Chapter 15

Although Eva had been confident that she could win Martin for herself she wasn't prepared for it to happen so quickly. In the back of her mind she'd envisioned a series of trysts in which she'd have gotten him so drunk with the want of her body that he could think of little else. Then would be the time he'd ask the question he just had.

At the moment he'd caught her completely off balance. "You're kidding," she said spontaneously, almost biting off her tongue after she'd spoken the words.

"I was never more serious in my life," he said. His face showed what he said to be true. Deep lines shown beneath the dark eyes.

"I don't know what to say," Eva lied. It was all she could do to keep from screaming, yes ... yes ... yes. For the first time since they'd come into the room, Eva looked around briefly. It was beautiful and luxurious. And she knew that's how life would be with Martin. She'd have everything she'd ever wanted. No longer would she be the little suburban tramp from Boyle Heights. She'd be Mrs. Eva Sellers, woman of affluence, able to snap her fingers and have people jump to her command.

Eva knew there would be more to marrying Martin than just the money. She felt his bare body beside her, the warmth tingling her skin. He could take care of her the way she deserved to be taken care of. No longer would she have to wander around and seek out strange man with long hormones and short memories. Marriage to Martin would be absolutely perfect.

But still, she played it slow. "What about your wife?"' she asked.

Martin shrugged. "I'd just as soon not talk about it."

"But we have to," Eva pressed. "This is a serious thing."

"I know that," Martin agreed. "But it isn't something new. I've been thinking of it for a long time." He swung his feet over the edge of the bed. "Suppose I order dinner. We can talk about it while we eat."

"I'd like that," Eva agreed. "I'm famished."

While Martin shaved, Eva strolled out onto the balcony of the suite. The sun was just settling into its watery bed on the horizon of the Pacific Ocean. There was a strange tranquility about the scene that moved Eva deeply.

Far below, on the spacious grounds of the hotel, a few couples rushed to finish off their game on the pitch and putt course. In the distance, at the end of a canopy stretching down to the beach, a few shadows strolled along the sand, keeping out of reach of the endless breakers.

Eva took it all in, including the chill in the night wind. It was lovely. This certainly wasn't like suburbia. It had class and wealth written across each brick and grain of sand. She'd tried years ago to imagine what it would be like to have money. But as a child her memory hadn't been that good. Then it meant only an endless supply of dolls and candy. As she grew older, wealth took on a different perspective. It was an expensive car, dining at the best places, clothes that made people look up and notice.

But life had none of that in store for her. She'd had to settle for a plaster house with an ice cube for a husband.

Eva shivered. Now all that was past. Now she could have the dolls and the candy, along with the car and clothes. She looked down at her body, now lightly covered by the blouse and skirt. Eva knew she had it to thank. She'd always thought it would get her what she eventually wanted.

Eva strolled back into the room, admiring the heavy gold drapes and the expensive looking furniture. There was a television set along the wall. Eva turned it on, killing time while waiting for Martin. When the picture came up it was in color. Eva looked at it, fascinated. Never in her life had she seen color television.

The knock at the door startled her. Martin's voice shouted from the bathroom. "That's probably dinner. Sign for it. And don't forget the name's Smith."

When she opened the door a waiter bowed slightly from the waist and wheeled in a cloth covered cart. "Where would madam like it served?"

"Over there," Eva said, pointing to the general vicinity of the couch.

The white coated figure bowed again and did as she suggested. When he was finished he handed her the check. She hesitated for a moment, then stuck her head in the bathroom. "What will I give him for a tip?" she whispered.

"Use your own judgement," Martin grinned. "Just write the amount on the check."

Eva returned to the room and tried to maintain her dignity. It was a little hard considering that the waiter's eyes kept returning to her cellophane covered breasts. She took the pencil and scrawled five dollars on the paper and handed it back. That took his eyes off her body. Grinning from ear to ear he backed towards the door, bowing every step of the way.

Eva liked that. She liked it very much. It was the first time since she could remember that someone had acted as if she were important.

Martin came out of the bathroom wearing a pair of shorts. When he reached for his pants, Eva stopped him. "Don't bother, darling. You'll only have to take them off again."

"You've got clothes on," he pouted.

"Have I?" Eva said, moving towards him. By the time she wrapped her arms about his neck she was again an Eve. She felt the dampness of his body against hers. "You're wonderful," she said softly.

"Let's eat," Martin grinned. "We'll need exercise after dinner." He added, "Put on some clothes so I can keep my mind on food."

Eva went half way, sliding into a pair of panties.

It was a dinner unlike any she'd ever had before. There were things on the table that were strange and odd tasting to her. But she liked them. "This is wonderful," she said happily, unable to conceal her excitement.

"You're the damndest woman I've ever met," Martin said. "It's almost as if you're seeing the world for the first time."

"I am," Eva admitted. "When I was a girl we lived in Boyle Heights. You know what that is."

"It's a poorer section of town," Martin agreed.

"It's the slums," Eva snapped bitterly. "We were poor and hungry. I never knew anything but poverty until I was almost twenty."

"That when you married Ralph?"

Eva nodded. "It is. I thought he was a white knight with silver armor who was taking me away from all that. It just turned out he was taking me to a different neighborhood."

"It looks all right to me."

Eva shook her head. "You don't really know," she said hotly. "The so-called suburbs are nothing but slums with window dressing. The kids are still there, so is the poverty. But everybody tries to pretend that it doesn't exist. They make believe that they like staying home very night, sweating out an existence in a box looking at some drivel on a screen." She shook her head, warming to her subject. "And then to be married to a man who's so deep in a rut that he'll never be able to climb out."

Martin leaned back in the chair and lighted a cigarette. The glow of the single lamp in the room caught the glitter in his eyes. "Don't be too sure of Ralph and his rut," Martin said slowly. "You've called him dumb. He isn't. Take my word for it, Ralph's a brilliant man. And he'll show it one of these days."

"I'll be old by that time," Eva snapped. Just the same, the words Martin spoke had an authentic ring to them, as if he knew what he was talking about. It bothered her. At the moment she didn't want to hear anything good about her husband. She'd have been much happier if Martin had agreed with her. "What about your wife?" Eva said, trying to change the subject.

A cloud passed across Martin's face. "What about her?"

"You've asked me to marry you, remember?" Eva reminded him. "Will she give you a divorce?"

"I think so," Martin agreed. "How long have you been married?"

"Why all the questions?"

Eva put her hand on his, gently stroking it. "I just want to know about the competition."

Martin chuckled and leaned forward. He gave her a kiss. When he pulled back, the cloud had vanished.

"I suppose you have that right." He was silent for a moment, watching the progress of a fly on his plate. "We've been married about ten years. There are two children, Pete and Charles, ages eight and nine years and six months."

Eva raised one eyebrow. Before she had a chance to count on her fingers, Martin broke in again. "That's right," he said slowly. "When I was going with Helen we made a slight miscalculation. I hadn't really intended to marry her." He shrugged his shoulders. "But I did. Pete almost arrived in time for the wedding."

"Do you love her?"

"No," Martin said. "I never really have. She just got to be a habit I couldn't break."

"You said before that you'd been thinking of leaving her," Eva reminded him.

"That's right," Martin agreed. "I've been thinking that way for almost ten years." He brushed Eva's cheek with his hand. "But until I met you I really couldn't see any reason to do it. Besides, I knew that in California she'd bleed me white."

Eva felt momentary panic. Suppose Helen did get all the money. Where would that leave her? Eva knew that she wouldn't bother marrying anyone for just love alone. That was silly.

But Martin's next sentence calmed her. "But business has been exceptionally good latey. We've wanted to branch out for a long time, maybe open an office in San Francisco. But as I told you before we have to depend on the bank for our stock. Last week they finally agreed to back our new inventory. That's where the million dollars worth of diamonds come in."

"But they belong to the bank," Eva said. "How does that affect your personal fortune?" Martin chucked her beneath the chin. "You let me worry about that," he grinned. "It's just with a bigger inventory we'll make more money. Anyhow, none of that matters. I don't intend to leave Helen with a dime. My money will be all ours."

Eva liked that much better. She had never been able to see why a woman who'd been a failure as a wife should get any of the money anyhow. And as far as the kids were concerned, they'd be able to get along. The wife could go to work. It would probably do her good anyhow, after all those years of easy living.

Eva leaned across the table and kissed him hard, letting her desire tell him what she wanted for dessert. "When will we be married?" she said softly. "I hear that it takes years to get a divorce."

Martin shook his head. "Not the way that I've planned it. Just trust me."

"When?" she pressed.

"Within two weeks," Martin promised.

"Oh, darling," Eva squealed. "That's wonderful." She thought of something and pouted. "But how will I see you? I can't keep coming downtown and meeting you. We'd be seen sooner or later."

Martin looked around them. "This," he said, "will be our home away from home. I've taken it for two weeks. You can stay here when you can manage."

"It's beautiful," Eva said sincerely. "And if Ralph goes to the mountains we can stay together the whole week-end."

"Whoa there," Martin cautioned. "You can, but I'll have some trouble getting away."

Eva's face fell. "But you have to. I can't live without you."

"Don't be silly," he scolded, as if talking to a small child. "I'll get away all right. Besides, it's only for two weeks ... or less."

Eva got to her feet and walked slowly through the room. "It's hard to believe," she said, wonder in her voice. "That all of this could happen so quickly."

"Hey," Martin grinned. "That's my line." He patted his lap. "Come here," he ordered.

"You have a beautiful body," Martin said. He was having a little trouble with his breathing.

Eva said softly. "Just lovely. You know what you're doing to me don't you?"

"Yes."

"Do you want me as badly as I do you?"

"Yes," he said, breathing hard. A cool breeze swept her body.

Martin looked at the slender figure sitting on his lap. "Lovely," he said huskily.

Eva kissed him again, this time feeling all restraint begin to leave. "Are you going to romance me?" she sighed.

"Yes."

"Where?"

She felt herself being twisted in his arms. "Here."

"Here?" Eva said, surprised. "That's impossible."

Sometime in the next five minutes a table loaded with dishes clattered to the floor, followed by the odd sound of wood squeaking. But when silence returned to the room and Eva relaxed, she had learned something.

A chair was a wonderful place to make love.

Martin looked down at the girl on the bed and fastened his tie. "You sure that you don't want me to take you home?"

Eva shook her head. "If you don't mind, I'll stay here tonight. It's so lovely."

"What will Ralph say?"

"He'll think I'm staying at my sister's."

"Supposing he calls her and checks?"

"He wouldn't," Eva said confidently. "And even if he did, she'd back me up."

"Just the same I think you're being foolish."

"I just don't want to leave, darling. I want to stay right here and think of us. I may not even sleep."

"You're crazy," he laughed, bending down and kissing her. "But I guess that's why I love you."

Eva jumped up from the bed. "I'll walk to the elevator with you."

"Like that?" he grinned, staring at her naked body. "You don't love me," she pouted. "I do, that's why I want to keep you all for myself."

"When will I see you?"

"I'll try and get back tomorrow after work but I can't promise. I'm having dinner with Ralph."

Eva looked at him, surprised. "You two are getting chummy," she said.

"Business darling," he smiled. "I promise I won't tell him about us."

"You'd better not."

"You'll need some clothes tomorrow if you stay here," Martin said, changing the subject abruptly. "There's a shop downstairs. Just call and they'll send some things up. Charge them to me."

Eva kissed him. "You mean to Mr. Smith?"

He let go of the door knob and pulled her tightly against him, returning the embrace. For a moment the couple clung together, swaying back and forth as their emotion charged bodies fed each other.

At length he pulled away reluctantly. "I've got to go," he said. "It's late. Let's not spoil a good thing." Before Eva could protest, he opened the door, went through the opening and closed it behind him.

Eva turned back into the room, humming softly to herself. She'd never felt so wonderful.