her against him. 'How about stirring us up a batch of martinis. About that time, isn't it?'
'Just about,' she replied, unable to believe this sudden wave of open affection. 'I think I'd like one myself.'
She picked up her book and they entered the house together, his arm still around her as they moved into the sitting room and she started behind the bar.
'No,' he said suddenly. 'I'll mix the drinks and you sit down right here.' He twisted one of the four stools about and helped her onto it, then, lifting her chin kissed her full on the mouth. 'Mmmmmm,' he muttered, 'nectar for the Gods, I swear.'
Dianne gaped at him. She couldn't help herself; she was that surprised and pleased. She tried to think of something to say, but there just weren't any words at her disposal that could possibly describe her sudden happiness. Instead, she simply smiled… almost simpered, as he jogged behind the bar and began to mix.
'You know, Darling, if everything comes off, and after the election while I'm waiting to take office, I think you and I should catch a bit of a honeymoon… say… Europe, maybe?'
'Mark!' she gasped, hardly daring to believe her hearing. 'Do you mean it? I mean… honest…?'
'Baby!' he exclaimed, coming back around the bar and standing before her. 'Of course, I mean it!'
And then, before she realized what had happened he lifted her off the stool to her feet and was holding her tight in his arms, his mouth gently covering hers, his tongue taunting her lips, seeking entry which she happily gave him, as his hands caressed and smoothed over her back, finally dropping to her round, full buttocks and drawing her loins tightly against him until she could feel his stirring penis against her belly.
She clung to him passionately, sucking gently at his tongue while her pelvis responded almost of its own volition, pressing and undulating with hardly perceptive motions against him.
Oh, wonderful God, was it possible? Had they found each other. She would go to the ends of the earth with him or for him! She loved him so…!
He raised his head and smiled at her. 'You're a wonderful girl, Dianne. You won't be sorry I promise you,' he whispered.
'Sorry…? Darling, I'm the happiest girl in the world! I could never be sorry…'
'Being a politician's wife isn't always easy, Baby,' he said softly. 'Sometimes, it calls for some tremendous sacrifices… but in the end comes the reward.'
'I'd sacrifice anything for you, Mark,' she whispered up at him. 'Anything…'
'Anything?'
'I swear… anything.'
Again, he kissed her passionately, his hands traversing over her warm soft body, gently moving up her ribs to cup and stroke her breasts, raising little uncontrollable whimpers of passion from her. Then, he said: 'I may have to count on that, Darling… please, don't let me down will you?'
'Never… never! I'll never let you down, Mark, Darling…'
Suddenly, he held her from him and grinned. 'Well, this isn't getting any martinis, is it.'
Dianne laughed and climbed back onto her stool while he circled the bar once more. Actually, she'd rather have led him right up to bed and kept him there all evening, night and half of tomorrow proving her love, but she knew how deeply he felt his social obligations, and the damned country club affair was coming up. But, maybe she was thinking, she could entice him away early. A little sex went a long ways in getting a girl what she wanted, if she knew how to tease with it. And it seemed that at last, those Gods were going to smile down upon her. She couldn't remember when she'd felt so wonderful…
'There,' he said, pouring two martinis into long-stemmed crystal. 'What will we drink too?'
'Your landslide election, Darling,' Dianne said, retrieving hers.
'And… our European honeymoon,' he added, lifting his own.
They touched glasses just as the phone rang. Quickly, he set his down and caught up the receiver.
'Yes? This is he. Oh… Commissioner. What's that? Dinner? We'd be honored. Let's say… eightish? Fine. Pardon…?' Mark laughed. 'Don't worry, Commissioner, I'm not about to forget that… A deal is a deal. Of course. Right. Okay… 'bye.'
Dianne waited, watching him turn slowly to face her, his handsome smile broadening. He chuckled, almost inaudibly. 'That's it, Darling… the call I've been waiting for. The good Judge… he's backing me.'
'Oh, Darling, wonderful!' Dianne said, leaning over the bar to be kissed.
He did. 'We're having dinner with A.C. Faro tonight at the club. He's Judge Reed's top man, you know, and now my campaign manager.' He came around the bar, stood before her putting his hands on her arms. 'Now, come all the tests, Darling… the chance for you to prove everything you've told me the last few minutes.'
Dianne's head tilted somewhat in bewilderment. She half-smiled. 'I-I'm afraid I'm a bit dense, Mark. You'll have to be more explanatory…'
He let free of her and picked up his drink, making an idle little walk of a dozen short steps that caused her to swivel on the stool.
'Nothing hazardous,' he said casually, 'But a bit rattling the first time, I suppose. I mean… well, it's a big wide old ugly world sometimes, Darling… depending what you're trying to extract from it. Just as long as we both understand one another… that's all that counts…'
'Mark!' Dianne gulped suddenly.
He stopped, turned, and stared at her, his eyes level even though his smile had disappeared. 'Well?' he said.
'There's… there's an unwritten rule at the club… someone told me about it… I don't remember who… But if you're asked to dinner by a couple and you accept, it means… it means you agree to swapping mates… Am… am I right? Is that what you want… of me tonight…?'
She watched the expression of his handsome face slowly harden, a white line seeming to form around his mouth, a certain coldness chilling his eyes. But he wasn't looking at her; he was staring at the book on the bar beside her.
Suddenly, he seemed to leap at it, pick it up, then slam it down loudly.
'What the hell are you doing with this?' he shot at her.
'I was reading it,' she answered, her stomach abruptly quaking at his tone of voice and the vehemence in his eyes. 'An ignored wife has to find something to occupy her time,' she went on, sensing her own anger arousing and momentarily feeling braver for some unanswerable reason.
He slapped her face hard, jarring the drink from her hand and she heard the glass shatter as it struck the floor.
'Damn you!' he spat. 'Don't ever let me hear of you poking in my study again!' 'I wasn't poking, Mark…'
'Shut up and listen to me! Don't you ever go in there again, you hear me?'
Dianne couldn't believe the violence in his eyes. He was like a madman. She stared at him in utter fright. My God, what had happened so suddenly…?
'All-all right, Darling… whatever you say,' she managed, shaking her head slowly. 'Only… only please, don't be angry. I was just…'
'You were just poking and nosing! That's what you were doing!' he snarled. 'Now, you listen to me. We're going to have dinner with the Faros. And I don't give a damn what you've heard, nor from whom. Just… just don't you do anything to upset my applecart… You understand? You understand?' He shook her violently, his hands gouging into the soft flesh of her upper arms. 'Do you?'
'Y-Yes,' she whispered from the pressure of his grip and the anger in his eyes.
'Goddamn you… you better!' He thrust her away, scooped up his drink, drained it, then smashed the glass on the floor. 'You make one wrong move…!' He paused, swallowing tightly. 'Now, go up and get dressed!'
'Mark…'
'Shut up, you hear?' I said, 'go up and get dressed!'
Dianne slipped slowly from the stool, hesitantly turned her back to him and walked from the room. Good Lord, what was it? What was this horror that was destroying both of them? The first time she had walked into the Rio Country Club it was like something out of a storybook to Dianne… tonight it was similar to a horror mystery. She gazed across the table at the dark-haired, dark-eyed woman whose bewitching smile could possibly enamor a priest or saint, yet, she was far from beautiful. Just seductive, Dianne thought, as she watched the manner in which the voluptuous female maneuvered her magnificent eyes. Mark was simply becharmed… or was he
