Pull (Seaside #2)(60)

“Tell me she’s going to be on the show.” Holy crap, the guy looked like Robert Pattinson. He even had the British accent.

“Undecided,” Alec answered for me. “Alyssa, meet Jaymeson.”

“Oh, the action star who has to master the American accent for all his films. It’s a pleasure.” I held out my hand, but he didn’t take it. Instead he stared at me closely for at least two minutes. Do I pull my hand back? What the heck was I supposed to do?

Finally he took my hand and pulled me forward so I was only inches from his face. “You don’t belong to Alec. I’ve already met Nat. She’s outspoken, like you. Please, I’m begging. Tell me you aren’t taken.”

“By the birthday boy himself,” Demetri said from behind me. “Hands off, Jaymeson.”

“What’s a guy gotta do these days? Hole up in Seaside and wait for a hot woman to walk by?” Jamie released my hand and cursed. “I swear you guys are the luckiest bastards.”

“We know,” Demetri said squeezing my shoulders.

I leaned back into him. He made me feel protected and wanted. I wondered why Alec would throw him a party with perfect strangers when really all he probably wanted to do was spend it with us.

“Friends’ party commences in five,” Demetri said in my ear.

“Friends’ party?” I repeated.

“Yup.” Alec winked.

“Let’s blow this popsicle stand!” Nat said walking up to us with her fingers pointed as guns into the air.

“Excuse her.”Alec pulled Nat into his arms and kissed her hard on the mouth. “She’s had two lattes, and I just caught her taking a straight-up shot of espresso.”

“Why, Nat? Why?” Demetri threw his hands into the air.

“You get Nat patrol tonight. It’s my birthday, so when she wants to hang out at four a.m., it’s your job, dude.” He pointed at Alec who was now having a heck of a time keeping Nat still.

“My job and my curse.” Alec smirked in my direction. I felt my face heat. Geez, how could it not? The guy was beautiful and famous and… It was weird. He made me more nervous than Demetri. With Demetri things felt amazing and comfortable.

“The party is here!” announced Connor and Sam from the door. Surprisingly, Aaron and Holly followed behind. Maybe everything was okay, after all?

“Friends’ party. It’s time.” Nat clapped. “Okay, everyone, Jaymeson included, y’all can follow me!”





Chapter Twenty-eight


Demetri


I seriously needed to buy Nat a present. The entire upstairs rec room had been transformed into party central.

The flat screen was set up with Rock Band. It looked like a taffy pi?ata threw up in the room. Seriously, I’d never seen so much taffy in my life and I worked at a taffy store.

Funny, usually my birthdays were giant drunken fests that I rarely remembered. I knew I’d remember tonight. It was perfect.

“You know I love you, right?” I pulled Nat into a hug and kissed her temple.

“I know.” Nat squirmed against me. “I’m your favorite.”

“Actually…” I sighed. “I think I may have a new favorite.”

My eyes instantly locked with Alyssa’s as she made her way toward me.

“Happy Birthday, Demetri,” Nat whispered in my ear and walked off. My eyes fell onto Alyssa as she slowly unwrapped a piece of taffy and popped it in her mouth. How did she make eating taffy look so damn sexy?

Before she could say anything, I grabbed her and kissed her.

Plunging my tongue into her mouth so I could taste the flavor of the taffy she just ate.

“Butterscotch,” I said against her lips.

“And I thought I was the only one with the cool party tricks.” Alyssa giggled. Hell, I loved that girl’s laugh. It was already the best birthday of my life just having her there in my arms. I was almost able to forget about all the drama surrounding us. Almost. I just prayed Holly would tell her soon so I wouldn’t have to feel guilty anymore.

“Want to see another party trick?” I winked.

“I don’t know. Do I?”

I leaned in and kissed her on the cheek then pulled back. Her eyes squinted and then she laughed. “Was that the trick?”

I let out a laugh and gave the signal to Alec, the same one I used to give him at clubs that meant watch out I’m about to get down.

Music filtered through the sound system in the room. “Party like it’s the end of the world…” I started singing. “Turn it up, turn it up, it ain’t the end of the world.”

“Demetri, what are you doing?” Alyssa stepped back, her face slightly blushing. I just yelled. “Turn it up!”

The music was loud enough to disturb the peace in the entire neighborhood, but I didn’t care. I pulled Alyssa against me and began to dance like it really was the end of the world, which in my mind if she kept looking at me like that, it sure as hell felt like it.

A guy can only take so much teasing before he dies for lust or want, or whatever the hell I was feeling right then.

She wasn’t a bad dancer, then again she had been a cheerleader, and then she busted out. Yes, busted out. I really didn’t know how else to explain it, but I was kind of shocked into submission as my eyes watched her hips sway. Her arms went above her head and then she was doing some crazy thing with her leg where she wrapped it around me flipped around.