Eternal: A Seaside/Ruin Crossover Novella (Seaside #6) (2 page)

“Uh, I’m married,” Gabe said, helplessly looking around at all of us. “But seriously, if you did fall off the wagon, no judgment.” He lifted his hands up in innocence then cracked a smile.

“I don’t like your type.” Demetri’s eyes narrowed. “And swear, if you sing one word…” He lifted his finger into the air and repeated hoarsely. “…one word to my girl, I’m going to run you over with my car.”

“He serious?” Gabe elbowed Jaymeson. “Or does he just have a really weird sense of humor?”

“He’s… special.” Jaymeson coughed.

“Screw you. I’m awesome!” Demetri yelled.

“Aw, cool.” Gabe sidestepped Demetri and pointed at the TV. “I think Wes started today.”

“I have a giant man crush on that guy.” Jaymeson nodded. “If I met him, I’d probably kiss him on the mouth. Pris would understand. He’s on my list.”

“List?” Alyssa asked.

“For people I’m allowed to kiss while being married.”

“Um…” I tilted my head. “…pretty sure that’s for females. It’s the elevator list, like girls you could sleep with while still being married.”

Alyssa crossed her arms. “Demetri, do you have a list?”

“No.” He shook his head. “I value my balls too much to even contemplate it. Jaymeson, however, doesn’t care about his balls on account that they’re the size of peas.”

“I freaking hate peas.” Gabe shuddered.

“Nobody asked you, Twilight!” Demetri snapped.

“Want tickets?” Gabe asked, completely ignoring Demetri’s odd behavior. “For the next home game? You could meet Wes and Kiersten — they’re really fun. Hey, we should all get together!”

“No.” Demetri shook his head.

Gabe kept talking. “It would be really fun. We could plan something during the Seattle stop.”

“No.” Demetri looked down at the floor.

“As a group.” Gabe nodded. “I mean, if you guys were up for it?”

“Great.” Jaymeson patted him on the back.

“Does nobody listen to me anymore?” Demetri muttered under his breath.

“Ignore him.” I moved so Gabe could sit with us on the couch. “The wedding’s in two days, and his fiancée...” Alyssa pointed at herself and smirked. “…has been listening to your songs non-stop since they’ve gotten to Seaside.”

“She throws her bra at you, and I’m—”

Gabe held up his hand. “I remember. You’re running me over with your car. Got it.”

“Good.” Demetri shuffled and crossed his arms.

“Oh, and by the way…” Gabe chuckled. “…marriage doesn’t stop the insanity, just makes it worse. I don’t even let Saylor go grocery shopping on her own because I’m so freaked out that someone’s going to snatch her out of the parking lot. I even lied and told her I’d stop following her. But I wait in the shadows and watch. I jumped on the crazy train six months ago, so it’s cool, man. I get it.”

“You get nothing,” Demetri grumbled. “But I really like your shoes.”

“Aw, he’s making friends.” Jaymeson chuckled. “I think he likes you, Gabe.”

“Why are we friends?” Demetri asked out loud. “Really. I’m curious.”

“We’re brothers.” Jaymeson grinned. “Well, half-brothers, but still, you have no choice but to love me.”

“I’m poisoning your tea,” Demetri announced casually before turning around and placing a possessive arm around Alyssa.

“No more tea.” Jaymeson went into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water. “I’m trying to keep caffeine out of the house on account that—”

With a jerk, I flipped on the couch and glared as Jaymeson’s face went completely red.

“On account?” I prompted.

“Dude.” Demetri’s fa
ce broke out into a huge grin while Alyssa covered her face with her hands, tears pooling in her eyes.

“Shit. Pris is gonna kill me,” Jaymeson muttered. “I suck at secrets!”

“Congrats, man.” Gabe pulled him in for a hug. “How long have you known?”

Jaymeson’s hands started to shake. “Yeah, I lasted… um, a week? That’s good, right?”

“She cry?” I got up from the couch, walked around, and pulled my best friend in for a hug.

“Freaking sobbed.” Jaymeson bit down on his lip. “Then accused me of knocking her up and then cried some more and then laughed hysterically.”

“Yeah.” I whistled. “Get used to those hormones. They’re fun.”

“Hey!” Alyssa threw a pillow at my legs.

I blew a kiss in her direction. “Lyss, you know I love Nat.”

“Yeah, you do!” A voice echoed down the hall. “Oh look, everyone’s here!” She clapped her hands and then leaned against the wall. “I’m so tired.”

Swear, the woman just got more beautiful every time I saw her. She was ready to pop any day. We still hadn’t told Demetri that the actual due date just so happened to be their wedding. We’d lied, or as Nat had put it, omitted. The last thing I wanted was for them to stress about one more thing.

“So…” Nat waddled over to me and kissed me full on the mouth. She tasted like mint.

I groaned and ran my hands down her face, pulling away to stare at her swollen lips for a few brief minutes before kissing them again.

“Um?” Gabe coughed. “Hi?”

“Oh!” I stepped back. “Sorry, man. This is my wife, Nat.”

“Beautiful,” he said, his eyes twinkling, but he was staring at our baby — the only reason I was okay with him complimenting her. The more I focused on him the more I realized Demetri had been right. The guy was way too pretty to be around our women.

“Thanks.” Nat blushed prettily and tucked her hair behind her ear.

I pulled her into my side possessively.

Gabe sighed and briefly closed his eyes. “Hold on.” He pulled out his phone. “Hey, baby. Yeah can you fly in? I miss you.” His face completely changed. Ha, I knew that look. “Yeah, you can bring them, sure.” He hung up and addressed the entire room. “We’ll settle it once and for all.”

“Settle it?” Demetri asked, looking as confused as I felt.

“You guys married beautiful women. All of you.” Gabe smiled. “But, I think mine takes the cake. I love her with my heart, my freaking soul, everything in me. I’m sold, done, totally bought and whipped. And I want her to come down here to meet you guys. That way, when we go on tour, you won’t be… weird.”

“We weren’t acting weird.” Demetri half-pouted.

“Yeah.” Jaymeson nodded. “You keep telling yourself that.”

“Oh, and she’s bringing some friends.” Gabe chuckled.

“Please don’t say Wes Michels. Please don’t say Wes Michels,” Demetri chanted loudly.

“Wes Michels?” I asked, already knowing the answer.

“Hope that’s okay?” Gabe laughed.

“Dibs!” Jaymeson called before I could say anything.

“Wouldn’t be the first time we had to have extra security at one of our events.” I shrugged. “Everyone can stay at the beach house.”

“Awesome,” Demetri said dryly.

“Party!” Jaymeson did a little dance then clapped his hands. “Now let’s eat. I’m starved!”

CHAPTER THREE

Alyssa

I
WAS TOTALLY AND
completely out of this world freaked out. Outside looking in. people probably assumed Demetri and I had been living in sin. The truth? Not at all.

He’d taken things slow with me. I mean, really slow. We’d kissed — a lot. I mean, if there was a gold medal for kissing, we’d have it. And yeah, I’d traveled with him all over the place, but he’d never tried anything.

What had turned into us waiting for the right moment, turned into me wanting to wait until our wedding night. I mean, especially after I saw Nat get pregnant so soon. I know that she and Alec were happy with the baby, but holy crap! I was so much younger than them. Having a baby now? It freaked me out. It made me that much more hesitant, even though I wanted to be completely and totally Demetri’s.

After we’d all met at the house, we’d gone to dinner. It was fine until someone asked Demetri if I was already pregnant on account that Jaymeson and Pris were expecting.

Naturally, because it’s Demetri were talking about, he started choking on his water and blurted, “You have to have sex to get pregnant.”

Granted, Alec already knew we were waiting, but it was still super embarrassing. The entire table quieted down. They were my friends, family. I mean, it didn’t matter. But the more I thought about it the more terrified I became.

What if I was terrible at sex?

And Demetri was super disappointed? I mean, when I first met the guy, his sexual exploits had been legendary.

The guy had slept with everything, and I do mean everything, on account he’d been high most the time.

I just didn’t want to be a disappointment, which meant that sleep wasn’t actually happening.

I flipped over on my back and glared at the clock. One A.M. Tomorrow I had my final dress fitting and a day full of pedicures and getting spoiled until the rehearsal dinner.

It was official.

I was going to look like absolute hell.

I could have sworn the clock was ticking louder and louder next to me. Finally, I threw over the covers and stomped down the hall to Demetri’s room.

Quietly, I let myself in and walked over to his bed.

He slept like the dead most the time. He also had a serious problem with throwing covers all over the place, making his bed like a war zone. His golden abs were on full display as he lay with his arms behind his head. His muscles bulged in his arms. Seriously, I had no idea where he’d gotten that body. He really didn’t work out. And I refused to count the other day. Total fluke.

“Dem,” I whispered.

He groaned.

“Dem…” I tried again, this time touching his shoulder.

His eyes flared open. He grabbed me by the arms, and let out a little yelp. “Holy shit, are you trying to give me a heart attack?” His voice was deep and hoarse from sleep. I couldn’t help the smile that tugged at the corner of my lips. He was seriously beautiful. Golden-blond hair, bright blue eyes, and a permanent tan — he was the epitome of the Malibu surfer come to life, either that or a Ken doll.

“Yes.” I whispered as I crawled over him and lay next to his warm body. “That’s the plan. Kill you before you can say yes on our wedding day.”

“Lyss…” He groaned and then glanced back at the clock. “…you do realize it’s not morning?”

“It’s morning,” I argued.

“It’s early. Roosters aren’t even awake. Believe me, I know these things, on account I keep track of all birds near our beach house.”

I rolled my eyes. He and his bird phobia.

“Dem.” I laid my head on his chest.

He started playing with my hair, his breathing even, his heartbeat strong. “Yeah?”

“What if…” I licked my lips. I just needed to say it and stop being such a chicken. “What if I suck at sex?” The words came out in rush. My face heated to five thousand degrees, and I had the sudden urge to dive under the covers and stay there for the next day or maybe an eternity.

Demetri was silent for a few minutes then burst out laughing.

Hurt, I tried to pull away, but he gripped my wrists and then pounced on top of me, his body hovering over mine. “You’re kidding, right? That was you being funny?”

A tear slid down my cheek. I couldn’t find my voice, so I shook my head and tried to look away.

“Aw, baby.” He grasped my chin firmly and brushed a kiss across my tear-stained lips. “Don’t cry.”

“I’m s-s-sorry.” I hiccupped. “I just, I don’t want to be horrible! What if I’m horrible, and you hate me and don’t love me anymore and—”

His kiss was hard, possessive. His tongue slid into my mouth then retracted, adding pressure against my lower lip. “Don’t you for one second...” He growled and kissed me again. “…entertain thoughts like that.”

Demetri’s soft lips rested against mine.

I shuddered. “But, but you’re Demetri Daniels!” Okay, I was ready to start full on wailing. Stupid, stupid, stupid Alyssa!

“God save me, I love it when my woman busts out my full name like that.” Demetri said in a husky voice. “You have no idea what that does to me. Actually, if I took off all my clothes and stood in front of you — naked as the day I was born — you’d have an idea.”

I laughed against his chest.

“I didn’t want to have to do this.” Demetri sighed and gently pushed me away. “But you’ve left me no choice.”

Panicked, I watched as his eyes fluttered closed, his ridiculously long eyelashes fanning against his tan skin.

“Punch me.”

“What?” I gasped. “Are you insane?”

He opened on eye. “Have I ever told you how happy it makes me that whenever I do something that sounds crazy, you don’t assume I’m drunk?”

“It was my next accusation. You just didn’t give me time.” I crossed my arms and smirked. “I’m not punching you.”

“Hey, you may like it.” Demetri closed his eyes again. “Now, come on, punch me hard.”

“No.” I laughed, the tears drying on my face. “Are you just trying to distract me from being panicked and terrified?”

“No.” Demetri sighed and opened his eyes, focusing in on my face. “My plan was to show you that I’m human. I still bleed, badass lead singer of AD2 or not. I’m just a guy, who really, desperately loves a girl.”

I looked down at my hands. “I know.”

He tilted my chin up toward him. “Do you? Do you really know? Because if we’re really going to start making confessions, here’s mine.”

The room fell silent except for the soft waves crashing against the beach. Demetri usually left his window open but not enough for any birds to come barreling in. I shivered as his arms wrapped around me.

“You terrify me.” He sighed into my hair. “Everything about you scares me. Forget being scared about sex. I’m petrified that one day you’ll wake up and realize I’m not worth it. I keep waiting to wake up from this dream, but that’s the thing, Lyss. You are my dream. You aren’t going to suck at sex. Mainly and honestly, I’ll be too damn nervous to even remember most of it, let alone judge your performance. Besides, what if I suck? What if I’m not gentle enough with you? Because, here’s confession number two, I have the worst self-control… ever.”

I pulled back and blinked in confusion. “But… all these months you’ve seen so good.”

His grin was shameless. “Right.”

He dipped his finger in his own mouth then slid it into mine. I bit down softly. A moan rumbled from his chest.