Forever

“Time’s up!” The lights around us flicked on as the curtain was pulled away. Jaymeson stood there with a knowing grin on his face while Alec cursed a blue streak and looked ready to throw the chair he was sitting in.

I looked over at Demetri and Alyssa.

And they said Alec and I were bad?

Demetri’s tongue was seriously halfway down her throat as she gripped his blond hair and twisted in his lap.

“Play time’s over.” Jaymeson smacked Demetri in the head.

Demetri jerked back and glared. I’d never seen him look so angry — like he was going to actually end Jaymeson’s life.

“Dessert.” Jaymeson winked at both of us and then put on a top hat, using a tall cane to walk away from us. In another life the man would have been a ridiculously good pimp. Seriously.

I jumped off Alec’s lap, grabbed Alyssa’s hand and walked with her into the kitchen. Priscilla was sitting on one of the stools drinking a bottle of water and wearing a white cocktail dress. Her eyes were glued to the water bottle, as if she was almost afraid to look anywhere except the label she was currently peeling from the plastic. Her lips formed a slight pout, and I groaned. May as well wave a red flag in front of a bull. Jaymeson was staring at her like she was his next three meals, like he couldn’t wait to pull her dress from her body. I almost smacked him, but Alysssa beat me to it. She grabbed him by the ear and pulled his head down as she jerked him out of the kitchen and scowled.

“She just turned eighteen, you ass.” Alyssa released his ear. “And she’s too good for you so back off.

“What the hell did I do?” Jaymeson yelled. “I didn’t say anything!”

“Exactly my point.” Alyssa released his ear. “You and I both know you were undressing her with your eyes. You were about five seconds away from giving her your best accent and panty-dropping smile.”

Jaymeson opened his mouth but Alyssa interrupted him.

“—No!” She thrust her finger into his chest. “She’s family, meaning she’s off limits.”

By now Priscilla had joined us outside the kitchen and was leaning against the door, her face crimson.

“Off limits?” Jaymeson tilted his head as if confused.

“Yes, you ass, off limits. As in ’I don’t care if the girl struts around you naked, you will control your urges. You will keep your sexy foreign hands to yourself.’ I don’t care if you have to blindfold yourself and sit on your own hands.”

“Now you’re talking.” Jaymeson chuckled. “I love a good blindfold and—”

Alyssa stomped her foot and threw her hands into the air, then looked to Demetri for help.

He was grinning from ear to ear. “Sweetheart, you’re gonna give yourself a stroke. He won’t touch her, trust me.”

“Huh?” I asked, “What makes you the expert on whores?”

Alec gave me a look that said, ’Really? It’s Demetri you’re talking to.’

“I know all his secrets.” Demetri grinned. “And I know that Jaymeson wouldn’t touch your girl here with a ten-foot pole. No offense, Priscilla.”

She shrugged and waved him off even though she was still red.

“He doesn’t do virgins,” Demetri announced proudly.

At Priscilla’s sharp intake of breath I looked over. She was making her way across the living room. Grabbing her purse, she made it as far as the door before I met her there.

“I’m so sorry, the guys are—”

Priscilla shrugged again. What was with that girl and shrugging? I knew she had to care.

“They’re guys,” she answered boldly. “And it’s fine. I have brothers, you know. Typical male behavior. I’ll, uh, just see you tomorrow, okay?”

“You’re sure you’re fine?” I touched her arm.

Priscilla smirked and looked behind me. “I’m sure it’s nothing a few Jamie Jaymeson movies couldn’t fix.”

“I told you she liked me!” he shouted triumphantly.

“But—” Priscilla sighed heavily. “They all got lost in the fire.”

“Fire?” Jaymeson asked.

“Yeah.” Priscilla winked. “Every full moon I do a bonfire on the beach and put a hex on people who piss me off.”

Jaymeson’s mouth dropped open.

“So, sadly…” Priscilla brought her attention back to me. “I won’t have the man or the movie comforting me tonight. What a terrible, terrible, loss,” she said dryly and left the house.

Once the door slammed Jaymeson announced, “She’s joking, right?”

“You’ve been crying in your sleep and you have a twitch in your left eye.” Alec shrugged. “So maybe she’s serious.”

“Holy shit!” Jaymeson ran to the mirror to check his eye. “It’s that noticeable?”

I smacked Alec in the stomach. They really needed to give Jaymeson a break, but honestly, the guy was disgusting with women. I was just thankful that Priscilla wouldn’t be one to fall.

“So… about the rest of our bachelor party…” Demetri rubbed his hands together. “More dancing?”

“Actually…” Alyssa winked in my direction. “We have the stage set for you two.”

“Us?” the brothers said in unison.

“Uniforms.” Jaymeson reached behind the couch and handed them each a black bag.