in a
fit of laughter beneath me. I slap him playfully across the chest. He works
quickly to grab ahold of my wrist to hold me in place.

“It’s embarrassing, Graham.” I admit shyly.

“I like knowing that I can get that type of reaction from
you.” And he does it again causing my body to quake against his. I can feel
just how much he likes it. The evidence is budding against the spot that yearns
for him to touch most. I understand what he means by feeling satisfied knowing
that you are capable of making someone turned on.

“Touch me,” I whisper into his ear catching him by surprise
grabbing his hand and moving it closer to the spot where I was aching. He pulls
his hand back.

“While your parents are in the other room?” Graham questions
my demand. By the look in his eyes this is just a precautionary statement. He
wants to just as badly as I want him to.

“Well if you’re not up for the challenge,” I sit up looking
down at him. I subconsciously gave myself a high five for being so blunt.

“Trust me, I’m up for the challenge. The real question is
will you be able to stay quiet?” Graham flashes his impeccable smile at me.

He pushes me off of his lap lying me down on the mattress
beside him. His lips meet mine with the same eagerness that can only happen
between the two of us. His hands move down my body taking his time to burn the
feeling into my skin. The warmth can be felt through my thin tank top. His hand
brushes against my breast on the slow descent to my shorts where I’m waiting
impatiently for him.

When he finally makes his way to the elastic band on my
shorts he teases me. I lift my hips to try to urge him on. This subtle hint
makes him smirk. It could have been seconds or it could have been days as far
as I’m concerned. I’m learning that moments with Graham cause me to lose track
of any measurement of time. I used to be concerned with structure and rules. He
makes me throw all my rules out the window.

I meet his hand as it glides over my hip placing mine over
the top of his. Guiding his willing fingers with mine into my underwear, I
direct him to the exact spot that’s calling to him as if it’s his own personal
beacon.

Graham’s breathing speeds up along with mine. I can feel his
heart beating against my arm that’s pushed against his chest.

He breaks our kiss. “Jesus Christ, Kennedy. What the hell?”
his says with such want. He follows my silent instructions to a tee. My body
quivers around his fingers as my release gets closer. He owes me after
torturing me with every intentional touch and graze he delivered earlier.

“Holy shit,” I whisper as I feel my body’s satisfying
response. He kisses me on the lips quickly pulling back to take a look at me.

“I’m going to say something and I don’t want you to take it
the wrong way, but where did that come from? That was the hottest thing anyone
has ever done to me,” he whispers down at me trying to keep his voice down so
my parents don’t hear him.

I blush immediately. “I think it has more to do with you
than it has to do with me. Every time you touch me it’s like I can’t get enough
of you.” He brushes a loose strand of hair behind my ear. I know I should feel
self-conscious from my little impromptu confession. Surprisingly, I don’t feel
a hint of blush crossing my cheeks as it usually does in Graham’s presence.

“I know what you mean,” he smiles at me. I feel my heart
beat just a bit harder against my ribcage in an effort to escape into his
waiting arms.