Strung (Seaside) Read Online Free PDF Page A

would be all over with. Alec? Alec who?
    I helped her to her feet and couldn’t help but finally feel a bit of relief. Finally, things were going my way. Finally, it wasn’t about him. The forgiveness I’d been withholding started to slink away. I made a mental note to thank him — for finally allowing me to have one thing that wasn’t his.

CHAPTER SEVEN
     
    Alec
    GREAT. SO NOW Nat thought I was some drug addicted reject — or sex addict. Take your pick.
    I kicked some of the sand in front of me and cursed loud enough to wake up some of the neighbors.
    Why did he have to be attracted to the exact same girl that stole my breath away? And I wasn’t kidding — she literally made my breath catch to the point where I almost started choking when I was in that kitchen. And then Demetri had gone and embarrassed the hell out of me.
    I checked my watch. It was nearing ten and Demetri still hadn’t come home. I went back into the house and up to my room. I’d gotten used to watching the waves while I wrote music. It helped calm me down.
    I should have known the calm wouldn’t last.
    Because the minute I opened the upstairs window, I saw two figures running out of the house next door holding hands.
    Demetri dragged Nat across the beach and started stripping once he reached the water. Her laughter danced from the shore up to my window like a siren’s call.
    Unable to look away, I tortured myself and watched as Demetri went knee deep in the water then, cursing, came running back to Nat, tackling her to the ground.
    I wanted to close my eyes. But apparently I was into inflicting pain on myself, so I kept my gaze steady as Demetri’s head lowered.
    “Shit.” I braced my hands on either side of the window frame. What the hell did I expect to happen? She’d reject him? The famous Demetri Daniels? Right. The last time he got rejected by a girl was when he was three and it was our cranky babysitter who was partially blind in one eye and had a snaggle tooth.
    Why were they still kissing? Didn’t he know Nat wasn’t one of those girls? Not the type you go fast with — you had to savor girls like her.
    She wrapped her arms around his neck and straddled him.
    And then one of them, I think it was Nat, stood up to leave. But Demetri pulled her back down and covered her body with his, moving against her slowly.
    Shit. He was practically having sex with her in public.
    I expected clothing to go flying any minute.
    And then my brother shocked me. Instead of taking what would be so easy, instead of getting what he wanted, instead of being selfish — he stopped kissing her. Helped her to her feet and kissed her forehead.
    As if she was precious.
    Well, that changed things.
    They walked hand-in-hand back towards the houses. I stepped back a bit so I was hidden in the shadows.
    Demetri kissed her hand, yelled something about not needing a ride and then walked towards our house. While a shocked Nat looked on.
    Once Demetri was in front of the house, he looked up.
    I knew he saw me.
    He knew I was watching.
    I’d seen everything and part of me wondered — if he did it on purpose.
    My answer came five minutes later when Demetri knocked on my door and let himself in. “You enjoy the show?”
    “Yeah, not your usual flare, but it was still good.”
    He threw a pillow at my face. “Hilarious.”
    I smiled — a real smile — and he returned it.
    Whatever happened, was good, things were good. For the first time in a long time. Was it her? Did she make him that happy?
    “She really likes you.” I said, fishing for more information.
    “You think so?” Demetri sounded a bit unsure as he sat on the bed and looked out the window. “She makes me feel good.”
    “I’m glad,” I lied. “You deserve to feel good, Dem.”
    “Thanks, man.” He self-consciously rubbed his head with his hands. “Are we good? You and me? Like are we cool?”
    I thought about the girl next door. If this was how Demetri was acting after a week. Imagine a year