Pull (Seaside #2)(56)

“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.





Chapter Twenty-seven


Alyssa


I couldn’t stop smiling. The hurt that was ever-present, the memorial I kept with me was slowly fading and although I was sad, I felt like it was time. And I had Demetri to thank for it. He made me want to smile. He made me feel like it was okay to be happy.

I twirled in front of the mirror. In a moment of panic I’d texted Holly for help on what to wear for the party. She’d come to my rescue as all girls should when another girl has a fashion crisis, and I was again reminded how much I missed having girlfriends.

“It looks great,” Holly said from my bed. She’d asked if she could come over early and get ready. Apparently Demetri invited the entire group to his party, which was kind of awesome of him.

Could the guy do any wrong? I couldn’t match his personality now with the rumors floating around about him. I’d had a weak moment and searched the Internet at Mom and Dad’s store only to find tons of things I’d rather have not known. It was obvious he had a past, but it wasn’t my business. Besides, his hands were sweating when he asked me to be his date, which meant he was still human, and he was all mine.