Page 15 - Sweet Embraceable You: Coffee-House Stories

Sweet Embraceable You 3

own Victorian flat. She bit her lower lip. From tables nearer the bar
came brief applause as the pianist finished her set. Ada’s ears rang in
the sudden silence. Cameron stroked his chin, waiting. She knew
the feel of his sharp clean face when his midnight stubble raised just
enough to rasp her body raw. There was no part of her he had not
scraped. Night by passing night the tiny bristles of his strong face
were sanding her smooth. She felt she was losing herself to him.
“Don’t be abrasive,” she countermanded. Her word choice
pleased her.
“Where-have-you-been is hardly an abrasive question. Not
when a husband asks a wife who has stood him up publicly in front
of his colleagues for two hours.”
“You mean those goddam geologists actually noticed?”
“Yes.”
“All eight of them?”
“And their eight wives. And the chairman. And the woman
who was the guest of honor.”
“You’ve never cared what they thought.”
“So where were you, Ada?”
“I was having an affair with a rich man from China. A kinky
little fellow. You know: whips and chains. Spanking. And a special
little gadget that...”
“I don’t care where you were.” Cameron gulped down his drink.
“Then I’ll tell you. We had a department reception of our own
at the St. Francis.”
“Why didn’t you call?”
“Why didn’t you?” She smiled at him. Things were always
shifting tectonically between them. “Can this marriage be saved?”
she asked.
“Why not?” Cameron reached for her hand.
“That’ll cost you two-bits, buster.” She stood up.
“What for?” He dug into his pocket for change.
Ada held out her hand and took his quarter. Leaving the table,
she signaled the waiter for another round. “If my students could

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