79 Park Avenue by Harold Robbins Read Free Book Online

questioningly. "That's the blond boy who didn't want to come with us?"
    He nodded. "He didn't even look up from the table when I told him about you."
    She was piqued. "What did you say?"
    He grinned. " 'Mama,' I said, 'buy me some of that!'"
    She punched his side playfully. "Fresh!"
    "It's a good thing Jimmy was around. Otherwise, I might never have met you," he said.
    "Yeah," she said sarcastically. "Your other friend wouldn't have been no help."
    "Mike is all right," he protested. "It's just that he's too serious. He never bothers with girls. Studies all the time. He's going to be a lawyer.'*
    "Is he as old as you?" she asked.
    He shook his head. "A year younger. But we're in the same class at school."
    Her vanity was hiut. It was a matter of pride that all boys must like her. "I bet he's not as nice as you are."
    'Thanks," he said dryly. "You're the first girl I know that thinks so. Usually when they see him, I'm a gone pigeon."
    "He must be terribly conceited," she said flatly. "I can't stand conceited fellas."
    f

    Book One. Marja !>1
    "He's really very nice," Ross said. "I don't think he even knows that they like him."
    She shivered sHghtly as the cool of twilight hit her shoulders. "I don't care about him, anyway," she said indifferently. She looked down the beach. "Where's Francie?"
    *They went up to the house about an hour ago while you were dozing," he answered. "Francie said it was getting too cold for her."
    She got to her feet and stretched. "I guess we'd better go, too. I'm beginnin' to feel it."
    He stared up at her. Idly he wondered how old she was. About seventeen, he guessed. He had never known a girl to be so much a woman at her age, though. Her clear, fair skin and high cheekbones, the wide, sensual, almost sullen mouth, the firm cast of her chin. She stretched again, holding her arms high over her head. He could see the tiny blond tufts in her armpits traiUng down to the curve of her young full breasts, which molded down to a tiny, sohd waist and then flared out into generous hips and rounded high flanks. She stood squarely on long, straight, yet feminine legs.
    She was aware of his inventory. She smiled down at him. She liked him to look at her.
    The question came involuntarily to his lips. "How old are you, Marja?"
    "Guess," she answered, still smihng.
    "Seventeen," he ventured.
    She felt proud that he thought her older. "Almost," she , said with just the right degree of hesitation.
    He put his arms around her legs and toppled her toward piim. She fell, laughing, her face very close to his. He made i fierce scowl. "Ready for a kiss, me f^ young beauty?" he
    id in his best villainous voice.

    Her eyes didn't change expression. "Always ready," she said huskily.
    He put his mouth to her lips. He was vaguely surprised to find that she was right Again her lips worked against his mouth, making a place for her tongue. This time he was going to be ready for her. She wasn't going to take him by surprise. He fought the surge of passion in him. He held her close but cautiously. He felt her fingers trailing lightly on his cheek and the flame leaped high inside him and he knew that he had lost.
    Desperately, almost angrily, he pulled his mouth from her. "I think we'd better get going," he said sullenly.
    "Okay," she said quiedy. She got to her feet and waited for him.
    Avoiding her gaze, he began to gather up the blanket. When it was folded, he slipped his arm through it and rose to his feet, holding it in front of him. He started back to the house without looking at her.
    She fell in step beside him. Her hand reached out and touched the blanket. He looked at her. She was smiling. "Hiding something, honey?" she asked.
    His face flamed scarlet. An angry retort was on his lips, but they were already at the house. Instead of speaking, he silendy held the door open for her.
    They entered the house through the beach entrance. It was the rear section of the cellar, made over into a sort of bath house. She stepped into the