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."Page 88ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlHe climbed the stairs back to the Board area.When he got to his table, therewere three men, two officers, and a civilian there.Introductions were made.The officers were a major and a captain from theDepartment of Tactics, and the civilian was "with the Enterprise BankingCompany." They were the other members of Tom Cassidy's hunting party."I was hoping to see you again before we left," Tom Cassidy said."I'm glad I got back," Lowell said."I'm trying to make up my mind whether I want to go home, or stay," JaneCassidy said."There's no reason for you to go home," Tom Cassidy said."And if you go home," the banker argued, "Phyllis will think she has to gohome." He turned to Lowell."My wife is with the others."The hunting widows' social club," Jane Cassidy said, a little bitterly."Oh,do whatever you want, Jane," Tom Cassidy said, impatiently."Go catch your plane," Jane Cassidy said.The men shook hands with Lowell.Cassidy kissed his wife."Happy New Year,"she said.The men left.Jane Cassidy looked up at Lowell."Logic tells me that I should get my coat and go home," she said."But he wasright, if I did that, Phyllis would take it as disapproval.Would you mind if I stayed?""Of course not," he said."In that case," she said, "you'll have to face the hunting widows with me.Sothat Phyllis will understand that I approve." "All right," he said.She took his arm as they went down the stairs.Then as they walked past thedance floor on their way to the Department ofTactics tables, she suddenly turned into his arms."They're playing a waltz," she said."And I'll bet you can waltz.""Can't everybody?"She laughed a little bitterly.They waltzed.Craig Lowell waltzed well.He had spent three hours everySaturday afternoon in his thirteenth year at a dancing school.It was hisstudied judgment that most women who liked to waltz did so badly.Jane Cassidywas the exception.They began sedately, but as they sensed the good dancer ineach other they began to swoop gracefully around the room.By the time thedance was over, there were only four couples on the floor.The others hadstopped to watch, and when the dance was over, there was applause.Holding hands, Jane curtsied, and Lowell bowed elaborately.There was moreapplause and laughter, and then she hugged him.He was acutely aware of thePage 89ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlpressure of her breasts against his abdomen, the soft warmth of her back underhis fingers.And then she took his hand and led him to the table where the other huntingwidows were sitting.It was a large table, and introductions took some time.It would have beenrude to refuse the drink he was offered, so he drank it.And he made smalltalk until he thought he could leave Jane with her friends without giving theimpression he didn't care for their company.He had just said his good-byes when the band began playing"Goodnight, Sweetheart." He looked at his watch and saw that it was almostmidnight."If you were to ask, Major Lowell," Jane Cassidy said, "I would grant you thefavor of the New Year's midnight dance." She was already on her feet.They danced again with six inches between them, but the smell of her hair andthe warmth of her back had the same effect on him as dancing with her beforehad had.She was dancing with her head back, so that she could look up intohis eyes.And then the lights flicked on and off, on and off.The band stopped playing,and people began to count downward from fifteen.It was almost the New Year.He looked down at Jane Cassidy and smiled.She hadn't let go of his left hand,and was standing so close to him that he could feel the pressure of herbreasts on his arm.The countdown finished.Everybody was kissing their partners.He bent to kissJane, chastely, because she obviously expected him to and because he wantedto.He expected to get her cheek, and instead got her lips.Somebody lurchedinto them, first banging their teeth together, and then apparently pushingJane's elbow, for he felt her lower wrist and the back of her hand against hiserection.She would know, he knew, what it was."Whoops!" he said."Crowded," she said.The band played"Auld Lang Sync," and everybody sang.lane sang enthusiastically, swaying withthe music, swinging the hand she held, looking up at him and smiling.When"Auld Lang Sync" had finished, the lights dimmed, and the band began to playagain.He started to dance with her once more."We were cheated out of our socially permissible New Year's kiss," she said,pulling back to look at his face.He bent to kiss her again, telling himselfthis time on the cheek.Btzt he got her lips again, and he just had time tomarvel at the softness of them when her tongue came between them.Her middlecame in to meet his, and he felt his erection pressing against the softness ofher belly.There came a scream, and then a crashing noise, and then silence, and then amale voice said, "Ooooooooooh, shit!"(Two)Page 90ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlUeutenant Colonel Rudolph G.Macmillan had a load on [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]