Lovers and Gamblers

by Jackie Collins

  * * *

  Dallas stood at the top of the steps leading to the patio, and gazed down at the beautifully laid-out tables, and the people eating and chatting.

  Linda, a step behind her, muttered, ‘Talk about making a late entrance…’

  ‘The only kind,’ Dallas murmured.

  And she was right, because one by one every pair of eyes stopped to look at them, until a hush hung over the gathering – only a momentary hush – but it was enough to make an impact.

  Doris came trotting up the stairs. ‘You naughty girl!’ she hissed. ‘You’re so late. I had nearly given up on you!’

  ‘I’m sorry. Car broke down. Doris, I’d like you to meet my friend, Linda.’

  ‘Hmmm,’ absently Doris shook her by the hand. She was more concerned about her placement. ‘I’ve had to move you around. I couldn’t leave Aarron with two empty seats beside him. I’ve put your friend at Lew’s table.’

  ‘That’s all right,’ Dallas said.

  Doris replied somewhat huffily, ‘I should hope so. Come, let’s sit down.’

  * * *

  Seeing Dallas was like getting an electric charge. Al had forgotten quite how beautiful she actually was. The sensual face framed by the streaked mass of hair. The body in the clinging white dress, with quite obviously nothing underneath. Every man in the place was staring at her.

  Al went to stand up as she passed, but stopped himself in time. Let her come to him.

  But she didn’t. She glided past and sat down at the next table. She did not appear to even notice him.

  As luck would have it they were seated almost back to back.

  He swivelled round and tapped her on the shoulder. ‘Don’t you say hello any more?’

  She turned and stared at him with her incredible green eyes. ‘Hello.’

  Doris came back to the table, squeezing between them. Dallas turned her attention back to Aarron Mack, who was toasting her with champagne.

  Her thoughts were not on Aarron. They were on Al. It was like chemistry. She was drawn to him like a magnet. As soon as she saw him strange things happened. Things that she could hardly control. Her head felt light, her skin flushed, her stomach knotted into a sort of sick feeling. What the hell was it about him?

  Aarron said, ‘You look beautiful, beautiful. I toast your beauty.’

  She lifted her glass and clinked it together with his before swallowing the champagne down.

  Behind her she was only too aware of the fact that Al was only inches away.

  Lew Margolis was talking business. He did not acknowledge his wife’s introduction of Linda as she sat her down at his table.

  Linda didn’t mind. But she wondered if he would mind if he knew it was she who had taken the pictures Dallas had shown him. How different he seemed from the man beside Dallas’s pool that night. How tempting it would be to say, ‘Excuse me, Mr. Margolis, but I have seen you in action. Uncensored action!’

  The fact that he was talking business with Paul – who hadn’t even seen her – did not help matters. She looked around the table. Strangers. Famous strangers. No one was taking the least bit of notice of her.

  On one side she recognized a television star of a cop series. On the other a fag screenwriter. They were both engaged in conversations on their other sides. Charming! How to be really, really popular! Was there something her best friends had failed to tell her?

  She tapped the TV star firmly on the shoulder. She couldn’t let Paul see her just sitting there. ‘Hi, I’m Linda Cosmo. I was wondering if I might do a photo lay-out on you? I’m out here from New York sort of scouting interesting stories. You may have seen my Al King cover on People a few weeks back.’

  The TV star had been about to give her a brush. After all, at a party like this who was she? But the words ‘photo lay-out’ and ‘People cover’ changed all that.

  ‘Yeah—’ he said enthusiastically, ‘I was wondering why they hadn’t gotten around to me yet. Yeah – I’d like that. When do you want to do it?’

  Linda smiled. Mention publicity to an actor and you were away and running. Pity his reputation as a closet queen went before him.

  * * *

  Dallas could not force one morsel of food down her throat.

  Aarron said, ‘Are you not feeling good?’

  ‘I’m feeling fine, I’m just not very hungry.’

  Aarron summoned the waiter. ‘More champagne at this table.’

  Dallas drained her glass. Goddamn it – the presence of Al King right behind her was turning her into a nervous drunk!

  Aarron patted her on the leg. ‘It’s good to see you relax.’ His hand lingered just that moment too long.

  She could not summon the strength to remove it.

  ‘When you come to New York for the launching I have something very serious I wish to discuss with you,’ Aarron said, ‘you must promise me you will give it your full consideration.’

  She nodded. Why the hell had she come to this party anyway?

  Turkish coffee was served, with wafer-thin imported peppermints for the ladies, and the best illegal Havana cigars for the men.

  A small group of musicians started playing romantic Italian sounds. Room was cleared to make a dance floor.

  Mrs. Harmon Lewis eyed the short bass player and said, ‘Doris gives the best parties in town!’

  Al was busy receiving a stream of celebrities who were playing musical chairs – dodging back and forth between tables. He had made a discovery. The worst star fucks of all were the stars themselves! They were positively fighting for a few minutes at his table. Him! Al King. Ex-road digger. Ex-Janet Leigh-inspired wanker!

  He should be flattered. But he found it funny. And all he really wanted to do was to grab hold of Dallas and get out of there.

  * * *

  ‘When did you get here?’ asked Paul, in a tone of voice which clearly said, ‘What the hell are you doing here?’

  ‘Few days ago,’ smiled Linda. ‘Why?’

  They were talking across the table which didn’t make things easy.

  ‘I tried to call you,’ Paul said. ‘You never called back.’

  ‘Shall we dance?’ the TV star suggested to her.

  ‘Love to,’ replied Linda. She shrugged slightly in Paul’s direction as if to dismiss his question.

  He glared at her.

  * * *

  ‘Excuse me,’ said Dallas, getting up from the table. She was dying to go to the bathroom. She made her way inside the house. The guest powder room was occupied.

  She made her way upstairs. Mr. and Mrs. Margolis’s boudoir. Memories! Memories!

  She walked into their bathroom. More memories!

  The champagne was beginning to make itself felt. She was very lightheaded. She went to the john, brushed her hair, applied more lipgloss.

  She didn’t hear the door open behind her, she didn’t realize anyone was in the room until the smell of Joy enveloped her, and Doris had her enclosed in a strong embrace – one hand cupping her left breast.

  ‘I love you, Dallas,’ she whispered, her little girl voice strained, ‘I love you.’

  Dallas only felt revulsion. She tried to push her away, but Doris was strong and held on.

  ‘I’m not into women,’ protested Dallas.

  ‘Oh yes you are!’ insisted Doris, ‘I’m never wrong – never. Open your legs for me and you’ll never want another man.’

  ‘Leave me alone!’ snapped Dallas. ‘Just leave me alone. She shoved Doris off and rushed from the room.

  Why didn’t anyone ever believe her?

  * * *

  ‘If you can spare the time perhaps we can dance,’ said Paul coldly.

  Linda was just sitting down after dancing with the TV star for the third time.

  ‘If you like,’ she said.

  He got up and came round to her side of the table. ‘Having fun?’ he hissed.

  She smiled coldly. ‘About as much fun as you and your wife have had for the past four weeks.’

 
; ‘My wife left shortly after you did.’

  ‘How shortly?’

  ‘A matter of days. Haven’t you read about what’s been going on?’

  ‘I was sorry to hear about Nellie.’

  ‘We all were.’

  ‘Including Al?’

  ‘It wasn’t his fault.’

  ‘Sure.’

  ‘There’s no need to use that sarcastic tone.’

  ‘Oh sorry. I wasn’t aware that I had to check with you about what tone I could use.’

  ‘Don’t let’s argue. I’ve missed you. Come on, let’s dance.’

  * * *

  Al watched Dallas walking back to her table. Mrs. Harmon Lewis was regaling an intimate item of scandal. He wasn’t listening. He couldn’t give a toss. He gripped Dallas’s wrist as she passed.

  ‘You and I are going to dance,’ he stated.

  ‘But…’

  He stood up, ‘No buts.’ He guided her to the dance floor and, at last, held her. He was immediately hard.

  ‘You remind me of an Arab I once knew…’ she murmured demurely.

  ‘An Arab?’

  ‘Yes. Didn’t you know they consider it a great compliment to get a hard-on as soon as they dance with a woman.’

  ‘Who told you that crap?’

  ‘This Arab I knew – Charles something or other. It’s like burping after a meal if you enjoy the food.’

  ‘Horse crap!’

  ‘That you have to fart for!’

  ‘Nice. Very nice.’ He pulled her even closer. ‘Why haven’t you returned my calls?’

  She looked surprised. ‘What calls?’

  ‘Don’t give me that…’

  ‘Don’t give me that. You haven’t called.’

  ‘No, but Paul has.’

  ‘He hasn’t.’

  ‘He hasn’t?’

  ‘He hasn’t.’

  ‘Sonofabitch! I’ll kill him. I’ve been thinking about this since the South of France. Remember?’

  How could she ever forget? ‘Nope.’

  ‘Regines. Dancing together.’ God she felt marvellous.

  ‘Oh yes – wasn’t that shortly before I got the icy treatment?’ She tried to edge away from his persistently hard body.

  ‘Who’s talking about icy treatment? What about the time I called you from Chicago?’ He pulled her firmly towards him.

  ‘You’re holding me too tight. I can’t breathe.’

  He released her slightly. ‘Why don’t we split from this boring party?’

  ‘And do what?’

  ‘What do you think?’

  ‘Oh, no!’

  ‘Oh no why not?’

  ‘Because I do not want to.’ Liar! Liar! For the first time in her life she did.

  He shrugged. ‘We can do what you want. Drive to the beach, grab a hot dog, take in a strip show, buy some new sounds at an all-night record shop.’

  ‘OK.’

  ‘OK what?’

  ‘OK to everything. It sounds like fun.’

  He laughed. ‘You’d really sooner do all that than…’

  ‘Yes!’

  ‘What are we waiting for then?’

  ‘You can’t leave.’

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘You know why not. You’re the guest of honour.’

  ‘So what? I don’t know any of these people, and what’s more I don’t think I want to.’

  Out of the corner of her eye Dallas saw Doris emerge from the house. She seemed completely recovered from the incident in her bathroom. She was smiling and nodding. Lew was sitting at a table with his cronies. Dallas was thankful not to have had to talk to him.

  ‘I can’t leave Linda,’ Dallas said.

  ‘Linda’s all right.’ Al indicated that she was dancing with Paul.

  ‘Why don’t we ask them to come with us?’

  ‘Whatever you want.’

  ‘You’re being very nice tonight. Whatever I want. I thought it was always a question of what you want.’

  ‘If it was a question of what I wanted we’d be in a bed somewhere screwing our…’

  ‘No way.’

  He smiled, enjoying her company, enjoying the thought of what he knew would happen later. He threw up his hands in mock despair. ‘I’m not arguing!’

  She laughed, happy for the first time in weeks. ‘You’d better not!’

  * * *

  Giggling and laughing they collapsed in the back of Al’s limousine.

  ‘What did she say?’ Dallas asked again.

  ‘She said, “Mr King – you are the rudest man I have ever met.” Her eyes filled with tears – and I said, “Darlin’ I’ve got a headache, what can I do?” And she said, “You can stay, you prick!” I nearly fell over. Doris Andrews using language like that. Disgusting!’

  Dallas giggled. ‘I could tell you worse things about Miss Andrews than that.’

  ‘You could? Go on – tell.’

  ‘I can’t.’ She indicated Luke, who was driving the car. ‘It’s secret.’ She felt extremely lightheaded, almost carefree for once in her life.

  ‘Where to first?’ asked Al.

  ‘You promised the beach.’

  ‘You heard the lady, Luke. The beach it is.’

  ‘What about Paul and Linda?’

  ‘I said we’d meet them in an hour at Pips. He wanted to square things away with old man Margolis. You know Paul – business first.’

  ‘I didn’t get a chance to talk to Linda. I was so busy sneaking out before Aarron grabbed me – was everything back to normal with her and Paul?’

  ‘Didn’t ask.’

  ‘You’re so concerned.’

  ‘I’m concerned with being alone with you. Anyway – Paul lied to me. He told me he’d called you. Who the fuck does he think he’s playing games with?’

  ‘Maybe he thought he was doing you a favour.’

  ‘I’ll pick my own favours.’ He took her hand and held it. When was the last time he had held a girl’s hand? When was the last time he had bothered to talk to a girl? He was enjoying every goddamn minute of it.

  The car sped silently down the winding curves of Sunset.

  ‘What about some music?’ Al asked. ‘Who would you like to hear?’

  ‘Bobby Womack,’ Dallas replied.

  ‘Bobby Womack! How about Al King?’

  ‘Bobby Womack please. Or Rod Stewart. Or David Ruffin. Or…’

  He silenced her with a kiss. Burying his hands in her mane of hair. Holding her head so that she couldn’t move.

  He could not remember the last time he had kissed a girl. He was Al King. He did not need the preliminaries. It was either fuck or out.

  Kissing Dallas was more exciting than any of the dumb bimbos he had screwed.

  He was exploring her mouth with his tongue. Wow – he had forgotten what fun kissing could be. He was so horny he could have come there and then.

  At the beginning she had returned the kiss, but now she was pushing him away.

  ‘I want you,’ he muttered. ‘I want you…’

  She leaned back in the seat, gazed out of the window. ‘No,’ she said.

  He reached for her magnificent breasts. He could see her nipples were hard through the thin material of her dress.

  She slapped his hand away. ‘Forget it!’ she snapped.

  ‘What’s the matter?’ he asked in a puzzled voice.

  ‘Do I have to have a reason for not wanting you? Or is it part of the ride to have sex with the great Al King if he takes you in his car?’

  ‘I thought you felt the same way I did.’

  ‘You thought wrong.’

  They sat in silence for a few minutes, then Al said, ‘Luke, we got any Womack tapes?’

  Silently Luke slotted the Home Is Where The Heart Is tape into the machine, and the sexy voice of Bobby Womack serenaded them with ‘How Long’.

  ‘OK?’ demanded Al.

  ‘Terrific,’ replied Dallas.

  He took her hand again, and they listened quietly to the music wh
ich was assaulting them from all four speakers.

  Nearing the coastal road Al spotted a drive-in. ‘Hot dog time?’

  Dallas replied, ‘It’s on our list, isn’t it? Plenty of relish.’

  ‘Luke – two hot dogs – one ketchup – one relish.’

  Luke swerved the big car into a parking bay, and got out.

  ‘What do you want to do at the beach?’ Al asked.

  ‘Can we take a walk along the seashore?’

  ‘We can do whatever you want.’

  Luke returned with the hot dogs and they munched them hungrily.

  ‘Been reading about you,’ Al said. ‘It’s all happening, huh? Long way from that old guy you were with in the South of France.’

  ‘That old guy is one of the richest men in America.’

  ‘Is that why you were with him?’

  ‘How’s your wife?’

  ‘What’s my wife got to do with this conversation?’

  ‘The same as my old guy – exactly nothing.’

  Al laughed. What a change to find a woman who answered him back. She hadn’t even said yes the first time. Of course she would the second time – but that was only to be expected.

  Dallas breathed deeply. She was with him. It was nice. It was fun. But it was all a crock of shit. He was just another superstar on the make. All he wanted was her body. All he wanted was to add her to his list. He was a married man – at the most it would be a few nights of good times. Who needed that? She certainly didn’t. So what was she doing with him? She couldn’t explain it.

  They walked along the beach hand in hand. Dallas had taken off her shoes, and Al had rolled up his trousers. They talked about inconsequential things. A television show they both liked. A book Dallas thought he might be interested in reading.

  ‘Hey – why don’t we swim?’ Al suggested.

  ‘You’re kidding – I’d feel like that girl in Jaws!’

  ‘Come on, it would be great. Look at those waves.’

  ‘You swim.’

  ‘Is that a challenge?’

  ‘Go ahead.’

  ‘Hold this,’ he handed her his jacket, stripped off his shirt, took off his trousers. The hell with it – he stepped out of his Y-fronts. Let her see the treat he had in store for her.

  She didn’t bother to look, just said, ‘Be careful, I’m not very good at mouth to mouth resuscitation!’

  He ran into the dark sea, ducked under a huge wave, and was swimming strongly out to the calmer waters. He trod water and looked to shore. She was standing there holding his clothes. ‘Come in,’ he shouted. ‘It’s like a warm bath.’