Chapter 15
In the back of Joe's mind was a consciousness of her, and the fresh memory of last night's bizarre series of events. There were wounds, of course, but he was surprised and pleased to see that he could lie here and honestly and easily play his mind in other directions. He really could get involved in a ball game today, he knew, and the knowledge was satisfying. Why wasn't he feeling absolutely shattered by Carla's betrayal? He sure would have expected to be.
Well, maybe it was a matter of understanding after all these years. Maybe that's why he hadn't cracked up. He felt he'd learned some important lessons these last few days-One of them being to accept people, including himself, for what they are. He now saw Carla for what she was. This was not making a value judgment, but perceiving her as a certain type of person. And to calmly perceive that she wasn't a type he wanted as his woman.
Just as she wasn't perfect, neither was she some kind of evil monster. She was neither saint nor sinner. Whatever deceits she performed came out of a rather pathetic compulsion, not an evil heart. She couldn't help herself. So be it. Everybody's got faults. As far as her abortive venture into prostitution, he had nothing morally against that profession. If there were free and willing adult buyers and sellers in that marketplace, fine. More power to them. It's their private business. He just couldn't see himself having a chick who could conceive of making her living as a madam. Nothing against madams per se, they had their function. Even one with golden hair and melting blue eyes and a luscious figure, couldn't be his woman.
Of course, she shouldn't have gotten Karen involved as she had. That was a bit of dirty pool. He hoped he'd gotten Karen straightened out finally. What a lecture he'd given her. Sweet kid. Maybe she didn't have all the smarts in the world inside her pretty head, but she was basically sweet and decent. She'd turn out okay.
Aw hell, he thought, rolling contentedly over onto his stomach, everything would turn out okay. Everything and everybody will be fine. Even thickheaded old Joe Barnes. It was just the kind of a day where you had to believe it.
Of course, while his hiatus into romantic folly had taught him some lessons, it had cost him something too. Someone very precious indeed. The sun suddenly seemed less bright as he thought of her, of the loss of her ... Annie. In his mind's eye, the large animated blue eyes shone love at him, the way they used to, and the little pug nose crinkled cutely as she smiled at him ... What a chump he'd been. That good old hindsight. If he could develop his foresight to as high a level of efficiency, he'd be worth a million dollars by next Friday. Well, it was water under the bridge now. You've made your mistake. The only thing to do is pay for it like a man. She'd never....
Wait a minute-just one little minute! He surged excitingly to a sitting position and pounded his fist into his palm. Why wouldn't she take him back? His excitement faltered a bit as he immediately thought of several reasons why not. Okay, maybe she would give him the air if he tried to get her back. Nobody could say he didn't deserve it, but he'd be a gold-plated jackass if he didn't at least give it a try. What did he have to lose? His brain whirred, buisly sorting tactical plans. Maybe if he'd get slicked up real nice, douse on some of that new after-shave, buy her a little present maybe, and come on real sweet and gentle ... Then, if she'd agreed to come out with him, he could take her to a romantic little joint he knew, where he'd never taken her before, and ... Yes, that'd be perfect. He'd do it today, right now! Hell, nothing ventured, nothing gained. On a gorgeous day like this, anything was possible. Flushed with excitement, he screwed himself to his feet, already lunging in the direction of the house before reaching his full height.
They collided and he almost bowled her over, catching her in his arms as they tottered.
"Annie!"
"Wheel Where you rushin' to?" she asked breathlessly, her blue eyes sparkling. "I didn't see fire as I came through the house"
It was a moment before he was able to speak around the lump of joy in his throat. There were hot, happy tears behind his eyeballs. He just held her arms length, devouring her liveliness, grinning idiotically. Annie seemed almost as happily fustered.
Finally, they blurted at the same time: "Annie!"
"Joe!" and toppled jubilantly into each other's arms.
The supple heft of her spread warmly against him and then through him. How could he ever have been a monumental fool as to have given this up? To have even considered risking it? Never again.
He held her away again, his heart soaring at the fresh, sparkling sight of her. "How have you been, Annie girl? God, it's good to see you. I've missed you so" He spoke rapidly, almost babbling. Then he remembered his sweaty, unkempt condition. "Gee, I'm kind of raunchy right now, kid. I was just going to go in and get all spiffed up and come and see you."
Her eyes roamed his broad chest and muscular thighs. She smiled cunningly. "Oh-h-h-, I reckon you look okay to me just like you are, dariin'." She crinkled her nose. "To tell the truth, I kind of like the way you smell too."
Such a love she was. Such a woman. He bugged her again. "Hey, Annie, want to go out? I know this little joint with candles and...."
"Oh, darlin', it's such a beautiful day. Why don't we go to the baseball game?"
Such an angel. "You know, precious, that's just what I was thinking before you came. It's such a beautiful day for the ball game. I'll go in and ... He started to step away toward the house.
She caught him by the wrist, her fingers gently caressing on his arm. "Joe, darlin'," she said sweetly, innocently. "The game doesn't start for over an hour. And, heck, the first couple of innings usually aren't so important anyway."
He turned and folded her ripeness in his arms. "Oh, Annie, did I ever tell you how wonderful you are? Did I ever tell you how much I love you?" He pressed his lips to her cheek, thrilling to the sweet warmth and fragrance of her.
"I kind of go for you too, big feller," she whispered into his ear, her arms curled lovingly about his shoulders.
"Annie, if I ever go blind again, don't give me a white cane. Just haul off and kick me right where it hurts, will you?"
"Oh I don't believe that'll be necessary, darlin'," she cooed confidently. "I've got a feelin' you're gonna behave from here on out ... I'm gonna make it my business to make you want to." She stabbed her tongue teasingly into his ear, bringing forth a warm awakening of his instincts, and causing his hands to begin searching explorations of her lush curves.
She pulled her head back to look him in the eye. "Know what I mean, huh?" she .murmured in girlish seduction. He grinned. He knew.
In a few moments, following a flurry of cooperative activity, Annie stood revealed to him in all her transcendent womanly nakedness. She stood proudly, as if knowing she had truly won her man at last, that her charms were the equal or superior of any rival's. To Joe, they were and he contemplated her with loving reverence, still swallowing at the lump of joy over regaining this lost treasure.
He took her in his arms. As they kissed, yearningly open-mouthed, she entwined her limbs silkily among his and he carried them together to the cushion of the soft grass. Her lolling breasts brushed his chest as they descended, making the hairs bristle, stroking the power of his passion into fuller flower.
She lay in the grass, her creamy whiteness contrasting deliciously with its fresh greenness, looking up at him. In her eyes he read loving surrender. To think that this was his!
He stroked the soft skin of her tummy, feeling it warm to his touch. His hand slid easily over her tummy, down around her curving hip, up along the lush smoothness of her thigh, which quivered and constricted as he roamed, finally to climb the shimmering mound of her breast. All through the tingling tour, his eyes never left hers. He saw their blue depths swirl, become cloudy, dreamy.
Her breath came quicker as he fondled the rubbery, reddish-brown nipple. When he fastened his lips moistly to it, a tremor went through her, causing her to squirm at the action of his teeth and flicking tongue." His hand went low on her and joined her a slippery, intimate caress. Instantly, her squirming became urgent writhing, as her fingers too busied themselves upon his body. High-pitched little gaspings sputtered from her throat as he performed his dexterous labors. His own hips too, he noted, were jerking and twitching in the talons of his want.
Annie grabbed him by the ears and pulled his face close to hers. They shifted together. "Now, Joe", she moaned, her eyes half lidded and glazed over.
His tongue and his hips plunged at the same time into her open, curling, enfolding expectancy. She gasped her delight at the deep contact. As his thrusting rhythms drove them harmoniously toward their loving goal, Annie whispered in a small, broken voice: "Darlin', I'll bet the Cardinals will win today too."
He grinned as he redoubled his rapturous labors Yes, the Cards would win too, on a day like this. He'd bet money on it.