“Oh God,” Tracy moaned. “What have I done?”
“You liked it,” Sonia said. “You know you did.”
Tracy looked up into the hard eyes of Sonia and she shuddered. She shuddered because she knew what Sonia said was true. She had enjoyed it. Too much.
“Oh God, Maggie,” Tracy wailed. “I’m so ashamed of myself.”
Tracy had awakened in the middle of the night to find tears streaming down her cheeks. Maggie had heard her crying and was in her room in only seconds.
Maggie had lifted her head and cradled it against her soft shoulder. She stroked her sister’s hair.
“What have you done to make yourself so ashamed?” Maggie asked.
Somehow she found the courage to tell the story of Sonia to Maggie. Maggie listened intently.
“And did you enjoy it?” Maggie asked.
“Yes,” Tracy admitted. “That’s just the point. I enjoyed it too much. Oh Maggie. I think I’m queer or something. I didn’t enjoy it with Gary but I enjoyed it with Sonia. Oh God, what am I going to do?”
“Queer,” Maggie laughed. “God, girl, what a thought to have. Haven’t you ever gotten your jollies with a man?”
Tracy shook her bead numbly.
“Then it’s time for your education to begin,” Maggie said.
“What do you mean?” Tracy asked.
“Your education about sex,” Maggie explained. “If you’re going to live in the city then you have to know about sex. There are too many pitfalls for a young girl.”
“But I thought you wanted me to have sex,” Tracy said.
“Of course I do,” Maggie said. “But darling, sex can be fun. Sometimes you have to do it for business but you should never let that interfere with your fun.”
“You mean you really enjoy doing those things with men?” Tracy asked.
“Of course I do, darling,” Maggie said. “And so will you. But first you have to learn what it’s all about. You have to know what to look for and what to look out for. I know someone who can teach you.”
“Yes,” Tracy said. “After today I think I want to learn.”
“Good,” Maggie said. “But first you have to promise me a few things.”
“Anything,” Tracy said.
“You have to promise to do anything he asks you to do,” Maggie said. “And some of those things will not be very easy for you. I know.”
“You did it too?” Tracy asked.
“Yes,” Maggie said. “This man was my first love in the city. He taught me a lot of things. But he tires of women very quickly and now we’re just good friends. He’ll love you, though, and he’ll teach you.”
“Are they bad things?” Tracy asked shyly.
“Some of his ideas are horrid,” Maggie said with a shudder. “But you have to do them.”
“All right,” Tracy agreed.
She had already forgotten that her original purpose for staying was to help Maggie. Now all she was concerned with was her fear of not being able to enjoy a relationship with a man. Maybe this man could teach her a few things.
Maggie went to make the phone call. A few minutes later she returned.
“All right,” Maggie said. “He’s coming over. His name is Joe. Put on a tight blouse without a bra and a very short skirt. The shortest you’ve got. And wear some sexy panties.”
Tracy found herself growing excited as she dressed the way Maggie had told her. What kind of man was this Joe? Maggie said he’d been her first lover.
He had to be a good-looking man to get at Maggie.
She brushed her hair until it was shining and then she went out into the living room for Maggie’s approval. Maggie gave a low whistle.
“Yes,” she said. “He’s going to like you. I think he’s going to like you very much.”
He was supposed to be there at five but he was late. Maggie said he was always late. A few minutes before six the doorbell rang and Maggie opened the door.
Tracy was disappointed at her first glimpse. He was not good-looking. He was a regular-looking man in a gray, inexpensive suit. He was not very tall or very short. He was just ordinary-looking.
“How nice to see you again, Maggie,” he said. He wasn’t really looking at Maggie. Instead he was looking over her shoulder at Tracy. Tracy felt the first shivers of alarm. The only thing that wasn’t ordinary about him was his face. The face was almost cruel.
“And you’re Tracy,” he said.
“Yes,” Tracy said weakly.
He came toward her and put his hands on her shoulders. His hands were very strong as if he were wed to doing manual labor. She noticed that there was a jagged scar just beneath his lip.
“You are nice,” be said. “I think you’ll do.”
With that sentence of approval he seemed to forget about her. He turned back to Maggie and his face broke into a broad grin. He hugged Maggie’s neck and gave her a soft pat on her ass.
“You’re ravishing,” he said. “I could eat you.”
“I wouldn’t object,” Maggie said.
“Ah, but you know how it is, Maggie,” he shrugged. “When a man gets older he needs spice to keep him going. New variety in his menu.”
“I understand,” Maggie said.
Tracy thought she detected a hint of jealousy in Maggie’s voice that was very quickly gone. Tracy realized that Maggie was wishing it was herself who was about to be taught by this man.
“Pack her bags,” Joe said. “I’m taking her with me.”
“With you?” Maggie questioned. “I didn’t think you’d do that.”
“She’s an innocent lamb,” Joe said. “A sweet, innocent lamb. She’s going to take time.”
Maggie nodded.
Maggie left the room to pack Tracy’s bags. Tracy stood in shock. She had expectcd to be trundled off into the bedroom and fucked. She had not expected to be taken anywhere. At least, not some place where she had to have her bags.
“I can’t go with you,” Tracy said. “This is stupid.”
“Stupid?” He raised one questioning eyebrow. “Nothing I do is stupid.”
“But I have a job,” she said. “I can’t just walk out on my job. I have responsibilities.”
“Don’t worry about your job,” he said. “You’ll go back to work when I’m done with you. Nobody in this city dares refuse me anything.”
His eyes were hard and she believed him. Nobody would refuse him anything. Tracy wondered how such an ordinary-looking man could come to be filled with such, a sense of power. Perhaps he had a lot of money, but she knew it wasn’t only that. He had something inside that made him strong.
Maggie returned with the bag. She gave Tracy a kiss on the cheek.
“Remember,” Maggie warned. “Anything he says. It could go bad for you if you don’t follow his directions.”
Again Tracy was aware that Maggie was jealous, but there was also something else on Maggie’s face. Almost pity. But why should Maggie be jealous and be full of pity at the same time?
He didn’t bother to take her bag so she carried it outside Maggie’s apartment. There was a black limousine waiting. She waited but he made no move to open the door.
“The first thing you learn,” he said. “Is that I am not a gentleman. I am your master.”
She opened the door and slid in. He got in beside her.
“To the apartment,” he told the driver.
“Yes, sir,” the driver said.
A couple of times in the long drive she attempted to draw Joe out in conversation. He wasn’t in a talkative mood, for he did little but stare at the passing buildings. She had expected him to start fondling her when they got into the car, but he made no move to touch her. His obvious ignoring of her physical charms was making her more nervous than if he’d raped.
They finally reached their destination. The driver parked the limousine on the curb where a sign said, “No Parking”.
“You’ll wait here,” he told her. “I’ll only be a few minutes.”
She nodded.
He got out of the car and left her alone. She became aware of the driver’s eyes staring at her. She looked down at the smooth expanse of creamy thigh that she was showing him with her legs crossed.
She uncrossed her legs and attempted to pull her skirt down a little farther. There was not much material and it didn’t cover much. She saw that he still had plenty to look at. His probing eyes were making her nervous. She also didn’t like the silly-looking grin that came to his face.