Free Star Attraction by Sorcha MacMurrough Page B

discovered he was already in a
relationship?   Then why was he
wasting so much time with Zaira Darcy?   She had been right all along.   It was just a game for him, nothing more. He was jus another player, and
she had been played.   Thank God she
hadn't trusted him…
    “Zoe, look at me, and tell me your
not angry.   I’m a very confused
man, but we have to do this play, and do it well.   I don’t want you resenting me because of this.   I'm trying to be as honest as I can
be.   Please tell me you forgive
me,” he pleaded, taking her hand.
    Zaira let out her breath, and
smiled through her pain. “Brad, don’t be silly, there's nothing to
forgive.   You've been honest, and
that’s more than a lot of other guys would have the guts to do.   Forget about that kiss. Chalk it up to
an ice-breaker so we're not so stiff with sexual tension once we get on stage,
okay?"
    He looked doubtful, so she
swallowed and tried again. With a sisterly pat on his shoulder she said in her
brightest tone, "Come on, the others are here, and we don’t want to start
any gossip or make them feel awkward, now do we.”  
    She breezed the rest of the way
down the aisle, and threw herself into her directorial duties as though they
were the only thing in the world on her mind.    Fortunately, she didn't have to do much. The rehearsal
went smoothly, and she watched herself appraisingly as she put on the performance
of her life, determined no one would ever guess how crushed and bruised she
felt at Brad's rejection of her.
    As she worked, wondered over and
over again who he could possibly be in love with.   Someone he had left behind in California, no doubt. Someone
beautiful and glamorous, and the right kind of person for the life he lived out
in Hollywood.    All of this
was just one minor diversion to him, the dilettante playing at teaching and
acting until his real life beckoned him once more.    Brad was just occupying his time in New York with a
frumpy academic who posed no threat to his relationship, and a novelist he was
sweet-talking just so he could get the rights to her book.    
    Well, she’d see if she couldn’t do
something about that.   Zaira Darcy
was not one to give in easily, in work or in love.   She might not be part of his Hollywood world, but she was
determined to leave a lasting impression on him, one he would never, ever
forget.  
    For the last hour of the
rehearsal, Zaira and a few of the other cast members watched in admiration as
Brad and Adam, the young man playing Laertes, practiced their sword-fighting
scene.   Brad moved with an easy
grace, and the sword was like an extension of his arm, as he parried and
thrust, and the coach shouted encouragement or criticism.  
    The men made admiring remarks, and
the girl playing the part of Queen Gertrude made several lewd comments which
grated on Zaira’s nerves.   She
realized she was furiously jealous, and didn’t care, so great was her longing
for this incredible man.
    Zaira watched in fascination as
the muscles in his thighs rippled under his black trousers, which outlined his
manliness unmistakably and filled her with an incredible longing to see if the
reality matched her imagination.   She closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, it was because the
musky male scent of him thrilled her to the very fibre of her being.   She saw him lean over her and smile
boyishly.  
    “How was it?”
    “Wonderful,” Zaira managed say as
she smiled back at him glowingly.   “It will be super on the night.   Have you done fencing before?”
    “A bit in my university days, but
my main sport was football.”
    “You haven’t forgotten how, that’s
for sure.   Well done!   You must be thirsty, so if you don’t
mind, let’s go for that drink.”
    Zaira saw Brad hesitate as he
wiped his face with a towel and then looked at his watch.   “All right, but I’m moving today, so
we’ll make it a quick run through of a couple of points, and have a