Strung (Seaside 0.5)(9)
Author: Rachel Van Dyken

Nat nodded.

Needing to change the subject I swiped her phone and looked at the first song on her run mix. “Justin Bieber, Nat? Really?”

She turned bright red. “It’s good running music!”

“I’m a little hurt!” I said mockingly, “Are we even on here?”

Nat’s flush went deeper as I stopped on a playlist that screamed AD2. Aw, how cute she likes us.

“Give me that!” She lunged for the phone.

“No way! You love me!” I jumped up and down and waved my hands into the air in triumph.

“Give that back!”

“Are you blushing?” Agh, I loved that girl’s blush, it was so pure, so innocent.

“No” — she waved me off — “I’m just… winded.”

I winked. “I like this playlist better too.”

Nat looked like she wanted to disappear on the spot. It probably had more to do with the title of the playlist then the actual songs. It was marked ‘Crush.’ If only.

Funny, had it been any other girl’s phone, I would have expected it and felt nothing.

With Nat? My heart did a little flop.

Damn it.

To make her more comfortable, I steered the conversation back to my playlist. She didn’t believe that I actually listened to myself singing — I did it to practice not because I was vain.

At any rate. She lost the bet and I was one happy camper. Because I got to pick her up and take her to Evan’s party.

Just me.

It was something small… like getting a crumb from Demetri’s dinner plate. But I didn’t care. I just liked the fact that I’d get to pretend.

I’d pick her up in my car and pretend she was mine.

I’d open her door and pretend that she was my girlfriend.

And I’d imagine that it would be my lips she’d be kissing at the end of the night. Instead of Demetri’s.

By the time Friday night rolled around, I was a nervous wreck. I was almost late to pick up Nat and felt like a complete ass for making her wait.

I rang the doorbell and waited.

What greeted me on the other side of that door — almost gave me a freaking heart attack at nineteen.

No chance in hell was I letting her leave the house like that.

Words. I needed words. But I honestly couldn’t find anything to say. Pretty sure if I opened my mouth the only thing that would come out would be a pitiful moan or maybe a grunt of appreciation.

I shrugged out of my leather jacket and placed it on her shoulders. “Wow.”

“What?” Her face paled.

Damn it. “It’s just making it worse, how is it making it worse?” I seriously wanted to punch something. How did she make a simple dress look so damn hot?

Nat’s face fell. “I can change.”

“No!” I all but shouted lifting my hands into the air, which caused the jacket to fall off her shoulders. The minute I went to grab it, I grabbed her instead and we were chest-to-chest.

My body ached to touch her. It had been that way for days.

And now that we were touching. I never wanted to stop. It was like getting a taste of something forbidden for the first time. You know it’s wrong but you want it nonetheless.

“You ready to go?” I whispered, my eyes focused on her mouth.

With a quick nod, she stepped back.

I felt the loss of her warmth like a punch to the gut. I was in deeper than I thought.

“Stop lusting over my car, Nat.”

Her expression was pure envy as she took in the SUV. With a chuckle I went to the passenger side and opened the door for her.

“Are you for real?” she blurted.

“What?” Okay, I was seriously confused.

“You opened my door.” She pointed at the open door in shock.

My eyebrows drew together. “How else were you supposed to get in the car?”

She opened her mouth then shut it, then mumbled a ‘never mind’ before crawling into her seat. Okay so the night hadn’t started off on the best foot. I’d openly gaped at her, insulted her apparently by opening her door and now she was staring straight ahead like she was concentrating on some imaginary dust on the dashboard.

If there was ever a time when I regretted not drinking anymore — that was it. I pulled up to Evan’s house, got out of the car and opened her door again. Nat didn’t say anything as she unbuckled her seatbelt, but apparently she wasn’t concentrating as hard as I assumed, because she stumbled right into my arms like she’d been drinking the whole ride there.

“You okay?” I set her to rights and gazed into her brown eyes. She looked… upset?

“Yeah, um…” Her eyes flickered downward as if she was embarrassed to be seen with me, “Just not used to heels, I guess.”

“You made it!” Demetri came up behind me and squeezed Nat’s side, basically pushing me out of the way as that same hand moved lower to her ass. His mouth found her neck. I clenched my fists so tight I felt my knuckles crack.

He winked at me then kissed her neck again. “Damn you look sexy.” His nose dived instantly into her hair as he nuzzled against her like a dog in heat. Demetri was already three sheets to the wind. Well shit. That wasn’t going to go over well with Nat. Maybe she wouldn’t notice? He was practically using her to balance. “Please tell me you’re staying with me tonight?”

I licked my lips and waited for her answer. Maybe she’d say ‘no.’ Maybe she’d reject him. I willed her to say something — anything. Instead, Nat’s eyes met mine — pleaded with mine. What the hell did she want me to do? Intervene?

“Um.” Nat pushed Demetri back a bit. “How much have you had to drink?”

“Enough to feel good, but not so much that I can’t please you later, Babe.” His mouth met hers in another sloppy kiss and I was done.

Curisng under my breath I walked off in search of a corner I could brood in…

I kept my eyes on Nat and Demetri the whole time. He weaved through people, tugging her behind him like she was some sort of little plaything. And then thrust a red cup into her hands.

Don’t drink it, don’t drink it. Shit! I felt like a parent! Demetri should know better.

She took the drink, sniffed it, had a small sip and coughed.

I exhaled in relief, but tensed again when Demetri attacked Nat with his mouth… no he was like, devouring her. For real, clothes were about to go flying if I didn’t step in and do something. I knew my brother and he was going in for the kill. And he was doing it in front of the entire student body.