From The Wreckage - Complete (68 page)

There is nothing more appealing to West than the sight of Jules when she is laughing. He is standing in the large backyard of the Sigma fraternity house watching Jules as she plays volleyball with her friends, Jeff, and several others. He can’t help but smile. Two weeks ago he’d been trying to force himself to let her go and now here they are. It’s one a.m., he’s wiped out from a hard played game and a long, hot bus ride home, and yet here is he at a frat party because he couldn’t stand not seeing her for another seven hours. 

“You’re so whipped,” he mumbles to himself, shaking his head and heading towards the court.

He navigates the groups of party goers with expert ease, dodging the groups he’s sure will try to stop and talk to him and giving others brief waves and nods. His internal GPS is set to Jules and nothing will detour him from that course. When the game is between serves, he sneaks to the back side of the pit, holding his hand up to wave off anyone from giving him away as he rushes Jules. Grabbing her by the waist, West picks her up and swings her around as she squeals.

“Room for one more?” he asks, laughing as Jules recognizes him.

“West!”

Jules spins, jumping up and into his arms the moment he places her bare feet in the sand; her sand-covered hands grasp his neck and pull his lips to hers.

“We’re in the middle of a game, Romeo. Take your girl off the court.” 

Recognizing Jeff’s voice, West lifts his hand and flips his best friend off as he tightens his grip on Jules to move them out of the way.

“Mmm, no,” Jules finally moans breaking their kiss. “We’re in the middle of a match. Play with us,” she invites as he sets her down for the second time. 

“No couples on a team!” Katie calls from across the net.

West smiles at Jules and looks around at the others playing. It’s a mix of football players, frat boys, Jess, Katie, and a few other girls he doesn’t know who stare back at him curiously.

“Do you mind?” he asks nobody in particular.

“Come on, Rutledge, get over here so we can finish kicking their ass.” 

“Oh? So I’m going over to the winning team then? Cool,” he teases, winking at Jules as he ducks under the net and puts himself opposite of her spot. 

“Not for long, Spike.”

He chuckles at her game face and gives her back a good gamely ribbing. “Yeah, babe. All five foot four inches of you at the net totally intimidates me.”

“Game on, Twelve.” 

The ball is served from behind his head, flying across the net where a tall blonde sets it for Jeff who jumps and tries to use his power to spike it. Unfortunately for him, West is there to jump up and block his aim.

“Denied!” he taunts as the ball deflects to the sand and West’s team wins a point.

West’s team rotates and Katie is up to serve. The ball barely makes it over the net where Jess is stationed. 

“Gah!” she yells as she brings her hands up to volley, missing the ball completely causing a shirtless frat boy to dive into the sand at her feet. He catches the ball before it hits the sand, sending it flying backwards and straight into Jeff who is ready and waiting for it. 

“Jules!” he shouts as he hits it up lightly in her direction and West grins as he watches Jules move. 

Her tan legs spring from the ground, and her long arm shoots forward, the slap of her palm making contact with the ball ringing out. The volleyball slices through the air and
SMACK!
knocks West right in the head before he even thinks to move. The move causes his team to groan and Jules’ team to laugh and high-five.

Jules gasps, covering her mouth, but not before he sees a smile. 

“You all right there, QB?” asks Scott, a tight end for A&M, as he picks the ball up and tosses it to Jules’ side. 

Jules mouths ‘sorry’ while he shakes the sand from his face and nods ruefully. “Yeah, just got distracted by a sexy little number, won’t happen again. Sorry, guys.”

The game goes on, West’s team is clearly the more superior team with more ballplayers on their side. For the most part, the game is a contest between the guys to serve aces or spike the ball. The girls, on the other hand, tend to shuffle in the sand; set the ball; or, in the case of Jess, scream when it flies at them. Jules impresses him, though. Each time she’s in position she sets, spikes, or volleys perfectly. Her serves are strong and she never cowers when going for a play. He’s had to restrain himself twice as he’s watched her throw herself to the ground to save a point. When Jeff knocks her to her knees hard as they both go for the ball he finally breaks.

“Dude, save it for the NFL!” West yells, ducking under the net and pushing Jeff aside as he tries to help Jules up.

“Chill out -” Jeff replies, throwing his hands up and taking a step back. 

“Chill out? You want my ass to plow into Katie and see how you feel?”

“West!” Jules snaps.

She’s helping herself up since he was too busy arguing with Jeff to actually offer her a hand. Her face is red and angry. Very, very angry. Brushing the sand from her legs, she pushes at West’s chest with a grunt.

“Get on your side.”

A smile breaks on his face at her feisty attitude and he moves to argue back at her, but thinks better of it when she narrows her eyes at him. Grateful the rest of the players are cutting up with each other and paying little attention to the skirmish, he moves back to his side of the net. Jeff taps Jules’ hip and West watches her turn, her brows raised as Jeff speaks a few low words to her. She nods with a smile, turning back to the game.

Three more points are scored for his team with little fuss and the match is won. 

“Drinks on JP!” one of the veteran players calls out as they high-five each other and make their way to the large bar set up under a newly constructed pavilion on the property.

West stops Jeff before he leaves the court. “Hey, I shouldn’t have jumped on you. Sorry, man.”

“She’s tough, bro. It’s all good.” 

 

West hangs back as Jules talks with two girls from her team and waits for them to leave before he approaches her. She hasn’t looked his way since she snapped at him and, while her anger is adorable, he doesn’t want to fight. He’s tired, more so after playing half a volleyball match, and wants to bring her to the nearest empty bed, snuggle up, and sleep. 

“Hey, tiger. Quite a performance there. Sure you don’t want to go out for the team?” he teases, hoping to bring back her smile. He’s rewarded with an icy glare. “Okay… clearly you’re not amused.”

She looks about, stepping into the grass and brushing her feet off to slip on her flip-flops. He follows her closely, causing her to bump into his chest when she turns back to him. His hands grasp at her wrists as she sighs heavily and steps back looking up at him. 

“
Clearly,
you think I’m made of porcelain.” 

“No.
Clearly
, I worry about you too much. I’m sorry; I was a prick to Jeff. I apologized.”

“And to me?” she asks pointedly.

“Baby -” he looks down at her with his hands pulling her wrists into his chest. She shakes her head as a small grin appears.

“Oh no you don’t, West Rutledge. You do not get to ‘baby’ me. I’m a big girl. I don’t need you going all caveman on me because a friend bumps into me. Your best friend, I might add.”

“I know.”

“I’m not made of glass and I can take care of myself, you know. I’ve grown a lot. I’m not the -”

She rambles and West swoops down, stopping her words with his mouth. He doesn’t linger or try to kiss her deeply; he presses one hard, long kiss to her firm lips and then pulls away. She’s still glaring at him, but the angry bluster is gone and he gives her a little smile before speaking again.

“Jules, it is two in the morning, I’m worn out and I do not want to stand here fighting with you, baby.”

“Oh my gosh. I sound like such a shrew. I’m sorry.” Jules pouts, propping her chin on his chest and looking up with her big puppy dog eyes. “You came to surprise me and I sound so ungrateful.”

She rubs her cheek against his shirt and allows him to move her arms around his back before he lets go and hugs her with his own. Glancing around, she sees that the majority of the party has moved to the pavilion now. There are a few groups sitting around in chairs and a small group of guys shooting hoops, but for the most part they are alone where they stand. 

“God, I missed you. I’m so glad you came.”

“I was kinda banking on you letting me stay with you tonight. I’d never make it home.” Uncertainty flicks across her face when he mentions staying the night and he quickly amends his statement. “I can stay with Jeff, it’s fine.”

“No. I don’t, that is… I want you to stay with me, it’s just that -” she stops and he chuckles.

“Buff, I’m talking sleep. That’s it. Remember we are taking this slow. I wouldn’t have the energy anyway.” 

She giggles, “Really?”

“Hell no, not really! Do you know how hard it was for me to not jump across that net and drag you into a dark corner? Every time you went for that ball, you were sexy as hell. I’m amazed you only nailed me once,” he complains, and Jules laughs again, the sound music to his ears. “My point is, I want you, but we aren’t ready for that. We’re doing everything right this time.”

“Let’s put you to bed, Number Twelve. You look ready to fall.”

West agrees whole heartedly, letting her go and rubbing his sore neck muscles as his body starts to protest from the few hard hits he took today on the field.

“I’m so excited. I get all these extra hours with you.” Jules smiles as they start for the front of the house. “Oh! Let me run and tell Katie, though. Maybe she could bunk with the girls or Jeff.”

“No worries, babe. I already cleared things. She’s staying with Jeff tonight.”

Her face scrunches up, one smooth and perfectly arched brow lifting. “You totally planned this out, huh?”

“Maybe.” He shrugs. “It was an eight hour bus ride, I had a lot of time to think about you and how much I miss you during the week.” He tugs her back into his arms lightly and hovers near her ear. “I spent a lot of time thinking about kissing you for hours and hours, and hearing your little gasps when I touch this spot right here,” he teases, lightly touching the sensitive spot under her ear with his tongue.

She doesn’t disappoint him as she sucks in her breath and lowers his hand, pressing against her lower back tightly. “So yea, gorgeous, I made some plans. I hope you don’t mind my being so presumptuous.”

“You can be presumptuous all you want if it means I get to be with you,” she whispers hotly against his cheek. 

“I’m never letting you go again, Jules,” he murmurs and rubs up against her. “Damn it, we need to go.”

Jules laughs at the tension in West’s voice. “Yes, I think we definitely should.”

 

They’re barely out of the elevator before West picks her up and carries her towards her room, her legs wrapped around his waist and her lips leaving trails of hot kisses along his jaw, neck, and collar bone.

“Keys?” he orders, his fingers digging into her backside.

“Oh no!” Jules sits back and West has to throw her against the door before she falls backwards. “I didn’t bring a key. Katie had her purse.”

He jiggles the handle to verify it’s locked and bites his lip to keep from laughing at their predicament. His shorts are sporting a very noticeable bulge, his girlfriend’s heavenly body is wrapped around him and begging for a little attention, and he’s locked out of the only room with a bed he can get into unless they want to drive thirty minutes.

“Well, damn.” he mutters, meeting her hot gaze and laughing.

Her face brightens and she slaps his arm. “Cassie! Next door. She should be here.”

“I should probably put you down then,” he teases and presses her back to the door, kissing her soundly before letting her legs slide to the ground. “Stay in front of me though, unless you want Cassie to get a look at my excitement.”

Jules’ face goes crimson as she glances between them; the corners of her mouth turn up into a smile as her hands adjust her skewed shirt.

“Proud of yourself, huh?”

“Maybe a little,” she shrugs playfully. She moves to slide out from between him and the door and West pulls her back against his chest. One hand presses against her lower abdomen while the other wraps around her shoulder across her chest.