“Make out?” This from Nat.

“No.” Demetri groaned. “Go on a real date. We haven’t actually done any of that yet, and I’m still trying to convince her that I’m worthy of at least a dinner and a movie.”

“He’s worth it,” Alec confirmed.

“Yes, because she’s going to blindly take your word for it. A man who, not five minutes ago, she called an ass. Awesome.”

Demetri cursed and ran his fingers through his hair. “Sorry, Lyss.

Really, don’t let them pressure you. They don’t have to stay. In fact, they can leave. Don’t you guys have a plane to catch in like six hours?”

“Seven,” Nat answered.

I touched Demetri’s arm. He was shaking. Odd. He seemed totally in control and at ease. Subconsciously, I wondered if he was angry, but he seemed more alert than anything.

“Here.” I gave him three pieces of taffy and smiled.

His face relaxed. “How’d you know?”

“Maybe my thing is being on taffy patrol?” Oh my gosh, that sounded so lame. I wanted to run out of the house right then, but everyone was grinning at me like I’d just cured world hunger by giving Demetri taffy.

“She cares,” Alec said.

“I like her,” Nat added.

Demetri rolled his eyes and popped a piece of taffy into his mouth. “What the heck kind of flavor is this, it tastes like…”

I shifted nervously. It was a new flavor. One I had my parents make especially for him. I hadn’t meant for it to be a big deal, or for him to discover it in front of his brother and Nat, but oh well. No going back now. Plus, I’d already embarrassed myself thirty times over.

“It’s, um, Jack Daniels taffy.”

The room fell silent.

Oh crap. What did I do?

Without any sort of warning Demetri pulled me into his arms and kissed me firmly across the mouth. He tasted like sugar and whiskey. Like heat and passion. I sucked on his tongue. I couldn’t really help it.

He pulled back and kissed my cheek. “That was really sweet of you. Alec used to buy me the alcohol flavored ones to help me get over the addiction.”

“Oh.” I felt myself blush. “It was nothing. I just thought…” I shrugged lamely.

“You thought,” Nat said. “About him. I say you’re a keeper.

Now can we please put you guys in some freaky disguises, so we can go to dinner and a movie?”

“Wait, I never said yes,” Demetri argued.

“You didn’t really say no either,” I pointed out and then snapped my mouth shut as Nat burst out laughing.

“Girl’s got a point.” She looped her arm with mine and tilted her head toward Alec. “Go get the costumes.”

“Costumes?” I repeated while Demetri stomped up the stairs and cursed, with Alec leading the way.

Nat released my arm and looked at me. “It’s kind of a long story, but usually when the guys go out during the day, there’s so many people around here that they don’t really get bothered that much. But for some reason, whenever they go to restaurants they get hounded. It’s kinda freaky if you aren’t used to it. So I came up with a brilliant plan.”

I really liked Nat. Her enthusiasm was contagious. Honestly, I wish she was the type of girl I could easily hate. Then I could forget the fact that she and Demetri briefly dated. But she was awesome. And I hadn’t had a friend in a long time, which meant her warmth was like food to someone starved.

She clasped her hands together. “I make both boys wear hats, backwards, so they still look like they are in high school. They throw on some old football sweatshirts from Seaside High and take off the skinny jeans.”

I laughed. “Yeah, the skinny jeans are a huge indicator.

Sorry to say.”

Nat rolled her eyes. “Right? I mean what guy in Seaside actually pulls them off that well? It’s basically like wearing a poster that says ‘Rock star Coming Through’.”

I burst out laughing and nodded my head. “Doesn’t help that Demetri’s gorgeous.” Whoops. I felt myself blush as Nat smiled warmly at me.

“He is, and he seems to really like you.”

I shrugged.

“Look, I love this whole humility thing you’ve got going on, but seriously, you’re beautiful, and I don’t know, maybe it sounds weird, but I see this inner strength about you.” She looked away.

“Great, now I’m sounding like my mom.”

I swallowed and bit my lower lip. “Don’t worry. You’re a far cry from sounding like Mrs. Murray.” I wasn’t ready to tell Nat that I saw her mom on a regular basis. “Besides, I’m not really that strong.”

Nat got really quiet. I looked up to see what she was doing, but she was staring at me, as if I was some sort of alien or something. She shook her head back and forth and looked toward the stairway, then back at me. “Any girl who can handle five minutes with Demetri is strong, Alyssa. Believe me, you hold your own, not many girls could.”

“Did you?” Whoa, seriously someone shut me up. Put masking tape over my mouth and send me out the door.

Nat laughed. “No. Honestly, I was terrible with Demetri. It was like mixing water with oil. Believe me, any girl wants it to work when a hot guy comes after her, but with Demetri it was never easy. I love him, don’t get me wrong. I hope that doesn’t make you uncomfortable, but he’s like a brother to me.”