Hungry for Love (57 page)

Sam laughed and looked ruefully up at the ceiling. 
“
I
’
ve been in your shoes and wish you lots of luck with that….And what about you
,”
he said
,
turning to Laura
,
“
Married
,
I see.
”
  He noticed Laura
’
s wedding ring with what sounded oddly like disappointment.

“
Divorcing
,”
said Laura
,
“
Or trying to.
”

“
Her husband has other ideas
,”
said Bill.  
“
Hunkered down in the cabana and wooing her madly.  Dated other women all through the marriage but now is wooing only Laura.
”

“
No clue if that
’
s true
,”
Laura said miserably.

“
Criminals don
’
t reform that readily
,”
said Sam seriously.

“
Oh gosh
,”
said Bill
,
“
I have patients waiting.
”

“
I
’
m planning to get some take out at the deli counter
,”
said Laura
,
“
So go ahead without me.
”

Bill reached down to kiss her
,
shook Sam
’
s hand and raced back to his office.

“
Maybe I
’
m being imprudent and improper
,”
said Sam
,
“
But could I take you to dinner sometime
?
  You did say you filed for divorce
,
right
?”

Laura looked at Sam for a while without speaking. 
“
Okay
,”
she said hesitantly
,
“
Sure.  I
’
d love to have dinner with you.  Just don
’
t expect big things.
”

“
You saying yes is already a big thing
,”
said Sam.

It seemed like forever since Angie had some alone time with Ben.  Now that he had that odious girlfriend
,
she was always there
,
saying or doing something horrendous
,
thus preventing Angie from telling Ben everything that had happened with Kevin.  At last
,
though
,
they were alone together
,
and as they strolled along
Beverly Drive
,
stopping in Crate and Barrel and Williams-Sonoma
,
Angie related what had happened as Ben listened hopefully.  Then they walked into Pottery Barn toward the back to choose some sheets.

“
Yeah
,”
she said
,
“
Old guys are lousy in bed.  Who knew
?”

Ben smiled encouragingly at her.

“
You know
,”
she continued
,
“
I realized it wasn
’
t just an older man thing.  It was the thrill of being found out—like you know—those people who have sex in public.  Can you believe that
?”

Ben pondered only for a moment what she
’
d just said then answered
,
“
You
’
d have thought after what happened with your law professor
,
enough would
’
ve been enough.
”

Angie laughed. 
“
I haven
’
t thought of him in ages.
”
  Her mind wandered back in time to when she was pre-law in college and had a massive crush on darling Professor Wanamaker
,
who was over fifty at least
,
a tiny little firecracker of a guy
,
although as she looked back now
,
he seemed more nebbishy than dynamic.  It was so strange how people looked different in recollection than they had during the actual moment.

She was extremely overweight in those days and leaned over him as he pointed to a passage in a thick law book.  As soon as he felt her breast graze his forearm
,
he snapped around
,
stood
,
and pressed against Angie
,
bending her back against the desk.  How funny to remember him and how small he was.  Angie felt like a giant next to him
,
both in height and girth—how unpleasant that was.  But then he was kissing her and sliding his hand up her skirt
,
well trying to because it was way too tight and provided much resistance.  As his hand struggled north
,
Angie moaned. 

Yanking and tugging at her too-tight clothing
,
the professor valiantly kissed her neck
,
throat
,
and breast
,
battling all the while with the determined skirt and mumbling his far from aphrodisiacal version of thinking about baseball to prevent an early finish
,
“
Corpus Juris Secundum…the right to a speedy and public trial
,
being twenty-one years of age
,
and citizens of the United States
,
or in any way abridged
,
except for participation in rebellion
,
or other crime….
”

Unaware that the door was opening
,
the professor kept kissing
,
tugging
,
and mumbling until a cough came from the doorway
,
causing him to snap to attention and back off from Angie.  It was the dean
,
who sternly said
,
“
Professor!
”

It had a very unhappy ending.  Angie recalled loading her car with suitcases and boxes and driving away
,
college in the background
,
as a small group of students angrily marched in front of the dean
’
s office
,
holding signs demanding that the dean reinstate Professor Wanamaker.

Angie sighed. 
“
Yeah
,
maybe
,
but do you really think I belonged in pre-law
?”

She reached for a packet of nice sheets and wanted to feel the fabric
,
but Ben pulled her behind a display
,
took a deep breath and kissed her deeply.  Angie was stunned but kissed him back.  Emboldened
,
Ben held her even more tightly and kissed her with increasing fervor.  Then he reached down and began unbuttoning her blouse.

Angie leapt back from Ben and looked at him
,
shocked
,
“
Someone could see!
”

“
I thought that was what you wanted
,”
said Ben.

“
Wait a second
,”
said Angie
,
pausing to think. 
“
No
,
no
,
it
’
s not.
”

“
It
’
s me
,”
said Ben
,
by now quite miserable. 
“
Or I should say it
’
s never been me
,
never will be me.  You just don
’
t want me.
”

“
No
,
it
’
s not about you.
”