Pull (Seaside #2)(55)

He cursed. “Six weeks. It would be six weeks of filming.”

“And you’d film here?”

“Yeah.” His eyes darted from my lips to my eyes then back again. Had we stopped walking again? “But you’d be in the show too, Alyssa. I mean, anyone I talk to, anyone I’m involved with would be in the show. That’s a big decision not just for you, but for me. I would hate to ruin someone’s life.” He paled instantly and released my hand.

“Well, I mean. I…” Crap, how did I say what was on my mind? “I, um… I—”

“Cat got your tongue?” Demetri chuckled.

More like Demetri Daniels has possession of every ounce of common sense when I’m in his presence. “I like you,” I blurted.

“Hmm.” Demetri walked away from me and sat on the concrete edge on the boardwalk. “When you say like, do you mean as in, how I like ice cream?”

I rolled my eyes and moved to sit next to him. “Maybe.”

“Like as in… how much I like the way you taste?” he whispered into my ear. I shivered and tried to scoot away, but he held me trapped with his other arm. “Like as in how much I like the way your hair smells like coconut?”

I reached up to touch my hair. Demetri played with a piece of my hair and lifted it to his face, inhaling slowly. Oh my gosh, it was so hot. I squirmed, but he still wouldn’t let me go.

“Like, as in, how much I like the way your hips sway when you walk? Or the way your voice sounds on the phone? Or how about…” He paused, oh gosh I couldn’t take much more of this. He was killing me with his closeness. Why did he have to be so sexy?

“…how much I like the way my name sounds on your lips.

The way your name sounds on mine, or the way our hands fit perfectly together. How about the way you drink your hot chocolate? Damn, I could watch you drink hot chocolate all day.”

And I was going to pass out.

“Alyssa.” His eyes opened, and he held my chin with his hand and murmured across my lips. “I really like you too.”

And insert mind-altering sensations here. Without even realizing it, my hands had gripped his face and I pressed my lips against his. I needed him to be real. I wanted so badly for us to be feeling the same thing.

“I want him gone.” Demetri ended the kiss and looked out at the crashing waves. “I’m not going to ask you to choose, because I’m afraid it would be him. I’m afraid you would choose someone who can’t give you this.” He grabbed my hand and placed it against his chest. The thump of his heart slammed against my hand. “I want to be your first and your last. I want to be your everything. But I’m willing to wait until you’re ready for this. For this feeling. I want you to memorize it. Memorize life, Alyssa.

Because that’s what I want for us. I want for us to live.”

How did he always know the right thing to say? I threw my arms around his neck and held him. Tears burned at the back of my eyes. I hated that he knew me well enough to know what he was basically asking me to give up. I loved that he was willing to wait for me. And I hated myself even more that I was forcing him to, when I knew my heart was already his for the taking.





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.”