“Economic necessity! I see! That’s what’s forced you into this life of shame.”
“I’m not ashamed at all. I want to do what I’m doing.”
“You poor child. You don’t know what you’re saying. What kind of life is it that you’re embarking upon? Have you stopped to ask yourself that? Letting yourself be pawed by all kinds of men-!”
“But I like being pawed.”
“Nonsense. Selling your body to anybody willing to pay the price—!”
“It’s the only thing I have to sell. And you’re a fine one to talk. You’re ready to buy it. Aren’t you?”
“Not any more I’m not,” Herbert told her firmly. “I’m not going to be the one to initiate your downfall. Hard up as I am, I could never live with myself if I did that.”
“Oh!” Llona pouted. “You sound just like my father. I didn’t come here to listen to you moralize. I could have stayed home and gotten a bellyful of that.”
“And that’s where you should go. Home. It’s not too late. You can still have a decent life.”
“But I don’t want a decent life!” Llona was quite vexed now. “I want an exciting life. And right now I want a man!”
“Well, it isn’t going to be me!”
“Oh, no?” Llona stretched out on the bed provocatively.
“No!”
“Are you sure?” She bent one leg at the knee and moved it back and forth tantalizingly.
“No . . .”
“You’re really determined not to go through with it, are you?” She cupped her naked breasts in her hands and looked at him invitingly.
“No . . . I mean yes . . . I mean, I’m definitely not going to deflower . . .”
“All right. I can see you’re a man of principle.” Llona rotated her hips provocatively. “But why are you way over on the other side of the room? You’re not afraid of me, are you?”
“Of course not.”
“Then come sit down here by me.” Llona patted the side of the bed alongside her plump, quivering derriere.
“All right.” Herbert perched gingerly beside her.
“I’m cold,” Llona complained.
“Cold? That’s silly. It’s a very warm night.”
“I don’t care. I’m cold.” Llona hugged her breasts so that the bright red nipples peeped enticingly out of the crook of her elbows.
“I’ll close the windows.” Herbert started to get up.
“No. Don’t do that. We need fresh air. It’s very important for health reasons.”
“Oh, sure.” Herbert settled down again.
“But I am cold.”
“I’ll get you a blanket.”
“I don’t want a blanket. Couldn’t you just put your arms around me?”
“I don’t really think I should—”
“Oh, come on. We were much more intimate than that just a few minutes ago. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. I promise. Just put your arms around me for therapeutic reasons.”
“Well, all right. For therapeutic reasons.” Herbert pulled Llona to a sitting position and put his arms around her. “There. Does that help?”
“Oh, yes.” Llona wriggled so that her naked breasts were crushed against his chest. “But couldn’t we lie down? I've been running around all night and I’m so tired.”
“I guess so.” Herbert stretched out beside her. “Is this okay?”
“That’s fine,” Llona murmured, arching her back so that her warm belly was pressed solidly against him.
“No funny business now,” Herbert cautioned. “I mean it.”
“Of course not.” She breathed the words hotly into his ear. “Don’t worry.”
“I’m not worrying. Once my mind is made up on a moral question, it’s made up.”
“I know.” Llona began to grind her body against his. “I can tell. You’re a man of iron.”
“I don’t think you should do that,” Herbert said, making no effort whatsoever to stop her.
“There’s no harm.” She took his hand and put it on her breast, pressing it tightly so that the crest nestled in the palm.
“Why did you do that?” Herbert asked.
“It’s cold.”
“It doesn’t feel cold.”
“Maybe not to you. It feels cold to me.”
“It really feels very warm to me.” Herbert tried to pull his hand away.
“But it’s not. Look.” She pulled his head down to her breast. “See?” She shoved his face up against the spreading roseate encircling the breast-tip. “Goose pimples.”
“Well, yes—-” Herbert’s words were cut off as she maneuvered his lips against the target.
“Ahhh!” Llona sighed, her hand stroking his thigh. “That feels so good. Hey! Don’t stop.”
“I have to stop for a minute,” Herbert explained. “Sinus trouble. I have difliculty breathing through my nose.”
“Then take a deep breath. I feel another chill again.”
“All right.” Herbert inhaled deeply and then closed his lips over the taut bull’s-eye again.
Llona’s hand crept inside the waistband of the pajama pants he was wearing. She caressed his belly, letting her hand drift farther and farther downward. Finally she made the hand into a fist and grasped him. “Yes, a man of iron,” she whispered.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I can’t control my physical reaction with you so close and all. But I assure you that my will power remains staunch.”
“Of course it does.” She stroked him slowly. “And don’t apologize. Believe me, you’ve got nothing to apologize for.” She kept stroking. “Do you like this?” she purred.
“Yes. Yes, I do. But remember, I’m not going to take advantage of you.”
“Of course you’re not. You’re a real gentleman. A gentleman of principle.” She took his hand and guided it down her belly. “But one good turn deserves another,” she murmured.
“Well-— Do you think I should-—-?”
“Oh, yes. I think so . . . Yes, you should . . . That’s it! Right there! . . . Oh, you’re doing fine! . . . Just fine! . . . Fine-fine-fine!” Llona writhed, her body clutching at his moving fingers.
“Well, I guess this is all right. As long as we don’t go all the way.” Herbert began to bounce as the pressure of L1ona’s fist around him grew greater.
“Of course not. We won’t go all the way,” Llona panted. "We’ll just play with each other a little. There’s no harm in that.” She wriggled her legs farther. apart and pressed down on the back of his fingers to increase the pressure.
“No harm at all,” Herbert agreed enthusiastically. “Say, these things are sort of getting in the way, aren’t they?” He looked down at his pajama pants.
“They certainly are.”
“Well, why don’t I just take them off, then? No harm in that.”
“Certainly not,” Llona agreed. “It’s very considerate of you.”
“Oh, that’s all right. They were binding me, anyway. It was getting sort of uncomfortable.” Herbert yanked off the pajama pants and tossed them carelessly across the room.
“My, you certainly are quite a man.” Llona stared down at him admiringly.
“Oh, it’s nothing,” Herbert said modestly. “But thanks anyway.”
“Oh, it’s not nothing. It’s quite something!” Llona assured
“Well, I guess all these years of celibacy—” Herbert paused embarrassedly.
“Are going to make some lucky girl awfully happy.” Llona finished the sentence for him. “Oh, look, it’s still throbbing,” she observed solicitously. “Does it bother you?”
“Well, it sort of aches a little. But it’s not unpleasant.”
“Shall I kiss it and make it better?”
“Be my guest.”
Llona suited the action to the words, and Herbert reacted violently. He felt as if he was about to go out of his skull as her lips encircled him. He grabbed her head and pushed it down until her mouth almost enveloped him.