Chapter Twenty-six
Demetri
I held her shaking body for a few minutes. So many times I
opened my mouth to tell her the truth. To tell her all about Brady. It
would be so easy to swoop in and explain to her that she was
hugging the prince, that he wasn’t dead in the ground. Brady
wasn’t who she thought he was, but again it wasn’t my place.
Truthfully, I hadn’t been able to see her for very long these
past few days. I didn’t want to. It hurt too damn bad to look into
her innocent and hopeful eyes and keep the dirtiness of what Brady
did away from her. Not that Holly was innocent, but as a guy, I
knew the type of power trip Brady must have been feeling. Shit, up
until last year I’d lived that life.
Adding the whole Seaside show to the mix was enough to
put me into a catatonic state of stress. I swear I stared at my wall for
ten whole minutes doing nothing but breathing in and out and
trying to calm myself down. The stress was getting to me. I had the
taffy wrappers to prove it.
But when she texted me today. Damn. I couldn’t say no.
Everything felt better in her arms. Which was crazy. We’d known
each other for a little over a month, and I was ready to do anything
for her. I knew those type of feelings were possible. People always
talk about love at first sight. I’d never believed in it. Alec did
though, and so did Nat. But me, never.
And now, with Alyssa in my arms. Shit, I wanted to shout it
up and down the boardwalk that I was in love with this girl.
“Crap!” Alyssa pulled out of my embrace. Oh no. Her face
looked ashen. “Your birthday?”
I exhaled in relief. “About that…”
“Demetri!” She swatted me on the shoulder. “Is it soon? You
said Nat gave you that shirt for your birthday!”
“This weekend. Friday. Alec and Nat are throwing me a
huge party. I want you to come.” I swallowed the dryness in my
throat. “Be my date?” My palms began to sweat. Geez, you’d think
I never asked a girl out before.
Alyssa’s eyes lit up and then she frowned. “Don’t we have
group on Friday?”
“After group. I figured we could meet at your house for
group and then I could drive you to my house for the party.”
“And when were you going to tell me about all of this?”
“Today.” Okay, so I was lying. I meant to tell her yesterday
but still hadn’t had the balls to call her and see her face to face after
everything that went down with Holly.
“Short notice, Demetri. How am I going to have time to shop
for something to wear?”
“Just go to Victoria Secret.” I shrugged. “I’m sure they can
help you out.”
“So it’s a naked party then?” Her little hand pressed against
my chest and then ran down until she hooked her finger into the
loop of my jeans pulling me closer against her. Holy hell, a man
could die happy this way.
“Naked parties are the only way to go…” What the hell was
she doing? Her hand moved to my stomach and began rubbing just
above my briefs. Her nails lightly scratched, and I honestly thought
I was going to fall off the edge of the boardwalk. I swayed toward
her and closed my eyes.
“I don’t know if I like that you’ve been to naked parties.”
She purred, her wicked little hand still making me crazy.
“I don’t…” Damn, what was I going to say? “I mean, I…”
Holy. Hell. Her thumb rubbed across my hip bone, and I jerked
toward her on instinct.
“Demetri…” Her lips found mine. I was so hot for her I
wanted to toss her over the ledge and peel off her clothes one by
one, watching as the wind ran across her creamy skin and…”
“…ice cream.”
“Ice cream?” I repeated slowly coming out of my daydream.
What about ice cream? Wait, where did her hand go? Why was I
still so damn turned on?
“Let’s go get ice cream, and you can tell me all about your
party.” She winked and stood in front of me. If she expected me to
walk around right now she had another think coming. A minute
ago I didn’t even know what my name was. I glared. She tilted her
head and winked. She knew exactly what she was doing that
little… oh, but what a way to go.
“I need a minute.”
“Oh?” She tilted her head innocently.
I felt my nostrils flare. “One, two, three…”
“Wait, why are you counting?” She backed up slowly.
“Four, five, six…”
“Demetri…” She giggled and then snorted.
I stretched my arms above my head and yawned. “Seven,
eight, nine…”
Her eyes widened.
“Ten.” I lunged for her little body and caught her just as she
was turning to run. She kicked and screamed, but it was like a tiny
ant fighting a bear. I effortlessly carried her toward the ocean.
“Put me down!”
“Nope! I need to cool off…” I laughed as she began
screaming at me and pounding her tiny fists onto my back.
“Demetri Daniels!”
“Scream it again, sweetheart, only makes me need the ice
cold water more.”
She squirmed against me.
“Right.” I snorted and slapped her ass. “Because that helps.”
“Demetri!”
“Alyssa!” I yelled and then walked into the ocean with her
in my arms. When the water reached my knees I was sufficiently
cooled off. And then her eyes met mine and a different kind of heat
spread through my body. One I didn’t want to cool off. One I
wanted to remember for the rest of my life. I set her down on her
feet. The waves crashed against our legs, but I didn’t feel cold.
“I more than like you,” I whispered as I brushed the hair
whipping against her cheek from the wind.
She closed her eyes and sighed against my hand as it cupped
her cheek. “I more than like you too, which is what makes this so
hard.”
My stomach dropped. And the next thing I knew she pushed
me, causing my balance to falter just slightly, which would have
been fine if a wave hadn’t chosen that exact moment to crash right
next to us.
Okay, now I was cold.
“One.” I shouted as I jumped out of the chilling water.
She squealed. “Oh no, Demetri Daniels is counting again.
Two!” She joined in mocking me. She threw her head back and
laughed.
This time I didn’t even make it to three. I just tackled her
against the sand as the icy water crashed over us.