To Fall (The To Fall Trilogy Book 1) (24 page)

When the slide dumped us out, the sunlight blinded me, and the water engulfed us, a shocking contrast to his heated body. Xander held me against him and shot to the surface so I never had to do anything but hang onto him. He was a strong swimmer, just like everything else he excelled at. It didn’t take long for the sun to beat down on us and then I was grateful for the cool water.

We spent most of the late morning to early afternoon on the slides, just those accommodating two riders. At the zoo, there were long pauses between his touches and I had resisted his help, too proud to take it. Today, he made sure we were in contact at all times. I let him help me, and I felt stronger than I did last week.

Xander was starving again, and we ordered lunch from the snack bar. Observing his entire tray of greasy food, I figured he must have an incredible metabolism, not to mention all the weight lifting he must do to keep a body like his.

After eating, I excused myself to the restroom, but I should have held it, because when I came back out to find Xander, all the air rushed from my chest.

The bright orange string bikini attacked my ocular orbits first, then the back of a blonde head of hair that was oddly styled for a water park. Xander wore his sunglasses so I couldn’t tell where his eyes were pointed, but Danielle had all of his attention, and there was less than an inch between their bodies.

Her fingers caressed his bicep and stayed there. Jealousy sparked through me like a flare. It was hot, red, and hella ugly.

I should have run up to her and reminded her he was taken, but I didn’t. Instead, I hung back to watch. A part of me needed to know Xander didn’t find someone like her attractive. Who was I kidding? What straight male over the age of ten wouldn’t be drooling over her? And here I was covered up in a T-shirt while she flaunted herself like a Sports Illustrated model.

Xander tilted his head at her and said something. She tossed perfectly coiffed hair over her tanned shoulder to expose just how skimpy that bikini was. Then her hand landed on Xander’s chest. Something stepped in front of my field of vision.
No
!

“Hey, Pink Polka Dots.” I shot farther back into the alcove away from the tanned chest, dark sunglasses, and dripping brown hair.

What was this, a class reunion? “Hi, Jake.”

His arm reached across and leaned against the lockers. “I didn’t think you came to these kinda places.”

“I normally don’t. I’m here with Xander.” Even with said boyfriend twenty feet from me, vulnerability surged through my veins.

Jake nodded in Xander’s direction. “Are you sure about that? Seems like he’s here with Danielle.”

“He’s just talking.” My words held no conviction.

Jake laughed. “No guy
just talks
to Danielle. Look.” Jake angled back so I could see them.

Danielle was pressing against Xander, her chest flush to his. That lump in my throat had grown considerably in the last ten seconds and I couldn’t look at them any longer. “Did you want something, Jake?” It came off sharper than I had intended.

He held up his hands and jerked his head back. “I wanted to say hi. I couldn’t help but notice the situation and thought you could use a friend.”

“I’m sorry.”

He took that as an invitation to step closer and the smell of chlorine on his skin mixed with liquor on his breath. He grabbed a loose hair, tucked it behind my ear, and his finger lingered on my skin. His touch was frigid and the gesture unnerved me. Why did he think he could touch me this way?

“We should go out tonight. I’ll take you dancing like last time. We could leave now.”

Jake’s fingers skimmed down my neck to my collarbone and I shivered at his chilling touch. His head tilted down and the corner of his mouth tipped up. Blood rushed from my face.

“She’s with me, Jake,” Xander’s voice boomed in the tiny space.

Jake took his hands off me. “Oops, sorry!”

No longer wearing his sunglasses, Xander’s eyes anchored down, right where Jake’s head was pointed, and he scowled. He towed me behind him. What was everyone…? Holy crap. I crossed my arms over my chest.

“I figured since you were ignoring Abby, you two broke up,” Jake said.

Xander’s body coiled and leaned over Jake. “No. Abby’s mine,” he snarled. “And she’s not going anywhere with you. Understand?”

“No prob, man. If you learned to keep it in your pants, it’ll make things less confusing for everyone.” Jake strolled away.

What
? My heart submerged in ice.

Grumbling, Xander pulled out the cell tucked inside a waterproof bag, and his fingers were fast on the keys. He tucked the phone back into its bag, back inside his pocket without explanation. I would never have guessed he had it on him this whole time. And who was he texting?

35

Cresil

Between body jumping and playtime, my energy was drained. Prince Astaroth summoned me for a private report and I spewed lies to him: I searched but did not find the soul, and he reiterated to tell no one.

After absorbing enough energy from the few drones I was allowed, I returned and found Jake at his house with Tyler and Melanie. The boys were already drinking, so I melded with Jake. From the couch, I admired the girl. Not bad at all. I could have her, it would be easy, and I’d wipe the memories away like ashes of a cigarette. I didn’t want to blow a good thing, though. I had to keep things clean if I wanted to get my Pink Polka Dots. And I did.

“Ty, I’m gonna go.” Melanie gave him a kiss on the cheek.

He checked the time on his phone. “Already, why?”

“I have a paper to write for history this weekend and I haven’t even started.” She was lying. Oh, things were getting good. I had learned to embrace their drama; it was like a freaking soap opera with these two.

Tyler complained, “You planned on spending the day with me, though.”

The girl flicked her gaze to me and cringed. “Ty, Jake doesn’t want to hear this.”

“It’s cool, have at it, guys.” I plopped down in the kitchen chair with a drink in hand and my ears wide open.

Melanie said, “Yeah, we were going to spend the day together and I was gonna help you with your party tonight. Then you wanted to come to Jake’s, whom I adore, but not when you both drink. It’s not even eleven!”

“Shit, Mel. I can’t do anything with you. First, you won’t have sex and now I can’t drink? All you are is a cock tease!”

A hand slapped wood. “Ty! I can’t believe you said that!”

“Well, what the hell, Mel? I mean, you said you loved me. What are you waiting for?”

She whispered, “Ty, I wanted to spend the day with you sober. I can’t have this conversation with you drunk and Jake’s in the next room.”

“So don’t. Let me finish my drink, we’ll go back to my house, I can finally get laid, then you can help set up for the damn party. It’s a win-win.”

After a jangle of keys, she huffed. “I’m out, Ty. Let me know when you grow up.”

“Later,” he grumbled.

Melanie said good-bye to me and left.

Tyler came in with his drink, smiling and sat in the other chair. “Mom’s gone! What do you wanna do?”

“Finish my drink.” I threw back another shot of whiskey.

He laughed. “We need hot girls in bikinis for the party tonight. I’m getting laid by the end of this day. I’m pretty sure Mel and I are on a break. That was my interpretation of that anyway.”

Maybe I could learn to like Tyler. Hmm. “Sounds good, man.”

I didn’t realize “hot girls in bikinis” would also include whining kids, beer-bellied men, and women in bikinis minus the hot. Tyler ensured me it would be worth my time. Just as I imagined drowning Tyler in the kiddie pool and ditching Jake, I spotted her.

My Pink Polka Dots.

Lucky me. She was hidden in an alcove spying on the rat. He had his hands full with Double-D’s and she was exploding marvelously out of an orange bikini.

My Pink Polka Dots had a shirt on. What a shame to cover a body like hers. I certainly noticed the color of her bathing suit and wondered if she thought of me when she put that on.

When I touched her, little goose bumps erupted on her skin along with another spectacular effect. Catching my eye were those hard, perky tips and I remembered just how sweet she tasted.

Rat boy came over and ruined my fun.

How cute, he thought he would claim her. Hmm, maybe not such an angel after all. Maybe even willing to fall for her. Fool. It was no longer a question of if I’d have her, but when. I’d draw this out and make him suffer. For now, Jake deserved a reward and Double-D’s looked more than willing.

36

Abby

“What are you doing over here by yourself?” Xander looked behind him and saw I had a good vantage point of his encounter with Danielle. “Oh.” His shoulders fell.

“Yeah.” I glanced to my toes. “I’m guessing chemistry wasn’t the topic of discussion.”

He tugged my hand. “Come on. Let’s get back to our day.”

I yanked my hand back. “I want to know what you were talking about, Xander.”

He blew out a deep breath. “Abby, it really doesn’t matter.”

I flinched. “It matters to me.”

“It shouldn’t.”

“I deserve to know.” My voice dropped. “She touched you.” My eyes locked onto his chest. “Jake said—”

He tugged my chin up, eyes narrowed at me. “I don’t care what Jake said because he’s lying,” Xander bit out. “Danielle came onto me and I told her I wasn’t interested. I pushed her hands off me. I didn’t want to talk to her. I walked away from her to find you.” His chin jutted to the alcove. “Did you go looking for Jake?”

I screwed up my face. “No, he found me.”

“Did you want him touching you? Do you want to go on a date with him? Leave with him?”

“NO!”

His face and voice softened. “Why can’t you believe the same happened to me?”

He was right. I was ready to trust Jake over him. “I’m sorry.”

“Jake just wants to cause a fight between us.” The hand holding my chin caressed my cheek. “I’ve only been with you.” He kissed me and then glanced over his shoulder. “He’s like a bad rash, stay away from him.”

“I feel the same way about Danielle.”

He nodded. “Okay, no more bathroom breaks and we’ll both be safe.”

“Sure, I’ll pee in the pool.”

He laughed and the tension ebbed. “Speaking of, let’s head out there.”

“To the Waves of Death?” I looked out to a large pool filled with people flopping out of their inner tubes, screaming children, bodies slamming onto the shore.

Xander brightened. “Yep. I’ve kept you safe so far haven’t I?”

“Yes.” I took his hand, noticing he left the inner tube by the chairs.

I thought we were going to wade in the shallow water, but we swam to where we couldn’t reach the bottom. With Xander’s arm around me, he did the majority of the work and I was still panting.

He asked, “Tired?” I shook my head and he frowned. “I have you, Abby. Take a break.”

Before I could protest, Xander grabbed my legs and folded them around his waist. We had been skin to skin many times today, but this was different. Pressed against his bare chest and abs in my thin shirt and bikini bottoms, it was impossible not to think of kissing him or touching him. All over. My heart pounded and my stomach did a funny dipping thing. Even in the cool water, my body flashed with heat.

“What’s that look for?” Xander chased my gaze with his.

“Nothing,” I blurted out.

His brows pinched. “No, it’s something.”

I closed my eyes. “If you must know, I was thinking impure thoughts. Okay?” I was a little defensive and a lot embarrassed.

His stomach shook against me and I cracked a lid. His voice turned thick and husky. “If it makes you feel any better, I have them every moment I’m with you and every moment I’m thinking of you. So I have impure thoughts twenty-four hours a day.”

“Really?”

Xander’s eyes widened. “Are you kidding? You have to ask?”

“Well, we haven’t, you know, done much more than kiss.” I shrugged. “I wasn’t sure.”

After a long blink, Xander shook his head. “Abby, the only reasons I haven’t, are your dad scares me and I don’t want to kill you. I think about it. I think about it too much.”

I whispered, “Well, we could you know.”

“What, move to the next stage of our practice?” I gave him a hesitant nod and his head whipped around. “How fast can we get to the car?”

The serious look on his face made me crack up and now we were both laughing.

Xander had an uncanny strength and endurance in the water. His arms and legs barely moved to keep us afloat. When the waves turned on, they were strong, and I figured this would result in another near drowning. Instead, we had fun splashing each other and laughing as our bodies rose up and down in the waves. We were in the water for well over an hour and Xander didn’t tire. He wouldn’t let me go when the waves turned off and I wasn’t complaining.

“Abby, are you ready to get out?”

I hadn’t noticed until now, but the light blue sky was filling with dark clouds. It was possible a late summer monsoon would cut our day short. Half the guests were packing up and leaving.

Breathing hard, I said, “Yeah, if you don’t mind.”

He helped me swim back to the cool deck beach. Xander groaned and muttered something about “creation.” Glancing in the direction he was looking, Danielle was aimed right for us. She looked at Xander like he was dipped in chocolate and put her hand on his arm. My eyes trained on those manicured fingers, appalled by her audacity.

“Hey, hot stuff,” she purred in a sultry voice.
Hot stuff
? What year was this? 1978?

Xander growled, “Danielle.”

“You should be shirtless at all times.” Her hand trailed up his arm, over his shoulder, and stopped on his chest. Again. “I thought we could go swimming now, like you promised me.”

My stomach bottomed out.

He scoffed and shoved her arm off. “I remember our previous conversation quite differently.”

“Come on, how much fun could you have with an anchor? Poor Abby can’t even swim. Oh, hey, Abby. Nice shirt.” She looked over as if she just realized I was here. “I guess I’d wear a shirt, too, if I couldn’t fill out my A cups either.”

I shrunk behind Xander.

Xander’s body tensed and he squinted at her. “Danielle, you’re drunk and this is pathetic even for you. I told you I was here with Abby and wanted nothing to do with you. And I don’t doubt for a second that you forgot I told you to knock off the catty remarks about my
girlfriend
.”

That meant she said something earlier about me. Fan-freaking-tastic.

She sneered, “What do you see in her anyway, Xander? She’ll never be normal. She’ll never be like me.”

“Thank Heavens for that,” he spat.

Her face fell and she was a loss for retort. Xander pulled me along, leaving his words to sting in her ears. As he walked with me, I considered her, and it sickened me to admit that she was right. Xander was gorgeous, had a Greek god body; he was smart, funny, charming…and what was I? He spent the day making sure I didn’t die, however he did it, I still didn’t know yet.

The fear crept back in. It was a matter of time before he realized I was too much work. I wasn’t worth all this and I would lose him. Maybe that’s why I knew so little about him. Why invest so much of yourself into someone you don’t intend on being with much longer?

I was an anchor.

My eyes focused down and bit my lip.

Xander groaned. “Oh, you cannot be thinking what I think you are thinking.”

I turned my head away from him with tears brimming and my bottom lip trembled.

He stopped and turned on me, his tone startling. “Get your stuff. We’re going.”

I didn’t question him. This was it. It finally hit him. He just needed someone to say it. I collected my bag and he pulled me out to the parking lot. Xander unlocked the car, helped me in, and threw my bag in the backseat. Standing outside with his back to the door, he grabbed his hair with both hands. It took him a painful minute before getting into the cab, and then spun on me.

“Stop it,” he hissed.

I whispered, “Stop what?”

“Stop believing that I couldn’t want you. Stop believing everyone’s lies. If I wanted someone like Danielle, or hell, some other girl without a heart problem, I would be with her, but I’m not. I chose
you
! I didn’t call you an anchor, and damn it, I
never
thought of you that way!”

He stormed out of the car and I sat trembling. He’d never been angry with me like this before. We’d never fought and it seemed like the tension kept rising since this morning. I didn’t know what to do. Should I go to him? Wait for him to cool off and come back? I didn’t know Boyfriend-Girlfriend One-oh-One.

Hopping down, I spotted the black Honda Civic in the parking lot. His siblings must be here. Why didn’t he say anything? I found him five cars away with two white hands clenching the back of his neck. The steps to him were tentative and I tripped a few times. “Please, don’t be angry with me. I’m sorry. I’m just waiting for you to realize the obvious.” My hands quivered when I touched his back.

Turning to me, he grabbed my face. “What’s the obvious?”

“That I’m not worth it.”

He jolted back as if I had slapped him. “What? Abby!” Running his hands through his hair, water sprayed me. “At what point will you get it? I’m here because I want you. All of you. I hate hearing you think you are less than amazing, and the worst thing is, you let
Danielle
make you feel that way. You don’t know how special you are, Abby, and you truly don’t get how special you are to me. I would move Heaven for you.” The passion in his words surprised me. With his gaze down, he took my hands in his, brought them up to his lips, and kissed them. “By the way, you’re so tiny I don’t think you could anchor a toy boat.”

“Hey!” He smiled at my reaction. I nodded to the water park. “Do you really want to leave?”

His gaze swept over me without any discretion, and his voice came husky and low. “Yes.”