The Best of Everything by Rona Jaffe Read Free Book Online Page A

editor. You know so much about people."
    "I know about people because I ask. I question. I'm insatiably curious about people," he said. How do you think I know what every woman in America wants to read? Because I talk to women, find out what their secret dreams are, what they fear."
    She felt reassured. The waitress came with the steaks then, and April discovered she was very hungry. She began to devour hers and was halfway through before she discovered that Mr. Shalimar had not taken a bite of his.
    "My goodness," she said, feehng rather concerned about his welfare. "Don't let that go to waste."
    He took a small piece of his steak and pushed the rest around the plate with his fork, looking bemused. She supposed he was used to much fancier cooking than this; as for herself, she thought the steak was marvelous.
    "You may have mine too," he said.
    "Oh, I couldn't."
    "Go ahead." He placed his steak carefully on her plate and she smiled at him, feeling self-conscious and childlike and well cherished. "My father used to do that," she said.
    "I imagine you were his favorite."
    "No, it's not that. It's just that my sisters were a lot older than me, and they were sort of settled in their own lives when I was only in high school. So I guess my father had more time to give to me. And also, I think parents get mellower with their youngest children."
    "Mmm-hmm," he said. "I imagine your father was very protective with you about boys."
    "Well, I didn't confide in him, if that's what you mean."
    He raised an eyebrow. "Ah? You had secrets?"
    "Not really."
    "Tell me, what kinds of things do the young boys do when they make love?"

    "You want me to tell you?"
    "Of course."
    She could feel her face getting hot. It wasn't that she had any interesting confessions or that she felt guilty, it was simply that one didn't discuss these things with an older man, especially an employer. It wasn't as if he were her family doctor or something, although even her famOy doctor never talked to her about making love. "Oh, you know," she said vaguely, hoping her answer would satisfy him. "They do the same old things."
    "Sounds rather boring," he said with a touch of amusement in his voice.
    "Oh, it is!" she said, grateful to see the discussion coming to a close. "It's very boring."
    He covered her hand with his for an instant and gave it a fatherly pat. "Waitress! Check, please."
    There was only one elevator on night duty, and as they waited for it to come to take them back upstairs neither of them spoke. She was glad the steaks had sobered her; now she would be able to take good shorthand and not make mistakes. It was almost impossible to decipher what you'd written the day before if you were sloppy. They could probably finish the report in another hour, she was thinking, and she tiailed him into his office glancing at the wall clock in the bullpen on the way. It seemed funny to see tlie office clock read ten o'clock and know it was ten o'clock at night instead of in the morning.
    He had left the desk lamp on and the office was soft with shadows. What a nice living room it would be, if the desk were not there. Through the half-open slats of tlie Venetian blinds she could see the great, mysterious evening city. New York . . . City of excitement, of promise, gathering place of all the unknown, vibrant people she hoped someday to meet, who were at this very moment spending planned and unplanned evenings in ways that seemed so much a part of that sophisticated, gay unknown out there and so remote from everything she was used to. She leaned against the desk, moved and speechless, looking out at mecca.
    "What are you thinking?" Mr. Shalimar asked, behind her.
    "I can't say," she breathed. "I wouldn't know how to say it."
    He came up to her so quickly she had more a sense of movement than any warning, and took her into his arms. His arms were like

    straps around her, so that she could hardlv breathe, and his mouth covered hers, hot and violent and authoritative. As