Chapter 96: Chapter Thirty-five

Demetri

“I could seriously sleep for five years,” I grumbled once we made it back to my beach house. I refused to let Alyssa out of my sight. I may have lured her to my place under false pretenses.

I told her we had hot chocolate. I lied.

“Where's this famous hot chocolate?” she asked. Damn mind-reading women.

“Uh… Up there.” Shameless, I know. I pointed to the top shelf. She walked over and stretched up against the counter.

“Hmm.” She put her hands on her hips. “I didn't see it.”

“Try again.” I was going to burn some place very hot for all this taunting.

She stretched again, this time her shirt came up, revealing her flat stomach and a cute belly button.

“There is no hot chocolate, is there?”

I smirked and then shrugged. “Um, I don't know. Care to look again?”

“You ass!” She charged towards me. I didn't even put up a fight as she pushed me against the counter. I just grabbed her and lifted her into the air.

“I'm sorry…” I said between kisses. “To be fair… I just wanted you alone… in my house… without any interruptions.”

“What about Nat and Alec?” she asked, tugging my lower lip.

“Damn, woman… I… um…” I tasted her tongue and groaned. “They're out.”

“Where?”

“What?” I nibbled her neck and moved lower, pulling her soaking wet shirt away from her shoulder.

“Where are they?”

“Who?” What the hell was she talking about? Her skin was perfect. I wanted to both touch and then memorize every single touch and how it affected her.

“Your brother. Demetri, are you even listening?”

“No,” I answered honestly. “I stopped listening the minute you wrapped your legs around my waist, and if you don't say stop, I'm going to be laying you across the kitchen counter in five seconds.”

“Five seconds, huh? That's pretty fast. You improve your time, bro?” My brother's idiot voice echoed through the kitchen. Slowly, I pulled away from Alyssa and set her on the floor.

Both Alec and Nat were standing in the kitchen, ridiculous grins on their faces as they watched me struggle with my embarrassment at nearly laying claim to my girlfriend near last night's ranch dip.

“Uhh….” I scratched my head. “Damn it! Just go away. We're busy.”

“We can tell,” Nat said triumphantly.

“And we can't go,” Alec said, smug grin in place. Was it illegal to strangle him in our house? I wondered if that was assault…

“Our publicist and agent are taking a flight out to Portland tonight,” he said, looking between me and Alyssa. “I take it she's in?”

“In what?” Alyssa asked, wrapping her arms around my side.

“The show. It's a go. We have to do it, and anyone who hangs out with us has to sign a contract and stuff.”

Alyssa nodded. “I think I can do it. I mean, if it means being with Demetri I have no choice.”

I exhaled in relief while giving Alec the glare he deserved. Must we talk about this right now?

“There's some other stuff…” Alec gave me the look that said there was way more than some other stuff going on. Was he even keeping Nat out of the loop?

“Nat, why don't you show Alyssa the bathroom so she can change out of her wet clothes and take a shower.” His eyes never left mine the whole time. Shit. This was bad.

“Sure.” Nat looped her arm with Alyssa's and they disappeared up the stairs.

“What are you keeping from her?” I asked once they were out of earshot.

“Everything.” Alec sighed. “They want another famous couple for the show.”

“Don't they have enough? I mean they're going to be stealing our privacy already. It's you, me, Nat, and Alyssa.”

“And Jaymeson.”

“Pardon?” I had just taken a huge swig of water and began coughing wildly. Alec thumped me on the back.

“Oh, that's not the worst part.” Alec smirked.

“Great.”

“He's bringing a girl. You know, to even the odds.”

“Who's the lucky lady?”

Alec looked down and mumbled an answer.

“Care to repeat that?”

He mumbled again.

“What the hell! Just spit it out!”

“Angelica Greene.”

“Hell no!” I yelled and threw my hands in the air. “I'm calling our manager right now. Hell will have to seriously freeze the shit over before I allow that woman back in my life!”

“She's just… Hollywood,” Alec said, defending her.

“She's bat shit crazy. As in, the bat that feeds on the other crazy bats and then smiles while she's consuming their hearts!”

“Whoa, dramatic much?” Alec laughed. “What's the deal? So you hung out with her a bit when you were back in L.A. last year. It's not as if you guys hooked up.”

The room began to spin as I tried to calm my breathing. Not her. Anyone but her. I couldn't have her back in my life. She was a manipulative bitch.

“No.” I repeated again. “And I'm sorry, but why aren't you freaking out? Jaymeson has a huge thing for both Nat and Alyssa.”

Alec shrugged. “He's British.”

“Point taken.” Crap. “Has she been finalized for the show?”

Alec nodded.

“And the show's been picked up already?”

“Without a pilot.”

“Impossible.”

Alec shrugged. “Apparently, thanks to your great summer here at Seaside, they have all the pictures they need. People love you, Demetri. You know that.

“There's nothing the press likes more than the bad boy turning good and then falling for a local girl. And lucky us, it happened twice.”

“Yeah, lucky,” I said dryly. “When does the show start?”

“Filming starts in August. They're going to do a few webisodes for the first two filmings, and then it's going to air on cable.”

“Cable's better than a huge network.”

“Dude, have you been living under a rock?” Alec laughed. “Cable shows are huge right now. Mad Men? True Blood? White Collar? Come on.”

He put his arm around me. “We've been to hell and back this last year. It will be cake, and then we can take our women on a long vacation before we start our tour.”

Alec looked doubtful. It was as if he was still hiding something from me. I could see the stress etched across his face.

“Fine.”

“Fine.” He released me and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge.

“Besides, what's the worst that can happen, right?” I gave him a pointed look.

He paused, the water bottle lifted midair to his lips. His throat worked as he swallowed a few times and avoided my eyes. “Right.”

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