The Cruel Stars of the Night - Kjell Eriksson [59]
“He must have been curious.”
“He hates me. I think he’s started a campaign in order to get rid of me.”
“It’s too bad about all the books,” Stig said, and felt desire stir again. “You’ve been a little confused since your father disappeared,” he continued and put his hand on her head.
“Maybe he’s not my father,” Laura said.
“What do you mean?”
She turned her head.
“Stay,” she said.
“We can’t keep going like this,” he said and pressed her head to his crotch.
Jessica was waiting for him. He was sure she was sitting at their shared desk. He could see her clearly in his mind, illuminated by the globe-shaped lamp, how she put the last touch on the offer to the Germans, fine-tuning the wording and examining the numbers to the last little decimal.
He should also be there. More and more it felt as if the future of the firm stood and fell with the results of the negotiations with Hausmann.
Laura licked one side of his groin.
“I love you,” she whispered.
He stared straight ahead. On the wall across from him there was a photograph of Laura and Ulrik Hindersten. He saw no details but sensed it had been taken in Italy. Laura was around twenty. Ulrik had his arm around her shoulders and smiled for the camera.
Next to it there was a framed picture of a little red cottage. It was the type of aerial photo sold in the forties and that no cottager, farmer, or householder could resist. The colors had faded of course, but it made even the humblest little cottage look grand. There was no indication of how extensive the grounds were. All sense of meagerness was gone.
Desire slowly drained away from Stig Franklin and he very gently detached himself from Laura. Her nails bored into his buttocks and he suddenly became afraid, as if he had missed his chance, passed up something of value, while he was making love to Laura, whose nails now scratched his buttocks and thighs.
“What are you doing?” he yelped and freed himself.
He pushed the curtain to the side and let in a little light in order to be able to hastily collect his clothes. Laura’s pale face was blank, as if she didn’t really understand what was happening.
Stig pulled on his pants and fumblingly buttoned his shirt but stopped when he caught her gaze.
“What is it?”
She didn’t answer, simply pulling the covers around her.
“I have to go, don’t you understand? We’ll have to talk more later.”
“We haven’t talked at all,” Laura moaned and Stig glanced at her quickly, tucking his shirt into his pants.
He fastened his cuff links and pulled his tie around his neck. Laura swiftly stood up, grabbed him by the tie, and pulled. Stig fell headlong onto the bed and Laura threw herself over him, still with a firm grip on the tie. The weight of her body across his chest and the noose that was being pulled increasingly tighter locked Stig to the bed. Laura neutralized his waving arms by scooting forward and pressing her knees across the tops of his arms.
She didn’t say anything, released the pressure around his neck after a few moments, and pushed her crotch up toward his panting mouth.
“You’re afraid,” she whispered, “afraid of that witch.”
“Laura,” he croaked, “I can’t breathe.”
“Yes, you can.”
He choked back a sob.
“You like making love to me, don’t you?” she whispered.
He nodded eagerly.
“We have so much to catch up on,” she continued.
Stig made an attempt to get away, braced his feet and pushed back while at the same time he turned his head to escape the noose around his neck.
“We have so much to talk about,” he said and managed to free one arm.
Her forehead was burning as if she had a fever. He stroked her face softly and was overcome with a feeling of intimacy. Her heat radiated toward him, her damp and tensed body gave the impression of a hunted animal whose shiny skin did not offer any protection.
Laura let him caress her. She calmed down somewhat, her breathing slowed. Her anxious eyes closed briefly and she sighed heavily.
He stroked her face and throat, put his arm around her neck and drew her close and whispered words he had never said to Jessica. Rationally