Blurring the Lines (Men of the Zodiac) Read Online Free

conversation.
    “Excellent . And would you work to save this building—if you could?”
    “Of course . I hardly expect to rely on your good graces. I’ll rally the community, sign petitions, engage the local council and women’s groups.” Maybe, since she intended to take this as far as she needed to, she’d enlist her dad’s connections with the mayor. Blake couldn’t tear down the building if her dad refused to sell, even if the rest of the street wanted to.
    “So you’d invest your personal time during the workday and extra hours after to achieve your goal?”
    She didn’t bother to hide the sarcasm. “No. I just stormed into your office unannounced, with no standing appointment, to plead my argument, only to leave here and abandon my plight and my family’s heritage.”
    He chuckled. “So I can surmise that you won’t quit. That you’ll work tirelessly to achieve your goal.”
    “I work tirelessly to achieve all of my goals.” Unfortunately, it sometimes took a bit longer to figure out what those goals were, but she had no doubt about this. Something solid and lasting—a tribute to her mom. So while she’d been searching for a crusade to tackle since leaving her father’s firm so soon after graduating—which accounted for her sporadic volunteer efforts and her inability to find enough time to help out with every organization she wanted to champion—this was one battle she was willing to see through to the end.

    B lake couldn’t take his gaze from Kira, and ever since she’d entered his office, he’d fixated on her thick brown ponytail and white button-down shirt under a gray suit that didn’t quite fit her properly. He sucked back his surprise not just at seeing her again so soon, but also in the way his breathing seemed to increase and slow down at the same time. How the heck did she elicit such a reaction from him? He hadn’t lost his breath over a woman in a decade. Perhaps longer.
    And yet, here he was, staring at the animal-rescue-volunteer-dog-walker who’d reprimanded him for needing a triple shot of espresso. His whole brain lit with quips and comebacks and ways to lure her into his…life.
    The last thing he’d expected was facing Kira in his office with her monologue about saving a building. But in the face of his brother’s morning lecture, an idea formed.
    “So how committed are you?”
    “Very,” she said, her brows drawing together. She was pretty, even when she frowned. This idea forming in his head had disaster written all over it, but he couldn’t stop himself.
    “How fast can you type?”
    She stared at him as if he had three heads. “Fast.”
    “Hmmm.”
    He steepled his fingers and leaned back, pleased at the timing of it all. “Interesting. And you’re serious about doing whatever it takes for your cause.”
    This warranted a suspicious look from her. “Yes. Within reason.”
    “I see.”
    She leaned forward, her hands gripping the edge of his desk. “Do you? Because this happens to be the one time and the one thing that I’m not willing to let go of. I want to save that building.”
    “Perfect.” Her determination encouraged him.
    “You think it’s perfect that I’m not going to let this go?”
    “I find myself in need of a secretary. I’d like to offer that position to you.”
    “I beg your pardon? I didn’t come here to get a job. I came here to warn you. I’m taking this to the next city council meeting. That building should not be demolished. There are plenty of other options for redeveloping downtown.”
    “I don’t disagree.”
    She continued ranting as if she hadn’t heard him. “You know what you are? You’re one of those guys who thinks that I need a job, and that will shut me up. Well, it won’t. Even if I worked for you, and I’d never work for you, I’d still do everything in my power to make sure the building was safe. And while we’re on the subject, I’d make you loosen your purse strings for other community projects,