Pull

Later that night I found out just how thrilled everyone was about the whole rumor of me doing a reality show.

Holly and Aaron glared when I opened the door. I cursed and ran my hands through my hair. “Not that I have to defend myself, but it’s not true.”

“What’s not true?” Sam pushed past them and hit me on the shoulder.

“This ass**le is doing a reality show here in Seaside.

Cameras have been following him for the past month. So was that whole speech just for TV then, Demetri?” Aaron was chest to chest with me. I took a step back and put my hands in the air.

“Okay, first off, you need to chill. Second, do you see any cameras in my house? I mean, seriously? Third, do you think I want all my own shit on live TV for people to see? Do you realize how messed up my life has been? It’s not like I want to broadcast the fact that my brother got my girlfriend pregnant, or that I had a drug problem.”

“Your brother? A son?” Holly tilted her head.

Crap. I forgot I had only told Alyssa, and that it wasn’t in group. “It’s not important.” I glared at both of them and waited.

They slowly nodded their heads and walked into the living room. I exhaled and stole a glance at Sam. “You mad too?”

He shook his head. “Girls love celebrities, why would I be mad?”

I groaned. “Panty throwing isn’t all it’s cracked out to be.”

“Yeah, pretty sure that’s a lie.” Sam laughed and walked into the living room. I waited near the door. How the hell was I going to explain this to Alyssa? She’d been working all day. She sent me a text an hour ago saying she’d be at group, but it was ten minutes past six and she still wasn’t here. I began to pace.

The doorbell rang. I nearly knocked myself out opening the door.

Alyssa stood there, her smile was so bright I found myself staring at her for a few minutes in complete silence.

“May I come in? Or are you just going to stare like an idiot all night?” She put her hand on her hips. She was wearing low slung hip hugger jeans with a cute hot pink tank top and flip flops.

I wanted to maul her.

I stepped forward and pulled her into a hug. “How about we go hang out alone… and leave everyone here?”

“Some group leader you are…” came a voice behind me. I turned to see Sam shaking his head in amusement. “Come on, Alyssa, you can sit by me.”

“No touching.” I eyed them both and shut the door.

Sam lifted an eyebrow as if to say no promises. I flipped him off as if to say I’d break every one of his fingers if he even thought about it, and made my way into the room. We were missing our final member, but I wasn’t sure if he was coming back after all the drama from last time.

Sure enough, the minute I sat down the doorbell rang again.

I opened the door and was happy to see Connor standing there with his hands shoved in his pockets.

“You made it.” I reached out to shake his hand. He nodded and shook my hand and took a step into the house just as a flash went off. I cursed and looked at the boardwalk where several paparazzi were setting up camp.

“Shit.” I pushed Connor into the room and slammed the door behind me.

Everyone came into the entryway to see my freak-out, including Alyssa. “What’s going on?” she asked.

I groaned and banged the back of my head against the door.

“I swear I had no idea, you guys. I didn’t even find out until I got home this afternoon. Nothing’s bugged in here, like I said. But the minute you leave the house, your faces are going to be everywhere.

I’ll do my best to sneak you out the back. I guess we could call the cops and put hoods over your heads.”

Alyssa burst out laughing. “Seriously? Hoods over our heads? What’s going on?”

I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out except for air. I began to sweat.

Sam spoke for me. “The media seems to think Demetri is going to be doing a reality show about Seaside. Some pictures of you guys were leaked to the media as well as the information that a show had been in the works and, voila, you’re caught up. Hey, where’s the popcorn?”

Wordlessly, I pointed to the kitchen and put my head in my hands and groaned. “Guys, you have to believe me. I really didn’t know.”

Alyssa shrugged. “Demetri, it’s fine. Let’s just get on with the session and then we can figure out how to get everyone out of here.”

She made it sound so easy. As if I could just snap my fingers and all the nightmares would disappear. I sighed and hung my head. Instantly I felt her warm body pressed against mine and then her lips were pressed against my cheek. I missed everything about her — the way she smelled, the way her lips felt against my skin.

Hell, I would move heaven and earth for this girl. She had to know what I felt for her, what I would do for her.

“Thanks,” I mumbled as she pulled away.

She shrugged and blushed. Damn, it was hot when she blushed. “For what?”

“Making me feel better.”

“It’s the least I can do.”

“And what’s the most?” I pulled her back into my body and slowly walked backwards until we were against the wall and out of earshot of the rest of the crowd.

“T-the what?” she stuttered.

“The most.” I leaned in and smelt her hair, then trailed my nose against the outside of her jaw, as my lips nibbled down toward her mouth.