"Laurell K. Hamilton - Anita Blake 15 - The Harlequin" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hamilton Laurell K)

Chapter Four



THREE HOURS AND some change later, I knew the movie was the new version of King Kong.
Nathaniel liked the movie better than I did. The special effects were great, but I was way ready for the
ape to die long before he did. Which was a shame, since some of the movie was amazing. My cross
hadn't glowed once, and I hadn't been more than normally fascinated with Nathaniel. Normally fascinated
meant that sitting in date seats in the dark was intimate and fun, but it didn't make me lose control. I
thought about letting my hands wander, and with the other men in my life, I might have, but Nathaniel had
less inhibitions than most. I might start something I wouldn't want to finish in the theatre. Besides, you
can't watch the movie and grope your boyfriend, or at least I can't.

One thing I had to do after a movie that long was take a restroom break. Riddle me this: Why is it that
there is never a line for the men's room, but the women's always seems to have one? I did my bit in line,
then finally got into the stall. At least it was clean.

The noise died away and let me know I was alone. Long damn line. I tucked and buckled everything
back into place. One of the things I liked about shoulder holsters as opposed to carrying on the hip is that
you don't run the risk of dumping the gun in the toilet. Inner pants holsters that don't go through a belt
loop are some of the most precarious for bathroom use. Guns, unlike pagers, do not float.

I smoothed the stockings in place, glad that I wasn't having to struggle with pantyhose anymore. Garter
and stockings really are more comfortable. The bathroom was empty as I pushed the door open. I
started for the sinks when I saw the box sitting across one of them. "Anita" was printed on the box in
black block letters.

That little dickens. How had Nathaniel gotten in here to leave a present? If he'd been caught in the ladies'
restroom, it could have gone badly. I washed and dried my hands, then opened the box. I had to fold
back layers of white tissue paper before I found a mask. It was white and would have covered
everything but the eyes from forehead to chin. It was utterly plain, a blank white face staring up at me.
Why would he buy me this? If it had been leather and fetish-looking, I might have guessed something
more adventurous on the sexual front, but this didn't look like that kind of mask. Of course, I wasn't an
expert on that kind of mask, so maybe that was what it was for. If so, he hadn't sold me on the idea. I
didn't like masks, and I was far from comfortable with bondage and submission. The fact that I had
leanings that way myself hadn't made me like it more; on the contrary, it scared me more because of it.
You hate most in others what you're afraid of in yourself.

I tried to find an expression that was neutral, but pleased, and walked out carrying the box. Nathaniel
was waiting against the far wall, holding both our coats and his hat. The leather hat got hot indoors. He
smiled when he saw me and walked toward me with a quizzical look on his face. "Did someone leave
that in the bathroom?"

I showed him that it had my name on it. "I thought you were trying to surprise me."

"You hate surprises," he said.