Services Rendered

Flare Up

Chapter Seven

She got her chance two nights later. Once again, Tom was called out of town. This time a different client (a very important one) had invited him to Las Vegas for a bachelor party. It was like his fifth or sixth wedding, so the festivities promised to be entertaining. To his credit, her husband did try to back out, but the powers that be in his firm had informed him he was going, “so as to foster a close and personal relationship with our V.I.P. customers.”

Whatever. More time with Collin.

This time they were having dinner at his place. No public setting this time, even if that public setting had probably been miles from the nearest human being. It was going to be just the two of them, and Amy was jittery as a virgin on prom night.

The arrival of her new assistant did little to quell her anxiety. Monica Danvers was a young brunette who obviously thought she was too beautiful for her current position. She greeted her new boss with a distasteful smile and gave curt replies to her attempts at small talk. Eventually, Amy gave up and retreated to her office to begin the days work while anxiously watching the clock and waiting for her date with Collin.

The work day crawled by at a snail’s pace. When it was finally time to go, she rushed out with a hurried goodbye to Monica, who merely grunted in return, and sped home to get ready. She spent a good hour and a half trying on different outfits. Being a woman who was no stranger to shopping, she had an extensive wardrobe. But somehow, no outfit she tried on conveyed the right kind of message; that she was open to his advances, but not an easy conquest.

“Oh for heavens sake,” she said to herself in the mirror. “Just pick something and go. It’s not like you’re going to meet the President of the United States.”

Besides, she couldn’t imagine the Commander in Chief kissing the way Collin did. The memory of it made Amy’s lips tingle and her stomach briefly tightened at the possibilities for the night ahead.

Finally, she settled on a simple red top and a pair of pants that never failed to earn her a comment on her butt. Even if that comment usually came from total strangers as she walked down the sidewalk. Lord knows, it never came from her husband.

She pushed such thoughts of her head. Tonight was not about Tom. It was about her. It was about what she wanted and needed, and damned if she wasn’t going to go after it.

Amy suddenly felt sick. Was this really happening? Was she going to another man’s apartment with the intention of cheating? This was it, the big plunge. The point of no return. She could back out anytime, but if the past was any indicator, once she was in Collin’s presence she’d be powerless to resist his advances. Not that she wanted to resist them.

Although not normally a hard drinker, she helped herself to a tumbler of watered down scotch to settle her nerves. The amber liquid burned all the way down, but after a few minutes she felt the thick layer of stress begin to melt and roll off her back.

There, she’d be all right now. Just a little pre-adulterous jitters. Nothing to be ashamed about.

She polished off the rest of her drink, took one last look in the mirror and walked out the front door, being careful to ignore the numerous pictures of her and Tom hanging on the walls.

Collin’s apartment was on the north side of town. It was a well kept building in a nice neighborhood only a few blocks from the police station. She parked her car in the lot across the street and took the elevator up to the third floor.

There, apartment 3D. This was it. Amy took a deep breath before she knocked.

Collin answered after only a moment. “Hi,” he said brightly, opening the door wide for her to enter. “Come on in.”

He looked luscious as ever. His golden hair was immaculate as always. He wore a blue silk shirt with the sleeves rolled up and, to her surprise, a white apron tied around his waist.

“And he cooks too?” she said in surprise as a wonderful aroma floated to her from the kitchen.

He laughed. “Only when someone important comes over. When it’s just me, I survive mostly on sandwiches and cereal.” He leaned down and gave her a quick kiss that left her wanting more. Even the briefest contact of his lips made her light headed. “Care for some wine?”

“Please.”

They started for the kitchen, but before they could get there, two small dogs came rushing in from back room, barking madly and little tails wagging a hundred miles an hour. They went immediately to Amy, sniffing her ankles and spinning in circles before plopping down and looking up at her with huge, adoring grins.

She laughed at their antics, but before she could reach down and pet them, a sharp “GET!” from Collin sent them scurrying to a large pillow in the corner of the room. They laid down obediently and started worrying on a large bone, one at each end.

Amy was taken aback. She’d never heard him use such a tone. Never dreamed it possible, actually. He was like a totally different person.

He gave an apologetic smile. “Sorry about that. They don’t know how to act around visitors. Gotta reel them in or they wouldn’t leave you alone for the rest of the night.”

“Oh, they’re fine,” she said understandingly, and the spell was broken. The awkwardness of the moment forgotten.

“Let’s get that wine.” She followed him into the kitchen where he had every burner on the stove holding a pan, the oven timer counting down and even the microwave going. A bottle of red wine sat in a bucket of ice on the counter and he immediately opened it and poured them each a glass.

“Everything smells great,” Amy remarked. “Anything I can do?”

Collin grinned and winked. “Just stand by with the fire extinguisher in case something bursts into flames. I’ve got my favorite pizza joint on standby in case things go kablooey.”

“I don’t think things will come to that,” she laughed.

“You never know.”

Amy pulled up a stool and sipped her wine while enjoying the privilege of watching Collin work. Despite what he claimed, he was obviously a pro in the kitchen. He moved easily from one pan to the other, mixing, tasting and making minute adjustments to flavor and temperature.

At one point, he brought over a spoonful or red sauce and urged her to try it. She did and closed her eyes to savor the smooth tomato base with a hint of garlic behind it as it slid down her throat. This was homemade stuff. He’d probably been working on it for hours.

“What do you think?” he asked, and she was delighted to hear a trace of nervousness in his voice. It was cute.

“Delicious,” she said. “What’s in it?”

“Pixie dust and unicorn farts.”

“My favorite.” They both laughed and he returned to the stove. “So how do you like your job?” she asked. Maybe it was the wine, but she suddenly felt bold enough to ask about the pink elephant that had been tap dancing on her toes.

Collin cringed. “You really want to know about my work?”

“Why not? You know all about mine, boring as it may be.”

He stirred the sauce a bit while he thought about it. “I like my job,” he said finally. “Rog got me into it right after I arrived. In fact, he’s the reason I moved here in the first place.”

“You’ve known him a long time?”

He nodded. “He was a close friend of my father’s.”

Amy’s eyes widened. “Wow. Some friend.”

For a second, she was horrified that she’d offended him, but he just laughed and nodded. “True, this wasn’t exactly the line of work I’d envisioned when I packed up and headed for ye big ole city. But, now that I’m here, I wouldn’t change a thing.”

“What’s so great about it? Aside from…you know,” she said, feeling a blush rise up into her cheeks. Collin didn’t seem to notice her embarrassment and considered the question carefully.

“I enjoy meeting new people. Every woman I’ve spent time with has been special in her own way, but committed to a person who didn’t see it, or didn’t want to. I flatter myself in thinking that most are changed for the better by the time our adventure is at an end. That they’re able to recognize what it is they want, and go after it with teeth and claws bared. Everyone deserves to be happy.”

“Oh,” Amy said simply. He’d given the perfect answer to an awkward question, so why did she feel so let down? Her heart was resting somewhere in her shoes and suddenly the food didn’t smell quite as enticing as it had a second ago.

Collin put the spoon down, came over to take her hand and looked her in the eye. “And then, every so often, there comes a woman who’s…special. Someone who makes you throw all the rules out the window and just live in the moment, treasuring every second you have together. Other guys I work with have told me about it, about that kind of joy that sinks you in like quicksand. But I’ve never experienced it before…not until now.”

He kissed her again, deeper and more passionately than he’d ever done before. Amy responded instinctively and there wasn’t a doubt in her mind that he meant what he’d said. Her heart lifted as she realized that this was special for him too. She wasn’t just another proverbial notch on his bed post.

The timer on the stove went off, ending their union much too soon for Amy’s taste. He withdrew until their lips were barely touching.

“Ready for dinner?” he asked in barely more than a whisper.

“I can’t wait,” she said breathlessly.

Everything was wonderful. Collin had made oven roasted chicken breasts glazed with a light, red wine sauce and served over a bed of homemade pasta. For dessert, a whipped chocolate mouse with a sprig of peppermint. She’d never tasted anything like it. It was almost enough to make her forget about the kiss they’d shared before eating…almost.

After dinner, they retired to the living with full glasses of wine and sat on the couch in front of an electric fire place. Amy closed her eyes to savor the slow warmth stealing through her. From the delicious food, to the crisp wine, to the close proximity to Collin who sat less than a foot away, it was hard to imagine a more perfect setup.

They sat in silence for a few minutes. It wasn’t an awkward or uncomfortable silence, like with her and Tom. This was the quiet shared by two people before something momentous happens, something that both of them wants.

Beside the fire place, on its own little stand, something caught Amy’s eye that made her burst into laughter. Collin looked at her in surprise.

“What’d I miss?” he asked.

She pointed to what she saw. “You really do have a houseplant named Rusty.” There it was, a green fern, in a lacquered wooden pot.

“Of course. I wouldn’t lie about Rusty. He’s my best friend.”

“You didn’t tell me he had his own name plate,” she said, pointing to the bronze plaque on the front.

He shrugged. “I’d figured he’d earned it, along with a lifetime supply of Miracle Grow.”

Abruptly, he collected their wine glasses, still half full, then leaned forward into a long languid kiss. Amy sensed this was it. This was the point of no return.

She tensed as a moment of self-doubt, a whisper of wrongness, flashed through her as Collin fed her his tongue. Then it was gone without even becoming a memory.

Chapter Eight

They had s*x right there in the floor. The bedroom might as well have been leagues away and even the few seconds it took to tear off their clothes seemed interminable.

They came together with a fervor that seemed alien to Amy, so long had it been since she’d experienced such a lustful union. All too soon, the feel of Collin’s body on her and in her proved too much. A delicious pressure began to build up in her loins and, when it erupted, she bucked and arched her back to draw him further in. He followed suit a second later, and she groaned aloud as she felt the rhythmic pulses of his pleasure.

When she gathered enough strength to open her eyes, she looked up to see Collin looking at her with a strange mix of excitement and wonder.

“What is it?” she asked, still trying to slow her pounding heart rate.

“How did you…do that?” he asked. She was surprised by the amount of confusion in his voice.

“What do you mean?”

Collin seemed to be struggling for words, which was a first as far as she knew. “I’ve never…felt like that before.” He almost sounded sheepish. It was cute.

“Well, I hope that’s a compliment,” she grinned. The return grin and long, deep kiss he planted on her confirmed that it was.

They lay like that for a while, each reluctant to disengage from the other. Finally, Amy recovered enough to look around and started giggling uncontrollably.

Collin raised up on one arm to look at her. “Ya know, I don’t think I’ve ever been laughed at after s*x,” he said with a wry smile. “Not sure how I feel about it.”

She shook her head to indicate that wasn’t it and pointed over his shoulder. “We knocked over your plant.”

Sure enough, poor Rusty had been the victim of fate once again. He lay tipped over on his side, half his soil spilling out onto the floor.

Now it was Collin’s turn to chuckle. “I think he’ll live,” he said, before bending down to give Amy another of his mind blowing kisses.

“Mmm…that’s not the only thing that’s coming back to life.” She felt his firmness returning, and with it, the spark of her own desire reigniting.

God, how long had it been since she’d done it twice in a row with hardly any down time? Too long, she decided. Apparently Collin came to the same conclusion because he scooped her up, causing her to squeal and clasp her hands around his neck, and carried her into the bedroom.

He laid her gently on large bed and immediately went to work exploring every inch of her body with careful precision. This time, Amy knew it would be different, and she welcomed it.

Instead of the excited fury of a rampaging lust on the brink of fulfillment, there was a slow, steady buildup as Collin used his hands and tongue to bring her to climax over and over. Her orgasm was his plaything. He would dangle it just out of reach until she squirmed beneath him, begging him with her body to let her have it. And he never disappointed. Each one was more intense than the last and, when it was over, Amy Palmer knew what it meant to be pleasured by a professional.

Afterward, they lay in his bed with her head on his chest. One of Collin’s hands languidly stroked her hair and she fell into a blissful doze.

“Can I stay here tonight?” she asked, almost without thinking. She felt him tense and, for a moment, was afraid she’d said something wrong. “Is that a problem?”

“No, it’s just…no one’s ever asked to stay before. Usually, afterwards, they can’t wait to hit the door.”

There was a note of sadness in his voice, something Amy had never heard before. She wrapped her arms around him and held tight.

“I just…I just don’t want to go back to an empty house tonight. I don’t think I could bear it.”

It was true. After such an enjoyable evening, the food, the companionship, not to mention the s*x, the thought of returning to the stillness of her own home made her shudder.

“Sure, you can stay. I think I’d like that.” He relaxed under her and together, they fell into a deep sleep.

The sound of Amy’s cell phone woke them up in the morning. They were still tangled together and it took a few seconds to dislodge themselves.

“Hello?” Amy answered sleepily, without even bothering to check the caller I.D.

“Morning, Sleepyhead.” It was Tom. At the sound of his voice a rush of anxiety surged through her. What if he’d come home early? What if he was wondering where she was? What if he already knew?

“Hi, Honey,” she said, trying to keep her voice light and even. “How’s Vegas?”

“Oh, the usual. Casino’s, showgirls and cheesy Elvis impersonators. We had to drag Brad away from a waitress he wanted to marry. Said she was the love of his life. You know how he is.”

Amy did know how he was, but she was distracted from responding by the sensation of Collin’s hands beginning to massage her shoulders.

“So then Dave started getting cold feet about the wedding. We told him it was normal then got him good and rip-roaring drunk till he forgot about it.”

“Mmmm.” That was the only response she trusted herself to make. Collin’s dancing fingers had dipped lower, now kneading her lower back and buttocks.

“Tonight we’re going to a show over at Caesar’s Palace, then hitting the casino’s again. I’m up about three hundred so far.”

The rest of the conversation was lost to Amy, as Collin deftly slipped two fingers inside her and began working them in just the right spot. She did her best to pay attention and give appropriate responses to what her husband was saying while at the same time biting her lip to muffle the moans that threatened to spill out and alert him something was up.

“Anyway, I’ll be home tomorrow,” Tom’s words floated to her through a haze of pleasure. “You miss me?”

“Yes!” Amy nearly cried out as her climax rolled over her with the force of a bulldozer.

“I miss you too. Take care of things for me. Love you.”

“Yeah. Love you too,” Amy breathed heavily into the phone a second before the call disconnected. She lay there for a few seconds, trying to summon the strength to move. When she could, she rolled over and playfully punched Collin, who was laying on his back grinning mischievously.

“Don’t ever do that again,” she said as angrily as possible.

He held up one hand. “I solemnly swear to never make you orgasm again.”

“That’s not what I meant. That was my husband on the phone. What if he’d heard.”

“Bad connection. TV in the background. Take your pick.”

Amy tried to hold on to her anger. She tried hard. But seeing him laying there, naked and aroused, still grinning like a cat who’d gotten the mouse, defused some of her wrath.

She sighed then climbed on top of him. “Well, I guess I have to repay the favor, don’t I?” And Amy Parsons always paid her debts.

The rest of their time together went by in a similar fashion. They would meet up almost everyday, sometimes for lunch, sometimes for dinner, other times for a midnight rendezvous in some deserted location. He took her dancing two more times, introduced her to restaurants and foods she’d never even heard of, all the while drawing her more and more out of the shell she’d didn’t even know she’d been wearing.

They even went skinny dipping once, in a small pond out in the country by the light of the moon. Before long, the waters were churning around them as they came together right there in the open. It was another first for Amy.

In fact, the only negative thing that came her way was at work. The attitude of her assistant, Monica, had declined from rude disdain to outright hostility. More than one customer had complained to Amy about the way they were treated when they called in to schedule appointments or pass along messages. She tried talking with her about these issues, but more often than not all she got was a weary eye-roll and a half-hearted promise to do better. Amy knew she could have filed an official complaint against her, but she had other things on her mind.

There were times when she felt bad for what she was doing to Tom. Despite how wonderful being with Collin was, she played with the idea of terminating their contract early. But these thoughts were fleeting.

Every time she spent any amount of prolonged time with her husband, she was reminded again by his silence and apathy how far their marriage had disintegrated. Tom never bothered to look into her sudden increase in absences. She made up excuse after excuse, which he accepted with no sign of suspicion. It would almost have been a relief to have him question her. At least that would have shown he cared.

Finally, her time with Collin was almost over. Only the weekend getaway remained, an event she was looking forward to with gusto and some trepidation. Collin told her all about it as they lay in his bed one evening.

“We’ve rented a cabin up on Pineview Mountain. It’s part of a ski lodge.”

“Um, one problem. I’ve never skied before.”

He bent down and kissed her head. “Then it’s time you learned. All your gear will be provided. You’ll love the cabin. It’s about a five and half hour drive, so it’s very secluded. Jacuzzi, back deck, the works.”

“What am I going to tell Tom?”

To answer, he reached into his nightstand and pulled out a very professional looking flier, advertising a conference on last will and testament law at someplace called the Burkstrom Resort. To Amy’s shock, she was listed as a guest speaker.

“Congratulations,” Collin said with a smile. “It’s a huge honor.”

“But…what if he calls the resort?” she said. There was a telephone number on the front. “Or looks it up on the internet? There are a million holes he could poke in this story.”

“And we’ve plugged them all,” he reassured her, beginning to kiss the back of her neck. “Just relax. You know I’ll take care of you.” Feeling his lips on her body, Amy was inclined to agree.

She told Tom about the conference when she got home. It was two days away, and he was surprised by the suddenness of it all, but happy for her all the same.

“We’ll celebrate when you get back,” he promised. Amy nodded absently, then went upstairs to pack.

On Friday, she was out of bed and in the car at dawn. She was so anxious to get to the cabin, she barely remembered saying goodbye to Tom before she hit the road.

The drive seemed to take forever. She stopped just long enough to get gas once and hit the restroom, then she was on the asphalt again. Finally, she arrived at her destination.

Wow! Collin hadn’t been kidding. The cabin in front of her looked like it could belong to a movie star. Two stories, A-frame room with huge windows all the way around, it was a beauty. Collin’s car was already parked in the driveway. Of course it was. He probably came up last night. She wouldn’t be surprised if he already had a few surprises waiting for her inside.

She got out of the car, bracing herself against the cold air that nipped at her nose. Up this high, the snow on the ground was about a foot deep, just right for skiing, or so she thought. She went up to the door, knocked once, then went inside.

It was toasty warm. A fire crackled merrily in the hearth. A bottle of champagne stood in a bucket of snow on the kitchen counter. She had just enough time to draw in a breath at the gorgeous interior, before she felt a blindfold made of velvet being slipped over her from behind. She tensed immediately, then relaxed when she felt Collin’s now familiar body pressing against her. From the way his skin pressed against hers, she knew he was already naked.

“I didn’t think you’d ever get here,” he murmured in her ear, making chills race up and down her spine.

“Me neither.” He began to undress her, and she stood stock still, letting it happen. This time, when they had s*x, it was different from all the other times. Maybe it was her imagination, but it was slower, more sensual if that was even possible. If she had to describe it, Amy would say he was making love to her. A thought which at once terrified, and brought her no end of pleasure.

Chapter Nine

Back home, Tom paced the floor of their living room. He was uneasy; had been for some time. He couldn’t stop thinking how distracted Amy had been just before she left. It was like she was just going through the motions whenever he talked to her. And when he took her in his arms, she might as well have been a robot. That wasn’t like her.

Come to think of it, she’d been a little distant for some time now, a couple weeks at least. Then there was this sudden trip to a resort he’d never heard of for some conference. Things just didn’t add up.

He wasn’t a stupid man. Nor was he blind. He was well aware of the difficulties their marriage had been enduring as of late, but he was also convinced they would pass. Every married couple went through periods where things are less than stellar, where the passion had cooled and the interest waned. This was one of them. They’d get through it.

Still, Tom couldn’t shake the feeling that something was very wrong. He remembered the way she’d absently kissed his cheek that morning before rushing out the door like the house was on fire. She’d almost squealed tires backing out the driveway, something that was unheard of for her. A safe driving record was one of her pride and joys.

A kernel of suspicion began to take form in his thoughts. It was so vague it was almost non-existent, but at the same time bothersome enough to demand action. He got on the web and looked up the Burkstrom Resort.

There it was, first hit. It looked nice. Founded over twenty years ago, it offered a range of deals and packages. Kind of pricey, though, for what they offered. He knew of at least half a dozen places where they could get the same services for considerably less.

He looked under the calendar of events. There it was, the very conference Amy told him about. He clicked on it and saw in big bold letters her name listed as the guest speaker. She had at least a half dozen engagements this weekend.

Well, that settled it. Tom felt a little silly as he closed the computer and sat there on the couch. He should have known better. Amy would never lie to him. The only time she had intentionally deceived him was when she’d planned a surprise birthday part for him five years ago. She’d concocted every kind of errand imaginable while enlisting the aid of their friends and family to get everything set up. When he’d come back, several hours later and in a foul mood, he’d been blown away by everything she’d been able to accomplish. He smiled at the memory.

The urge to hear his wife’s voice suddenly overcame Tom. Maybe he just wanted to hear her laugh or make sure she was okay. Maybe he just wanted to confirm that she was still his.

He checked the clock. Just a little after eight. She’d still be up. He called her cell and was instantly transferred to voice mail. He hung up without leaving a message.

Crap. Now what? He dialed the long distance number for the front desk. A cheerful female voice answered after the first ring.

“Burkstrom Resort. This is Claudia. How may I help you?”

“Uhh, yes, I’m trying to get in touch with my wife. She’s attending a conference there,” Tom said.

“And your wife’s name, Sir?”

“Amy Parsons.”

“One moment.” There was the click-click of a keyboard typing in the background. “Here she is. I see Mrs. Parsons is our guest speaker this weekend. How exciting. I believe one of the lectures is still going on in the main lobby but I can put you through to her room if you’d like.”

Tom felt foolish. Here Amy was, at an important business event, and he was checking up on her like she was his teenage daughter hanging out with the wrong crowd. She’d never given him any reason to doubt her actions, and would be insulted if she learned he was calling because of some unsettling notion.

“No. No, that’s all right. I’ll try again later. Thank you.”

“Thank you for calling Burkstrom resort. Have a nice evening.”

He hung up the phone feeling like the biggest ass in the world. It was a good thing she’d never know anything about this. Her trust in him would be shattered.

###############################################################

‘Claudia’ hung up the phone she’d been talking to the poor schmuck on and bent down to continue doing her nails. Her real name was Brenda Townsend, a struggling actress and former prostitute. In fact, she’d all but given up on her dream of the spotlight and was ready to turn to hooking full time when Roger Cavanough sought her out and introduced her to the sweetest gig ever.

Every weekend, she sat by this prepaid phone he’d given her. If it rang, she was to pretend she was some clerk at a resort and do her best to set the clueless jerk at ease. If they asked to be connected to their wives room, oops, they’d experience technical difficulties with the phone line and she’d promise to take a message right up.

Fat chance. Those wives were doing the horizontal mamba with some of Cavanough’s dream team. Hell, given enough money she wouldn’t mind a go herself.

But this was business, pure and simple. It left her weeks free to seek out auditions and hone her acting talents. Easiest money she’d ever made.

Chapter Ten

The next two days with Collin were some of the most enjoyable Amy could remember. After spending a lovely night under the covers, with a roaring fire and a delicious catered dinner, they got up the next morning to a fresh layer of white powder on the ground. Amy was all for not getting out of bed, but Collin somehow talked her into going skiing, something she’d never done in her life.

True to his word, all her gear had been provided. She found it in a bag in the living room closet. Hat, gloves, thick jacket and even her own pair of skis. Collin had to show her how to put them out, then led her out and up to the bunny slope.

The only other skiers in sight were an old couple who couple who could barely make it into the lift without assistance and one snowboarder who did fantastic jumps and flips for the sheer exhilaration of it. While Collin was talking her through the basics, the senior citizens retired to the nearby lodge and the teenager grew tired of not having an appreciative audience. It was just the two of them and the mountain.

After more than an hour of instruction, Amy felt confident enough to try going down the bunny slope. With only a slight downhill grade and fresh snow on the ground, it was as smooth and easy as any beginner could hope for.

Despite the tranquil conditions, she fell down several times. But each time, Collin seemed to be there to catch her and she barely got her butt damp. He was an expert, naturally. He slid effortlessly across the frozen ground, as gracefully as if he were out for an afternoon stroll. He was a joy to watch.

After a few hours on the mountain, Amy was cold and ready to retire back to their little cabin. Collin was more than agreeable and was even kind enough to help her disrobe and climb into the hot shower. He didn’t join her though, instead opting to stay out and fix a scrumptious lunch of grilled sandwiches, soup and hot chocolate. After the morning’s frigid activities, it hit the spot.  After he’d eaten and showered, so did Collin.

The spent the next several hours in bed, having s*x twice and stopping only to nap.

“So what else can you do?” Amy asked during one of their recovery sessions.

“Hmmm? What do you mean?”

She raised up on one arm to look at him. “Well, so far, you can dance like a pro, cook like Rachel Ray, ski like an Olympic athlete and screw like a porn star. Are you just naturally talented or did you have to work to gain this impressive list of skills?”

He laughed, deep and rich. “I just do what I love. I think that if you really enjoy doing something, you should throw yourself into it, without abandon. Give everything more than just a hundred percent. You have to live it, make it a part of you.”

Amy was intrigued. “Is that what you did?”

He nodded, gazing up at the ceiling with a faraway expression on his face. “I’ve spent my entire life sampling everything I could get my hands on. Sports, hobbies; yes, even drugs. None of it lasted very long.”

“You were searching for something,” Amy said. He looked at her sharply, his eyes wide with surprise.

“Yes! That’s it exactly. So many people didn’t understand. Said I was flighty. That I couldn’t hold a job or handle a relationship. But none of them understood. I was looking for that one thing I knew was out there that would…quiet the twitch I had inside.”

They were quiet now as each let this digest.

“Are you still?” Amy asked after a few minutes.

“Still what?”

“Still searching for something?”

After a pause he said, “I haven’t decided yet. But I think I’m getting closer.” His fingers, that Amy would swear had magical powers, started roaming underneath the covers, causing her to giggle and squirm under their spell.

“You’re certainly getting closer to something.”

“Let’s see if I can get closer still,” he said, rolling on top of her.

That evening, they went down to one of the local restaurants that served up a delicious dinner along with live music by a very talented piano player. After the meal, they danced again, only this time slower, holding each other in their arms as they swayed to the gentle melody.

When they got back to the cabin, they went to bed and fell instantly asleep. Amy woke the next morning to bright sunlight streaming in through the windows. She stretched languidly and rolled over to find Collin already gone. The smell of frying bacon from the kitchen revealed his location.

She took a few moments to comb her hair and brush her teeth before setting off to find him. He’d been up for sometime. Judging by the spread already on the table, at least an hour.

He was wearing only a tight pair of jeans, probably to protect his nether regions from splattering grease. Amy was aware of her own nudity, but remarkably unashamed.

“Hi,” he said brightly when she came into the room.

“Hi yourself. Got anything for a hungry girl to eat?”

He grinned. “I might have a little something.”

Feeling bold, she reached over and cupped his groin in her hand. “I’d say it’s more than a little. But, whatever you say. Now, feed me.”

And he did. He cut up and fed her every delicious bite. Afterwards, he scooped her up the way they’d done the first time they were intimate and carried her back to the bedroom where they spent the next several hours taking and giving pleasure.

Once again, this time was different. It was slower, more sensual. Collin used his hands and his mouth to bring her to new heights. On some level, when she her mind was soaring over blissful pastures, Amy realized he was saying goodbye with his body. They weren’t just having s*x anymore. It was more like making love.

When they were done, she took a shower while he went into the kitchen and fixed lunch, club sandwiches with homemade chips and fresh veggies. She’d expected the meal to be awkward. It wasn’t. Collin set her at ease as always, regaling her with funny stories he’d heard on the internet, adding in his own dose of personal commentary. His charm was in top form.

After they’d eaten, she gathered up her things and he walked her out to her car. “I have something for you,” he said after he’d loaded her suitcase in the trunk.

Amy smiled. “You didn’t have to.”

“I know, but it seemed right. Wait here.” He dashed back inside an reappeared a second later carrying a potted plant. Her eyebrows went up.

“Well, I can honestly say it wasn’t what I was expecting.”

“Look at the front.” She turned it around and saw an engraved plate. It said, Rusty Jr. Now she got it.

“Is this..?”

Collin nodded. “It’s a clipping from Rusty. I thought you could use your own taste of immortality.”

This was infinitely more precious than gold or jewels. Amy was at a loss for words.

“Thank you,” she said at last. “Thank you, Collin. It’s wonderful. I’ll take good care of it.”

He surprised her by laughing. “You could hang it upside down over a fire. Probably wouldn’t hurt it. That’s the point.” He came over, took her hands in his and looked into her eyes. “Things change. Sometimes they get worse, sometimes they get better. But no matter what, as long as we keep a piece of them with us, they never really go away. This is a piece of me.”

He bent down and gave her a long kiss. It sent Amy’s toes curling as usual, but it was tinged with a hint of finality. This was their goodbye. As goodbyes went, it was a pretty good one.

“Take care, Amy,” he said softly when they broke.

She blinked the tears out of her eyes and smiled up at him. It wasn’t forced. “You too, Collin. And thank you.”

He opened the door for her, she got in her car and began the long drive back. She refused to look back. If she had, she’d have seen Collin standing there in the frigid cold, watching her with a stoic expression on his face till she was out of sight.

Amy didn’t speed on the way home. As such, it took her almost six hours before things around her started to look familiar. Which was good. She needed the time to think things over.

Her affair was over. She’d done it. She’d gone through with it in every detail. She’d cheated on her husband. Did that make her a bad person?

Some would say yes. She’d violated her marital vows and the only thing below her, morally speaking, were the little slimy things that come out every time it rains and squirm around on the sidewalk.

But she didn’t feel like a bad person. A bad wife, maybe. But she didn’t have the urge to kick puppy dogs as they walked down the street or trip old ladies. She was still the same old Amy Parsons. She would give to the Salvation Army every time they sent her a letter and donate blood whenever she had the chance. She’d obey all the traffic laws and pay her taxes on time. They only difference was she’d cheated on her husband.

That raised another question. Should she tell Tom? This was the conundrum she’d been wrestling with, even while lying in Collin’s arms. He deserved to know, there was no doubt about that. Even with as crappy as their marriage had been lately, he should know about her infidelity.

But what would that accomplish? It would only drive the wedge between them deeper, maybe separating them completely. Or, she could use this experience for the benefit of them both. The guilt that came with her choice would be her burden to carry for the rest of her life.

She made her choice.

When she arrived home, the sun was just starting to lower on the horizon. It felt good to be back. For the first time in a long time, it felt good to be home. She didn’t bother unpacking, but strode in through the front door with purpose.

Tom was reading in the living room. He looked up when she came in and smiled. “Hi, Honey. How was your trip?” Without waiting for an answer, his eyes strayed back down to the book in his hand.

Amy marched over and plucked it from his grasp. “It was fine. We need to talk.”

A look of surprise crossed her husband’s face. “Okay. You have my attention.”

She took a deep breath before continuing. “Things aren’t working between us, Tom. They haven’t been for a long while. They need to change.”

“Sweetheart, we’ve been over this. As soon as things calm down in our careers, we’ll make more time for each other.” This was the same argument he’d used every time she’d brought up their marital woes, and by the tone of his voice he fully expected to come out on top once again. Amy, however, had other plans.

“No, Tom,” she said forcefully. “That’s not good enough. Our jobs shouldn’t take precedence over each other. It should be the other way around. From now on, we either make time for us or that’s it.”

“What do you mean ’that’s it?’”

“I mean that’s it, Tom. I’m done. I love you, but I’m not going to spend the best years of my life in half a marriage. And that’s what this is, half a marriage.” Her voice softened and she came over to sit next to him and place his hand on hers the way Collin had done so many times. “This isn’t an ultimatum. This isn’t a negotiation. This is me, coming to you, begging for your help in saving our marriage. Will you? Please?”

For a long moment, Tom looked at her with a mixture of surprise and disbelief. Amy held her breath. Finally, his expression softened and he gripped her hands in his. “Of course I will. I always will.”

A single tear slid down Amy’s cheek. He wiped it away with one finger and pulled her into a tight hug. It’d been a long time since he’d done that, and she sighed and settled into his shoulder.