Chapter 3

When I woke up, sunlight was pushing through the drawn drapes on the bedroom window, and for a moment I was not too sure of what had awakened me. All I knew was that something soft had brushed my face, bringing me instantly awake.

I raised my head and glanced down and saw Carla smiling at me from the next pillow, and I knew now what had happened. She had awakened first and had brushed her lips across my cheek. It had happened like that before on other mornings with her. It was her special way of waking me up.

"Good morning," she said huskily. "Sleep well?"

"Like a top," I answered, and I slid one arm along her pillow.

Carla accepted the invitation and snuggled up to me while I put my arm around her shoulder and held her close. She lifted her face, her lips parted, and I kissed her. Her lips were soft and still warm from sleep.

"You don't mind my waking you up, do you, Phil?" Carla asked.

"You're worth waking up for," I told her.

We kissed again, holding longer this time, our lips touching gently.

"It's been a long time, Phil," Carla said.

I nodded. "Seven months."

"Yes ... seven months. Seven long months." Carla's voice took on a wistful note. "I missed you, Phil."

"Not according to what I read in the papers," I said, and I instantly regretted the words. They had slipped out before I even knew I was saying them. Nothing like that had been on my mind-but the words had come out anyhow, dredged up from somewhere in my subconscious.

A hurt look leaped into Carla's eyes. She was silent for a moment, then said softly, "That wasn't very nice, Phil."

"Sorry," I said gruffly, not wanting to go on with it, but knowing now that we would have to talk about it because I had blurted out words that could not be retracted.

"You meant that Hollywood director, didn't you, Phil?" Carla said. "I guess so."

"Don't be vague, Phil. That's what you meant by that remark, wasn't it?"

"All right, all right. That's what I meant-and I'm sorry I said it. Let's forget it, huh?"

But it wasn't going to be that easy. Carla's beautiful face was solemn, her eyes regarding me steadily, almost defiantly. "You know why I went out with that director, Phil," she said in a hushed voice.

"You did more than just go out with him-if those gossip columnists were right," I said. I didn't know what was making me do this to her. I didn't want to fight with Carla. I didn't want to hurt her. Yet that was just what I was doing.

"All right," Carla said. "So I did have an affair with him. Hollywood is big-league stuff, Phil. They play for keeps out there. If you want something badly enough, you've got to be willing to pay the price."

"What did that director have that you wanted, Carla?" I asked, keeping my voice low. I still had my arm about her, and it felt kind of funny to be talking to her like that with both of us naked and close together under the covers.

"He's promised to direct my next picture," Carla said simply. "He's one of the top men in Hollywood. With him as a director, I can really go places-maybe even an Academy Award."

"I see."

"Do you, Phil? Do you really see? You're a big boy now, you know. You should know that nothing comes easy, especially success. You have to work hard, very hard, and you have to take advantage of all the breaks you can get."

"You mean cut a few corners, don't you?"

"Yes, that's just what T mean. Hollywood is full of talent. There's more competition in that place than in any other spot in the world. Cutting corners, working the angles, playing your cards right-I don't care what you call it. It's something you have to do if you want to get ahead."

"Thanks for the lecture on the facts of life," I said dryly.

"Don't get sarcastic with me, Phil," Carla said quickly. "Please don't use sarcasm. That's no way to discuss this."

"I don't want to discuss it at all," I said.

"Oh, sure. First you make a nasty remark about me, and then you say you don't want to discuss it. That's not very fair, Phil."

I knew I was fighting a losing battle, so I shrugged my shoulders and said, "Okay. Go ahead and talk."

Carla looked at me steadily. Her body was rigid with tension against me. "We've been over this before, Phil," she said softly, obviously trying to keep herself under control. "I'm a good actress, and both of us know that. But sometimes talent isn't enough. Contacts are important, too."

"You mean you have to use people, don't you?" I said. "Let's not beat about the bush, Carla."

"Yes ... You have to use people. If you don't, you'll find yourself out in the cold. I'm using that director, sure, and he's using me, too. But both of us are getting what we want out of it." She paused and looked at me beseechingly. "I've told you all this before, Phil. You're not a fool. You can see what I mean Why do you insist on being so-" She groped for words. "Being so-"

"Honest?" I asked.

"That's one way of putting it, T guess," Carla admitted.

I smiled thinly. "You think I'm a fool, don't you?"

"No, Phil. You know I don't think that of you. It's just ... well, you've got too much pride. You ... you want to do everything completely on your own. You won't accept help, and you won't use contacts with people to help you get ahead."

I shrugged. "Guess I'm just not built that way."

"Don't say that!" Carla snapped. "It makes you sound ... weak." She reached up and touched my cheek. "And if there's one thing I do know, Phil, it's that you're not a weak man."

"Speaking physically, of course," I said dryly.

A faint smile touched her lips. "There's nothing weak about you mentally either, Phil. You're just a little too stubborn, too proud."

I smiled back at her with a sense of relief. We had skirted the edges of a serious quarrel, and I knew now that it would be all right. We could continue to talk about it, but the danger was past. We would not fight with each other over it.

"Well, maybe you're right," I said. "I don't like to accept favors from people unless I feel I can pay them back. And I guess that's why I won't build up contacts and use people, either."

"Try it, Phil," Carla said earnestly. "Try cutting a few corners for once in your life. You'll be surprised at how much it can do for you."

"Maybe I will," I said. "Who knows, I might even become so successful that I'd be able to take you out in public." I smiled to show her that I was treating the whole thing lightly.

"You can do that right now," Carla said seriously. "You can take me out right now anywhere you want to, Phil. I'd be proud to be seen with you in public."

I shook my head quickly. My attempt at lightness had failed, and Carla had touched on a sore spot without really meaning to.

"Why not, Phil?" Carla pressed on.

"You know why."

"It's that darn pride of yours," she said. "It sure is."

"But you don't mind staying with me like this each time I'm in New York, isn't that so, Phil?"

"That's different," I said, feeling my face grow warm.

"Different?"

"Yes," I said. "This is private, just between the two of us. I'm not going to have us gossiped about I'm not going to have everyone say that I'm taking advantage of you just because you're a big star and I'm no one important."

"You're important to me, Phil," Carla said softly.

I reached out and pushed a stray strand of hair from in front of her eyes. "Thanks," I said.

"You're very important to me, Phil." She took a deep breath. "Why do you think I've never married all the time I've been out in Hollywood?""

"Let's not talk about that," I said quickly. I knew what she was leading up to. We had been through this before. I wanted to stop her, but I knew there was no way I could keep her from going on.

"Marriage is something very vital to me, Phil," she said. "I've had plenty of offers in Hollywood. I'm not bragging. Every actress-almost every attractive woman, as a matter-of-fact-can get lots of proposals out there. But I've turned them all down-and you know why."

I looked away, avoiding her eyes. "I'd marry you in a minute, Phil," she said in a low, hushed voice.

"Please, Carla...."

"Why not, Phil? We talked about marriage once, remember?"

"That was a long time ago," I mumbled. "That was when we were in summer stock, when both of us were...." I let my voice trail off. She knew what I meant. Both of us were equal then, just bit players. Carla had not yet become a big star, and I had not yet become a flop as an actor.

"Yes, it was a long time ago," Carla said. "But my feelings haven't changed. Have yours?"

"No."

"Then why wait any longer, Phil?"

I took a deep breath. "I've already told you why. When I get married, my wife is going to be known as Mrs. Phil Devlin. I am not going to be called the husband of Carla Russell."

"Oh, Phil! That's just foolish pride."

"No, it isn't," I said.

"You wouldn't want me to stop being an actress, to give up my career, would you?"

"Of course not."

"Well, then I'll always be known as Carla Russel!"

She smiled softly. "But I'll be your wife just the same. I'll be Mrs. Phil Devlin in private life."

"I'm not talking about that," I said. "I don't want you to give up your career or the name you've made famous. Can't you see, Carla? Unless I make some kind of a name for myself, and the money that goes with it, I'll always be known as Carla Russell's husband. I couldn't stand that kind of public ridicule."

"But we're not in competition with each other, Phil," Carla protested, snuggling a little closer to me under the covers. "I don't feel superior to you, and I certainly would never look down on you."

"Maybe not right now," I countered. "But you would-in time. Don't get me wrong, Carla. I don't necessarily mean I have to be a big success as an actor. It can be in any field. As a matter-of-fact, I've been thinking of trying my hand at directing, and if I can make the grade in that, then everything will be all right with us. What I'm driving at is that I'm a nobody right now-and that makes marriage out of the question."

Carla looked thoughtful. "You want to try directing?"

"Yes. I assisted the director on my last acting job. Didn't do much, but I did get a taste of it, and I think I've got some aptitude for it."

"Maybe I can help," Carla said. "I've got some pretty good connections out in Hollywood and-"

"You mean your director friend?"

"He's one of my connections, yes,"

"No, thanks."

"Phil, you're being foolish."

"All right, all right," I said. "So I'm being foolish."

I felt anger rising in me, not anger at her but at myself.

And suddenly I understood why I had started this whole thing with that remark about her director friend. It had been my way of letting off steam, of finding some release from the awful pressure of facing my own failure. I was out of work, in debt, just about flat broke. I had lashed out at Carla because of my own misery. Her affair with the director shouldn't have upset me that much. Carla had always been honest with me about what she was doing in Hollywood. She had told me time and time again on her infrequent visits to New York that she was playing the Hollywood game for all it was worth, and this meant that every now and then she had to go to bed with someone who could help advance her career. It had never been pleasant for me to think about this, but I appreciated her honesty, and I knew Carla felt this was the only way to get ahead fast in Hollywood.

Carla looked at me reproachfully, not saying anything, but her eyes spoke volumes. I had hurt her-and all she had been trying to do was to help me in the only way she knew. She moved away from me, slipping out from my arms, and turned her back to me. She didn't leave the bed, but the rigidity of her back and her complete silence was like a dash of ice water in my face.

Suddenly, I was fed up. I'd had enough. Here I was in bed with one of the most beautiful women in motion pictures, with her begging me to marry her-and all I could do was prattle on about my pride! I wanted Carla. I wanted her with a deep hunger that was driving me almost crazy. But I was losing her. I knew that. Maybe this was to be our last time together. I couldn't blame her if she rejected me after what had happened now.

I didn't want to lose her. I couldn't lose her.

All right! I told myself as I stared at her back. All right, I've had enough!

I was tired of scrounging for a living as an actor. I was tired of feeling I had no right to be seen in public with Carla. I was tired of being pushed around by circumstances. I'd fight back! If it meant cutting a few corners, working the angles, taking advantage of people-well, then that was what I'd do.

And then there suddenly popped into my mind a plan so completely thought out, so perfect in every detail, that I realized it must have been in my subconscious all along. It was a good plan, too, and I was glad of the opportunity it presented to me.

"Jason Thorpe!" I said out loud.

Carla raised her head and looked at me over her shoulder. "What did you say?"

"Jason Thorpe," I repeated, smiling broadly.

Carla turned around and faced me. "Who's he and what are you smiling about?"

I reached for her and pulled her close to me. She came willingly, but with a puzzled look in her eyes. "Jason Thorpe," I said mysteriously, "is a man I met at a party a couple of nights ago."

"So?"

I stopped smiling and looked at her closely. "Yon really meant what you said, didn't you?"

"Meant what, Phil?"

"About how I should cut corners and work a few angles."

"Yes, I mean it"

"You wouldn't think any the less of me if I did something like that?"

Carla smiled. "Of course not."

"Well, I've figured out a way to cut one little corner, and if it works ... well, I think I'll have hold of something good."

"Tell me about it, Phil."

I put both arms about her and kissed her on the tip of her beautiful nose. "First, I want you to understand something, Carla. About that director in Hollywood-I guess I was just jealous. You understand?"

"You've got nothing to be jealous about, Phil."

"But just the same," I said, "you can see why I wouldn't want you to use your influence with him to get me a break, can't you?"

"Yes, Phil, I can see that."

"But that doesn't mean I won't use your help," I added.

Carla nodded. "How can I help, Phil?"

"This Jason Thorpe I mentioned, he's a very rich man."

"That's the best kind to know," Carla said, smiling.

I smiled back at her. Now that I had made the decision to play the game her way-now that I had taken that first important step-the rest was easy. Not that I thought I'd be able to pull it off without hard work or difficulty. It was easy only in the sense that my mind was untroubled about it. I had made my decision-and that was that as far as I was concerned.

"Jason Thorpe," I went on, "is not only very rich, but he's also nuts about the theater. He's always throwing parties for show people-that's how I met him and he attends every first night opening without fail. He's even invested in a lot of Broadway shows that didn't make the grade."

Carla snuggled in real close to me. The wonderful warmth and closeness of her body almost made me forget all about Jason Thorpe and the plans I had for him, but I kept control of myself and went on.

"Anyhow, I met Thorpe at a party, and we got to talking. I didn't pay much attention to him at first until I heard him mention your name, Carla. Seems he's a big fan of yours, the old goat."

"He's an old man?" Carla asked.

I shook my head. "Just a figure of speech. He's not old, and he's not young. Sort of in between. His hair is snow-white and so is his mustache, but he looks too healthy and sun-tanned to be really old." I glanced at Carla and grinned. "From the way Jason was horsing around with all the young girls at the party, I'd say he's old enough to have had plenty of experience and still young enough to do a lot of damage."

Carla chuckled. "That's the dangerous age."

"And he's got enough money to get all the women he wants," I said. "He has an office, I know, but he doesn't seem to do anything for a Living. Just spends all his inherited money."

"A good man to know," Carla said thoughtfully.

"I didn't think so at the time," I told her. "But I think different now." I gave her a faint smile. "I couldn't resist the temptation to do some name-dropping when he said he was a fan of yours. I told him I knew you personally and that we were good friends, and you should've seen his eyes light up when he heard that. He grabbed hold of my arm and hung on to me and started firing questions at me about you."

"What sort of questions?" Carla asked in a guarded voice.

I laughed and squeezed her hip under the covers. The usual fan-type questions. You know-whether you were as beautiful off-screen as on, what kind of a person you are in real life, and so on and so forth. I gave you a terrific buildup with old Jason."

"Thanks," Carla said, laughing. "I can always use another fan."

"You willing to make use of him to help me?" I asked.

"Anything short of murder, Phil," Carla said, and I knew she meant it.

"Nothing that drastic," I told her. "Here's the gist of it. It seems like Jason's got some crazy idea of building a theater, out in Queens."

"In Queens?"

"Yep. He said why should all the theaters be in Manhattan, not counting the summer theaters, of course. It's his idea that Queens would be an ideal spot to build up a new theatrical section. It's in the city limits; it has subway transportation; the Long Island Expressway goes out there; and it's the fastest growing borough in New York City."

Carla bit her lip and thought it over. "Just how serious is he about all this, Phil?"

"Serious enough. He already owns a piece of land out in the Rego Park area. He figures he'll build a modern theater out there with a parking lot big enough to hold more cars than there'll be seats in the theater. And the parking will be free, too. That should be an inducement to the theater-going public, all right. And even if they don't come out by car, it's within a short taxi ride from Manhattan-to say nothing of the subway. And don't forget the restaurants on Queens Boulevard."

"Sounds good," Carla said.

I shrugged my shoulders. "It has possibilities. But Jason isn't stopping there. He not only intends to build the theater, but he also plans to provide all the financial backing for the plays that will be presented there."

"He's got that much money, Phil?"

"That much and more."

"You do have a good contact there, Phil," Carla said enthusiastically. "A real good contact."

"So it would seem," I said. "But the idea is to make proper use of old Jason."

"And how do you propose to do that?"

"Well, while we were talking, I mentioned that I had decided to give up acting and go into directing. Jason had evidently taken some sort of liking to me probably because I knew you personally-and he gave me his card and said I should give him a call sometime in the future and maybe we could work something out."

"Well, that was a good opportunity for you," Carla said, and she pressed herself a. little closer to me. Once again, the warmth of her body almost drove all thoughts of Jason Thorpe from my mind.

"A good opportunity?" I said. "Maybe. But it didn't strike me that way then. He said it in a sort of offhand way, for one thing. For another, you're always meeting some kind of character at these parties, you know, and I didn't pay too much attention to him at the time. But I did keep his card-and now I'm going to make good use of it."

"How?"

"Will you come with me and talk to him?"

Carla pursed her lips. "I do have a busy schedule, Phil-but I'm sure I can manage the time."

"Good! Then here's what I want to do-if it's okay with you, of course. I'll call Jason and tell him that you're in town and that I told you about his idea for opening a theater out in Queens. I'll tell him that you think it's an idea that has great possibilities and that you'd like to meet him. He'll jump out of his skin at the chance to see you in the flesh."

"And what then, Phil?"

"Well, while we're talking, you can sort of hint around that you wouldn't be adverse to the idea of appearing in the first play in the new theater-especially if I would be the director."

Carla's eyes widened. "You've sure learned how to work the angles very fast, Phil."

I smiled at her. "You don't have to commit yourself, of course, and you don't have to be very specific about it. You're a good actress, Carla. If you can get old Jason to believe that you'll appear in a play that hell produce, with me as the director, then I can take it from there. I've got a hunch I can get Mr. Jason Thorpe to come across with a good job for me."

"What sort of a job?"

"Directing the first play."

"That's aiming pretty high, Phil."

"All you need is self-confidence," I said with my newly-found self-confidence.

Carla grinned. "You're a rascal, Phil Devlin."

"Then you'll do it?"

"Sure. I'll put on a good act for old Jason. You set up the meeting so it'll fit in with my schedule. I don't have too much time here this trip, you know."

"I know," I said, wrapping my arms about her. "And I intend to spend all your free time with you."

"Doing what?"

"This," I said, and I kissed her soundly. "Mmmmm."

"You like that?" I asked.

"Mmmmm," Carla said again. She closed her eyes, and I kissed her again. Suddenly, she pulled back from me, her eyes wide open.

"What's the matter?" I asked.

"I just thought of something."

"What?"

"What'll happen to you when Jason finds out I won't be appearing in his theater?" She smiled wryly. "You know, he's bound to find out sooner or later that we've been stringing him along."

"Leave that to me," I said firmly. "All I want now is a chance to get in good with him. After that, I'll be able to handle anything that comes up."

"Boy, you really are full of confidence this morning!" Carla said happily.

"And I'll stay that way, too," I answered. "Now, where were we?"

"Doing this." She pressed her lips to me, and her tongue snaked out into my mouth.

I dropped my hand to the small of her back and pulled her in close to me. Her soft middle pressed against me, and the roundness of her hips rubbed along my legs as she adjusted her position to me.

Carla sighed deeply, and I held her close to me and kissed her again and again. We had been talking for a long while, lying there naked next to each other. And although our minds had been on what we were saying, our bodies had been in close contact all the time. Now the time for talking was over.

Carla responded to my kisses, pushing herself up against me, darting her tongue deep into my mouth as we kissed, pressing herself against me as though she wanted every inch of her gorgeous body to come into contact with mine. There was no need for any talking now. Our bodies took over, and our hands roamed each other's flesh in the universal language of the lovers' caress.

The covers began to twist from the movement of our bodies, and I reached down and flipped them off of us. Cool air rushed over both of us. Using my feet, I kicked the covers clear down to the foot of the bed, and then, with one final kick, pushed them off the bed completely.

The pillows were next I wanted plenty of room, and I didn't want any blankets or pillows or anything else on that bed except us. I gave a tentative tug on the end of Carla's pillow, and she sensed what I had in mind. She raised her head, and I pulled the pillow out from under her and tossed it over the edge of the bed. Then I did the same thing with my pillow.

Now the bed had been cleared for action-just the two of us on the sheet covering the mattress. It was a big bed, too, big enough for whatever we wanted to do.

Carla raised herself on one elbow and looked down at me, her eyes half-lidded, her lips slightly parted, a look of anticipation on her face. Her full breasts were only inches from my face, the pink-tipped nipples beckoning to me.

I moved my head toward her breasts, figuring I'd give her the treatment she loved, just as I had done last night. But Carla had other ideas. Gently, she pushed me back, and the look in her eyes told me that she had some plans of her own for me. I grinned up at her and lay there waiting to see what she would do.

I didn't have to wait long.

Carla brought her mouth down over mine and stopped just an inch from my lips. She opened her mouth slightly, and the pink tip of her tongue darted in and out suggestively. I remained quiet, unmoving, watching the delightful movement of her tongue. Her breasts had swung forward as she bent over me, and the tips of her nipples just brushed my chest, setting my skin tingling where they touched me.

Carla moved her face closer to mine, her tongue still working but not yet touching me. She was deliberately holding back, prolonging the contact of our mouths, teasing me, exciting me as only she could do it. Then she bent down some more, and now the tip of her tongue touched my lips. I kept my mouth closed, and her tongue slowly traced the outline of my lips. Her breasts were now resting full on my chest as she braced herself with a hand on either side of me. She moved her shoulders slightly, and her breasts rubbed excitingly against my chest.

It took a lot of self-control, but I remained quiet.

This was Carla's show, she was calling the shots, and I sensed she wanted me to lay still while she went ahead with what she had in mind.

Her lips came down on mine, very gently, barely touching. It wasn't even a kiss, just a light touching of her lips to mine. Then her tongue began to probe against my closed lips-once, twice, three times-and each touch of her tongue was like darting fire.

Finally, unable to hold back any longer, I opened my mouth under hers. InstanUy, her tongue darted in. At the same time, her mouth came down against mine in a full kiss. Her lips worked against mine slowly and tantalizingly, while her tongue busily explored the inside of my mouth, finally finding my tongue and caressing it.

Carla sucked hard against my mouth, resting herself on my chest now, her hands no longer supporting the weight of her body. I put my arms around her and let my hands roam up and down her back, and all the while she kept on kissing me, her tongue never once stopping its feverish thrusting.

I moved my hands down to Carla's buttocks as she half-knelt, half-reclined beside me, with her breasts crushed against my chest and her mouth mashed down on mine. I squeezed her buttocks with both hands, and I felt her body stir. I squeezed again, digging the tips of my fingers into the soft flesh of her buttocks.

Carla finally broke the kiss and raised her head. I still had my hands on her buttocks, and she reached back, smiling all the while, and took hold of my hands and gently took them away Holding my wrists, she placed my hands by my side, palms down against the bed.

Once again, I lay quiet and unmoving, looking up at her, waiting for her to go on.

Carla knelt beside me and, arching her back, raised her arms and stretched, giving me a wonderful view of her magnificent breasts rising upward with the movement of her arms. Then, with another smile, she came down again. This time she placed her cheek against mine, and I felt her soft breath on my ear.

She rested like that for a moment, and then the tip of her tongue caressed the lobe of my ear. I felt my body twitch, and sensations of warmth raced through me. Carla turned her head slightly so her mouth now hovered directly opposite my ear. I could feel her warm breath on me, and then her lips touched my ear and, a moment later, her tongue flicked in and out quickly.

I almost jumped off the bed, but Carla placed her arm across my chest and I quieted down a little. Her tongue was now busily teasing my ear, sending wave after wave of delightful heat through me. It's funny how sensitive a man's ear can be, and Carla knew how to play on that sensititvity for all it was worth.

She moved down to my throat next, kissing it, her tongue still flicking and darting over my skin. She went to my chest next, and I knew now what she had in mind. She was going to caress me with those warm lips and tongue of hers, moving lower and lower each time until she finally gave me the ultimate caress. Anticipation raced through me, but I kept myself under control. Carla knew what she was doing, and the longer it took the sweeter it would be.

Her mouth was on my chest now, covering me with quick butterfly kisses. Her tongue traced over each flat nipple, and then her teeth bit down gently, barely dimpling the skin. Once again, I had to fight to keep myself under control.

I felt her lips slide down over my ribs and then on to my stomach. She went immediately to my navel, kissing it warmly, and when her tongue flicked in and out, fire seemed to spread through me.

Carla's hands were busy now, too, while she continued to kiss my stomach. She was kneeling opposite my middle now, crouched down low, her buttocks curving tautly, her face pressed to my stomach while her silky black hair spilled forward and brushed my flesh.

She lingered at my navel for a long while, then began kissing me quickly and lightly all over the stomach, moving a little lower with each kiss. I felt her breasts resting against my side as she crouched over me, and I reached down, groping with one hand, until I touched one breast. I closed my fingers over the front of her breast and squeezed gently. Her nipple grew warm and erect in my palm, and a low moan escaped from Carla's lips-but she didn't stop kissing me.

Then, finally, she raised her head and was motionless for a moment, her face poised above my middle, breathing heavily. She was so close to me, I could feel the warmth of her breath on my middle. One hand rested lightly on my chest, the other was on my thigh, her long fingers stretched out so they rested on my thigh.

Slowly, ever so slowly, she brought her head down, her lips ready. It seemed to take forever, but it was actually only a matter of seconds until her lips finally kissed me. My hand was still on her breast, and as her lips touched me, my fingers instinctively tightened.

I squeezed her breast hard, and I felt her body tremble, but she kept right on, not stopping for a moment.

I let go of her breast and grabbed her hair with both hands. She was driving me almost crazy, and she knew it, too.

I opened my mouth and sucked in great lungfuls of air, trying to keep from groaning again, fighting to hold myself under control, feeling every muscles in my body tense with excitement. Desire mounted in me rapidly, like a rushing torrent of molten heat.

Finally, Carla released me and slowly raised her head. She smiled softly, almost to herself, and then, moving swiftly and easily, she moved over me, straddling my middle. She sat upright for a moment, still smiling, her soft buttocks plumped down against me. I reached out and put my hands on her arms, and she leaned forward slightly and started a gentle bouncing motion.

Sharp sensations shot through my body. Carla increased the bouncing motion while I continued to grip her arms tightly. She was moving faster now, her buttock? rising clear of my body, then coming down slowly, then rising again, and all this while she leaned forward, supported partly by my grip on her arms and partly by her hands braced on my chest.

The bouncing continued, and my eyes were now fastened on the delightful movement of Carla's breasts as she kept on plumping herself down against me. The pink nipples jogged up and down as her breasts heaved and bounced with the movements of her body. It was a fascinating sight, but what Carla was ooing to me was even more fascinating.

She had now added something new, a twisting motion each time her buttocks came down against my middle. She followed a steady, rhythmic pattern-first raising herself quickly while her breasts heaved upward, then coming down against my middle with the soft plumpness of her buttocks, and then twisting a couple of times. After she had done this several times, I found myself moving along with her, raising my body to meet hers as she came down on me, and then twisting along with her.

I still held my grip on her arms, partially supporting her as she straddled me, her knees on either side of my body. And she kept up the bouncing, twisting motion, not stopping for a moment. The sight of her swaying breasts and the feel of her buttocks against my middle excited me as I had never been excited before.

Finally, by a slight outward pressure of her arms, she indicated that she wanted me to release my grip. I let go of her arms, and she immediately crouched down to me, placing her cheek next to mine, pushing her breasts against my chest, raising her buttocks high in the air. She came down slowly, and I knew it was time to finish what we had started.

I shifted myself around under her as she came down; Carla adjusted her position while she lowered herself; it was accomplished with ease.

For a moment, both of us were still. Carla crouched whet He was, her warm body against me, her body moving only slightly as she breathed deeply. It was a moment of calm, of quiet, as both of us savored the warm pleasure.

Then Carla suddenly went into action.

Her buttocks heaved, and she began a pumping, twisting, churning motion that made me gasp for breath.

Her arms slipped under my shoulders, she pressed her face to mine, and her arms gripped me excitedly. I reached up and ran my hands up and down her back as she moved in that wild dance with me. Her supple skin was smooth and in continuous motion under my palms, and an intoxicating heat spread from her body to mine.

I slipped my hands down to her buttocks and held on while I matched her movements. I dug my fingers into the mounds of her buttocks, helping her lifting upward each time she raised herself, then pulling her to me as she came down.

We were in the throes of the final moments now, our bodies feverishly ramming against each other. I could hear Carla gasping and groaning in my ear, and then she cried out piercingly and her buttocks went into frantic motion as she reached the climax of her desire. I reached it at the same time myself, and for several glorious seconds we rocked together in sweet ecstasy.

Carla collapsed on me when it was over. Her legs straightened out, and she lay sprawled on top of me while both of us caught our breath. The warmth from her body seemed to spread through me, and I wanted nothing more than to stay the way we were. I was relaxed, drained of all tension, and her weight on me was hardly noticeable.

But good things can't last forever.

I sighed, kissed her, and said, "Time for me to go now, I guess."

Carla nodded, kissed me once more, then rolled off me. She got off the bed and stood looking down at me.

"You go ahead and shower first," I said.

She smiled. "All right, Phil. I won't be long."

After she had gone into the bathroom and I heard the sound of the shower, I climbed off the bed, found a cigarette, and lit it. I drew in a deep breath of smoke and let it out slowly. Then I sat down on the edge of the bed and smoked quietly while I thought of the day ahead.

It was going to be a busy day for Carla. A movie star has very little free time. She had a benefit to do at a local hospital, then a banquet, and there was an interview with a magazine writer lined up later.

I was going to be busy, too.

I had a lot of thinking to do-and a lot of planning also. I still felt full of self-confidence, but I knew, that what I had in mind wasn't going to be easy.

Jason Thorpe would have to be approached carefully. I'd have to plan as thoroughly as I could.

I couldn't afford to muff this chance.