Strung (Seaside 0.5)(15)
Author: Rachel Van Dyken

She seemed satisfied with that answer. We joked around through breakfast and put the dishes in the dishwasher.

“I should go.” Nat started heading towards the door.

“Stay.” I placed the wet dish on the counter and walked around to pull her into my arms. My mouth found hers, bestowing a gentle kiss across her lips, one that held a promise I couldn’t convey with words. That she could trust me, that I could be different, that with her I could be anything.

“I can’t.” She sighed and shook her head as I rained kisses down her neck.

“Why?” My lips moved against her skin.

“Because!” She pushed away a grin spreading across her face. “I have a ton of homework and some of us have to work for a living.”

“I work.”

She tilted her head to the side. “According to you, you’re taking a much needed break right now.”

Damn it. “True, but I still work.”

“Fine, you work, but that doesn’t change anything. I still have to go to my part-time job, and I have to fit in a run sometime today and do homework.” Her eyes flickered to the clock on the wall; she looked a bit stressed. So I gave in.

“Fine,” I grumbled. “Where do you work?”

“Seaside Taffy.”

Smirking, I asked, “Do you wear cute little outfits and give out free samples?”

She rolled her eyes. “This conversation is going downhill fast.”

Oh she had no idea how fast I could make the conversation go downhill. I was the king of turning the car. “Always.” I chuckled. “Sorry, no more sexual innuendos. Okay, go get ready for work, do your run, and we can hang out later.”

She nodded. “Aw, you’re learning so fast.”

“Do I get rewarded for good behavior?” Hey it never hurt to ask!

“And then he defaults.” She sang.

“Crap.” I crossed my arms and pouted and was surprised when Nat suddenly wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me.

She kissed me.

Holy shit.

I didn’t know what to do with my hands or legs or mouth. Everything turned to jelly. It was like a first kiss, and then I parted my lips and tasted.

So. Damn. Sweet.

I kept my hands at my sides even though it was the last thing I wanted to do and tried to keep my body in check.

“You taste good.” I pulled back and smiled.

She was breathless. “So do you.”

I stared at her then shook myself out of it.

“I’ll test you later okay?”

“Okay.” I let her go.

When the screen door slammed behind her, I made my way up the stairs to my room.

My dresser may as well have been an alarm going off in my room. Stomping towards it, I yanked out the top drawer and rummaged through the shirts until I found the bag of pills.

Without a second thought I went into the bathroom and flushed every last one down the toilet.

I wanted the hard path.

Because I finally had someone willing to hold my hand while I walked it — who’d be there at the end of it.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Demetri

STALKING WAS TECHNICALLY illegal only if the stalkee wasn’t aware they were being stalked. Right? Okay so I made that up. But still. Nat told me where she worked, in my mind that was basically like an invitation to visit her.

The only problem? How the hell was I supposed to go incognito? I hadn’t really been out and about in town yet. All I knew was that the town was small and that there was a taffy stand on every corner. No for real. It was like they’d never even heard of Starbucks.

Which in my mind meant they were backwoods. The only Starbucks I could find was at Safeway, which just so happened to be a grocery store. And when I complained that it wasn’t actually a real Starbucks the barista threw a straw at my face.

Pretty sure she wasn’t aware I was the D in AD2 otherwise she would have most likely ripped open her shirt Clark Kent style and asked for an autograph.

Hmm, free coffee for life. I could bang for that.

Shit. New leaf. I was not that guy anymore.

And really to be that desperate for coffee… it was the only thing I could drink that distracted me from drugs. I needed something that would work. Something like…

“Taffy,” I mumbled aloud as I walked into the store. It smelled like heaven, swear I had to fight from doing a little jig in the middle of the floor and splitting my jeans in two from rocking too hard.

Nat was indeed in a cute little uniform. Aw damn, she had a visor. I needed to instagram that shit ASAP.

Two teenage girls were hounding her with questions. Evan, the kid who hosted the party last night, looked like he was still drunk and contemplating puking all over the teeny boppers.

“Do I look like the type of girl a rock star would talk to?” Nat asked. Both girls shook their heads in unison. What spoiled little brats!

Time to save the day. “Oh, I don’t know. I’d talk to you, you know, if I was a rock star.” I sighed, leaning against the counter. I chuckled and licked my lips before winking and saying, “Nice visor.”

Nat looked like she wanted to throw taffy at my face.

The girls both turned, and stared. One of them looked like she was going to pass out while the other just looked — like a future stalker. Great. I’d have to snap that photo after all.

“To answer your question,” I said, looking between the two of them, “This girl is the exact type of girl I would hang out with. I may even kiss her today. That is, if she lets me.” I gave them a solid wink.

The girls sighed and then one asked, “Can I have your autograph?”

“Sure.” I was used to that sort of thing so I always carried a marker with me, I pulled it out of my pocket and signed a few napkins for the girls before sending them on their way.

“Thank God.” Evan shared a look with Nat and then slammed his hand against the counter top. “I couldn’t handle any more of their shrieking or questions.”

“Anytime.” I chuckled and then directed my attention to Nat. “So, you’re off in an hour, right?”

“Yup.” Her eyes flickered behind me; people were starting to whisper. Was my presence making her uncomfortable?

“Cool. I have plans for you, Nat.” I eyed her up and down and enjoyed the answering blush that stained her cheeks.

“Okay.”

I turned and started making my way out of the store when Nat’s voice rang out again, “Hey Demetri?”

I stopped and glanced behind me. “Yeah?”