Read Online The Boat Builder's Bed by Kris Pearson - Free Book Online

wriggling and trying to look prim.”
    “Prim? I was trying to look respectable. It was very hard.”
    “Well, something certainly was. Just as well that was a big tablecloth.”
    She snorted at that, and sent him another mutinous scowl as they walked back to the Jaguar. He reached to take her hand. She slapped it away.
    He opened the car for her.
    “Rafe?”  
    “Yup?”
    “Stop it. I don’t want to mess this job up. It’s important to me. My whole future depends on it.”  
    “You won’t mess it up, Sophie. I have complete faith in you.”
    “Not the decorating ,” she insisted as she swung her legs in. “I have plenty of experience. I have good contacts and excellent tradespeople to call on. I have qualifications and my own high standards to live up to. But...”
    “Then you’ve nothing to worry about.” Rafe closed the Jaguar’s door and left her cocooned in its leathery luxury. She fumed as he sauntered around to the driver’s side, and seated himself.
    “It’s not the decorating,” she repeated. “It’s the you-and-me thing. If we socialize and then get a couple of weeks into the house job and can’t stand each other, where does that leave me? I’m just starting out. ‘Subtle’ has been all I’ve planned and saved for, for several years now.”
    “While you were working for Faye?”
    “Yes, of course. I hate to admit it but I’m jealous of her. Of her beautiful big studio. Of her fantastic clothes and great clients.”  
    She took a deep breath and released it slowly, willing herself to sound calm and rational. “I want the same for me. Every dollar I’ve been able to save has gone towards it. If I fail, I fail big-time. I have so much riding on this—more than you can possibly imagine.”
    She bit her bottom lip to hold back any further admissions. She would not let him know about Camille and her failure there.  
    Her nerves fluttered with desperation. She’d taken such a risk. Lived on fresh air and hope during the weeks she’d renovated the studio. Her savings were almost gone, and her optimism felt as though it was shored up with string and paper-clips.
    The corner of Rafe’s mouth twitched. “If it’s any consolation, she’s no hot-shot businesswoman. She enjoys being known as the owner of Severino Design. Throwing my name around, having me to bail her out when jobs went bad in the past. Sure, she’s talented enough, but her concept of profit and loss is laughable.”
    Sophie stared at him open-mouthed for a few seconds before recovering her train of thought.
    “But I presumed she must have been making a mint. She always seemed to have new jewelry...great holidays...”
    “All bought with the boats. When I saw you this morning, part of the reason I stopped was your gorgeous legs, and the other was I wondered if she was expanding or retrenching.”
    Sophie’s heart plummeted. “You expected she was going backwards? You think I’ve chosen a bad location?”
    “It’s an excellent location, and you know it is. Stop being so female!” He aimed a mock-punch at her jaw and turned it into a quick sensuous caress. “Thorndon Quay’s taking over as the decorator district. You’ll do well there.”
    “I’ll do well on the reputation of your beautiful house, and that’s what worries me,” she said, shaking her head. “I really don’t want to risk mixing up the business side of my life with the personal side.”
    Rafe closed his eyes for a second.
    “Okay, back to basics. The contract in no way depends on that. The job’s yours. I should have pulled finger weeks ago. I had a word with Chris when I was getting a few screws for your signboard. Told him to clean everything up so you can go for it. I know it’s getting toward the end of the year, but at least start things rolling for me?”
    He reached over and clasped her hand, with more success now they were sitting close together. “Chase the kitchen people, Sophie. Bring me samples. Fast as you like. I won’t mess