Becky quickly drew the negligee out of the bag. They didn't have any guests at the bed & breakfast tonight. It was a rare opportunity! She shook out the wrinkles and laid it upon the bed before she went to get in the shower.
Tonight! Tonight perhaps things would be different. If she could only entice him. If she could stir once again the passion. If only she could ignite his desire.
Things had been difficult for them for the past year. He had approached her less and less, until finally there was no intimacy between them at all. With some gentle prodding she found out that he was suffering from ED. Erectile dysfunction. If only it were that ... a pill could be taken for that.
But this was more, he seemed never to have any desire. And it wasn't just her, she had watched him around female guests. He had no inclination with them either. She might as well be married to an eunuch.
But tonight, tonight she would shower, use that special perfume saved for special occasions, fix him a wonderful meal and serve it by candlelight. Then later she was excuse herself and go up and change into the negligee. Maybe all of her ministrations would get him in the mood.
But it didn't work. She was crushed ... he had told her he just "wasn't in the mood". He had had a particularly tiring day and wanted nothing more than to watch a little TV and then go to bed early, but he gave her a gentle pat and said, "I love you anyway."
So she was left alone. Alone in a brand new negligee. After her third glass of wine the tears began.
It was almost a week later when the bell on the front door tinkled, alerting her that someone had come in. Becky went into the foyer and was taken back by the man standing in front of her.
He was extraordinarily handsome. Silver hair and a lithe build, but what she noticed most about him was his eyes. They were so dark she couldn't really tell if they were a deep blue or black.
It was unusual to find a man standing alone in the foyer they used as a front desk . Usually all their guests were couples ... couples away on a romantic weekend or a vacation.
"May I help you?" Becky asked.
"Yes", he responded, "I'll be needing a room with a bath for a few days. Do you have any vacancies?"
Becky laughed, "Of course. This is a slow time for us ... September. Are you sure you wouldn't like a room for say three months?"
"No, I don't think so. My business here should only take a few days. I am here to close my late aunt's estate."
"Certainly we have a room for you, #102, at the top of the stairs. It has it's own bath and I'm sure you'll be comfortable there. Will your wife be joining you?"
A shadow passed over his face, "No."
"Then if you'll just sign the register, Mr. Uhmmmmm ..."
"Alan. Alan Bidulph." as he quickly offered his signature, collected the key, and grabbed his bags to ascend the stairs.
"Breakfast is served between 6:00 and 8:00, Mr. Bidulph." she wasn't sure he had heard her in his haste to get to his room.
The next morning Alan Bidulph came down at 7:30 to find Becky sitting at the dining room table drinking coffee, "Good morning".
"Good morning." Becky returned, "Did you sleep well? Was everything okay in your room?"
"I slept like a rock. And yes, everything is just fine in the room."
Becky got up and poured him a cup of coffee, "Well, since you're our only guest right now, you can have your choice of breakfast ... how about an omelet, homemade hash browns, and some of my famous biscuits?"
He simply nodded his head and Becky excused herself and went to the kitchen. He sipped his coffee as his mind drifted back to yesterday to his wife. Yesterday. Their big fight, her storming out. He should have gone after her. He should have postponed his trip. But he didn't and he wouldn't. So he just let her go. She knew where he'd be in case she changed her mind. He hoped she would. He hoped that she'd be here when he got back this afternoon. He would love to make love to her in that four-poster bed. But their making love had become sporadic at best ... non-existent was more like it.
Becky interrupted his thoughts when she brought in his breakfast. A huge ham and cheese omelet, hash browns done just the way he like them, and two biscuits still steaming from the oven. She sat down next to him and began sipping her coffee again.
She was silent for a while letting him butter the biscuits. Then she said, "It's unusual to have a man alone visit us. I noticed your wedding ring. I hope it's not too bold of me to ask why your wife did not accompany you."
He was taken aback by her question, then composed himself, "No. Not at all. You see we both have different interests, different lives. She's career minded, ambitious. To tell the truth, so am I. We just seem to go separate ways."
"I see. Well, that's not all that unusual these days, even for innkeepers.", she said under her breath.
By that time Alan had finished his breakfast and Becky got up to take his plate.
When she returned from the kitchen she brought the coffee pot with her and poured him another cup. "What are the first steps in closing an estate, if you don't mind me asking."
"Not at all. The first step is see the lawyer, then I'll have to go over to her house. I suppose I'll need to look through everything ... determine if there are any family heirlooms. Then I'll meet with an auctioneer. I plan of selling most of her estate and donating the proceeds to her favorite charity. I'd best be on my way now, my appointment with the lawyer is a 8:00." With that he arose from the table a bade Becky a good day.
Becky cleared away the dishes, taking them in the kitchen to be washed. As she filled the sink with warm, soapy water she wondered about Alan Bidulph. She fanaticized about what it would be like to be wrapped in his arms starring up into those dark eyes. "God!", she thought to herself, "You are horny!" But she knew it was more than that. She needed a human touch, the warmth of another body, she needed to be loved. She gave herself a quick shake and went about cleaning up the kitchen.
Later that morning she went to the library to turn in some books and see if others caught her eye. She was meandering down the rows of historical fiction when she noticed Alan standing at the counter. "I'll be happy to pay whatever overdue charge there is ....", he was saying to the librarian when he looked up and saw her coming toward him.
"It seems, Mr. Bidulph, that our paths continue to cross."
"Indeed it does. I found these books among my aunt's things and thought I ought to bring them back."
Before they knew it they were talking as old friends. Talking about books and authors, of places they had traveled and places they longed to see, of children now grown.
Suddenly Becky did not want this to end, "How about a cup of coffee. There's a quaint little shop around the corner which has a coffee room tucked in the back."
Alan looked at her more closely now. She was an extremely attractive woman. Woman being the operative word here ... it was obvious that the bloom of youth had long since left her. But left in its stead a dignity and grace surrounded her and made her very appealing. She did, however, have sparkling green eyes. He studied her face, surrounded by short curls of chestnut hair, she had a dazzling smile. And, he noticed, she always wore a dress, not a pants suite or jeans, it was lent her a very feminine air.
He quickly agreed to coffee and so they walked together to the coffee shop. Becky was all too cognizant of his being so close. It was all she could do not to reach for his hand.
Alan felt her tremble when his hand merely touched the small of her back as he opened the door for her to enter.