Eternal (Seaside 4.5)

Jaymeson’s hands started to shake. “Yeah, I lasted… um, a week? That’s good, right?”

“She cry?” I got up from the couch, walked around, and pulled my best friend in for a hug.

“Freaking sobbed.” Jaymeson bit down on his lip. “Then accused me of knocking her up and then cried some more and then laughed hysterically.”

“Yeah.” I whistled. “Get used to those hormones. They’re fun.”

“Hey!” Alyssa threw a pillow at my legs.

I blew a kiss in her direction. “Lyss, you know I love Nat.”

“Yeah, you do!” A voice echoed down the hall. “Oh look, everyone’s here!” She clapped her hands and then leaned against the wall. “I’m so tired.”

Swear, the woman just got more beautiful every time I saw her. She was ready to pop any day. We still hadn’t told Demetri that the actual due date just so happened to be their wedding. We’d lied, or as Nat had put it, omitted. The last thing I wanted was for them to stress about one more thing.

“So…” Nat waddled over to me and kissed me full on the mouth. She tasted like mint.

I groaned and ran my hands down her face, pulling away to stare at her swollen lips for a few brief minutes before kissing them again.

“Um?” Gabe coughed. “Hi?”

“Oh!” I stepped back. “Sorry, man. This is my wife, Nat.”

“Beautiful,” he said, his eyes twinkling, but he was staring at our baby — the only reason I was okay with him complimenting her. The more I focused on him the more I realized Demetri had been right. The guy was way too pretty to be around our women.

“Thanks.” Nat blushed prettily and tucked her hair behind her ear.

I pulled her into my side possessively.

Gabe sighed and briefly closed his eyes. “Hold on.” He pulled out his phone. “Hey, baby. Yeah can you fly in? I miss you.” His face completely changed. Ha, I knew that look. “Yeah, you can bring them, sure.” He hung up and addressed the entire room. “We’ll settle it once and for all.”

“Settle it?” Demetri asked, looking as confused as I felt.

“You guys married beautiful women. All of you.” Gabe smiled. “But, I think mine takes the cake. I love her with my heart, my freaking soul, everything in me. I’m sold, done, totally bought and whipped. And I want her to come down here to meet you guys. That way, when we go on tour, you won’t be… weird.”

“We weren’t acting weird.” Demetri half-pouted.

“Yeah.” Jaymeson nodded. “You keep telling yourself that.”

“Oh, and she’s bringing some friends.” Gabe chuckled.

“Please don’t say Wes Michels. Please don’t say Wes Michels,” Demetri chanted loudly.

“Wes Michels?” I asked, already knowing the answer.

“Hope that’s okay?” Gabe laughed.

“Dibs!” Jaymeson called before I could say anything.

“Wouldn’t be the first time we had to have extra security at one of our events.” I shrugged. “Everyone can stay at the beach house.”

“Awesome,” Demetri said dryly.

“Party!” Jaymeson did a little dance then clapped his hands. “Now let’s eat. I’m starved!”

CHAPTER THREE

Alyssa

I WAS TOTALLY AND completely out of this world freaked out. Outside looking in. people probably assumed Demetri and I had been living in sin. The truth? Not at all.

He’d taken things slow with me. I mean, really slow. We’d kissed — a lot. I mean, if there was a gold medal for kissing, we’d have it. And yeah, I’d traveled with him all over the place, but he’d never tried anything.

What had turned into us waiting for the right moment, turned into me wanting to wait until our wedding night. I mean, especially after I saw Nat get pregnant so soon. I know that she and Alec were happy with the baby, but holy crap! I was so much younger than them. Having a baby now? It freaked me out. It made me that much more hesitant, even though I wanted to be completely and totally Demetri’s.

After we’d all met at the house, we’d gone to dinner. It was fine until someone asked Demetri if I was already pregnant on account that Jaymeson and Pris were expecting.

Naturally, because it’s Demetri were talking about, he started choking on his water and blurted, “You have to have sex to get pregnant.”

Granted, Alec already knew we were waiting, but it was still super embarrassing. The entire table quieted down. They were my friends, family. I mean, it didn’t matter. But the more I thought about it the more terrified I became.

What if I was terrible at sex?

And Demetri was super disappointed? I mean, when I first met the guy, his sexual exploits had been legendary.

The guy had slept with everything, and I do mean everything, on account he’d been high most the time.

I just didn’t want to be a disappointment, which meant that sleep wasn’t actually happening.

I flipped over on my back and glared at the clock. One A.M. Tomorrow I had my final dress fitting and a day full of pedicures and getting spoiled until the rehearsal dinner.

It was official.

I was going to look like absolute hell.

I could have sworn the clock was ticking louder and louder next to me. Finally, I threw over the covers and stomped down the hall to Demetri’s room.

Quietly, I let myself in and walked over to his bed.