Free Parisian Affair by Judith Gould Page B

with a helpless giggle. She finally managed to
unlock the lobby door and pushed it open.
    'Oh, come on,' he said. 'You know me better
than that.' He followed her into the lobby and encircled her with
his arms from behind, hugging her to him and kissing the back of
her neck. 'The night is young, Ally.'
    'It's almost three o'clock, Todd,' Allegra
pointed out, 'and I've got an appointment on the Upper East Side at
eleven o'clock in the morning.' But even as she said the words, she
could hear the unmistakable sound of surrender in her voice.
    'That's never stopped you,' he said,
squeezing her tightly. 'Besides, eleven o'clock's a lifetime
away.'
    Allegra pushed the elevator button. 'Okay,'
she said, turning to face him, 'but just one little drink.' She
held up a finger.
    He kissed her finger and looked into her
eyes. 'I promise,' he said. 'Just one.'
     
     
    Allegra was spread out on the couch in the
living room, her head in Todd's lap. He'd lit the candles on the
coffee table and put a soothing trance mix on the CD player. They
were nursing the second of the straight Stolis on ice that he'd
poured.
    'Did you have a good time tonight?' he asked,
running his fingers through her hair.
    'Uh-huh,' she said. 'I had a good time. And I
know you did. You and Candie. She's just like you. She can't stop
dancing once she starts.'
    'Jealous?' he asked.
    'Of you and Candie? Ha! Why would I be
jealous?'
    'Well, you shouldn't be if you are,' he said.
'I saw you spending some time with the Italian Stallion.'
    'Who?'
    'Don't give me that,' he said. 'You know
exactly who I mean. Carlo d'Annunzio. I saw you talking to
him.'
    'You did?'
    'I sure did,' he said, 'and everybody knows
what a cocksman he is.'
    She laughed. 'Well, the only thing he did for
me was get me a drink of water,' she replied. 'I didn't spend half
the night with him on the dance floor like you did with
Candie.'
    'Oh, yeah,' he said mischievously, 'we had a
real good time. Especially slow dancing. Getting up real close and
personal, you know?'
    'Well, if you're trying to make me jealous,
it isn't going to work,' Allegra said. 'Besides, isn't she a
lipstick lesbian or something?'
    'Yeah, but I think she's falling for me,'
Todd teased.
    She grabbed his hand and bit it playfully.
'You think you're really God's gift to womankind, don't you?'
    'I don't know about that,' he said, 'but
there's one woman I sure would like to make happy.' He leaned over
and kissed her forehead. When she didn't protest, he kissed her
cheeks and nose and lips and ran his hands down her arms, gently
and tenderly. 'I love you, Ally,' he said softly. 'I really
do.'
    His voice sounded earnest and his words
heartfelt, and in the warm glow from the drinks and the gentle
caress of his lips and hands, Allegra felt herself respond to him.
Despite her mixed feelings about his intentions, she knew that she
wanted him.
    Her lips sought out his, and her hand went up
to run her fingers through his raven hair. Todd sighed happily and
let his hands wander to her breasts, where he brushed against them
gently. 'Why don't we get comfortable?' he said.
    'Hmmm.' She slowly sat up, then got to her
feet, drink in hand. He picked up his drink and the candles and
followed her into the bedroom. He placed the candles and his drink
on a bedside table, then took her in his arms, kissing her
passionately.
    Allegra slid her arms around him and returned
his kisses, losing herself in the comfortable strength of his
embrace. His mouth moved to her ears and neck, his lips kissing,
his tongue licking her, and she shivered ever so slightly as she
felt an electric-like pulse run through her body.
    'Let's get out of these clothes,' he said
when he felt her response.
    She nodded silently and held up her hair so
that he could unzip her dress. He did so slowly, his lips and
tongue tracing a trail down her back as he pulled the zipper down.
When he'd finished, he helped her pull the dress off her shoulders
and watched as she let it drop to the floor.