“God! That’s good, Kitty!” he grunted.
“Do you want to stay the rest of the night, Bill?” she asked, knowing that if he did, he would pay her more than the going rate for an all-night trick. It’s a hell of a lot easier than eight or nine quickies!
“All right, Kitty… I might as well.
Twice more, that night, he used her. Kitty was a good fuck. She always made sure that he enjoyed her. Somehow, though, something was missing from the easy sex she provided him. Her services were as easily obtainable as a good meal. Maybe that was the trouble!
In the early, morning light of the following day, as he lay beside her, he knew that Faye, on the other hand, was completely unattainable. There was only one way he could ever have her: Marriage!
Bill looked over at the still sleeping face beside him, then his eyes ranged over the rest of her warm, naked body. Kitty had been very attractive, when she was younger, but now he saw the slight wrinkles and lines, the tinted hair, the tell-tale sag of her breasts and the middle-aged fat of her upper arms. He wondered, idly, how it was that she had become a whore. Had she ever been considered as a marriage prospect? She had been young, vibrant and idealistic, once… hadn’t she?
Suddenly, he saw her as a person, for the first time, and realized that he had been using her as an object… something on which, merely, to relieve his lust. She had been a thing to him… a fucking machine!
By slow degrees, he began to piece the puzzle together. All of the women he had seduced, the whores he had fucked had been as nothing to him… after Virginia, and lie realized that it had been his Uncle Morris… and his money that had hardened him, de-sensitized him, and in the process, he had to admit, ruefully, to himself… had dehumanized him.
Thoughts of Faye came crowding in on him. Was this woman, somehow, destined to be the catalyst for his aimless life? It could be possible her aloof, unattainability was leading him to something new. Could that something be… love? He didn’t know. Certainly, it would not be romantic love! Of that he was sure! He couldn’t bring himself to believe it existed except in stories… but it could be true love, a realistic love, of the kind that makes good marriages.
MARRIAGE?! He couldn’t seem to shake that word out of his mind. Bill Wright… married! He couldn’t imagine himself in that sort of permanent arrangement, yet his thoughts of Faye were all mixed up with that particular word. It kept cropping up… like a bad penny. I better come off it… it’s a stupid idea! I’m not cut out for all that crap that goes along with getting married!
He sat up, searched for and found his cigarettes and lighter; lighting up, he leaned back, against the headboard, smoking and thinking. His movement in the bed awakened Kitty. Her eyelids fluttered open, and she gazed up at him, sleepily.
Bill’s solemn face prompted her to ask, thinking about something… or is something bothering you, Honey…?”
“Yeah,” he answered, not being specific.
“Which…?”
“Both… I guess…”
“Well… like what, for example…?”
“Like… marriage…” he grunted.
“Who… somebody I know?” She was interested, now.
“Yeah… me!”
“You?” Kitty sat up, fast.
“Yeah… I’ve been trying to imagine me being married… isn’t that a laugh?”
“It’s about time, Bill! You’ll make some lucky girl a good husband!”
“You think so?”
“Hell, yes!” she exploded. “You ought to be settling down with some nice girl… and start raising a family… before it’s too late!”
“Why?”
Kitty looked at him, levelly, “It’s miserable being alone… believe me!” She picked up a pack of cigarettes and stuck one in her mouth. Bill lit it for her. He watched as she drew in smoke with some agitation; then, she went on, “If you’ve found the girl… grab her, right away!”
“My Uncle Morris seems to get along all right… alone,” he observed.
“… And, he’s the most miserable man I know, Bill!”
“Uncle Morris…? Impossible!”
“Believe me, he is! Don’t ask me what… but it should be pretty clear why I know… shouldn’t it?” she said.
“Yeah… you’re one of his favorites, too…” Bill agreed.
“Forget about Morris… let’s talk about getting you married!” Kitty said with dead seriousness. “The sooner the better!”
“You’re cutting off your own business, you know!”
“Hell… there’s always plenty of business! Don’t worry about little old Kitty!”
“All right… if you say so…”
Kitty’s hand, under the sheet, moved to grasp the limp shaft of his cock. She smiled up at him. “Would you like to cum… one more time?” she asked. “For old time’s sake?”
The touch of her hand, the agile fingers working, expertly, on him, brought his big cock to instant alertness, his blood pouring into it, to be trapped there. It was hard and erect, in a few moments.
“Yeah, O.K., Kitty… for old time’s sake… if you want to…” he smiled.
“I want to… Bill…” she breathed.
Her mouth followed her hand. She knew he’d like that.
Bill left a hundred dollar bill on the bureau for Kitty, dressed, left her there, in the room, still in bed, got into his car and drove home to shave and shower, before going to work. His uncle’s Continental had been parked three spaces down from his Porsche, in the parking lot of the Pacifica.
He was probably with Ginny, he decided. The old bastard must be quite a cocksman! I wonder what Kitty meant about not asking WHAT she knows about my uncle? Hell… I really don’t know very much about him, myself!
“To hell with him!” he muttered to himself, deciding not to worry about his uncle’s hang-ups! He had problems of his own… and he wasn’t sure of any answers… yet!
Chapter Four
For three days, Bill had tried to contact Faye, to no avail, telephoning her at work, at home, sending her a telegram, followed by several cards and a bouquet of long-stemmed roses. She would not speak to him on the phone; his written messages remained unanswered, and she gave her landlady the beautiful roses. Finally, on the fourth day, he walked into the stationers, just before lunch time, found her busy with a customer and waited, patiently, until she was finished.
“Faye… I have to see you… talk to you!” he blurted. “Let’s go to lunch!”
“I only have a half-hour off…” she said, coolly, not trusting herself to talk to him.
“What I have to say will take all of ten seconds!”
“Let’s get married!”
Faye blinked once at him, then stared, wide-eyed in disbelief of what she had heard; her heart skipped a beat, then began a trip-hammer pounding in her chest. It was something she had always wanted to hear, but now… now that it had been said and she was confronted with the necessity of making a decision, giving him an answer… she didn’t want it. God! She wasn’t ready! She didn’t know what to say. It had been thrust upon her too suddenly.
“I-I really wanted t-to wait.. for a while longer… b-before even thinking about g-getting married,” she said, uncertainly, “… I’m not ready… yet…”
“You told me that, already! I want to marry you, now! Will you?” He was emphatic.
Faye hesitated. “I-I can’t give you an answer… right now… I h-have to think about it…”
“Well… at least we can have lunch together! Come on, let’s go… shall we?”
Reluctantly, she went to lunch with him. After they had ordered and begun to eat, he slipped the diamond engagement ring on her finger, greasy from the cheeseburger she was eating. “Now… will you marry me?”
The ring took her by surprise. She gasped… and stared at it; finally, after long moments, she looked up at him and said, “Y-Yes… yes… Bill…! What else can I say…?”
“Say that you’ll marry me, right away… today!” he pressed.
“Oh, Bill… that’s crazy…!” Faye began.
“Then let’s be crazy! We can get in my car and go to Las Vegas… Now!”
“There’s so much to do… she protested.