Love and Rumors: A Summer Sisters Beach Reads Contemporary Romance (The Summer Sisters Book 1) by Jean Oram Read Free Book Online Page B

May as well start with the core of who this woman was, and work his way out. He wanted to know everything.
    Not because he was interested, but because he needed to discover her point of weakness. That’s all. A character study, so he’d know how to get her to work with him. A means to an end. A business proposition. Nothing tangled and complicated, or real and deep, such as love or infatuation.
    She looked taken aback and kept sneaking glances at him. Judging. Assessing.
    Finally, when he thought she’d never reply, she spun on her stool, facing him full on. “I want life and everyone in it to back the hell off so I can make my art. Full-time. That’s what I want.”
    Finn smiled as her body language continued to challenge him. His smile faded when the impact of her words scraped at him like barbed wire. What she wanted felt a little close to home.
    He’d wished for the same thing when he’d left film school. After hours of looking up his own ass in acting class, he’d wanted to let loose, make art and be someone. In the end, about to starve, and facing the prospect of returning home a big loser, he’d gone with what paid—action flicks. He liked action flicks, don’t get him wrong. But he wasn’t creating anything more than light entertainment that would be forgotten a few hours later. He wasn’t changing lives or making a statement other than watch out, gas explodes when you’re on the big screen and bad guys pop out of nowhere.
    But what was causing those worry lines around Nature Nut’s eyes? Who needed to back off? When she turned away, her face a mask of agony, he realized he’d waited too long to acknowledge her confession.
    “Never mind. It doesn’t matter. I’m just in a mood,” she said.
    “I’m staying at the White Pine Cottages and Estates. Nice place. The Sunflower Cottage. Little sunflower cutouts on it.”
    “Are you hinting—again—that you’d like to show me your bed?”
    Finn choked on his drink. What was it about this girl that kept turning him around?
    “I was just thinking, with you a photographer and all…” He paused to clear his throat, and to choose his next words wisely.
    She froze as if a polar ice cap had been dumped on her, encasing her. She didn’t move, even to breathe, as she waited for him to finish his sentence.
    He gently poked her in the arm and lowered his voice. “I thought you could, you know, take some private photos of me.”
    “I don’t do that kind of work.” Her voice was cold, her eyes unblinking.
    “It’s good money.”
    “Who said I needed money or was a photographer?”
    “You okay?” He waved a hand in front of her face. Her cheeks were red, her eyes flashing, but behind it all he saw panic. “I’ve seen you around, snapping photos, and I thought maybe you could, you know, help a guy out.” He was talking too fast, sounded nervous.
    “I don’t want to photograph you in the nude, okay?” She stood, cheeks flushed.
    People turned, gasping and laughing. He was certain at least half of them were wishing they’d caught that outburst on film.
    Finn snagged Hailey by the arm as she drew it back as though contemplating throwing her beer in his face. “I wasn’t implying that. Geez. Get your mind out of the gutter. I meant publicity stuff.” He released her, turning back to the bar, eyes averted. “Do you photograph nature? There’s cool wildlife around here.”
    She was still standing there, ready to attack, although her beer arm was beginning to slacken.
    “Like those haunting birds and that turtle with the yellow spots?” He watched her out of the corner of his eyes. Waiting. She was recalculating. “They’re probably less difficult than working with a movie star.”
    “Black shell?”
    “Yeah.” He dared meet her eyes. The pissed-off look had been replaced with curiosity. “Kind of funky undercarriage. Orangey. With black.”
    She leaned forward, one hand on the bar, her eyes bright and focused. “Where did you see