Free No Nice Girl by Perry Lindsay Page B

been trying to seduce me all night!”
    â€œOh, Cousin Phyllis, he’s been saying the most awful things,” moaned Anice, flinging her arms about Phyllis and trying to burrow her face into Phyllis’ neck, like a frightened child clinging to its parent.
    Phyllis pushed her away, not ungently, and requested, “Please, Anice—it’s much too warm and I’m much too tired for melodramatics.”
    Terry was hunting for his hat, his face grim and set. Phyllis’ eyes twinkled a little, and there was a tiny smile on her red mouth when Terry, hat in hand, turned to her.
    â€œWipe that damned smile off your face, you unnatural creature,” he exploded furiously. “I knew you didn’t give a damn for me, but you might at least have pretended to be a little bit jealous—not so damned amused. I was being unfaithful to you—for the love of Pete, can’t you get that through your head?”
    â€œOf course, Terry, I quite understand,” Phyllis tried to soothe him. But she could not quite keep the twinkle from her eyes.
    â€œYou’re the most exasperating creature I ever saw. Exasperating? Hell, that’s an understatement if I ever heard one. I can understand now why unrequited love leads people to do terrible things.”
    â€œTerry, darling, please! Take it easy—don’t you see why I’m not jealous? Because I know that you could never be seriously interested in a little bit of fluff like Anice.”
    â€œOh, he couldn’t, eh? And who are you calling ‘a bit of fluff’—you—you whore?” blazed Anice, so angry that she had forgotten all her careful self-training.
    Phyllis and Terry turned to her, wide-eyed. She was so furious that her face was mottled and angry red, and her eyes were blazing with spite and anger.
    â€œWhy, Anice!” protested Phyllis softly. “What a dreadful word for a nice girl to use! You’d better run along and wash your mouth with soap and water!”
    â€œYou go to hell—both of you, damn you!” said Anice thickly, and ran out of the room.
    Terry stared at the closed door and then grinned tentatively at Phyllis, not quite sure what her reaction was going to be now that the two of them were alone.
    â€œEr, it must be midnight—all masks off,” he suggested mildly.
    â€œAnd thank heavens—and you—for that,” said Phyllis wearily. “Now that there is no longer any pretense that we are friends, it’s unthinkable that she should go on staying here. She can find a room in a girls’ club, or—or the Martha Washington.”
    Terry said hesitantly, “I’m really sorry, Phyllis.”
    Phyllis looked at him, puzzled. “About making a pass, or not completing it?” she asked, amused.
    Terry colored. “Well, a little of both, I guess. I just wanted you to know that—that—”
    â€œIt had nothing to do with your feeling for me?” Phyllis completed for him. “I know that, Terry. I’m not quite a fool.”
    Terry’s eyes hardened and his fists clenched.
    â€œThat’s a debatable point,” he told her grimly. “When a girl like you, who was born for marriage and a home and a normal life, goes around eating her heart out for a man she can’t ever hope to have…”
    Phyllis said nothing, but her head went up a little. And Terry made a little gesture of despair and said, “Sorry—guess I’d better get going.”
    â€œPerhaps it might be best,” Phyllis agreed politely.
    From the doorway he looked back at her uncertainly, uneasily.
    â€œMad at me?” he asked, like an abashed small boy.
    â€œOf course not, idiot,” she told him, and smiled.
    He had a terrific urge to kiss her. But recalling that only a few moments before she had caught him kissing Anice, he decided against any such attempt. Instead heflipped his fingers at her in a gesture of salute and