Read Online Conduit by Angie Martin - Free Book Online Page B

leaned against the bar, facing toward Emily. He showed
her a genuine smile, and her heart rate picked up speed. While most women might
notice him for his good looks and captivating smile, he caught Emily’s
attention for a much different reason. Though standing across a crowded room, Emily
felt him right next to her.
    Cassie returned with a small glass of water. “Emily, what is
going on with you? This is the second time today you’ve—”
    “I’ll be right back,” Emily said. She brushed past Cassie
and moved toward the man at the bar in the back of the room.
    “Good evening,” the man said when Emily reached him.
    “Stop it,” Emily said.
    The man tilted his head. “Stop what?”
    “Whatever it is you’re doing to me,” she said. “You need to
stop it now.”
    A nervous chuckle left the man’s lips. “I’m not sure I know
what—”
    “You do too know what I’m talking about,” Emily said. “We
both know what you’re doing, so stop.”
    His smile fell. “Okay. I’m sorry for—”
    Emily didn’t wait for him to finish. She turned around and
headed toward the front doors. She breezed past the doormen and the crisp spring
air bit her skin through the light material of her dress. A handful of guests
braved the outdoors, most with coats on. Rubbing her chilled, bare arms, she
wished she’d had the foresight to get her coat before going outside. She slowed
her walk and smiled at the other guests.
    She moved to the bottom of the steps and peered out at
downtown Wichita. After the claustrophobia of the man crowding her mind, the
tranquility of the darkened streets and glow of the night’s stars freed her
from captivity.
    Leaning against the handrail, she closed her eyes and took
in a deep breath of the fresh Kansas air that only came before and after a good
rain. The sky would spit out sporadic drops of moisture while springtime held
onto the city over the next few months. Then the summer thunderstorms, Emily’s
favorite type of rain, would begin. She loved the way rain cleansed the earth,
and there was no better place to be in the world than in Kansas when it rained.
Tonight, the mere smell of it calmed her jumping nerves.
    She needed a moment like this to gather her wits before
going back inside the madhouse and facing more of Nathan’s advances. She cautioned
herself against additional glasses of wine. Too much alcohol would skew her
judgment and cause her to end the night in his bed, a mistake she would never
make while sober.
    Emily’s eyes flew open. Her throat tightened and again a
presence came over her that she couldn’t explain. She did not recognize this
new feeling as being the attractive man at the bar. That man had a much
different presence than this invisible specter. This menacing force seemed to
smother her and darkness slithered into her mind.
    Her eyes darted about as she tried to locate the source of her
fear, yet the streets were empty except for an occasional passing car. The only
sounds she heard came from the soiree behind her.
    “Excuse me, miss?”
    Her heart jumped into her throat again and she spun around. The
man from the bar smiled at her. Emily’s anger grew, fueled by her panic at the
unexplained malicious presence. “And now you’ve followed me outside,” she said.
“Would you like my home address so we can start the stalking the proper way?”
    The man ran a hand through his hair, which Emily thought might
be more disheveled than Nathan’s hair outside of these fancy gatherings. Though
combed with a sense of seriousness, defiant longer strands of mahogany
attempted to curl at the ends above his ears. “You didn’t let me apologize and
that’s something I need to do.”
    Emily bit her inside cheek and tightened her mouth in case
any more sarcasm attempted to emerge unchecked. “Go ahead.”
    A corner of the man’s mouth turned upward toward green eyes that
glimmered under the lights of the front entryway. “Thank you. What I was saying
is I’m sorry if