Read Online Star Attraction by Sorcha MacMurrough - Free Book Online Page B

more
easily together here than have three separate places to live and work.  
    “I’m only supposed to be in New
York for one semester, so if it doesn’t work out, you’ll be getting rid of me
in February anyway.    But I
promise, if you find me a pain, I’ll look for another place.   I don’t know how much you have to pay
here, but I’m paying two thousand dollars a month at the other place, so if I
give you that, plus another thousand.   Will that cover everything, including bills and food?”
    Zaira’s eyes widened, and he
misunderstood her response.
    “Not that I am going to pay you at
act as a housekeeper for me or anything!” Brad added hastily. “I just meant
that it would be easy to share the food bills, and we could take turns
cooking.”
    Zaira said nothing, and he looked
at her anxiously, almost pleadingly.   She knew he was sincere about the business side of things, but she also
knew that the cozy domesticity suggested some sort of personal involvement.   She sifted through her feelings, and
for a brief moment a picture of Jonathan popped up in her mind.
      But it was faded and dim, and Zaira realized with a start
that she was beginning to forget what her former husband looked like.   It had all happened so suddenly, but it
was almost as if she were being offered a second chance at happiness by the
gods.   She was afraid to take it,
but also knew that if she didn’t she would regret it for the rest of her life.
    “Well?” Brad demanded softly,
looking at her face, and she could see the fear of rejection in his eyes.
    “I agree with everything you said,
and the points you’ve made, so as long as you don’t bring home dozens of nubile
females and agree to scrub the bathtub, you can move in whenever you like.”
    Brad chuckled and shook his
head.   “Absolutely no nubile
females will cross that threshold except you, I promise, and I have no
objection to scrubbing the entire place from top to bottom if it makes you
happy.”
    “Right, that’s settled then.   Come and look at the room, and there is
anything else you need, we can hunt around to get it.”
    They went into the spare bedroom
and turned on the light.   Brad
looked about and said, “A couple of lamps, a new quilt, a few pictures, that
sort of thing would be about it.   You don’t mind, do you?”
    “Why should I?   It was like this when I came.   I haven’t had the money to make
improvements, and the university won’t object so long as we don’t knock down
the walls.”
    “Fine, then.   If it’s all right with you, I’ll move
in this weekend, and then maybe you could come shopping with me to pick out a
few things on Sunday?”
    “Saturday is fine with me, and I
haven’t got any plans for the rest of the weekend except to prepare my lectures
and then get back to the screenplay,” Zaira assured him.
    “I can’t thank you enough, for
everything.   I mean, all your hard
work, the room, the screenplay,” Brad said, smiling, but Zaira moved away
before he could kiss her.
    “Don’t mention it,” she said.
“You’re the one who should be thanked, for everything you’ve done for me.”
    Brad gazed at her, searching her
face for a moment before saying in a more casual tone, “Well, I suppose I’d
better get home and start my packing, not that I brought much with me from
Malibu.   I’ll see you on Saturday
then, about four or five, after I’ve finished rehearsing and taking care of a
few business matters.”
    Zaira showed him to the door, and
knew she was going to be kissed whether she liked it or not, so she decided to
make the first move.
    “Thanks again,” she said, “and
I’ll see you.”   She stretched up
onto her toes on manage to plant a kiss on his jaw.  
    Brad looked a bit surprised, but
did nothing except pat her on the shoulder and disappear out the door.  
    Zaira shut the door and
sighed.   So she had been
right.   He was afraid of women who
made the first move.   But why?   The lack