Page 12 of Broken Rules

“Thanks for the advice.”

He growled, drawing a deep breath through clenched teeth.His smoldering brown eyes went nearly black.There was something wild about him, but I wasn’t afraid.Instinctively, I knew this wouldn’t turn into something ugly or violent.

No, it wasn’t fear that left goose bumps covering my arms.It was something else, something I barely recognized and sort of resented myself for.How could I not respond to the energy in the air and his heavy breathing?My breath quickened while my pulse picked up speed.

And when our eyes met, a bolt of energy raced through me like I had stuck my finger in an outlet.I was surprised my hair didn’t stand on end.

“There is a middle ground,” he gritted out, his teeth still clenched.“Between fulfilling your vision and making the sort of choices that will help this movie make money.That’s why, even though you know a completely unknown and untested actress might be a good fit for a role, you might be better off going with a bigger name who has already proven herself more than capable.Just because she’s not exactly what you had envisioned doesn’t mean she’s the wrong choice.Your vision isn’t the only one that matters.”

“You can’t always have everything your way.” Fuck Eric for popping up in my head when he did.That patronizing tone of his.Always knowing best, practically patting me on the head like a spoiled child.We had gone to school together, for God’s sake, and were exactly the same age.Yet he had the nerve to act like an expert.

I stepped down from the stool I was perched on, slowly rounding the island, glaring at him.He was hot, but he was an arrogant prick.I needed to focus on the second part more than the first.“I was hired to do a job.How do you expect me to do my best when you throw a cast at me without my input or approval?”

“When are you going to realize you’re not in a position to give approval?You are untested, untried.Frankly, you’re lucky to have this opportunity,” he concluded with a wave of his hand, though he might as well have slapped me with it.

“Is this the part where you encourage me to suck your dick as thanks?I mean, here we are,” I reminded him, spreading my arms to the sides.“Alone in your house.And all you can do is remind me of how grateful I should be for the scraps you’re throwing around.”

“Scraps?”He threw his head back and laughed, making my face go hot with frustration along with embarrassment.

All of it swirled together and hardened into something more familiar.Rage.“Yes!”I snapped.“That’s what I said.This is a great opportunity on the surface, but that’s it.Otherwise, I’ll have to smile, nod, shake hands, play nice and basically lie.”

“Nobody’s asking you to do any of that.In fact, Summer Strawbridge, I’m starting to think you’re not worth the fucking trouble.”He slapped his hands against the marble counter againandturned away from me, his broad shoulders heaving while he hung his head between them.

“Okay.Fine.You’re doing me a favor,” I muttered, grabbing things at random with my shaking handsandshoving them into my bag.To think, I cared how I looked tonight.I wanted to make a good impression.When would I learn it didn’t matter how hard I tried?

He snorted in derision.“That’s right.Run away.Shit got too hard, somebody told you no, and you’re going to bounce.”

“If that’s what you need to tell yourself, go right ahead,” I gritted out.“I’m sure the brain-dead idiots around town will believe it.Critical thinking has never been their specialty.”

He raised his head.“All right.Wait.”It was like taking a few seconds to think made him see the error of his ways.Good.But I wasn’t that easy to convince.

When I kept packing my bag, he wedged himself between me and the counter.“I said wait, dammit.Let’s take a step back.We both said things?—”

“I meant every word,” I told him as he came up with some empty platitude.“This entire situation has been bait-and-switch.First, you fuck with my scheduling.Now, you tell me the movie’s already been cast.This is a figurehead position.That’s not what I signed on for.”

“Why is everything black and white all the time?”Folding his arms meant his biceps bulged right in my line of sight.I had to force myself not to gape at them.

“Why can’t you admit I’m getting the shaft in all of this?It’s not fair.”I stared up at him, unblinking, daring him to look away.If he had any decency, I would see shame in those coffee-colored orbs.There was nothing there but arrogancelike I had expected.

“At the risk of sounding geriatric, kid, life isn’t fair.This industry is anything but fair.”

“You know… I know all about that,” I whispered.

“For fuck’s sake, take an opportunity when it presents itself.Don’t shoot yourself in the foot.”His eyes searched my face, his mouth working silently before he found the right words.“If you really did direct and editRoad to Glory, you’re too damn good to sabotage yourself.Don’t waste this opportunity.”

“What if it doesn’t feel like an opportunity?”Something was wrong.I felt a little dizzy and giddy, but it had nothing to do with the wine and everything to do with beautiful eyes and sensual mouth.Something about it left me staring while an honest-to-God party erupted in my panties.My knees went weak, and for one breathless, insane moment, I pictured myself leaning against him for support.Maybe even touching my nose to his chest to breathe in his spicy cologne— masculine, like leather, spice, and tobacco.

This was a mistake.I should never have come, and I definitely shouldn’t have accepted the wine.It would be too easy to forget every principle I ever had in this man’s presence—his hot, commanding, overwhelming presence.

His throat worked while his gaze drifted between my eyes and mouth.“Then it looks like I’m going to have to drag you through this kicking and screaming,” he murmured, and suddenly, he was a lot closer, leaning down, filling my world with his chiseled face.“It’s your choice, Strawbridge.”

How was I supposed to resist this?How, when every cell of my body cried out for him to finally end this breathless, heart-pounding tension?He looked at my mouth one last time, and I bit my lip, waiting, hanging on his every breath.

He blinked hard, shaking his head a little.“Hang on,” he muttered, his voice thick, likea man waking from a dream when he didn’t know he was asleep in the first place.

Hang on, indeed.“Right,” I whispered, trembling, my heart bursting out of my chest.What the hell were we doing?Was I seriously considering testing the taste of his lips?Damn wine.That had to be the problem.

He backed up, hands clenched at his sides.“That got a little too heated,” he grunted out, strained.

---