Fallen Crest Alternative Version (8 page)

Becky touched my hand lightly. “It’s no fun to go to a party with only your boyfriend. I understand.”

The knot that had grown in my chest unraveled a bit. I hadn’t known the knot was there in the first place. “I have my friends with me now.”

“And why didn’t Mason drive you?”

We turned and glared.

He held his hands up. “I’m just saying—”

“I told them to go without me. I thought I’d be wiped from the dinner.”

Mark bobbed his head as he appeared with a tray. “Hey, I got you all beer. Drink up, everyone.”

As he pushed a plastic cup into my hand, I shook my head for a moment. No one noticed his disappearance. Mark didn’t seem to mind as he couldn’t wipe his smile off his face. “Man, I love free booze. It never gets old.”

Adam murmured, “Your grandfather created one of the most widely-sold whiskeys in the world.”

Mark grunted as he drank half a glass in one gulp. “You think my mom lets me touch that stuff? I have to sneak the crap just like everyone else. Which is why I love getting free beer!” He lifted his glass in a salute.

Adam shook his head but bumped his glass with Mark’s; both finished their first glass together. As they went for refills, Becky nudged my side. “Did you text Mason? Does he know we’re here?”

I lifted a shoulder. “I’ll find him. It’s okay.”

“Yeah, but don’t you—”

I was cut off by someone scooping me over his shoulder. He raced through the barn as he patted my butt. I groaned. I didn’t need to even look. His hyena laugh sounded out in a victorious call as he bounced me around the barn and out to some bonfires. “I got her! She’s mine, Mason. You can’t have your woman tonight. I’m claiming my sister, and that’s final!”

“Logan.” I hit the back of his head. “Put me down.”

He continued to race around with his free hand in the air. Beer spilled from it, but he didn’t care. He hooted and laughed as everyone cheered him on.

“You’re mine, Sam. You’re mine.” His legs pumped higher and he raced back to the barn. Everyone stood and hollered in laughter as he returned to my friends. I took a breath and expected to be placed back on my feet. Nope. Logan circled around them. His head was thrown back, and he ran the same routine as before.

When he turned back for the barn, someone grabbed the back of my jeans. I was hoisted off his shoulders and held suspended in the air. Mason grumbled as he lowered me to my feet, “Sam’s not a prize to be paraded around.”

I bent forward and took gaping breaths of air. His shoulder had been hitting my sternum.

He smoothed his hand over my back. “I’m surprised she didn’t vomit on your ass. You would’ve deserved it.”

Logan tipped his head back. A smile was spread from ear to ear and he pumped his knees in front of him again. He took off once more with the same hyena laugh sounding out.

I couldn’t stop a chuckle. “How drunk is he?”

A girl screeched, and Logan’s laugh doubled. Mason rolled his eyes as he turned me into him. He held me close. “You okay?”

“Yeah.” And I was. I touched the side of his face for a kiss. “I’ve missed him too.”

The corner of his lip curved up. He dropped his chin on my shoulder and kissed the side of my neck. “He’s pretty drunk tonight. Pretty sure he’s already gotten laid twice.” He glanced back when the same shriek was heard, followed by high-pitched giggling. “That’ll be the third time.”

“Same girl?” Did I really want to know?

Mason grimaced. I had my answer.

A girl snorted behind us. “What’s he so amped about?”

Mason turned us to the group, who was spread around a bonfire. The girl who spoke lifted her hand in a lazy wave. She gave me a polite smile. “Hi, Sam.”

My insides tightened. “Kate.”

She swung her legs wide and leaned forward to brace her elbows on top of her tight jeans. She brushed some loose strands of golden blonde hair back and sighed. “Logan’s in rare form tonight, Mason.”

His tone cooled. “He’s excited. That’s all.”

Another girl perked up. “I’m excited!” She had a drunken giggle on her face before she toppled off the log she had tried to squat over.

Kate rolled her eyes. “Parker’s going to get laid tonight. We all know.”

A hand shot in the air. A cup was in it. “I saved my beer.”

Some of the guys snorted in approval. One stood, bent down, and scooped the petite black-haired girl from the ground. He deposited her on the ground beside Kate, who patted her on the head. “Thanks, Strauss.”

He grunted before he took his old seat.

Parker giggled and fell to the side. “When’s Nate coming, Mason? I’ve missed him.”

I swiveled around. “Nate’s coming?”

Mason pressed a kiss to the side of my head and whispered, “I’m excited too.”

“When?”

“Now!”

The shout came from my right, and I was scooped off my feet once more. Nate wrapped both arms around me and twirled me in a circle. “Heya, Sam!”

“Nate!” I hugged him tight and couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. It grew when he set me back on my feet and grabbed Mason in another bear hug. He scooped him up but only lifted him in the air for two steps before he couldn’t hold him any longer. The two couldn’t contain their delight, and the best friendship was easy to spot when they thumped each other on the back a few more times.

“Hello!” Parker stomped the ground. “Other people here.”

Nate turned with a different grin, one with promise as he crossed and lifted her off her feet too. She giggled as she wound her legs around his waist. Whispers were shared between the two as Nate carried her away from the group.

Kate stood and yelled, “You better come back and greet the rest of us.”

Nate flipped her off before they were swallowed into the darkness.

“Ass,” she grumbled and sat back down with a huff. Her eyes glittered with a dark promise as she fixed them on me. “Parker’s not gonna be happy with you.”

Mason curved a hand around my hip. “Shut it, Reid.”

She shut her mouth but continued to glower.

“Why’s she going to be mad at me?”

“Because Nate said hi to you first,” she clipped out. When Mason stiffened, she made a show of closing her lips and took a long swallow from her glass.

“Serious?”

Mason rolled his eyes. “Parker’s an insecure bitch.”

“She’s my friend, Mason!” Kate surged to her feet. Her jeans slipped low over her hip bones and the thin white tank top she wore inched high. Her rib cage showed through the top; her black bra did as well. She flipped a loose braid over her shoulder and gripped her beer tight.

His hand tightened on me as he cursed at her. “You’re an insecure bitch too.”

Her eyes flashed in anger, and her fingers tightened around her drink.

“Hey, whoa.” One of the guys surged forward and swept a hand around her waist. He lifted her as if she were a flower and walked away with her. When he took her inside the barn, one of the other guys chuckled. “Man, Kate’s so high strung.”

Another guffawed, “They’re better when Natalie’s around.”

The one who had been called Strauss sat forward. “Yeah, where are Natalie and Jasmine?”

Then Ethan rambled to the group. His jeans were baggy and nearly falling off, but he hitched them up with one hand. The other gripped a beer and he sat with a grunt. His shirt hung around his neck and his biceps flexed from the night’s chill. His eyes were glazed with booze and a snarl loitered over his face.

One of the guys chuckled. He asked in a low baritone, “You lose against Tara?”

Ethan grimaced. “Nah. Fucking pussy.”

The guys mirrored each other with similar knowing smirks, but Ethan glanced around. His eyes narrowed when he saw me, but he asked Mason, “I heard Nate finally got here. Where is he?”

Mason jerked towards the woods. Strauss grunted, “Parker.”

“Ah.” Ethan nodded and finished the rest of his beer.

A small grin grew on Mason’s face as Ethan continued to finish the rest of his beer. He asked then, “We set up for tomorrow night?”

“Fuck yeah.” Ethan’s snarl was illuminated by the bonfire’s light. It flashed over his face and sent chills down my back. “Roussou won’t know what hit ‘em.”

The guys cheered to that.

Mason nodded and held me tighter against him. I sensed he’d heard whatever he needed to hear and was now done with the group. I was right when he lifted me in the air. I gasped on a laugh and wound my legs around his waist. His hands held me up by my ass. They flexed into my cheeks as he grunted when he came in full contact against me.

When he turned and started to leave, Ethan yelled out, “A couple of those daisy farts are here.”

Mason pivoted around and hollered back, “Don’t touch ‘em.”

I heard a growl behind us.

“That’s an order, Fischer.” Mason was stern.

The growl grew, but I felt Mason starting to laugh against my chest and grinned into his neck. “Where are we going?”

“Where do you think?” His voice dropped to a knowing promise and my legs tightened in response. He groaned again but clasped me tighter against him. I felt him harden and kissed the side of his neck.

“Sam!”

He cursed under his breath, and I closed my eyes.

“Heya, Sam!”

I pressed my forehead against him for a moment and panted. I needed to get control of myself.

“Seriously?”

I heard his question and nodded.

He groaned as he swung me down but pulled my back tight against him. He started to grind against me, but it was slow. It was slow enough so that others wouldn’t notice, at first.

Becky had a silly grin on her face as she hurried over. She was panting with a beer in hand. “Hey!” She bent over and gasped for breath. “I saw you all the way across the clearing. Where’d you go? Hiya, Mason.”

He looked away.

She continued to pant. “Mark and Adam saw Logan grab some girl. He took off in the woods.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “We all know what they’re doing.” Then her smile slipped a bit. “Adam got all pissed. I think he’s hitting on some girls around here.”

I frowned at her. “Where’s Mark?”

“Hitting on them with Adam.”

“They left you alone?” My tone cooled.

She waved her hand. “Oh no. That’s okay. I mean, I get it. I’d do it too, you know, if I was a guy and… Yeah. I’m okay. Where are you guys going?”

Mason tipped his head back. A quiet groan escaped his lips as they pressed tight.

I elbowed him in the gut. “We were coming to look for you.”

“You were?” Her eyes lit up.

“Yeah.” I started to pull away from Mason, whose hand lingered on my waist. His thumb slipped inside of my jeans and rubbed up and down. I glanced over my shoulder and his jaw tightened. He saw the apology and hauled me back for a moment. His mouth was hot against my ear. “Tonight.”

I nodded, my throat was thick.

His finger dipped low for a moment.

My eyes went wide at the touch, but I cleared my throat. “I’ll see you later.”

He flashed me a look before he turned towards the bonfires again. I shivered from the promise in it. He had plans and my legs were a bit wobbly in anticipation.

And then Becky plopped down on a log behind us. She sipped her beer. “Man, this is great. This is what high school is supposed to be about.”

“Uh, yeah.” I took in the sight before us. Drunk girls teetered on their feet. Most of them were half dressed and surrounded by guys. Most of the guys were half-undressed as well.

“Sam?”

I glanced over with a welcoming smile. Logan was returning from the woods. He held hands with a skinny blonde, who staggered away to her friends. She had long golden tan legs and wore a very small miniskirt over a tube top. Her hair was swept over one shoulder. It was messy as some grass stuck out from it.

He didn’t give her another look but took the seat beside me. “What are you doing over here?”

“My friend is here.” I gestured to Becky, who waved with an eager smile.

Logan’s grin slipped a bit. “Hey there.”

“I’ve never officially met you.” She thrust her hand out in front of me.

Logan took it but was cautious at the exchange. “Nice to meet you.”

“Becky.”

Understanding flared within him. “I’m Logan.”

“I know.” She giggled into her drink and continued to sip some more beer.

A grin teased the corners of his lips as he nodded slowly. “I see.” He met my gaze with amusement. “Mason took off?”

I rolled my eyes. He was well aware of Mason’s dislike for Becky. Some of the common phrases used to describe Becky were weak, pathetic, stupid, and dork. Those were the nicer ones. He’d never been quiet in front of Logan as he cursed the friend who had abandoned me for the last three months.

“You know it.” Then my grin renewed itself. “Nate’s here.”

Logan shot upright. “Really?” He was on his feet the next second. “Where?”