Teach Me Like That (LMLT Book 2) (23 page)

He walks out of the room, leaving me sitting on the couch with my damn jaw hanging open. Just when I think I can’t stack on any more disappointment in myself, he throws that little tidbit on top.

We didn’t exactly make plans, but with the way last weekend went, I can’t help but hope this weekend will be the same. My normal Friday night would include gathering up a few of the guys and hitting a bar or club. That’s been gradually changing since I can’t seem to get a sense of satisfaction with anyone but Lexi.

After leaving Kadin’s house, feeling like a completely selfish asshole, I make a quick stop to grab a couple of bottles of Lexi’s favorite wine and some beer for myself. We didn’t leave the house once last weekend, and I know for a fact that we drained her stockpile.

I know she’s not here the second I pull up and notice her car isn’t in the driveway. It still doesn’t keep me from hopping out of my truck and knocking on her door. Expected silence greets me even after pressing the doorbell numerous times.

Guilt washes over me at the realization that I should’ve at least texted her yesterday and today. I haven’t spoken to her since she closed herself off at my refusal to her invitation at the dinner party. Kadin was right; I’m an idiot. I get the feeling that I’m going to end up ruining everything with Lexi before we can even get a decent start.

Taking a seat on the front steps, I pull out my cell phone and shoot off a quick text. After ten minutes with no response, I debate whether or not looking for an open window is a good idea. I decide against it after realizing just how psycho that seems.

I call her directly as I walk back to my truck, but the call goes straight to voicemail. I didn’t even consider how important a stupid fucking dinner with her friends may have been to her, and now I can’t reach her. I can’t help but wonder if the two things are related.

Now I know what the girls feel like when they mess up and are forced into a timeout.

Lexi

“You need to loosen up!” Jillian practically screams at me over the blaring music.

“I’m loose!” I debate.

“You are not!! That guy over there has been eye-fucking you all night, and you won’t even give him a second look!” She points across the bar at the weird guy wearing a cowboy hat.

I don’t correct her, but I have glanced his way several times, if only because I can feel his eyes boring into my damn back. I didn’t give him a second look because I wanted to catch his already focused attention, I looked to make sure he’s not sneaking up on me. Who in the hell wears a cowboy hat in a hip-hop bar?

“I’m not interested,” I tell her before taking another one of the shots lined up in front of us.

“Oh come on,” she groans elbowing me roughly in the side. I glare at her as I steady myself back on my stool. “You’re no fun. He looks like he’d be fun!”

“Are you blind? He looks like a psycho. No matter how shitty as my week ended, I don’t want to end my weekend cut up in a trash bag.”

She looks past my shoulder and narrows her eyes at the man a mere twenty feet away. “You may be right,” she agrees around the cherry stem hanging out of her mouth. “But I don’t see any blood on his hands.”

She’s in serious contemplation over the possibility that the cowboy is an ax murder for much longer than necessary. I wish I could say it’s because she’s drunk, but it’s not. She’s thinking this over longer than she takes to decide if she’s going to climb in bed with a man.

“So,” I say breaking the criminal profiling she has going on. “Where’s Hawke tonight?”

She scowls at me and tosses back another shot. “How the hell should I know? I quit my job this week.”

To most people, this would be cause for concern. For Jillian? Just par for the course.

I throw back another shot and flag a waitress down for more. “How long did it last this time?”

She spins the lime wedge she just spat out on the table top. It’s totally disgusting, but due to my buzz I’m actually mesmerized by her actions.

She shrugs, refusing to answer my question.

“When did you quit?”

“Tuesday. Right after lunch. He had some girl in his office. I couldn’t do my damn job with all the giggling that was going on in there. So I snatched up my purse and left.” She grins up at me. “I emailed him my resignation.”

“Did you remember to change the date this time?”

She tosses the lime wedge at me, and I somehow avoid getting hit with it. “Yes.” She looks up and to the left, and I can tell she’s trying to recall if she did or not. “At least, I think I did.”

“And when did you go back to the office?”

She turns her attention away from me and starts dancing on her stool. I grab her shoulder and spin her back around to face me. “When did you go back to work?”

“Wednesday morning.” My brows knit together when I frown. “Don’t look at me like that. He had a major meeting about an environmental dispute on some property. I wasn’t going to let him do that on his own.”

I shake my head. “Both of you are so fucking dependent on each other. Have you talked to him?”

“About what?”

I raise an eyebrow at her. We’ve been having this same damn conversation for years, and she knows exactly what I’m talking about.

“No, and I’m not going to. So just leave it alone. Let’s talk about something else,” she says with a slight quirk to her lip. “Tell me more about Mr. Rich Construction Man.”

“There’s not much to tell.”

“Bullshit! You ignored every one of my calls and texts this past weekend.” I mimic her actions when she picks up the salt shaker and licks her hand.

After a handful of shots, the tequila no longer burns on the way down. The hum of satisfaction rumbles in my chest. “I was busy.”

“You were getting busy,” she corrects. “Now spill.”

The shake of my head causes dizziness. “Not gonna happen.”

“Details!” she demands.

“My lips are sealed.” Clumsy fingers lock my mouth and throw away the key.

“Holy shit,” she hisses. “You like him
that
much?”

I can’t keep the smile from gracing my face until I remember our last conversation. Reaching for another shot, I pray it washes away my disappointment in Kegan. This feeling, the one that’s scratching at my heart, is why I have avoided men for anything other than quick fun. When the heart gets involved, it’s no joke when disillusion rears its ugly head.

Holding my hand over my head, I flag down the waitress again. If I can still feel pain at his rejection to the dinner party invitation, I haven’t had enough to drink.

Rolling over, I realize a second too late that I’m not in my bed. Air whooshes out of my lungs when my back hits the hardwood floor.

“Damn.” Grumbling about being an alcoholic, I manage to get into a sitting position.

Noise in the kitchen makes my ears perk up. I don’t know how, but even after the copious amounts of alcohol, I feel almost normal this morning. It never happens. Counting my blessings, I claw my way to standing by using the couch cushions.

Last night is hazy, but I’m hopeful that Kegan—

My face falls when Justin walks out of the kitchen with a cup of coffee in his hand.

“I rescue you, and you have the gall to look that displeased at my presence?” Shaking his head, he hands me the coffee. “You almost looked like you were hoping I was someone else.”

“Nope.” The lie falls easily from my lips. This is not a can of worms I’m opening so early in the morning.

A knock sounds at the door, and my eyes widen as Justin moves toward the foyer to answer the door. There are only three people who ever come over, one is standing in front of me, the other is probably face down in her own vomit, and the third—

“Kegan? What are you doing…?” Justin’s head pivots on his shoulders and glances back at me.

I roll my lips between my teeth to stop the giddy reaction the look on his face is causing, confusion and amusement dance in his eyes. He’s thinking about my reaction to him, and now all the pieces fall together.

“Justin,” Kegan says offering his hand. They shake quickly with Kegan releasing his hand as soon as deemed acceptable.

“I’m going to head home.” Justin leans in and kisses my cheek. “Great choice, but be careful.”

His warning ricochets around my head as I watch him leave.

“Coffee?” I turn back toward the kitchen.

The echoing sound of his footfalls follow me out of the den.

“I stopped by last night.” Leaning against the counter with his hip, his eyes burn into my back.

It makes me wonder if he’s expecting an explanation, if he expects me to ask permission to hang out with my friends. Jealousy over my whereabouts is new for me. Hunter didn’t give a shit where I was, so long as I was available to fuck when he wanted to. All of the signs were there from day one, and I still missed them.

I turn to face him, trying to read his expression. “Upset I wasn’t here waiting with my legs spread for you?”

His head jerks back as if I’d slapped in the face. Guilt immediately washes over me.

“That’s not what I came over for, Lexi.” Turning back to pour him a cup of coffee, I resist the urge to apologize for my crassness. “What’s going on?” His warm hands on my shoulders are comforting.

“Nothing,” I mumble.

“Something,” he counters.

“Want to go get something to eat? I haven’t been shopping, so the fridge is pretty bare.” I think a change of scenery would be best. I’m unable to think straight with my bed so close. Plus, I’m still upset with him, but struggling with not knowing if I even have a right to be upset.

I feel his warm lips against my neck. “I don’t want to go anywhere,” he breathes into the goose-pimpled flesh.

“You’re treating me like your college cougar,” I blurt.

He spins me in his arms. “Excuse me?”

“Didn’t you tell me that she kept you hidden away? You never went out in public with her? She wouldn’t come around when your friends were around?” My hand grazes over his chest, fingers flexing independently of my brains wishes. “You’re
my
cougar. You won’t go to Justin’s for dinner. You don’t want to leave the house, even for a late breakfast. I don’t want to be your cougar, Kegan.”

“Baby,” he whispers as his lips brush softly over mine. “You aren’t my cougar.”

I smile up at him.

“You’re younger than me.”

Kegan

She slaps my chest. “This isn’t funny.”

Her frown nearly breaks my damn heart. My large hands gently encompass hers as my face grows serious. “I’m not hiding you, Lexi. I’ve told you that.”

“That’s not what your actions say.”

I reflect back. Other than the quick sex in the hall at the club and the interrupted almost closet encounter, we’ve been holed up in her house. I could argue that I don’t ‘date’, so this is all new to me. It’d be true. Short of being seen picking up a girl, I’m not really the wine and dine type of guy. I mean, what’s the point when they’re a sure thing?

Surprisingly, I want that with Lexi. I want to be seen with her. I want men to look at me and know how much of a lucky fucker I am.

“I’m not intentionally hiding you away from anyone,” I assure her. “Would I rather have you in my arms on the couch than sitting at a restaurant pretending I don’t want to climb all over you? Hell yes.”

I feel her body relax a small fraction.

“I’m not going to lie and tell you I don’t want you alone all the time because I do. I don’t want to have to explain to your friends or mine why I’m hiking your dress up over your head to satisfy a taste of that heaven between your legs. It would be…awkward, and I sure as fuck don’t want to ignore the urge. That’s just inhumane.”

I pull her against my chest. “Really?”

I nod.

“You also told me that you don’t want to be my secret, but if the school found out you could lose your job. I’ve told you before that I’d love to scream my affection for you from the rooftops. We can start with Edgewood Academy if you want.” I remind her.

“I think that’s all blown over. Amelia still has shitty comments and snide remarks, but she hasn’t done anything.”

“Let’s hope she keeps it that way.” Amelia is a snake in the grass, and I don’t for a second think she’s done.