and she whispered aloud, My two poor little crippled kittens, I wonder
if I have done the right thing. The shadows of doubt crossed her face,
and then faded. Well, it's too damn late for worry now, Kadesh, you
interfering old bag, you should have thought about that before.
A gaudily coloured towel and beach jacket were spread upon the jetty and
a transistor radio, with its volume turned high, blared out a heavy rock
tune. Far out in the bay Debra was swimming alone, a steady powerful
overarm crawl. Her brown arms flashed wetly in the sun at each stroke
and the water churned to froth at the beat of her legs.
She stopped to tread water. Her bathing cap was plain white, and he
could see that she was listening for the sound of the radio for she
began to swim again, heading directly in towards the jetty.
She came out of the water, pulling off the cap and shaking out her hair.
Her body was dark, sun-browned and bejewelled with drops, the muscles
looked firm and hard and her tread was confident and sure as he came up
the stone steps and picked up her towel.
As she dried herself David stood near and watched her avidly, seeming to
devour her with his eyes, trying to make up in that first minute for all
those many months.
he'd pictured her so clearly, and yet there was much he had forgotten.
Her hair was softer, cloudier than he remembered. He had forgotten the
plasticity and lustre of her skin, it was darker also than it had been
before almost the colour of her eyes, she must have spent many hours
each day in the sun. Suddenly and unaffectedly she threw her towel down
and adjusted the top of her brief costume, pulling open the thin fabric
and cupping one fat breast in her hand to settle it more comfort ably,
David felt his need for her so strongly that it seemed he could not
contain it all within the physical bounds of his chest. He moved
slightly and the gravel crunched softly under his shoes.
Instantly the lovely head turned towards him and froze in the attitude
of listening. The eyes were wide open, intelligent and expressive, they
seemed to look slightly to one side of him, and David had a powerful
impulse to turn and glance behind him, following their steady gaze.
David? she asked softly. is that you David? He tried to answer her,
but his voice failed him and his reply was a small choking sound. She
ran to him, swiftly and long-legged as a roused foal, with her arms
reaching out and her face lighting with joy.
He caught her up, and she clung to him fiercely, almost angrily, as
though she had been too long denied.
I've missed you, David. Her voice was fierce also. Oh, God, you'll
never know how I have missed you, and she pressed her mouth to the stark
gash in his mask of flesh.
This was the first human being who had treated him without reserve,
without pity or revulsion, in all those months, and David felt his heart
swell harder and his embrace was as fierce as hers.
She broke at last, leaning back to press her hips unashamedly against
his, exulting in the hard thrustingness of his arousal, proud to have
evoked it, and quickly, questioningly she ran her hands over his face,
feeling the new contours and the unexpected planes and angles.
