Free Taxi to Paris by Ruth Gogoll Page A

silence. Perhaps we would have something in common after all? When she didn't say anything and made no move toward getting out of the car, I tried again. "They have such arcane customs for keeping away unauthorized vehicles." I shuddered. "The Towing Torture, for example."
    "Why are you doing this?" she asked. Now that I wasn't trying to drive, I could see that she was hanging her head. She didn't look up despite my address.
    I really didn't know exactly what she was referring to, and for some reason I was slowly beginning to fear for my own courage. What if I had destroyed everything with that? So I had to ask. "What do you mean?"
    "You're going to leave me someday too," she said quietly.
    I had to laugh at her theatrics. "Thanks for the hint, Pythia," I said so good-naturedly that it camouflaged my fear. I knew her so little, knew so little about her, that every glimpse at her inner self was a voyage into the darkness of the universe. There were so many possibilities for a catastrophe in there. And I could do no more than a child who whistles when going into a dark basement.
    She didn't stir. "Would you like -" my voice was starting to sound a little husky. I had to clear my throat. "Would you like to stay out here?"
    She started a little, as though she were waking from a dream. "No - no, of course not. Pardon me, please. I'm sure you want to get home."  I wasn't so sure of that. Just the opposite. She reached for the door and opened it. I got out quickly and went around to her side of the car. "Oh," she said, freshly astonished. "I forgot how gallant you are." She smiled again a little.
    "Less gallant than well-reared," I said. "I can't take credit for it." I didn't actually want to start a big discussion about my manners.
    She leaned against the car and looked at me. With one of her inimitably flowing motions, she separated herself from the car and came to me. I had the sudden desire to flee. Pure instinct, like a wild animal. But she'd already reached me. She let herself sink against me. I felt the suppleness of her breasts and the gentle pressure of her body against mine. "I like it anyway," she whispered in my ear. "It's been a long time since I've been spoiled this way."
    I put my arms around her and felt her nestle up even closer to me. "Come with me," she breathed, right into my ear. I still didn't want to admit that I'd been hoping for this kind of ending to the evening. I would've thought she wanted just the opposite. But obviously, she could read minds. "I believe you," she whispered, ever so softly.
    And I wanted to believe that she believed me! I pulled myself away from her gently and locked the car. She was already at the door to her building. It was only a few yards away. While we waited for the elevator, she put her hand on the back of my neck and gave me a suggestive little kiss. She brushed her lips against mine ever so lightly, just touching them with the tip of her tongue. Before I could part my lips and take her in, she had pulled away. "Oh, you're mean!" I moaned.
    She laughed seductively. "Yes, I know. But that raises the excitement, doesn't it?" As if that were necessary!
    When we got to her apartment, she took a few steps inside and then turned to face me. "I'd like to put on something a little more comfortable. Would you mind?"
    It was as though a wall had suddenly gone up between us. I couldn't touch her, although she was right in front of me. What kind of an idiot was I? I should have known. As soon as she was in this room... Everything that had to do with sex was work for her, even when it started out looking like play. I was sick of this cat-and-mouse game. Couldn't it work any other way?
    "Why are you asking me that?" I asked back. "What could my decision about whether or not I mind have to do with what you actually do?"
    I couldn't have surprised her as much if I'd suddenly stripped naked. Indeed, that would have been much more logical behavior. Although she'd already heard a few things from