fancies big Hollywood moguls.’
‘You can tell her to keep her false nails off this one, he’s already been bagged!’
They did a ritual dance together – him standing very still and giving rhythmic sexy twitches and she almost bumping and grinding before him.
‘Fancy a bit of pot?’ he asked conversationally.
She glanced over at their table. More people had joined it, and Conrad seemed quite happy ordering drinks and talking loudly with a lot of arm-waving.
‘Yeah, great idea,’ she said.
They slipped off the dance floor and out onto a balcony that extended along one-half of the club. It was windy and surprisingly quiet, as the windows and doors from the club were all soundproofed.
Giles lit a joint and they took it in turns to drag deeply on it.
‘I’ve got to get in the right frame of mind to screw that bag of bones,’ he said. ‘We’re doing a big layout for
Vogue,
and I want to have the right atmosphere between us. Christ, I tell you, it’s like banging a skeleton!’
They both giggled. ‘Lots of luck,’ laughed Claudia. ‘How would you like mine? Attractive, isn’t he?’
‘I’d suggest a foursome,’ said Giles, ‘but I know we’d only end up doing it to each other, so what’s the use?’
They both collapsed in gales of laughter, then Claudia said, ‘C’mon, we’d better get back inside.’
‘What’s the scene?’ Giles asked. ‘You going to become a big movie starlet?’
‘Star – baby – star.’
They walked back into the noise and heat and rejoined their table. Cindy was listening attentively as Conrad told a long boring story about how he first arrived in America at the age of fourteen. Shirley and the Honourable Jeremy had also squeezed around the table.
‘Sweetie – what a fascinating man!’ gasped Shirley. ‘Such a history!’ She simpered at Giles. ‘Hello, poppet.’
‘Hello, Shirley – how’s business?’
‘Business?’
He laughed. ‘Forget it, baby.’
‘I say, old man,’ stammered Jeremy, ‘liked those photos you did of Shirley – jolly fine set.’
‘I’m a jolly fine photographer,’ mocked Giles.
Claudia decided it was about time she came between Cindy’s adoring gaze and Conrad. She snaked her arm around his neck and whispered something in his ear.
He looked surprised. ‘Here?’ he said. ‘Now?’
She giggled. ‘No one will see. Want me to?’
He laughed hoarsely. ‘You’re a wild broad. Save it for later, huh?’
Conrad ordered champagne for the whole table, and everyone proceeded to get well and truly loaded. ‘I’m going to throw a big party tomorrow night,’ he said.
Claudia was delighted. ‘For me, darling?’
‘Yeah, for you – anyone – you’re all invited.’
‘Oh, goodie – how super,’ trilled Shirley. ‘Where and what time, sweetie?’
‘Make it at my hotel – Plaza Carlton – I’ll take over a big room there – about ten o’clock.’
‘Crazy,’ said Claudia. ‘Did everybody hear that – tomorrow at ten.’ She kissed Conrad’s ear. ‘I’m just going to the loo – be right back.’ She threaded her way through the crowded tables to reception. ‘I want to make a quick phone call,’ she said to the girl behind the desk.
‘Go ahead,’ said the girl passing over the house phone.
It was after three o’clock. She dialled the number slowly, a strange smile playing around her lips.
A sleepy voice answered the phone.
‘Hello, David darling,’ she whispered. ‘I’m having a great time. How about you?’ She hung up immediately. ‘Just letting my husband know everything’s cool,’ she said to the surprised girl and swept back inside.
* * *
Waking up the next morning was not too much fun. Seeing Conrad asleep beside her like a discontented slug made her stomach turn. Her head felt heavy and her skin like much-used parchment. She made it to the bathroom and took an icy-cold shower. It was absolutely freezing agony, but the after-effects were worth it.
They had not returned to
‘You can tell her to keep her false nails off this one, he’s already been bagged!’
They did a ritual dance together – him standing very still and giving rhythmic sexy twitches and she almost bumping and grinding before him.
‘Fancy a bit of pot?’ he asked conversationally.
She glanced over at their table. More people had joined it, and Conrad seemed quite happy ordering drinks and talking loudly with a lot of arm-waving.
‘Yeah, great idea,’ she said.
They slipped off the dance floor and out onto a balcony that extended along one-half of the club. It was windy and surprisingly quiet, as the windows and doors from the club were all soundproofed.
Giles lit a joint and they took it in turns to drag deeply on it.
‘I’ve got to get in the right frame of mind to screw that bag of bones,’ he said. ‘We’re doing a big layout for
Vogue,
and I want to have the right atmosphere between us. Christ, I tell you, it’s like banging a skeleton!’
They both giggled. ‘Lots of luck,’ laughed Claudia. ‘How would you like mine? Attractive, isn’t he?’
‘I’d suggest a foursome,’ said Giles, ‘but I know we’d only end up doing it to each other, so what’s the use?’
They both collapsed in gales of laughter, then Claudia said, ‘C’mon, we’d better get back inside.’
‘What’s the scene?’ Giles asked. ‘You going to become a big movie starlet?’
‘Star – baby – star.’
They walked back into the noise and heat and rejoined their table. Cindy was listening attentively as Conrad told a long boring story about how he first arrived in America at the age of fourteen. Shirley and the Honourable Jeremy had also squeezed around the table.
‘Sweetie – what a fascinating man!’ gasped Shirley. ‘Such a history!’ She simpered at Giles. ‘Hello, poppet.’
‘Hello, Shirley – how’s business?’
‘Business?’
He laughed. ‘Forget it, baby.’
‘I say, old man,’ stammered Jeremy, ‘liked those photos you did of Shirley – jolly fine set.’
‘I’m a jolly fine photographer,’ mocked Giles.
Claudia decided it was about time she came between Cindy’s adoring gaze and Conrad. She snaked her arm around his neck and whispered something in his ear.
He looked surprised. ‘Here?’ he said. ‘Now?’
She giggled. ‘No one will see. Want me to?’
He laughed hoarsely. ‘You’re a wild broad. Save it for later, huh?’
Conrad ordered champagne for the whole table, and everyone proceeded to get well and truly loaded. ‘I’m going to throw a big party tomorrow night,’ he said.
Claudia was delighted. ‘For me, darling?’
‘Yeah, for you – anyone – you’re all invited.’
‘Oh, goodie – how super,’ trilled Shirley. ‘Where and what time, sweetie?’
‘Make it at my hotel – Plaza Carlton – I’ll take over a big room there – about ten o’clock.’
‘Crazy,’ said Claudia. ‘Did everybody hear that – tomorrow at ten.’ She kissed Conrad’s ear. ‘I’m just going to the loo – be right back.’ She threaded her way through the crowded tables to reception. ‘I want to make a quick phone call,’ she said to the girl behind the desk.
‘Go ahead,’ said the girl passing over the house phone.
It was after three o’clock. She dialled the number slowly, a strange smile playing around her lips.
A sleepy voice answered the phone.
‘Hello, David darling,’ she whispered. ‘I’m having a great time. How about you?’ She hung up immediately. ‘Just letting my husband know everything’s cool,’ she said to the surprised girl and swept back inside.
* * *
Waking up the next morning was not too much fun. Seeing Conrad asleep beside her like a discontented slug made her stomach turn. Her head felt heavy and her skin like much-used parchment. She made it to the bathroom and took an icy-cold shower. It was absolutely freezing agony, but the after-effects were worth it.
They had not returned to
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