Chapter 14
"Well, here it is I'm afraid," June handed him the telegram unopened.
Taking it, he tore the envelope open and read the message, nodding his head gloomily. "Arriving around ten-thirty. Put a magnum of champagne on ice. See you-Clem."
"Oh, darling," she moved into his arms, resting her head on his shoulder. "So this is it." She looked at her watch. "They'll be here in two hours. Let's go up and have a cuddle on the bed, eh?"
They lay naked in each other's arms, strangely, neither of them showing any inclination to fuck. Instead, they talked.
"Even if Clem were prepared to let me go, we mustn't forget Connie-I know she's very fond of you and I also know you well enough to be sure you wouldn't ditch her."
"I don't know what I'd do right now. Let's talk about something else."
All too soon, the two hours were nearly up and June rushed downstairs to cool a bottle of champagne as quickly as possible.
Watching from one of the windows, they saw the car pull up in the drive and Clem emerge-on his own! June and John looked blankly at each other for a moment then went to meet Clem.
After the usual greetings, Clem stood looking a little uncomfortable for a moment, then brightened somewhat.
"Where's the champagne?"
June fetched it with glasses; Clem popped the cork and poured. As they raised their glasses June looked at Clem: "Are we supposed to be drinking to something? And by the way-where's Connie?"
"Well, that's what I was coming to-I thought a drink first might help."
"Nothing's happened to her, has there?"
"Oh, no-She's fine. Er-she's still in Paris."
"Oh?" June stared at her husband, waiting for him to go on.
Clem shrugged his shoulders, fiddled in his pocket and brought out cigarettes, offering them round, lit them and then sat down, deep in thought and obviously playing for time.
"Oh, come on, Clem, for goodness' sake-what's on your mind? We're going mad with suspense!"
"I suppose it's best to come right to the point: June, for a long time now, you must have realized that, sexually, we don't match. Right?"
"Maybe I'd better go and see to the horses," muttered John, backing off.
Clem chuckled. "You watch too many Westerns! No, John, don't go-this concerns you, as well."
Then June and John sat listening in silence and growing amazement as Clem talked. The listeners could hardly believe the words they were hearing, they had so often thought them in their own minds. As Clem continued, John moved closer and closer to June, his arm around her shoulder, pulling her tightly against him.
"I found something I thought I'd never have, with Connie, "Clem was saying. "In fact, something I didn't even know I wanted. But she tends to all my needs, even before I know I need them, and she keeps me with a hard-on all the time." He chuckled at that, as if from some secret joke.
"I always tried to please you, darling, "June said.
"Of course, of course, "Clem said. "But I've changed, June. Changed so much that I can never go back to the selfish existence we had together. No, I know now that only Connie, with her depraved tastes, can keep me content."
"But what about me?" John asked, his hand now under June's arm and cupping around her breast.
"What about you?" Clem repsated. "I don't understand. There is money enough for all of us, the four of us, to last us well beyond the end of our lives. I do propose that we share it equally, I would have thought that was obvious."
"The four of us?" June's heart was beating rapidly with happiness.
"Yes, my dear," Clem said. "Connie is preparing some especially nice torture for me at the moment, and I must hurry back to her. But I had to come and make sure that there is no misunderstanding. Connie belongs to me, and I to her, forever ... "
"And June is for me ... " John said.
"John!" June threw herself into his arms, crushing her lips against his in their first real kiss. They hardly heard Clem chuckle to himself and walk out.
Finally June pulled free of John's arms and let her hand trail delicately over his trousers where his hard flesh strove insistently for freedom. Then she noticed that Clem had left, leaving the door wide open.
"He was in a hurry," she said, rising from the couch and walking forward slightly.
John stood up with her, his pants bulging wickedly, and started walking close behind her, humming an old song from the Fred Astair-Ginger Rogers days. What was it now? "Must you dance quite so close, with your lips touching his face?" His arm went round June's shoulders as she closed the door. He sang the first few bars softly again.
"Then it goes 'dah-dah-dee-da-dah-da-dah-da-dee' I know the last bit goes: 'And dance with me,' but what's the bit before that?"
She laughed, pressing herself against him.
"Won't you change partners!"