Crossroads of Desire by Amos Hatter — page 15: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

CROSSROADS OF DESIRE His words awakened a picture in Connie’s mind and for a moment she considered it. Not bad. The possibilities were there, no doubt about that. But why did they have to go on thinking about that? “How about another drink, Larry?” she asked, This time it was Connie who leaned forward. Her elbow brushed his sleeve as she poured out two more cocktails. She gave him his refilled glass, “You know something?” he asked as he took it. “No. What?” Her eyes twinkled. “I don’t know what I was thinking of, but last night when you asked me to drop around this afternoon it just didn’t occur to me that you were serious about ragtime music for a ballet.” “Now you know. How else do you think we get ideas for dances?” ; Larry shook his head. “Frankly I had never stopped to consider it.” “Did you ever stop to think that you’re a damn good piano player?” “No, but I used to think a good deal about trying to be one,” he laughed. The liquor was beginning to make his stomach feel warm and comfortable. Connie drew both of her legs up onto the divan and twisted around so that she faced him. He found it very difficult to ignore the enticing curves of her hips and breasts. Finally he gave up and regarded her with forced casualness. “Don’t try to be a better one,” she advised, “You're good enough the way you are.” She emptied her glass and put it back on the table. A magnetic excitement filled her at his nearness. His eyes were intent on her for a moment, then hastily he looked away. She sensed the doubt that had assailed his mind. He thought he was reading her incorrectly, but he wasn’t. “Tell me about yourself, Larry. Have you been playing long?” “A few years,” he replied thoughtfully. “Did you ever try anything serious?” “Yes. That was the trouble.” He looked at her with a woeful smile. Connie’s eyes were tender as she gazed at him, knowing the struggle he had been through. She knew all about it. “You might not know this,” she said quietly, “but until six 28 Th CROSSROADS OF DESIRE months ago I was pounding the pavements all over New York. T’ve danced in some of the crumbiest joints in this city. It wasn’t until I got into the Ballet du Roi that I started getting anywhere.” % “Really!” He stared at her in amazement. “But—I thought you—wWell, somehow I had the idea you were born a success.” “Not me,” she said, shaking her dark head. She saw the expression on his face relax a bit. He had learned something about her that he needed to know. And now, by golly, Connie decided, the rest was up to him. “Shall I pour us another drink?” he asked. She nodded. This time, as he leaned over to hand her a drink, his face came close to hers, Connie didn’t move. Their eyes met and without a word being spoken between them all questions were suddenly answered. The next instant his lips were on hers and at their touch a delicious shiver spiraled down Connie’s spine. He withdrew and searched her face for a moment. “Gee, Connie, I—” : He got no further. Quickly he set her drink back down on the table. His arms went around her and their lips met again. The contact had set off an explosion in both of them. He pressed her to him and her arms crept around his neck. Larry needed no more evidence. ; His lips sought hers hunerily now. He kissed her eyes, her forehead, her cheeks and her neck. Connie drew in her breath sharply, holding him even closer to her. “JT never dreamed it could be this way,” he murmured in her ear. “I thought you were something almost spirit-like ...a sort of goddess of the dance.” She laughed softly. “Tm very much a human being, Larry.” ‘You're gorgeous, divine.” Tt was not for Larry, though, to set her on a pedestal. She was solid and sweet reality in his arms. He explored her love- liness with his hands as his mind absorbed the prize that had befallen him. His astonishment at such good fortune soon gave way to mounting passion. “conniclooolks.conn