Page 45 of A Little Bit Reckless
Bru:We should talk when you get a chance.
Of course, I didn’t want to talk. I got caught doing something really invasive. The guys were having a private moment and I…
“Bow,” Wells said, striding over to me. The chill in his tone matched his body language. He was rigid, something he let slip only briefly before smiling at me. “Good to see you.”
My mouth parted but all four adults in the room smiled, even my dad, whoneversmiled.
Wells’s parents were gorgeous. His mom, Cleo, was a lovely brunette who could easily pass for a basketball player since she was so tall. She wasn’t much into sports though, but I knew she liked to garden. Wells got his softer features from her but his joking nature from his dad, Jax. Mr. Ambrose was also classically handsome like an old Hollywood movie star, and Wells got that from him.
Wells wasn’t joking tonight when he stopped in front of me. I was thrown for a loop when he wrapped one of his lengthy arms around me.
I froze, nothing but a salad bowl between me, this guy, and the obvious heat that rolled off him. Immediately, I was surrounded by his cool scent and it reminded me of the last time I’d seen him. The common room of my dorm had been filled with it. It was ocean breeze, sex, and the deep, crisp smell of Bruno Sloane-Mallick combined with it. Wells and Bru smelledgreattogether and my mouth watered just thinking about it.
“You’re going to regret coming tonight, you little Peeping-fucking-Tom,” Wells ground out in my ear. The words sliced me from my thoughts, and, heart racing, I gripped the salad bowl between us. Wells squeezed my arm. “Let me help you with that salad.”
He was taking it in the next breath, and I could breathe when he finally let go. I wavered in my knee-highs, my breathsanxious, rapid, but I was the only one who’d been privy to Wells’s threats.
I knew by the state of the room.
The parents, all of them, were staring at Wells and me after the hug and Wells’s seemingly kind gesture. My parents looked happy, but Wells’s were ecstatic. His dad was nodding to mine, and Cleo had her hand to her mouth. Like what her son did pleased her.
Oh…
It pleased all our parents, and my dad had nothing but a praiseful look for Wells when he passed my parents to put the bowl on the table. Hepleasedmy dad, and that wasn’t easy to do.
Wells sat down at the table, even taking the time to place his napkin on his lap before facing our parents. He grinned. “I’m ready to eat when everyone else is.”
Wells sat incredibly close to me that evening. I attempted to sitacrossfrom him, but he got up and manufactured an excuse to do it. He claimed he could help me with his long reach to get food from across the table.
And our parents ate it up.
Both the Reeds and the Ambroses went without knowledge of whatever it was Wells was doing. He was incredibly accommodating as he got anything I needed while I sat next to him.
He even served me refried beans.
The parents hadlovedthat, and Wells showed up with his humor tonight. He took any opportunity he could to joke with our parents, and when he wasn’t doing that, he was laughing at funny things thatIsaid. He was overly pleasant to me whenhe little more than acknowledged me before our study sessions together. He was playing some kind of game for our parents. He even thanked mefor tutoring him at one point.
“I’m actually starting to get things in my classes now,” Wells said, sitting back. He draped his long arm behind my chair, and I sat forward. He smirked. “I can’t thank Bow enough for helping me. I think I’ll actually do well this semester thanks to her and Bru.”
He mentioned Bru’s help too but only briefly. Wells had been keeping the focus on me mostly.
Wells grinned wide. “She’s even letting me take her to Dorian’s draft celebration in thanks.”
He was referring to his friend Dorian Prinze. My brother and most of his friends played football for Pembroke, but only Dorian was pursuing going professional. I think he was more passionate about the game than the other guys. He was good and definitely could be one of the greats. Hewouldbe one of the greats. He worked so hard.
I think we all knew it wasn’tifDorian would play for the NFL. He had scouts out for him since high school. It was a matter of which team he’d play for at this point and his parents were already proactively planning a party for him. It was more like a gala, with formal wear and media attention. I planned to be there, but I didn’t have an escort.
Apparently, Wells was making himself my escort.
I tried not to shrink in my chair. I tried notto shakewhen Wells’s arm brushed my neck. The contact shot a sharp chill through me and I felt like my world was tilting on its axis.
I feel like I’m going to faint.
I held it in, and when I looked at Wells, he was still grinning at our parents. He did with that well-oiled smile, but behind me he had his arm hugging my chair tighter and tighter. He was actually tilting it with the strength of his bicep. His handsqueezed into a white-knuckled fist, but I think I was the only one who noticed it.
My stomach soured. I didn’t know what Wells was doing, but whatever he had planned wasn’t good for me. He took a drink after his declaration and his mom, Cleo, squeezed his shoulder.
“Oh, honey. That’s so nice, and I’m so proud of you,” she said.
