For a moment he wished he were one of the smooth talkers, the con artists who could handle this sort of thing and slide out of it without any trouble. But then, as he pivoted hard and faced her, he was glaring and his voice was blunt. “Now listen,” he said. “I’ll tell you once and then it’s ended, you hear? There ain’t a goddamn thing happening with me and that chippy. She’s one of them phonys from uptown. She came down here to play around and get some kicks. All I did was tell her off and send her on her way.”
Bella’s features were impassive. Then gradually a smile worked its way onto her lips, a perceptive smile that narrowed her eyes as she murmured, “She’s got you so mixed up, you’re dizzy. You really go for her.”
“Sure,” he snarled. “Like a fish goes for dry land. You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”
“Don’t I?” Bella slowly arose from the table. She looked him up and down. She smiled and said, “This tickles me. It’s really very funny.”
He stiffened. “What’s funny?”
Her smile was pure disdain. “You,” she said. “You’re the comedian. And what takes the cake is that getup you’re wearing. Making a social call uptown?” She started to laugh at him.
“Stop it,” he said.
She went on laughing.
He stood rigid and his fists were clenched and he spoke through his teeth. “Goddamn you,” he said. “Stop it.”
He stood rigid and his fists were clenched and he spoke through his teeth. “Goddamn you,” he said. “Stop it.”