An elusive feeling of shame slipped through Laura, disappeared, came back again, faded, came back. It seemed uncertain whether or not to stay. She swallowed experimentally, looking at Beebo. After a minute Beebo said, “Who’s Beth?”
“Beth?” Laura was startled.
“Um-hm. She the blonde?”
“No. That’s Marcie.”
“Well, baby, seems to me like it’s Beth you’re after, not Marcie.” Laura frowned at her. “I haven’t seen Beth for almost a year. She’s married now. It’s all over.”
“For her, maybe.”
“I won’t discuss it,” she said haughtily, getting up and walking away from her, while Beebo lay on the floor admiring her body, her head propped comfortably on her hands. “It happened long ago and I’ve forgotten it.”
“Then how come you called me Beth all night?”
Laura gasped, turning to look at her, and then her face went pink. “I—I’m sorry, Beebo,” she said. “I won’t do it again.”
“Don’t count on it.”
Laura stamped her foot. “Damn you, Beebo!” she said. “Don’t talk to me as if I were an irresponsible child!”
Beebo laughed, rolling over and nearly crushing Nix, who reacted by licking her frantically and wagging his tail. Beebo squashed him in a hug, still laughing. Laura turned on her heel to leave the room, looking back quickly to grab her slip, and went into the bedroom, slamming the door. Within seconds it flew open again and Beebo leaned against the jamb, smiling at her. She sauntered into the room.
“Now, don’t tell me you didn’t enjoy yourself last night, Little Bo-peep,” she said.
Laura ignored her, moving speedily, suddenly embarrassed to be naked. In the heat of passion it was glorious, but in the morning, in the gray light, in the chill and ache of waking up, she hated it. Her own bare flesh seemed out of place. Not so with Beebo, who sprawled on the bed on top of the underwear Laura wanted to put on.
“Did you?” said Beebo. “Enjoy yourself?”
“Get up, Beebo, I want to get dressed.”
“After all, it was your idea, baby.”
“Don’t throw that in my face!” she exclaimed angrily, ashamed to remember it.
“Why not? It’s true. Besides I’m not throwing it in your face, I’m just saying it.”
Laura turned away from her, unbearably conscious of her own slim behind, her dimpled rump, and her long limbs. She yearned to be shrouded in burlap. “Beebo, I—I couldn’t help myself last night.” She worked to control her voice, to be civilized about it. “I needed—I mean—it had been so long.”
“Since Beth?”
Laura fought down a sudden impulse to strangle her. “I was a fool,” she said, and her voice trembled. “A fool with my roommate and now with you. It got so I couldn’t stand it at home. It got intolerable.”
“So you came down here. And I was a nice convenient safety valve.”
“I didn’t mean that!” she flared.
“Doesn’t matter what you mean, baby. It’s a fact. Here you were, desperate. And here was I, ready and willing. You knew I wouldn’t turn you down.”
Laura’s face began to burn. She had a wild idea that her back was blushing with her cheeks.
“What would you have done if I had turned you down, Laura?” Beebo spoke softly, insinuatingly, teasing Laura, enjoying herself.
But Laura was too humiliated to tease back. “I don’t know,” she exclaimed miserably. “I don’t know what I could have done.” And she covered her face with her hands.
“I’ll tell you, then. You’d have begged me. You’d have gotten down on your knees and begged me. Sometime you will, too. Wait and see.”
Laura whirled toward her, insulted. “That’s enough!” she said harshly. She pulled her underthings forcibly from under Beebo, but Beebo caught the shoulder strap of her brassiere and hung on to it with both hands, her heels braced against the floor, laughing like a beautiful savage while Laura yanked furiously at it.
“You’re going to get about half,” she said. “If you’re lucky. I’ll get the other half. Half isn’t going to hold much of you up, baby.”
Laura let go suddenly, and Beebo fell back on the bed, grinning at her.
“Laura hates me,” she said, “Laura hates me.” She said it slowly, singsong, daring Laura to answer her.
Laura glared at her, defiant and fuming. “You’re an animal!” she hissed at her.
“Sure.”’ Beebo chuckled. “Ask Jack. That’s his favorite word. We’re all animals.”
“You’re nothing but a dirty animal!”
“What were you last night, Miss Prim? You were panting at me like a sow in rutting season.”
Laura’s eyes went wide with fury. She grabbed the nearest thing—a hairbrush—and flung it violently at Beebo. Beebo ducked, laughing again at her young victim, and Laura turned and fled into the bathroom. She slammed the door so hard it bounced open and she had to shut it again. With frantic fingers she tried to turn the lock, but Beebo was already pushing on the other side. Laura heaved against it, but Beebo got it open and she fell back against the wall, suddenly frightened.
“Don’t touch me!” she spat at her.
Beebo smiled. “Why not? You didn’t mind last night. I touched you all over. Did I miss anything?”
Laura shrank from her. “Let me go, Beebo.”
“Let you go? I’m not even touching you.”
“I want to leave. I want to get out of here.” Laura tried to push past her but Beebo caught her, her strong hands pressing painfully into Laura’s shoulders, and threw her back against the wall.
“You’re not going anywhere, Bo-peep,” she said. And began to kiss her. Laura fought her, half sobbing, groaning, furious. Beebo’s lips were all over her face, her throat, her breasts, and she took no notice of Laura’s blows and her sharp nails. Laura grabbed handfuls of her hair, wanting to tear it out, but Beebo pulled her close, panting against her, her eyes hypnotically close to Laura’s. And Laura felt her knees go weak.
“No,” she whispered. “Oh, God no. Oh, Beebo.” Her hands caressed Beebo’s hair, her lips parted beneath Beebo’s. All the lonely months of denial burst like firecrackers between her legs.
