The Bet: A Bully Romance(27)

His chest rises and falls so rapidly I know he wants this too, so why isn’t he reacting to me in the same way I am him. He takes a couple deep breaths and kneels down in front of me. I look down at him, confused until I realize he is holding out my jeans for me.

“Step in,” he orders. I almost fall over when I lift my foot to step in, but he grabs my hip and steadies me. His hand against my bare skin is like heaven and I moan out in pleasure. “Hold on to my shoulders.” His words are restrained.

He doesn’t have to tell me twice. I grab his shoulders with both hands, enjoying the feeling of his muscles flexing beneath his shirt as he moves. Sucking in a deep breath, I inhale his scent. The smell of beer is on his breath, but his natural scent, the one that makes him, him is what I really smell...soap and just Remmy.

“We’re going to walk out of here like nothing is wrong, okay?” He pulls my jeans up and over my ass and zips up the zipper. I’m too focused on his hands against my most sensitive areas to remember what he’s saying.

“Okay?” he repeats, and I see something inside his eyes, something that looks a lot like shame, and maybe even pain. I want to ask him what’s going on, why he feels the way he does, but I just can’t bring myself to do it. I just want to kiss him, feel his hands against my skin.

“Okay,” I murmur, just as he straightens. My hands are still on his shoulders and suddenly the touch isn’t enough., I need more. Snaking my arms all the way around his neck, I lean into him, my head coming to rest against his chest.

Pressing my ear to his chest, a smile tugs at my lips at the steady beat of his heart. I’m sure he’s going to push me away again at any moment, like he did when I hugged him last time, so when he doesn’t, I lean in even closer, pressing my front against his, until we’re so close I can feel every inch of his muscled body against mine.

We stand there, him letting me hug him, and even resting a hand on the small of my back. I don’t tell him this, but if I could stay like this forever...I would. Apparently Remmy can’t though because just as soon as I start to close my eyes, he starts to pull away, pushing against my shoulders gently, holding me at arm’s length.

“We need to go, Jules.” There’s an urgency to his voice.

I don’t want to go, and anywhere I go I want him to go too.

“Are you coming with me?”

“I’ll take you home if that’s what you mean.”

“I don’t want to go home. I want to go with you.” I frown, or at least I think I’m frowning, I don’t really know.

“Jules.” His tone holds a warning, but I still don’t feel scared. This is Remmy…the real Remmy, not the facade he puts on display for this stupid college or his friends. This is the boy I fell in love with, the boy who kissed my boo-boos and put ants in my pants, the boy that laughed at me when I cut my bangs for the first time, making myself look like a boy.

“Please? I don’t want you to go. I don’t want you to hate me. Can we just be friends again? I miss you, I miss you so much,” I start to mumble, my knees wobbling with weakness.

“That’s the drug talking. You don’t mean anything you’re saying right now.” He looks like he wants to believe me, but I can understand why he doesn’t.

“I don’t want to be alone. I want to be with you…please, Remmy…please?” My fingers grip onto his shirt, not caring that I’m begging him. Fisting the fabric in my hands, I’m willing him to see through all of this and to the real me.

“Fuck, Jules,” he growls in frustration. “Let’s go. I can’t risk getting another suspension from fighting.” And just like that, I’m reminded that Cole is lying in a heap on the floor.

“Will he be okay?” I finally ask Remmy as he starts to guide us out of the bedroom and out into the crowded hallway.

“If I could kill him and get away with it, I would. But since I can’t yes, he will live.”

I shrug, hoping tomorrow I can make much better sense of all of this.

We make our way through the house, Remmy navigating the crowd, pushing through it until we reach what looks like a back door instead of the way I came in.

I’m having a hard time putting one foot in front of the other, my body and mind not fully connected. Remmy must notice too ‘cause his arms tighten around me. He’s basically holding my entire weight up while we walk. I’m reminded then that I never want to let him go again. We finally make it outside, the cool air kisses my skin, and I shiver.

“Are you sure you want to come back to the frat house with me?” he whispers into my ear and I sway unsteadily.

“Yes...I told you I miss you and want to be best friends again.”

Remmy doesn’t respond to anything I say and instead continues walking. We walk to the front of the house and start down the sidewalk. In a blink, we’re at the entrance of the frat house. I attempt to walk up the steps, but I can barely lift my legs now.

Remmy sighs, and picks me up, gently placing me over his shoulder. He opens the front door and walks inside. His booted feet pound against the stairs as my body is jostled back and forth with the movement. When we reach the top of the stairs, I feel like I might throw up.

“Remmy…” I almost whine. He stops at a door, pulling out what sounds like keys. Before I realize it, he’s gently placing me back down on my feet, my body sliding down his front until my feet touch the floor.