There's Something About a Rebel- by Anne Oliver Read Free Book Online

ends in the past and drew herself up straighter. ‘Absolutely it is. I studied hard, have my diploma to show for it and I don’t want to do anything else.’
    He watched his mug as he twirled it on the table between them, then looked at her once more. ‘So are you after employment or are you looking to branch out on your own?’
    She took a deep, resigned breath. In a way it was a relief to talk to someone about it and he wasn’t going to be around for long. He was nothing to her, she told herself. Nothing.
    ‘Okay.’ She studied her hands on the table to avoid looking at him. ‘I haven’t been able to get employment in any of the interior design shops here since the business I worked for went bust. So I have a low-paying part-time cleaning job, which doesn’t allow for me to save anything like the money I’d need to start my own business.’
    ‘Jared can’t loan you the money?’
    ‘I don’t want Jared’s help. Jared and I … we had a disagreement of sorts. I moved up here because I needed some space.’
    ‘Space?’
    ‘Space. Independence.’ She lifted a shoulder.‘After I qualified, I worked at a design shop in Surfers for two years but I
know
I can do better than work for someone else. Jared told me not to rush it. We argued. I left. He didn’t take it well.’
    Blake studied her a moment; the intensity was unnerving. ‘I’m sorry to hear that.’
    She heard genuine regret in his voice and tried to shrug it off. ‘We still get on okay.’ Mostly. Except now she realised Jared was right. She’d been in too much of a damn hurry. ‘So I want to maybe freelance for a bit,’ she continued, ‘but people round here don’t want to take a chance on a nobody.’
    ‘You’re not a nobody unless you think that way. Trust me, I know.’
    Trust him?
She met his eyes across the table—cool and calm and blue as a summer lake. Ah, so not only was he super-efficient and a protector hero, he was one of those super-positive, role-model motivational types as well.
    But it was the underlying flame in those cool depths that turned her inside out and had her gripping the edge of the table and reminding her she was nowhere near ready to trust a man again. Not even Blake Everett. To have another man in her life, even as a friend, was a leap she wasn’t sure she could make.
    ‘I’ll be fine. Something’ll turn up.’ Did she really believe that? Or did she just not want this man in particular to see her fail? ‘How long are you here for?’
    ‘I haven’t decided yet. A few weeks, a couple months …’
    Watching the play of emotions cross her gaze as she spoke it was obvious to Blake that she wanted him gone, as far away and as quickly as possible. But at the same time he saw the attraction shine out of those eyes and felt its burn all the way down his body.
    He wasn’t the only one confused, then.
Stick with what you know and leave the emotional minefield well alone.
    But emotion and attraction aside, it was obvious she needed some sort of financial assistance to get her up and running. It was just as obvious, a matter of pride for her, that she didn’t want her brother’s support. Which left Blake. And he owed Jared.
    He guessed he wasn’t going anywhere until something was sorted.
    ‘Do you have a vision for this business, Lissa, should you set one up?’
    ‘Do I ever.’ She leaned forward, eyes alive with enthusiasm. ‘In a nutshell: Beauty, Functionality and Innovation through Experience and Knowledge.’
    She smiled with such glowing satisfaction that he just bet she’d been itching to give her spiel to anyone who’d listen.
    More than a few thoughts flashed through his mind, none of them business, but he wiped out all distraction and focused on the here andnow. His socialite mother’s death had left him a wealthy man. He also owned investment properties here in his own right. Right now he was jaded and disillusioned. He needed a challenge, a distraction. Something new to light a fire in his