Spider Legs (15 page)

He lifted the glass and drank, hoping that he had read the situation correctly.

Natalie stood and collected the platters. “I'll return these to the proprietor.”

“I can do that.”

“The landlady thinks we're on the verge of married. If we were, I'd be doing this sort of thing. Let's not disabuse her.”

“I really don't believe in relegating women to the kitchen,” he said. “I don't care what the landlady thinks.”

She smiled. “Peace. You can take the breakfast dishes back.” She left the room.

Out of sorts, Nathan turned on the TV again. The evening programs were starting. He seldom watched them, normally having better things to do with his time, but didn't care for the awkward silence that might otherwise come.

Natalie returned. She glanced at the TV. “I don't think there's anything worthwhile at this hour.”

“I wouldn't know,” he said. “I haven't watched much TV in years. I can turn it off.”

“No, let it be. It will make us resemble normal idiots. I'll go fetch the clothing; it should be dry by now.”

“I can do that.”

She shook her head. “Try to act like a normal man, Nathan, painful as that may be.” She flashed a smile, making sure he didn't misunderstand.

He returned the smile. “One who would rather watch a rerun of a brain dead comedy than read a new text on invertebrate paleontology.”

“Exactly.” She disappeared.

Soon she returned with an armful of clothing. “All dry, except for your pants in the crotch.”

“That figures.” He accepted his pants, finding just a trace of dampness in the pockets as well.

She looked at the bed. “You can have that. I'll make a place on the floor.”

“No, the bed is yours. I never meant to deprive you of comfort for the night.”

“No, all I'll need is a pillow and a blanket. I've roughed it outside; this will be no problem at all.”

“Natalie, I couldn't let you do it. The idea of you being relegated to the floor—”

“Because I'm a delicate violet?” she asked sharply.

“I didn't say that.” But something of the kind had been in his mind. He had never questioned her right as a woman to have the softest place to sleep.

“I'm a
police
woman. I’ve got a Llama automatic pistol. I'm not going to faint at the sight of a mouse. Give me the extra blanket on the bed.” She went to the bed and took hold of the blanket folded at its foot.

He intercepted her, catching the other end of the blanket. “No, I can't allow this!”

“Since when is it your prerogative to allow me anything? Is this sexism in action?” She pulled on her end, making it a small tug-of-war. In the process her robe fell open, and not to any token degree this time.

“No! It's just that—” He paused, bemused by the distraction of her shadowed breasts. “Well, maybe it is. I do see you as a woman, a most appealing one, and it's just not in me to dump you on the floor while I take the best place to sleep. Call it sexist if you will; I confess to it. Please, Natalie—”

She let go of the blanket. “Oh, God, I think we're having a lovers’ quarrel.”

“And we're not even lovers,” he agreed ruefully, trying not to look where he shouldn't.

She paused, cocking her head as if making a decision. “Well . . .”

He stared at her. “I meant that as a joke.”

“I know you did.
I
didn't.” Now she seemed to become aware of the state of her bathrobe, but didn't touch it.

“What are you saying?” he asked, knowing very well what it was, but afraid to believe it.

“Nathan, I do know what it's all about. I was married, remember. I had a good deal of experience. Bad experience, mostly, but nevertheless enough to dispel a number of illusions.

There's a sexual tension between us, and maybe more. Maybe it's time to tackle it head-on.”

He hardly knew how to proceed. This was new territory for him. “I won't deny I'd like to—that I find you attractive—very much so—but that's just the glands. I have no intention of taking advantage—”

“As if I'm an innocent creature to be protected from being dirtied by any man's lustful glance. As if I have no will of my own, no power of decision.”

He nodded. “I think you have me dead to rights. All those courtly archaic male attitudes—I've got them. I'm guilty. At least close up your décolletage and stop teasing me.” He finally got his eyes clear, for a moment.

“Do you know something, Nathan? I think I like those attitudes. I wasn't exposed to them in marriage.”

“You had a bad marriage,” he agreed. “As did I, though in a quite different way.”

“And you don't want to make love to a woman unless you are prepared to marry her.”

“Yes, of course.”

“Then with the clear understanding that this kind of thing can happen, let's end this quarrel and share this bed.”

Nathan froze. Suddenly a phenomenally new course was opening out before him, almost too good to be true. “If you're sure.”

“No, I'm still not sure at all. But I do like you, Nathan, more than is wise at this stage. I think perhaps I won't freeze up with you. It's time to find out.”

He remembered her warning: that she could have an adverse reaction to sex, because of the abusive nature of her prior sexual experience. While he had lacked the gumption to force the issue when his wife had denied him closeness. Closeness—what Natalie had said she needed a lot of. “Then perhaps you should lead the way,” he suggested.

She glanced at the TV. “Maybe leave that on. We don't know whether the walls have ears.”

“Point made.” He hadn't thought of that. If they weren't supposed to play it too loud, that suggested that the sound did carry to other rooms. “But the light out?”

“Yes.” Then she paused. “Unless you'd like to look at me first?”

“Oh, I would, but not if it embarrasses you. I—”

She opened her robe, flashing him. It was only for about one and a half seconds, but the startling image seemed photographic. She was tall and slender, but definitely female throughout. And—she had just given him more in that respect than he had ever had before. She had not only shown him her body, she had shown him her attitude, and that counted for an incalculable amount.

She turned out the light as he stood, stunned. “Last one to the bed's a rotten egg!” she exclaimed.

Oops. He hadn't thought of the problem of making his way through the darkness. He turned toward the bed and took a step—and banged into it immediately. It was closer than he had judged. Overbalanced, he put his hands down to catch himself—and they encountered her body. He jerked them back, but that left him unbalanced, and he fell half onto her.

“I—I'm sorry,” he said awkwardly, trying to get clear. But one hand got tangled in her robe, and brushed what surely was interesting flesh. “I fell.” He managed to haul himself somewhat off her.

“I think I beat you, because I'm below,” she said, hauling him down again.

“Yes. I didn't mean to—to handle you like that.”

She laughed. “Nathan, what do you think we're here for?”

That set him back again. “True. But I mean, shouldn't there be some—some discretion? This is so awkward.”

“You are delightfully awkward,” she agreed. “You really don't know what to do.”

“Yes. I'm not at all good at this.”

“In fact you may be worse than I am.”

“Oh, no! That is, you're not bad, you're terrific. So much more than I ever deserved.”

“Here, let me get us clear for action.” She ran her hand across his side and shoulder, to the neckline of his robe. “Um, no, I can't just take it off you. We'll have to stand again. You take yours off and I'll take mine off, and we'll meet again here in a moment. Is it a date?”

It was his turn to laugh. “A wonderful date,” he agreed.

They distangled, and got to their feet beside the bed. He drew off his robe and let it drop to the floor, as he wasn't about to try to cross the room to find a chair.

Then she stepped into him, her naked body addressing the length of his. “How do you like me now?” she murmured.

“Oh, Natalie! This is a dream.”

“Then kiss me, Nathan.”

He wrapped his arms around her and found her lifted face. He kissed her, transported by the sweetness of the act. Yet in a moment he became aware of her tenseness. He drew his head back and dropped his arms. “I think I shouldn't have taken you literally,” he said.

“Yes you should have. Kiss me again.”

“But you're not ready for—”

“I'll be the judge of that. Kiss me.”

He embraced her again, much more gently, and lowered his lips to hers. This time her body slowly relaxed, melting into him. Her arms came around him, tightening. The kiss lasted longer than the first, and was correspondingly sweeter.

Then she broke it, moving her face to the side. “Move your hands,” she murmured. He immediately released her. “No,” she said, smiling against his cheek. “Like this.” She slid her hands down across his back and to his bare buttocks.

“But I couldn't—” He broke off, for she had firmly squeezed one of his nether cheeks. Realizing his foolishness, he slid his own hands down and did the same to her. He felt delightfully naughty, and his desire for her intensified.

“Perhaps you can appreciate the appeal of such interaction,” she said, tickling him where it counted.

“I—” He stalled out for a moment. “I think you're teasing me, Natalie. Am I really that stuffy in my language?”

“Not really.” She moved her face back into place for another kiss. “I never realized what fun it could be to seduce an innocent man.”

“Do what you will with me,” he agreed sincerely.

“It's time for the bed.”

“Yes. But will you tell me one thing first?”

“Perhaps. What's your question?”

“Where the hell are you wearing that gun?”

She burst out laughing. “And here I thought you were interested in my flesh! You were looking for my service revolver all the time?”

“No. But I thought it should have been evident when you stripped.”

“I set it down under the bed a while back.”

“Oh.” He felt foolish.

“But I suppose I could put it on again, if that's really the way you prefer to—”

“No need,” he said quickly.

“I understand that some folk consider firearms to be quite erotic. Masculine symbols, and all that.”

“Are you teasing me again?” he demanded.

She pinched his bottom. “Nathan, would I do that to you? Don't you trust me?”

“Can't we just forget about it?” He was both amused and embarrassed. “I'm sorry I asked.”

“Maybe sometime I'll show you how I wear it,” she said. “But we do have other business at the moment.”

“Yes, I think we do.” He disengaged. But he remained mightily curious.

They climbed back onto the bed. But this restored his diffidence; he wasn't sure how to get close to her again, because the horizontal dynamics differed from the vertical. He hesitated.

“You haven't gone to sleep?” she inquired mischievously.

He forced a laugh. “Ah, no. I'm a bit nervous.”

“You realize that any other man would have done it and been asleep by this time?”

“Yes,” he said, ashamed.

“And I would have been tense and hurting,” she continued. “Instead I'm loose and laughing. You could not have found a better way to put me at ease.”

“I would gladly take credit, if I deserved it. But—”

But she had rolled up against him and caught him with a solid kiss. “Just close your eyes and think of peaceful green fields,” she said after a moment.

“What?”

“Advice to virgin brides. They're supposed to just lie there and let the man have his way, they being so innocent they think it is his kiss that makes them pregnant. They aren't even aware of anything happening below the neckline.”

“Pregnant!” he exclaimed. “I never thought of—”

“Relax, Mister Naive. I told you I'm experienced. I'm prepared.”

“You are? You mean you knew we would—?”

“Hoped, perhaps. Routine precaution.”

“You're so far ahead of me, I feel like a babe in the woods.”

“Not to me you don't.”

He was embarrassed again. “It's impossible for me not to react, when I'm with you like this.”

“I know it, and am glad of it. I doubt you'll be ignoring me tonight.”

“Ignore you!” he exclaimed. “That is beyond my imagination.”

“I like the limits of your imagination.”

“You have surpassed them, you seductive creature.”

“The funny thing is that that was pretty much the way it was with me, at first. I didn't know about genitalia. I did indeed go numb below the waist.”

“I don't think I could ever be unaware of the rest of your body. I'm merely uncertain how to address it.”

She rolled him over, climbing on top of him. “Fortunately I do have a notion about that.” She paused. “Do you mind my acting or talking like this?”

“Natalie, I don't mind any aspect of you! You're the most lovely, fascinating, exciting creature I've ever encountered. I think I set foot at the verge of heaven when I met you, though I was too dull to realize it right away. Now I'm well into it.”

“Into what?” she inquired, wriggling competently.

“Into heaven. Just being with you—” Then he realized what she was doing. “Oh, that was double entendre, wasn't it!”

“Tell me more about heaven,” she said.

“Gladly. Being with you like this—I think I could remain this way forever, and never leave paradise. Oh, Natalie—will you mind if I say I love you?”

“Not at all,” she said. She found his mouth for a kiss so ardent that he was transported again. There seemed to be nothing in the universe except the two of them and their merged lips and bodies.

“Then I'll say it, and say it, and say it!” he said when the kiss eased. “And not because we're in bed. It's wonderful being with you whether it's in town or on a motorcycle or looking for rocks.”

“I wouldn't care to try this on a motorcycle.”

“I mean that I'm happy to be with you no matter where we are or what else is happening. Just waiting for the storm to pass is great, if it's with you, or—”

“Or getting soaked?”

“I'd rather get soaked with you than be dry anywhere else,” he said fervently. “Look where it has gotten me!”