Free Body Rides by Richard Laymon Page B

meet you, Neal Darden. I’m Elise Waters.’
    He shook her hand. It felt slightly cool from her glass.
    She held on. ‘Are you okay? What’s wrong?’
    ‘Nothing.’
    ‘Come on. Hey. You can tell me. Can’t you? After everything we’ve been through?’
    Neal grimaced. He felt awfully warm and squirmy. ‘I . . . it just suddenly . . . it’s okay if you did . I mean, I was in you, so it’d only be fair.’
    ‘You’re not making much sense.’
    ‘I just suddenly got embarrassed,’ he explained, already guessing that she hadn’t paid him a secret visit. Too late to turn back, though. ‘It crossed my mind that maybe you used the bracelet on me.’
    Smiling, she raised her eyebrows. ‘When would I have done that?’
    ‘While I was showering, maybe. But . . .’
    ‘Ah. I see. No wonder your face is red.’
    ‘You didn’t, though, did you.’ Not really a question.
    ‘I didn’t.’
    He tried to laugh. ‘Well, that’s sure a relief.’
    He felt relieved, all right. But also embarrassed that he’d brought the subject up.
    And something else.
    Elise still held his hand. ‘Now what’s wrong?’ she asked.
    ‘I don’t know. I guess . . . in a way, maybe I sort of wish you had done it.’
    Her hand tightened. She stared for a long time into his eyes. ‘If that’s what you want,’ she finally said, ‘I’ll do it.’
    In the shower? he wondered.
    What if I’m in the shower, all naked, and I know she’s in me and I start thinking about her and I get a hard-on?
    Under the robe, his penis began to grow and rise.
    ‘You’d better think about it, though,’ Elise said. ‘Are you sure you want me inside? You were in me, so you know how it is. I’d be aware of everything that’s going on in you.’
    Everything.
    He smiled in a way that he knew must look sickly. ‘Well, maybe it wouldn’t be such a hot idea, after all.’

Nine
     
    Neal waited beside Elise while she squatted in front of the drier, reached in, and removed the clothes. Out came his shorts, a sock, his shirt, his other sock, and his underwear. With the clothes clutched to her chest, she stood up.
    ‘I can take this stuff,’ Neal said. Reaching out, he took them from her. He tried not to touch her, but the back of his right hand accidentally slid against her pajama shirt, and he felt her skin beneath the satin. ‘Sorry,’ he mumbled.
    ‘No problem.’ She shrugged. ‘I’m all yours, remember? You’re free to touch or look to your heart’s content.’
    ‘Jeez. Don’t tempt me.’
    ‘Just remember. If you ever split up with Marta . . .’
    ‘I don’t think I’m likely to forget.’
    ‘Anyway,’ she said, ‘your shirt is pretty much ruined. I’d be glad to give you one of mine.’
    ‘The shirt off your back?’ he asked, and found himself blushing again.
    ‘Whatever you want. But I don’t think this would fit you very well. I do have some nice, large shirts, though.’
    ‘I can wear mine home,’ he told her. ‘It won’t be any problem.’
    ‘Up to you,’ she said.
    ‘I’m sure it’ll be fine.’
    In the bathroom, Neal hung the robe on the back of the door and hurried into his clothes. After putting on his belt, he filled the pockets of his shorts with the wallet, pistol, shell casings, car keys and handkerchief that he’d removed before his shower. Then he stepped into his shoes and tied them. In a pocket of the robe, he found the note with Elise’s phone number. He folded it, slipped it into his wallet, and stepped into the hallway.
    He found Elise in the kitchen, rinsing out their glasses.
    When she turned around, he spread his arms. ‘Shirt’s fine.’
    ‘Other than the bloodstains that didn’t come out. And the rips.’
    ‘No big deal. It did look a lot better on you, though.’
    ‘A matter of opinion.’ She dried her hands.
    ‘So,’ he said. ‘Guess it’s about time for me to hit the road.’
    She came toward him. ‘You have my number?’
    Neal patted his rear pocket.
    She stepped up to him and