Page 97 of Accidental Roommates

“I’ll get you some ice,” I say when we’re home.

“I don’t need any.” She drops her heels on the floor. “It feels okay now. I just want to go to bed.”

She walks down the hall and goes in her room.

I don’t like this. The distance between us. The silence. Not being able to talk it out. It’s not us.

Since the day we met, Kenzie and I have been friends. Friends who can say most anything to each other. We’ve laughed. We’ve cried. We’ve stayed up all night talking. Now things have changed between us and I need to fix it.

Going down to her room, I stop at her door and notice it’s cracked open. I push it open more and see her lying on her bed, staring up at the ceiling.

“Kenzie, about tonight, I know I was out of line, and I’m sorry.”

She nods. “Okay.”

“I’m serious.” I go over and sit beside her. “I shouldn’t have acted that way. I was angry, aggressive, overprotective. I have no right to be any of those things. It’s just that when I saw you with Dan, I… I didn’t react well. Guess I’m just not used to you dating. I know I need to be okay with it and accept that not every guy’s an ass, but I’m not there yet.”

Kenzie’s still staring at the ceiling. “You should go out with her.”

“Who?”

“Rhea. She really likes you.”

“But I don’t like her. I mean, she’s okay, but I don’t feel anything for her.”

“You just need to get to know her. We agreed we’d get out there and date so you might as well go out with her at least once.” She pauses. “Have other girls asked you out?”

“A few. All girls I met at the gym.”

“Why didn’t you go out with them?”

“I didn’t want to. I didn’t feel like it.”

“Because you’re not over Nikki?”

“It’s not about Nikki.”

“Then why?” I feel Kenzie’s eyes on me, but I don’t look at her. I know she wants answers, but I don’t have them.

“Can we talk tomorrow? I’m getting tired.”

She sits up and checks the clock. “It’s only ten.”

I get up and walk to the door. “Goodnight.”

I go to my room, and just as I’m about to close the door, I hear Kenzie’s voice.

“Why’d you act like that?”

Kenzie’s standing in my doorway, wearing that hot-as-hell dress, her feet bare, her tiny toenails painted in a red that matches her dress. My eyes move up her body, past her sexy curves, to her beautiful face.

“Answer me,” she demands. “Why’d you act like that tonight? If you knew it was wrong, then why’d you do it?”

Why is she pushing this? Why now? When I’m angry and frustrated, and wanting her so bad I can barely stand it. She shouldn’t be near me right now, especially when she looks so damn hot.

“Answer me, Jace. Why’d you act like that?”

She needs to stop asking, because the answers will lead to us crossing that line I said I’d never cross.

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