“Thank you,” I said, taking a step toward him. “I was looking for the bathroom and Crush took me by surprise, otherwise you know I would have taken him down a notch. But, seriously, thanks for stepping in.”
Wes nodded, but still didn’t respond, which drove me a little crazy.
“You didn’t have to … I’m sure you didn’t want to … but I appreciate the assist. From you, and your brother. I know neither of you are my biggest fans.”
His expression gave nothing away, but finally he said, “I’m surprised to see you here.”
“Yeah, me too,” I said with a half shrug. “Jude asked me to come. He’s got something planned for Starla.”
Wes looked over my shoulder, then back at me. He crossed his arms over his chest, which really showcased the fact that he’d been working out in the last year. A lot. I knew he’d been looking to join the swim team when we met, but now his swimmer’s body was totally defined.
Broad shoulders and back, with a tapered waist and defined muscles.
Before, he was hot in a sweet, kinda nerdy, good guy kind of way. This Wes was on a completely different level.
He took two steps toward me, his intense gaze never leaving my face, and I just stood there, taking him in and wondering what was going to happen next. I swallowed audibly, more affected by him than I cared to acknowledge, but I couldn’t look away.
Wes had me totally mesmerized.
“Are they finally gonna hook up?” he asked softly, his body just inches away from mine.
I looked up at him, suddenly aware of how big he was. Not just his chest and shoulders, but his height. I felt small in comparison.
“I think so,” I whispered, my mouth suddenly dry.
Wes dipped his head so that his lips were a breath away from my ear.
I held myself completely still as he asked, “And what is it that you want? Who do you desire?”
“Desire?” I asked, the word coming out like a gasp.
What the hell is happening? And, why did those syllables on Wes’s lips cause goosebumps to erupt on my skin?
His lips brushed my neck, just under my ear, and I felt my knees weaken. Then, before I could decide whether to punch him in the stomach or put my hands all over that magnificent body, he was gone.
“See ya around,” I heard Wes say, but by the time I came back from that out-of-body experience, he was already halfway to the Deltas.
“What?” I whispered, my hand going to my neck, as if to hold his barely there kiss in place.
I blinked twice, moved my legs to make sure I could take a step without falling to the ground, and went in search of the Taus and Jude, completely forgetting the whole purpose of my walk to find the bathroom.
By the time I reached the scene of Jude’s West Side Story setup, I’d almost convinced myself that I’d imagined the whole exchange with Wes.
I mean, that guy looked like Wes, but he certainly hadn’t acted like him, so I must have dreamt him up or something, right?
“Hey, have you seen Starla yet?” Jude asked, his face panicked.
“No, but she’s on her way. See?” I lifted my phone to show him her last text.
“Holy, shit, am I really doing this?”
“Yes,” I told him. “It’s gonna be great.”
“Promise?” he asked.
And, although there was that one percent chance Starla would freak out and put up a wall, thus breaking Jude’s heart, I had to believe she wanted him too much to do so.
“I promise.”
Jude let out a breath and gave me a shaky smile.
“Better get in our places, then.”
I gave him a thumb’s up and moved to where I was supposed to wait for Starla, my eyes drifting over the area as I watched everyone take their positions.
This was kind of exciting, yet stressful at the same time.
I wanted things to work out for my best friends so badly, that I almost wished momentarily that Jude wasn’t doing this. If Star did refuse him, everything would change. There was no way he’d continue to live with us, and life as we knew it would be over.
“Don’t think like that, she’s going to say yes,” I muttered to myself.
Then, suddenly, she was there, smiling and waving at me before linking her arm in mine and saying, “I am so ready to party tonight. Thanks for agreeing to meet us, I know how hard this is for you.”
“I love you, Star,” I told her, my stomach humming with nerves.
“Aww, love you, too, Trix.”
I led her over to the spot Jude had instructed me too, then kissed her on the cheek and said, “Be a doll and wait right here.”
She gave me a confused smile, but said, “Okay…”
As soon as I backed away, the music started, and Jude came out of the crowd. My eyes filled as I watched my friends, terrified of what the next few minutes would hold.
Starla laughed when she recognized the music, then her expression turned puzzled as Jude started to dance.
“Dance with me,” I heard him say, and, always one to play along, Starla did just that.
His moves weren’t perfect, but hers were, and my eyes filled as I watched realization dawn on her face as Jude sang along to the music, his expression conveying everything he felt for her.
When the song ended, they stood in front of each other, and the moment was so powerful I had to look away. It felt too private. Then, I heard the crowd start cheering and I turned back to see Starla in Jude’s arms as they shared their first kiss.
I covered my mouth with my hand as a couple tears escaped of their own volition, and my heart soared for my best friends in the whole world.
And as I celebrated with them, I wondered if it was possible for me to have something just as perfect.
Six
Wes
Holy, shit … I did it!
I walked away from Trixie without looking back, a huge grin on my face.
I don’t know what came over me, but when I saw Crush in her face, I channeled my inner Lucifer and stood up in a way I never had.
And then after, when Trixie and I were alone, I almost couldn’t believe it had been me interacting with her. I mean, I kissed her neck for crying out loud. I’d been aloof, strong, and more take-charge than ever, and she’d seemed completely into it.
I thought I’d even felt her tremble a bit.
It was awesome.
I joined the Deltas feeling like a whole new man, and hoped I could keep the good vibes going for the rest of the night.
“You all good?” Ridge asked, handing me a beer.
“Yeah, thanks for having my back.”
“Anytime,” he replied, although he didn’t need to. Ridge always had and always would be there for me and Brody, it was the one thing in life I knew without a fraction of doubt.
“Trixie okay?”
“Yeah, she didn’t seem to bothered by Crush. I’m just glad I saw her before he did anything other than yell at her. I mean, I always knew he was an ass, but I hope he wouldn’t have gotten physical with her.”
“I don’t think he would, but I guess you never know what a guy will do when he’s on edge like that. It’s a good thing you got there when you did.” Ridge looked at me thoughtfully and asked, “So, is that the first time you’ve seen her since it all went down?”
“I’ve seen her around campus a few times, but it’s the first time we’ve talked.”
Ridge nodded as he glanced around the rapidly filling street.
“You know, we wouldn’t hold it against you if you brought her around,” he said slowly, his blue eyes stopping on my face, completely sincere. “I know you really liked her, and it fucked you up a bit, what she did, but if you found it in you to forgive her, that’d be enough for me.”
“I don’t know if the rest of the house would feel the same,” I replied with a dry laugh.
“I’ll handle Delta, you just do what you gotta do, yeah?”
I looked up at my brother, feeling the love that I kne
w he couldn’t express with words.
“Thanks, man.”
“Anything for you, bro,” he said simply, then left me with a quick grin.
“What was that about?” Brody asked, coming up from my left, his arms full of blow-up palm trees.
“Just Ridge being Ridge,” I replied, knowing he’d get it.
“Cool. You get enough sleep?”
“Yeah, thanks again for that. I don’t know how long I would’ve lasted tonight without it.”
“No problem,” Brody said, then asked, “You think you could help me set up the mock beach area?”
“Sure thing.”
I helped Brody, then some of the other pledges with more odd jobs, and before I knew it, the party was in full swing. Everywhere you looked for three blocks, there were scantily clad co-eds, some even in bikinis, and more booze than was probably wise.
“Here, you deserve this,” Brody said, offering me a cold one.
“Thanks, you done for now?” I asked, tilting my head toward the beer he held for himself.
“Yup, off the clock until the a.m., wanna walk around?”
“Sure.”
We moved through the crowd, talking and laughing at the odd drunk person, before pausing to watch a very familiar raven-haired girl throw balls at the dunk booth.
“Isn’t that your girl?” Brody asked.
I chuckled and thought, I wish, but what I said to my brother was, “Yeah, that’s Trixie, and wow, look at the arm on her.”
We watched as the smirky frat boy’s grin fell to shock seconds before he plunged into the water.
“You should go talk to her.”
I shook my head and started walking again.
“Nah, not yet. We had a little moment earlier and I want to keep that fresh in her mind. If I talk to her now I’ll probably mess it all up.”
“Oh God, tell me you didn’t try out your Lucifer Alpha Male mind tricks on her,” my brother said, his tone mocking.
“Actually,” I replied, unable to contain my grin, “I did. And … it worked perfectly.”
“Wes, you don’t need to change who you are to get a girl. I don’t know if you realize it, but us Temple boys … we’re a fuckin’ catch. All of us, even you.”
I punched his arm good-naturedly, but my voice was serious when I replied, “Look, I know who I am and my ranking when it comes to the Temple brothers, and that’s dead last. Ridge has also used money to make himself stand out. He figured if he had the clothes and the car, the shit that happened when we were younger wouldn’t matter. Of course, he was wrong, and I think we all realized that after what went down last Thanksgiving, but he always made it work for him.”
Brody stopped and stared at me, his eyes narrowing in a way that let me know he didn’t like what I was saying; still, I held my hand up and said, “Let me finish…”
“Now you, you’ve always been the easy going one. Yeah, you have money and like nice things, but you aren’t flashy about it. You like to have fun, party, and have never had a problem with the ladies … you or Ridge.”
“I, on the other hand, am totally different.” I sighed, ignored the fact that Brody looked ready to punch me, and finished my explanation. “I’ve only ever had one girlfriend, and that was more of a friendship that outsiders took to be more. Cynthia and I did everything together because it was easy, not because there was any great love between us. I’ve always been the momma’s boy, the middle son who wasn’t as handsome as Ridge, or as fun as you, and I was okay with that. I had my game room, my buddies, and the swim team. But now? Now that we’re away from our hometown and starting fresh, away from the chaos of our childhood, I’ve realized that I’d like to be seen as something more.”
“Shit, Wes, I didn’t know you felt that way. That sucks, man. I’m sorry if I ever…”
“Stop,” I said, cutting him off. “You and Ridge are great. The best brothers a guy could have, honestly. This is all me. Last year I got by living life the same way I always had, but I’ve begun to realize I don’t have to do that anymore. I can be whoever I want to be, and no, that doesn’t mean I’m going to do a one-eighty and become someone else, it just means I’ve taken the time to reflect … to reevaluate myself, and I’m open to trying new things.”
“Wes, I don’t know what’s going on in your head, but being with only one girl and enjoying hanging out and playing video games with your buddies rather than partying and playing the field doesn’t mean you’re less than us. And that thing you said about being the lowest-ranking Temple brother is bullshit.”
Brody’s gaze was intense.
“Ridge may be our protector, but, Wes, you’re the best of us. And, you may not notice the way these girls look at you, but, brother, they do. If you took your blinders off, maybe you’d realize what a fucking catch you are. If you want that Trixie chick, go for it, and if not, find someone else, but I don’t want to hear you talking shit about yourself like that again. Got it?”
I blinked at him, my mind reeling from everything he just said.
“Got it,” I replied, putting my arm around his shoulders briefly for a half-hug before letting him go. “Thanks, bro.”
Brody gave a sharp nod, then grinned and said, “Now, let’s go find some trouble.”
Seven
Trixie
I’d had to sleep with noise-cancelling headphones on.
Starla and Jude alone were not quiet … Together, they were a damn symphony of sexual pleasure.
If I wasn’t so happy for them, I’d have been disgusted. As it was, I’d had to leave before they came out of the bedroom, because I wasn’t quite ready to look them in the face. Not after Starla’s rendition of Hey Jude during climax.
I was rushing across campus, head down, intent on stopping by the office when I heard someone call out my name.
My head swung up and my stomach dropped when I saw Karrie crossing toward me, her backpack slung over one shoulder, and welcoming smile on her face.
I’d purposefully avoided Karrie since last year. After all, she was Ridge’s girlfriend and close with Wes, so that made things awkward. Plus, she’d been there for the whole makeover debacle, and had been one of the people I’d fooled for the sake of my story.
Unfortunately, I’d really liked her, liked all of them except Crush, actually, so every time I caught a glimpse of her blonde curls, I’d run in the other direction like a coward.
There was no avoiding her now as her combat boots ate up the pavement.
Karrie had a grungy style and an I don’t give a fuck attitude, which made her really easy to like, and as she came up to a stop next to me, I felt a twinge at the lost opportunity of friendship.
“Trixie, it’s so good to see you, how’ve you been?” she asked, leaning forward to hug me quickly.
“Uh,” I managed, completely shocked at the welcome. Not just from the touching, but the genuine pleasure in her voice. “It’s good to see you, too, Karrie.”
“It’s been way too long, and honestly, I thought you’d kind of washed your hands of all of us,” Karrie began, talking rapidly. “But, once Ridge told me about what happened last night, and Brody mentioned he and Wes had seen you, I hoped you’d be open to me reaching out.”
“You wanted to … reach out?” I asked, unable to hide my surprise.
“Yeah, of course. I always thought you were cool, and although I knew Ridge and Wes were taken aback by the article, I understood why you wrote it.”
“You did?”
God, I sound like a moron, desperate for acceptance.
Karrie nodded.
“Crush was a total pig, and even Ridge agreed from the beginning that his makeover idea was bullshit. We only played along because there was something we both wanted out of the deal, just like you … so I can get where you’re coming from on two levels … as a woman, and as a person who used the Delta makeover BS for her own gain.”
Her grin turned saucy as she added, “Plus, I got a bonus benefit … my sexy boyfriend.”
I couldn’t help but laugh with her as relief flooded my system. I didn’t need her approval for what I’d done, since I felt justified in my reasoning, but it sure felt good to have it. Especially since she was someone that I really liked.
“You sure did,” I agreed. Although Ridge wasn’t the type of guy I was interested in, I’d seen them together a few times, and I could tell they were really good for each other. Kind of balanced each other out. “And, thanks, hearing you say that means a lot.”
“Where are you headed?” she asked.
“To the paper. You?”
“I’m meeting some friends at the library to study. I love living with Ridge, but sometimes it’s hard to focus on my studies, if you get my drift.”
“Totally,” I said with a knowing smile. “Of course, in my case it’s not me having the fun distraction, it’s my roommates … That’s why I’m on my way to the paper on a Sunday morning, rather than lying in bed where I should be.”
“Ah,” Karrie muttered. “Well, if you aren’t doing anything later, we’re getting together at Wes and Brody’s for dinner. The guys will most likely play video games while I ignore them and read. It would be great to have someone there I could actually talk to.”
At Wes’s name my body warmed in a peculiar and frankly unwanted way, even as the thought of hanging out with Karrie and the brothers sounded fun.
“Oh, I don’t know … I mean, I know they helped me out yesterday, but that was really the first time I’ve talk to them since everything went down. Plus, I’ve never even met their younger brother. I don’t know if I’d be welcome…”
“Trixie, believe me, you’re welcome. In fact, I could call Wes right now and double check if that would make you feel better. He’s probably at the pool,” she said as she pulled out her phone.
“No,” I practically shouted, reaching out as if to take her phone from her, before catching myself and dropping my hand. “That’s not necessary. Sorry, didn’t mean to yell, it’s just, he was acting a little strange last night … he seemed different.”
Frat House Confessions--Wes--Frat House Confessions, Book 2 Page 3
