Enticing An Angel by Leo Charles Taylor Read Free Book Online Page A

then after a moment's thought. "Although, I
can almost see Brian here."
    Allen looked around and thought about the
comment. He shrugged his shoulders and seemed to accept the
premise.
    "Is Brian an art lover?" Melanie asked.
    She was then affronted by two men laughing so
hard that nearby people had to turn and see what was so funny.
Allen eventually calmed down enough to answer Melanie's
question.
    "Oh, Brian Angel has many likes, but art is
not one of them," he said while still chuckling. "What I think
Michael was alluding to was the alcohol and the women in skimpy
clothes."
    "And the loud music," Michael added.
    "Hmm, maybe I would like him," Melanie stated
innocently.
    "In that dress, he would certainly like you,"
Michael responded with a wink.
    "Not exactly his taste though," Allen said as
he eyed Melanie.
    Melanie frowned. She didn't like being
dismissed so easily by someone and had to ask Allen for
clarification about why she was not Brian's type.
    "Simple," he replied. "You've strung together
more than three sentences without swearing."
    "Oh," Melanie replied. "Then maybe I won't
like him."
    "Not too worry, Ms. Price. All the Angels
behave in public. If they didn't, their mother would punish them
severely," Allen laughed. "Well, I'll let you get to it. If you get
a chance, head upstairs; we have a nice Renoir on display."
    Melanie cringed and Allen noted it. His eyes
cocked oddly and he gestured to Michael.
    "Oh, it's nothing," he said. "Melanie is an
artist and doesn't like the sterile feel of the museum."
    "You're preaching to the choir on that one.
If I had my choice, we would add some warmth to that sterility,"
Allen said with a wave of his hand before asking Melanie if she
really was an artist.
    Melanie nodded her head, and when Allen asked
about her medium, she began to describe her supplies. Allen quickly
became engrossed; he appeared to be impressed by the names of the
equipment and paints she used. Michael had seen the names on the
tubes of paint, and had believed Melanie when she told him how much
they had cost, but that apparently was only half the tale. Allen
understood the quality of each item she described, and for several
minutes, Melanie held a conversation with a museum curator as if
she were a contemporary. All the while, the man was honestly
impressed.
    Allen asked about brushes and Melanie
responded with words like "filberts" and "fan size." To Michael it
was all confusing, but he made a mental decision to learn about
Melanie's work. Not just so that he could be part of conversations
like this, but so he could converse with her personally.
    As he listened to the dialogue, he didn't say
a word, but he smiled and couldn’t take his eyes off Melanie. In
the last few minutes of his life, he had been given special entry
into a fine event, been offered complimentary wine, and was now
witnessing one of the museum's curators being impressed by the
intelligence and wit of his escort and lover. It all seemed
surreal, and Michael found that he enjoyed it immensely.
    "He seems nice," she said as they made their
way to the bar.
    "Oh, Allen is a good friend, and he seemed to
like you."
    "What's not to like?" she asked him as she
grabbed his hand and made him twirl her.
    The line at the bar was short, and the two
were soon drinking wine and walking the floor. People were dancing
off to one side, and Melanie informed Michael that he would be
required to dance with her sometime in the evening. Michal rolled
his eyes and shook his head. When he returned his gaze to Melanie,
she had her arms crossed, the wine glass held safely, and one foot
tapping. She glared at him with evil intent, and Michael obediently
apologized and mentioned that dancing would be the most wonderful
activity of the night.
    "That's a good Angel," she said as she turned
and walked him through the event.
    It was just a moment later when the tables
were turned on the couple. It was now Michael's chance to meet an
acquaintance of Melanie's. This was