Chapter 4

Laura Dutton took another sip from the tulip-shaped champagne glass and nodded imperceptibly as the fat man murmured something about going to the restroom and got up from the table with what seemed to be an awful lot of effort. Well, so far so good, she thought, as she watched him lumber ponderously in the direction of the men's room.

She'd been a little curious when Goldman had ordered the waiter to bring ice and both a bottle of champagne and a bottle of Cordon Bleu cognac to the table and leave it. But now she was glad that he had. The fat man with a light grace strange for a man so obese had expertly mixed the wine and the brandy in the tall glasses and the result had been delicious. French 75's he had called them, named after the famous WW-I French anti-tank gun.

It was exactly the kind of drink she needed, very light and easy to drink, and very potent. Although she hadn't been able to keep up with Harry Goldman she had been able to drink quite a few and the second bottle of champagne had already been delivered to the table.

The alcohol made it a little easier for her to hold up through the evening and she was beginning to feel as if her promise to Johnny wouldn't be as hard to keep as she had thought. Remembering Johnny, she thought again of the wonderful time they'd had in bed. No one had ever made love like that to her before. It had been almost unbelievable, she'd climaxed over and over again. And afterwards, to make it even better, Johnny had pleaded with her not to see Harry Goldman this evening but she hadn't given in. She finally convinced him that it wouldn't hurt her just once more. There was so much at stake, and she had promised him that throughout the whole evening she would just pretend she was making love to him, and not to the fat man who had just left the table.

She had even been surprised by Harry Goldman. She hadn't known what to expect when she had finally gotten the nerve to tell Deke Vito that she'd see Goldman tonight. But, all night long the fat man had treated her more kindly and with more respect than anyone she'd ever gone out with. Even Johnny, she remembered, whenever they'd gone out he seemed to be less interested in her entertainment than his own, but with Goldman it was different.

Soon after she had talked to Vito a messenger had given her a note from Goldman telling her to get very dressed up and that a limousine would call for her at nine.

Laura had gone home and changed into her finest evening dress and at exactly nine a uniformed chauffeur had called for her, and taken her to Reno's most exclusive supper club.

Goldman had been a complete gentleman all evening, and had ordered her a delicious dinner, most of which she couldn't even pronounce.

He hadn't grabbed at her as he usually did, and his conversation had been fascinating, though a little sad at time. She remembered feeling a little sympathy for the fat man as a word now and then would uncover his unhappiness at being so grossly heavy and unattractive.

The wine and French 75's that she was now drinking had lessened her uneasiness considerably, even made her feel very good, and she didn't feel too frightened about the rest of the evening.

She was determined to go with him wherever he planned and then get it over as quickly as possible. Just as she'd persuaded Johnny, it would only take a few minutes and couldn't make any lasting difference. It wasn't like she was losing her virginity or anything.

Her reverie was suddenly interrupted by the return of Harry Goldman and she felt a little sorry for him as she saw the trouble he had fitting into the small curved booth.

"Whew!" he said as he brushed a linen handkerchief across his perspiring forehead--something she'd noticed he had to do continually-- "I'm afraid they don't make these quite large enough for a man my size, Laura," he said apologetically.

He chuckled bitterly to himself. "Husky." He looked at her through his puffy eyelids. "That's what I call myself. "'Husky' sounds a little better than 'fat' doesn't it?"

She knew he didn't really expect an answer but she saw the fleeting expression of unhappiness flicker across his eyes and she felt as if she had to say something.

"Harry, you shouldn't feel that way." She tried to put a light hearted lilt in her voice. "I've always heard size was a sign of success and prosperity. See, it fits... and I've never seen a big man as graceful as you are."

She thought she could see the appreciation in his eyes at her words. He reached across the table and tenderly took her hand.

"Thank you, Laura, I actually think you mean it."

They talked for a while longer. He amazed her with the amount of liquor he was able to consume, and there was absolutely no sign of intoxication. She tried to keep up with him, and as a result she was beginning to have a little difficulty thinking clearly.

Then he called for the check and paid for it from the largest sheaf of currency she had ever seen anyone carry.

As they stepped out into the coolness she was startled to see the chauffeured limousine pull up the moment he put his foot on the first step. It's amazing, she thought, anything he wants he gets, and he doesn't even have to snap his fingers. Then she thought bitterly, that even includes me.

They were driven for almost a half an hour and the closed back compartment of the Rolls Royce was absolutely silent, except whenever he offered her another drink from the portable bar.

Then she noticed the car pulling up a long winding driveway to an immense house at the edge of a mountain lake. They stepped past the attendant chauffeur and walked up a cobbled pathway to a huge set of double doors.

Once again, with no sign from him, the door was opened by a uniformed butler. Goldman dismissed him with a flick of his massive hand and led her toward the rear of the house.

He stopped now and then to adjust a rheostated light switch and then brought her into an enormous living room. She settled into the softness of the couch and waited while he poured her another cognac.

He handed it to her and apologized as he left her alone for a couple of minutes.

She sat there in the semi-darkness and wondered what was to come. He had been so gentle with her all night that she knew there was nothing really to fear, except possibly the actual act of making love to him. Even that bothered her very little after the number of drinks she'd had, and the knowledge deep within herself that she would be doing it for Johnny and Johnny alone.

Moments later he returned. He exchanged his dinner jacket for a voluminous silk robe and he was carrying something which he handed to her.

"Go through that door," he said, "and put this on. You'll be more comfortable." She followed the direction of his arm and found herself in a tremendous bedroom. Everything in this house seems to be oversized, she thought in admiration and awe as she stoically and without hesitation unzipped the back of her evening gown.

As she undressed she wondered if she shouldn't leave on her lingerie but decided against it. It'll only take longer if I have to wait for him to remove it, she thought. And, this is something I want to get over with as quickly as possible.

Completely nude, she stood before the great mirror that rose to the ceiling along one wall. She felt awfully good and even a little curious as she wondered guiltily how he would be in bed because in spite of his weight he seemed so smooth and suave at everything else. She slid sensuously into the embroidered white silk robe, watching her image in the glass before her. Her black, glistening hair looked wildly exciting against the pure whiteness of the silk and she knew she'd rarely been more attractive. Mr. Goldman was certainly going to get his money's worth and she vowed that this time she would do nothing to endanger the agreement she had with Deke.

Johnny, she thought, please forgive me. Darling, I'm only doing this for you. She tried to remind herself again that this was actually only a cold, hard business deal and nothing more before she stepped back into the living room.

But, even so, she again felt the steady creep of guilt as an unwanted wave of pleasure and anticipation rushed through her as she wondered what he was going to be like when she lay naked and defenseless before him.

The fat man stood up for her as she came into the room, and as he did she noticed he seemed to be a little unsteady. Well, it's about time after all that drinking he's done, she thought.

He came over to her, bringing her drink, and led her to an odd looking couch by the huge windows that overlooked the lake.

It was S-shaped, though horizontally, and looked like one of those big reclining chairs except that it was wide enough for about three people to sit on. He put her drink on one side and his on the other and then helped her onto it.

It was wonderful. Curved to fit her back and curved again to fit beneath her knees. "You'll like this chair, my dear, it does almost everything except fly."

As if to illustrate his words, he pushed a button on the panel beside him and she felt the chair begin to vibrate beneath her.

"Let me know when it's the way you like it," he said as he adjusted the power of the vibrations.

Once, it almost bounced her off and then he began turning it down again.

"There, that's perfect, Harry," she smiled softly at him, trying to be as seductive as possible in order to get it over with quickly.

It really is a delicious feeling, she thought, every part of her body seemed to be getting a massage at once. She lay back and luxuriated in the movement and the warmth, there seemed to be heat also coming from the surface of the chair.

They lay there for several moments... barely touching. Laura, thinking of nothing except the tantalizing sensations racing through her body, and the fat man thinking of nothing except the young, naked flesh of the singer's wife next to him.

For a moment Laura was disturbed by the memory of the promise she had made to Johnny, that during the whole evening she would think of no one but him. She realized it had been hours since a thought of her husband had crossed her mind. She decided it wasn't really her fault, she'd had so much to drink and Harry Goldman was being so nice to her that she felt strangely comfortable and safe.

Now, as she sat there on the chair with him she felt totally relaxed. Soft moonlight filled the whole room and the cognac was smooth and warm. She felt the fat man move his hand to her thigh but she didn't mind it at all. Instead, because he was so huge it even felt a little comforting and protective.

Laura put her hand on top of his and moved with him as he slid it softly up and down her leg. The warmth of the chair and his touch soothed her-- more than that, it strangely and disturbingly excited her. The gentle caress of his hand and the feel of the silk gliding across her skin sent low waves of desire through her body.

She began to wish that he would hold her more firmly, or at least move the robe out of the way. Finally she reached down and parted the white silk, separating it so that her whole left leg was uncovered--then lowered his hand again so that he could move it again across the ivory softness of her skin.

Laura felt him shift his weight and move closer to her, sliding his hand in to the sensitive inner side of her thigh. Her skin seemed to prickle with mild jolts of erotic sensation at his touch and she felt cool chills race down her back.

He touched her so lightly, so tentatively that it almost seemed as if he were afraid of her. It's so strange, she thought, in the casino or around other people he's always openly pinching or feeling every girl he can get his hands on--and now when he's alone with me he seems almost shy. Then it occurred to her that at this rate it was going to take forever and that she'd better hurry things along or she'd never get home and back to Johnny.

The girl turned to her side facing the heavy man, knowing that as she did her robe would fall open even further. The grace that she had noticed in him earlier disappeared as he clumsily put his aim around her and plunged his other hand roughly between her thigh again.

Suddenly she realized the tremendous strength the man possessed. Under those layers of fat he was extremely powerful and she began to get a little frightened for the first time since she had been with him tonight.

"Harry, don't hold me so tightly... you're hurting me," she pleaded softly, but he didn't seem to hear her and she felt as if her shoulders were being crushed beneath his grip.

"Harry, please..."

"Shut up, you stupid bitch!"

"Harry!... what's happened? What did I do?" She stared at him. His eyes seemed to glaze over and he grabbed her even tighter. She couldn't imagine what had happened to him so suddenly, unless it was the liquor finally taking hold.

"It's not what you did, it's what you're going to do. And that's exactly what I tell you to do." He pinched the soft flesh of her thighs brutally to emphasize his threat.

"You've had your fun this evening, and now it's time for mine." He got up heavily from the chair and then reached down and picked her up as if she weighed almost nothing.

He never said another word until he threw her unceremoniously onto the huge bed in the bedroom. She lay there trembling as he went around turning on all the lights until the room was lit up like a gymnasium. Then he came back to the bed.

"Take off that robe! I want to see that lovely body you've been throwing at me all evening."

She was too frightened to do anything but obey him and her hands shook as she undid the knot at her waist. Then, as she lay there completely naked and trembling, he just stood looking down at her, a weird look of undisguised carnal passion flickering across the thickness of his lips.

"Now, undress me!" He towered over her at the edge of the bed and waited for her to begin.

There was some great inexplainable rage in him and she was terrified by the strange light in his eyes. Too frightened to protest or resist, she untied the belt at his waist and reached up to pull the robe from his shoulders, then she began to take the studs from his dress shirt. She was trying to hurry but her hands kept slipping. Then he slapped her.

"Hurry!" he ordered, his tone cold and unyielding.

She finally slipped the shirt off, revealing his huge pendulous belly. He looked like some great Buddha, completely hairless and pale white. She fumbled at his trousers for several seconds before she was able to get the zipper down and finally slide them down his legs. He kicked them away from his feet and waited for her to continue.

She pulled down his shorts, repulsed by the grotesque figure that stood before her. If she hadn't been so frightened he would have seemed ludicrous standing there. He was wearing only his patent leather dress shoes and knee-high black stockings that were fastened with garter belts-- and his penis looked so small, dwarfed by the huge overhanging belly.