LLP-279 The Exhibitionist Wife by Gilda Grayson


Chapter 1


He had thought about it innumerable times in the last several months, 
trying to figure out what was happening to him when he was in bed with 
Evelyn, but short of going to a head-shrinker and laying bare his whole 
life, while lying on a couch answering all kinds of personal, 
penetrating questions, Fred Holden wasn't able to come up with any 
substantial answers. Somehow they seemed to evade him, no matter how 
hard he concentrated on the problem. It just seemed to happen, and he 
couldn't do anything about it. He had tried a lot of different things, 
but the one thing he did know for sure was that he wasn't really 
impotent ... And, as far as going to a head doctor, well forget it. He 
wasn't about to do that, yet.

Seated in the spare bedroom of their apartment, which Fred used as a 
study, he was trying to run down a column of figures on his adding 
machine. He was moonlighting, which consisted of running monthly audits 
for several small, independent businesses, a couple of service 
stations, a neighborhood grocery store, a dentist and a pet shop. He 
worked damned hard at his regular job then spent two or three nights 
every week doing more of the same thing for these small outfits.

He made a stupid mistake, transposing some numbers, and he cleared the 
machine, corrected the error and leaned back away from his desk in his 
swivel chair, listening to his portable radio, turned up to drown out 
the sounds of the television set in the living room. Evelyn was there 
listening and watching while some insipid singer-comedian went through 
his studiedly relaxed routines. He couldn't stand to watch that 
particular program, and he was glad that he could sequester himself in 
his office on the evenings when that one was aired. What he would like 
to do was get a little portable set; then he could watch what he liked, 
such as some of the detective series or a talk show or two. There were 
some other things he liked to watch, too, but they weren't broadcast on 
T.V.

Looking at his wristwatch, he saw that it was a little after ten-
thirty. It was a little early, but maybe---just maybe---he'd be in luck 
tonight. A little smile of anticipation creased his round face, and he 
heaved his short, muscular frame out of his soft chair. Going to the 
south window, he gingerly drew back the drapes, and being careful to 
stay well back from the sill his eager eyes sought the window of the 
apartment below and slightly to the left. He was looking down directly 
on the bed, sheets and covers turned back for occupancy, but he was 
disappointed. The young couple weren't on the bed, yet. "Damn!" he 
growled to himself. He'd have to wait. His eyes shifted to the bathroom 
window. Sometimes they were as careless about keeping that window 
closed as they were the one in the bedroom. Well ... I'm in luck! The 
light was on in the bathroom, and the window was open ... but the only 
way he could see into his neighbor's bathroom was to be in his. Well, 
hell ... he'd done that before, too.


End of Page 1. See llp-279.txt for full story.