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

last night. Many times. Like, many, many times. With dirty talk. And it had been goooood.
    Okay, so that wasn’t entirely true. It had been … well, she couldn’t really come up with the right word for it but it definitely surpassed good. Hell, the memory of how delicious it had been was already getting her aroused. Stupid traitorous body.
    The worst part was that she was pretty sure Zachariah Mayson had ruined her for other men. Him. The bane of her existence. Yet, he had managed to rock her world, had all but turned her into a Pavlovian orgasmer.
    The entire situation was pure insanity and she had to attempt to save face somehow. Sliding off the bed, she pulled on her badly wrinkled bridesmaid dress. She had no choice but to go without her thong because … well, who the hell knew where that had gone to. She braced herself for the confrontation she knew was ahead of her.
    Running a hand over her hair before swiping her fingers beneath her eyes to try and clean up remnants of mascara surely there, Laney grabbed her heels and padded across the hardwood floor in search of the coffee she smelled brewing.
    As she came into the kitchen, the sight stopped her dead in her tracks. Zach was standing with his back to her, shirtless, muscles playing as he worked something on the stove. His pajama pants hung low, and when he turned around to grab something from the counter, the sharp V lines beneath his abs grew more pronounced.
    “I see someone’s finally awake.” He gave her a small smile, his eyes soft and tender as they traveled over her length. “You could have gone through my drawers and put on a shirt and boxers. I’m sure you’d be more comfortable.”
    Laney stared at him, eyes wide in alarm, and felt the panic take over. Who was this guy and what did he do with Zachariah Mayson? She could handle the animosity, the barbs, the insults from Zach. But this? This whole ‘I can be a sweet guy who makes coffee and breakfast for you in the morning’? That guy? She had no freaking clue what to do with him.
    And was that an omelet he was making? A mother effing omelet? Oh, hell, no.
    Her eyes met his and she saw the moment he realized things were not headed in the direction he’d intended. It was as if shutters came down, the light, sweet expression disappearing within his darkening eyes.
    “I take it you’re not planning on staying for my famous omelets, then.” His tone was dull.
    She waved her hands between them, feeling frantic. “We don’t do this, Zach. That’s not the way this works.”
    “Oh? Tell me how, exactly, this is supposed to work?” Strong sarcasm laced his tone.
    “Last night was a one-time thing. I mean, today, we’re supposed to go back to hating each other, okay? That’s how this works!” She threw her hands in the air, her voice rising in irritation. Why did she have to spell it out for him when he should very well know it? Since that’s how things had been between them for the last few years.
    “Last night changed things, Laney! It changed things between us!” he shot back angrily.
    “ We hate each other, so there is no ‘us’ !” she exploded. As soon as the words flew out of her mouth, her hand went to her lips as if shocked by the intensity behind her words. There was no denying the sick, churning in the pit of her stomach.
    Zach stared at her in silence for what felt like an eternity. Closing his eyes briefly, Laney watched as he took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. His eyes opened and the cold, emptiness of his gaze sent a shiver down her spine.
    “You’re right, Laney. You want us to go back to hating each other, then that’s exactly what we’ll do. Now, if you could let yourself out so I can get back to my breakfast, I’d appreciate it.” He turned his back to her, emphasizing his dismissal. For a fraction of a second, she felt the urge to go to him, to apologize for her words.
    Instead, she turned, heels in hand, and made her way out of his house. When she shut the