Hard To Handle (Teach Me Book 2) (22 page)

“Zach,” she whispered. His eyes fell closed as if the sound of his name on her lips were euphoric. When he opened them, they were smoldering with such heat, passion for her. And so full of tenderness.

No one had ever looked at her this way. None of the guys she’d dated—er, slept with.

That’s because you’ve been picking the wrong ones
, her heart told her.
This is the one
.

Laney felt her eyes grow wide and her throat felt tight.

“Stop.” His voice was like a lifeline, dragging her from overwhelmingly heavy thoughts. “Just be with me, Laney.” God, the way he asked—almost begged—triggered something within her. She reached to bring his body closer to hers, to press her lips against his in a tender kiss containing so much warmth and emotion that it took her by surprise.

Her lips sipped at his before she tilted her head to deepen the kiss, her tongue sliding inside seeking his. As soon as their tongues met, she heard the rumbling groan Zach released before he took over the kiss. His hands slid into her hair, fingers tightening to pull it slightly as he tasted her, his tongue dancing with hers. Zach pressed his hard body against her, letting her feel his arousal beneath his khakis.

She gasped as he trailed kisses down the side of her neck, pressing a kiss and then flicking his tongue out to taste her skin. Laney felt her nipples harden and, as if he knew what she needed, one hand released its hold on her hair and slid down to cup a breast. Her breath hitched as she felt him slide down the zipper along the side of her dress, part of the bodice falling to expose the red, strapless, lace bra. He helped ease the lone strap of the dress over her shoulder, letting it drop down, gathering at her waist.

“Fuck, Laney.” His words were nearly a growl as he regarded her breasts encased in the lace, hardened nipples pressing against it. His gaze returned to hers. “You take my breath away.”

‘You take my breath away.’
The words replayed in her mind and she basked in the sentiment, the sweetness of them.

And, just like that, another tiny sliver of her heart became his.

* * *

Zach bent his head, placing his lips around her nipple, his tongue rasping over the hardened peak through the lacy fabric of her bra. His lips closed around it, gently sucking it into his mouth, savoring her taste, her response as she arched, pressing her breasts to him.

His hand slid downward, pushing the dress down over her hips to fall at her feet. His fingers toyed with her panties. Releasing her nipple, he looked down at her, so gorgeous with slightly mussed hair from his fingers, his eyes stopping at the sight of her panties. So gray. So plain. So unlike Laney’s typical colorful choices. He raised his eyes to meet hers and what he saw in them made his breath catch, his chest tighten.

“Gray?” His voice came out raspy. Laney was anything but a gray kind of girl. She basked in vibrant color and patterns. Her gaze was searching before it lowered to his lips, as if she were afraid to meet his eyes.

“Your eyes …” She trailed off before she added, “Gray’s kind of become my favorite color.”

Zach waited for her eyes to meet his own, and when they did, the vulnerability in them took him by surprise.

“Laney,” he breathed before his mouth came crashing down on hers in a kiss so full of emotion that it took even him by surprise. Sliding his arm around her waist, the other went beneath her legs to lift her.

“Wait! Zach, you’ll hurt yourself. I’m too—”

“Stop,” came his gruff response. “The only word you should be fitting in that sentence is the word sexy.” His eyes were serious as he carried her back to her bedroom.

She let out a tiny laugh. “Did you just tell me to say ‘I’m too sexy’?”

He chuckled. “Yeah, I guess I did.” He laid her down on her bed. “You got a problem with that, Kavanaugh?” he asked, one eyebrow raised.

She ran her gaze over the length of him before answering him in a whisper. “The only problem I have is that you’re way overdressed, Mayson.”

“Oh? You mean you want to see all of this,” he gestured to the length of his body, “naked?”

Nodding, she sat up, getting to her knees on the bed, crooking a finger at him. “Come here.”

He came closer to her, until his knees hit the side of the mattress. “I’m here. Now, what are you going to do with me?” His eyes were hooded as he looked down at her in her bra and panties.

Reaching for the hem of his shirt, her gaze not breaking from his, she began to lift it up. “Everything.” Pulling the shirt over his head, she let it fall to the floor before working on the button on his khakis.

When her fingers reached beneath the waistband, his eyes fell closed, sucking in a ragged breath. Her touch on his skin was euphoric. He couldn’t restrain his own hips from jerking toward her. She lowered the zipper, and pushed down his khakis, letting them drop in a heap on the hardwood floor.

Zach watched as her hot gaze centered on him, on his hardness, before she grasped him in her soft hand, fingers wrapping around him. He let out a low hiss, his eyes falling closed. Her touch was like heaven and hell; heaven in that he never wanted it to stop and hell because he felt like he was fighting a losing battle on controlling himself around her. All he wanted to do was throw her back onto the bed and lose himself inside of her, to make her cry out his name, make her feel the same bliss he was feeling.

“You’re so hard, so beautiful,” she breathed. His eyes opened to look down just as she leaned forward, taking him in her mouth.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuuuuuuck
. Her mouth was so hot, so wet. And the suction, the sliding up and down …

“Laney, you’re killing me, right now,” he gritted out. His fingers combed her hair back from her face to watch her. Her hazel eyes met his and he watched her mouth slide up and down his cock, her tongue rasping against him, and then felt a hand cup him. That was what sent him over the edge.

Zach pulled her from him, her lips wet from loving him, driving him crazy. He had to have her.

Right. Now.

He reached to unfasten the clasp of her bra before sliding her back on the bed. Seeing her lying there, unbelievably beautiful, was nearly his undoing. He grabbed the gray panties, hurriedly sliding them down her legs, tossing them to the floor. Grasping each ankle in his hands, he spread her legs a bit wider, placing her feet flat upon the bed.

“Oh, Laney,” he breathed. “You enjoyed making me crazy, didn’t you?” he murmured the question as he traced her folds with one finger before sliding it deep inside of her.

She let out a loud gasp. “Yes. God, yes.” He watched as her hips lifted instinctively, eliciting another gasp when he slid a second finger inside.

The room was silent but for the choppy sound of their breathing as he lowered his head to place his lips around her clit, sucking it hard, while his thrusting fingers worked their magic. A moment later, he felt her inner muscles contract, heard her cry out his name. Laney’s hips moved rhythmically as she worked herself over his fingers, riding out her climax.

Holy shit, that was beyond hot
. As the tremors subsided, he slowly slid his fingers from her body, watching as her eyes opened. She bit her lower lip before giving him a hesitant smile. “Sorry about that. Guess I was a bit fast on the trigger.”

He shook his head with a grin. “Don’t ever apologize for that.” He rose over her, the length of his hard body pressing against hers, making them both hiss at the contact. “That was,” he pressed a kiss to her neck, his hot breath fanning her skin, “so sexy.”

Laney reached an arm out to her bedside table, rummaging in the drawer, handing a condom packet to him.

“I need you,” she gasped as his mouth found her earlobe, running his teeth along the edge before sucking it gently between his lips.

“Put it on me,” came his gravelly request, raising his body from hers.

Laney opened the packet, tossing the wrapper to the floor before she unrolled the condom over the tip of him, smoothing it along his hard length.

“Laney.” Her eyes met his as he lowered himself down onto her. “You’ve got me so turned on that I’m not sure I’ll last very long.”

A hand wrapped around him, making him groan. “I need you inside of me. No more talking,” she told him.

“But I thought you liked my talking,” he spoke against her throat as he probed her opening with the tip of his hard cock. Running his teeth against the column of her throat, he pushed just a fraction inside of her, smiling at the sound of her sharply drawn breath. “Thought you liked when I told you that I wanted you to come all over my cock. How I want to feel you tighten—” He broke off when her inner muscles clenched around him.

“You’re right,” she agreed, her breath coming out in a wisp. “I do like your talking.”

“You like when I push deep inside of you like this?” He thrust deeper, groaning at the feel of her tightness, her heat surrounding him. Two hands grabbed his ass, pulling him toward her.

“I need you deeper.”

He complied, pushing and rocking himself as deep as he could go.

“You feel so good, Zach.” Her hands glided over his back, one coming to rest at the back of his head, her fingers sliding through his hair. He leaned in, their mouths meeting, their kiss feeling somehow different. Softer. Like it had more feeling in it. Like it was more intimate. It was just more.

And as they lost themselves in each other, he realized that it felt like more because it wasn’t one sided this time.

For the first time ever, it felt like he and Laney were both making love.

C
HAPTER
T
HIRTY
-F
OUR

S
OMETIME THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT, AMIDST
the time spent exploring one another’s body, Laney realized she wanted some answers from long ago. She finally broached the subject, lying on her side facing him, resting her head on her hand.

“You know you were a complete ass when we first met, right?” She cocked an eyebrow at him.

Zach gazed at her thoughtfully a moment before answering carefully. “Laney, I want you to know that I never meant to piss you off that day.” His lips turned up into a self-deprecating grin. “I was so flustered when I saw you standing in the Media Center that I tried to be smooth. And while I meant to say you were distractingly beautiful …” He ran a hand over his face before letting out a long sigh. “You know the rest.”

Well. That wasn’t quite the answer she had been expecting. “Huh. Really.”

One tanned, muscular arm reached out to tuck her hair behind her ear, lips forming a tender smile. “Laney, when I saw you standing there in that dress …” He paused and looked away for a moment as if trying to recall something. She had no way of knowing what he would say next would blow her away.

Those stormy eyes of his met hers, once again, with such intensity that it made her breath catch. “You had on a lavender dress with these teal and white block patterns on it that wrapped around your body.” As he spoke, his eyes followed the path of his hand as it glided from her shoulder down to her hip, the rough calluses of his fingertips caressing her bare skin, leaving goosebumps in the wake. “And you had these wedge heels on that made your legs look crazy sexy.” His lips tilted up slightly in remembrance. “I was gone. My brain had officially turned to shit in that moment.”

How was it even possible that he remembered the exact dress and shoes she’d worn that day? It had been over eight years ago. Laney felt shell-shocked, her chest unusually tight with the knowledge that he recalled what she had worn when they first met.

She wasn’t sure she could form a coherent response, continuing to stare at him in wonder, her hand reaching to caress his strong jaw. The beginning of the blond stubble was raspy beneath her fingertips. She traced her fingers over his soft, full lips and watched as his eyes drifted closed at her touch.

“Zach?” His eyes opened at her question, gaze focused on her. “Why did you let it go on this long? Why did you let me think …”

He flashed her a sad smile. “It wasn’t like there was ever really an opportunity. You avoided me like the plague. The only way I could get your attention was to pick at you, get under your skin.” He lifted one shoulder in a slight shrug. “Childish, I know.”

Eyeing him curiously, she asked, “So, if you had a chance to have a redo, what would you say?”

He inhaled a deep, fortifying breath before he answered, “I would have introduced myself. Told you that I knew it sounded cheesy as hell but the moment I saw you in that Media Center, I had to come talk to you. Tell you that I thought you were unbelievably beautiful. And I wanted to ask you to dinner, to coffee. Hell, I would’ve settled for just about anything as long as it was a way to spend more time with you and get to know you.”

“Wow,” was all she could manage to say.

Zach let out a subdued laugh. “Yeah. Wow.” After a moment’s pause, he added, “Of course, that was the G-rated stuff.”

Oooh, now that’s interesting
. Her eyebrows raised nearly to her hairline at that. “Oh?”

He looked away briefly before returning his gaze to her, the heat in it sending shivers down her spine. “Yeah, there were also some typical X-rated guy thoughts thrown in there.”

“Like?” she prompted.

Was it just her or did it just get hotter in the room? She swore his gaze turned molten.

Trailing his fingertips lightly over her breasts, his eyes remained locked on hers. “I thought about how jealous I was of that damn dress, the way it wrapped over these. It made me want to unwrap you and see what that dress was hiding.” His fingers traced down her stomach, toying briefly with the jeweled piercing in her belly button. “And while I had no way of knowing you had this, I did wonder if you were hiding any piercings or tattoos.”

He moved his hand over her hip and gripped it firmly. “I knew your hips would be perfect in my hands, to hold you as I thrust inside of you or pull you down onto my face.” Laney couldn’t restrain a groan and felt herself grow wet, aroused by his words.

Zach pulled her to lie flat on her stomach upon the bed, running his hands down over her back, pressing light kisses along her spine before caressing the globes of her ass. He released a nearly inaudible groan. “Jesus, Laney. You have no idea what you do to me. What I’ve wanted to do to you.”