I blew my hair from my face and plopped into my chair. Evan gave me a confused look. “Did he just ask you to eat with him?”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe?” Evan repeated. “Are you high?”
“No,” I said, as I opened my juice. “I just didn’t want to eat with him.”
“Right. And I don’t want to get laid by Cameron Diaz.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Does everything always have to be about sex?”
“Yes.” Evan gave me a serious look before taking a huge bite of his sandwich.
There was officially no hope for the male species.
The bell rang a few minutes later, meaning I only got to enjoy part of my salad. I rushed to my next class. Just as I was rounding the corner, a guy bolted out of the classroom door slamming me against the locker and sending me sailing to the ground. For the second time that day my eyes came into contact with expensive boots.
I was literally my own teenage soap opera.
“I promise I’m not doing this on purpose,” I said as I pushed myself to my knees and gathered my books, stuffing them into my bag.
Alec leaned down and shook his head. “You sure about that?” His mouth curved upward into a smirk.
I felt my nostrils flare. “Yeah, I promise. Plus, it’s not like I trip in order to get attention. That’s the last thing I want.”
Alec grabbed my bag and handed it to me. “Believe me, you’re the center of attention whether you trip or merely walk down the hall. Have a good day, Nat.” His hooded green eyes seemed to mock me as he looked me up and down then walked in the other direction. So what if watched the way his muscles stretched underneath his T-shirt?
I sighed and shook my head.
“Really Nat?” Evan whispered over my ear.
“Crap!” I jumped. “Don’t scare me like that!”
“Scare you?” Evan put his arm on my shoulder and directed me toward class. “I was standing behind you for like two minutes saying your name before I whispered in your ear. Geez, what’s the big deal about those guys? So they’re like rock stars. Who cares? They still shit.”
I burst out laughing. “Thanks, Evan. Your eloquence and wisdom is always so refreshing.”
His chest puffed up as he pushed me teasingly into class. “It’s what I do.”
The day progressed slowly. I almost believed everything was normal. I walked to my locker and forced it open. It was only Monday and I had enough homework to officially keep me locked in my bedroom all night.
“So, what are you doing tonight?” I knew his voice by heart now. It was deep, sexy, and always had some sort of smug inflection. Maybe it was my imagination, but it seemed like his words always took longer to pronounce than a normal person’s.
“Homework.” I slammed my locker door shut and gave him a smile. “And you?”
“Whitney.”
“Huh?”
Demetri gave me a shameless grin and burst out laughing as I felt my face flush red. “I’m kidding, girl. You really need to get out more.”
Preaching to the choir.
“Okay.” I sidestepped him, not even sure why I was angry that he would joke about hooking up with some girl I didn’t even know. It really wasn’t all that funny to my little virgin ears. If anything, it made me want to smack him.
“What’d I do?” He stepped in front of me and grasped my arms. His eyes scanned me from head to toe as his hands caressed upward toward my shoulders. His smile was mocking. And suddenly I wanted to be anywhere but in the hall with this very attractive boy who was used to getting exactly what he wanted regardless of the consequences.
I opened my mouth to speak, but stopped when I felt a warm hand grip my shoulder.
“Really, Demetri? Begging isn’t your style.” It had to be Alec.
Demetri’s face immediately broke into a grin. “I’m sorry, Nat. He’s right. I don’t beg. I don’t usually have to, but you make me want to.”
I was officially pinned between two of the hottest guys on the planet and all I could think about was not passing out. Demetri was in front of me, all 6’4” and packed muscle. I staggered backward only to find myself up against the same thing. Only Alec smelled like expensive cologne. The type that should burn your nostrils but instead makes you want to close your eyes and moan.
It was probably Abercrombie. I swear they put pheromones in that stuff.
“Run along,” Alec said over the top of my head.
Demetri nodded once and walked away, but not before giving me a seductive wink.
I exhaled, not realizing I had been holding my breath. Alec’s hand moved across my shoulder until his arm was around me. I stumbled in shock.
“You sure do that a lot,” he said without looking at me.
I watched his face as his eyes scanned the hallways. He was walking me out the door as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Clearly he had lost his mind.
“Trip?” I offered.
He nodded.
Apparently Demetri got the personality in this family.
“I can’t help it, I’m clumsy.” I shrugged, liking the way the weight of his arm felt on my neck and shoulders.
“Yes. You are.”
“Well…” I stepped out of his embrace. “As stimulating as this conversation’s been I got a ton of homework tonight, so I’ll see ya later.” I walked away but froze in my tracks when I heard gut-wrenching laughter behind me.
I whipped around and truly wished I would have just kept walking. Then I wouldn’t have seen the way Alec’s smile totally transformed his face. The twinkling green eyes basically glowing on the tan skin. He lifted his hands into the air in surrender and approached me.
My inability to breath was not helping the situation.
“You think I’m boring, don’t you?”Alec seemed amused as he leaned in closer to me.
Exhausted, I laughed and put my hands on my hips, fighting to keep myself from making eye contact. “Yes. But you’re pretty to look at, so as long as someone doesn’t scratch your face off, you’ll always have that!”
I slugged him like we were on some sort of baseball team and laughed. The look of horror on his face was priceless. Clearly, he was also used to getting exactly what he wanted.
“Sorry.” Still laughing he shoved his hands in his pockets. “I’m not used to much social interaction.”
“Says the poor afflicted rock star.”
“Girl’s got bite, I like that.” He winked. “Can I walk you to your car?”
“Are we stuck in the fifties?”
“It is Seaside,” he countered, offering me his arm.
Well, really what else could I do but take him up on the offer? I rolled my eyes and took it. “You gonna carry my books too?”
“Wait, do guys still do that?”
“It is Seaside,” I reminded him.
He took my books as if they weighed about a pound and walked me to my truck.
Alec’s eyes scanned the ride in approval. “Beautiful girl, drives a truck, hates rock stars… Hmm, I just might write a song about you.”
My heart hammered in my chest but I kept myself in check. “Is this where I’m supposed to swoon and tattoo your name on my ass?”
“You don’t have to swoon.” He leaned in, his body shielding me from the school and all air that smelled like anything other than his cologne. “But can you make sure to spell it with just one L?”
I rolled my eyes. “Why are you here?”
“I like you.”
“Thanks,” I muttered, feeling that all too familiar blush. “But I meant Seaside, Oregon. It’s literally the most boring place on Earth. Well, I guess that’s not true. That title actually goes to Boring, Oregon.”
His smile tightened a bit as he licked his lips and then looked away. “I’ll see you later, Nat.”
He walked off without an explanation. His mood had changed again.
I jumped into my car and shook my head. This had to have been the weirdest day in my existence.
My cell rang. I slipped it out of my pocket. “Crap!” It wasn’t mine. I still had Alec’s cell. How could I have forgotten that?
I looked at the screen. It was flashing my number. I wanted to drop the cell like a hot potato or at least hide it or something. Oh my gosh, he’s going to think I seriously stole his cell phone like some crazy stalker!
Without any other option, I answered with a shaky hello.
“Naughty girl stole my brother’s cell phone,” the voice said mockingly.
“Hey, Demetri.”
“Hey yourself.” His voice sounded deeper on the phone. My body shivered involuntarily.
After a few awkward seconds I asked, “Is there something you needed?”
“That depends.”
“On?”
“If you’re offering to help me with my… needs.”
“You’re disgusting.”
“Aw, thanks sweetheart.”
“Look.” My hands shook as I tried to calm myself down. “I didn’t mean to keep Alec’s phone. Is there a place I can drop it off or something?”
Silence and then, “Why don’t you just keep it until tomorrow? We’ll see you at school and I’ll make the swap.”
“He’s going to know his phone’s missing. Besides, he has mine.”
“I know. I’ve already hacked into it. High School Musical, Nat, really?”
I groaned aloud and fought the urge to bang my head against the steering wheel. “It’s good running music.”
“So is the entire Hannah Montana soundtrack. Doesn’t mean you put it on your playlist, Nat.”
“Wait. How do you know the Hannah Montana soundtrack is good running music?”
“That’s beside the point. We’re talking about you now.”
“Did you need anything else?” I snapped.
“Are you offering?”
“Bye, Demetri.” I hit end and ignored the silly butterflies that had taken up permanent residence in my stomach. I refused to be one of those girls.
I looked back at the school. It was as if you could see a wave of lust blow through the front door as girls walked out and began texting on their phones, hiking up their skirts, and giggling obnoxiously. No doubt each of them wanted a chance with the guys. And again, I refused to be one of those girls. If anything, it made me want to put on baggy sweats just so I could set myself apart from the groupies.
At any rate, I had a crap-load of homework but my job was calling my name. I quickly put the truck in drive and made my way over to Seaside Taffy.
Chapter Three
“Hey Evan,” I called. The door jingled when I walked in. I was immediately hit with the sweet smell of taffy and homemade ice cream cones.
“Nat, didn’t think you’d make it.” Evan gave me a wicked grin and nodded his head in approval. “Had a little bad boy run-in in the school parking lot, did ya?”
“I hate you.”
I threw on my pink Seaside Taffy visor and tied my apron.
“You want him.”
“Who?” I grabbed a piece of taffy and popped it in my mouth.