“What’s that supposed to mean?” Patrick’s anger began to flare as confusion washed over his face. The grin on Zach’s face did not bode well for him.
“Nothing. Just talk to Katie,” Zach smirked triumphantly.
“Ok, enough already,” Matt jumped in between the two as the football came through the air, grabbing the pass, and glaring at Patrick. “I thought you brought me here to talk about Hannah, not your problems or lack thereof.”
“I did, and you’re right,” he scowled as Matt held on to the ball. “So…what’s the plan?”
“Plan?” Matt quirked an eyebrow.
“You know…your plan to win her over,” Patrick shrugged. “I figured you wouldn’t have agreed to go on this trip if you didn’t have a plan.”
“I’m not sure yet,” Matt huffed. “She’s different than the others.”
“Meaning?” Zach chimed in.
“Meaning that she has a brain and she’s going to actually want to hang out for more than the touchy feeling shit,” Matt rolled his eyes.
“What are you talking about, man?” Zach had a confused look on his face.
“Matt doesn’t do relationships,” Patrick clarified. “His ‘girlfriends’ are lucky to get a call the next day.”
Zach threw his head back in laughter, “Oh man, you’re in trouble if you want to date Hannah Montgomery. Her dad will tear you a new one if you treat her bad.”
Matt’s head jerked to the side, “You say that like you have experience.”
“I do, but not the way you think,” Zach’s shoulders shook with laughter. “I’ve known Hannah since grade school. She was always a priss, very uptight and cold towards the guys. Her dad didn’t let her date in high school. I guarantee that she’s probably never done more than kiss a guy. Good luck with that one.”
Patrick chuckled, “Why do I always seem to attract the playboys?”
Zach scowled, “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Seriously,” Patrick glared at him. “You and Matt are obviously cut from the same cloth. I mean all you think about is what you need to do to get laid.”
“Ok…could you stop knocking my game and help me?” Matt punched Patrick in the shoulder playfully.
“I guess I’m going to have to see to it that you have no game right now,” Patrick snickered. “Why don’t we try and go out tonight? Dinner and a club maybe?”
“Sounds good to me,” Zach shrugged. He looked over at Matt, “Can you dance?”
“Can I dance…yes,” Matt groaned.
“Why do you sound so negative?” Patrick shoved him. “This gives you a reason to put your hands on her.”
“I didn’t think of it that way,” Matt grinned. “I’ll have her wanting to kiss me so bad by the end of the night, she won’t know what hit her.
As Matt stood there contemplating the evening, Patrick looked up and saw the girls returning in the distance. He grabbed the football out of Matt’s hands and tossed it back to Zach.
“Want to give them a show?” he challenged.
Zach shrugged and then shouted, “Go long!”
Patrick began running down the beach in the direction of the girls, smiling a toothy grin. Zach launched the ball as hard as he could into the air, heading it right toward Katie. The girls were looking right at them and their boyish antics as they came closer.
“I can’t believe this,” Eden groaned.
“What?” Hannah smirked.
“What a show off,” Eden rolled her eyes.
Katie giggled and shouldered into the rest of the group just as Patrick launched himself into the air to claim the football, coming down hard into the shallow surf. Water splashed around the girls, pelting them with droplets. Katie giggled as the other two girls ran from the water.
“Oh, you think that’s funny, huh?” Patrick laughed as he slung his head back to get his wet hair out of his face.
“Nice catch,” she grinned as she began backing away from him.
“Where are you going?” he smirked at her, already planning his point of attack.
“Patrick, I’m not wearing my swimsuit,” she backed farther away from him, getting ready to launch into a run.
“Neither am I, last time I checked anyway,” he stalked closer as he popped his neck from side to side.
***
Zach stood in the distance watching the two and eyeing Eden at the same time. He used Katie and Patrick as a distraction as he approached her from behind. Before she could react, he grabbed her, and tossed her over his shoulder.
“Ahhhh!” she screamed. “Put me down!”
She kicked her legs and pounded her fists into his back as he loped toward the water.
Matt glanced at Hannah as she slunk back toward the towels. He wasn’t sure if he should play the good boy or the bad boy here. Hannah made the decision easy for him.
“Don’t even think about it,” she glared at him. “I’m wearing a white shirt, and if you toss me in that water I’ll know exactly what your intentions are.”
Matt put his hands up in a surrender gesture and headed back to sit on the towels, all the while listening to Eden’s threats toward Zach.
“I’ll put you down alright. Right here,” Zach rolled her body into his arms against his chest and took off for the deeper water.
“No Zach, don’t you dare!” Eden begged.
Just then he dunked her and began laughing so hard he lost his own balance.
“I can’t believe you did that,” she slapped at him in the water when she surfaced.
Katie giggled and Patrick used this opportunity to capture her in his arms.
“No, don’t,” she struggled against him, but it was pointless. He was much bigger and stronger, and she would never get away from him.
He leaned in and kissed her lips softly, running his hands down her back to distract her. When he reached her hips, he tugged on them to lift her up. She reacted automatically and wrapped her legs around him, sinking deeper into the kiss. Lost in the pleasure, she didn’t realize he had begun walking into the deeper water. She was so enraptured in him that nothing else around her even registered. Suddenly breaking the kiss, he tossed her in the air, and she crashed down into the surf. When she surfaced, a look of shock adorned her face.
“I can’t believe you just did that,” she scowled at him.
“Whatever do you mean?” he smiled a cocky grin at her as water droplets trailed down his chest.
“You used your lips to distract me,” she crossed her arms over her chest and pouted while she fought to control the grin that was beginning to form.
“It worked didn’t it?” he smirked. “Come on, you know you love me.”
She sighed and walked up to him. Standing so close she could feel his body heat, she leaned in and placed a kiss to his bare chest. When she glanced up she saw a pained look on his face.
“Do you have any idea what you’re doing to me?” he groaned.
Katie glanced down at the now obvious arousal in Patrick’s shorts and grinned, “I’ve got a pretty good idea.” She rose up on her tiptoes and leaned in right next to his ear, “Next time remember…payback’s a bitch.”
Patrick groaned and then tackled her into the water again.
The four of them stayed in the water for a while splashing, and dunking each other repeatedly. Hannah sat on the beach reading a magazine, just watching, as Matt lounged not too far away. Horseplay wasn’t really her thing, and she was glad Matt had heeded her warning and hadn’t tossed her in the water as well.
***
“So what do you want to do tonight?” Eden asked as she was squeezing her wet hair out in a towel.
“Doesn’t matter to me,” Katie chimed in.
“Looks like there’s quite a few dance clubs down the street from where we’re staying. Wanna go clubbing tonight?” Patrick smiled as his eyes darted over toward Matt.
“You wanna go clubbing?” Katie wrinkled her brow at him. “Since when do you dance?”
&nbs
p; “Since I saw all those sexy little outfits you packed in your bag for the week. I wanna see one on you tonight,” he winked at her.
Katie missed the hopeful look on Matt’s face as the plans for the evening were being discussed, but Eden didn’t. She saw the way Matt was staring at Hannah. The way he almost jumped at the idea of going dancing. Something was up with their plans.
“You went through my bag?” Katie scowled.
Zach snickered at Katie’s outburst. He knew that she had a stubborn independent streak a mile long, and he was enjoying the hole that Patrick seemed to be digging himself into.
“No, I didn’t go through it. I’ve just heard you and your friends talk about your nights out in New York. I wanna be able to join in on the fun,” he shrugged.
“Ok, we can go dancing, that is if everyone else is ok with that,” Katie shrugged. “First we need to get back to the hotel so I can shower and get dried off. Someone got me all wet,” she laughed as she shoved at Patrick’s chest.
“Fine, a shower it is. Want some company?” he whispered as he leaned in and kissed her neck.
“Patrick!” she shoved him again as a slight blush spread across her cheeks.
She couldn’t help the desire that coursed through her body as she admired his bare chest. He had just a light covering of blond hair that dusted his pecks. His tanned skin was stretched tight over his broad shoulders and arms. She shook her head to clear the lustful thoughts that were filling it.
“Like what you see?” he whispered in her ear.
She cleared her throat, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
She tossed her hand in the air and marched back in the direction of the hotel, leaving him laughing in the background.
***
When they reached the hotel, the girls locked themselves in Katie’s room to get dressed.
“You’re going to have to use Eden’s room,” Katie shoved Patrick’s bag into his arms and pushed him out the door.
She wanted Hannah and Eden to hang out with her while they got ready. Katie and Hannah wore the same size. With the exception of Katie being taller, Hannah was able to share a lot of clothes with her. Hannah was not the clubbing type, so Katie knew that she wouldn’t have that many choices of things to wear tonight.
“Oh no, not that,” Katie pointed to the jeans that Hannah was holding. “You are wearing something sexier than that.”
“Did you not see the way Matt was staring at you on the beach?” Eden chimed in. “He looked like he was dying of thirst and you were a tall glass of water.”
Hannah shook her head. “You are not treating me like your personal Barbie doll.”
Eden laughed and threw her head back, “Now I know you’re sisters. That’s the first time I’ve seen you disagree about anything.”
“Little miss perfect over there,” Katie pointed at Hannah, “has never dressed up that figure of hers. She could knock ‘em dead if she’d only let me help.”
“Fine. You win. I give up,” Hannah huffed. “But my butt and my boobs better be covered tonight.”
Katie threw her hands in the air, “Finally. Matt‘s not going to know what hit him.”
Katie riffled through her bag until she found what she was looking for, a black mini skirt and a blue gauzy top.
“Here,” she tossed it in Hannah’s direction. “I’ll help you with some makeup when you’re done putting that on.”
Hannah rolled her eyes and walked into the bathroom to dress. Katie continued to dig until she found what she was looking for, for herself - a pair of black skinny jeans that came to the mid-calf and a silver sequin halter top. It had a low-slung neck that dipped between her breasts, and it attached around the neck and lower back. A pair of black, low heeled sandals finished the look. Eden had paired her signature fishnets with a black mini and a fuchsia top.
The girls crowded around the mirror brushing their hair and applying evening makeup.
“I don’t think this is really my style,” Hannah began to whine.
“Stop, you look hot,” Katie glared at her. “Matt might have competition tonight.”
“She has a point,” Eden shrugged. “I never knew you had all that under those clothes. I mean you dress so conservatively.”
Hannah shook her head and sighed, “If my dad saw me now, he would kill me. There‘s a reason why I dress the way I do.”
“He’s not here, and you look amazing,” Katie spun her by the shoulders to look at her reflection in the mirror. “Please just give it a chance. I’m sure Matt will keep the douche bags at bay.”
Eden and Hannah burst out laughing, “You crack me up.”
The girls finished putting the final touches on their makeup and headed out into the main area of the room to meet the boys. When they emerged from the bedroom, the boys were chatting and watching sports on the TV.
“About time,” Zach groaned.
“Wow!” Matt’s mouth popped open as he glanced at Hannah. “You look great!”
Her loose fitting top hung from one tanned shoulder, while her skirt came down mid-thigh. Her soft brown hair fell in waves around her shoulders framing her sparkling blue eyes. Katie had outdone herself on Hannah’s wardrobe and makeup tonight. He’d never seen her looking so sexy. This was sure to be a night he wouldn’t forget.
“Thanks, but it wasn’t my doing,” Hannah smiled.
“We going or what?” Zach rolled his eyes as he lifted his arms in the air.
“Oh come on, you know the clubs don’t get good until after ten anyway,” Eden whined.
“I forgot. You guys aren’t old enough to get into the places I normally go,” Zach shrugged.
“We are tonight,” Eden winked as she handed IDs to Patrick, Hannah, and Matt. “I always hook up my friends.”
Patrick looked over at Katie and then down at the ID, “Is this something that you do often?”
“No, only when my boyfriend’s trying to surprise me,” she giggled and placed a peck to his cheek.
Patrick nodded as he remembered his visit back in the fall when he came to see her, and she was drunk. His mouth turned up in a grin, “Let’s hope you can control yourself tonight.”
She smacked his chest, “You let me worry about that.”
She grinned and let her eyes scan his body. Patrick had donned a pair of khaki pants and a black V-neck t-shirt. It was tight across his chest and arms, showing off his muscles. The pants hung low on his hips, accentuating his narrow waist. She unconsciously licked her lower lip causing Patrick to groan.
He leaned down to her ear, “Please don’t do that. You’re killing me already with the way you’re dressed.”
She giggled, “Oh, this old thing?”
Eden walked over to the door, “We better go if we want to grab a table at one of these places. I’m sure they’ll fill up fast.”
As they walked out the door, Eden reached over and smacked Zach on the bottom, “Nice jeans.”
He grinned, “All for you, babe.”
Where Patrick had dressed up for the evening, Zach had decided on a pair of ripped Levi’s with an old Led Zeppelin shirt. He was the perfect match for Eden. The rocker side that he exuded fit her personality perfect.
Hannah shook her head at the four of them as she trailed behind with Matt. She wasn’t really sure what the evening would hold, but it was going to be an interesting night that was for sure.
Chapter 14
As the group walked down the street heading for the clubs, Zach began to fall back in the group. It was his not-so-subtle way of getting closer to Katie. Though he didn’t realize it at the time, she was all too aware of where he was and what he was doing.
When they had first left the hotel, Matt had pulled Patrick aside whispering in his ear. Katie had tried to keep up with Eden so she wouldn’t be trailing behind alone, but it seemed she just couldn’t separate herself from Zach. He was determined to be as close to her as possible.
“You look great tonight,” he whispered in her
ear as he fell into step beside her.
She glared at him, “I’m not doing this.”
“Doing what?” he shrugged and smirked at her, trying to look innocent.
“This,” she pointed her finger back and forth between them. “I’m here with Patrick. I wanna be with Patrick. It will always be Patrick.”
“That’s not what your lips were saying last week,” he grinned at her, loving the fact that he was making her squirm.
The Boy Next Door Page 13
