按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
I grinned back and adjusted my position。 There were times when a guy could be quite unfortable。
〃So the answer should be obvious；〃 she said。 〃I enjoy my position； I enjoy my wealth； I take pleasure from my social obligations； but oh； they're so damned dull。〃 She nodded toward the window。 〃There aren't any challenges left out there。 I operate on a man's level； but they won't let me get in there and swing。 Everybody's so hellishly condescending and polite； patting my head because I did my homework and came up with the right answers。 Then when nobody's looking they try to pat my fanny and always seem to miss。 Sometimes I wish one of them would get me alone in the stockroom or something。〃
〃Attagirl； tiger；〃 I said。
〃Stop laughing。 It's serious。〃
〃Why don't you marry William？〃
〃Because he's already married。〃
〃Oh？〃
〃To corporate structure；〃 she said。 〃merce is his wife； children and mistress。 Women are nothing unless they are an adjunct to the business。 We are nurtured； tolerated and exploited according to our abilities to perform。〃
〃e on； honey； you like the guy。〃
〃He's the biggest challenge of all； but the only game you play without any possible chance of winning。〃
〃That sure pigeonholes me； doesn't it？〃 I asked her。
Renie tried her drink again； then swirled the ice around in the glass； making it clink musically。 〃Who can win with you； Mike？
〃Nobody； unless I let them；〃 I said。
〃Are you going to let me？〃
〃No。〃
〃You dirty dog。 Why not？〃
〃Right now you're having too much fun sitting here talking about it。 The experience is new and exciting。 It's like kicks； doll。 It's even better than having a guy roped to stakes in the ground and standing over him with a whip。 The only thing that bugs you is that I laid down the ground rules。〃
〃What a bastard you are。〃
〃How e everybody says that to me？〃
〃Because you are。 I can even tell what you're thinking。〃
I looked at her and waited。
She said； 〃You're getting kicks out of it； too； sitting there naked and horny； watching me suffer； knowing damn well there's going to be a next time and when that happens it's going to be something incredible。〃
〃You called me； remember？〃
〃And I'll call you again。〃 She let her teeth show in another brilliant smile。 〃I don't care if you are a bastard。 I wish you didn't know so much about women； though。 Tell me one thing； Mike。。。〃
〃What？〃
〃You could have stopped it all by having a casual drink with me and turning the conversation into more normal avenues。 Why didn't you？〃
I finished my drink； studied the empty glass a moment then put it on the floor。 〃It's been a rough few days； sugar。 I lost a friend； got shot at； clobbered； interrogated by。。。oh hell。 You were a wele relief； a lift to the old ego。 You have to get up to bat before you know if you can hit or not。〃
〃Now you're going to make me get dressed and send me home；〃 Renie said。
I felt a laugh rumble out of my chest。 〃Roger； doll。 So hate me。 You'll always wonder what it would have been like。〃
Her glass went down to the floor too and her laugh had a throaty tinkle to it。 〃I'll find out。 Cultivating you may take longer than I thought。 You may turn out to be the biggest challenge of all。〃
〃Not tonight。〃
〃I know。 But since you've been such a bastard； will you do something for me？〃
〃Maybe。〃
She pushed herself out of the chair slowly； all naked； smooth skin radiating warmth and desire； little pulse beats throbbing erotically in the lush valleys。 She reached out； took my hand and encouraged me to my feet until flesh met flesh； insinuating themselves together in a way that only flesh can。
〃Kiss me；〃 Renie said。 After the briefest pause。 〃Hard。〃
I climbed out of bed and stood in front of the window watching the thin patter of rain dribble down the dust…caked glass。 The morning crowds were at their desks inside their offices and the shoppers hadn't started out yet。 Two blocks away a fire siren howled and a hook and ladder flashed through the intersection； an emergency truck right behind it。 Damn games； I thought。 I lost a night； I started out for Woody Ballinger and almost wound up doing bedroom gymnastics。 I wiped my face with my hand； feeling the stubble of a beard under my fingers； then grinned at my reflection in the window pane。 Hell； I needed the break。 Even near…sex could be good therapy。 〃Buddy；〃 I said out loud； 〃maybe you still got it； maybe you haven't； but either way they think you have and want some of it。〃
Okay； so a guy needs an ego boost occasionally。
I switched on the television； dialed in to a news station and went to the bathroom to shave and clean up。 I was putting a new blade in the razor when I heard the announcer talk about a shooting during an attempted robbery on West Forty…sixth Street； one that was broken up by a civic…minded passerby。
Thanks； Pat； I said mentally。
While I shaved there was news about the troop movements going into critical areas of the state； sections where power stations and reservoirs were located； their training missions all highly secretive。 Results of the operations would be analyzed and announced within two weeks。
Two weeks。 That's how much time they knew they had。 Success meant announcement。 Failure meant destruction。
There would be no need for an announcement then。 Somehow I still couldn't get excited about it。 I wondered what the city would look like if the project failed。 New York without smog because the factories and incinerators had no one to operate them。 No noise except the wind and the rain until trees grew back through the pavement； then there would be leaves to rustle。 Abandoned vehicles would rot and blow away as dust； finally blending with the soil again。 Even bones would eventually depose until the remnants of the race were gone pletely； their grave markers concrete and steel tombstones hundreds of feet high； the caretakers of the cemetery only the microscopic organisms that wiped them out。 Hell； it didn't sound so bad at all if you could manage to stick around somehow and enjoy it。
A mercial interrupted the broadcast； then the announcer came back with news of a sudden major…power meeting of the United Nations。 A possible summit meeting at the White House was hinted at。 The dove factions were screaming because our unexpected military maneuvers might trigger the same thing in hostile quarters。 The hawks were applauding our gestures at preparedness。 Everything was going just right。 Eddie Dandy's bomb was demolished in the light of the blinding publicity that seared the unsuspecting eyes of the public。
And all I wanted to do was find me a pickpocket。 Plus a couple of guys who had tried to knock me off。
I finished my shower； got dressed； made a phone call； then went down to the cabstand on the corner。 Eddie Dandy met me for coffee in a basement counter joint on Fifty…third； glad to get away from the usual haunts where he was bugged about his supposed TV goof。 He was sitting there staring at himself in the polished stainless steel side of the bread box； his face drawn； hair mussed； in a suit that looked like it had been slept in。 Somehow； he seemed