Hard To Handle (Teach Me Book 2) (17 page)

“Please tell me you’ll be singing a love song and dedicating it to me, darlin’,” a deep, thick southern drawl called out to her from behind.

Laney felt her lips curl into a smile. Kane. The tall, dark blond Texan had come to work for her brother’s security consulting firm after he had finished his last mission as a Green Beret in the Army. He and Miller had crossed paths on one of their deployments and it was Miller who directed him to Foster once her brother had started up his firm. Kane was a notorious flirt, the smoothest of sweet talkers. And, right now, Kane provided the perfect opportunity to get her mind off the brunette sitting beside Zach.

Tilting her head back to peer into Kane’s aquamarine eyes, she grinned. “Only if you sing one for me, too, gorgeous.”

“Aw, now you’ve got me blushin’.” Kane grinned. Tate got up from the chair beside her, offering it to Kane.

“Why, thank you, sweetness.” He smiled at Tate, who had moved onto another chair beside Raine and Mac. Kane took the chair beside Laney, laid one arm across the back of hers, leaning over to see the karaoke song book in front of her.

“So what are we singing, tonight? Maybe some Tim McGraw and Faith Hill?” he suggested. “Or Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow?”

She snapped her fingers. “Yes! Let’s sing “Picture”!” Laney flipped through the book in search of the information to write down on the sheet to give the karaoke DJ, Dean.

As Laney began to write the song number down on her paper, she felt the weight of someone’s gaze. Raising her eyes, they met Zach’s piercing gaze which flitted over to Kane for a moment before coming back to rest on her. Then, he abruptly turned back to face the brunette who was chatting away, animatedly.

“Honey, I reckon the best way to get him to notice you is to have the attention of a super handsome, extremely hard-bodied guy like myself,” Kane whispered in her ear.

With a laugh, she turned to him. “You think so?”

Nodding, Kane smiled wide. Laney leaned closer to him. “So, whose attention do you think I might want?”

Holding her gaze a moment, Kane’s lips pressed together as if he were holding back a grin. His head cocked to the side. “If I were to take a gander, I’d say it was the young buck over there who couldn’t care less about whatever that lovely brunette is yammering on about.” He leaned closer. “Because he’s trying to figure out what in the Sam hill I’ve got up my sleeve.” Kane’s eyebrows wiggled once before he grinned at her.

Laney playfully shoved his shoulder, which was like hitting a rock wall. Shaking out her hand as if in pain, she scolded him playfully, “Geez, dude. You should lay off the ’roids. I think you bruised me with your muscles.”

He scoffed at her. “Honey, these muscles are one hundred percent real. Nothing but good food and hard work made these bad boys.” Picking up the hand she’d shoved him with, he placed a kiss on top of it. “However, I’m sorry you hurt yourself touching this,” he gestured toward his upper body which was, undeniably ripped, visible even beneath his graphic tee, “hot, hard body,” he finished with a wicked grin.

Rolling her eyes at him, she stood. “Well, Mr. Hard Body, I’m going to turn in this request.” She walked up to place their song request in with the DJ, Dean.

Feeling the weight of Zach’s stare every step of the way.

* * *

Zach felt as if steam were coming out his ears. That guy needed to put some space between himself and Laney. Who the hell was he, anyway? Just as he was about to ask Mac, a soft hand landed on his arm, jerking him out from his thoughts. He turned to see the pretty brunette, Stacey, watching him with a pitying smile.

“You’ve got it pretty bad, huh?”

Zach opened his mouth to give an immediate denial but, after a second thought, closed it abruptly. With a deprecating smile, he shrugged. “That obvious, huh?”

She gave a little laugh and raised up her index finger and thumb barely a centimeter apart. “Just a little.”

“I’m sorry,” he told her apologetically.

“Don’t be.” She leaned in close to whisper conspiratorially, “In the interest of full disclosure, I actually got paid ten bucks to come over and chat up a handsome guy, so I consider my night a success, all the same.” She winked at him playfully.

He felt his jaw drop. “Are you kidding me?” He was going to kill the guys.

Stacey smiled at him gently. “They said they were going to see if it worked.” At his questioning look, she added, “And, I have to say from the looks of it, it did.” Stacey discreetly tipped her head toward the other end of the table.

Following the direction of her gesture, Zach caught Laney watching the exchange between himself and Stacey before her eyes darted away quickly.
Ah, so that’s what the guys are up to. Interesting
.

“Well, she’s a bit of a tough nut to crack.”

She leaned in toward him, laying a hand on his arm. “Can I just say that talking to you tonight wasn’t exactly a hardship? And if it doesn’t work out between the two of you, I wouldn’t be opposed to doing this again?”

Zach looked into Stacey’s deep, brown eyes with regret. Why couldn’t he have chosen someone sweet like her? Instead of someone who fought him tooth and nail, every step of the way?

Damn, if he knew the answer to that one.

C
HAPTER
T
WENTY
-F
IVE

“I
RECKON YOU ARE THE
best Cher to my Sonny,” Kane told Laney after they had sung “I Got You Babe” and received quite the applause afterward.

“I do my best.” She gave an exaggerated curtsy.

“And now, we have Zach, one of our favorite performers singing tonight,” announced Dean.

Laney sat and watched as Zach took his place on stage, grasping the microphone. The first few notes of Keith Urban’s “Your Everything” played and Zach’s voice filled the room. The song’s relaxed tempo paired with his melodic voice was seductive and she watched as couples began slow dancing. Laney recalled the first time she had heard Zach sing on one of their karaoke nights, remembered being surprised at just how engaging his voice was.

“May I have this dance, gorgeous?”

She turned to see Kane holding out his hand. Smiling up at him, she placed her hand in his and let him lead her onto the dance floor. As they swayed to the sweet love song, Laney couldn’t help but feel as though Zach were singing to her, as if he were trying to tell her he wanted to be her everything.

“You tend to put quite the damper on a man’s ego with all your lustin’ over another man, you know,” Kane teased.

Laney flashed him an apologetic look.

“What’s a man got to do to get a good girl ’round these parts?” he asked with faux sadness.

“Trust me on this one, Kane. You’ll meet a girl who is head over heels for you. I’m sure of it.”

“Got yourself any lovely, single friends?”

“Mmm, aside from Tate, no. Sorry.”

“Yeah, I’m not poaching on another man’s woman, least of all my coworker’s woman, so Tate’s a no-go.”

Whoa. Wait a minute
…

Laney’s brows arched with interest. “You know something about Miller and Tate?”

“Ah-ah. You’re tryin’ to use your Jedi mind tricks on me. Won’t work,” he said, grinning cheekily. “Plus, it’s just a hunch, really.” He paused. “How about if things don’t work out with surfer boy, there, you keep me in mind?”

She shook her head with a laugh. “Oh, Kane. We’d drive each other crazy and you know it.”

“You’re probably right, honey.” He gave a melodramatic sigh. “But a man can still dream, can’t he?”

“You’re shameless,” she admonished as the song ended and Dean, the DJ, played a slow song after announcing he was taking quick break. Oh, she loved this one; Mariah Carey’s “We Belong Together”.

“May I?”

She and Kane turned to see Zach standing beside them. With a quick nod to Kane, he returned his gaze to Laney, a flare of heat in his eyes.

Just as she opened her mouth to respond, Kane spoke. “She’s all yours, man. Take good care of this beauty.”

With a slap on Zach’s back, he returned to the table. Zach held his hand out for her and when she placed hers into it, she swore she felt something. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but it felt vastly different from when Kane had held her hand in his while they’d danced. Laney could feel the calluses on Zach’s fingertips, the gentle way his fingers grasped hers, how his thumb caressed the top of her hand, and it just felt right.

Laney mentally shook off that thought because that had sounded far too freaking cheesy. Maybe she’d had too much to drink tonight?

Except she’d only had one drink. There went that excuse. Damn it.

“That one of Foster’s guys?” His question drew her from her thoughts.

“I’m sorry, what?”

Zach tipped his head in the direction of where Kane was sitting with everyone at their table.

“Oh. Yeah.” Inwardly, she winced at herself. Trying to salvage her conversation skills, she continued, “He started working for Foster after finishing up his last stint in the Army.”

Zach looked away for a moment before meeting her gaze, again. Sliding his hand from her lower back to her hip, he pulled her closer to him. Laney could feel the heat emanating from him, the gesture causing her to move her hand to the top of his shoulder. The muscles beneath her hand were hard, firm. She had a flash of memory of how solid and powerful they’d felt when she had run her hands over them while he’d been above her, resting his weight on his hands.

Her eyes took in his light blond scruff which made the fullness of his lips more prominent, more kissable. As her gaze traveled up from his lips to his eyes, she was taken aback by the smoldering heat in them. Laney felt his grip tighten on her hip and, without realizing it, her hand glided up from his shoulder to graze her fingertips over the hair at nape of his neck. His eyes fell closed at her touch and she felt the fingers at her hip flex.

Zach pulled her closer, bending his head down to whisper in her ear. “Do you have any idea what your touch does to me, Laney?”

Feeling his hardness against her, the contact sent her heart racing. Breathlessly, she nodded and attempted a coy smile. “I’m pretty sure there’s a part of you that’s letting me know.” Meeting his gaze, she felt as though he was searching her expression. He leaned closer and she watched as those lips of his curved into a smile. Her fingers itched to trace over them, to feel how unbelievably soft she knew they were. But they were there, on the dance floor, in front of their friends and complete strangers.

And they were Laney Kavanaugh and Zach Mayson after all. They just didn’t mix. Except for in the bedroom.

Right?

* * *

As the night went on, witnessing Kane flirt incessantly with Laney began to weigh on him. It didn’t matter that the guy flirted with each of the women at their table. It still chafed. And, apparently, it was noticeable to others.

Raine slid into the chair beside him and held out her hand. “Phone. Hand it over.”

He shot her a confused look and was about to speak when she repeated, “Hand it over. Now.”

Whoa
. When she broke out her teacher voice, he knew not to argue. He dug his phone from the pocket of his jeans and handed it to her. Zach watched as she swiped and tapped at the keypad rapidly before handing it back.

“You’re welcome.” She laid a hand on his shoulder, squeezed it affectionately, and returned to where Mac was sitting, talking to Foster.

Looking down at his phone in confusion, he swiped a finger across the screen that had timed out to see what she had done.

Oh, shit
.

Raine had sent a dirty text to Laney. From him.

I can’t wait to have you sit on my face later so I can taste you on my tongue and lips
.

Ho-ly shit
. His eyes flew to Raine who smiled serenely. Laney had gone to the restroom, which was located in the other section of the multi-room bar, so he had no way of knowing what her reaction would be.

His phone vibrated in his hand. Looking down, he saw he had an incoming text message. Closing his eyes, he hoped it wasn’t Laney cussing him out.

Oh, but it was worse.
Far
worse.

Laney:
I get out of the restroom and find this message? Well, I certainly can’t have you one up me, Mayson. I can’t wait to sit on your face and ride your tongue. Feel it deep inside of me when I come. Hard
.

Fuuuuuuck
. He was so screwed. There was no way in hell he was going to be able to leave this table anytime soon. His cock was so fucking hard now that Laney had put that image in his mind. Without even really thinking, his fingers typed a response.

Zach:
I’m so hard right now, I can’t even think of leaving this table
.

Laney:
If we were in private, I’d just slide right onto your lap. Take your hard cock deep inside of me
.

Zach:
Jesus, Laney. You’re killing me right now
.

Laney:
I’m really wet just thinking about it
.

Zach:
Laney …

“Who are you sexting over there?” The question startled Zach to the point where he jerked and nearly lost his hold on his phone, doing the whole juggling thing to try and not drop it.

Lawson looked at him curiously. “That was impressive.” Leaning closer, he asked, “You were sexting, weren’t you?”

Zach tossed him a sharp look. “No.” The two men stared at one another. Lawson finally broke the silence.

“It was Laney, wasn’t it?”

“Yep.”

“It was hot, wasn’t it?”

“Yep.”

“You’re not leaving this table for a while, are you?”

“Nope.”

Lawson threw his head back in a laugh before shaking his head. “You’re a sicko, man. But I still love you.” His friend stood from his chair and left him to go join Tate on the dance floor.

As he watched his friends dance, he attempted to get his mind off of Laney and willed his cock to calm down. It was just beginning to work when a slender arm slid into view before him. His eyes followed the fisted hand, the slender wrist, to the arm, seeing Laney standing there beside him. There was a mischievous glint in her eyes. She tipped her head in the direction of her closed hand.