"I'll play according to the rules--as soon as I learn them."
She looked up at him. "You know them," she said quietly. "All men and
women learn them at home, in school, in church. They're sensible rules
and they keep people out of trouble, mostly. If you adhere to the
rules, people will have nothing to attract their attention. That's what
father was trying to say when he suggested that you provide a visible
means of support for yourself. Play by these rules and we'll get along.
It's especially important when we must not have people looking in our
direction, Charles."
She sighed and leaned against him softly. "You asked me a question. The
answer is three. One of them preferred a blonde and they are living
quietly and happily on Callisto. The second couldn't have jelled
because he was the kind of man who would work eighteen hours a day.
Some men are that way and some women like it that way, but not me. The
third, Charles, was Michael. Mike didn't last long. Only long enough to
prove to me that he was a woman-chaser. The fourth could be you, and
maybe there mightn't be a fifth."
"Three men in your life," he said.
She smiled up into his eyes. "Three men in my life--but, Charles, not
three men in my bedroom." Carolyn cocked an eyebrow at him knowingly.
"The only way the fourth will get in is to make sure there won't be a
fifth. So now you know. You can play it from there."
* * * * *
His arms did not slip around the slender waist, but the hands pulled
her close to him. He kissed her gently, and for a moment she clung to
him with her body. Her response was affectionate but only bordering on
passion. Then she leaned back and smiled into his face. "You need a
shave," she told him. "So let go of me until you can kiss me without
scratching." Then to prove that she didn't really mean it, Carolyn
kissed him, briefly, and ended it by rubbing her forehead against his
chin.
Farradyne went to his stateroom and showered. He shaved. He dressed
carefully in white slacks and shirt and the last remaining holdover
from a Victorian period, a dark necktie. He returned to the salon to
find Carolyn finished with her highball and cigarette and waiting for
him calmly and patiently. She looked him over, then got up and rubbed
her cheek against his and cooed pleasantly, but moved away when he
tried to kiss her.