Her response was to stick out her tongue. Clearly the honeymoon phase was over.

“Denied,” Alyssa piped up next to me and gave Nat a high five, shoving me out of the way. I felt my nostrils flare as I repeated Alec’s curse and glared at both of the traitors.

It was going to be a really long ten miles.

**** Alec pulled up to the restaurant and turned off the car.

When we first got to Seaside last fall, things got so crazy that the only place we could actually go to eat was this old run-down bed and breakfast on the beach. It was owned by an elderly married couple who, I swear, were alive before electricity was discovered.

Their great-grandkids were also huge fans, which meant they didn’t think twice about closing the place down for us if we needed it. But considering it was a bed and breakfast, it wasn’t too crowded at dinnertime.

I grabbed Alyssa’s hand. It was warm and fit perfectly in mine. I sighed in excitement. Everything about her felt so right. She smiled up at me, and my heart stopped in my chest. She had no idea what she did to me. She was so beautiful, like my own personal light. I couldn’t help but grin back. I felt my cheeks heat.

How did a girl make me blush?

“Boys!” Old Mrs. Miller greeted us and swatted Alec with a towel when we walked in. “I just saw you on TV a few days ago!

Are you back for good now?”

Alec grinned and pulled Mrs. Miller into a side hug. “Nope, just here for the day, but Demetri’s here for a while. Did you know he works at Seaside Taffy? Show her the jingle, bro.”

Damn brother and his inability to keep his mouth shut. Mrs.

Miller looked expectantly in my direction. I managed to get through the jingle in record time. Alyssa and Nat clapped. Alec pursed his lips together and looked away. Payback’s a bitch, and I was going to get him one way or another.

Mrs. Miller, bless her heart, just sighed and patted my hand.

“That’s so nice, Demetri. Good for you! It’s good for a boy to work.”

Why was everyone under the impression that I didn’t work?

I nodded and gave her a hug once Alec released her. “Where’s Mr.

Miller?”

“Oh, he saw your car pull up and knew you’d want some dinner, so he’s firing up the grill out back.”

Excellent. And that was why I loved them. “Come on in. Sit, sit.” It was a really warm night, even though the breeze from the beach was a little cold.

She led us outside to the porch, so we could watch the waves, and passed out blankets to the girls. Our chairs surrounded the little outdoor fireplace.

“What can I get you to drink?” Mrs. Miller pulled out her little notepad and stared at the blank page, her pencil hovering over the paper.

“Coffee for me.” I looked to Alyssa. She tilted her head for a minute.

“Hot chocolate?”

“Ooo, me too,” Nat agreed.

Alec ordered coffee. Straight up black coffee with no sugar, no cream. Boring and gross, but Alec ordered food according to his personality sometimes. I always wanted to add spice to things. He was perfectly happy with the natural state of everything.

And this is what I mean about losing my mind. How did I get from coffee to our personality differences? Why did I have to be addicted to all drugs? Clearly I needed something to pull me out of my estrogen-like state. I shuddered and had half a mind to roar or something just to remind myself that I was a dude.

“So, how’s it going in Seaside? I mean, how is it really going? Are things… hard?” I could tell Alec was trying to ask me about the drugs and my depression in a covert way, but I had no secrets from Alyssa. He shifted in his seat and sighed.

“It hasn’t been easy. Actually it’s been hell, but I’m getting there. I feel better than I’ve ever felt and this one over here…” I nudged Alyssa. “Has magic taffy powers. She provides me with everything I need.”

She blushed profusely, and then I realized what I had just alluded to. I quickly backtracked. “I mean, when it comes to like food, not physical stuff like… shit.”

Alec’s shoulders shook from laughter. “It’s okay, I knew what you meant.”

Nat stared at Alyssa and grinned.

“So magic taffy powers?” Alec winked at Alyssa and leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed behind his head, making his shirt pull up just slightly. The guy was going to give Mrs. Miller a stroke if he didn’t keep it in his pants.

She blushed. “Don’t let him fool you. It’s not near as cool as it sounds.” Alyssa didn’t seem the least bit affected by Alec’s peekaboo six-pack, or the fact that he was flashing her a giant ass smile. She tucked her head into my shoulder. I kissed her on the hair and grinned.

“Yes. It really is,” I confirmed to Alec, fighting the urge to tell him mine really was bigger than his. I knew he wasn’t doing it on purpose, but sometimes I hated how much girls flocked to him.

Couldn’t he just be normal for one day, so the girl would follow me instead of him? Did I need to take off my shirt? Belt out a song? Get down on one knee? Oh shit, I just said knee, which meant proposal, which meant marriage. Why were my hands sweating? I glanced at Alyssa. Okay, it was more of a stare, a stalker stare that had me watching every breath that escaped her perfectly bow-shaped lips.

God, I wanted to taste her again. Would I ever get enough? I adjusted in my seat and cursed the fact that I was a guy.

Mrs. Miller came with our drinks. Alyssa closed her eyes and took a sip. Damn, what I wouldn’t do to be hot chocolate right now. Chocolate ran down the side of the white cup. Her pink tongue darted out and licked the liquid as she moaned to herself. I take everything back. I just want to be a cheap ass cup. That’s what I want to be.