the instant of frozen motion and then he was choking and gasping as the throbbing flesh poured out his tribute into his mouth.
Andrew fell away from him, sprawling across the bed, breathing deeply. Roger too remained motionless for a long time, his heart still pounding frantically with the exertion. Finally, Andrew moved, got up and disappeared into the bathroom. While he was gone, Roger remembered his nudity and went to the closet for a robe, slipping it on.
Andrew noticed the robe when he returned and smiled in amusement as he began to dress again. “Did you enjoy yourself?” he asked as he bent down to lace his shoes.
“Very much,” Roger assured him honestly.
“That’s good,” Andrew said. “I always like my companions to enjoy the experience. That way, they don’t object when I ask for something in the way of a reward.”
A wave of disappointment swept over Roger. Of course, he had expected that this young man had a financial interest in him. That was to be expected. Ordinarily, he offered his companion some money, a few dollars to compensate for their time and the attention they had given him. He knew, after all, that he was no beauty. He did not like them to ask for it, however. Somehow, when he offered the money as a gift, it made the business seem less like prostitution.
“Of course,” he answered, taking his billfold from the dresser. “I had planned on offering you a little something. Will twenty do?”
Andrew straightened up. He was smiling again, but this time his smile was cold and hard, vastly different from the way he had looked at Roger before. “I had a little more than that in mind,” he said bluntly.
“I see.” Roger’s embarrassment deepened. He had never before been in the position of haggling like this. “Fifty, then. It’s steep, but I suppose I can’t really object.”
“I was thinking more in terms of, let’s say, a thousand.” Andrew stood, looking even taller than before. He was no longer pretty and gracious, but formidable and threatening.
Roger stared in astonishment. “You can’t be serious,” he said, “I have no intention of paying you that sort of money.”
“I am serious. And you will pay. I know your type, you see. You’re not the sort who likes a lot of ugly scandal, and scenes in hotels. That’s the alternative you have.”
Roger could scarcely believe his ears. And yet, as he met the hard gaze of the man before him, he knew that Andrew was indeed serious, in both his demands and his threats....
* * * *
“You told the police about it?” Lenny asked, leaning forward in his chair. He seemed angered by the account, and full of sympathy.
“No, I couldn’t, don’t you see?” Roger sighed as he remembered the humiliation and the indignation he had suffered. “I couldn’t afford to. He knew who I was, and it might have gotten back to someone here, and caused such a bother. The family’s well known, for one thing. And my mother’s had a bad heart for several years. If there had been only myself to consider, I might have dealt with it differently, but there’s no telling what a scandal of that sort would do to her in her condition. I had no choice but to pay him the money he demanded, but after that I no longer had any desire to stay in New York, or pay another visit. Once burned, as they say.”
“So now you just stay around here, all by yourself, in this big old house?”
“Yes. Oh, I have my occupations, of course, but not that sort of thing, not since then.”
“That’s too bad.” Lenny seemed quite suddenly to have lost interest in the subject. He finished his drink and stood up. “I guess I’d better be going.”
Roger stood also, disconcerted by the abruptness of the change. “Have you thought about the car?” he asked. It occurred to him that they had, after all, not even touched upon the subject of Lenny’s visit.
“I’d like to think about it. Could I come by again tomorrow after I’ve talked to my friend?”
“But of course. I’ve enjoyed our little visit.”
Lenny was smiling as he again clasped Roger’s hand, this time less forcefully. “So have I,” he said.
Roger stood at the door as his guest made his way down the drive. Now that the conversation was ended, he was suffering regrets at having said so much. He had in fact revealed his most embarrassing secret to this stranger, while he in turn knew little about the young man who was just leaving. He was suddenly frightened and anxious.
Lenny reached the end of the drive and paused, turning back to smile and wave. Roger returned the gesture and his fear vanished as quickly as it had come.
He was foolish to worry, he chided himself. There was scant likelihood that Lenny would be mingling with any of the Caldwell’s friends, and in any event, he was such a nice young man, so open and direct, and yet thoughtful, and...he would not let himself think the other adjective that had attempted to creep into his mind...so attractive.
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