Incarnate by Ramsey Campbell Read Free Book Online Page A

driver—and it was a damn good interview.”
    “All right, Ben, you’ve thanked me.” She was wary of what “properly” might mean. “Good night now. I’m going to be driving tomorrow, remember.”
    “No need for the cold shoulder, though, is there? You’d think I was your assistant instead of the other way round.”
    He reached back to support himself against the wall, and she saw how drunk he was. “Damn it, that isn’t what I wanted to say. You make me so nervous sometimes I don’t know what I’m saying.”
    “Tell me at breakfast. Now if you’ll just—”
    “Look, this is what I wanted to say.” He sidled against the door, perhaps for balance. “You aren’t really happy, are you? Tell the truth.”
    “I’m as happy as I can be under all the circumstances.”
    “Just what I thought. You can’t work with someone as closely as I’ve worked with you without getting to know them.” He ran his fingers around the neck of his polo shirt, revealing a tangle of damp hair in the hollow of his throat. “I know you better than you know yourself.”
    “Yes, well, we won’t talk about that just now. I think we both need sleep.”
    “Still the cold shoulder?” His hands had let go of the shirt and were working in the air. “You don’t need to pretend with me. You’re lonely and unhappy and so am I. There now, I’m baring myself to you.”
    “Ben, for God’s sake go and call your wife and talk to her. I’m sorry, I can’t help you. Go and bare yourself somewhere else.”
    “She once said that. The bitch said that to me. Not twice she didn’t.” His face had turned red and ugly, and now she saw why he’d been dragging at his collar: an erection was struggling in his trousers. “You aren’t like that,” he said, and lurched at her. “Not really, or you wouldn’t have let me in.”
    He was fumbling in his trousers to give his erection room. She sidestepped as he reached her, and he sprawled over the footboard onto the bed. It took him a while to flounder round and face her, one hand still down the front of his trousers. “It’s a joke to you, is it?” he spat.
    “It’s no joke, Ben. It’s far too sad. Now please just leave.”
    “Make me.” He heaved himself to his feet. “You started this, you can finish it.”
    “That’s enough, Ben. The end.” Her legs had begun to shiver, but she gazed at him without moving. “And I shouldn’t try this with whoever you get to replace me.”
    “Threats now, is it?” He let go of the footboard and toppled backward on the bed. “Let me tell you, I could replace you just like that.”
    “You’ll have to. I’ve had an offer.”
    She had never heard anyone grind their teeth before. “Is this another of gay boy’s bright ideas?”
    “Don’t you realize how much he regrets suggesting I should work with you?” She went to the door and held it open. “Good night and good-bye.”
    She couldn’t tell how much of his anger was deliberate, but it was visibly exciting him. “Time you learned a few manners,” he snarled as his excitement jerked him to his feet and drove him toward her. “I’m not so difficult to get on with.”
    She could tell he meant to slam the door and lock them in. If he had been an anonymous rapist, she would have kicked him in the crotch, but having worked with him was irksomely inhibiting. “Don’t be stupid, Ben,” she said icily. He turned away and at first she didn’t know why he demanded, “What is it now?”
    “I thought I heard someone calling,” Roy said.
    “I don’t think it matters now. Ben was just leaving.”
    Ben turned round at last, having concealed his erection as best he could. “I’ll see you in the morning,” he said with furious gentleness.
    “Possibly.” She locked the door behind him and flopped on the bed, and found she was shaking with laughter. How could she have taken so long to make up her mind about Martin Wallace? She was almost grateful to Ben for tonight, for helping her