Secrets

Chapter Seventeen

"Anya?" He looks at me with an eyebrow raised and I silently plead with him to go with it. "How are you? I haven't seen you in ages." He almost screeches, jumps up and hugs me.

"Wait! You know each other?" Josh demands.

"Yeah," Tom answers and looks me in the eyes and I smile. "We go way back. Known each other for years through mutual friends." I release the breath I didn't know I was holding. He's leaving it at that, thank goodness.

"Oh, right okay."

"How do you two know each other?" I ask Josh and Tom.

"We're brothers." Tom laughs and grabs Josh in a headlock. Josh and Tom are brothers? How didn't I pick up on this. Seeing them together it's obviously, really. The thought never even crossed my mind.

"Oh, wow. I didn't realise." Tom is the front-man of a huge band, who formed about two years ago, called 'Rhyme for Destruction'. I met Tom just before they released their first single and worked with the band on some music too.

"Crap, I've got to go. See you guys at dinner tonight?" Everyone nods and Tom turns his attention to me. "Anya," he stumbles slightly over my name and I smother a giggle, "you and me are going for dinner tomorrow night. No arguments. I haven't seen you in forever and we need to catch up."

With that he runs off and I am faced with the confused and irritated looks of five guys.

*****

Devan

I can't believe Anya knows Tom. And the way he was looking at her worried me. Almost like a challenge? I want to tell her not to go for dinner with him tonight but I don't have the right to do that. There was a bit of whispering between them last night after dinner and I had to stop myself from tearing him away from her.

Everyone loved Anya when they met her yesterday, although I'm not suprised. We all went to the beach after lunch but Anya went exploring and insisted that she didn't want company, which meant that I spent all afternoon thinking about her but not seeing her, which is frustrating.

I have to do something about these feelings I have for her, they're driving me crazy. I think I need to find out how she feels, but I don't know how. When we're alone there's something electric between us but when we're not you would honestly believe nothing had happened between us. Maybe that's what she wants. For nothing to have happened.

No, I don't believe that. There's no way I'm accepting that the first girl I've ever really had feelings for isn't interested in me. I'm going to show her that she wants me. I'm going to take her out and show her an amazing time. That way, even if I can't stop her going out with Tom tonight, at least I'll know she had an amazing day with me.

Happy with my plan I dive out of bed and leave my room, crossing the suite and knocking gently on Anya's door. There's no answer so I open the door and go in, quietly. She's still asleep, although I'm not surprised, it's not even seven yet.

"Anya." I whisper to her and shake her shoulder, sitting on the edge of the bed. She falls back slightly and the sheet falls off her revealing a tiny shorts set that doesn't leave much to the imagination. My breath catches in my throat and I somehow manage to call her name again.

She stirs slightly and pulls herself forward towards me, placing her hand way too high up on my thigh. I freeze up at the feelings rushing through me and look down at her peaceful face as she slowly opens her eyes.

"Devan?" she asks gently, using her other hand to rub her eye. She looks so cute and much younger like this, but also painfully gorgeous.

"Get up, Anya. I'm taking you on a trip."