Under the Lights Read Online Free Page A

his arms, she stayed stiff as board. What the hell was he doing?
    “It’s okay, sweet baby. I’ve got you.”
    “What?”
    She spoke into his chest. He was so much taller than she was, she felt downright tiny so close to him.
    “You’ve had a rough time, haven’t you?”
    His kind words undid her. Tears threatened to spill, and she beat them into submission. Teirney was not a crier. Still, the hug defused her temper. When she pulled away, he released her.
    “Sorry about the yelling. You should still go.”
    “Teirney.” He cupped her cheeks in his hands. “I did not mean to be disparaging at all. I ask a lot of questions. Tell me to mind my god damned business when I step over the line. I like to know about others’ lives. Someday there might come a time when I’ll have a similar moment in a show, when I’ll be given the privilege of bringing to life, for a few hours, the lines of a playwright or a screenwriter, and I’ll need to make it real. For the reason you said. So people can be there with me for a while.”
    “I know. I mean your reviews were great. Clearly, you’re very good at it. Don’t listen to me….”
    He interrupted her. “Honey. I wasn’t done. Don’t step on my line.”
    “Oh, sorry.”
    He kissed the top of her head. “I’m really glad to hear you enjoy your job. I didn’t think you did. I misread you. You women are confusing creatures. My sister taught me early on sometimes a girl really wants a hug when she’s not making any sense.”
    Wow, he was warm, and his actions left her ready to dissolve into a puddle on the floor near his feet. “I….”
    “Teirney, you’re interrupting again.” He ran his finger over her eyebrow. “I can’t believe you reminded me about messing up my fucking line.”
    Ian’s mouth pressed on hers, and she gasped. He was kissing her. Her mind couldn’t quite grasp the newness of it. Ian wasn’t a player, not that she knew of. He hadn’t slept his way through the cast and crew leaving heartbreak in his wake. What was he doing?
    He pulled off a bit. “Kiss me back, baby girl. I want it. You do, too.”
    She did. Every night since she met him at the first rehearsal she had wanted to kiss him, to feel his naked body above hers, to hold him close when he shuddered inside of her finally finding his pleasure after they’d become hot sweaty messes.
    Teirney never liked to be out of control, but with Ian she thought she would—under the right circumstances.
    She didn’t know how long they stood there kissing. His mouth was hot, and he tasted of pizza. Teirney wrapped her arms around his neck and he tugged her closer.
    “Down.” He spoke against her mouth. “On the couch.”
    She let him pick her up and put her on her grandmother’s lumpy, old green couch. A pin buried somewhere deep in the fabric dug into her. She wanted to move it but then Ian kissed her again. Her sex-starved libido decided she preferred to be kissed than comfortable. For the present moment, anyway.
    At some point, the pin would have to move.
    His hand moved between them, rubbing over her breast. Their noses bumped, and she had to remind herself their encounter wasn’t a movie. Things were bound to go askew.
    “Oomph,” was the most sound she could muster. He didn’t seem to notice and deepened the kiss between them. She did love how he kissed. She had his total attention, or at least the kiss did. Ian seemed blissfully unaware he’d whacked her nose so hard. Hadn’t it hurt him?
    She ran her hands through the small hairs on the back of his neck. He must have liked it because he made a moaning sound and bit on her bottom lip. She’d never been nipped before during a make-out session. Her body melted. Yes, he had done the biting thing completely right.
    He squeezed her breast, and she arched against his touch, a mistake because the pin dug into her harder.
    “Ian.” She couldn’t stand it anymore. “There’s a pin in my back.”
    “Oh.”
    He rolled her to the side