Read Hard & Fast (Rules to Break #1) for Free Online

a minute after he said “God, I want you” is proof of that and I shouldn’t have been so naïve. I never usually am. If I make him understand, we can get past this.
    “Look, my parent’s run a hardware store in a little town in Illinois. They didn’t raise me to do things I haven’t thought through properly. They didn’t work hard all my life so I could just compromise all my principles now.”
    Cole leans forward, his forearms resting on his knees, dark hair falling forward. “And enjoying yourself is against your principles?”
    “No, and that’s not what I said.” My blouse is getting damp on my back. Damn, he’s like a magnet and my body’s threatening to let him pull me right in. “Having sex with my boss is against my principles and I don’t want you to think it means I want or need anything from you. Except a job.”
    “Why would I think that? You haven’t asked me for anything.” He smiles, and it looks innocent, but I’ve seen the wolf just underneath more than once now. But then he leans back abruptly and laces his fingers behind his head. “Did you work in the hardware store too?”
    “What? I—Well, yes. Every summer and after school too most days.”
    “But not now,” he says. “Now you’re in L.A. And they have someone else working in the store. Sister? Brother?”
    I shake my head. The truth is I don’t know who they have working there instead of me, or even if they have anyone at all. My phone calls home have been infrequent and what you might call strained since I announced my plans and packed my bags.
    Cole’s expression is thoughtful. Turns out his gaze can do more than set me on fire, because right now , it seems to be trying to read me. “You had some papers with you on set today. Something you were working on, and I don’t think it was for me. What was it?”
    My back stiffens. The screenplay. My screenplay. “I’ve been available 24/7 haven’t I? Done everything you asked? It was nothing. And it certainly won’t get in the way of me working for you.”
    Cole holds his hands up in mock surrender. “Hey, I’m not expecting you to share your every secret with me. Just asking, that’s all.”
    God, I can’t react to anything this man does appropriately. I just wanted to keep my acting and writing work separate from this job with Cole. And this is why what happened in that trailer can’t happen again. I’m very definitely not looking at the way his muscles flex when he puts his hands back behind his head.
    “Okay,” I say. “I’m sorry. And I think we’re clear now.” I stand up. “Is there anything else you need me to do today?”
    “Yes, there is. You need to be ready for nine and you’ll want to be dressed in something nice. I’ll be picking you up after dinner with my mom.”
    “I-I had plans tonight.”
    “Plans?”
    I hesitate. I had an acting class at the V. But I can’t tell him that.
    He waits, and when I don’t answer, he shrugs one shoulder. “Didn’t you just get through telling me you’ve been available 24/7? That was in the job ad, wasn’t it?”
    “Yes,” I say.
    Cole checks his watch and gets up. “So . . . are these plans important?”
    “I’ll be ready at nine,” I say, heading for the stairs.
    “Rose?”
    I turn to look at him.
    “It really isn’t a big deal, and nothing has to happen ever again if you don’t want it to.” His expression is totally sincere, more serious than I think I’ve ever seen him. And I guess he’s trying to be nice, but the casual way he’s acting about the whole thing stings.
    I give him a curt nod and carry on up to my room.
    ~
    When headlights swing onto the driveway at nine sharp, I stand with my clutch grasped too tight in my hands. I tried on and discarded five dresses before the one I’m wearing now and pinned my hair three different ways after I decided on the dress.
    I consoled myself about the acting class I’m missing by thinking about the audition I have tomorrow morning. I still