She was watching him. Now she smiled. “I’m going to help you,” she said.

He kissed her. “Do you mean it?”

“No—no. Stop it, Joe. I can’t.”

“Are you afraid of getting pregnant?”

“No, that’s not it, I—”

“You have to make up your mind about what you want to do.”

“I won’t have the burden put on me!”

She was right. If they didn’t go on, their frustration would leave an anger they couldn’t control. He knew her and he was learning himself. “Go into my room, Karen.”

She looked afraid. “I don’t want to, Joe. Please.”

He stroked her hair. “Go ahead.”

She got up slowly. She bent over to get her shoes, then changed her mind about them and stood up. Her hand reaching for the button on her skirt, she walked unhappily across the room to the other door. The dishevelment of her clothing pulled at him and made him want to tell her to stop. She had believed him and her belief had made it just this simple. His astonishment with the simplicity of it kept him still until she was in his room, and then he got up to follow her. He was afraid not to be near her.

She stood by the chair at the window. As he entered she stepped out of her skirt, silent and light, and what he could see of her face was as beautiful and calm as anything he had ever seen. She turned to him, looking as if she were surprised and really pleased with what they were doing. “I do love you, Joe.”

“I know. Don’t take off your slip. I want to do it.”

“Let me do the stockings. I don’t want to get them snagged.”

“Okay.” He got out of his shirt with his eyes away from her. He didn’t want to spoil it for them by seeing her in awkward postures of undressing.

She presented herself, barefoot, in blouse and slip. He was so happy with her it played tricks with his eyes.

“Do you like the way I look?”

“Yes. Very, very much.”

“You’re not lying now, either,” she said. “I can see it.” She hugged him tightly.

“Turn your back,” he said.

“All right.” She giggled.

“We don’t have to see each other wrestling with our clothes,” he said.

In a moment he heard the bed jounce. “Okay,” she said. “I made room for you on the right side. It’s the side you always want in the movies.”

“We’re going to have a long and happy life,” he said.

“Aren’t you going to take off your shorts?”

“Not yet.” He had tried not to look at her until he was ready. She was sitting on her side of the bed, half-turned to him. He had never seen anything so beautiful. He sat beside her, kissed her and caressed her breast.

“Joe, I’m scared.”