Tangled Vows (Willow Brook Falls #3)

3. Shayla

3

SHAYLA

F uck. Fuck. Fuckity fuck.

Easton Walker. Seriously? That was who I threw myself at that night at the bar? He looked familiar, but I hadn’t realized he was the star hockey player recently traded to the Wraiths, the team I’d just been hired to work for.

This was bad. Really freaking bad.

My heart was beating wildly as I fell into my chair, the tension slowly easing from my body. The jackass was still just as attractive as I remembered, and didn’t that just piss me off? The verbal sparring had done little to ease my still bruised ego, though I felt a surge of satisfaction at the horror on his face when I informed him he had to take my class with the rookies. Unfortunately, that meant I’d have to face him first thing Monday morning.

Groaning, I rubbed my temples. I could feel a headache coming on. This was going to be a long ass season. There would be no escaping him.

My cheeks heated at the thought of having to see him every day. Having thrown myself at him just to have him reject me—and ask me to leave once my clothes came off—wasn’t something I wanted to think about. But I’d been reliving that moment over and over again in my head since the second he’d stepped into my office.

You need to leave.

I pinched my eyes shut, willing away the image of his disgust that was burned into my brain. Apparently, my clothes had hidden my flaws enough to convince him to take me home, but once he saw what was underneath, he couldn’t even bear to look at me.

At this point, I should’ve been used to rejection. It started when I was young with my dad and had been a common theme throughout the entirety of my teenage years when I started dating and continued into my early twenties. But for some reason, Easton’s rejection stung a little bit more. Maybe it was because I’d so boldly propositioned him, a stranger, and he sent me packing once he saw what I had to offer. It usually took guys at least a few weeks to realize they didn’t want me. But Easton? He knew the moment my clothes started to come off.

My confidence took a major hit that night, and my pride was wounded. It wasn’t fair that he was still just as painfully gorgeous as I remembered with his piercing hazel eyes and soft lips that were still so damn kissable. I remembered the way they felt against mine, the way his mouth tasted when his tongue slipped inside. I had to remind myself he didn’t feel the same about me. He’d made that perfectly clear when he stripped me down and found me wanting.

Indignation boiled in my veins, and I couldn’t help but want to bring him down a peg or two. And that was why, despite having room in the other sessions, I decided to put him with the rookies for my nutrition class. I knew he’d worked with dieticians before and probably had the best of the best at his disposal in Boston, but he would realize I was just as valuable to this team as anyone else. I’d been disrespected enough by the men in my life, but that stopped right here. It was time for Easton’s arrogant ass to be humbled, and I was just the girl for the job.