"Lisa Tuttle & Steven Utley - In the Hole" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tuttle Lisa)

Now he stared. тАЬYou mean you never left? But why did you stay?тАЭ

тАЬWhat else was there for me to do? I told you IтАЩd wait. I never thought
the war could go on for so long.тАЭ

тАЬNo,тАЭ he muttered, feeling cold, тАЬneither did I. Nobody did.тАЭ

тАЬWe were going to love each other forever,тАЭ Cara said, her voice
growing sharp, тАЬand be together always. But then the war came, and you
wanted to go be a soldier.тАЭ

тАЬI didnтАЩt want to. I had to. It was my duty.тАЭ

She shook her head. тАЬIt was your excuse. You wanted to get away
from this town so much, you couldnтАЩt think of anything but getting out, and
you left me behind.тАЭ

тАЬI said IтАЩd come back for you, and now I have.тАЭ

She set her fork on her plate. тАЬYes. You have. IтАЩm sorry if I sounded a
little bitter just then. It hasnтАЩt been easy for me, but I know what youтАЩve been
through must have been so much worse. But itтАЩs going to be all right now
that weтАЩre together.тАЭ

Even so, though he felt another stirring of passion that night as he
watched her undress, it quickly faded and died. He told himself the problem
was too much light. CaraтАЩs bedroom was never truly dark, owing to a
hall-light she left turned on for her fatherтАЩs sake, and to the streetlights that
sent their sickly yellowish glow through the filmy curtains and cast unnerving
shadows on the wall. He suspected, however, CaraтАЩs dull passivity was the
real cause of his impotence. She seemed both slow and skittish, reluctant
to touch him, and when at last he tried to direct her, the result was even
worse. He could not enjoy what he could only think of as masturbation by
proxy.

Still, with fingertips and lips, he managed to bring her to orgasm. She
shuddered and cried out softly and then lay very still in his embrace. He
listened as her breathing slowed; he fancied he heard the slowing beat of
her heart as well.

Finally, she said, тАЬHeath, that was beautiful.тАЭ

He could think of nothing to say except, тАЬIтАЩm glad you liked it.тАЭ After a
moment he added, тАЬIt was beautiful.тАЭ

тАЬBut what about you?тАЭ She touched him hopefully. He felt nothing, not
the least tremor of arousal.

тАЬNever mind me.тАЭ