“Promise?”
His eyes darkened. “Promise.” His whisper lulled me to sleep.
****
“Nat?” Demetri’s voice was really close to my head. I opened my eyes and jumped. He was lying on the bed, holding me in his arms. What happened to his phobia of sickness? And where the heck was Alec? He promised.
Defeated, I looked at my boyfriend and managed a small smile.
“These are for you.” Demetri reached behind him and pulled out a bouquet of white roses. White, not red. Interesting, and a really good gift, too. Darn him.
“Thanks,” I mumbled, and shook my head in hopes that it would clear the sleep and grogginess away.
“I’m sorry I bolted.” Demetri sighed “Being sick just freaks me out. Alec said he told you, but it’s not really an excuse to leave my girlfriend.”
“It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not.” Demetri snapped. “Damn, why are you so easy on me?”
“Fine. It’s not okay. I hate you. Take your stupid flowers.” I threw them on the floor and crossed my arms.
Demetri grinned. “Much better. What am I going to do with you? Hmm?” His hand blazed a trail down my neck. “You’re beautiful, funny… I can’t even look at another girl.”
“Well, I’m glad the man-whore has finally settled on one girl.” Sickness made people braver, I decided.
“Only one.” He vowed, then reached down and gently kissed my lips. “Are you really feeling better?”
I thought about it for a second. My head wasn’t pounding anymore, though I still felt kinda dizzy even though I was lying down. My legs felt like lead, and my mouth tasted like cotton, but all in all, at least I wasn’t as tired as I had been before.
“I think I’m better.”
“Hmm…” Demetri threw off my covers, I looked down. Holy crap. Someone undressed me and put me in sweats. Mortified, I closed my eyes.
“Chill, babe. It’s not like you’re the first girl I’ve seen nak*d.”
Right. Because that makes me feel better. I grit my teeth and pushed off the bed. “Did you undress me then?”
“It was a team effort.”
I wanted to die. “Both you and your brother undressed me? Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t that sort of thing illegal in all fifty states?”
“Chill, Nat. It’s not like we took turns with you or anything.”
Without responding, I tried to get up. I needed to get out of there and go home. I was too confused to stay and felt so sick I just wanted to be in my bed. My head was spinning. I put my weight on one foot and then the other, trying to make it to the door. “You can’t go around stripping people of their clothes, just because they’re sick.”
Demetri frowned.”But you were uncomfortable. Plus, I’m the one who did it. Alec was here supervising. For some reason he didn’t trust me to do the deed without peeking.”
“I’m going home,” I announced.
“Like hell you are!” Demetri grasped my arm, his fingers digging into my sensitive skin. “You’re staying here and that’s final. You’re sick. You shouldn’t be up and walking anyways. Come on.” With a grunt he lifted me up and cradled me in his arms. You would think I only weighed ten pounds. He walked briskly down the hall and then down the stairs.
“She try to escape or something?” Alec asked suddenly appearing at the bottom of the stairs. I glared.
Alec put his hands in the air. “She’s scary when she’s sick.”
“She’s also suicidal. She wanted to walk home.”
Alec scowled. “Nat, you’d make it as far as the kitchen table, pass out, and most likely crack a tooth in the process.”
I clenched my teeth to keep form yelling. It wasn’t that I wasn’t thankful, but I didn’t look my best, I didn’t feel well, and they were both acting like I was totally unable to take care of myself. Now that my fever was gone I knew I would be fine on my own.
“Lock the doors.” Alec’s intense gaze met mine. Stupid mind reader.
Demetri put me down on the couch and then walked to the doors, locking each of them. “Crap, how long have they been camped out?”
“Since you came back with the flowers.” Alec answered.
“Who’s camped out?” I piped up.
“Photographers, news crews, fans. Basically everyone in Oregon.” Alec cursed and took a seat next to me. “Thanks to my brother’s heroic kiss downtown Seaside, the media can’t wait to dig in to you.”
“Great,” I grumbled at laid my head on the arm of the couch. “If they saw me now they’d wonder what the fuss was all about.”
Alec tilted his head. “You really don’t see it do you?”
“See what?” I swallowed out of nervousness. Alec’s eyes bore into mine as if he was trying to figure out a piece to some giant puzzle. His gaze made me want to squirm, but I was able to keep myself still.
“How breathtaking you are.” His eyes shone with appreciation. “Nat, you’re absolutely gorgeous without any help from make up or fancy clothes. And you’re the only person in the known universe who hasn’t asked for one of our autographs.”
“She hasn’t?” Demetri said walking back into the living room only picking up on the last part of the conversation, “Rude, Nat. Rude.”
I laughed. I couldn’t help it. “So that’s how I get rid of you two? Ask for your autograph and throw my panties like the rest of them?”
Demetri plopped onto the couch in between us. Of course. “I could live without the autograph part, but the panty-throwing sounds intriguing. You planning on doing that soon? I’ll wait.” He grinned like a little boy. I reached over and kissed his cheek on impulse.
Alec cleared his throat. His eyes moving from me to Demetri then back again. “I’ll go see what I can do about the media for now. Why don’t you guys watch a movie or something?”
I sighed. “My pick. I’m sick.”
Demetri cursed. “My head hurts, does that count?”
“Your head always hurts when you use it, silly, so no, doesn’t count,” I joked.
Alec left the room laughing, while Demetri scowled playfully.
Chapter Thirteen
We watched movies until the wee hours of the night. By midnight I felt loads better, which was good considering I’d have to sneak back into my house.
Demetri had fallen asleep so it was up to Alec to deliver me to the front door in one piece.
“Ready?” he whispered as he unlocked the back door.
I nodded.
We padded across the backyard and quickly made it to my back door. Everything was dark, meaning the photographers had finally gone home.
“Everything’s going go to change, Nat,” Alec whispered behind me. I turned, his eyes looked black in the darkness, not the usual green I had grown so accustomed to.
“What do you mean?” My voice didn’t hide my panic.
“You’re going to be on every news station, every radio station, every gossip site. I just want you to know, it’s about to change and it’s not going to be easy.”
“They’ll get bored with me,” I reassured him by reaching up for a hug. His arms were so big and strong. I shivered when he placed his chin on my head.
“Nobody could ever get bored with you, Nat. That’s impossible.”
I smiled. “You’re just being nice because I’m sick.”
His chuckle warmed me. He pulled back and looked into my eyes. “I’m not just being nice, I’m being honest. Now get some rest.” Alec’s head descended, his lips were almost to my cheek when a flash interrupted us.
“Get in the house, Nat. Now.” Alec frantically pushed me into the house and walked up to the photographers. He was yelling. Wow, I must bring out the hulk in him. He always seems so calm and collected. Right now it looks like he’s going to rip the guy’s head off.
The guy started cussing him out. Alec raised his arms above his head again. Oh no, this is not good.
I quickly dialed Demetri’s number. It went to voicemail. I called five more times before he finally answered.
His voice was groggy. “This better be a booty call.”
I ignored him. “There are photographers outside. Alec is yelling at them. He looks crazy. I don’t know what to do.”
Demetri cursed and the line went dead.
I watched as he ran out of the house in nothing but his low slung jeans. His tan body glowed in the moonlight. He was every inch as beautiful as Alec, but so different. Alec was covered in tattoos. Demetri had two, though I couldn’t make it out. It too spread across his chest and seemed to connect to something on his back. It was too hard to tell in the dark, but I could have sworn there was writing.
Demetri grabbed Alec and ushered him back into the house, while Alec was still yelling.
The photographer walked away in the other direction. I locked my door just in case and walked up to my room. Cell phone clenched in my hand. What the heck was that about? He took a picture? So what? Not that I didn’t appreciate Alec’s protectiveness, but still.
I checked my phone again. No texts from Demetri. I put my cell by my pillow anyway and drifted off to sleep.
Chapter Fourteen
My entire Sunday was dedicated to homework. Demetri had his fair share as well, so we agreed to hang out Monday at school. I didn’t just miss him, I missed Alec too. But I knew it would be weird to just stop by their house. After all, I basically stayed the weekend with them.
My mom didn’t even ask how I was when she walked in Sunday night. She scurried into her office and said she had an emergency client. Which basically meant there was some sort of suicide attempt.
I shrugged.
My mind still itched to know why Alec and Demetri were seeing my mom. It wasn’t as if I could ask her what they talked with her about. And neither of them would say a word to me about it.
It just seemed like there was so much more to the story. Why were they really here? The situation bothered me more than it should because I was stuck smack dab in the middle of it. And yes, I guess I am semi-insecure, I just didn’t want to be caught up in something that would eventually hurt me.
The next day I accidently overslept. I only had time to brush my teeth, wash my face, and throw on clothes before I was running out the door to my truck.
Only, it was missing. I blinked several times. Maybe I was losing my mind? Who the heck would steal my truck?
“Geez, took you long enough to get ready,” Demetri said from behind me. I flipped around and felt myself blush.
“I overslept.”
“I couldn’t tell.” He eyed me appreciatively making my blush burn my cheeks like crazy.
“Do it again,” he whispered as he leaned in and kissed me.
“What?”
“Blush. It’s sexy.” His arms came around me lifting me off the ground. I giggled as he twirled me around then set me down. “You ready, man?” He called behind him.
Alec bounded out of the house. He was wearing some sort of graphic T-shirt and skinny jeans with Converse. I never liked skinny jeans on guys. I liked them on him. A lot.