On the Run by John D. MacDonald Read Free Book Online Page B

demanding her response, wearing a cold inward grin as he felt the tremorous ripeness growing to meet him, then fading as she forced it back.
    This was the humiliation for her, to be forced into a loveless response, to feel the hidden animal awakening, to be turned against herself by all the circumstances ofher long hunger, a strange place, drinks, all the emotion and tension of the past hours. Her breath began to whistle with each inhalation, and she began to fight him again, but he knew she had come to that decision a little late. She fought him languidly, like a battle conducted in a dream, her arms soft and listless, her head heavy. He kissed her throat and caressed the good hips and found her lips again. Her mouth broke and searched, and she made a groaning articulation, and arched herself steeply against the wall to press into him. He knew it was won then, unmistakably. There would be other protestings, but he could take it the rest of the way. He could strip her where she stood and carry her to the bed. She knew it too. This was a considerable woman, who could be deeply aroused, and all her responses would be strong.
    He released her and backed away and lit two cigarettes. She leaned against the wall, breathing hard, dark hair tousled, mouth smeared, lips swollen. He held a cigarette out to her. She slapped it out of his hand in a small shower of sparks. She walked unsteadily to one of the chairs and sat hunched and humbled, her face against her knees. She rocked her head from side to side.
    Finally she looked at him and said quietly, “You son of a bitch.”
    “We shouldn’t get so carried away.”
    “What does it prove? Why did you have to prove it? My God, you didn’t want to leave me very much, did you? You can believe what you want, but nobody ever did that to me before, not like that. Not so cold about it. As if I was watching myself in a sort of horror and not believing it. Do you have to hate everybody?”
    “I thought we ought to get something established, Nurse. You’re not dealing with a very nice type. You seem to want to think so.”
    Her face was cold and still. “Why did you quit?”
    “Why not?”
    “Do you know what you would have gotten?”
    “I have the general idea.”
    She touched her chest with her fist. “About ten percent of me. Just the animal. You probably could have gotten a real big reaction out of the animal, but when that was over, I would have vomited. God
damn
, it, Sidney, I’mworth a lot more than that. I’m worth more than being used like a towel. I’ve got value. I’m worth cherishing. I’ve got value you could never understand. If you could ever get the whole package, not just that squirmy ten percent, you’d know what I mean.”
    “It would probably be a lot. Sure. But how about the price tag, Nurse? All the vows, all the pretty words, all the tendernesses it would take to sell you. I just haven’t got the time. Or the inclination.”
    “I know. You’re too busy running. You probably take after your father, Sidney. I can understand a little better why Tom didn’t want his only child going off with a man like that. Maybe George will turn out to be the better bargain.”
    “You’re very angry, dear. Because I didn’t give you a shred of rationalization. I didn’t leave you with an excuse.”
    “Why haven’t you asked about George?”
    “Because I don’t give a damn about George.”
    “Or about anybody except yourself.”
    “How can you say that, Nurse, when I’m going all the way up there to see that fine brave intelligent old man? If you don’t talk me out of it.”
    She started to say something in anger and then caught herself. “I keep forgetting I’m just a messenger. Sorry.” She got up and picked her purse up.
    “Shall I walk you back?”
    “Don’t bother. Thank you for a miserable evening, Sid.”
    As he took the chain off the door, he said, “You can fly back. I’ll show up. Not as soon as Monday, but I’ll show.”
    She looked at him