David suspected this was some sort of a tribute, so perhaps he should acknowledge it. "Well… gee, thanks, Val… I'll surely try to… uh… justify your faith in me I… "
"But we do insist that all our boys be clean, well-bred, and, of course, married, which is what makes them so frantic to do everything that's denied them at home. For the most part, they're all sweet-faced commuter-hubbies just like you, darling; that's what we specialize in. And listen, hon, you'd be surprised how many of these pure-lookin' young daddies lose their prep-school cherries and get versatile overnight, once the right price is quoted."
For one frightening second it seemed to David that he had simply switched puppet-masters, from Montclair to Valerie. Then he remembered the peculiarly enthralling nature of his new career, and the festering excitement began to whip up inside of him once more. "Okay, Val, when do I start?"
"It'll be a few days before I can get your name and dimensions in the new ad," she said. "Let me think… we'll have to dig up a new name for you. What was that phony last name you were using… Thorndike? Hmmm… We certainly can't use 'Dike,' but how about 'Dickie?' "
"Sounds a little cutesy, doesn't it?"
"Not if we spice it up a little. How about: 'Powerhouse Dickie-All Meat and a Yard Long'!"
"OhmyGod, that gives me the chills!" It also gave him the stirrings of a new erection. "It sounds so damned daring! You sure it's all right?"
"Oh baby, anything goes these days. But just think how wild it'll be, you and me working a split-shift. You'll swing here by day, and I'll take on my usual crowd at night."
David thought about this. "Gosh, that means I can go home to Linda and the kids every night, just like always…"
"Of course you can, David! And she needn't even suspect what you've been up to, although she'll probably think you got a raise once all that extra cash comes flowing in… "
— At least I can keep her in the dark for ninety days, thought David, recalling Montclair's promise. But after that, pow! Her daddy will tell her everything. But he decided not to think about that now, because for three months he'd be living the most incredibly split double-life. And surely by the end of the day he'd be more than content to flop on the couch and watch stupefying television. Nor would he demand more than Linda's ritual Sunday evening conviviality, under this new regime.
And yet, there'd be a big and vital decision awaiting him at the end of those three months. There could be no compromises either, because by that time he'd have to know once and for all which way he preferred to spend the rest of his life: as a rising young insurance executive or a flaming male whore. Man, what a fork in the road that would be!
Two days later, after numerous undress-rehearsals with Valerie, David received his first assignment.
"Seventy-five bucks an hour!" squealed Valerie. "Oh honey, you're in luck!"
"Why seventy-five?" he wanted to know.
"Twenty-five a piece."
"Oh? Three pieces, huh?"
"Yes, David. A man and his wife, and his wife's brother."
David sighed a little shakily. "What does she look like?"
"Now stop that, you bad boy! You're not supposed to care what any of them look like, as long as you look good to them."
"But what kind of… I mean, what do they like? How do they want me to… "
"They want a guy who's handsome and young and prettily hung. Period!"
"Who said 'prettily hung,' the woman?"
"No, dear, it was a man who put through the call."
"Oh. Well, I shouldn't have any trouble meeting those qualifications…"
"No… but there was one other thing they stipulated."
"What's that?"
"You've got to be versatile."
He looked at her, then grinned. "Oh hell, you can vouch for that, can't you, baby?"
"Yes, but darling, in this business the word 'versatile' means a little more."
"Like what?"
"You've got to be willing to do anything and everything they ask…"
"Like what?" he said again.
"Don't ask," she said. "Just tell me you're willing. Are you, David?"
David's throat went dry and he swallowed. "Sure. I'm willing."
"Ahh… that's a good brownie!" she gave him a moist, delicious kiss. "I just know you'll come through with flying colors. Now hurry and shower. They'll be here within the hour."
Under the needle-spray David felt the mingled exhilaration of fear and excitement, telling himself how kicky and freaky and just plain mad it would be to start living the life of an Ancient Roman right here in San Francisco. And wow, if his prissy little Linda could see him now, she'd flip right off her pedestal!
While he was carefully drying his potentials later, Valerie slipped in the bathroom and handed him a cocktail, into which she had emptied a capsule of the new THC-drug. This contained the most potent ingredient found in marijuana, and quite often produced prolonged states of voracity in the normally ardent male. Since Valerie stood to make so much more than David this afternoon, she'd see to it that this baby did everything, all right-and beg for more!
Then, with no time to spare, she scurried into her kitchen and brought out a can of Windex-spray. Then scampered back to the living-room, where she un-draped the huge mirrored panel that backed up the mirrored-wall in her bedroom. She sprayed and polished until it sparkled. When she was sure that David was busily applied with his clients, she would go to the door of her secret office and admit the eight voyeur-guests she'd invited to witness the new boy's debut-performance. She had lured these clients to her apartment by sending them enlargements of the nude snapshots she'd taken of David. It was, of course, a one-way mirror; custom-built and quite costly to install, but boasted a full view of the bed and most of its surrounding area.
She would charge her quests fifty dollars a head for this heady pleasure. That, together with a third of what David earned, would add up to a real bonanza for the devoted little procuress. Thinking about it got her so happy, she hummed a little tune as she sprayed her fabulous peep-hole.
SEVENTEEN
Linda Fortune was fit to be tied. Something was happening to her that was too cruel and horrible to be believed. What on earth had she done to deserve this monstrous calamity? She'd fully expected to pay for her sins, of course, but later, for God's sake, not now while she was still so busy committing them. And, actually, what great moral crimes had she perpetrated? As yet, she had hurt no one. David seemed to be overdoing it at the office these days, which was a blessing, for it kept him much too tired and listless to be suspicious. And anyway, what she had done was really quite harmless, compared to some of the garish sex-headlines in most of today's newspapers. Should she be punished for a little experimental dalliance with several healthy, helpful partners? She'd made new and exciting friends so much faster than she'd ever been able to do via the old country-club route. Nor was she beset by any paranoid fears that these new acquaintances might not like her, for they welcomed her with open arms; without even waiting to be introduced, in some cases.
To add to her emancipation, she had discovered latent wells of sensual response within her which she'd never dreamed existed. One of the men-Darlene's huge, Nordic husband-had called her 'a hot and lovely animal.' And instead of feeling offended, she saw this remark as an exciting revelation: she was so much more than she thought she was; and, alas, so very much more than David required in a wife.