Read Online The Dream Merchants by Harold Robbins - Free Book Online

he started to reply to Joe’s statement, but just then Borden came up and hurried him off to the projection room. When he came out, Joe was waiting with two girls.
    Joe introduced them. One of them was the girl who had been arguing with Joe; her name was May Daniels and from the way she took Joe’s arm Johnny knew they were old friends. The other girl was a cute little blonde name Flo Daley.
    She smiled at Johnny. “Yuh better be nice to him, Flo,” Joe said laughing. “He’s one of our biggest customers.”
    They had dinner at Churchill’s. Joe was in a good mood. He had completed a whole picture that afternoon. After they had finished eating, he lit up a cigar and leaned back in his chair. “Did you talk to Peter yet?” he asked Johnny.
    “Un-hunh,” Johnny grunted. “Just this morning. I think he’ll bite.”
    “I hope so.” Joe leaned forward earnestly. “Borden’s workin’ on that new studio out in Brooklyn an’ it’ll be good if Peter comes in in time to take this one off his hands. It’ll save us a lot of trouble.”
    “He will,” Johnny said confidently. “I’m sure he will.”
    “Good.” Joe leaned back in his chair again and blew a cloud of smoke toward the ceiling.
    May leaned toward him. “Do you men always have to talk business?” she asked. “Can’t you forget it just once and have a good time?”
    Joe squeezed her knee under the table. He had drunk just enough to make him feel good. “That’s right, baby,” he said. “Let’s have a real good time.” He hailed the waiter. “More wine!”
    It was late and they were arguing over how many theaters Johnny owned by the time they reached Joe’s apartment. Joe had insisted it was twenty-one while Johnny insisted it was only twenty.
    Flo had wondered how a man so young could be so successful. Joe drunkenly assured her that Johnny was an organizing genius and was so busy he didn’t have time to remember how many theaters he had himself.
    They staggered into the apartment. Johnny looked at Joe. “You’re loaded,” he said to him. “You better go to shleep.”
    Against Joe’s protests they hustled him into the bedroom. He fell across the bed and passed out. They were trying to undress him when suddenly May had said she was too tired to bother and stretched out on the bed beside Joe and went to sleep.
    He and Flo had looked at each other and giggled. “Can’t hold their likker,” he had assured her solemnly. Together they stumbled out of the room into the other bedroom.
    She turned to him as the door closed behind them. There was a smile on her face; she held her arms toward him. “Like me, Johnny?” she asked.
    He looked down at her. Strange, she didn’t sound as drunk as she had a moment before. He pulled her toward him. “Of coursh I like you,” he said.
    Her eyes were on his face, the smile still on her lips. “Then what are you waiting for?” she asked in a low, excited voice.
    For a second he stood very still, then he kissed her. He could feel her body clinging closely to him. His hand found the open bodice of her dress and slipped inside it. Her breast was warm and exciting in his fingers. He moved her toward the bed.
    He heard her laugh. “Wait a minute, Johnny,” she told him. “You don’t have to tear the clothes off me.”
    He let her twist out of his grasp and watched her as she undressed. “Joe was right,” he thought wildly, “the life I been leading ain’t normal.” But another part of his mind insisted stubbornly that he didn’t have enough time for this and everything else he wanted to do.
    Her clothes lay on the floor around her as she stepped toward him. “See,” she smiled, “it’s much better this way, isn’t it?”
    He didn’t answer as his hands pulled her to him and their lips met. Her body was as fire to his touch as he thrust all thoughts from his mind and gave himself up to the moment.
    ***
    His head was pounding fiercely now. He got out of bed and, picking up his union suit