Sex Ed (7 page)

"Shuddup." Ed nodded at Ranger. "You got him?"

"Yeah, take the four-wheeler for the day." His boss laughed. "I don't think any of the horses would put up with you today."

Ed gathered a pole pounder, T-posts wire and ties, loaded them onto the four-wheeler and headed out across the ranch, the wind blowing in his face, the sun warming his skin. Yeah, pounding a few T-posts would help for a while. At least until he got home that afternoon, after a detour to the X-rated Adult store on the county line.

***

Near the end of the day, Ed was hot, sweaty and exhausted, certain he'd have no trouble fighting his desire for Kendal . Especial y with a blow-up dol he hoped to pick up on the way home.

His first stone wal hit him square in the face when the lady at the adult store told him they only carried the female blow-up dol s. If he wanted, they could order a male, but it would take two weeks to get it in.

Kendal wouldn't wait two weeks for him to continue lessons, she'd pul up stakes and march on over to Whitey's to continue her education.

His frustration made him angry. By the time he reached the house, he was in no mood to see Kendal 's window wide open, music blaring loud enough even Old Man Frantzen could hear it, and that blond-haired gigolo gyrating to the beat in nothing but a pair of fancy leather chaps and a G-string.

Ed's blood pressure shot through the roof. He slammed his truck into Park and leaped out before the engine had a chance to come to a ful stop.

Kendal swung into ful view through her window, twisting and gyrating to the music like one of the topless dancers at the Ugly Stick Saloon on a Friday night.

Ed took the stairs two at a time, tripping on the last one when his boot missed it and slipped down a step. He racked his shin on the corner of the top stair and issued a string of curse words that would have made his mother wash his mouth out with soap for a week.

"Ed?" Lacey flung open her door and stepped out. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, just clumsy. He picked himself up and dusted his hands on his dirty jeans. "What the hel 's going on in Kendal 's apartment?"

Lacey smiled. "She's having a little study session with Cory."

"Study session, my ass." He raised a hand to pound it against the door.

Lacey grabbed his wrist before he could. "Hey, before you go breaking up her fun, I wanted to talk to you."

The music inside the apartment was so loud the wal s shook. Ed couldn't think past his desire to strangle the dude inside dirty-dancing with Kendal , much less have a conversation with Lacey over God knew what. "What." The one word shot out like a bul et, sharp, and to the point.

"You like Kendal , don't you?" Lacey inserted herself between him and the door, garnering his ful attention.

"Yeah, she's my best friend's sister. I've known her al my life."

"You've known her, but have you
known
her since she's now al grown up?"

Ed’s groin tightened. "What's your point?"

"You're not her brother, and that's bothering you, isn't it?"

"I'm her brother's best friend. He asked me to keep her out of trouble." Unease skittered along his skin. What was she leading up to?

"Does he know you're in love with her?"

Ed staggered backward and almost fel down the steps. "What are you talking about?"

Lacey grinned and her eyes danced. "You don't even realize it yourself, do you?"

"I can't love her, she's my—"

"—best friend's little sister." Lacey waved his words aside with a flick of her hand. "Does she look like a little girl?" The woman shook her head and poked a finger into his chest. "No. And she's not.

She knows what she wants and isn't afraid to go after it. She learned that from you." Tilting her head, Lacey planted a fist on her hip. "So what are you going to do about it?"

"About what?" Ed's head spun. How could he make astute trades in the stock market amassing a smal fortune in a short amount of time, but he couldn't begin to understand the workings of a woman's mind?

A loud sigh echoed in the hal way. "Kendal .

What are you going to do about Kendal ?"

"She's in love with some jerk. Probably the guy in her apartment right now." Ed pushed forward, his determination renewed to break up Kendal 's little dance party.

Lacey laid a hand on his chest. "Breaking them up isn't the way to win Kendal ."

"No, but I’d get great satisfaction from punching the boy's lights out."

"And Kendal would love him al the more for taking the fal ." Lacey shook her head. "Did you ever think Kendal might stil think of you as her other big brother?"

"Yeah. So?"

"If you want her to see you as a potential lover, you have to show her how incredible it the chemistry could be between the two of you."

"You mean make love to her?" Ed shook his head, his heart hammering double-time. "I promised to keep her out of trouble, not get her into it."

"No, no. You need to make her notice you by being with another woman. That way she would see you as a very desirable man, not at al a brotherly figure."

Ed's brows pul ed together. "Wouldn't that just make her jealous?"

Lacey shrugged. "Yes, possibly. Just depends on how you present it."

Ed scrubbed a hand through his hair, standing it on end. "I'm just a dumb cowboy. Spel it out before I grow old, wil ya?"

With a laugh, Lacey leaned back against Kendal 's door. "I know Kendal asked you to give her sex education lessons."

Ed couldn’t meet Lacey’s direct gaze, not liking where this conversation was going. "Yeah, and?"

"And you're probably feeling uncomfortable having her practice the things a man likes on you."

"More like...frustrating...go on." Intrigued, he forced the music out of the forefront of his mind and listened to Lacey. Maybe the woman had a solution to his problem.

"What you need is a demo dummy."

"I thought of that." Ed crossed both arms over his chest. "I tried to find a blow up dol at the adult store.

They were out of male models. It'l be two weeks before they get one in."

"You're on the right track, but I have a proposal even better than that." Her lips curled into a secret smile.

Ed braced himself.

"What you need is a live model."

"That's me." Ed poked a thumb at his chest.

"Right, but you need a live female model to demonstrate with so that Kendal won't be demonstrating on you." A grin spread across her face and she held out her hands, like a magician having pul ed a bunny out of his hat. "What do you think?"

"That you're crazy as hel , and I'm even crazier for listening." Ed nodded toward the door. "Move, or be moved."

"Promise me you'l think about it. At the least, you don't break your promise to Connor. At best, you make Kendal jealous enough to notice you as the hunky cowboy you are."

Ed breathed in and out several times before he final y spoke. "Fine."

"You’l do it?" Lacey's face lit with a big smile.

"No. I'l think about it."

Lacey nodded. "Fair enough."

The door behind Lacey jerked open and she fel backward into the blond guy's arms. "Oops!" She smiled up at him. "Hi, Cory."

"Hey, Lacey." Cory helped her to stand on her own then stuck out his hand. "You must be Ed.

Kendal 's told me al about you."

Ed glared at the young man with the light blond hair and shirtless body. With al the restraint of a pit bul on a leash, he held out his hand. "Sorry to say she hasn't mentioned a word about you." His fingers tightened around Cory's in a punishing grip.

Kendal stepped up behind Cory, her brows raised. "Ed? You're home early."

"Apparently not early enough. I was just saying hel o to your friend."

Cory's face turned a deep shade of red, his body bending under the pressure on Ed's grip.

"Yeah, just saying hel o."

With a frown, Kendal said, "Ed, let go of Cory's hand."

"Of course." He immediately released his grip, a smirk tugging at his lips as the boy shook blood back into his fingers.

"Look, I gotta go." Cory smiled at Kendal .

"We're on for tonight, right?"

"It's a date."

"Great. See you then." Cory eased past Ed, hurried down the stairs, and the front door slammed shut behind him.

Kendal crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes narrowing. "What are you two doing out here lurking in the hal way?"

Lacey leaned into Ed. "I was just asking Ed if he'd give me sex education lessons along with you.

You know, a two-fer deal?"

Ed opened his mouth to tel Lacey what she could do with her deal then stopped. The frown pressing Kendal 's pretty brows together had him rethinking Lacey's offer.

"Two-fer?" Kendal stared from Ed to Lacey and back.

"Yeah." Lacey draped a hand on Ed's arm.

"Two-fer-one. I volunteered to be his dummy so he could show us both what a man real y wants."

Kendal 's frown deepened.

A thril of excitement sped through Ed's veins and he made his decision. Having Lacey as his personal dummy might just work on either front. If Kendal was interested, she'd be jealous. If she wasn't, Ed would be guilt-free with his buddy, Connor.

And it would give him time to sort through his own feelings for Kendal .

"How long until you're ready for our lesson?"

Kendal directed her question to Ed. Anger warred with anticipation; anticipation winning. She'd deal with Lacey after Ed left.

"I need a shower. Give me thirty minutes. Are you providing dinner?" He grinned.

The man looked far too happy about the situation. "I'l figure out something. Go on and get your shower."

Ed winked at Lacey. "See you in thirty minutes."

"Can't wait." Lacey smiled brightly.

Kendal gritted her teeth, wanting to scratch out her ex-friend's eyes.

Instead, she pasted a smile on her face and wiggled her fingers at Ed, her gaze fol owing him to the bottom of the stairs. She held her tongue until his door shut with a thud behind him. Then she grabbed Lacey's arm in a punishing clutch and yanked her into her apartment, slamming the door. "What the hel are you trying to do? I thought you were my friend?"

"I am, sweetie." Lacey winced at the fingers squeezing her arm. "Mind letting up on me so I can explain?"

Kendal 's hands dropped to her sides, her fists clenching and unclenching, her chest rising and fal ing with each angry breath. "Start explaining, and this better be good."

Lacey smiled. "It is. It'l work out perfectly."

"Yeah, yeah, you haven't gotten to the part where I agree." Kendal crossed both arms over her chest and stood ramrod straight. "Continue."

"Ed was hesitant to touch you, wasn't he?"

Hadn’t they already discussed this? Kendal ’s skin tingled with impatience. "So, the plan was for him to give me sex education lessons, and get used to the idea."

"But don't you see?" Lacey waved a hand. He's torn by his loyalty to your brother. Involving me in the Sex Ed lessons gets him used to the idea of being with you."

Kendal shook her head. "I'm not seeing it."

"Just give it a chance. If it doesn't work out the way you think it should, I'l back out. No harm, no foul."

Kendal stared at her friend for a long time before she sighed. "One lesson. Then I cal it."

"Fair enough." Lacey hugged Kendal . "You'l see, this'l al work out."

Kendal remained stiff. "I don't know. I feel more like I'm losing ground with Ed than gaining."

"Look, let’s make a bet."

"I don't need a wager." Her shoulders slumped.

"I need Ed."

Lacey smiled. "I bet you ten dol ars that by the end of this week, that one-hundred-percent-red-blooded-hubba-hubba male wil be al yours."

Kendal hoped so. She'd loved him so long.

When she'd set out to win over Ed, she'd promised herself that if the attempt didn't work out, she'd move on. She'd have her degree in a month. If she and Ed weren't together, Kendal had plans to move to Austin and get a life without the man.

"What have you got in your frig that would feed a man with a big appetite?" Kendal asked.

Lacey clapped her hands. "You won't regret it, Kendal ."

"I hope not. I'd hate to lose a friend."

Her friend headed for the door. "I have a casserole I can pop in the microwave and have it ready in fifteen minutes." She stopped and faced Kendal . "Did you make up the banana pudding like I told you to?"

"Check." Kendal had it chil ing in her refrigerator.

"Spray can of whipped cream?" Lacey asked.

"Check."

"Cherries?"

"Check." Kendal shook her head. "I don't know why we need dessert. Ed rarely eats dessert."

"Oh, honey, he'l be al into it tonight." She smiled and flounced out the door. "Oh, and wear that sleeveless cotton blouse that's so sheer you can see through it with your micro-mini denim skirt. No under things." The door closed behind her, the last three words echoing through Kendal 's living room.

No under things.

Her pussy creamed in anticipation of the next sex lesson with Ed. If al went wel , she'd see a little action tonight.

Kendal raced around the apartment, digging through her closet, searching for the skirt and sheer blouse. When she couldn't find them immediately, she had a near panic attack. Then she remembered hanging them on the back of the bathroom door, just for this occasion. She stripped naked, tucked her hair up in towel and stepped beneath the shower's spray, rinsing off the sweat from her dance session with Cory.

He was coming along much quicker than she'd anticipated. So quickly, she knew he'd be ready for Ladies Night tonight.

After her lesson with Ed, she planned to make it to the Ugly Stick for Cory's debut performance. The women were going to love him. Kendal had taught him al of the best dance moves she'd observed from him al of the best dance moves she'd observed from the men who came every week for Ladies Night.

Lacey had assured her that going to Cory's debut wouldn't set her back on her campaign to win over Ed. She'd insisted this early in the plan was too soon to stay the night with Ed.