Way of a Wanton Read Online Free Page B

savage. Their red seemed like the stain of blood and her dark eyes had narrowed and appeared almost black.  
    I said, “No, I don't think so.”  
    She squeezed my arm gently just as Raul shouted loudly, “No suits in the pool! Who's brave enough to be first in?”  
    Raul was only a few feet from me and I called to him, “Hey, you serious?”  
    He swung around a little unsteadily and shouted, “Hell, why else have the damn pool?”  
    There was quiet for about three seconds, and it appeared we were all going to stand there looking foolish, and then Dot, dear delightful little Dot, squealed bravely, “I'm brave,” and ran toward the diving board ten yards away.  
    Well, now I knew.  
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    Chapter Three
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    DOT ran to the end of the pool and climbed up on the springboard. The quiet of a moment before was gone now and somebody yelled, “Attagirl, Dottie,” as she reached behind her and fumbled with her skimpy yellow bra.  
    I heard Swallow's British accent close by as he said happily, “Ah, this is a lovely Hollywood innovation: The Casting Pool.”  
    Dot unfastened the bra and pulled the cloth from her body, then held it high over her head for a moment, posing before us all. Men yelled and the girls squealed and I said weakly, “Attagirl.”  
    I was wishing Sherry had stuck around. Then Helen stepped closer to me, her arm sliding around my waist, her soft thigh pressed against mine. I put my arm around her bare shoulders and pulled her closer to me, my throat tight. Dot threw the bra away from her and it was a spot of yellow on the surface of the water for a moment before it sank slowly downward. Then she put her hands on the brief bikini trunks, stood motionless for long seconds, then slowly slid them down from her hips and kicked them into the pool.  
    That really broke the ice, if it hadn't been broken before. One of the other girls whose name I couldn't remember, a sweet-faced redhead, started to peel off her suit, and Raul went over to help her. Dot still stood on the springboard, and now she started bouncing up and down, squealing. Talk about bouncing! You never in your life saw such bouncing. This looked like one of those times when pretty soon a man would feel more conspicuous with his clothes on than with them off. No matter what happened, pretty soon I was going to be damned conspicuous.  
    Dot yelled, “Come on in, everybody,” and dived into the pool. I was surprised: No steam came up. Right then Helen said softly beside me, “Well?”  
    I turned and faced her. She was smiling easily, and as I looked at her she unfastened the single strap that was looped around her neck and helped hold up the top of her suit. With her fingers hooked in the cloth over her full breasts she said, “Are you going to join me?”  
    I said, “You know something? I feel a little silly. Probably I should have had one more drink. Two more. Several.”  
    She ran the tip of her tongue over her lips and chuckled throatily. “Oh, you're like a little boy.”  
    â€œThe hell I'm like a little boy.”  
    She laughed; then, looking at my face, with her red lips smiling and her teeth pressed together, she pulled the suit down slowly and smoothly, without hesitation, baring snowy white breasts that jutted from the darkly tanned skin above and beneath them. With the suit down, her body naked to the waist, she paused.  
    â€œShell,” she said, “don't make me do this all by myself.”  
    I was stalling for time now. “Don't mind if I'm a little slow, Helen.”  
    â€œIt's all right. I like to do everything slowly, myself.”  
    â€œEverything?”  
    â€œThat's what I said.”  
    â€œIs that good?”  
    â€œOh,” she said softly, “it's so good.”  
    She stood looking at me, her hands still holding the