Worth the Risk (The Game #4)(59)
Author: Emma Hart

“You would be if the aim wasn’t at people’s heads!”

“Hey – don’t underestimate me. I can apparently throw a ball, plus I’m fast, strong, and I’m agile. I might just surprise you.”

“You’re not a f**king race horse, Iz,” Kyle shoots at her.

“You know any race horses that can throw a ball?”

“Well. No.”

“Shut it then, before you get a ball to the side of the head too.” She puts her hands on her hips. “Alright, you’ve dragged us over here, now what are we doing?”

Kyle’s hands clamp onto my shoulders and he steers me across his yard, and Si does the same to Iz.

“Stand here. When you catch the ball, throw it,” Kyle tells me.

“Throw it where?” I raise my eyebrows.

“Either at Mark or Ben, okay?”

“Um, okay. I’d rather no one threw the ball to me, if I’m honest.”

He laughs as he backs off, and Iz and I share a wary look. What the f**k are we doing here? The ball goes flying through the air, and we both stand where we are, not moving at all, just watching it move.

We have been coerced into this, after all.

And I have no idea what they’re doing or if we’re even supposed to be doing anything.

“Roxy!” Ben yells my name, and before I can blink, I see the ball come flying at me. And Kyle.

Kyle comes flying at me and knocks me to the ground.

“Oomph!” I take a deep breath and smack his arm. “What the hell did you do that for?”

“It’s my job to take down the unsuspecting girl who’s doing nothing but standing and looking pretty.”

Right. “I think you’ve changed that rule.”

“Maybe a little. But only so I can do this.” He cups my neck with his hand and touches his lips to mine, his other hand resting on my side.

“Mhmm. Can we keep this rule?”

“Most definitely,” he replies, lowering his mouth to mine again.

Definitely the best game of football I’ve ever played.

Epilogue – Kyle

Roxy walks around our apartment, her eyes calculating every inch of space. It’s not the biggest place, but it’s the perfect size for two people. She managed to get a job in a café downtown before we left Oregon. I told her we’d be fine until after Christmas between our savings, but she insisted she’d go crazy sitting here by herself all day, so I let her get on with it. Besides, it’ll be good for her to meet some of the people round here.

Here.

I still can’t believe she’s here. In California. With me.

Being mine.

“I think we need to paint, but other than that, it’s cool.”

I walk up to her and wrap my arms around her waist. “Is that your expert opinion?”

She nods with a small smile on her face. “The color on walls here doesn’t match the furniture, and the bedroom could do with a repaint. And a bit of color in the bathroom would be nice. White is boring.”

“Is that right?”

“Yep. Some photos too, and some other little bits, and it’ll be perfect.”

“You sound like you’re staying here for the long haul.”

“How do you know I’m not?” She raises her eyebrows at me and puts her hands on my chest.

I bend my face toward hers. “I was under the impression you were moving to LA next year.”

“Don’t be a dick,” she mutters, sliding her hands up and around my neck. “We both know I’m staying in Berkeley. Someone needs to wash your socks.”

“And someone needs to keep your ass in check.”

“You know, I like the way you keep my ass in check.”

I touch my lips to hers and smile. My hand slides down to her body, cups her ass, and I pull her hips to mine. “I think it needs keeping in check now. In our bedroom.”

She laughs and kisses me, her lips soft against mine. I walk backward, tugging her with me, and kiss her more firmly. Her tongue snakes against my mouth, and she nips my bottom lip, making me grow hard. I move to pick her up and…

The f**king buzzer goes.

I sigh and push the button. “Yes?”

“Let us in!” Megan yells through the intercom. Roxy raises an eyebrow.

“Who’s us?”

“Me and Maddie!”

“Do you have to come up right now? Can’t you come back later?”

“We want to meet your girlfriend!” Maddie shouts. “Let us up now, Kyle, or we’ll ring all these buzzers until someone does!”

“I have no doubt about it,” I mutter dryly. “Okay, come up.”

I release the button and look at Roxy.

“Rabid fan base?” she asks.

“Two of the girls who have attitudes to rival yours. This should be fun,” I finish when there’s a knock at the door. I open it. “Roxy, meet Megan and Maddie.”

“Um, hi?” Roxy says uncertainly.

“She’s real pretty,” Megan says.

“Yeah.” Maddie looks at me. “How did you manage that one, Kyle?”

Here we go. “She’s smart and clever.”

“I don’t doubt it,” she says. “I’m wondering what she’s doing with you, though. That’s definitely a blip in the intelligence.”

I give her a gentle shove with my elbow. “Be nice, you two.”

“We’ll be nice to her.” Megan grins. “You’re a different story.”

Roxy smiles at her from her position leaning against the wall. “That happens a lot, huh?”

I wrap my arm around her shoulders. “Yeah, you girls are always mean to me. Especially you.” I poke her side and she slaps my stomach.

“You make it too easy,” she replies. “Taking candy from a baby would be harder.”

“I like her!” Maddie announces. “She’s gonna fit in well here.”

“Hey, are you going to Berkeley?” Megan asks her.

“Next year,” Roxy answers. “I got dragged down here by Kyle this year. I was hoping for another year of peace before I got stuck with him again, but no such luck.”

“Oh, you know each other from before then?” Megan looks between us.

“Yeah, she’s crushed on me since she was fourteen,” I offer.

“Not that it means anything,” Roxy adds. “Because he’s crushed on himself since he was about ten.”

My lips twist. Damn girl.