Angel Be Good by Kathy Carmichael Read Free Book Online Page B

was
glad she'd been able to share in it, that he'd done this for
her.
    "Paper shredder? Why would anyone want a
paper shredder?" There couldn't be much call for colored paper
icicles but who was she to question it when it helped to create
such beauty. "The colored paper was a moment of genius, Nat."
    He grinned. "I didn't have much so I ran it
through the color copier first. Ten sheets of green, red, blue and
purple, the color of our interoffice memos."
    "A color copier? That can't be anything like
a photocopier, is it?" For the next stage of Nat's reformation,
Leonard had said to find the photocopier.
    "First the remote control and now the paper
shredder and copier. Where have you been hanging out? A cave?"
    "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
    "Try me."
    "Nat, you've said it yourself . . . if you
can't see it, feel it, touch it or taste it . . . "
    "Please. I want to understand." He snapped
his fingers. "I've got it. You've been living in some undeveloped
country, haven't you?"
    She shook her head, wondering if Leonard
would mind if she filled Nat in on who she really was. He hadn't
told her she couldn't and if he were that concerned, surely he
would have stuck around longer.
    "Okay, I'll tell you. But first, you have to
make me a promise."
    He face became hardened. "What's that?"
    "Don't be so suspicious. You look like a kid
who's worried about having his lollipop taken away." Daphne sat in
a chair at the conference table again and grabbed his hand so he'd
take a seat as well.
    "You have to promise not to get mad. And,"
she paused for emphasis, "you have to promise not to laugh. Keep an
open mind, okay?"

~~~~

    Chapter Four

    Daphne had spent the last ten minutes
explaining to Nat how she'd come to be here and it hadn't been
easy, especially with the way he'd grilled her over knowing his
father. She felt she'd done a good job making the situation clear
without complicating things any further. "And so I'm here to help
you before going on to my own life."
    "I can't believe it. I can't believe it.
You're an angel." He looked at her in horror. "I've been trying to
seduce an angel!"
    "No, Nat. I thought I'd explained it."
Obviously she'd not done as good a job as she'd believed. "I'm not
an angel! I'm just temporarily between bodies."
    Nat ran a hand through his carefully
arranged mane. "So, you're saying it's okay if I seduce you?"
    "No! I'm saying it's not too awful that you
tried it, but don't expect much since I won't be around for
long."
    "What if I refuse to be reformed? Will you
be able to stay?"
    She shook her head. "I only have a few hours
left," her voice broke. Only a few hours left to stay with a man
she felt so drawn to. She had to keep reminding herself it wasn't
intended for her to remain in Nat's life.
    Despite being here to watch the wall
surrounding Nat's heart begin to crumble, he was so far from
perfect that she'd be a fool to allow herself to care for him.
She'd do her job and be on her way to her real life, the one with a
husband and children to love.
    Hell, even if she were here to stay, she
wasn't fool enough to think Nat would ever offer marriage and love.
The best he could do would be temporary lust. That wasn't good
enough, appealing as it might seem at the moment.
    "We could do it now," he wheedled. "After
all, you lived in the era of peace and free love."
    "I may have lived in that era, but that
doesn't mean I took part in it!"
    "So, what's your answer?"
    "About what?"
    "Making love. Here. Now."
    "You're incorrigible. You should be thinking
about mending your ways rather than sex, you lout. Besides, it's
time again."
    "More? You've got more planned?" His
expression was positively gloomy.
    "Of course. Why do you think I'm still here?
It's nearly one o'clock."
    He shook his head. "I don't think I want to
be reformed, Daphne. I like myself and my life. Why should I
change?"
    "Because you don't like yourself nearly as
much as you pretend, that's why." Having seen his father in action,
she became