Read Online After Sundown: Redemption by Eden Robins - Free Book Online Page A

furrowed in concentration. Why couldn’t she remember?
    “The last thing I remember is going over my speech. Then waking up on the floor. In your arms.” Alyssa looked pointedly at his arms around her.
    The feel of him holding her was starting to take its toll. Although she didn’t know what had happened, her body was very aware of what was going on right now. Christian held her so that he supported her head, the upper half of her body cradled in his lap. His hands lay just below her breasts. All he had to do was move them up an inch and she would probably lose it. Right there in the dressing room. Lose control and attack him.
    The desire burning in his gaze didn’t help matters. It scorched her. She shifted her body restlessly and encountered something very hard pressed against her back. She froze. Christian’s eyes narrowed dangerously and he started clenching and unclenching his jaw. He looked like he was in pain.
    This time when she tried to sit up, he didn’t stop her. She scrambled to her feet. Dizziness overwhelmed her. She had to steady herself by grabbing the nearby chair. After a minute or so, the feeling passed and she let go. Christian was watching her warily, cautiously, as if he wasn’t sure what she would do.
    Ignore it. That’s what she would do. She was not about to acknowledge the fact that the man made her knees weak. Stick to the business at hand. That’s what she had to do. She jumped slightly when Christian interrupted her little internal pep talk.
    “How are you feeling?” he asked.
    Other than the fact that she wanted to jump his bones, she was feeling much better.
    “Better.” That was all she could manage.
    “Why don’t we cancel your speech for tonight?” he suggested.
    That got her attention back to business.
    “No,” she declared. “Those people bought my book. They came tonight to hear me talk. I need to do this. Don’t worry. The dizziness has passed and I’m feeling much better. It was probably just nerves.”
    “Are you sure?”
    “Yes. Positive.”
    Christian studied her silently until she felt like squirming, then he nodded his head. Alyssa released the breath she hadn’t known she was holding.
    “Fine, but take it easy out there. I’ll be to the right of you, backstage if you need me. Just look my way and I’ll come to you,” Christian said.
    “Okay. I’ll keep that in mind.”
    Alyssa’s talk went flawlessly. She put her whole self into it like she usually did and was exhausted by the time Christian helped her gather her things and drove her home. The positive energy in the theater had been strong. For some reason, whenever she gave these speeches she picked up on the audience’s feelings. Not each and every person, but the group as a whole. Most people had been very open to her speech. She hoped she had touched someone’s life in a helpful way tonight.
    As Christian walked her to her door, she felt relieved. She was glad the stalker hadn’t appeared. She felt confident that Christian would have handled the situation if something had happened, but the experience would have shaken her. Maybe his presence alone would keep the creep away. She hoped so.
    Christian hadn’t said much to her after her speech or on the drive home, so the sound of his gruff voice came as a surprise when they reached her apartment door.
    “I need to do one last walk through before I go. I’m sure everything’s fine, but I want to make sure.”
    Alyssa didn’t want him in her apartment again. It was unsettling. She was exhausted and just wanted to crawl into bed and go to sleep. But when she looked into Christian’s eyes she knew that wasn’t going to happen. He wasn’t taking no for an answer. She gritted her teeth in frustration. Sometimes the man reminded her of a pit bull! Not letting go of something until he was good and ready.
    “Fine. Let’s get this over with so I can get some sleep.”
    She opened the door and he followed her inside.
    “Jonathan, where are you?”