Read Online Stand-In Star by Rachael Johns - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Rachael Johns
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she hated to admit it, Nate had talked logically when he’d outlined the reasons she couldn’t stay at the hostel. Even at an expensive hotel she’d have the worry of the paparazzi looming over her. Was there anywhere safer than actually staying with one of them?
She had no doubt Nate’s past career gave him the knowledge to protect her from unwanted attention. Just a pity he thought so lowly of her and her body sang symphonies of lust whenever he came near it.
A flood of desire swamped her as she recalled the way he’d effortlessly swept her up into his arms and carried her to his car, then carried her again when they’d arrived here. His absolute strength made her feel light, feminine. It got her imagination churning over time with the most unlikely of scenarios, which had in turn put her defenses on high-alert and made her act more cranky toward him than necessary. Perhaps she should apologize.
Amidst this thought, he swept into the room. She noticed the tie he’d been wearing earlier had been yanked from its position around his throat and the top two buttons were now open. He came close, knelt down beside her and she peered like a love-sick loon at the skin now visible below his neck. Beautifully tanned skin speckled with the lightest but very masculine splattering of chest hair.
Thank the Lord she was already lying down because her head positively swooned. Had she bumped it when she’d fallen to the ground?
Hopefully oblivious to her errant fantasies, he reached out and caressed her calf.
She bit her lower lip to stop from moaning—pleasantly—at his blissful touch. Get a grip girl. He’s not caressing. He’s assessing.
But the way he trailed his thumb under the arch of her foot again took all the pain away.
He placed a tea-towel covered ice-pack against her foot and wrapped an elastic bandage around to keep it in place. She gasped at the cold.
“It’s looking a lot better now.” He reached behind him for a television remote and also magicked a hand held bell from somewhere. “You rest up and call Ruby if you need anything.”
He’d gone before she had the chance to thank him.
She channel surfed for the next couple of hours. Ruby flitted in and out bringing her coffees and offering food, but mostly Holly thought about how badly she’d treated Nate. No wonder he believed Daisy’s lies about her. She’d been acting like a nasty, spoiled brat since he’d rescued her.
At about half-past five she heard voices at the front door and worked out Nate was saying goodbye to Ruby. She took off the bandage and tested her weight on her foot. It seemed fine so she walked across the room.
When she heard the front door close and Ruby’s little compact car start up in the driveway, she ventured out to find Nate.
She located him in the kitchen and went in for the kill before he’d even noticed her. In her experience, when you were in the wrong, there was only one way to say “sorry” and that was fast and firmly.
“I’m sorry, Nate.”
He swung round from where he’d been staring into the fridge and glared at her. “Are you trying to scare the shit out of me? And what are you doing putting pressure on your foot?”
“It’s fine now.” She ventured farther into the kitchen and leaned against the breakfast bar, pointing her foot out to show him.
He looked at it and then up at her, questionably. “You sure?”
“Yes.” She nodded. “I was in shock before, which amplified the pain, I think. The ice helped.”
He grunted.
Talk about awkward. Maybe she should just come straight out and tell him her side of the story about Daisy and Ian, but chances were he’d still side with Daisy and the tension that hung between them would sky-rocket even further. Aside from that, she’d made a promise to her parents not to create more gossip—they didn’t want her sister’s memory sullied.
He closed the fridge and crossed to the bench to glare at the hanging pots and pans. “You hungry?” he
She had no doubt Nate’s past career gave him the knowledge to protect her from unwanted attention. Just a pity he thought so lowly of her and her body sang symphonies of lust whenever he came near it.
A flood of desire swamped her as she recalled the way he’d effortlessly swept her up into his arms and carried her to his car, then carried her again when they’d arrived here. His absolute strength made her feel light, feminine. It got her imagination churning over time with the most unlikely of scenarios, which had in turn put her defenses on high-alert and made her act more cranky toward him than necessary. Perhaps she should apologize.
Amidst this thought, he swept into the room. She noticed the tie he’d been wearing earlier had been yanked from its position around his throat and the top two buttons were now open. He came close, knelt down beside her and she peered like a love-sick loon at the skin now visible below his neck. Beautifully tanned skin speckled with the lightest but very masculine splattering of chest hair.
Thank the Lord she was already lying down because her head positively swooned. Had she bumped it when she’d fallen to the ground?
Hopefully oblivious to her errant fantasies, he reached out and caressed her calf.
She bit her lower lip to stop from moaning—pleasantly—at his blissful touch. Get a grip girl. He’s not caressing. He’s assessing.
But the way he trailed his thumb under the arch of her foot again took all the pain away.
He placed a tea-towel covered ice-pack against her foot and wrapped an elastic bandage around to keep it in place. She gasped at the cold.
“It’s looking a lot better now.” He reached behind him for a television remote and also magicked a hand held bell from somewhere. “You rest up and call Ruby if you need anything.”
He’d gone before she had the chance to thank him.
She channel surfed for the next couple of hours. Ruby flitted in and out bringing her coffees and offering food, but mostly Holly thought about how badly she’d treated Nate. No wonder he believed Daisy’s lies about her. She’d been acting like a nasty, spoiled brat since he’d rescued her.
At about half-past five she heard voices at the front door and worked out Nate was saying goodbye to Ruby. She took off the bandage and tested her weight on her foot. It seemed fine so she walked across the room.
When she heard the front door close and Ruby’s little compact car start up in the driveway, she ventured out to find Nate.
She located him in the kitchen and went in for the kill before he’d even noticed her. In her experience, when you were in the wrong, there was only one way to say “sorry” and that was fast and firmly.
“I’m sorry, Nate.”
He swung round from where he’d been staring into the fridge and glared at her. “Are you trying to scare the shit out of me? And what are you doing putting pressure on your foot?”
“It’s fine now.” She ventured farther into the kitchen and leaned against the breakfast bar, pointing her foot out to show him.
He looked at it and then up at her, questionably. “You sure?”
“Yes.” She nodded. “I was in shock before, which amplified the pain, I think. The ice helped.”
He grunted.
Talk about awkward. Maybe she should just come straight out and tell him her side of the story about Daisy and Ian, but chances were he’d still side with Daisy and the tension that hung between them would sky-rocket even further. Aside from that, she’d made a promise to her parents not to create more gossip—they didn’t want her sister’s memory sullied.
He closed the fridge and crossed to the bench to glare at the hanging pots and pans. “You hungry?” he
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