
I got up. She didn't look more than twenty. I could see her real well now. Maybe she was a couple of years older in the daylight but this wasn't daylight.
"Wait a minute," she said. "I want to talk to you."
She didn't sound like a hooker, nor did she look like one, but who can tell these days with so much hot pussy running around.
"I gotta go," I said. "Take it easy."
Her hand caught my wrist. "Please." There was a pleading tone in her voice. I told myself not to sit down, but damn it, the next thing, of course, I was sitting down. Maybe you just can't change old tomcats completely, especially when birds land right in front of them.
She was wearing a little lipstick. The trouble was right there, she smelled nice. I liked the soft odor of perfume in her hair.
"O.K" I said, "what's the gimmick?"
"No gimmick." She was still holding my wrist. Her fingers were cool and slim. Her finger stroked the vein in my wrist, and I felt the blood rush up my arm and the vein pulse and jerk like a hooked worm.
"What'll you have to drink?"
It was the waitress, standing right behind me. I turned my head and looked at her over one shoulder and heard the blonde speak: "Rum and Coke, please."
"Seven-Up," I heard my voice say mechanically.
"Seven and seven?"
"No, plain Seven-Up."
"Hmmmmph," said the waitress and went away.
"Are you sick?" said the blonde. She peered at me strangely.
I didn't say anything.
