Part 27 (1/2)
”That's just great.” Her glare mixed with heartache. ”Let me spell it out. If you put your p.e.n.i.s into my v.a.g.i.n.a, that's s.e.xual contact. Why? Because my v.a.g.i.n.a is my s.e.x organ. If you put your mouth on my v.a.g.i.n.a, that's s.e.xual contact, because my v.a.g.i.n.a is my s.e.x organ. So tell me, Justin. If you put your finger in my s.e.x ORGAN, what is that?”
Collier's jaw froze open.
Now she was wiping her eyes. ”I'm leaving. Good-bye.”
”Wait!”
His shout cracked down the street. He was sure anyone within a block had heard it. Now he was squeezing her arm hard.
Let her go, man, insisted the Evil Voice. She's the Tease from h.e.l.l. Forget about this nutty b.i.t.c.h. Go back to the hotel and use Lottie for an oil change...
Collier was getting sick of that voice. ”Listen,” he began.
”Let me go. You're hurting my arm.”
”At least give me a chance to talk. This isn't fair at all.”
He released her arm. Now the street stood in total silence, like the silence after a machine-gun volley. He could see several late diners at the bistro craning their necks at them.
”I'm sorry,” he said. ”I didn't understand-”
”Come on, you were working me-”
He pointed his finger right in her face. ”Let me talk, d.a.m.n it. Give me two minutes, and then you can split and think whatever you want. But I'm sorry. I didn't understand. You gotta admit, your rules are a little weird.”
”I know they are!” she yelled. ”But they're still my rules, and I explained them to you, and you said that was okay, but five minutes later you've got your hand down my-”
”All right!” he yelled just as loud. ”I get it! I guess it was my male instincts or something. But you were letting me...do...other stuff, so...”
”So you figured it was okay to stick your finger in my p.u.s.s.y?”
Those words, too, echoed down the street. Jesus, he thought. This is too hard!
So why didn't he just leave?
”We were just making out, Justin,” she said, ”and it was wonderful. It was pa.s.sion, it was desire. But that's never enough for you guys, is it? If two people are making out, then that's carte blanche for the guy. Everything's got to be a nut. Everything's got to be a piece of a.s.s. If a woman makes out with a man, even after she's told him she doesn't want s.e.x, all of a sudden she's got an obligation to f.u.c.k him-”
”Now you're being a cynical smart-a.s.s,” he countered. ”That's not how I feel at all.” He felt the need to convince her. ”And look at it this way. I know now that I'll never get to have s.e.x with you. Right?”
She peered at him with suspicion. ”Yeah.”
”So if I'm just your typical c.o.c.k-hound, if all I'm out for is a piece of a.s.s... then why am I still standing here? How come I'm not long gone?”
Dominique couldn't answer.
”Tell me that you'll go out with me again,” he insisted.
”I don't think that's a good idea, Justin-”
”Bulls.h.i.+t. It's a great idea.” He squeezed her arm gently this time. ”Tell me you'll go out with me again.”
She sighed. ”All right.”
”When?”
”Tomorrow.”
”Great. What time?”
She grinned. ”Seven thirty in the morning.”
What! ”That's really early.”
”Take it or leave it.”
Collier's shoulders fell. ”All right. Seven thirty in the morning. Where?”
She pointed across the street.
Collier couldn't see the building very well, for the shadows. But he could see the sign just fine: ST. THOMAS METHODIST CHURCH. JOIN US FOR OUR EARLY SERVICE!
CHAPTER TEN.
I.
”Please!” wept the nasally voice. ”I'm begging you...My love!”
Jiff frowned, his feet kicked up in bed before the television. ”But I was just there earlier today. You want me to come over again, tomorrow morning?”
”Yes, yes!”
”I-” Sheee-it! ”I got too much work to do tomorrow,” he semilied. ”My ma's p.i.s.sed at me fer not gettin' to all my ch.o.r.es today.”
Sniffling. A croak. ”I'm...worthless.”
You got that right.
”I love you.”
”I done told ya. Quit talkin' like that!”
”I need...to be utterly debased. I'm not worthy of your love because, I know, I'm s.h.i.+t. I'm begging you. Come here tomorrow morning and humiliate me. Treat me like the garbage I am.”
It was getting pathetic. ”No. I told ya. I cain't.”
”I need to be profaned. I need to be debauched. Please, my love.”