Stand-In Star Read Online Free PDF Page A

apparent distaste. She’d been trying to lighten the mood, show him she wasn’t as boring and stiff as Daisy had likely painted her, but her “joke” had only worked to widen the canyon between them.
    “As I said, I have to get to work.” He turned, then retrieved the suitcase and charged down the corridor. He pushed open a door. She walked briskly to catch up and found him laying her luggage on the kind of rack you see in flash hotels. She stopped two steps into the room and then slowly turned around, taking in every detail of her plush surroundings. Although the decor was very masculine, all dark browns and modern furniture, there was a strange warmth making her feel as if she were in a home rather than the presidential suite of a five star resort, which is what the room looked liked.
    Bizarre when only cold emanated from her dangerously handsome host.
    He crossed the room to ginormous floor-to-ceiling windows and drew the extravagant curtains shut. “I expect you’ll want a rest after your long flight.”
    Her feelings toward him softened a smidgen at his caring thought. Would he go so far as to turn down the bed sheets as well? If he did, God only knew what kind of irrational images her crazy mind would concoct. It had to be jet-lag that was making her so attracted to this gruff and grumpy giant of a guy. She’d never suffered from such a heady lust upon meeting anyone before. “Yes, probably a good idea.”
    He didn’t turn the bed covers down. He didn’t even acknowledge she’d spoken. He simply turned and strode from the room, closing the door sharply behind him.
    Sighing, she turned around and flopped onto the enormous bed. She couldn’t ever recall sleeping in a king-size before. Especially not one with a chocolate-colored satin cover set. Holly stretched her hands wide, relishing the feel of the satin. Her mind was a hive of thoughts and she didn’t think sleep a likely scenario. Coming to L.A. had been both an adventure and something she dreaded. Adventure because travel was one of her favorite pastimes and she’d never been in this part of the U.S. before. Once upon a time, she’d planned on visiting Daisy here but her sister’s absolute disregard for the sanctity of marriage had put a quick stop to that idea.
    Dread because of the reason she’d finally come and the knowledge she didn’t have any of the necessary know-how to hold her own amongst the glamour queens that would parade themselves at the Academy Awards. Stella had tried to convince her to choose an outfit in Australia—citing there were plenty of fabulous designers down under who’d kill to create a gown for Daisy McCartney’s sister—but Holly wanted to find something over here. Something she wouldn’t need to cart half way across the world and something she’d know would be suitable. Surely the boutiques in L.A. would know the kind of thing she was after.
    But now the dress and what the heck she’d do in terms of hair and make-up and even the heavy emotions that weighed her down whenever she thought of Daisy…they all seemed less daunting than the idea of spending time under Nate Devlin’s expensive Bel Air roof.
    Leaning over to take off her shoes, she yawned. It wasn’t until a knock sounded on the door a few hours later that she realized she’d actually slept. She sat up quickly, noted her ghastly reflection in the full-length mirror, cringed and ran her fingers through her bird’s nest hair before a voice spoke.
    Her racing heart slowed the moment she realized it wasn’t Nate.
    “Hello sweetie. It’s Ruby, Nate’s housekeeper. I’m almost off for the day but I thought you might be hungry.”
    Holly swallowed. Not only was her mouth parched but her stomach longed for food. “Thanks,” she called. “Just give me one second.” Scrambling out of bed, she located her jeans, which she didn’t even remember taking off, and yanked them on. Dismissing her shoes, she peeled back the door and almost squealed with