Red Hues

"I used to think that red was an angry color. They tell you that the reason bulls get so mad in bull fights is because the matador uses a red cape. Truth is the red that gets them mad is their own blood. They use sharp spears and swords to get them riled up, for the crowd..." I stopped. The color had drained from the mans face next to me. Oops. I almost forgot that this was like speed dating. Except with art instead of ice breakers.

"Nice to meet you...?"

"Anna."

"Right. Enjoy your evening."

He turned on his heel and walked away. I sighed and looked back at the painting in front of me. Different hues of red blended together to create the lines and curves of two entwined people. I took a sip from my glass, at least the wine was free. I tilted my head following the curved line from hip to shoulder. It was a little mind blowing that someone had taken such an intimate moment and put it on a canvas. With such an angry color no less, and made it soft and inviting.

"You've been staring at this painting for a while now, what do you think?"

The voice was definitely male, I took another sip and sneaked a peak at the man next to me. He was tall, broad shoulders a little on the skinny side, with a strong stubbly jaw. His dark hair was pulled up out of his face, in a Viking sort of way. I looked back at the painting, "The line work is incredible, the artist was able to capture a very intimate moment. The different hues are also very interesting, almost like a water color but something about it is a little off I can't quite put my finger on the technique."

I saw what was almost a smirk. Before I could call him out a butler walked by and offered his tray to me. I realized my glass was empty, so I traded it for the red. The guy did the same, "My name is Adrian, I see you are a fan of Merlot?"

"Anna. I am. I like that depending on how it is made it has many different flavors, I don't think I've ever had a two merlots that tasted the same."

"Indeed." He took a drink of his wine before continuing, "I hope you don't mind me asking but I heard your comment about red before, about it being an angry color."

"Well if you were really listening you would have heard me say that I used to think it was an angry color."

"Right." He chuckled.

"But this.." I gestured to the painting, "If I wasn't convinced before this has convinced me that red is actually soft, intimate." I lifted my glass in a toast...

"Warm."

He said it at the same time and our eyes locked, I couldn't help but smile back. He cleared his throat and broke contact with another sip. "I'm glad that you like it. So far no one has been able to look at it without critiquing my technique."

"This is yours?"

He rubbed the back of his neck, "Yes it is mine, the only one I was willing to put up actually. The owner needed one last piece for this dating thing so I volunteered. She said that I had to participate though, if I wanted to keep it up after the show."

I laughed, "Such a good friend! Mine tempted me with free wine."

He laughed and I felt something warm in my chest. I almost shook my head, it was just the wine. "So what is the secret technique??"

He looked to his left and leaned forward to look past me to the left. "Wine."

I blinked, "So you were drunk?"

He shook his head, "No. I used wine. It's funny that you mentioned no merlot being the same because each one of those hues are all different glasses of merlot."

"You're kidding? What did you just open 30 different bottles?"

"Nope, I just used a glass every time I opened a new bottle."

"How long did it take you then?"

"About a year, and it was only 29 bottles."

I shook my head in disbelief, "That is both crazy and amazing. Are you not tired of drinking it now?"

He tilted his head to the side, "No. I have a much broader appreciation for it though."

A bell sounded and a voice came over the speaker, "Thank you for joining us this evening, this bell concludes our event. Please start making your way towards the check out, we will be closing in 15 minutes."

We at our glasses on a nearby table, and headed towards the coat check. I handed the lady my ticket, "Well it was nice to meet you Adrian." She handed me my jacket.

"Like...wise."

I was pulling my hair out of my collar when I caught him staring, "What?"

His smile reached his eyes, "Your jacket is red."

"So? Just because I used to think it was an angry color does not mean that I don't like it."

He pulled his own on as we stepped outside, cold wind brushed my face and I was glad for the warmth I was feeling from the wine. Snow drifted down around us, "Do you want to see more?"

"See more of what?"

He was blushing, "More of my painting? I know you liked that one a lot, I did a few more with reds, and a few with whites? This might be a little forward but.. Go on a date with me."

I crossed me arms, "Didn't we just do one over wine and art?" I was trying to be serious but could feel a smile tugging on my mouth.

He caught on, "If you want our first date to be a couple glasses of merlot and art then fine, this can be our second date. I know you don't know me, and I hope I'm not reading too much into this... But I felt something in there, when you were looking at my art I saw you follow the lines, I saw you being drawn in and I felt such Warmth."

Warmth. I felt my heart skip and the feeling from before spread through my chest.

"If I am wrong you can say no, but my studio is a block away in a busyish area, it does not double as my apartment.."

He was rambling and I almost wanted to let him continue, it was cute. "Ok."

"...What?"

"I said 'Ok'. Are you going to lead the way or do I need to guess?"

"Oh right yea."

We walked down the block and crossed the street, to a building that had a mural of the ocean painted on it. "That is beautiful."

"It's the reason I chose this place. I saw it and knew that this place was where I needed to be. It inspires me to create something, anything that might inspire someone else just as much."

We walked through the main door and headed up the stairs, at the top we turned down the hall, at the end he dug out his keys, and unlocked the door but didn't open it yet. "I still have them out a lot of them were drying still. " he held his hands out to me, "Close your eyes, I'll lead you in."

I raised an eyebrow but did what he asked, I closed them holding my hands out. I heard the door open and warm hands enveloped mine. We walked about 10 or 15 steps and he stopped me, "Ok. Open them."

When I did I couldn't believe my eyes there were a dozen different paintings, in reds and yellows. More entwined figures in red and the cuddle lines of a mother holding a child in white. I barley heard him shut the door, I was walking among the easels and the ones propped against the wall, the table and the chairs. "You did all of these and you only wanted to show one!? Adrian these are amazing, your line work is incredible. If I didn't already know that you used wine I would be totally stumped about how you managed to get these shades!"

"Thank you for saying so." He was smiling and I saw his eyes water.

"This was a great idea for a second date."

"Thanks." He kinda laughed, "Should we open a bottle? I need another shade of red."