Deadly Embrace by Jackie Collins (ebook reader for manga TXT) 📕

institute. At least she had a mission, which was more than he could say about most of the women he dated. They all wanted to get married. They were all after the gold ring on the finger. So far, none of them had come close.

As far as he was concerned, marriage was a gold ring through the nose, and not something he’d ever considered before. Now he was offering it to her, and she was turning him down. Unbelievable!

He confided in Max over a beer at their local bar.

‘Jeez!’ Max groaned. ‘Why’d you havta screw her? She’s seventeen, for crissakes. You didn’t have enough pussy, you had to have her too? That’s some dumb move!’

‘Yeah, it was stupid,’ he admitted. ‘But she was always giving me the come-on.’

‘An’ you couldn’t resist.’

‘Guess not.’

‘How was she in the sack?’ Max asked, narrowing his eyes slyly.

‘Get the fuck outta here,’ Michael said, frowning. ‘You know I never talk about the women I’ve been with.’

‘Gee, thanks,’ Max said indignantly. ‘Here I am, married six years, an’ you don’t wanna tell me shit. Would it kill you to give a married guy a cheap thrill?’

‘I’ll tell you this,’ Michael said, ignoring his comment. ‘I’m sure as hell not allowing her to get rid of my baby.’

‘What’re you gonna do?’ Max said sarcastically. ‘Tie her to the bedpost?’

‘You’ve got to get Tina to talk to her. Maybe after the baby’s born she’ll snap into some kind of maternal instinct thing. Isn’t that what women do?’

‘How would I know?’ Max said, swigging his beer. ‘If you were smart, you’d let her get rid of it.’

‘That’s not right, Max. How’d you feel if it was Susie or Harry?’

‘Okay, okay–I get what you’re sayin’.’

‘Then you’ll speak to Tina?’

‘Sure. Only I’m warnin’ you–my lovely wife’ll have your balls for breakfast.’

‘I hope she enjoys ’em.’

‘You horny, disgusting pig!’ Tina raged. ‘Why couldn’t you keep your slimy hands off her?’

He shrugged. ‘You’re right, I never should’ve gone near her. Believe me, it’s my mistake.’

‘And a big one,’ Tina said, glaring at him. ‘Don’t you understand? Max and I are supposed to watch out for those girls. We’re supposed to protect them from old leches like you.’

‘I’m not exactly an old lech.’

‘Well, I think you’re disgusting. It’s terrible what you’ve done to that poor little girl.’

‘Oh, c’mon, Tina,’ he said, defending himself. ‘Beth is about the most street-smart kid I’ve ever come across.’

‘You just said it, Mike–she’s a kid, and you should have left her alone.’

‘I didn’t, an’ now what happens?’

‘You’ve got to marry her.’

‘I’ve offered and she doesn’t want that.’

‘You offered to marry her?’ Tina said, shocked.

‘I certainly did.’

‘And she said no?’

‘You got it,’ he answered wearily. ‘Look, if she has the baby, I’ll support them both. But I’m telling you straight–no abortion.’

‘It’s not your choice.’

‘It’s my baby.’

‘How do you know?’ Tina said, arching an eyebrow. ‘Are you telling me she only slept with you?’

‘She’s willin’ to do the blood-test thing, an’ so am I. Besides, she swears it’s mine.’

‘And you believe her?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Okay,’ Tina sighed. ‘I’ll talk to her. But not for you–for her. And, Michael—’

‘Yeah?’

‘In future keep your horny little dick to yourself.’

‘Little, Tina?’

She couldn’t help giggling. ‘I never did find out, did I?’

Two days later Tina summoned him back to the house. ‘How many times did you sleep with her?’ she asked.

‘Once.’

‘Then you must be a one-shot wonder.’

‘What d’you mean?’

‘I took her to the gyno. She’s five months’ pregnant, so you must have slept with her right after you moved out of here.’

‘Who remembers?’ he said, remembering only too well.

It has been one of those hot summer nights and he’d been over at Tina and Max’s for dinner. As he’d left their house, he’d spotted Beth sitting on the steps outside the house next door. She was wearing a skimpy red halter top and barely there shorts. ‘Hi, Michael,’ she said, waving at him.

He walked over. She was smoking a cigarette, drinking from a can of Coke and listening to Cuban music on her transistor radio.

‘Miss me?’ she said, flirting as usual.

He plucked the cigarette out of her hands. ‘You’re too young to smoke,’ he said sternly.

She leaped to her feet. ‘Give that back!’ she yelled, hands on hips.

He took a drag, purposely teasing her. She sucker-punched him in the stomach and grabbed her cigarette from him.

‘How are you?’ he asked, grinning.

‘Bored,’ she answered restlessly, sitting down again and stretching out her long legs.

‘Where’s Catherine?’

‘Away for the weekend.’

‘Why didn’t you come over to Max an’ Tina’s for dinner?’

‘Then I’d be even more bored.’

‘Why? I was there.’

‘That’s what I mean.’

‘You are a piece of work.’

‘Takes one to know one.’

‘So,’ he said, sitting down next to her, ‘where are all your boyfriends tonight?’

‘Ha!’ she said disgustedly. ‘I told you before–I don’t like boys, I like men.’

‘And how old are you now?’

‘Old enough to do whatever I want,’ she said, staring at him boldly.

‘I don’t think so. In my opinion you’re gonna havta make do with boys for the next few years.’

‘Really, Michael?’ she said, giving him another provocative look.

‘Yup.’

‘Wow! It’s hot,’ she said, fanning herself with her hand.

He couldn’t help noticing that her nipples were erect. The skimpy halter top did not hide much, and it was obvious she was not wearing a bra.

‘The freezer thing at the top of our fridge broke and there’s a big chunk of ice stuck there,’ she said, aware that he was checking out her breasts. ‘Can you please take a look for me?’

‘Call the repairman,’ he said briskly.

‘Please, Michael, please,’ she said, standing.

‘Okay, okay,’ he said, getting up and following her into the house, which had the same layout of rooms as Max and Tina’s, although it was furnished differently, with colourful couches, bright abstract paintings, and ethnic rugs. Aunt Gloria had exhibited very flamboyant taste.

The kitchen was a mess. Dirty dishes and chaos everywhere.

‘Catherine does the housekeeping,’ Beth explained, bending down to pick up the cat’s dish.

‘Where’s this ice problem?’ he asked, trying to avoid staring at her butt, so snug and inviting in