I felt him gulp as he held me tighter and whispered, “He gave her her**ne.”
Shocked, I pulled back and looked at his face to see if he was kidding. He wasn’t smiling. In fact, that all too familiar look of pain was etched in his eyes. “They had sex and she got pregnant.”
“With his baby,” I whispered hoarsely. “The girl you loved?
And your brother? So you have a nephew?”
“No.” His lower lip trembled, as he pulled away and leaned against the concrete container. “But, that’s a story for another time.”
I had pushed him to his limit. It was clear he didn’t make a habit of telling this story — it was private. Nobody knew about it, otherwise I would have been told by now. He trusted me with something deep and dark.
And I owed him the same thing.
I reached for his hand and pulled him into a hug.
Well, it was supposed to be a hug, until I reached up and touched his face. He closed his eyes and moaned.
I wasn’t sure if I moved first or if he did, but our lips met, and in a frenzy he picked me up and slammed me against the wall.
“Sorry,” he mumbled setting me down. “I’m just overwhelmed a bit. Kind of used to using this as a way to…”
“Mask the pain,” I finished looking into his hurt eyes.
“I don’t want to use you.”
“You aren’t.”
“How do you know?”
He doubted himself so much, but I knew what type of guy he was. He was one of the good ones, as much as he whored around. It was all a mask, a smokescreen. I took a deep breath.
“Because I do. Now kiss me.”
Demetri’s eyes widened just slightly before his mouth crushed mine. I parted my lips as his tongue plunged in and out.
His hands moved to cup my butt and pull me against him.
His kiss was nothing like Brady’s.
Nothing.
Demetri’s hands moved against my skin, slowly lifting my shirt. When I felt his fingers graze the skin above my hipbone it sent a shot of electricity through my body, and my head jerked back. His mouth worked down my neck. Clearly, the guy knew how to kiss.
I shuddered beneath his kiss, his touch. I’d never in my life experienced anything like it. Part of me wanted to pull back, because it felt like I was cheating on Brady’s memory, that I wasn’t being faithful to the relationship we had, but another part craved Demetri.
A throat cleared in the distance.
Slowly, Demetri put me back on my feet, his eyes never left my face. A sense of awe reflected in them as his forehead touched mine.
The throat cleared again.
“What is it, Bob?” Demetri’s voice was hoarse.
“People are waiting to come in.”
“Right.” He reached out and pulled down my shirt then tucked my hair behind my ears. “Do you have any lip gloss?”
I nodded.
“Put it on.”
I nodded my head numbly and reached for my lip gloss.
With shaking fingers I dabbed a bit on my lips and rubbed them together. I ran my fingers through my hair so it didn’t look so mussed, but I’m sure it probably still looked awful. After all, I had been sobbing and making out with the hottest guy on the planet.
“Any cameras?” Demetri asked Bob before we went out the entrance.
He shook his head. “One, but he left a while ago.”
“Good.” Demetri’s grip tightened on my hand as he pulled me through the door and walked me outside. “Sorry, I’ve had the same damn photographer following me for the past year. Everyone else gave up on my boring life, but this one’s convinced I’m not going to stay clean. So he’s like a friendly stalker. Sometimes I even buy him Starbucks.”
“So, why are you nervous about him all of a sudden?”
Demetri put his arm around me. “I don’t want him taking your picture.”
I tensed. Was he ashamed of me?
“Stop being a girl,” he whispered into my hair. “It has nothing to do with not wanting to be seen with you. Hell, I’ll shout it in the streets if you want. I just don’t think you want people digging into your past right now. Am I right?”
I hadn’t even thought of that. Terror swept through me at the thought of seeing the news again. Pictures of the totaled truck, our prom picture, and finally the service at the football field.
“Thanks.” I shuddered.
“No problem.” His face brushed against the top of my head as his lips found my cheek. “Sorry.” He seemed almost embarrassed.
“What for?” I fought back a grin.
“I can’t seem to help myself.” He smiled mischievously and pulled me down the alleyway and flush against his body. Instantly his lips found mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck. With a moan he pulled back. “Let’s go do something.”
My eyes widened.
He rolled his. “Good Lord, not that. Get your head out of the gutter.”
“Not my fault you put it there.”
“Really?” His smile was contagious as his teeth grazed my lower lip and gave it a little tug. The guy was way too good at kissing. In fact there should be strict laws against really attractive celebrities and kissing.
“Stop.” I put my hand against his chest and froze.
Everything about him was so solid and strong. I ran my hand down the middle of his chest across his abs, somewhat in awe.
“If you keep doing that I’m going to toss up your skirts here in the alleyway.”
“I’m not wearing a skirt.”
“Damn.” He looked down. “Next time. It’s so much easier that way.” He winked. I punched him in the arm.
“Okay, so what do you want to do? I have to work tomorrow, so we can’t stay up super late.”
Demetri put his hand over his heart. “Alyssa, are you agreeing to hang out with me? As a friend?”
“Do friends kiss?” I countered.
“My friends do.”
“Good thing I’m your only one.” I rolled my eyes.
“Not true, both Sam and Connor gave me friend vibes at group. I also have their numbers.”
“And you’re planning on kissing them too?”
“Nah, I mean, I’m not like that. I don’t just go kissing other people… now if one of them made the first move…” He put his hands in the air signaling he’d be okay with it.
I burst out laughing.
His face was serious. I immediately stopped laughing. Oh my gosh, was he serious?
And then he smirked and laughed. “Wow, did you really think I played for both teams? I’m not sure if I should be offended or complimented. I guess I do have great style. I mean we already know how awesome I look in that Seaside Taffy visor.”
“Yes. Homeless,” I answered.
“Hot and homeless?” He looked hopeful.
“Not so much.”
“Can’t win ‘em all!” He winked and grabbed my hand.
“Come on, I know just what we can do.”
Chapter Fourteen
Demetri
I was still so stoked she was holding my hand that I nearly tripped on my own feet as I led her out of the alleyway.
Classy. I had officially made out with the hottest girl on the planet in the middle of an alleyway in Seaside, Oregon. The old Demetri would have given me a high five. But she deserved better than that.
Which is why it was important that she have fun right then.
“Hurry.” I tugged her arm toward the opposite end of the street. When we reached the destination I triumphantly threw my hands in the air and yelled “Bumper cars.”
“I’ve never done this before.” She laughed breathlessly.
“You live here! How could you just pass it by?”
She shrugged. “I know it’s strange. I was always too scared when I was little and then after the accident, the whole car thing…”
Her crystal blue eyes met mine. I wanted to punch myself for being so insensitive. She had survived a car crash, and I was taking her to bumper cars. Really? How stupid could I be?
“Its fine. I want to do it.” She put her hands on her h*ps and exhaled. “I can do it.”
“Are you sure?”
“Totally.” She nodded once and walked further into the outdoor carnival area. It was like a garage on the street. They had the bumper cars and Tilt-A-Whirl covered just in case it rained, which it usually did nearly every day during the winter and spring.
It wasn’t helpful for those who were fighting depression — or drug addictions for that matter. I swear I still couldn’t figure out how half the population wasn’t addicted to something or other.
I paid the man and ran to the red car. Little kids shuffled around us. Being competitive, I felt the need to trash talk a bit. The kids ate it up. And one tiny nerdy kid stole the red car. I’ll get him later.
Alyssa chose the pink car, naturally.
I chose the black one, because I’m bad ass. At least that’s what I announced in front of a few first graders, much to their parents’ horrified stares.
I mouthed sorry and looked over at Alyssa, who was trying to keep herself from laughing.
The alarm went off and I went straight for her.
She threw her head back and laughed, then moved her car forward toward the little kid in front of her.
“Watch it!” he yelled. He was missing several of his teeth and wore a shirt that said “Darth Vader Lives.”
She hit him again.
Good girl.
“Mom!” the kid yelled and rammed his car back into Alyssa.
She didn’t even flinch, just waved at the little guy and took off after another one.
I seriously needed to take her to laser tag.
“Gotcha.” I hit her car, softly, because she’s a girl. She whipped her little bumper car around so fast I didn’t have time to get away. I quickly realized my error, but it was too late. I was trapped.
She rammed me with her car so hard mine went backward.
Girl-shmirl. It. Was. On.
With a war cry straight out of the movie 300, at least that’s how I envisioned it, I drove after her.
Tunnel vision took over as I steered my car toward hers. I had five feet and then. Crash.
A little car rammed me from the right.
Darth Vader kid was nodding his head and blowing smoke from his pudgy little hands. I tried to get out of my car, you know to teach him a lesson, but it was so small that I was stuck.
The cars stopped. And all the little kids hopped out.
I was still stuck.
“Need help?” Alyssa asked, leaning over my shoulder. My right knee was caught underneath the car. I was seriously contemplating just lifting the car like a skirt and walking off, but then I’d be Flintstone-ing it all the way back to the house in the rain.
“I got it.” I didn’t mean to snap, but my manhood was at stake.
“Do you?” She walked around the car and stood in front of me, arms crossed. “Prove it.”
“Fine.” I bit out then tried to push out of the car. Seriously, I fit in it, how could I not get out of it?
“Need help yet?”
I looked down and shook my head. “No, I can do this.”
She gave me a patronizing smile as I tried to move my foot to the side and get my knee out from underneath the metal car. The little alarm went off again, signaling the next riders to get in their cars.