Luc glowered down at her, deep creases etched between those dark enigmatic eyes. ‘Why?’
‘Sorry?’
‘Why would Gina want to finish with me? We were getting on really well.’
Carmina gave a little shrug. ‘She seems to think you’ve been a naughty boy, which I’m sure you have. When did you ever stay faithful to a girl? You certainly never were to me.’ That had been a big bone of contention between them at the time they were going out together, the way Luc was always off chasing some bit of skirt or other.
‘I’ve changed. For the better, I hope. Perhaps I’ve matured. OK, you and I had a bit of fun, but what I feel for Gina is different. She’s special, at least she is to me.’
Carmina thought she might vomit all over his polished winkle-picker shoes.
Oh, but he was so handsome, so assured, so
dangerous
! His mouth was full and so very kissable Carmina longed to taste it, but that wasn’t what
nice
girls did, was it? She must try to remember to play hard-to-get. That was the best way to catch him.
‘Spare me the hearts and flowers,’ she said, and tossing him a careless smile, spun on her heel and walked away. Otherwise, she might well have smacked that handsome face of his. Anyway, if she knew Luc Fabriani, he’d soon come running.
Gina sat at home alone in her room and thought of what might have been, indulging in a bout of uncharacteristic self-pity.
She was bored with sitting with her family night after night listening to some orchestral concert or operetta on the wireless. Tired of sewing. Tired of being brave. Had things been different and she hadn’t developed poliomyelitis when she was ten years old, she could have been attending her first dance this evening, with a boy she liked a great deal, might even be growing to love. She would have been the one getting dressed up to go out, the one putting on lipstick, and the new skirt and top she’d secretly bought for herself from the small allowance Papa gave her.
Instead, she felt as if she were being dragged back into childhood, back to those bitter dark days of pain and suffering.
Carmina was the one going out into the world, as always. The one who was allowed a normal life to enjoy herself while Gina wasn’t permitted to do anything: no boy friend, no dances, not even a job.
She’d tried playing chess with Antonia but her mind wasn’t on the game. Marta had made an effort to keep her company, helping her to reorganise Gina’s collection of Whimsies. These were little porcelain animals: a hedgehog, tortoise, frog, rabbit, owl, dogs and farm animals which family and friends had bought her over the years to add to her collection whenever she’d been facing yet another operation, or having a hard time. Somehow the cheery little figures had offered a kind of comfort. Not tonight.
Gina was all too bitterly aware that while she sat listening to Marta chatter away as she rearranged the ornaments on the shelves Papa had made specially for the purpose, Luc was dancing with some other girl, kissing someone else, someone who was normal. He probably hadn’t even given her a thought.
As the evening progressed Carmina became quite certain that Luc was watching her, giving her the kind of measured look any girl could interpret. Maybe he was thinking better of his declaration of devotion to the antiseptic Gina. Exciting little shivers rippled down her spine as she imagined Luc’s glorious dark eyes blatantly undressing her, examining every luscious curve, the olive tone of her skin, the sheen of her hair. She came over all hot and bothered at the thought of his hands following the same track. He was within her grasp, Carmina was sure of it.
And then to her complete delight he came over. ‘Wanna dance?’
‘Sure.’ She answered with a casual disinterest, as if to imply she really didn’t care one way or the other.
It was a Johnny Mathis number,
The Twelfth of Never
, the kind of song where you barely moved an inch, which was exactly what she’d dreamed of night after night for
weeks
.
‘
I'll love you’til the poets run out of rhyme. Until the Twelfth of Never and that’s a long, long time.’
Oh, if only he would love
her
like that. He was holding her quite loosely, and he seemed to be miles away, deep in thought. No doubt wondering how he could get her to go out with him again without losing face.
Carmina pressed herself closer so that she could feel the hard heat of his body searing through her blouse right to her bare flesh. Her can-can petticoat bunched a little around her bare thighs and he adjusted his position slightly to accommodate it, which allowed Carmina the opportunity to slip one of her legs between his. It was the most thrilling moment of her life.
He cleared his throat. ‘You reckon Gina doesn’t fancy me any more, then?’
Not Gina again! Carmina could hardly believe it. She really had no wish to be constantly reminded of her dratted sister. She nestled closer against his broad hard chest, breathing in the exotic scent of his after-shave.
‘My sister is such a home bird. Doesn’t care to go out much at all, not since she had the polio. She’s so
boring!
Not in the least bit interested in boys, or films, music, dancing, whatever. She loves to sew and knit, listen to the wireless, that sort of stuff. Not like me.’ And Carmina awarded him her most entrancing smile.
Luc seemed unusually thoughtful. ‘She enjoyed the flicks well enough when I took her.’
Carmina swallowed her silent fury. ‘I’m sure she was only being polite. She’s like that, is darling Gina. Hates to hurt a person’s feelings. She did confide in me that you’d been seeing each other
secretly,
which proves it was against her better judgement.’
There was a silence, and then he looked down at her as if from afar, a hardness to his gaze she’d never seen before. ‘It’s not true that I cheated on her. Who told her all those lies, I wonder?’
‘I really couldn’t say.’ Carmina smiled up at him in wide-eyed innocence. ‘I can see you’re upset. Just as well I’m here, to cheer you up.’
He gave a snort of disbelief. ‘And will you also confide in her that I danced with her sexy, glamorous sister?’
‘Possibly not. Are you going to tell her?’
They regarded each other for a long moment, then he allowed his chin to rest against the pulse that beat in her temple and went on swaying to the music.
So
delicious
!
When the dance was over he nodded briefly and walked away. Carmina’s heart sank as she went drearily back to her friends.
During the supper interval Carmina wandered over to speak to Alec Hall, as she’d promised she would, feeling the need to boost her confidence with a little gentle flirtation. She’d most carefully manipulated this situation so that everything was in place to execute her plan yet felt suddenly uncertain over the outcome. Would Luc succumb? Could she make him want her as much as she wanted him?
Carmina almost laughed at her own foolishness. Of course Luc would succumb. When had a man every been able to resist her? She was turning soft, that’s all it was.
There had been one scary moment this week when Gina had pressed her to deliver a letter. She’d very nearly weakened and done as she was bid, feeling just a little sorry for her fretful sister, as she had so many times in the past. But one glance at Luc’s darkly handsome good looks as he crossed the market towards her, and she’d felt no compunction at all about dumping it in a nearby litter bin.
She felt rather like a cat who would purr and rub against people so that they might stroke her and make her feel good about herself. But Carmina could just as easily stretch out her claws and cruelly scratch them, or walk away with her nose in the air, tail swishing, completely independent. Carmina rather liked this trait in herself, but playing a game of cat and mouse with Alec Hall might sharpen her skills nicely.
The room was hot and crowded, even so she pressed herself close against him, ostensibly to read the label on the record he was sliding on to the turntable but really so that he could appreciate the soft swell of her breast.
‘
At The Hop
with Danny and the Juniors. Great, I like that one.’
Alec felt strangely at a loss for words as he drank in the sight and smell of her. She was like a ripe peach, soft and round in all the right places, ready for the plucking. And he was most certainly the man for the job, so why did he hesitate? Because she was so young, and no doubt a virgin? That had never stopped him before, certainly not with his lovely Joo Eun who had welcomed him as if he were a hero.
Carmina batted her eyelashes and smiled, really rather enjoying the way he gazed at her, apparently struck dumb by the attention she was giving him.
He had the kind of eyes which seemed to look right through to her very soul, a hint of derisory appreciation in their steady, penetrating gaze, yet contriving to reveal nothing of his own feelings in their smoky grey depths. He possessed the kind of mature good looks that would appeal to any young girl: charming, debonair, cultured, and that most enticing turn-on of all - experience.
He cleared his throat, hurried to put on another record. ‘I’d ask you to dance only I’m on duty.’
Carmina shrugged, which jiggled her breasts and brought his eyes flicking over her and then quickly away again. ‘Maybe later then, when the main band comes back and you’re off-duty?’ She didn’t miss how his eyes brightened at her suggestion.
‘Okay.’
‘See you,’ and she swung about on her high heels and sauntered elegantly away, deeply aware of his eyes following every sway of her hips. She dearly hoped that Luc had noticed too.
Chapter Nine
The moment the band came back Carmina saw Alec weaving his way across the dance floor towards her, and her heart sank. She hadn’t meant it about dancing with him. She’d just needed reassurance of her own power. But as luck would have it, Luc got to her first. One minute she was giggling with her friends over what remained of the plated sandwiches and sausage rolls, the next he was standing beside her, his gaze burning into hers. He didn’t even ask her this time, just jerked his head and took her hand, as if he wanted to resist her, but couldn’t.
Carmina followed him on to the dance floor, with only one backward glance of triumph to her neglected friends.
This time it was a jive to
Rave On
, a Buddy Holly hit, and she had no trouble at all in keeping up with him. Luc had rhythm, never missed a beat, his hands sure and certain, twirling and catching her, spinning her round then holding her close to his chest making her heart race, and sweat break out between her breasts. She wondered if he were as aware of her as she was of him.
The music ended and for one dreadful moment she thought he was going to walk away a second time. In desperation, she flapped her hands to fan herself, ‘It’s hot in here! I feel a bit faint.’
A second’s pause and then he said, ‘Let’s get some air.’ His voice sounded gruff, almost angry. Snatching hold of her hand, he began to pull her through the crowd.
Carmina’s heart soared. She’d caught him at last. He didn’t need air any more than she did. She knew exactly what he wanted, but then didn’t she understand men perfectly?
Once outside in the back alley Luc took out a packet of Gold Flake and lit up while Carmina leaned back against the wall, revealing the long white curve of her throat. She’d surreptitiously unfastened the top three buttons of her blouse so that he could see right down into her bra, should he have the inclination. He’d always rather liked her breasts.
Licking her lips with the flick of her pink tongue, she gazed up at him through her lashes. After a moment, annoyed by his inattention, she asked him, ‘Aren’t you going to kiss me?’
He looked at her, saying nothing.
‘I’m a much better kisser than our Gina. But then you know that, don’t you?’
When still he didn’t respond, she pushed herself forward and slid her arms about his neck, nibbling tantalisingly at his full lower lip with her sharp white teeth. He swore softly under his breath and for one dreadful moment she thought he was going to shove her away.
‘You’re a vixen, Carmina Bertalone. Did anyone ever tell you that?’
‘Then you must be the wolf.’
With one vicious movement he flung the cigarette away and kissed her savagely, exactly as she’d hoped he would. The sensation was electrifying, even the taste of the beer he’d drunk earlier filled her with a strange pulsing excitement. Carmina could scarcely breathe, nor did she want to. His tongue was in her mouth, his hands on her bottom, squeezing her to him. The next instant he flung himself off her, and swore loudly this time.
‘Satisfied now? Is that what you wanted, a bit of rough?’
‘Isn’t it what
you
wanted when I suggested we come out for a bit of fresh air?’ she teased.
‘Drat it, no, it damn well isn’t! I asked you outside because I wanted to tell you about how it is with me and Gina, and to ask you to - leave - me -alone.’ He punctuated his words, seeming to hit her with each one.
Carmina laughed. A rowdy group of revellers burst out of the door of the dance hall, and with the first drops of another rain shower starting, said, ‘Okay, so you want to talk. There’s precious little privacy here, and I really don’t want to ruin my hair, so why don’t we sit in your car for a minute? We’d be much more comfortable.’