Got Your Number

about?"
    Snuggling closer, she murmured, "I saw your car that night."
    He stiffened. "What?"
    "I saw your black Volvo that night speeding away." She kissed his neck. "But don't worry—I never told anyone. I know it was an accident. You wouldn't have hurt her on purpose."
    He seemed a little dazed. "No, I wouldn't have. But...you never told anyone?"
    "Not a soul. Because I loved you, Carl." She kissed him until he kissed her back, feeling closer to him. Only lovers shared intimate secrets. And sure enough, his enthusiasm seemed to explode. They tore at each other's clothes until they were naked. He hadn't bothered to have that circumcision redone.
    "Are you on the pill?" he gasped.
    "No, but I have...things." She retrieved her purse from the floor—Dee would have an aneurysm if she knew her precious birth-control first aid kit was being used to have hot sex with a former teacher.
    When she handed him a condom, he pursed his mouth. "Nice quality." He opened the package, then directed her to roll it on. Her hands shook, but he yelped only twice before she finished. At last he slid his body on top of hers and stared down.
    "God, you look so much like her." He kissed her breasts and moved to lie between her knees. He was panting, his eyes glazed over. "Angora, how adventurous are you?"
    She hadn't been the most flexible person in PE class, but she could probably accommodate a unique position or two. "What did you have in mind?"
    He rose over her and smiled wickedly—he'd taken off his glasses, and his silvery hair fell over his forehead. Angora arched her back in anticipation of their bodies joining. He slid both hands over her stomach, then up to pinch her breasts, then up to caress her neck. Embarrassment flooded her—he'd surely noticed her nerve rash.
    He thumbed the area under her chin slowly at first, then applied more pressure. But she was so distracted by his erection moving against her, she didn't realize how tight his grip was getting until she tried to swallow, and couldn't. She gulped air and gasped his name, but no sound came out. Wouldn't you know it—the one time she'd taken Roxann's place, and she was going to die for it.
    Everything faded to brown, then black.

Chapter Nineteen

    CAPISTRANO WAVED HER life list and laughed at her. "Your professor is a dirty old man...a dirty old man...a dirty old man."
    Roxann woke with a start and sat straight up in the dark. Her hairline was moist and clammy. The air in the small guest room was chilly because she'd closed the door, but she was sweating because she'd fallen asleep in the clothes she'd worn on her shameful errand. Thank goodness sanity had kicked in at the last moment—Angora and Carl were consenting adults, and if they wanted to engage in a physical relationship, she had no hold on either one of them.
    She glanced over at Angora's unslept-in bed. And it appeared they had done just that.
    The digital clock read five forty-five, and the house was quiet. Dragging her hand down her face, she swung her leg over the edge of the bed, and switched on the nightstand lamp. Mud spattered the legs of her jeans, and a few feet away sat her caked gym shoes. She winced, and stood, brushing bits of dried dirt from the aged comforter. Thank goodness Nell's floors were hardwood, but she wanted to get any tracks cleaned up before her host awakened. She picked up the mucky shoes and slipped out the door into the dim hallway. Dawn was breaking, sending fingers of light into the house. She moved silently toward the kitchen. Nell's bedroom door was closed, and Roxann suspected she was sleeping more these days, especially since she wasn't feeling well.
    To save Nell the trouble, Roxann started the coffeemaker. Chester startled her when he appeared from nowhere to do a quick figure eight around her ankles. She stood at the counter for a few seconds wondering what she would say to Angora when she returned from Carl's. Should she chastise her or congratulate her? She certainly couldn't blame her for being attracted to him. Funny, but this morning she didn't feel as betrayed as she might have expected. But she did feel foolish for thinking that she and Carl would simply pick up where they'd left off. How pathetically naive.
    She unrolled a wad of paper towels and stole out to the back porch to clean her shoes, holding the storm door until the latch caught so it wouldn't wake Nell. Chester joined her. It was a beautiful October morning, dewy and brisk. The smooth floorboards of