Death of a Waterfall (The Hayden Falls Saga) (8 page)

"I'm Chrissy. Welcome to OTP. How'd y'all hear about us?"

Y'all?
Teghan resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "We saw your flyer in the quad."

"Well, we're glad to have y'all. Feel free to look around. Refreshments are in the kitchen," Chrissy said with a smile.

Teghan was relieved to see that Chrissy's blinding white smile was missing fangs. She stepped into the house and came face to face with a large staircase that jutted off at the top to both sides. Bedrooms, she guessed. To the right of the entrance was the main sitting room. Against the wall was a brick fireplace with a mantle that held framed photographs of the sisters of OTP. On both sides of the fireplace were two large windows that extended all the way to the floor. Two full sized couches, several chairs, and three over-sized armchairs were organized in a circle around the outer part of the room. An oval coffee table sat in the center of the circle. A single small step down from that room led to an area that housed a pool table. Teghan noticed a set of patio doors. "C'mon," she said to Annabelle as they made their way through the door. A tall wooden fence encompassed the yard, which was littered with patio tables and chairs.

"Okay, now that we've given ourselves the tour, let's go get something to drink."

"I need to use the bathroom first," Teghan said.

"You go do that and I'll go get drinks. Meet you over there by the chairs?"

Teghan looked to where Annabelle nodded. "Come with?"

Annabelle shook her head. "I don't want to spend all night waiting in line for the bathroom. I plan to get very drunk."

"Fine. But don't wander off. I'll be right back."

~ * ~

Teghan knew it was a mistake to separate, especially with the crowd that had formed for the party. Teghan mumbled a slew of obscenities under her breath as she weaved her way in and out of the masses. She managed to cross the yard and reach the group of chairs where they were supposed to meet. Annabelle wasn't there. Big surprise. She tucked her hands into her jean pockets and continued to survey the crowd. Teghan couldn't stop staring at a short, chubby kid with lime green spiked hair. A chain hung across his cheek, connecting the piercing in his nose to the one in his ear. Teghan cringed at the thought of how much it would hurt if someone yanked on that chain.

"Crazy party, huh?" the guy standing next to her said.

"Yeah," she said with a smile.

"You're Teghan, right?"

She gave him a quizzical look. That was a little creepy. "How'd you know that?"

"I'm the resident advisor for the third floor of Whitwood Dorm," he said. "I've seen you around."

Whitwood Dorm was Teghan's dorm. "I'm sorry, I don't know your name." Oh, god! She prayed that he didn't realize it was her father who had yelled at him during moving day.

"Oh, right." He laughed. "I'm Logan."

"Nice to meet you, Logan."

"Wanna dance?"

Teghan studied him for a moment. He was tall, had dark brown eyes with hair to match, and showed a nice smile.
What the hell
, she thought. At least he went to the same college and might help get her mind off Donnie. She followed him onto the dance floor and, spacing herself a safe distance, began to move to the fast-paced music.

Logan leaned close to Teghan's face. "I've wanted to ask you out, but every time I see you, you're with some redhead or on the phone," he shouted over the music.

"That's Annabelle. She's my roommate."

Logan put his hand on Teghan's back and pulled her closer. "So, can I take you out sometime?"

Teghan smiled. "What did you have in mind?"

"I don't know. Maybe lunch or something?" He inched closer to her and straddled her leg, swaying his hips back and forth, grinding his body against hers.

"We'll see." Teghan pushed him away and continued to dance; hoping Logan didn't notice how uncomfortable she was with his forwardness.

"Oh, come on, it's just lunch." He closed in on her again.

"Maybe." She had barely said the word as he roughly pressed his mouth to hers. Teghan couldn't physically open her mouth wide enough to accommodate his eager kiss. His breath stunk of cigarettes and tasted like beer. And his tongue was all over the place; in her mouth; tracing her lips; back in her mouth; on her chin.
Seriously? Her chin?
This was the single worst kiss she'd ever had. Not to mention it was unwelcomed. Teghan pulled away and faked a smile. "I need a drink."

"Hurry back," he said.

Teghan ignored him and made a beeline for the house.
No friggin' way, buddy. I'm going to need a napkin to wipe the slobber off my face. And to hell with that lunch date. There's no way I'm going to give him another opportunity to lick my face. I should've slapped him. Or bit his tongue. That would've shown him.
Preoccupied by her thoughts, she didn't notice the guy leaning up against the side of the house smiling, until he called her name. Her mouth fell open in surprise at the sight of him. "Donnie?"

"You work fast," he said. A twist of amusement curved his lips.

"Are you stalking me?"

"Why were you kissing that guy?"

Teghan grinned. "What are you doing here?"

He stood next to her, one elbow propped against the wall, the other tucked by his side; a beer bottle was pinched between his fingers. "You didn't answer my question."

"And you didn't answer mine. Hey, where'd you get the beer?"

"In the house. First room at the top of the stairs. Now stop avoiding the question." His voice turned dark and angry. Then he added, "Trevor overheard you and Annabelle talking last night. We decided to come check things out."

Teghan tilted her head to one side and grinned. Why did he sound angry? "So, you are stalking me."

"Yes. No!" Donnie shook his head. "Will you please just answer my question?"

Teghan grabbed the drink out of his hand and sipped from it. "Jealousy suits you," she said with a smile. "The way your muscles tense and your eyes turn dark. It's really very sexy."

"Damn it, Teghan." He crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm not jealous."

Teghan's smile didn't waver. What the hell was wrong with her? It wasn't like her to tease a guy like this. Something deep in her gut told her to stop, but she was just having too much fun. "I wasn't kissing him," she finally said. "He kissed me." She noticed the tension in Donnie's body ease a little. "Now answer my question. If you're not stalking me, then why are you here?"

Donnie shrugged. "To meet girls?"

Teghan tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and sipped from his beer, fighting to hide her disbelief. Okay, so he wasn't here for her. Why did that upset her? "Looks like you've come to the right place." She glanced at the crowd before turning to walk away.

He grabbed her elbow. "Where do you think you're going?"

I knew it! He did come here for me.
She smiled to herself before turning around.

"Dance with me," he said.

"Are you going to kiss me?" she asked, her voice a taunting whisper.
Please say yes. Please say yes.

"Only if you ask me to."

Taking several deep breaths to calm her rapid heartbeat, she allowed him to lead her to the dance floor. The music slowed and he pulled her close. She put her arms around his neck, laced her fingers behind his head, and rested her cheek on his chest. Being in his arms felt right--more right than anything she'd ever experienced. She felt him tighten his grip on her as they swayed to the beat of the music. They stayed like that, holding one another, for what seemed like a millennia, but in reality was just mere seconds. She looked up when Donnie gently lifted her chin, her hazel eyes locked with his dazzling green, and she wondered what he was thinking. Did he want her to ask for a kiss? Because she damn well wanted to. But she wouldn't, unless she knew that he'd oblige. Talk about embarrassing--to be turned down cold like that. She suppressed a shudder as he positioned his mouth next to her ear and whispered, "I want you, Teghan. More than you'll ever know." His lips curled around her earlobe giving it a soft kiss.

Teghan inhaled sharply and bit her bottom lip. She felt Donnie smile against her neck as he showered her with light, feathery kisses. "Teghan?" His husky seductive voice was dark, and wolfish with hunger.

"Hmmn."

"It could be this good all the time, you know." He nuzzled her neck, trailing the tip of his nose from behind her ear, down the curve of her neck, and across her collarbone.

"Hmmn." She felt like an incoherent idiot, unable to say or do anything other than moan at him.

"If you were mine, I'd never let you go." He cupped her face in his hands, caressing her cheeks with his thumbs.

"Donnie." His name fell as an invitation from her lips, rather than the plea for him to stop, as she'd intended.

He let his lips hover just above hers. "Ask me," he demanded.

She stared up at him, lost for words.
Stop being a spaz and ask him!

"I won't kiss you until you ask me," he said, his tone softening.

Teghan licked her lips. "Kiss me," she whispered. Before she finished speaking the words, his mouth came down over hers in a hard, demanding kiss. What was with guys kissing her mid-sentence? At least this kiss was one she wanted. And oh, how she wanted it. She felt his hands work into her hair, holding her still as he kissed her. Teghan closed her eyes, and for the first time since she'd met him, she simply let herself feel. Solid and warm. Demanding, yet generous with his touch. He was everything she wanted and nothing Alex ever was. She wanted the kiss to last forever, but nothing lasted forever. One moment Donnie was kissing her and the next she was on the ground, looking up in horror as Alex punched Donnie in the jaw.

Chapter Seven

Donnie stumbled back and rubbed his jaw as shock blended with reality. "What the fuck, man?"

"You're an asshole."

"You take a cheap shot and
I'm
the asshole?" Donnie asked. He approached Alex and stood chest to chest with him, their faces inches apart.

Teghan scrambled to her feet and pushed herself between them. There was no doubt in her mind that if things progressed, Alex would get his ass handed to him. Donnie was twice his size, and Teghan knew Alex had never been in a fight. "Stop it!" she screamed.

"Get out of the way, Teghan," Alex said, not breaking eye contact with Donnie. He reached toward her in an attempt to move her.

Donnie smacked Alex's hand. "Don't you dare lay a hand on her," he said, pointing his finger in Alex's face.

Alex stepped around Teghan and rushed at Donnie. They fell to the ground, sounds of bones smacking against flesh, arms, legs, fists flew haphazardly--to the point that Teghan didn't know what body part belonged to whom.

"Stop!" Teghan screamed. She stood, crying and watched helplessly as Donnie and Alex rolled around on the ground fighting. What the hell was happening? Why had Alex gone postal? He wasn't a violent person. And Donnie didn't seem violent either--at least he'd never given her any indication that he could be. "Trevor!" Teghan yelled when she caught sight of him.

"What the hell is going on?" Trevor pushed his way through the crowd and into the circle. "Alex!" He rushed over, grabbed Alex's shirt and yanked him off Donnie.

Annabelle put her arm around Teghan's shoulder and tried to usher her away. Teghan refused. She wasn't going anywhere until someone told her what the hell was going on.

Trevor stood in front of Alex, preventing him from going after Donnie again. "Calm down, man."

"He was making a move on Teghan," Alex said, wiping the blood from his lip.

"I wasn't doing anything she didn't ask for," Donnie said.

"Teghan? That's what this is all about?" Trevor asked.

"That bastard was moving in on my girlfriend." Alex pointed at Donnie.

"I'm not your girlfriend, Alex!" Teghan walked up to him, her face streaked with tears. "Please stop," she begged with trembling lips. Alex knew damn well she wasn't his girlfriend. Why was he being so possessive? She had to stop this and make him understand, because if this was how he was going to act, then there was no way they could be friends.

"Get out of my way, Teghan," Alex ordered. "I'm not finished with him yet."

"What else you got?" Donnie motioned with his hands for Alex to come at him again.

"No!" Teghan shouted. "This shit stops now!" They all stopped and looked at her. Her face was red with anger and her body was shaking.

"Teghan," Trevor said calmly. "Tell me what happened."

"I don't know." Her lips continued to tremble as she fought to regain some semblance of control. "I was dancing with Donnie and next thing I know, I'm on the ground and these two are beating on each other."

Trevor looked back and forth between Donnie and Alex, his expression angry. "Which one of you two dickheads hit my sister?"

Teghan groaned. All she needed was for Trevor to start fighting with them. "No one hit me, Trevor. I fell when Alex hit Donnie."