Stage Fright Read Online Free PDF Page A

top of the stairs and entered the VIP screening room. She groped for the wall switch and flicked it on. Sconces with tinted glass shades illuminated the space giving it a warm glow. Dingy rectangles marked the walls where pictures once hung and the carpeting was so faded she could barely make out the oversized pattern. Toni could almost imagine what the room must have looked like in its heyday, when it was a lounge for visiting celebrities.
    A wave of energy washed over Toni's skin. She stood in the centre of the suite and turned slowly, sweeping her gaze over the huge pane of glass overlooking the theatre and the small window set in the adjacent wall. Opposite the viewing window was a long couch covered with a yellowed drop cloth. She turned again until she faced the door. To the left a sheet was tacked over a closet. The fabric rippled as if caught by a gust of air. The hair on the nape of her neck stood on end. Toni fought the urge to flee. She willed her feet to move and inched towards the closet. She reached out and grasped a handful of dingy cotton. A painful surge prickled up her arm. Drawing in a deep breath, she yanked hard ripping the sheet from the nails that secured it at the corners.
    The closet was stuffed with cardboard boxes and rolled up posters. Empty wire hangers clanged against one another. An old garment bag hung at the end of the metal closet rod. Toni reached out and pulled down the zipper. She pushed back the bag and swept the back of her hand over the pale blue chiffon. She pulled the gown from the hanger and draped it on the sofa. She arranged the dress, trying to understand the construction of the yards of diaphanous fabric.
    A puff of warm air stirred the curls at the side of her neck. Toni’s muscles tensed. “Try it on,” a voice whispered in her ear. An invisible touch swept across her collarbones then trailed downwards until a ghostly hand cupped her breast and squeezed. An electric tingle spiralled over her flesh before concentrating at her nipple. The excited skin puckered and hardened. “Ah,” Toni breathed. Her eyelids felt heavy and she let them slide halfway closed.
    “Try it on,” the voice urged.
    The sensation of being touched faded and Toni mewled in protest at the loss of it. A delicious warmth spread outwards from the pit of her stomach. Her limbs felt loose and heavy, as if she’d been drugged. She lifted her arms to the front of her blouse and slowly undid the buttons, then tossed the shirt behind the sofa. Her boots and the rest of her clothes followed. Toni’s bare skin seemed hypersensitive. She stood motionless for a moment, waiting—hoping—for the phantom touch to return.
    “Try it on!” the voice demanded. This time it was not in her ear, it filled the entire suite and the tone was impatient.
    Toni snatched up the gown and reflexively held it against her naked body then looked nervously around the room. It was empty. With shaking hands, she pulled the covered buttons from their loops then stepped into the confusing layers of fabric. Once she’d slipped it on, she could see that it was a plunging halter-topped gown with a tightly fitted midriff and full skirt. She contorted to fasten the buttons at the small of her back then secured the straps behind her neck with hidden pairs of hook-and-eye closures. Her full breasts fit into the tailored top as if it had been custom made for her. The gathered bodice looked effortless, but the foundation was constructed for support. It was a marvel of fashion engineering.
    At the bottom of the garment bag she found a black velvet pouch. She loosened the drawstring and pulled out a pair of beaded sling back sandals. They too were a perfect fit. Toni turned and admired her reflection in the viewing window. She closed her eyes, swivelled her hips and smiled at the rustle of the tulle and the brush of the luxurious fabric against her bare legs.
    The sweet fragrance of roses filled the air and she could hear the murmur of a