Out of the Blue by Jill Shalvis Read Free Book Online

was afraid to wake him, afraid to look in his eyes and face her pathetic seduction attempt.
    She needed to get up. Needed to regroup. Needed a new plan. But breaking away from the blissfully slumbering Zach was actually harder than she anticipated … mostly because she didn't really want to go. Not when he looked so right in her bed, not when he was wrapped around her making her feel safe and secure.
    Wanted.
    Whoa. He hadn't wanted her; if he had they would've made love. She needed to remember that when these alien warm and fuzzy feelings came over her.
    Zach was here only temporarily.
    Very temporarily.
    Which was yet another thing to remember. No falling for him, no matter how wonderful he felt in her bed.
    She made herself get up. Despite her jumbling emotions, her body felt alive, really truly alive, in a way she hadn't imagined possible. Alive and … yearning. She ached with it. Ignoring that, she dressed.
    When she went down the hall, there was the sweet old couple, Mr. and Mrs. Schwartz, sitting on the couch in front of the fireplace. They were holding hands and talking, and she thought if she could guarantee a relationship like that, then maybe someday she'd give it a shot.
    "Get lucky last night, dear?" asked the sweet old lady.
    "Ex—excuse me?"
    "I saw your young man on his way to bed last night." She winked. "He's something, all tall, dark and attitude-ridden, isn't he?" Then she laughed lustily. "You go, girl."
    Hannah managed a weak smile and went downstairs.
    Alexi was already in the kitchen, digging through the refrigerator. At the sight of Hannah, a known un -morning person, she lifted a curious brow. "Wow. You're even dressed."
    "Well, we do have guests," Hannah said, smoothing down her sundress self-consciously because she rarely wore dresses and had no idea why she'd worn one today.
    Okay, she did know, but refused to attribute it to Zach. "I could hardly come down in my p.j.'s. Have you met that older couple—"
    "Mr. and Mrs. Schwartz. Oh yeah. We had to switch them with another guest, that quiet young woman, Katie Minor. The Schwartzes were … uh, making noises all night, disturbing Mr. and Mrs. Peterman. Can you imagine? They must be at least seventy, right? Anyway, they're in room six now, so they can knock it out all they want, scream at the top of their lungs, swing from the rafters if they like, and they won't be able to disturb anyone."
    Hannah shook her head. "Could have done without that image this early in the morning, thanks."
    "Hmm." Alexi studied her until Hannah squirmed. "My brother snoring?"
    "Snoring? Uh … no."
    Alexi, who never missed a thing, set down a bowl of fruit and came closer, eyes narrowed. "What's up with that anyway? I would've put him in my room."
    What was up?
    Well, wasn't that just the question of the day?
    Hannah could have told Alexi everything. Right then she could have explained that their silly little toilet challenge had started her thinking. That she was feeling inexplicably lonely, even in a lodge completely full of people. That she needed more, needed to know what it was like to share intimacy with someone. That she wanted to know, for once in her life, that she was completely, totally irresistible to a man.
    She wanted that man to be Zach Thomas. Strange how much she wanted that, but she couldn't hide from it.
    And after last night, she doubted he'd be able to either.
    She knew Alexi would have wanted to help Hannah sort this all out, but she didn't share her thoughts.
    How could she when she didn't fully understand them herself?
    "Hannah?"
    "Nothing's up," she said as lightly as she could. "Just hungry. Can't a girl be hungry first thing in the morning?"
    "Yes, but first thing in the morning is not usually before ten for you."
    "I'm changing my ways." To prove that, she grabbed an apple out of the bowl and bit in. "Where's Boss?"
    Boss was a sixty-five-year-old mislocated cowboy, who just happened to cook with amazing talent. They'd hired him one morning