“You want it as much as I do.”
“Yes. But we can’t. Please, Avery.”
“It’s all right.”
“No. Please.”
He kissed her and held himself close to her and ran his hand along her thighs. He heard her breathing increase.
“You’ll hurt both of us,” she said. “You must know that. We’ll both feel bad about it when it’s over.” Her eyes were wet. She relaxed and didn’t try to push him away anymore. He put his hand inside her blouse and felt her breasts. He unbuttoned the blouse and tried to pull it back off her shoulders. “Let me up. We can’t do it here,” she said.
He had to wait a moment in order not to embarrass himself before he could stand up and follow her into the bedroom. His shirt stuck to his back with perspiration. She drew the curtains on the window and undressed and lay on the bed with her hair spread out on the pillow. Her skin was white and her waist was slender and she wore the gold cross and chain around her throat, and when he looked at her he felt something drop inside him. He lay beside her and kissed her. She reminded him of how she had looked the night they had the argument in Biloxi.
“I’m sorry to hurt you,” he said.
She put her arms around his neck and held her cheek to his.
“I always loved you. I was never as happy as when I was with you,” she said.
“You’re a swell girl.”
“Do it to me. I want you so badly.”
“You won’t cry anymore?”
“No. I promise. It was just because I didn’t want everything to turn out bad again. Oh, Avery.”
“Does it hurt you?”
“It’s lovely. I’d forgotten how good it is. Do you still like me?”
“You’re wonderful. Was there anyone between?” he said.
“No.”
“You’re my lady.”
“I was always your lady.”
“My darling lady.”
She kissed him hard on the mouth and he felt her body tense as her arms tightened around his back.
“Hold me. Do it harder. Oh Avery darling hurt me please hurt me. It’s so good. My lovely sweet darling hold me. I love you terribly.”
They lay in bed and drank wine and smoked cigarettes. He pulled her to him and kissed her on the cheek and bit the lobe of her ear. The back of her neck was damp. She held herself close to him and put her forehead under his chin.
“I’m sorry for the way I acted,” she said.
“You don’t feel bad about it?”
“Of course not. Do it to me once more.”
“Aren’t you tired?”
“I could never be tired of this.”
“Your roommate might come home.”