Chapter 8: Chapter Eight

Alec

The best thing about living in Seaside? Being able to run on the promenade. The air was crisper in Oregon than it was in Malibu; it had a different smell, a different bite as it hit my skin.

It was my third day running; this time I went an extra mile then backtracked on the prom back towards our house.

And saw Nat doing her own run.

I wondered if she even realized how sexy she looked right then. With sweat pouring off her face, and pieces of hair falling out of her ponytail.

I shook the betraying thought from my head. Demetri's. And he was trying. Damn him, he was trying.

Nat still hadn't seen me, so I ran up alongside her and said in a casual voice, “Didn't take you as the type to exercise.”

Her eyes narrowed like I'd offended her. Shit, I didn't mean it that way, it's just she'd tripped twice in the same day, in the same hall, within the same six-hour period.

“Yeah, well” —she finished tying her shoe— “I didn't take you for the type to do anything but sit and brood, guess we're even.”

Touché. I smirked and fought the urge to burst out laughing.

Hell, it's not like I kicked puppies for sport or anything.

With a small laugh, I shrugged. “Want some company?” That tiny voice, I think it was my conscience, told me I needed to tread carefully. But it was running!

Nat's cute eyebrows pushed together in a frown. “You want to run with me?”

“I think I can keep up.”

“I run fast.” She crossed her arms.

I shrugged. “Okay.”

“I listen to music.”

Damn, what was with her and excuses? It's not like I was asking her to flash me or something! I held up my iPhone so she'd see that I wouldn't be talking her ass off the entire time.

“Sounds great.” Hah, right. Her smile didn't reach her eyes and she looked like she was ready to puke. Was it me? Did she hate me that much? What exactly had Demetri said to her last night? “Ready?”

I put in my headphones and fell into a solid cadence next to her. We ran a mile in complete silence. It took most of my energy to keep my eyes on the road ahead so I didn't stare at her legs.

It was going to be a problem.

Suddenly, she stopped and pulled out her earphones. “What?”

“Uh…” Shit, she knew I'd been staring at her. “I'm just surprised, that's all.” Wow, Alec, way to pull that out of your ass.

“Do I even want to know?” She sighed and held her hands behind her back stretching.

I moved behind her and tugged them down a bit to give her shoulders a better stretch.

Her arms tensed beneath my hands. “I'm in track.”

I chuckled at her bristled state, she was so damn cute and had no idea, “That explains the body.”

“What?” She jerked away from me.

Yeah, I hadn't meant to actually say that out loud.

“Your body.” I took in her long legs. “You have really long legs.” Wow, good job Alec almost choked on that compliment. You have long legs? That's like telling a girl she has a wide smile!

They don't know how to take it! I may as well let her slap me.

Nat's eyes glazed over a bit.

“What?” I smiled, trying hard to look friendly instead of predatory.

“You can't just walk around saying things like that to girls.”

“Just did, but I guess you're right, I shouldn't say things like that, especially to my brother's girl.”

“I'm not his girl,” she snapped.

I had a hard time hiding my surprise so I looked away and whistled. “Don’t tell him that, plus I saw you two last night.”

“Studying?” she asked in a hopeful voice.

I wish. “At the beach.”

Nat swallowed and put her hands on her hips as an uncomfortable silence fell over the conversation.

“But it's cool.” I fought to keep my voice light when all I wanted to do was yell a bit. “Demetri likes you.” I went and sat on the concrete fence lining the prom. “Look, I want to be your friend.

“I'm not going to lie and say I'm not angry that my brother got to you first. But I'll overlook your obvious lack of good judgment if you promise you'll come to me if you need anything, okay?”

Yeah. I'd said too much. It wasn't fair to ask her to babysit my brother. Hell, that was my job. I was more parent than brother.

I just, I didn't want to freak her out and say “by the way if he does lines of coke in the bathroom don't call the media just send me a text.

“Or if he gets too happy with his hands, I'll deal with it.” Shit. I hated feeling out of control.

Nat nodded.

Needing to change the subject I swiped her phone and looked at the first song on her run mix. “Justin Bieber, Nat? Really?”

She turned bright red. “It's good running music!”

“I'm a little hurt!” I said mockingly, “Are we even on here?”

Nat's flush went deeper as I stopped on a playlist that screamed AD2. Aw, how cute she likes us.

“Give me that!” She lunged for the phone.

“No way! You love me!” I jumped up and down and waved my hands in the air in triumph.

“Give that back!”

“Are you blushing?” Agh, I loved that girl's blush, it was so pure, so innocent.

“No” —she waved me off— “I'm just… winded.”

I winked. “I like this playlist better too.”

Nat looked like she wanted to disappear on the spot. It probably had more to do with the title of the playlist than the actual songs. It was marked “Crush”. If only.

Funny, had it been any other girl's phone, I would have expected it and felt nothing.

With Nat? My heart did a little flop.

Damn it.

To make her more comfortable, I steered the conversation back to my playlist. She didn't believe that I actually listened to myself singing—I did it to practice, not because I was vain.

At any rate. She lost the bet and I was one happy camper. Because I got to pick her up and take her to Evan's party.

Just me.

It was something small… like getting a crumb from Demetri's dinner plate. But I didn't care. I just liked the fact that I'd get to pretend.

I'd pick her up in my car and pretend she was mine.

I'd open her door and pretend that she was my girlfriend.

And I'd imagine that it would be my lips she'd be kissing at the end of the night. Instead of Demetri's.

****

By the time Friday night rolled around, I was a nervous wreck. I was almost late to pick up Nat and felt like a complete ass for making her wait.

I rang the doorbell and waited.

What greeted me on the other side of that door—almost gave me a freaking heart attack at nineteen.

No chance in hell was I letting her leave the house like that.

Words. I needed words. But I honestly couldn't find anything to say. Pretty sure if I opened my mouth the only thing that would come out would be a pitiful moan or maybe a grunt of appreciation.

I shrugged out of my leather jacket and placed it on her shoulders. “Wow.”

“What?” Her face paled.

Damn it. “It's just making it worse, how is it making it worse?” I seriously wanted to punch something. How did she make a simple dress look so damn hot?

Nat's face fell. “I can change.”

“No!” I all but shouted, lifting my hands into the air, which caused the jacket to fall off her shoulders. The minute I went to grab it, I grabbed her instead and we were chest-to-chest.

My body ached to touch her. It had been that way for days.

And now that we were touching, I never wanted to stop. It was like getting a taste of something forbidden for the first time. You know it's wrong but you want it nonetheless.

“You ready to go?” I whispered, my eyes focused on her mouth.

With a quick nod, she stepped back.

I felt the loss of her warmth like a punch to the gut. I was in deeper than I thought.

“Stop lusting over my car, Nat.”

Her expression was pure envy as she took in the SUV. With a chuckle, I went to the passenger side and opened the door for her.

“Are you for real?” she blurted.

“What?” Okay, I was seriously confused.

“You opened my door.” She pointed at the open door in shock.

My eyebrows drew together. “How else were you supposed to get in the car?”

She opened her mouth then shut it, then mumbled a “never mind” before crawling into her seat. Okay, so the night hadn't started off on the best foot.

If there was ever a time when I regretted not drinking anymore—that was it. I pulled up to Evan's house, got out of the car and opened her door again.

“You okay?” I set her to rights and gazed into her brown eyes. She looked… upset?

“Yeah, um…” Her eyes flickered downward as if she was embarrassed to be seen with me, “Just not used to heels, I guess.”

“You made it!” Demetri came up behind me and squeezed Nat's side, basically pushing me out of the way as that same hand moved lower to her ass. His mouth found her neck.

He winked at me then kissed her neck again. “Damn, you look sexy.” His nose dived instantly into her hair as he nuzzled against her like a dog in heat. Demetri was already three sheets to the wind.

Well shit. That wasn't going to go over well with Nat. Maybe she wouldn't notice? He was practically using her to balance. “Please tell me you're staying with me tonight?”

I licked my lips and waited for her answer. Maybe she'd say “no.” Maybe she'd reject him. I willed her to say something—anything. Instead, Nat's eyes met mine—pleaded with mine.

What the hell did she want me to do? Intervene?

“Um.” Nat pushed Demetri back a bit. “How much have you had to drink?”

“Enough to feel good, but not so much that I can't please you later, Babe.” His mouth met hers in another sloppy kiss and I was done.

Cursing under my breath I walked off in search of a corner I could brood in…

I kept my eyes on Nat and Demetri the whole time. He weaved through people, tugging her behind him like she was some sort of little plaything. And then thrust a red cup into her hands.

Don't drink it, don't drink it. Shit! I felt like a parent! Demetri should know better.

She took the drink, sniffed it, had a small sip and coughed.

I exhaled in relief, but tensed again when Demetri attacked Nat with his mouth… no he was like, devouring her. For real, clothes were about to go flying if I didn't step in and do something.

I knew my brother and he was going in for the kill. And he was doing it in front of the entire student body.

I had to stop him before he made an ass out of himself. But the minute I took a step forward a girl blocked my view and grabbed me by my leather jacket—laying a sloppy kiss on my mouth.

That's the thing about being famous. People automatically think you're a whore. And I was the exact opposite, so when I tasted Jack Daniels on her tongue, I wanted to throw up a bit.

She wouldn't remember a thing in the morning. I, however, was going to have to disinfect my mouth. Then again, it was alcohol; that cleaned things, right?

Demetri and Nat were gone. Well shit. All I could do was sit and wait… and pray he wasn't deflowering the poor thing on the beach—all before I had a chance to tell her how I felt.