Hard To Handle (Teach Me Book 2) by RC Boldt Page A

went to the floor, lying face down, completely still. Laney and her friends looked at one another in alarm before she turned to her brother. Foster was doubled over, laughing at his friend. Noticing the women’s worried expressions, he shook his head and spoke over the music. “He’s doing the Passed Out move.”
    Um, yeah. Maybe it was a SEAL thing.
    Or maybe they’d all eaten paint chips at some point.

C HAPTER N INE
    “I THINK THAT’S THE END of it.” Momma K. dusted off her hands as she finished cleaning up the house from the wedding celebration. “Now, you two need to get some rest for your trip tomorrow.”
    “Yes, ma’am,” Mac replied. He bent to press a kiss to the older woman’s cheek. “Thanks for all your help.”
    “Oh, come here, you.” She wrapped her arms around the tall, muscular man she had come to think of as a son. “I love you both.”
    “Love you, too,” Raine said, wrapping her arms around the two of them.
    “Okay, then …” Momma K.’s eyes were a bit misty. “Let me get everyone out of your hair.”
    Turning to where the others were still lingering, she called out, “All right, people. It’s time to leave the newlyweds alone! Out you go!”
    “What?” Lawson gaped in outrage. “But, Momma K., now the really fun part is about to happen.” He wiggled his brows. “If you know what I mean. You know what I’m sayin’, right?”
    She swatted him. “Lawson Briggs! Out!” They all noticed the corners of Momma K.’s lips twitching.
    Zach filed out with the others, saying their good-byes and wishing the couple safe travels on their honeymoon to Turks and Cacaos. They had planned their honeymoon around work since students were on Christmas vacation for two consecutive weeks.
    He walked down to where his car was parked, noticing Laney was off to the side talking with Tate in what appeared to be a serious conversation. He didn’t want to interrupt them, so he caught their attention, giving a brief wave. With a sigh, he got into his car, rolled down the windows, and backed out of the driveway. He figured the cooler night breeze might help soothe his disappointment over not getting to say good-bye to Laney … and truly end their interaction on a high note for once.
    Heading down South Fletcher Avenue, his mind wandered and he recalled the moment he’d first seen Laney in the Media Center at their school. He’d glanced over to see a beautiful, brown-haired woman with a dress that couldn’t hide her amazing curves. He’d been so nervous that he’d tried to joke around with her about how she’d induce lust in the hormonal boys being as gorgeous as she was. And it had come out so wrong.
    So. Very. Wrong.
    Instead, his words jumbled and he’d insulted her, resulting in her dismissal of him from that point on. The only way he had managed to get her attention over the past eight years was to piss her off or annoy her in some way. And, like a juvenile, that’s exactly what he did. And he did it well. Because, if he couldn’t get Laney to pay him any attention aside from trading insults, then so be it.
    But, as he reminisced that tender moment on the beach with her, when they had been two people and not enemies slinging insults at one another, he wondered what might have been if their first meeting had gone differently.
    And he knew, if nothing ever came of it again, that moment on the beach would be forever etched in his mind as one of his favorite memories.
    * * *
    Hendy tried to convince her to come along with all of them and hit the bars in downtown Fernandina Beach. However, since Tate had been asked last minute to fill in for an early morning yoga class because the usual instructor had come down with a nasty stomach bug, she couldn’t join them. That left Laney as the lone woman, bar hopping with a bunch of crazy man-whores.
    Um, no thank you .
    Hendy tried to guilt trip her as the guys made their way out of Mac and Raine’s house to the cab that had been waiting.
    “Aw,