Read Online Why Resist a Rebel? by Leah Ashton - Free Book Online

was breathing normally.
    ‘I’ll do my best,’ he said.
    Every muscle in her body that had begun to relax re-tightened, ready for battle. Had he not heard a word she’d said? How could he possibly think—?
    ‘No more stunts like this—I get it. I won’t impact the filming schedule.’
    But...
    He grinned, but that brightness she’d seen—just for that moment—had long disappeared. Now there was a heaviness to his gaze, and the lines around his mouth were tight.
    ‘I think I’m having too much fun with you.’
    ‘I’m not interested,’ she said, quick as a flash. But they both heard that she didn’t really believe that.
    Since when had she been this transparent?
    He was so sure he knew where this was headed it made her want to scream. And simultaneously made her question her sanity. There was just something about the man, and the way he looked at her, that had her questioning herself. Had her questioning the rules she’d laid down for herself long ago...
    She shook her head firmly.
    ‘I’m going to tell Hair and Make-up that it was a misunderstanding and you’re happy to go with the haircut as planned.’
    He nodded sharply.
    She turned to go, but paused at the trailer door.
    ‘You do realise that the kid who threw sticks at the girl he liked in primary school never did get the girl?’
    He laughed, the deep sound making her shiver. ‘Not in my experience.’
    Ruby slammed the door behind her as she left.

FOUR
    ‘Ruby, can I have a minute?’
    Paul spoke from the hallway, barely poking his head into the busy office. He didn’t bother waiting for an answer—as of course it wasn’t a question—and so half a minute later Ruby was closing the door behind her as she stepped into the producer’s office.
    ‘Yes?’
    Paul was rubbing his forehead, which wasn’t a good sign.
    ‘Are the drivers organised for tomorrow night?’ he asked.
    Paul was attending the premiere of his latest film in Sydney. Both Dev and Arizona would also be walking the red carpet—a bit of extra attention for that film, plus some early promo for The Land. ‘Of course. All three cars are sorted.’
    As was contractually necessary. Must travel in own car was a pretty standard condition for most actors. Quite the contrast to Ruby, who had driven up to Lucyville with her hire car packed full with everything she owned, Rohan and one of the girls from Accounts. Plus some miscellaneous lighting equipment.
    Paul nodded sharply. ‘Good, good.’
    Then he went silent, allowing Ruby to start dreaming up all the potential reasons why he’d really needed to talk to her.
    Right at the top of that list was Dev.
    ‘So. I hear you had some luck talking Dev around, yesterday.’
    Got it in one.
    ‘Yes,’ she said, far more calmly than she felt. ‘He just needed a little time to understand what was required.’
    ‘Excellent,’ Paul said. ‘As unfortunately neither his agent or I are having much luck making him understand that he signed a contract that specified he walk the red carpet at this premiere. He’s refusing to go.’
    Of course he was.
    Ruby bit back a sigh. ‘I don’t think I’d have any more chance of talking him around than you would.’
    ‘I have faith in you.’
    Which meant: Go fix this, Ruby.
    Paul had already reached for his phone, casually moving on to his next production crisis, now that—in his mind at least—this particular issue was sorted.
    So Ruby walked out of his office, down the hallway, outside onto the dusty grass, then all the way across Unit Base to where the opulent, shiny black actors’ trailers that housed Arizona and Dev were situated.
    And knocked, very loudly, on Dev’s door.

    He was, Dev decided, becoming quite accustomed to people being annoyed with him.
    There was Veronica, of course, all but breathing fire across the cellular network whenever she called. Her multiple-times-a-day tirades were exclusively for the benefit of his voicemail, however, as Dev considered Graeme a sufficient