Chapter 20
EVEN holding her in his arms, Al Kirby was unsure of Alice Bolton. She had promised that she would date only him but he had little faith in her word. She was unpredictable and utterly selfish. At this moment, while making love to her, he knew that she would drop him the moment another man aroused her interest. Since she had been faithless to her husband, it followed that she would probably be faithless to a lover.
Al had always considered himself too smart to fall for the love bit that supposedly bound most couples together. It seemed to him a sucker's game. But despite his cynicism he had developed some depth of feeling for the lovely wanton to whom he was joined physically-if not eternally. He could be jealous of her. She was able to cause him hurt and make him unsure of his powers as a male to bind her to him.
Actually, his powers were more than adequate-and his skill sufficient-to bring Alice to a rapture that wrenched an agonized cry from deep within her and caused her magnificent body to be wracked by spasmodic shudderings.
After his own completion, Al lay beside her and studied her intently. She was lovely, even when viewed with sated eyes. She lay utterly relaxed, her breasts rising and falling with her still rapid breathing. Her mouth was slack, her eyes dull. She was attractive to him even when his passion had been spent.
But not a great deal more attractive than Janice. Or Greta Ransome. Or Ginny Bennett. Why, then, did he want to be permanently attached to her? Why was he so in dread of losing her-when he had been wholly untouched by losing Janice?
Al did not possess an IQ to match his virility. But now, in a rare flash of insight, he understood himself as far as his relationship with Alice was concerned. Janice had called him amoral. She was not entirely correct. He was no more of a liar and a cheat than the next man. But in sexual matters-well, sex was a game he played to win, no holds barred. He would play it with any woman who caught his eye, if she were willing, no matter what the circumstances. The more variety, the better. The more erotic, the more fun.
And Alice was like him in that.
Sex for her, too, was a game without conventional rules-and she also played it to win. This much they had in common-and unrestrained sex-seeking was her attraction for him. With her, he could enjoy sex unlimited-as in some wild fantasy.
Becoming aware of his scrutiny, Alice said lazily, "Why the pensive frown?"
He said instantly, untruthfully, "I've been thinking of your being away from me again. You'll have to be in Las Vegas for six weeks, won't you?"
"That's the residence requirement."
"When will you go?"
"After I see Herb Jensen and the settlement is signed, sealed and delivered," Alice said. "He wants me to come to his office on Monday to discuss the terms. Will you miss me while I'm in Vegas?"
"You know I will. I hate your being away from me."
"You're invited along."
"I am?" he said, genuinely surprised. "You mean that?" She laid a hand on him, squeezed. "I mean it, lover," she said. "Because I'll miss you, too. Will you come?"
Al's frown deepened. "I'd like to-but I can't get away from the lot."
"You can't take a vacation, for heaven's sake?"
"I had my vacation early in the summer," he said. "I may as well tell you, sweetheart, because you'll find it out sooner or later-I don't own the lot. I'm just a salesman there."
"So?"
"That doesn't bother you?"
"Not at all," she said. "I wasn't impressed by the idea of your owning a used-car lot. In fact, I never gave it a thought. And I'm not unimpressed now that I know you're just a salesman." She kissed him lightly. "I was impressed by something more important than how you earn your living."
Al felt surer of her now. "I wish I could go with you, baby. But the truth is, I couldn't afford a trip to Las Vegas even if I had a vacation coming up."
"I'll pick up the tab."
"You've got that kind of dough?"
"If Jay Bolton is anything, he's generous," she said. "Can you take six weeks off?"
Al shook his head. "Not a chance."
"Quit your job, then."
"I could do that," he said, thinking about it seriously. "A good salesman can always find a new job." He pulled her to him, tightened his arms about her. "All right, I'll go with you."
They were silent for a time, then Alice said, "You know, Las Vegas is as noted for marriages as for divorces. If you're free by the end of my six-weeks residence, we could have a go at wedded bliss. Are you game to give it a try?"
Al stared at her disbelievingly. Minutes ago he had feared that sooner or later he would lose her. Now she was offering to marry him. He suddenly realized that Alice was as unsure of him as he had been of her-and as eager to make their relationship a permanent one. The realization did wonders for his ego.
Mistaking his silence for reluctance to commit himself, she said, "We're suited for each other, darling. We're good in bed. Both of us like playing the same games, which will guarantee our not becoming bored with one another. And, really, I've got a lot to offer a man I'm fond of. I don't see that you can lose by marrying me."
Al's ego was so inflated that he decided to play it cagy.
"Well, let's think about it, anyway," he said. "We'll decide once we're both free."
"We could honeymoon in Europe," Alice said. "Rome would be fun. I know a couple there who are very nice. Would you like to try an Italian woman, darling?"
Grinning, Al said, "I can see that you'd like to try an Italian man. As for myself, I'd like to try you right now."
They began to make love again, this time in the leisurely fashion of two people with all the time in the world.
After retaining a lawyer and filing suit for divorce, Janice Kirby felt that she was existing in a sort of limbo. For her, bringing an end to a marriage, even a marriage that had become a mockery, was a distressing matter. At first she was afraid of Al's contesting the action, of a court battle that would hurt a lot of people-but Al's threats seemed to have melted away.
Jay had told her why. Alice was preparing to marry Al. A scandal could ruin Jay's business-on which Alice's income depended.
Everything was going to be handled quietly.
Finally she diagnosed her unhappiness as loneliness. She weakened and called Jay.
She felt her spirits lift at the sound of his cheerful voice. She had missed him more than she had realized.
"I'm lonely, Jay," she said. "Lonely enough to die."
"I am too," he told her. "And there's no need for it. Let's get together."
"Yes. Tonight. At the apartment."
"There's no reason we can't go out together."
"Another time," she said. "I just want to be alone with you. I'll go to the apartment at seven o'clock. You come when you can."
"I'll be there at seven," he said.
For Janice the Saturday was no longer dreary. She no longer felt like a prisoner in a cell of her own making.
Jay was already there when she let herself into the apartment. The sight of him filled her with sudden happiness and she knew that at that moment, in love with him or not, she needed him-needed him badly. She literally threw herself into his arms and Jay, laughing, lifted her and whirled about with her. They were as joyous over being together again as a couple of teenagers. When Jay put her down, to kiss her, they were both breathless. She clung to him, pressed against him. She was content now, in his arms. It must be, she told herself, that his love was enough for them both.
"I'm weak," she said. "I don't want to be but I am. I can't help myself. I simply had to see you."
"Why did you fight it?" he said. "You knew it was futile-and senseless. Didn't you?"
She nodded. "In my heart, anyway."
They brought themselves down from the clouds. Jay went into the kitchen to get drinks. They would talk things over, he told her. What was there to talk over? She merely wanted to renew their relationship-to be his mistress, to have him for her lover. So that she could endure her now barren existence.
But Jay, she found, would not settle for that. When they sat down with their drinks, he eyed her soberly-almost solemnly.
"Soon nothing will stand in the way of our marrying."
"Jay, I'm far from sure we should marry."
"You need me. Your being here proves that."
"Let's just say that I'm fond of you."
Smiling, he said, "All right, let's say that. It's good enough for me. I'll risk marrying you on that basis. I don't need you to be head over heels in love. That will come, anyway."
She returned the smile. "You're very confident."
"I once told you that I know you better than you know yourself."
"There are conditions you'd have to agree to before I'd even think of saying 'yes.'"
"Consider them agreed to."
"Oh, come now," she said, laughing. "You're too good a businessman to be so incautious. My conditions may be something you couldn't possibly agree to."
"All right, I'll be cautious," he said. "Name your conditions."
Janice hesitated, realizing that she was committing herself-when she had had no intention of doing so. Then she thought: Why not? I am fond of him. And what woman wouldn't he proud-and happy-to have the chance to marry such a man?
She said, "I'm serious about this, Jay. I'm not trying to be amusing. My first condition is that you quit making love to me in such a worshipful way. I'm a woman-and an extremely earthy woman, at that. Or you couldn't have seduced me that first time."
He regarded her frowningly. "Why change a system that works?"
"Your system worked for seduction. We're now discussing marriage. A robust, lasting, earthy marriage."
"A point well taken. Very well, my earthling-I'll pound you to the dirt."
Janice laughed. "That's the ticket. I believe that physical love should be altogether physical."
"So it shall be," he said. "What's your next condition?"
"My next and last," she said. "If I marry you, I want a normal married life-a home with some trees around it, children of my own. If I could have that I'd be happy-and so very grateful." She looked at him uncertainly. "How do you feel about children?"
"That's what marriage is, or should be. I want children, Janice. What man doesn't?"
Janice thought: I could name one....
She said, "All right, Jay, I will marry you when we're both free." And then, impulsively: "Oh, yes, I will!"
He set down his drink, rose, came to take hers. He put it aside, then drew her to her feet and swept her up in his arms.
"Now you can start teaching me how an earthy woman likes to be made love to," he told her.
She locked her arms about his neck, pressed her mouth to his. She did not know even now whether or not she loved him-but she did not doubt that he was more to her than just a cure for her loneliness. She had this hope-since she had loved a heel, she could certainly learn to love a decent man.
"Yes," she said, laughing happily. "I'll show you how."