Jack and Catherine Roberts had come down from Boston to Johnson and Wales for an off-season conference. After the day's sessions, it turned out that there's not a lot to do in Providence, Rhode Island on cold spring evenings mid-week. Jack and Catherine ate at the Westin, had a few beers at the Union Station, and then hurried back to the Marriot. It was only half a block, but the wind off the harbor bit into their faces and hands, and both were shivering before they reached the lobby. Once in their room, Catherine disappeared in the bathroom to warm up in the shower. Jack stripped to his boxers and climbed into bed. He heard the shower come on, and began to flip through channels to kill time.
Catherine came out of the shower clad in a thin white nightgown. She hung up her skirt and put her bra, panties, and blouse into a dirty laundry bag and then into her suitcase before slipping under the comforter next to Jack.
"Warmer?" Jack asked.
"You'd know if I wasn't," Catherine grinned. "What's on?"
"Not a lot. Remember this movie? Some rich guy offers a couple a million bucks for one night with the wife."
"There's a word for that."
"Yeah," Jack said. "But it doesn't seem as tawdry for a million as it does for a hundred."
"Would let somebody sleep with me for a million bucks?"
"Catherine, I love you. But yes, in a heartbeat."
"Really?"
"Of course."
"That would make you a pimp."
"A rich one."
"Hmm. I'm not sure I could do that."
Jack feigned surprise. "Really? A million bucks baby. We'd be set for life. It's not like you were virginal before we got together."
"You either."
"No."
Catherine went on. "There was always a relationship at some level. It was never sex for its own sake."
"I can't say that."
Catherine continued, "And even that changed with you – got more important. After our first couple of dates, I turned down other offers. It would have felt like cheating."
"Wow. I'm not sure how I'd have felt about that. It might have been hot to know you were fucking someone else. Kind of a competitive thing."