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

favorite flower is?”
    Puzzled, Foster spoke slowly. “Uh, I didn’t realize he was into flowers.”
    Lawson ignored Zach’s icy stare. “Yeah, man. His favorite flower is a pansy.” Lawson’s eyes met his on the last word.
    “O-kay.” Tate stood, her blue eyes bouncing from Zach to Lawson and back again. “This just got weird, so I’m going to thank you all and head on home.”
    Laney rose to hug her friend. As Zach turned from watching Tate head toward the door, he and the others rose and pushed in their chairs, each grabbing their small bag of gifts.
    “Later, gorgeous.” Lawson enfolded Laney in a hug, mumbling a “thank you” into her hair before releasing her.
    Foster hooked an arm around her neck. “Thanks, Laney McBrainy.” Loosening his hold on her, her brother gave her a quick kiss on the temple.
    Laney’s eyes met his for the first time that night and offered him a weak smile of thanks. He simply nodded. The four of them walked out together, splitting up as they each went in the direction of their cars parked in various locations in the downtown area.
    Just as Zach saw the others disappear from sight, he went after Laney, pulling her gift from where it had been sitting at the bottom of his bag. Seeing her car lights flash as she pressed the key fob to unlock it, he called out her name. She turned in his direction, her cautious gaze on him as he approached with the small white box in his hand. Once he got within a foot of her, he thrust the box at her.
    “Here. Just … take it.” Hearing the harshness in his tone, Zach softened his voice. “Please.”
    Wordlessly, she took the box from him and he turned around abruptly, walking off to his car. It was done. He had given it to her.
    Merry fucking Christmas .

C HAPTER S IXTEEN
    A S IF IN A DAZE , Laney got into her car, fastened her seatbelt, and sat staring down at the box in her lap. She wasn’t sure how long she remained there, almost afraid to see what the box held.
    “It’s not like he’d give you a bomb, Laney,” she mumbled to herself. Still, with caution, she opened the lid of the box and—
    “Oh, my gosh,” she breathed the words out in wonder. Wonder that Zachariah Mayson had given her some sort of exquisite snow—or water—globe of sorts with a lone dolphin jumping inside. She had never seen anything like it. Tipping it, she watched as the blue water flowed over the dolphin in waves.
    Zach had given this to her for Christmas. But why?
    Because he likes you, dumbass .
    The thought was jarring and she quickly stifled it. Laney placed the globe back into the box, setting it safely on the passenger seat before starting her car and putting it into gear.
    No way, buddy , she thought to herself. He didn’t get to just give her a gift—an amazing gift—and just leave it at that.
    She ended up in Zach’s driveway, yet again. She was bombarded by the feeling of déjà vu as she recalled her nervousness the last time she had pulled her car up to his house. This time was much different, however. Because, she had a bone to pick with Zachariah Mayson.
    She wanted answers and she wanted them now.
    * * *
    Zach had practically torn off his shirt upon arriving home, tossing it into the laundry bin. He had been in the process of unbuttoning his jeans when he heard the pounding on his door.
    What the hell? Who would be at his door at nearly ten o’clock at night on a Sunday?
    “I’m coming!” he yelled at the incessant pounding as he padded down the hallway. Jesus. They needed to tone it down. Not caring that his pants were unbuttoned around his hips and he was shirtless, he flung open the door angrily, ready to give hell to the person on the other side.
    “What the hell do you—” He stopped mid-rant as his eyes fell on who was standing on his doorstep.
    Laney looked mad as hell … and never more beautiful. With anger flashing in her hazel eyes and lips pressed thin, red and kissable. And that dress she wore? Oh, hell. It had taunted