The Tease (The Darling Killer Trilogy) Read Online Free PDF Page A

open. “How’s the sound?” she asked.
    I averted my eyes from the door.
    “Good,” I heard Grant say. “I thought it would be harder than it is, but it’s really nice.” Adam had just installed a new sound system with wireless controls, which allowed Grant to emcee the show and then run sound from the wings. Tish had been on edge about it for weeks.
    “Thanks, Grant,” Tish said, and headed back towards me and sat down. “So anyway, he’s kinda hot, but I don’t think he makes much.”
    I hopped up and squeezed past her. “If you’ll excuse me,” I said to Tish, “I just want to catch him about my intro.”
    “Uh, sure,” she said.
    I grabbed my heels with my left hand and used my right shoulder to catch the dressing room door. “Grant,” I said, my feet tamping over the black floor.
    He turned and smiled. “Hi, Anna.”
    Oh God. He smiled.
    I had no idea what to say. For the second damn time that day, butterflies overran me. The house lights from the theater spilled over his shoulders, illuminating his face when he turned to me. He was tall and gangly, with thick, dark hair in a messy ponytail, still in torn jeans and a faded t-shirt. His long-lashed eyes were impossibly dark. He had no idea how cute he was. It was adorable.
    I need to meet someone I don’t work with
, I thought.
I’m not sure I’m ready, but this is awful.
    “Hi,” I said, and decided on selective honesty. “Nothing important, actually. I just wanted to get out for a minute.”
    “Gotcha,” he said. “Would you like a hand with that?”
    “With wh – oh.” I realized I still held my corset laces with my right hand. “Yes, thank you.”
    He stepped past me and I caught a hint of his cologne, spicy with a hint of leather. His fingertips brushed mine as he took the corset laces. I brought my hand near my stomach, clenching and unclenching a fist a few times, as I inhaled the backstage smells of dusty velvet and horsehair.
    “How was your day?” he asked.
    I barely felt the swift, economical movements of his hands making the bow, but shivered when one fingertip brushed my right scapula.
Stage magic
, I thought.
Card tricks, sleight of hand, juggling. And music. He’s dexterous.
    Stop thinking about his hands.
    “Long,” I said. “Yours?”
    “Good,” he said. Finished with the bow, he stepped to face me again. “I’m actually glad you stopped me; there’s something I wanted to ask you about.”
    My breath caught in my throat, and I was momentarily grateful for the dim lighting because I knew my pupils dilated. “Fire away,” I said, carefully pleasant.
    “Another theater troupe is doing a production of
Movin’ Out
here,” he said. “You know, the one based on Billy Joel’s music.”
    My pulse sped up. Was he about to ask me out? But if so, why would he bring me back to the place we work together?
    “So there’s going to be a piano on stage for about three weeks,” he finished
    “That explains her – comment,” I said, catching myself before I said “snit.” “Tish isn’t going to like that at all.” I remembered her haranguing a student for forgetting to clear a chair from a previous act. She felt it looked odd to leave the chair unacknowledged during her own act, so she had to incorporate some chair work into her striptease. No one could tell it wasn’t planned, but she liked things to go her way.
    “She wasn’t thrilled,” he said. “But if we can incorporate it into the show in some way, then there’s a reason for it to be there, and she’ll be fine. So I was wondering if you’d do a sketch with me.”
    “I’d love to,” I said.
    He grinned. “Great! I figure I can do one song as filler between two sets, and then if you and I have a good piece, we use the piano twice, so it won’t bother her that it’s there.”
    “I’m so flattered you thought of me, thank you,” I said.
    “Flattered?” he said. “I like your work a lot. I’ll call you this week?”
    Before I could answer,