Heavenly Lover (15 page)

She wanted him to take her in his arms and crush her mouth with a delicious kiss. It was a pleasant vision, but it also broke her heart. The silent communication of their eyes fed her soul, but gave her pain.

Who will push the fire alarm in my internal living room now? Am I not considering suicide of my immortal soul?

Claire broke it off to ask another question. “When did you first see me?”

“It was at the planetarium. I was looking at the heavens, the twinkling lights, and, well, I just seemed to lift out of my body. Soon I was above my head looking down and I saw you sitting behind me.” At Claire’s nod, he added, “You saw the picture?”

“Of course.”

“Just like that. You didn’t notice me looking. At least, I didn’t think you did.” He hesitated to ask the next question. “Does this mean I have special powers too? Maybe we are a match, then?” He looked up at her as if searching for good news.

“No, you fell asleep and you saw me in your dream. Sorry, Daniel. No special powers.”

Claire made a mental “note to self.” That night she had been distracted thinking about running her fingers through his hair. She must have projected herself there. It was a dangerous accident, due to her lapse in concentration. But she was secretly delighted with the outcome.

“What about the other times?” she asked.

“I saw someone in white in a couple of my dreams. I thought you were perhaps a fairy, a muse. I looked for you. I tried and tried. Couldn’t make it work. So I decided to go for it outside of a dream.”

“The Farmer’s Market?” she said.

“Yes, I recognized it in my dreams. I went to re-create the colors I remembered, and I saw you there. I saw you later, at the wind chimes place, remember? It was you, wasn’t it?”

“Yes. I was trying to avoid looking at you. I’m not supposed to in human form.”

“I touched you that day. I touched your arm,” he said, reaching to touch her there again, but his fingers went into the image of her.

“Yes. I felt it too.”
Careful, careful.
“But I’m not going to let that happen again. We can’t do that, Daniel. Sorry. It would be the worst kind of transgression for me. Possibly for you as well.”

He frowned and searched her face. Claire found it intoxicating to be studied in such detail by a human male. He continued to study her and said, “I thought that if I was dreaming these places, I should go see them in real life. Then when I kept seeing you, and you didn’t want to talk to me, well, I kept hidden. I watched you. That’s how I got the inspiration for the paintings.”

He leaned back, a puzzled look on his face. “I understood the planetarium, the flower market, the Farmer’s Market, the beach, the bookstores. But why take me to the Laundromat in my dreams?”

“Um, the smell of clean laundry, fabric softener sheets, soaps?” Claire answered and winced. He laughed, and she shrugged.

“The perfume counter at Macy’s? I thought I was having a gay fantasy for a while. I mean, I love perfume, but on a woman’s body.”

She was tantalized by his soft Brazilian accent when he said “woman’s body.” He was smiling at her when she looked up again.
Healthy male. Confident. Used to getting what he wants. Ah, and patient too. Oh no, can’t go there.

“So you felt led?”
Have to say something.
Claire was seeing herself spreading massage oil over his body. She was irritated with herself at the images.
This is not helping. Think!

“Oh yes, definitely. I was a willing participant but I didn’t see these things as coming from my memories. That’s why they affected me so. I loved, almost”—he had a twinkle in his dark eyes as he smiled—“almost all those places, or grew to love them.”

Do they make lavender massage oil? Stop it!

“You found them inspiring?” Claire raised her eyebrows and tried to look serious, studious.

Daniel, inspire me. Take me away from this prison I call my angel life
.

She sucked in a quick breath.
What am I saying?

“Very. Look at how many paintings I’ve done in the last month. I’ve never been so prolific.”

If I was human, we would have sex several times a day … Stop it. Stop it. Stop it.

“That’s the way it’s supposed to be. That’s your gift,” she blurted out.

You bet it is. Why couldn’t I have met him when I was human?

He nodded.

“Daniel, I want to ask you about Audray,” she began, needing to change the subject. He lowered his eyes. “You are still in pain there, I think.”

Think? Claire, are you nuts?

“That will never go away.” It was almost a whisper coming from him.

“You don’t know everything about never,” Claire corrected him.

“You don’t know everything about pain,” he answered.

True enough.

“So.” He started to smile a bit as he asked this question, “How do you… save… me?” His brown eyes flirted shamelessly.

Those eyes. The crease at the corner of his mouth. Not fair, not fair at all.
Claire was blushing, again. The fourth time at least.

“In a way, all I do is stay around until you save yourself.”

Daniel immediately frowned. Not the answer he was looking for, apparently. He sat silent for a moment, then his expression lightened. “And so who saves you?” he asked with an innocent look, pressing with those eyes.

A very good question.

“I have the very best job in the whole world,” she said.
What kind of a non-answer was that?

He nodded in quiet agreement, and then furrowed his brow. He raised his eyes up to meet Claire’s face. He whispered, “I wish you were here for me and not because it was your job. I wish it was the very thing you wanted to do most in all the world.”

They looked at each other, neither moving. Daniel’s dark eyes pinned Claire.

“But I’m not really a part of this world. Thank you, though. It was a wonderful thing to say.”

Yes, wonderful.
It was also wonderful also how it made Claire’s heart do flip flops, made it sing.
So this is joy. So this is …

He came to a kneeling position in front of her. “I still want to see us making love. I want to feel what that feels like.”

It would have sounded good with any accent.
So do I. You have no idea how much I do.
“You have your fantasy world where all that happens. I only lead you in your dreams. I am not to be part of your real world.”

He closed his eyes, opening them a few seconds later. “Did you see that?”

“No, Daniel. I don’t see your thoughts.”
But how I wish I could.
In Claire’s fantasy she reached down and kissed his luscious lips and…

Then she remembered her job, her station. This was getting out of hand. Outside the dream, she rubbed her fingers together with her thumbs and added dust to his eyes.

This put him in a deep sleep with a blank screen. Claire sat the rest of the evening and watched his wonderful body. She drew herself up, encircling his waist and resting her head on his heart, listening, waiting, pretending there was a morning coming in a few hours where he would awaken to find her there in the flesh.

But tonight, no harm would come to her human as he peacefully slept in the cradle of her loving arms. She hoped tomorrow she would have better control over her emotions.

And then again, she hoped she didn’t

Chapter 18

Things had changed. Daniel was painting, which was good, but he talked to her while he was doing it. He talked to her while he was cooking. He asked questions that got no answers. But he still kept trying. It was driving her crazy.

“Claire, I have an idea for a scene.” He fought to scowl. “Guess what it is?” He looked around the room. “Just give me some sign you are watching me. I know you are.”

About the fifth time he said it she picked up one of his chalks and threw it.

“My, we are angry today. Testy. I’m going to have to dream up some punishment for you tonight.”

If only.

One day he brought down an armload of clothes from his hamper upstairs. “I have something for you.” He held up a towel and one of his tee shirts. He put a load in the washing machine and turned it on. “Do you smell that? Isn’t that wonderful, Claire?”

She was beginning to rethink her conversations with him in the dream state. He knew far too much about her.
Am I really so predictable?

Claire decided she needed a break.
Too much temptation to appear to him in physical form.
His questions needed to go unanswered.

Claire would explain tonight what the rules were. Until then, she was on edge. She wanted to kill some time.

She went to investigate some of Daniel’s haunts and decided to start with the gallery, willing Doris to appear for transport.

“God, I love it here,” the cabbie said, leaning her head back. Her hat almost slid off. “I was so happy when I got your call. This place is just gorgeous. You got your wineries, the beautiful little country roads. This is a good gig for you this time.”

“Sonoma County is lovely, isn’t it?”

But I’d love anywhere he lived. He could live in the middle of an industrial dump and it would feel like Heaven … Listen to me. I’ve got it bad. Angela was right.

“So, where to, my dear?”

“That gallery, Craven Image. You know it?”

“Oh, yeah. The one that has all the rock stars’ stuff in it?”

“Yes, that’s it.”

“You know what they have? I heard they have a toilet seat signed by the whole Spacetraveler band. Can you believe it? Framed and everything.”

Claire laughed.

“Good idea to have it under glass, just in case, you know what I mean.”

“I’m getting grossed out, Doris.”

“Yeah, too much information. Well, here we are. Not open yet. You wanna go somewheres else?”

“No, I’m fine. I’ll wait.”

The bistro next door, aptly called Ravenous Ravioli, was open, and did a breakfast out on the patio, so Claire ordered a hot chocolate and waited. She loved to watch humans walking by.

At a quarter to ten, Audray made her way down the street, carrying a black portfolio bag. She was wearing a tight purple straight skirt and a cream colored silk blouse with a self-tie at its low neckline.

Claire could smell her cloying jasmine scent from the distance. She watched as delicate fingers managed a fistful of jangling keys, and then heard the door creak open. A rapid beeping alarm was abruptly terminated. A few minutes later, Audray returned to the front, bringing out a sandwich sign announcing a sale. The sign had a color picture of one of Daniel’s paintings, now half price.

Claire’s stomach churned.
I hate this woman.
She gripped the hot chocolate so powerfully she feared she might shatter the mug. The thought of anything Daniel had created being discarded or sold off at a discount made her blood boil. She abandoned her chocolate and decided to investigate.

Entering the gallery, she heard, “Welcome to Craven Image. Is this your first time to our gallery?” Audray’s green eyes were bright but deadly. Even though her voice was lilting, Claire felt scrutinized like a piece of dirt. No doubt Audray had a keen scent for money. The woman frowned, leaning back to give a half-lidded look at the angel as if she was missing her glasses. Her red lips pouted and then turned into a snarl.

“Yes. My first time here.” Claire was relieved to see Audray didn’t recognize her face from Macy’s. But then, she had been rather busy with the hairy guy, and Claire looked completely different without makeup. The angel felt a little wicked recalling that scene in the dressing booth, though it was one of her best performances.

Claire walked along the tiled floor, looking at several large canvases. There were six of Daniel’s, done in hues of green and turquoise, jungle scenes at the edges of a beautiful white beach. Animal faces popped out from the dark green foliage. Their large eyes stared at Claire.

“I like these very much,” Claire said. She hoped her voice didn’t waver.

“Oh yes, the DePalmas. I’ve just put them on sale last week,” Audray said. She had a small frown on her face as she studied the paintings.

“How come? I think they’re lovely.”

“We have to make room for new things. We’ve had them awhile.”

Claire walked around looking at the violent splashes of color done by other artists. There were three large black and white photographs of Audray completely nude.

Audray followed closely behind, scanning the photographs like she was reading a newspaper.

“This one is by Beau Bradbury, lead guitarist of the Spacetravelers. See, he’s signed it here.”

“Ten thousand dollars! My gosh, why would anyone want to spend that much on such an awful painting?” Claire focused on her attitude, wanting to display superiority. She loved how it felt, especially in front of Audrey, who was a master of the mood.

“You can probably have it for eight.”

Claire nodded and headed back to Daniel’s paintings

Audray followed, then leaned into Claire and said, “These don’t sell well. Not compared to the famous musicians. That’s really who we cater to. We need the space. But Daniel is …” she sighed as she traced a pink spotted leopard’s ear on one canvas, “… he’s a good painter. The owner just wants to move on.”

Like you have
.
Revenge, is this revenge I feel for the first time in my angel life?
Mother would chastise her for these thoughts.

“So, tell me how much for all of them?” Claire suddenly didn’t want anyone else to own them, or to know they were on sale. She wondered what Father would say about the expense chit.

“I’ll have to call the artist, first.”

“No, that won’t be necessary. What would your gallery owner sell them for? I don’t want the painter to have to decide. You know how it is with artists. They work so hard and then give everything away. Just doesn’t seem fair. I have means.”

Audray’s smile was almost angelic, Claire thought.
Unless you knew what was going on inside her. Glad to be rid of him so soon?

“Well, I have authorization to sell them for fifty percent, but maybe we could go, say forty-five percent? I might be able to do more if I call him. I know how to reach him.”

You know how to dump him, you mean?

“No. Not necessary.” Claire feigned going into deep thought. “Oh, why not? Let’s do it. I’ll take them all.” The penniless angel tried to sound like she spent money frivolously and that this investment in the paintings wouldn’t put a dent in her trust fund.

Audray took all six of the canvases down, stacking them carefully behind the counter between large sheets of bubble wrap. Claire had almost expected her to stack them on top of each other unprotected, but Audray was a better businesswoman than that. But she wasn’t going to wrap them up until the sale was complete.

The calculation was done. “Ok, that will be thirteen thousand, eight hundred dollars. Let’s just call it thirteen thousand even.”

Claire was stunned. She was in a panic, but covered it up, summoning strength to return Audray’s piercing stare.
How in the world will I get my hands on that kind of money?
How could she ask Doris for this? But her pride loomed. No way she would turn back now.

“Give me your bank routing number. I will have my manager wire you the funds this afternoon. Then I can pick them up later today. Does that work for you?”

“Absolutely. Uh, I should get a deposit.”

Perfect.

“Miss, or is it Mrs.?” Claire made a point to bat her blue eyes, showing no concern.

“It’s Miss. Audray Steele.”

“Miss Steele, if I am going to spend this amount of money, it’s important we trust each other. If you don’t trust me, I will take my business elsewhere. Let’s face it, there are a lot of gallery owners in Sonoma County who would love to make a thirteen thousand dollar sale today or any day, wouldn’t you agree?”

The look on Audray’s face was priceless. Or, maybe, Claire giggled, worth thirteen thousand dollars.

Claire collapsed on the bench seat as she got into Doris’s transport.

“What’s eating you, doll?”

“Uh, I just did something I probably shouldn’t.”

“Oh, just because we’re angels doesn’t mean we’re perfect.” Doris turned around in her seat, facing Claire. “Spill it.”

“I just bought all of Daniel’s paintings—on sale.”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“I don’t have any money. At least not that kind of money.”

“How much do you need?” Doris pulled out her wallet.

“Thirteen thousand dollars.” Claire winced.

Doris tossed her man’s billfold onto the passenger seat. “Oh, boy. No way Father’s going to authorize that. What the blazes were you thinking?”

Claire shrugged, looking down.

“I’m glad I came, not one of the other drivers. I can fix this, no problem.”

“How can you fix it?” She was worried this might make it worse.

“You don’t want to know. You gotta promise not to tell anyone I can do this, though. And I might turn you down another time.”

“Doris, you’re not doing something illegal, like stealing or anything? I won’t do that.”

“Nope. No one is hurt. No stealing. But I’m not telling, either.”

“Fair enough. Can you have the money wired to this account?” She handed the cabbie the slip of paper Audray had given her with the bank routing number on it.

“Yep, I’ll do it this afternoon, unless you have other plans.”

“No other plans. Thanks so much. Guess I got a little carried away. I appreciate what you’re doing for me. Drop me a few blocks from his house. I want to walk a bit.”

“Sure.”

They drove past a couple of wineries. Claire thought she would like to try a tasting some time.
Better try it soon. No telling how much longer I’ll be allowed here.
She decided she needed to make a list of all the things she wanted to do before she went back to Heaven. The paintings would go well in her bright dorm room with the single window …

“Uh, Doris, there is one other thing.” Doris slammed her foot on the brakes.

“What now?” She frowned.

“Can you pick up the paintings for me later and take them home?”

“Jeez. I can see the gossip flying when I take those puppies up to your room. Claire, you owe me a big one.”

Yep, that she did. Although what coming up with thirteen thousand dollars meant in the angel world, she had no clue.

That afternoon, Audray watched as a cabbie picked up the neatly bubble wrapped and well-taped canvases. Audray had expected a messenger service of the white-gloved variety. She thought it odd, watching the female cabbie drive away, that two of the paintings extended through the sunroof of the little cab. She didn’t think she had ever seen a yellow cab with a sunroof, and could have sworn there wasn’t one when they started loading the first two paintings.

And she certainly had never seen any of the art she sold sticking out of the ceiling of a car, flapping down the street. In fact, she’d never sold six in one day. She wondered where they would be hung. She hoped, for Daniel’s sake, it was some place important.