“A junior transfer. How about you?”
“Second year. I’m also an Alpha Delta Phi, so you’re on my territory tonight.”
There isn’t a lot of room between me and the island, but he manages to eliminate whatever little space there was behind me, dipping his head to talk closer. His breath smells foul, so I turn my nose away as I step to the side, but Bobby James pretty much has a monopoly on the allotted space.
I move to the other side and make some headway when an arm wraps around my waist and yanks me over.
“Whoa!” I yell, steadying the beer that was almost knocked out of my hand.
Wes rights me with his other hand and lowers his gaze to make sure I’m okay. I give him a small nod.
“Hey, BJ,” Wes says with a huge smile plastered on his face as he pulls me in closer.
“For the hundredth time, it’s Bobby James,” he says, unamused.
“And I’m Wesley, but people call me Wes because that’s my nickname. So, BJ, what’s up? I see you met my Stacey.”
Wes swings his other arm around my waist, and I don’t pretend not to be confused and annoyed by this action.
Bobby James holds his arms up, as if he meant no foul. “Stacey and I have a class together. I was just saying hi.”
“Well, good. Hi. Bye. Now, scram.” Wes straightens his back.
With an eye roll, I look back to Bobby James. “You don’t have to go anywhere—” I say, but it’s too late.
The poor guy already took his beer and bolted out of the kitchen so fast that I think he left a trail of smoke.
“That wasn’t funny.” I push Wes away from me.
“Yeah, it was. That guy was trying to get with you. I just saved you the trouble of turning him down.”
“Maybe I wanted to talk to him.” Raising my chin, I stare up at him in defiance.
He crosses his arms in front of his chest and raises his brows. “Did you?”
“Well … no,” I stutter. “That’s beside the point. You ignore me for days, and now, you’re here, being the bad big brother.”
His smile falls as he closes the gap between us and narrows his eyes. “I’m not your brother.”
That damn stare of his enraptures me, and I find myself speechless as I get caught in the flecks of gold in his eyes. I want to say something—mostly how I’m not a game, or a new toy, or the next butt of his joke on life—but he looks down at my lips and lets out a light groan.
I wasn’t expecting that.
His lips part, and his eyes slightly widen as he stares at my mouth.
I bite my lip and let my chest rise with the nervous pounding inside it.
“Wes!” a girl calls out his name.
That steely gaze he was giving me a moment ago is gone as he quickly lifts his head in her direction and gives a cheesy-ass smile.
The girl has bleach-blonde hair and fake boobs, which bounce out of her shirt as she runs through the packed crowd toward him. I don’t like to stereotype, but this chick looks like a total bimbo.
She wraps her arms around Wes, and he allows her advances, though he doesn’t return her excitement in their exchange.
My eyes are bugging out of my head as Nicole comes over to me and pulls me out of the kitchen.
“Drink.” She lifts my elbow and encourages me to down my untouched beer.
“He’s such a jerk,” I shout as I take a gulp. “You owe me money, by the way. I told you they were going to ruin my night.”
She lifts an eyebrow. “I distinctly remember you saying they were going to ruin your night. Chad doesn’t seem to care. Now, Wes, on the other hand—”
“Is maddening,” I fume and then see my brother heading our way.
“There’s my girl.” Chad slides his hand into Nicole’s back pocket. “The guys scored the back deck. Let’s go chill out there.”
We head outside, where I suddenly feel like I can breathe with the huge contrast to the chaos of the party inside. The wide-open space contains an L-shaped sofa on a back terrace with three Adirondack chairs around a large coffee table on the other side. Chad takes a seat on an Adirondack chair and pulls Nicole down onto his lap while I score a spot on the end of the sofa.
I recognize Matt and Adam, and I’m introduced to one other guy, who’s a freshman named Billy. When I learn Wes has taken him under his wing, I want to both smile and be upset after hearing he treats him like a little brother but yet makes my life a living hell.
Everyone is talking and laughing, enjoying the night and listening to the muffled music coming from inside. Chad and Nicole are sitting next to me, whispering into each other’s ears, and then they get up and disappear from the lounge area, leaving me with the rest of the group.
I long ago finished my drink and am sitting here when someone comes out and takes Chad’s seat.
“You’re new here,” he says as soon as he sees me.
I grin. “Sure am. I’m Stacey.”
He runs a hand through his blond hair, and I notice his necklace. He’s got a surfer-style vibe about him and a great smile that glows against his dark skin.
“Nathan Brisbane.” He extends a hand. “I’m a second baseman for Cal.”
I bite the inside of my cheek to hide my need to laugh. Wes said that saying you’re a ball player makes you a magnet for women. Nathan must use this badge of honor the same way.
“Do you have any other qualities besides throwing a ball?” I ask.
His head tilts in surprise. “I do actually. Surfing, building amazing bonfires, and guitar. What about you?”
“Swimming, baking, and yoga.”
He nods his head, as if to say, Right on. “Maybe I can get you out on the water someday.”
“I’d like that.”
“No, you wouldn’t,” Wes says as he pushes me over to steal the space between the end of the couch and me. “What up, Nate?”
I roll my eyes, putting my hand up to stop him. “That’s enough. You can leave now.”
“I take it, you know Wes?” Nathan asks.
“Unfortunately, yes. He’s my brother’s best friend.”
“Ah. You’re Brightmore’s sister.” Nate nods while taking a drink of his beer. “He … how shall I say this? He warned us about you.”
“You mean, warned you about hitting on her,” Wes states.
Nate turns to me and asks, “Seems like Wes is the one wanting to keep you to himself. Are you sure he’s just a friend?”
Both Wes and I answer in unison, “Yes.”
Nathan laughs, big and loud. “Well then, Wes, I’ll take Stacey here and keep a close eye on her if you want to go have some fun of your own. Don’t worry—”
“Over my dead body,” Wes says matter-of-factly before he drinks from a beer bottle.
Nathan leans forward and whispers even though he knows Wes can hear every word he says, “I think you got yourself a bit of a problem with this one.” He rises and looks down at me. “If you want to hang, you can find me inside. It was really nice to meet you, Stacey. Really, really nice.”
Nathan winks as he walks inside, and I glare at Wes.
“I thought you were preoccupied with the big-boobed blonde in the kitchen.”