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you. Oh, but we’d love for you to come along.”
    “Oh, thanks, but I’ve already got plans…”
    “Here, could you sign on this please? It would be a wonderful souvenir.”
    She handed him a napkin that had the inn’s name on it. “Sure.” He tried to sound enthused. A flashing glimpse revealed her more closely than before. Probably pretty hot ten years ago. Her plushness was leaning toward fat but she still retained some cuteness within. Short, with a dark coif, and… Stacked, he noted of the volume of flesh filling the bra. The otherwise boring face and eyes lit up with the elation of being so close to a “star.”
    “Come on in, let me get a pen. And sorry about the way I’m dressed, I just got out of the shower.”
    “You smell really good!” she enthused.
    Collier frowned at the odd comment as he went to the desk, found a pen.
    “Could you make it to Carol and Dan, please?”
    “Sure.”
    “Oh, I can’t wait to show my sister! She’ll be jealous!”
    Collier rolled his eyes and scribbled on the napkin. “Here you go, Carol,” he said and turned around.
    He gulped. She’d come all the way in and closed the door and was now divorced of her blouse. She sat smiling on the edge of the bed. “I’m game if you are…”
    Collier just stood there.
    The white bra cups blared. Her eyes were huge. “Come here,” she whispered. “We don’t have much time.”
    Collier hesitated, then stepped forward till he was standing right before her.
    She rubbed his crotch, finagling her hand inside the robe. Collier hissed. Then, with one hand, she expertlyreached around, was just about to unhook her bra, when Collier winced and said, “No, don’t. I…” Then he stepped back.
    Her shoulders slumped. “Shit. I’m sorry, I feel like an idiot.” And then she blushed and put her blouse back on.
    “It’s just that”—his mind reeled. “I’m married,” he said, as farcical as the notion was. There were dozens of reasons not to proceed with something like this, a giant liability chief among them. She could be crazy. But worst of all was that he’d actually been one hair’s width away from going through with it. “It’s not you,” he mumbled. “You’re very attractive—damn! But…”
    “I understand.” Now she was clearly embarrassed, keeping her eyes down. “Nothing wrong with being faithful. Guess that says a thing or two about me…”
    “But here’s your autograph,” he said and handed the napkin to her. “I’m glad you like my show…”
    “Thank you,” she said and sheepishly took it. “’Bye,” she began but Collier stopped her before she got to the door. It was the oddest sensation, but he pulled her forward and kissed her. She seemed surprised.
    “If I weren’t married, we’d be getting it on right now…Carol…”
    Her embarrassment dissolved; she smiled. One finger traced up his leg through the robe. “Maybe you’ll change your mind later.”
    Collier said nothing but the look in his eyes said, Maybe you’re right.
    She left the room.
    Collier stood there, staring at the closed door. “Unbelievable…”
    As more minutes ticked by, he twinged at pangs of guilt and regret. Guilt that he’d actually considered having sex with her, and regret that he hadn’t. It would’ve been a shitty thing to do, he told himself. It would’ve been exploitative. But then a voice like an alter ego yelled, What kind of a pussy are you? You’d have been doing her a favor by putting some spice in her drab, boring life. A REAL man doesn’t say no to free sex, you asshole!
    Collier blinked, frowning. No, I guess not. But it simply wasn’t like him to do something like that. If anything, he was on the shy side.
    He banished the odd episode from his mind, then started to get dressed.
    For a split second he thought he smelled something foul—the stench of old urine—but then he blinked and it was gone.

C HAPTER F IVE
I
    “You’re more than welcome to join us,” Collier was telling Mrs.