"Did you have any particular color in mind?"

"Not really."

"Here's a beautiful slip; pale apple-green—we seldom have green at all. Oh, all the usual colors and then these marvelous designs by Pucci . . . !" Her hands worked quickly as she drew slip after dreamy slip from the drawer, wafting it through the air by delicate shoulder straps to unfurl its exquisite charm fully, before floating it down to settle silently on the counter-top.

Cass selected four. The one of green which the girl had touted, one flesh-toned for the super-nude look, a flowered treasure and a boldly patterned opaque.

"Will there be something else?"

“Oh yes... panties to go with each . . .”"

"Of course,

bikinis?"

"No. Briefs—size five.”

"Of course

""

The air in the store seemed to be growing warmer. Perhaps the air- conditioning system was breaking down or could it be . . . no, Cass knew it was not nerves; he had been this darling route before so many times and yet, today it was much too . . . He watched as smooth

tissue was neatly folded over the sweet new things before the brown cross-hatched box closed. The box always seemed to have the names of its contents scrawled across it in foot-high playbill fluorescence for all to see, but he knew that in reality it bore just the name of Lornes.

"Most of these items are available in coordinated sets, you know. Could I show you a bra, foundation or something else today?"

"No, not now thank you. I'm going straight back to Westchester to cool off... try to get comfortable-the heat is so oppressive."

"You're so lucky to be able to do that."

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