"Don't be sorry," Jan said, smiling. "I'm not. Honey, when you tug at my hair I love it. It thrills me. And don't worry about making me bald-headed. I've heard that pulling hair makes it grow."

Then she took my face between her palms and kissed my forehead, my eyelids, my cheeks, my chin and my mouth. After that thorough kissing, she told me,

"If pulling hair really makes it grow I'll have a hell of a barber bill." She chuckled. "But it's sure worth it."

I ran my fingertips lovingly over Jan's hair and teased, "If you go broke paying barber bills, I'll learn how to cut your hair myself.'

9.9

"That's my girl!" She gently pinched my hot cheek, and then lifted my hand up to her rumpled hair. "And for now, darling, how about making it grow? Huh?''

"Uh-huh," I murmured, and as she lowered her head I fastened my fingers in her hair.

The electric clock on my dresser made no sound, but in the living room the mantle clock chimed, reminding me that my folks would be home by six o'clock. Jan would have to be gone by then. Every part of me rebelled against ever having Jan leave me. I wanted to feel her touching mealways!

Jan lifted her touseled head and said,

"Darling, it's four o'clock. The chimes remind me that I'll have to clear out of here before your folks come back."

"Oh, Jan," I murmured. "I wish you could stay."

"I'll stay another hour," she said. Then she lay beside me, and took me in her arms. "But, sweetheart,

we must rest now.

9.9

"All right," I murmured, looping my leg across her body.

Even when Jan had to rest a while, though I respected her need, I lay there beside her, quivering, wanting more, more. Could I ever get enough of being 50

loved? The more I had, even after climactic satisfaction, the more I wanted. Any way! Every way! Just so it was between Jan and me!

After Jan had gone, I sat in the living room, dreaming of the time she and I would live together. The folks came into the house Bob moment my very hurried over.

"Welcome home," he greeted. Then he immediately told them, "I did all I could to keep Melba and Jan from being lonely while you were away."

"Jan?" Mother's eyebrows swooped upward, and her lips turned down at the corners. "So that girl was here!"

Beth resented Jan's having been with me, more than I would have believed possible. I thought it was cruel of her, because she had Hal, and she was happy. I couldn't understand why she wanted to separate me from the one human being who understood and loved me. But she did.

Finally, when I was wondering if Beth guessed that Jan and I were lovers, I learned the true reason for her being so angry. It burst from her while we were having dinner, Monday evening.

"Melba, how can you be so stupid as to waste opportunities we thoughtfully arranged for you?"

"What? Who? Huh?" I did sound stupid and at that moment I felt stupid. I just didn't get the drift of what Beth was saying.

"Hal, Mother and I thoughtfully went away, knowing Bob would see to it that you weren't lonely. But what did you do?" Her brown eyes stormed at me. "You had that dull, sexless pal of yours over to louse things up!"

What Beth said sounded so ridiculous to me I almost burst out laughing. I choked back the laughter. My thoughts raced. Jan, dull and sexless? What a fool Beth was. I was certain that Hal and Beth never gave