JК
Are You Afraid Of The Dark :: Sheldon Sidney
Страница: 11 из 173He was about six feet tall, with an athletic build, blond hair, and bright blue eyes. He was dressed in a soft tan suit, a white shirt, and a brown tie.
"I-thank you."
"When did you begin painting?" "When I was a child. My mother was a painter." He smiled. "My mother was a cook, but I can't cook. I know your name. I'm Richard Stevens." At that moment, Paul Deacon approached with three packages.
"Here are your paintings, Mr. Stevens. Enjoy them." He handed them to Richard Stevens and walked away.
Diane looked at him in surprise. "You bought three of my paintings?" "I have two more in my apartment." "I'm-I'm flattered." "I appreciate talent." "Thank you." He hesitated. "Well, you're probably busy, so I'll run-" Diane heard herself saying, "No. I'm fine." His smile widened. "Good. You could do me a big favor, Miss West." Diane looked at his left hand. He was not wearing a wedding band. "Yes?" "I happen to have two tickets for the opening of a revival of Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit tomorrow night, and I have no one to go with. If you're free-?" Diane studied him a moment. He seemed nice and was very attractive, but, after all, he was a total stranger. Too dangerous. Much too dangerous. And she heard herself say, "I would love to go."
* * *
THE FOLLOWING EVENING turned out to be delightful. Richard Stevens was an amusing companion, and there was an instant compatibility. They shared an interest in art and music, and much more, She felt attracted to him, but she was not sure whether he felt the same way about her.
At the end of the evening, Richard asked, "Are you free tomorrow night?" Diane's answer was an unhesitating "Yes." The following evening they were having dinner at a quiet restaurant in SoHo.
"Tell me about you, Richard." "Not much to tell. I was born in Chicago. My father was an architect and designed buildings all over the world, and my mother and I traveled with him. I went to about a dozen different foreign schools and learned to speak a few languages in self-defense." "What do you do? For a living?" "I work at KIG-Kingsley International Group. It's a large think tank." "That sounds exciting." "It's fascinating. We do cutting-edge technology research. If we had a motto, it would be something like 'If we don't have the answer now, wait until tomorrow.'"
* * *
AFTER DINNER, RICHARD took Diane home. At her door, he took her hand and said,
"I enjoyed the evening. Thank you."
And he was gone.
Diane stood there, watching him walk away. I'm glad he's a gentleman and not a wolf. I'm really glad. Damn!
* * *
THEY WERE TOGETHER ev
"I-thank you."
"When did you begin painting?" "When I was a child. My mother was a painter." He smiled. "My mother was a cook, but I can't cook. I know your name. I'm Richard Stevens." At that moment, Paul Deacon approached with three packages.
"Here are your paintings, Mr. Stevens. Enjoy them." He handed them to Richard Stevens and walked away.
Diane looked at him in surprise. "You bought three of my paintings?" "I have two more in my apartment." "I'm-I'm flattered." "I appreciate talent." "Thank you." He hesitated. "Well, you're probably busy, so I'll run-" Diane heard herself saying, "No. I'm fine." His smile widened. "Good. You could do me a big favor, Miss West." Diane looked at his left hand. He was not wearing a wedding band. "Yes?" "I happen to have two tickets for the opening of a revival of Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit tomorrow night, and I have no one to go with. If you're free-?" Diane studied him a moment. He seemed nice and was very attractive, but, after all, he was a total stranger. Too dangerous. Much too dangerous. And she heard herself say, "I would love to go."
* * *
THE FOLLOWING EVENING turned out to be delightful. Richard Stevens was an amusing companion, and there was an instant compatibility. They shared an interest in art and music, and much more, She felt attracted to him, but she was not sure whether he felt the same way about her.
At the end of the evening, Richard asked, "Are you free tomorrow night?" Diane's answer was an unhesitating "Yes." The following evening they were having dinner at a quiet restaurant in SoHo.
"Tell me about you, Richard." "Not much to tell. I was born in Chicago. My father was an architect and designed buildings all over the world, and my mother and I traveled with him. I went to about a dozen different foreign schools and learned to speak a few languages in self-defense." "What do you do? For a living?" "I work at KIG-Kingsley International Group. It's a large think tank." "That sounds exciting." "It's fascinating. We do cutting-edge technology research. If we had a motto, it would be something like 'If we don't have the answer now, wait until tomorrow.'"
* * *
AFTER DINNER, RICHARD took Diane home. At her door, he took her hand and said,
"I enjoyed the evening. Thank you."
And he was gone.
Diane stood there, watching him walk away. I'm glad he's a gentleman and not a wolf. I'm really glad. Damn!
* * *
THEY WERE TOGETHER ev