ANGEL'S KISS (A Dark Angel's Novel) by Lynne Stevie Read Free Book Online Page B

cold breathe on my skin makes me burn with need.
    I reach out to trace the muscles of his arm; tiny hairs tickle my fingers. Hummm…but his skin had looked so smooth....
    I opened my eyes and saw my own bedroom and all the clutter and books on my nightstand.
    “Just a dream,” I whispered to myself as I nestled back into Alan’s arms. I felt him waking as he pulled me in tighter, trying to hold me like a pillow.
    “Mmmm,” Alan said. “You smell like roses.” 
     
     

Chapter 6
     
    Visit with B
     
    I pushed at Alan’s arm and scrambled back from his touch. The air swirled around me. As my back hit the headboard I was assaulted by a deep rose perfume that made me want to sneeze.
    “No. No.” I shook my head to clear the scent from my nose and dull the arousal I felt as I remembered the man’s touch. “Not possible. No.”
    Alan, now wide awake and panicked, attempted to wrap his arms around me.
    “Don’t.” My body tingled just below the surface of my skin, as if a sneeze lingered inside me, growing stronger. I couldn’t let him touch me. It would shatter the fragile hold I had on reality.
    “Lex, I’m here. You’re okay.” His arms stretched out, like he was soothing a wild animal. “Did you have a dream?”
    The look of fear and pity on Alan’s face shook me. Of course, it was a dream. What else could it be? The smell of roses was just a delusion of my overtired mind.
    We sat side by side for what seemed like forever. Finally my breathing slowed and the electrical tingling dimmed under my skin. I reached out and took his hand. His expression relaxed a bit, and he caressed my cheek with the other.
    Guilt choked me. I remembered the overwhelming desire I’d felt in the dream when the rough texture of the other man’s finger trailed over my bare skin. I held Alan’s hand against my face. Desperate to anchor myself in this reality, I folded myself into his arms. Neither of us spoke as I tried to make sense of the vivid dream.
    Then the phone rang. Alan hesitated.
    “Alan, get the phone. I’m okay.” He gave me a look. Then he launched himself across the bed to the phone on his nightstand.
     
    “Hello….huh?” He let out a sigh and ran his fingers through his tussled hair. “Who is this? Beatrix?”
    I glanced at the clock: a little after seven. Well, this couldn’t be good. Why would my grandmother call me this early in the morning? Why would she call me at all? She’d always hated my father. She thought her daughter was too good for a working class guy, and Dad told me once that B didn’t even go to their wedding. Worse than that, I think she blamed Dad for Mom’s death. Now Dennis and I are like the evil spawn, or something. She’s barely civil to us. At birthdays and holidays she always gives us big gifts, but not much time or affection.
    “Yes, she’s here, but she’s busy at the moment. Can I take a message? ” Alan asked looking at me with concern. “No, she won’t be able to make it out to see you this morning. She’s got a lot on her plate today.”
    His face was tense, and I could tell that he was mad. “No, Beatrix, that will not be possible. I told you, she has a lot to do today,” he said sternly.
    I could hear my grandmother raising her voice and I knew that Alan was just about at the end of his rope, so I held my hand out for the phone. Alan rolled his eyes, but he gave it to me—just in time to hear the last of B’s insults.
    “…look, you overgrown bookworm, I must speak to my granddaughter. Put her on the phone now!” she screamed. The venom in her voice startled me; I’d never heard anything but cold detachment in her tone before. As I took the phone, I realized that my wounded hand felt better.
    “B, it’s Lexie. What do you want?” Exhaustion fueled my own tone.
    “Darling, it’s about time you got to the phone. Look dear, I don’t have all day. I need to talk to you this morning. Please be at my home by ten.”
    “B, some things have come up,