Page 1 of Teach Me to Laugh

I’ve always been a determined guy. I liked to think I get that from my father, but if I really considered it, I had to admit it was more a combination of Mom and Dad. Coming from a family of well-educated control freaks—aka doctors—it’s a thing to be expected. Dad’s a surgeon and Mom’s a pediatrician. They knew what they wanted young, climbed the ladder of their careers, married—and then they fucked up.

When I say my parents fucked up, I’m saying that in all of their plotted perfection, I was never supposed to happen. An out of control New Years party had me invading their lives nine months later. Mom didn’t take maternity leave; the Davis Doctors were serious about their work, so I was raised by a nanny.

My story, though, isn’t a jacked-up pity party. I was a happy enough kid. Mom and Dad indulged me with affection whenever they were around, although that wasn’t much. They ensured I always had what I needed, and, for the most part, what I wanted. I had a good childhood, and Mom and Dad were good parents who made the best out of an unplanned pregnancy. They made the best of their crap roll of the dice, but they made damn sure they never rolled that hand again. If you don’t get me, I’ll spell it out. I’m an only child.

Mom and Dad were around if I ever really needed anything. Money was never short. I filled my time with sports teams, studying, and girls. It wasn’t until last year when I decided to travel to Europe, against my parent’s wishes, that things started to change.

Like I said, I’m an only child. I had my teams, but I never reallybelongedto a team. I never looked at my family like we were a pack, never to be divided. I never had that one bud that I knew I could count on. I always just had me.

But then I decided travel was a must, and I met Kaiden. He became that buddy I thought I’d never have. Something about the guy just clicked with me. And something about me clicked for him. He’s the brother I never had and always wanted. He’s my best man.

Still, Kaiden is a new addition to the solo path I’ve always walked. And being that I lived life with people who weredetermined to succeed in a workforce that was both stressful and intimidating, I adopted a bit of that determination for myself.

So when I say I’m a guy who tends to get what he wants, I’m not lying. I’m not boasting, either. I worked for what I wanted and I worked hard.

The thing is, I’ve never wanted a woman. Don’t get me wrong; I’ve wanted to bang a few and I’ve done that. But I’ve never actuallywantedall of a woman.

I wanted Amara Bloom, though. I’ve wanted her since I first met her and she cracked an unexpected insult at my junk. I’ve wanted her since she rejected me over and over again. I’ve wanted her since I learned the girl didn’t smile. Ever.

I was determined to have her. And I was determined not only to make her smile, but to make her laugh.

I couldn’t have concocted a better plan if I’d been the one plotting. When my buddy moved out of my place and in with his girlfriend, who also happened to be Amara’s roommate, Amara needed a place. Happenstance had it that I had a room available.

She moved in.

She’s lived with me for a month and it’s been a month of witty comments from me and the usual distance from Amara. I intended to step up my game with a few tricks I had up my sleeve. Because no matter what, I was going to make the girl mine.

That’s why I was awake at the ball-busting hour of seven in the damn morning on a Saturday. I wanted to catch her before she ran off to the gym with her friend Madison, and then to work at the Library.

I’d never been a morning person, so when Amara strode into the kitchen in a little purple housecoat that had my throat feeling tight and my fingers feeling twitchy to reach out to her, I wasn’t surprised to see her startle.

Her hand connected with her chest and her big blue eyes widened, “Crap, Beck,” she inhaled. “You scared me.”

I grinned. Her eyes narrowed and I braved a single step toward her. “Morning, peanut.”

“Argh,” she rubbed her temples. “It’s way too early for your antics.”

“I made coffee.”

“Good.” I watched her toned legs carry her to the pot. Amara had great legs.“Because I don’t think you’d survive me this morning if you hadn’t.”

I’d survive. This woman could do pretty much anything to me and I’d survive. So long as in the end she was mine.

“Feeling a little touchy?” I teased, moving quickly to stand behind her.

Her back stiffened. Correction—her whole body froze. My hot little peanut turned to ice in an instant. Breaths raced in and out.

In and out.

In and out.

Each breath came faster than the one before. Faster and harder.

“Beck . . .”

I interrupted to tease again, hoping I could turn the ice into flame. Accustomed to being the guy women melted for, I dropped my voice low, letting it rumble the way I knew most women liked. The way I knew made women melt.

Then I teased, “No need to feel touchy, babe. You got an itch, I’ll scratch it. You want happy endorphins, no need to go to the gym.” Spreading my arms wide, I smirked. “I got you covered from the comfort of your own home.”

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