Читать онлайн «Darling»

He drove the car rapidly down the street, looking occasionally at the girl' s figure, huddled against the door. Mostly he watched the empty road and felt the car glide over the pavement. He turned down Seventh Avenue, and she still hadn' t spoken. At Tenth Street, he stopped the car and turned toward her. She leaned her elbow against the door handle and was already half on the sidewalk, calling, " Thank you," over her shoulder, when he reached over and pulled her back into her seat.

" What' s the hurry? What' syour hurry?"

" I' m tired, Paul," she explained.

" My God," he answered. " You' re fine all night. I really think you' re relaxing and having a good time, but you always make the goodnight the briefest, coldest moment of the day. "

" I' m sorry," she said again humbly. " You know me. "

" I don' t know you, Gloria. Does anyone know you? Do you ever sit still long enough to be known?"

She was getting impatient, and said, " For crying out loud. How often can you go over the same theme. No, I don' t sit still. No, I don' t like dragged- out goodnights. No, I don' t care if I never see you again. Yes, I' m tired. "

" Look, honey," he interrupted her, " I' m not going to rape you. "

She smiled cruelly at the suggestion. " No one' s going to rape me. It takes a very cooperative woman to get raped. A man might get me to the floor, but he wouldn' t get further. "

Paul said, " Why speculate? Why don' t you let me love you the way I want to? I swear to you Gloria, the way I feel about you, it would be wonderful for both of us. I' d really make you want it.

Feeling his tongue nuzzling wet inside her ear, she shuddered with excitement and horror.

" Get away from me," she said with anger, and he couldn' t hear the terror in her voice. " When I' m willing and ready to give myself to a man, I will. I don' t need you licking my face like a stupid dog to convince me. "

His fury relieved the bitterness inside her.

The man was livid at her gross refusal. " You whore," he whispered to her. " You whore with a virgin' s cunt. What are you waiting for? When are you going to give your rare gift away?"

" It' s not that," she told him tiredly. Her voice was calm. " You know it' s not that. It' s just that I' m not interested. "

" Not interested!" he shouted. " What the hell are you talking about? You sound as if you' re returning a library book. "

" I don' t want it," she screamed. " I hate the whole phony slobbering business. "

" You' re a teasing bitch," he spat at her. " And you' ll never know what it means to feel like a woman. "

" What does it mean," she mocked, " to feel like a woman? What' s so different and special about being a woman?"