Kisser (2010)

one, and this is one of those times.”
    Stone was short of words again.
    “In fact,” she said, “all you have to do is stand up. This counter is exactly the right height for you to just sort of walk into me.”
    “I suppose it is,” Stone said.
    She reached over and stroked his crotch. “And I can tell you’re ready.” She squeezed.
    Stone twitched involuntarily. God knows, I’m ready, he thought. He looked for a way out of this without insulting her. “Actually, I was quite active last night, and I’m pretty sore.”
    “I’ll be gentle,” she said. She took his arm, pulled him off the stool onto his feet, and kicked the stool away. She put a hand inside his belt and pulled him toward her.
    “I really am very uncomfortable with this,” Stone said, removing her hand from his belt.
    “Then let’s free things up,” she said, reaching for his zipper.
    “Let’s not,” Stone said, removing her hand again.
    “Stone!” a male voice called from the hallway.
    Stone turned. “Yes?” he called, trying not to sound relieved. When he turned back, Patti had hopped off the counter and returned her skirt to its full length.
    Derek Sharpe walked into the kitchen. “Sig would like you back,” he said.
    “Sure,” Stone replied, and followed Patti, who was following Derek.
    She reached back for his crotch, but he evaded her by sidestepping.
    Stone concentrated on reducing the bulge in his trousers, but it was difficult. He took a seat. “How can I help?”
    “Derek,” Mitzi said, “may I speak to you privately for a moment while Stone chats with Sig?”
    “Of course,” Sharpe replied. He got up and followed Mitzi from the room.
    “I’ve been explaining to Mitzi how profitable it can be to invest in emerging technology,” Larsen said.
    “What sort of emerging technology did you have in mind?” Stone asked.
    “A new software company that’s developing software for the iPhone,” Larsen replied.
    “Lots of people are developing software for the iPhone,” Stone said. “What’s so different about this one?”
    “It’s very, very different,” Larsen said, “but I’m afraid I can’t go into that.”
    “Did you go into it with Mitzi?” he asked.
    “In broad terms. I’m prepared to give her a prospectus, if she’s interested, but she wanted your opinion.”
    “It’s hard to have an opinion,” Stone said, “when you’re talking in generalities.” He really wanted to be listening to the conversation between Sharpe and Mitzi, but at least downtown was listening.
    “I’ll make sure that you see the prospectus,” Larsen said.
    “Do you have a copy with you?”
    “Yes, but that’s Mitzi’s; I’ll send someone to you tomorrow with a copy that you can peruse, then return to me.”
    “You’re being very cautious,” Stone said.
    “The opportunity is large; I don’t want word to get around until I have my investors in this company.”
    “Good thinking,” Stone said. Then it got very quiet. He caught Patti looking at his crotch and involuntarily crossed his legs.

36
    MITZILED DEREK HARPE into the study off the living room, and they sat down on a sofa. She turned to face him. “This is awkward,” she said.
    Derek placed a hand on her knee. “I don’t want you ever to feel awkward with me.”
    She shifted her position to dislodge the hand. “I have some friends in Charleston who want something that I can’t supply them,” she said.
    “And what would that be?” Sharpe asked.
    “Something that I have no experience in obtaining,” she said, “since I have no personal need for it.”
    “Well, if we were in the nineteen-twenties I’d think you were going to ask me where you could buy a case of Scotch.”
    “That’s not a bad analogy,” Mitzi said, trying to seem more nervous than she felt. “It’s just that I’ve been in New York for such a short time that my circle of acquaintance doesn’t extend to people who . . . have a wider circle of acquaintance.”
    “Now it sounds as if you want me to provide you with a porno star for your personal use. Or that of your friends.”
    “That’s not a good analogy,” she said. “What they want is unavailable over the counter, so to speak.”
    “Are we talking about illegal recreational drugs?” Sharpe asked.
    Mitzi heaved a big sign of apparent relief. “Yes,” she said.
    “In what sort of quantity?” he asked.
    “Oh, just small stuff,” she replied. “They asked me if I could find them half a pound each of