Sparks Fly

Chapter Twenty-Five: Interrupted and Cross-Examined

When his hands fell from her hair, she frowned, looking faintly disappointed. And, screw it all, he wanted to kiss her all over again.

"Ah, you've got some restraint after all!" Choking cackles filled the air.

Teagan watched the haze of desire vanish from her face to be replaced by confusion. Shame was a bitter taste in his mouth after the sweetness of their kiss.

He kept his back to his drunken father, biding his time until he could return her to her little kingdom atop the hill. "What's up, old man? Did Rust refuse to serve you today?"

"Rust can go stick a cork up his blowhole for all I care! That bastard's been celibate ever since that she-devil ran out on him and now he's taking it out on his customers," old Jameson Miller grumbled. "He can go screw himself if he really wants to."

The shocked look on the Ice Queen's face ripped a growl from him. "Shut up," Teagan muttered as he spun around to meet his father's glazed eyes.

"You gonna make me?"

Yes. But his mind had cleared enough to realize he couldn't exactly give in to his instinctive need to pummel the monster who'd raised him. "I don't think I'll have to." Both of them heard the implied "again" that Teagan left out, but neither seemed fond of the memory.

His father scratched at his bearded chin, annoyed but too prideful to admit it. "You aren't worth the hell I've been through because of you," he hissed. "You should let your lady know that and send her home."

"And you can mind your own business if you aren't too drunk to think straight."

Rain, always the picture of propriety, cleared her throat behind him and effectively drew the attention of father and son to her. Teagan moved forward a bit to allow her the space she needed to slide off the counter. "I don't think we've officially met," she said. "My name's Rain Sullivan, a class friend of Teagan's."

The old man snorted, refusing to shake Rain's extended hand as she offered it in greeting. "Teagan isn't friends with females. Especially not ones like you, princess."

"It's Queen, actually," Teagan corrected. It was a reflex, the words flowing without thought.

"What?"

"If you're going to use names to try to insult her, you'll have to get the titles right."

Rain elbowed him. Discreetly. "I'm sorry you've such a low impression of the son you have, but I can assure you he's become someone very dear to me," she defended.

He tried not to let the words get to him, especially since she had a tendency to melt and freeze almost without much thought. He failed miserably. He couldn't help the smirk that appeared on his face when she used the word "friend" to describe their relationship.

He didn't have much experience with friendships, but he was guessing not many friends could lock lips and set fire to the world.

But he'd take friends over acquaintances with benefits any day.

His father simply muttered something derogatory about women leaving the kitchen to go to college these days under his breath. "You can call what I just walked in on friendship, sure, but I know what I saw. I just hope you know who you're messing with."

Who knew his father could manage so many words in one sentence without getting his tongue twisted?

"It's a good thing no one asked for your opinion, then, isn't it?" Teagan snapped, watching the muted fury in his father's not-quite-sober eyes. "Now, if you'll excuse us, I'll be driving Rain home."