Chapter 9

Gwen didn't feel much like going to a party that night. Pete stayed sullenly angry at her. She was furious with him for encouraging Karen's attentions.

But they had told Isobel and Don Hoover they would be there. Gwen decided it would be easier to go than risk another fight with Pete.

Gwen bathed, and dressed in a blue sheath dress. Pete made no comment on how good she looked. His dark eyebrows seemed to be drawn in a permanent scowl. In silence he drove them to the Hoover's house.

The house was much like theirs, five blocks away in the same plat. Isobel greeted them at the door.

"Come in, darlings. It's going to be a fun night," she cried. "I can feel it in my bones. We're going to have a great time!" She looked significantly at Gwen.

Gwen smiled weakly. She felt cross, depressed, apprehensive. She wanted to turn around and run home but not without Pete. And Pete had already gone in and was speaking to Karen.

Isobel tucked her hand in Gwen's arm. "Relax," she whispered. "You'll love it, once the ice is broken. Don is just crazy to have you. Have a drink and enjoy yourself."

Gwen accepted the drink. By the time she had swallowed it, Don was at her side, gazing at her eagerly. He was very attractive, she admitted, with his blonde hair and blue eyes and charming ways.

She looked around for Pete, but he was dancing with Karen. The red-head was fastened tightly to Pete's shoulder, the slinky silver sheath seemed molded to his lean form.

Gwen abandoned herself to Don's arms. They danced till the music stopped. He held her tightly, and muttered wild things in her ears.

"You've got me crazy for you," Don whispered. "I'm going out of my mind. You're so cute, you're so sweet. Don't get me all worked up tonight, then walk out! I swear I'll come right after you and take you on the street."

"What would the neighbors say?" asked Gwen, with false calm.

He laughed, and hugged her tighter. "They'll be jealous," he said. "You're so pretty, they'll be mad with jealousy."

Isobel stopped the dancing so they could play games. First they played the old game of Spin the Bottle, and Gwen was thoroughly kissed as the bottle stopped in front of her time and again.

Someone suggested post office. They started playing, but with a new twist. When a fellow called a girl, they disappeared into a bedroom and didn't return for a long time. The game went on without them.

Gwen soon realized what was happening. When her name was called by Arthur, she answered sweetly, "Oh, I'm not playing just now. You go on without me while I get a drink!"

The girls laughed. The men protested. Pete gave Gwen a long puzzled look. She ignored them all and went over to the bar. Floyd handed her another daiquiri.

"That's the one you want, isn't it?" he asked.

"Yes, thanks, Floyd." She sat down near the bar to drink, and to observe the game as it got wilder. The bedrooms were soon full. Don took Elhe into the hallway to kiss her. Gwen could see their embrace. It was just short of complete.

In spite of her doubts and fears, Gwen was beginning to be stirred by the sights and sounds of the excited couples. Larry came back with Nola, both looking mussed, and Larry claimed Isobel to dance with.

Changing of partners was frequent. Gwen saw

Pete with Karen, then with Barbara. Barbara danced with Pete in a close embrace, then Gwen saw them move toward the door. They disappeared, and soon a bedroom door upstairs closed with a bang.

Gwen had another drink. Presently she didn't hurt so much inside. She felt carefree and defiant. Pete was having a good time, enjoying himself. Well, so would she.

Don came over to her. "How about this dance, honey?" he asked.

She staggered getting up. He caught her in his arms.

"Oooh, I'm dizzy," she complained. She laughed, in a shrill high tone.

Don laughed, too. His blonde face was knowing. He drew her closer and danced slowly around the room with her.

"Are you getting warm, little bunny?" he whispered. "Are you getting a little bit hot, bunny-rabbit?" He patted her smooth rounded buttocks, then let his big hand rest on her thigh.

She did feel hot, rather feverishly hot. Her feet moved automatically. She was in a dream or a nightmare. All the figures in the rooms were blurs of movement and sound. She heard the rustle of silk, giggles, masculine murmurs, the sound of a closing door.

"Honey," whispered Don, his lips brushing her cheek. "Honey, I'm so wild for you-"

His hips ground against hers. And she wanted him. It was as simple as that. She felt heat, desire, passion. He could satisfy her.

She let her left arm close around his neck. Her right hand squeezed his.

"Do you think you can find an empty bedroom?" she asked, and giggled, because she was lost and frightened and empty inside.

"Let's go!" Don drew her to the door and into the hallway. In passing, she saw Larry's dark amused face, the gleam in his eyes.

Don drew her up the stairs, past a closed door, along the upstairs hallway to the back of the house. They went into a bedroom, and Don kicked the door shut.

He was panting and laughing. "I've been waiting for you oh, baby I'm about crazy-" He lifted the hem of her dress and tried to pull it off.

"The zipper," she reminded him. His unsteady fingers unzipped the fastener down her back. The dress fell from her shoulders. His big hands pushed it further down, till the blue dress lay in a heap at her feet. Then he pulled down the white half-slip.

Now she wore only a brief brassiere and a panty-girdle. Don's breath was hot on her neck as he unfastened the brassiere. It fell away from her pear-shaped breasts. He cupped a mound in each hand and squeezed hard. She drew a deep trembling breath as he pressed himself against her from behind.

His lips moved on the flesh of her neck and shoulders. He was muttering something. She held herself stiffly, fighting the inclination to return the pressure of his body. The last remnants of her reluctance were being ripped away.

His hands went to the elastic band of the panty-girdle. He drew down the garment, unfastened the garters, pulled off the pants and stockings as his hands went down over her long slim legs. Then he knelt at her naked back. His lips pressed passionately to the curve of her buttocks.

She was shaking. He drew her over to the bed and pushed her gently down. His blonde face gleamed in the dim light of the one lighted lamp.

"Just a minute, baby," he said hoarsely. "Just one minute."

He ripped off his own clothes, and it did take just one minute, or a little less. Then he joined her on the wide bed.

She knew a moment of fear as the blonde man knelt between her parted legs. This was not Pete. This was not her man, her husband. This was a stranger. He had no right to do this!

She struggled briefly when the tip penetrated. But Don's arms were tight around her. His lips were pressed to her breast. His hot body held her firmly in place and his hips were fluidly in motion before she had her forces marshaled for resistance.

He stabbed in deeply. She gasped, and her struggles ceased. A long thrusting motion completed her conquest, and Don was in possession.

He held her there, high, for a long time. Their bodies writhed slowly on the bed, only enough to increase their pleasure in the sensuous, sinuous sliding of flesh on flesh. Gwen had never felt such and embrace. Pete always moved so vigorously, so quickly. Don was slow, thoroughly at home in her body, making the embrace last for what seemed an age of delight.

His lips bit in a series of caresses across her shoulders and breasts. His fingers played on her back, up and down her spine, making her shiver in convulsive pleasure. His hips began a gentle shaking movement that was pleasing at first, then wonderful, then so blazingly ecstatic she could scarcely endure it.

She could feel the tension building up. She was going up, and up, and up high. She moaned, and Don pressed his lips to her throat.

"Okay, sweetie. Let's hit the top," he said. He drew back, then thrust forward, back and forth, again and again in long powerful movements. She cried out, and gripped him hard with her fingers in clawing abandon. Her legs shot up high in the air, her feet twisting and wriggling with the delight. Don was finishing in her. The hot liquid of masculine completion was a flood tide. She moaned with final ecstasy and fell back.

Then she opened her eyes, because she sensed someone else was there. Over Don's blonde head, resting on her breast, she saw the dark gleaming face of Larry Crawford. He was gazing at her, and she sensed at once that he had been there in time to see the end.

A hot flush blazed through her, the blood racing through her body. She tried to raise up, but Don's limp body pinned her down.

Larry waited. Don moved, sat up, rubbing his face, yawning.

"I'm next. Scram," said Larry to Don, pleasantly.'

"Right-o." Don yawned again widely. "She's great. Just great." He patted Gwen's hip affectionately, and got up off the bed. He gathered up his clothes and went out the door, closing it after him.

Gwen stared up at Larry, wide-eyed, unable to move, like a rabbit hypnotized by a snake. He smiled, his dark eyes amused.

"I won't hurt you," he said gently. He began to undress. She could have gotten up and run away but she didn't. She seemed paralyzed.

He was soon undressed. She gazed at the lean tanned body, somewhat like Pete's. But Larry was thinner and taller, and the hair on his chest was brown, not black.

Larry got on the bed, and sat with legs crossed. She was surprised, gazing at him, to see he was not ready for an embrace. He put one hand on her breast, and gently traced circles with his palm over the swollen mound until the tip peaked in automatic response. Then his hand moved to her rounded belly, and caressed there. He poked a finger in her navel curiously. He seemed intent on studying her body, as his fingers probed and searched.

"You're probably tired of the usual," he said.

Gwen didn't understand what he meant. While she puzzled over the words, pondering them, he came up closer to her. He turned her over onto her stomach before she realized what he was doing. With a hard pressure of his hands on her waist, he held her down when she tried to flop over once more.

"What what are you doing--? " she stammered, frightened.

"Hold still. You'll enjoy this," he said with assurance.

She was curious in spite of her fear. She held still. His lips brushed lightly from her waist downward. He kissed over her buttocks and down further. His fingers probed boldly and she winced. She felt nibbling at her tender flesh, and knew he was kissing her intimately.

Then other things began to happen. She protested feebly. He paid no attention. He was leaning over her at her back, holding her down. His hard muscular instrument penetrated. The strange position made her even more aware of him. He cupped her breasts and squeezed them hard. She wiggled and squirmed to get away. He followed her remorselessly till she was halted at the headboard. Then he held her firmly and made her accept him.

Head down, she endured this. The image in her mind was that of the black stallion and his mare. This was the animal way, she was thinking. This was the animal-

Then Larry drew away. He sat up, and made her sit up. She was weak and pliant, shivering, obedient to his hands and voice.

Larry sat with his back to the headboard, his legs out in front of him. He directed her to squat facing him, sitting on his thighs. Then he deftly joined their bodies once more. Hs hardness slid easily into her moist readiness. She shuddered, and fell forward to his chest. As he slid higher, she opened her mouth to moan. Her teeth caught at his flesh, and she bit his chest.

"Hey hey!" He was laughing. He put his hand on her head and rolled her head sideways to stop her biting. "I'll give you what you want! You don't have to bite!"

She was ashamed, but she couldn't stop herself. Her hands clawed frantically at his shoulders. She bounced up, and he pushed her down firmly. The pleasurable agony increased, the feverish desire was hotter and hotter-

Then he pulled out again, leaving her uncompleted. She protested.

"Larry, I'm not finished!" she panted. "Larry-" She grabbed at him. Her wet hips slid eagerly on his.

"Wait, baby. Wait! I've got a sweet surprise for you."

He slid down on the bed. Then he pulled and twisted her around. Shocked, she found she was upside-down on him.

"Now, honey, now-" he urged. Their bodies writhed and twisted. She obeyed his orders blindly, driven by a furious need for completion. They worked at each other in strange ways, hands and lips and thighs and legs working, until she cried out and shot up to the top.

A fury of blind desire on a bed, legs and arms confused, bodies writhing, springs creaking, voices blending in an animal murmur these memories blended in Gwen's dazed mind as she and Larry found peculiar ecstasy together.

She blanked out.

When she came to, she was lying with her head on the pillow. Larry was bending over her, his dark face anxious.

"Are you okay, baby?" he asked. "Okay, sweet?"

"Yes yes," she muttered. She did not want to think about what she had just done. She started to sit up.

He pushed her back gently. "Lie still. We don't have to go back. I've locked the door," he added with a grin.

She told herself she was staying because Larry was Pete's boss, and she didn't want to offend Pete's boss, and besides Pete liked this gang. Deep inside, she knew this was not the only reason.

She wanted to stay. She wanted to learn more exciting, strange, terrifying, marvelous secrets about sex from this sophisticated man. He knew so much. She knew so little. He could give her a complete education in everything that went on between a man and a woman.

Larry leaned closer. His hand plucked at her breast and a nipple twisted in his fingers. "You want to stay with me, don't you, kitten?" he murmured.

"Yes," she answered honestly.

He did not smile. Passion burned in his dark eyes as he bent down and kissed her throat with open lips. As though her confession had released any inhibitions he might have had, he kissed her savagely, his teeth biting the flesh of her shoulders and then her breasts. Finally his teeth fastened on a nipple. He caught it tight and pulled strongly.

To her own amazement, desire began once again to rise in her as he kissed her and his hands moved over her. He knew just where to touch her, just how to kiss her, just what to do with his hard body and deft fingers so she soon wanted him again.

Gwen blotted out any doubts, and abandoned herself to the skilled, sophisticated love-making of the man with her.