Pregame(19)

"You never said anything," Jade replied.





Reese spoke up, his baritone only slightly deeper than Wes's. "Well, I  wasn't positive they'd spring me, and I wanted to surprise my little  bro."





Reese looked over at me, studying me longer than I was comfortable with,  but I took that moment to do the same. His hair was longer than Wes's,  his bangs flopping into his face like Gabe's did. He had the same blue  eyes but they were a shade darker, and he had a little cut on his cheek,  clearly having just shaved before Jade and I had arrived. His face was  less defined, and he had a bump on his nose that indicated he had broken  it at some point. He had tattoos as well, except his were also in  color, and they filled both of his arms completely. I could also see  that there were some on his chest, too, through the thin material of his  white shirt. He was similar in build but his waist was wider than Wes's  and he was maybe an inch shorter from what I could tell.





"Reese, this is Brookelyn. Brookelyn, this is my brother, Reese," Wes made the introductions although they were unnecessary.





Reese swung his gaze between us a few times, ultimately training his  eyes on me. His gaze dropped to my cleavage and I instantly regretted my  choice of clothing. Wes followed his gaze, his eyes widening, and  grabbed my jacket, pulling the two flaps together and zipping it up.





"Fuck, Brookleyn, what are you wearing?" Wes said, disapprovingly.





His brother snorted, "I think she looks great, little brother."





"Shut up, Reese."





Reese threw his head back and let out a hoot of laughter, "No fuckin' way, man. You went and got yourself a leash?"





Wes turned to his brother and leveled him with a glare, and Reese put his hands up defensively.





"Chill man, I'm just fuckin' with ya!"





"Remember who's giving you a place to stay." Wes threatened, and I  immediately felt bad. They had been having a great time and then I had  shown up and made them argue. Reese saw my expression and shook his head  letting me know everything was good.





"Can we get a pizza or something'? I feel like a deprived man." Reese  said as he got up from the couch and grabbed a beer from the  refrigerator, tossing Luke another one as well.





"Sounds good to me! The numbers on the fridge. We'll hit up Dusty's after." Luke threw back, catching the beer with one hand.





Reese pulled out his phone and dialed, walking into the other room to talk.





"Seriously, why are you dressed like that?" Wes whispered so that only I could hear.                       
       
           



       





"I wanted you to kiss me," I admitted, feeling foolish.





"Brooke, you don't have to bare your tits to make me want to kiss you." He replied, teasing.





"I'm not trying to make you want to kiss me," I clarified, "I'm trying to make you actually do it."





"You know the deal, Brookelyn." He said, and I could see that he was enjoying my torment. I narrowed my eyes at him.





"Fine." I said, unzipping Savanna's jacket and slipping it off. I heard  Jade and Luke start laughing in front of us but my gaze was trained to  Wes. He was wide eyed, but his jaw was clenched. I could see his  internal battle flash through his eyes.





"Stop it," He exclaimed, no longer whispering. He reached for my jacket  but I grabbed it first and threw it to Jade. She caught it, laughing  loudly, enjoying the scene.





Reese walked back over to the couch reclaiming his seat. He looked over  at Jade and Luke who were in hysterics and then over to Wes and me,  taking in Wes's pissed off expression and my smug one.





"What's going on?" He questioned, his gaze shifting between all four of us.





"Wes won't kiss me." I stated, shooting a smirk in Wes's direction.





"Shit, man, why not?" Reese nudged Wes's shoulder but Wes's gaze never  left mine. "Hell, if you won't do it, I sure as hell don't mind."





The next moment I'm in the air. Wes had lifted and thrown me over his shoulder, carrying me towards his bedroom.





"Oooh, the bedroom! Should we turn the TV up loud, bro?" Reese yelled to  Wes, snickering. Wes didn't reply but I felt him move his head so I  could only imagine the look he gave his big brother.





When we got inside Wes's room he placed me on the bed and bent down so  that we were eye level. I took a second to look around. Everything  seemed to be exactly as it had been when I had woken up here after the  fraternity party. The only difference was that Wes was in here. The  thought made my heart do crazy things.





"So you want a kiss, huh?" Wes asked, but it was more of a statement than a question. I nodded eagerly.





"Okay," I looked down to his lips, surprised by his digression, but also  anticipating the feel of his lips on mine. "Then tell me what scares  you."





I sighed and he smirked. I should've known that he wouldn't give in so easily.





"Clowns." I said, but he only shook his head.





"Try again." He challenged.





"Spiders?"





"Nope."





"The DMV."





He chuckled lightly but just shook his head. "One more chance, Brooke."





I was torn. I wanted to be honest with Wes, not just for a kiss, but  also because he had been so trusting and honest with me. But I also knew  that everything would change if I was, and I didn't know if it would be  worth it.





"C'mon, Brookelyn. You can trust me." I could see the sincerity in his eyes and he asked me once more. "What scares you?"





I took a deep breath and avoided his gaze, "Men."





TWELVE





Wes was silent as he moved from in front of me, taking a seat beside me  on his bed. He let out a long breath and kept his eyes trained in front  of him.





"Are you going to go into more detail than that?" he asked, his voice a gentle caress.





I shook my head. "No."





"You don't trust me?" he questioned, and I could hear the hurt that he was trying hard to mask.





"I trust you, Wes. I just don't want to talk about it."





"Are you afraid of me?" he sounded worried and I hated that he thought  that I might be afraid of him. I placed my hand on his cheek and rubbed  my thumb in a small circle, his skin smooth under my touch.





"No."





"Promise?"





"I promise, Wes. I wouldn't be here if I was." I assured him, and he accepted my answer with a nod of his head.





"You do realize I'm imagining all sorts of crazy shit right now, right?" He said.





"Yes, but I don't want you to worry about it. Your brother just got  home. You should be celebrating that, not worrying about me."





"You'll tell me eventually?" He said, hopeful and pleading.





"Yes, when I am ready to." I promised.





We sat there silently for a few moments, just looking at one another.





"Do I get my kiss?" I teased, trying to lighten the mood.                       
       
           



       





"Yes," he replied, and my heart lurched in my chest. "But not right now."





"What?!" I cried, and he chuckled.





He got up and walked over to his dressed, pulling out a black long sleeved thermal and tossed it to me.





"Put this on." I opened my mouth to argue, "I'm going to kiss you, but  not while you're expecting it. Now put that on and cover yourself up,  please."

"You're killing me!" I wailed, pulling his shirt over my head. It was  loose and I looked like a toddler prancing around in my mother's  clothes.





"C'mon, ugly, lets get back out there." Wes grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the door.





"Again with the ugly thing? Really?" I said, giving him a shove but laughing all the same.





"Originality, baby." Wes winked at me as we walked back into the living room.





"So does this mean you got that kiss?" Jade laughed, directed at Wes's thermal hanging off of my body.





I just rolled my eyes and shook my head, taking my original seat back on  the couch. There was a sports game now playing on the television and  Luke was swearing at it.





"Always such a tease with the ladies, little brother." Reese laughed. I  frowned, and Wes shot him a glare just as the doorbell rang. Wes got up  and paid the deliveryman, walking back into the room with three large  pizzas. Jade got up from Luke's lap and ventured into the kitchen,  returning with napkins and paper plates, as well as a couple of sodas.