Pokrewne

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CONAN 01 Conan Robert E. Howard
Bourne Trilogy 2 The Bourne S Ludlum Robert
CONAN 30 Conan niszczyciel Robert E. Howard
CONAN 27 Conan z Czerwonego B Robert E. Howard
CONAN 52 Conan nieposkromiony Robert E. Howard
CONAN 23 Conan obronca Robert E. Howard
CONAN 20 Conan z Aquilonii Robert E. Howard
CONAN 33 Conan wielki Robert E. Howard
CONAN 67 Conan i noce Szadiza Robert E. Howard
Canticos de la lejana Tierra Arthur C. Clarke

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.But he lived uptown, where the restaurants were sedate and the view of the park out his apartment window was restful.As he started up the stairs, Reed told himself it was natural curiosity that had brought him back.That, coupled with the simple matter of protecting his interests.Valentine Records had sunk a good chunk of capital into Take It Off, and he was responsible for Valentine Records.Still, he reached into his pocket and toyed with Maddy's hair brush.Going against his natural inclinations, he headed toward the sounds of music and talk.In a room wrapped with mirrors, he found the dancers.They weren't the glittery, spangly chorus one paid to see on a Broadway stage, but a ragtag, dripping group of men and women in frayed tights.To him they were a helter-skelter mix of faded, damp leotards without any hint of the precision or uniformity expected of professionals.He felt uneasy for a moment as they stood, most of them with their hands on their hips, and stared at the small, thin man he knew was the choreographer."Let's have a little more steam, boys and girls," Macke instructed."This is a strip joint, not a cotillion.We've got to sell sex and keep it good-natured.Wanda, I want a hesitation on the hip roll, then make it broader.Maddy, raise some blood pressure when you step up in the shimmy.Bend it from the waist."He demonstrated, and Maddy watched, considered the move, then grinned at him."I saw the design for my costume, Macke.If I bend over like that, the boys in the front row are going to get an anatomy lesson."Macke looked her over."A small one, in your case."The dancers around her snorted and cackled.Maddy took the ribbing with a good-humored laugh as they moved back into position to take the count.They moved, with gusto, on eight.Reed watched with steadily growing astonishment.Over a floor shiny with sweat, the dancers sprang to life.Legs flashed, hips rolled.Men and women found their partners in what seemed to be a riot of churning bodies.There were lifts, jumps, spins and the soft stamp of feet.From his vantage point he could see the exertion, the drip of perspiration, the deep, controlled breathing.Then Maddy stepped out, and he forgot the rest.The leotard clung to every curve and line of her body, with the dark patches only accentuating her shape.Her legs, even in battered tights, seemed to go all the way to her waist.Slowly at first, with her hands at the tops of her hips, she moved forward, then right, then left, always following the rotation of her hips.He didn't hear the count being called now, but she did.Her arm snaked across her body, then flew out.It didn't take much imagination to understand that she had tossed aside some article of clothing.She kicked up, so that for a moment her foot was over her head.Slowly, erotically, she ran her fingertips down her thigh as she lowered her leg.The pace picked up, and so did her rhythm.She moved like a leopard, twisting, turning, sinuous and smooth.Then, as the dancers behind her went into an orgy of movement, she bent from the waist and used her shoulders to fascinate.A man broke from the group and grabbed her arm.With nothing more than the angle of her body, the placement of her head, she conveyed teasing, taunting acceptance.When the music ended, she was caught against him, arched backward.And his hand was clamped firmly on her bottom"Better," Macke decided.The dancers sagged, unwilling to waste energy by standing upright.Maddy and her partner seemed to collapse onto each other."Watch your hand, Jack.""I am." He leaned over her shoulder just a little."I've got my eye right on it."She managed a breathless laugh before she pushed him away.For the first time, she saw Reed standing in the doorway.He looked every inch the proper, successful businessman.Because she'd wanted to see him again, had known she eventually would, Maddy sent him an uncomplicated, friendly smile."Take lunch," Macke announced as he lit a cigarette."I want Maddy, Wanda and Terry back in an hour.Someone give Carter the word I want him, too.Chorus is due in room B at 1:30 for vocals."The room was already emptying.Maddy took her towel and buried her face in it before she walked over to Reed.Several of the female dancers passed him with none-too-subtle invitations in their eyes."Hello again." Maddy slung her towel around her neck, then gently eased him out of the way of the hungry dancers."Did you see the whole thing?""Whole thing?""The dance.""Yes." He was having a hard time remembering anything but the way she had moved, the sensuality that had poured out of her.With a laugh, she hung on to the ends of the towel and leaned against the wall."And?""Impressive." Now she looked simply like a woman who'd been hard at work—attractive enough, but hardly primitively arousing."You've, ah… a lot of energy, Miss O'Hurley.""Oh, I'm packed with it.Are you here for another meeting?""No." Feeling a little foolish, he pulled out her hairbrush."I think this is yours.""Well, yeah." Pleased, Maddy took it from him."I gave it up for lost.That was nice of you." She dabbed at her face with the towel again."Hang on a minute." She walked away to stuff the brush and towel in her bag.Reed allowed himself the not-so-mild pleasure of watching her leotard stretch over her bottom as she bent over.She came back, slinging the bag over her shoulder."How about some lunch?" she asked him.It was so casual, and so ridiculously appealing, that he nearly agreed."I've got an appointment.""Dinner?"His brow lifted.She was looking up at him, a half smile on her lips and laughter in her eyes.The women he knew would have coolly left it to him to make the approach and the maneuvers."Are you asking me for a date?"The question rang with cautious politeness, and she had to laugh again."You catch on fast, Valentine Records.Are you a carnivore?""I beg your pardon?""Do you eat meat?" she explained."I know a lot of people who won't touch it.""Ah… yes." He wondered why he should feel apologetic."Fine.I'll fix you a steak.Got a pen?"Not certain whether he was amused or just dazed, Reed drew one out of his breast pocket."I knew you would." Maddy rattled off her address."See you at seven." She called for someone down the hall to wait for her and dashed off before he could agree or refuse.Reed walked out of the building without writing down her address.But he didn't forget it.Maddy always did things on impulse.That was how she justified asking Reed to dinner when she barely knew him and didn't have anything in the house more interesting than banana yogurt.He was interesting, she told herself.So she stopped on the way home, after a full ten hours on her feet, and did some frenzied marketing.It wasn't often she cooked.Not that she couldn't when push came to shove, it was simply that it was easier to eat out of a carton or can.If it didn't have to do with the theater, Maddy always looked for the easiest way [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]