Read Online Bite by Nick Louth - Free Book Online Page B

shameful refuge.’
    (Extract from the speech of Professor Jürgen Friederikson to the United Nations conference on health in less developed countries, 1994.)

Chapter Ten
    Henry Waterson hadn’t meant to fall asleep, but waking on a Sunday afternoon with the young woman he loved still asleep and entwined around him was a warmth to savour. As gently as possible he slid his fingers along her shoulder, under the bedclothes until he found the heavy flesh of her right breast. Barely touching, he circled towards the centre until the nipple rose hard to meet him. Still she slept as he traced a line under her ribs along the slight curve of her belly and along her thigh down to her knee.
    She sighed and looked up at him, smiling. Her legs parted and she spoke. ‘Go on.’
    Henry caressed her inner thighs, feeling the slick stickiness of their earlier lovemaking on her skin as he moved higher. He pressed a flat hand against her sex, and she thrust her hips, describing a moist, hot lick on his palm. He pressed his fingers inside, and hearing her ragged exhalation felt a stiffening jolt in his own groin.
    They embraced and he slid on top, her hand grasping then guiding. ‘Not such an old tired man then, Henry?’ she said.
    He chuckled as he slid into her heat and rhythm. ‘You’re supposed to be somewhere else now, aren’t you?’
    â€˜Not for an hour. I’ve done what I need to for him, and this,’ she gripped his buttocks hard, drawing him deep into her. ‘ …is for me.’
    Henry, trying to slow the pace, glanced across at the next bed, spread with plastic bags and wrapping paper. ‘You shouldn’t do…all that for…him, Penny.’
    â€˜I know. But if I hadn’t …been buying more presents for his wife, I would… have been stuck in meetings all day.’ They abandoned conversation as her urgency overtook his slower rhythm, and the headboard began to tap tap tap against the wall.
    Fifty minutes later Penny Ryan knocked gently and pushed open the door into Jack Erskine’s hotel suite. The hallway reeked of stale sweat. She went through to the bedroom. Curtains shut out the late afternoon light and the air was foul. She clicked on a bedside lamp and flicked on the air conditioning. The chief executive was staring at her through bewildered and bloodshot eyes, his breathing a gentle rasp. The bed covers were dishevelled and damp, his pyjama jacket open. Beads of perspiration stood out on his top lip and his hair was like a dark, damp stain on his head.
    â€˜Jack you look terrible!’
    He said nothing. Penny carefully set aside the gifts she had bought for Jack’s anniversary on the dresser, and to calm herself tidied up the room, picking up and folding clothing, bringing him fresh water to set by the bedside, fiddling with the air conditioning. Jack’s eyes followed her around the room, but somehow the Jack she knew wasn’t in them.
    â€˜Momma.’ The voice rasped out from the bed.
    â€˜Jack, it’s me, Penny. You’re sick, Jack, and we’re going to get you a doctor.’
    â€˜Please Momma. Open the window. It’s real hot.’
    â€˜You’ve got a fever, you’ll be fine. I’ve turned up the aircon.’ Penny dialled reception. They promised to send a doctor and a thermometer.
    Once the thermometer arrived it took Penny three attempts to keep it under his tongue while Erskine called out in his delirium. He was convinced he was back at his boyhood home in Abilene, Texas. Finally, Penny lost patience and held his jaw shut with one hand. ‘Honey, Momma gonna spank you ’ness you keep still!’
    It did the trick. She wondered what Pharmstar’s 78,000 employees, every one of them scared of Iron Jack, would make of this performance.
    Then she took out the thermometer and gasped. 105.5 Fahrenheit. She didn’t know a human being could get so high and live. She put the thermometer