Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 INDIAN WINTER (Part 10)

   By KATZMAREK (C)

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   Author's note,

   This work is my property and cannot be used for gain without my express
permission in writing.

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   The silver Audi sat concealed behind the pile of gravel.  Wheel marks
and discarded KFC packaging indicated the spot was well-known locally. 
Over the wire fence Sharmila could see Mary's cottage, nestled contentedly
in her half acre of manicured grounds.

   A light was on in the lounge and another, she thought, was probably the
kitchen.  This was the country and the couple paid little attention to
pulling curtains closed.  Earlier, she'd seen Jake chopping wood by the
side of the house.  He was wearing denim shorts and a black singlet.  She
thought he looked gorgeous, like one of those male models.

   Lately, he'd taken to going out to pick up Mary from work.  Last night
they'd been shopping together and fetched groceries from the boot of the
car.  She'd watched Jake as he hovered, attentively, and took one of the
heavier bags from her.  He was a good, decent, loving man, Sharmila mused.

   Jake had ordered a jacuzzi-style outside spa and had evidently spent all
day landscaping around it.  He'd planted mature ferns, hebes and fluffy
toitoi bushes around it and rigged free-standing garden lamps.  It awaited
Mary's inspection and Sharmila was sure she'd be thrilled with it.  When
they returned, she was sure they'd try it out.

   The country night made her feel uneasy.  She jumped as every car roared
past, but, as the evening wore on, they became less and less frequent.  The
car engines gave way to the bellbirds and tuneful native owl, the morepork.
A swishing in a nearby tree startled her, but it was just a hawk, perhaps
spotting some roadkill.  Even the hum from the motorway, well over a
kilometre away, steadily died as commuters returned home.

   As expected, around 7 o'clock, Jake went to his car and pulled out of
the driveway.  He drove past the layby in a rattle of stones and sped off
to fetch Mary.  He'd be at least an hour, Sharmila knew, because her office
was clear across the other side of the city.

   Sharmila walked the short distance down to their gate.  The lights were
off in the house except for the security lamp on the veranda and the glow
from around the back, where Jake had installed the spa.  She followed the
path around to the yard to see the new installation for herself.  It was
magic, she thought, all soft greens and the waving white fronds from the
toitoi.  Jake had placed an ice bucket by the side of the pool and there
was a bottle of Chasse de Longue cooling, and two champagne glasses.  In
the water itself, he'd cast rose petals, yellows and reds, and from a fern
was a card with a red heart.  Sharmila read it.  In Jake's shakey
handwriting were the words, 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MY LOVE NOW AND ALWAYS'.

   Sharmila sat on her haunches and stared at the vision of love and
romance.  Her eyes moistened and she felt the prick of conscience, that she
shouldn't be here and had intruded into someone's most intimate moment.

   But there was something compelling about the scene.  Shortly, there'd be
a pair of happy, loving and, no doubt, naked bodies sharing their secrets,
enjoying each other.  Sharmila would've like to share that moment, to soak
up the passion and emotion as her cellphone sucked up power from its
charger.  Probably, they'd make gentle love right here, locked together and
whispering their love to one another.  Two of her most special people in
her life embracing and sharing something she'd never experienced.

   It was getting late and she didn't want to be discovered here. 
Reluctantly, she walked back the way she'd come and up the lane to her car.
The hum from the engine seemed out of place, intrusive, but she steeled
herself and drove out to the lane.  Emboldened by the brisk acceleration of
the Audi, she put her foot down, the traction control stopping the tyres
from screeching.

   ----------------------------------------

   Mary had decided to take another day off.  It was her birthday, after
all, and she had an excuse.  She was still giddy from last night, with
Jake's gift to her, and the lovemaking that'd followed.  Last night, she'd
run clean out of superlatives and just kept repeating 'I love you,' to him.


   He was awake and sitting up when she returned from making the calls.  He
had a stupid grin on his face, smug, and terribly proud of himself.  This
time, however, Mary thought he had a perfect right to be.  She told him to
stay there, that she'd make breakfast, and they'd have it in bed.

   In ten minutes she waddled back, wearing just her panties, and placed
the tray on the bed.  He sipped his coffee, sighed, and pretended to her it
was just the way he liked it.  Nothing, she thought, was better than this
and she told him it was the best birthday she'd ever had.

   His grin should've have warned her.  It wasn't the contented grin of a
man having breakfast with his lover after a magical night, but of one who
had something else to surprise her with.  Casually, he reached into the
bedside table and took out a ring box in brushed blue velvet.  Jake placed
it on the tray next to her cereal and smiled, cheekily.

   "Last gift," he said, as if he was handing her a spoon.

   Mary had no doubt what it was and stared at it, a mix of emotions making
her tremble.  At first was the fear, the horror, of what he was implying.
It was way too soon, they hadn't known each other that long, she was not
ready for such a commitment, it was a step she vowed never to take again as
long as she lived.  Jake dismissed the future as something that will take
care of itself, but she couldn't.  She'd grow old and withered and he'd be
a dignified gentleman.  Women would be flocking to him and how could he
resist, with a wife he had no attraction for anymore?

   "Jake, I..." she choked.  She stared at the box as if it would burn her
fingers.

   "Open it?" he insisted.

   She steeled, and fumbled with the catch.  Jake took it and opened it for
her.  Inside was a cluster diamond engagement ring in 24 carat gold.  The
centre stone shone clear and mesmerising and she stared at the white
radiance in awe.  The ring broke into sections like a cubist painting as
tears flooded her eyes.  Jake put his arm around her and she blubbed,
uncontrollably, into his shoulder.

   "Arsehole!" she howled into his chest.  She slammed her fist into his
pec, but not hard enough to make him flinch.  "How dare you do this to me?"

   'So?"

   "So?  What?  You dumb fuck!"

   "What's your answer?"

   "I don't know!" she groaned, "it's all a little too soon."

   "How long do you need to wait?" he said, a tinge of anxiety in his
voice.

   "Oh, I don't know, babe," she wined, "it's just come all of a sudden...
I...  I don't know what to do.  Can I think about it?"

   "Sure," he said, looking at his watch.

   "I'm sorry I'm such a bitch," she told him, "how dare you spring this on
me without warning?"

   "What the Hell kind of warning did you want?  'Hey, babe, tomorrow night
I'm going to ask you to marry me.' Isn't that kinda dumb?"

   "Oh fuck!" she swore, sitting up and putting her hands over her eyes. 
"I must look terrible!"

   "No, babe.  You're adorable!"

   "Stop it!" Mary burst into tears once more.

   ------------------------------------------------------

   "Cath?" Mary asked her friend, anxiety in her voice, "you know what he's
done?"

   "Do I want to?" she laughed, "how'd your birthday go?  What did he get
you?"

   "Um, a spa pool...  with lights and ferns...  and it's wonderful..."

   "Ho, Mary, lucky bitch!  You try it out?"

   "Of course, but that wasn't what I was calling for.  Cath, he...  he
asked me to marry him.  You should see the ring, Cat, it must have cost him
ten grand!"

   "So what did you say?  You handed it back with a thanks but no thanks?"

   "I don't know what to do."

   "You want me to tell you?" she laughed, "c'mon, you must have known it
was coming."

   "I didn't, honestly, it was right out of the blue.  What do I do?"

   "Marry him, you stupid bitch!  What's there to think about?"

   "I don't have a dress..."

   "Aw, ferchrissake, Mary.  Can't you do better than that?  Shit, you can
borrow mine if you want."

   "No, I can get my own...  Cath, this is so sudden!"

   "So?  We going to have a hens' night?  Let me know?"

   "They still have those?"

   "Don't care, we're going to have one.  I'm coming to dinner with you
tonight.  Tell Jake to cook up something really nice.  I want to check out
this ring."

   "I worry about you sometimes," laughed Mary.

   "I worry about you all the time.  See you tonight!"

   "Honey!" she yelled for Jake, "we're having a guest for dinner.  Can you
make something nice for us?"

   "Sure...  ah...  I've got some fillet steak.  How about sauteed with a
bit of lime and..."

   "Sounds fine, and Jake?  'Yes,' babe, the answer's, 'yes'!"

   "Y'sure?"

   "You want me to think about it some more?"

   "No." Jake swept into the room and wrapped his arms around her.  Mary
looked into his face and told him he'd better have a shave.

   --------------------------------------------

   Sharmila could see Jake and Mary were having a guest tonight.  She could
see the red Toyota pulled up behind Jake's car.  She could make out faint
laughter.  Clearly, they were having a happy time.

   The three of them had shared a spa, although the women wore swimsuits
and Jake was in his underwear.  She could smell cigar smoke and figured
Jake must have taken them up.  She didn't mind, though, she thought it a
kinda manly thing to do.

   She'd crept down a little closer where a pine tree was growing by the
side of the lane.  It gave her some shelter and she had a better view
around the back of the house.  She could hear their voices clearer, now,
although it was difficult to make out what they were saying.  She heard
Mary yell 'shit' when she trod on an Arizona thistle and Jake had lovingly
pulled the thorn out for her.  She told him, 'I thought you'd got rid of
this shit from the lawn.' He'd apologised and said the stuff was hard to
spray for.

   Sharmila thought Mary was a little tough on him and would've told her to
go easy.  It wasn't his fault she wasn't looking where she was walking. 
But, it was all right, though, because they were cuddling soon after and
their friend walked away in mock disgust.

   She recognised the friend, now, as that counsellor she and Jake went to.
She seemed nice enough, she thought.  She and Mary seemed to share a close
relationship because they were always talking and laughing together like
sisters.

   It was getting late, Sharmila thought, and there was little more to see.
The trio had moved indoors and it appeared they were going to have a late
night.  Mary had obviously had a fabulous birthday with the spa, then the
dinner party after.

   The boundary fence to Mary's cottage was a typical wire and wooden
batten affair.  On the other side was a drainage ditch, but it had dried
up. There hadn't been any rain in the area for a month or more.  It was in
a small field and Sharmila hadn't seen any stock in it.  She thought she
could get even closer to the house by using the ditch and she'd spied a gap
through Mary's boundary shrubbery that seemed a good place to hide.  She
thought she might try that the next evening.  From there, she would have a
clear view of the spa and of Mary's little corner, with the Chinese lantern
and the chimes.

   On the way home, Sharmila analysed her own actions, this compulsion,
that drove her to spy on Mary and Jake.  She was quite capable of moral
judgement and knew it was wrong.  Mary and Jake had a right to their own
life without interference.

   On the other hand, she couldn't see the harm providing they didn't
discover her activities.  She wanted to part of it, part of them, and share
their love.  She didn't think it was too much to ask to be happy.

   The yard, the bedroom, even the kitchen, was perfumed with eroticism.  A
perfect love nest.

   --------------------------------------------

   Jake and Mary had watched Cath drive off down the lane in her aged
Toyota sports.  Jake had told Cath he thought the mileage was getting too
high and she ought to sell it.  She refused to part with it, however,
saying it was red, it zipped and it was her's.  The logic seemed obvious to
Mary if not to Jake.  She chided him for being practical, which Jake
thought wasn't a bad way to be.

   They were tired from the evening and decided to head straight to bed. 
it had been an eventful, and emotional, day for each of them.

   The ring had been a perfect fit on Mary's finger.  Jake had taken one of
her old rings to size it.  She told him she'd never take it off lest she
lose it.  The ring felt strange and itched her finger.  She couldn't stop
running her fingers over the diamonds.  Jake had told her they wouldn't
fall out but she wasn't sure.

   Mary had never had such an expensive item of anything on her finger, or
anywhere else.  Jake wouldn't tell her what he'd spent but Cath whispered
she thought it would be over $15,000.  That figure was too much for her and
she doubted she'd cope.  But Jake had seemed offended when she asked him if
he'd kept the receipt.  He told her there was 'no way he was going to take
it back and she'd bloody well better get used to it.'

   Jake asked her if they could just cuddle and Mary agreed.  She told him
she was too tired as well and just wanted to fall asleep in his arms.

   In the morning, Mary brought breakfast into him.  He was sitting up,
bare chested, and she was reasonably certain they were shortly going to
have sex.  She'd thrown on a T-shirt and just had her knickers on, but she
was sure she'd be losing them in the immediate future.

   She got into bed next to him and pressed her bare leg against his.  He
smiled and kissed her before grabbing his coffee.

   "Babe?" she said, "you still think about making love to Sharmila?"

   "Mary, I..." he began.  She'd asked him that very question a number of
times and he was growing tired of answering it.

   "No, no," she said, "it doesn't matter.  I'm just kinda curious.  After
all, you're a guy and she's a babe and..."

   "Honey?  How am I supposed to answer?  If I see a beautiful woman
walking down the street am I supposed to tell you, 'hey, I really fancy
her. I wonder what she looks like nude?' You think I'm going to do that? 
You think I want to hear everytime you have some fantasy about the postman,
or a bloody footy player on TV..."

   "Not every footy player has the hots for me.  At least," she grinned,
"not that I'm aware of.  But I kind of get the feeling you're still
attracted to her."

   "All right, Mary, if you really want to know?  Yes, I think she's
stunningly gorgeous and if I wasn't engaged and living with you I'd
certainly date her.  Does that make you feel better?"

   Mary fell silent for a moment.  After a while, she said, "it may
surprise you but I think she's beautiful, too.  I'm not surprised you want
to take her to bed.  I would, if I was a guy...  or gay."

   "'Or Gay?' You fancy a bit of muff diving?" he laughed.

   "Haha, is that what you guys call it?  'Baggage handling,' I heard that.
I'll remember that next time I want my muff dived on."

   "You must have done a bit of that back at university?" he teased, "you
had orgies and stuff like that?"

   "Not that wild, I recall.  Of course there were gays but they went off
and did their thing in private..."

   "While you stayed out with the straight guys and..."

   "Haha, wouldn't you like to know?  You think we did group sex together?"

   "Well, did you?"

   "I'm boring, I'm afraid.  But I did take two guys in one night? 
Separately, though, one after another."

   "Hmm, tell me more?" he grinned.

   "Pervert!  I was too whacked out on weed to remember much about it.  I
just recall this guy humping me, then his mate came in afterwards and
fucked me some more.  It wasn't the greatest sex in the world, honey."

   "Did you come?"

   "Maybe, I don't remember.  I remember feeling afterwards that I was just
some kind of receptical for these guys' pricks.  I could've been anybody,
just so long as I had a cunt.  It was a wake up call."

   "So it wasn't repeated?"

   "No!  I just thought it should be reserved for someone I really care
about.  It's much nicer!" Mary reached over for a kiss.  Jake held her head
in place and gave her a really long smooch.  "Hmm, hmm," she said, softly,
"what made you get all hot all of a sudden?" She reached between his legs
and found him stiff, the head of his cock poking through the elastic of his
briefs.  Jake moved the breakfast tray to the sidetable then returned his
mouth to her's.

   Mary pulled off her T-shirt off and lay back.  Jake kissed his way down
her throat to her breasts, kissed and suckled her nipples between his
teeth. She trembled with lust and struggled to pull her undies down.  Jake
felt her ginger thatch and found it sopping wet.  Mary gasped and moaned
and pulled him between her legs.  She opened her legs wide and pushed
herself at his burning crotch.  "Now, honey, do it!" she told him
desperately.

   She siezed his cock and fit it inside her.  Jake slid in easily and
began to slowly hump.  "Babe...  uh..." she said, "go harder!"

   "What's the rush?"

   "Jake...  uh...  just do me, can't you?"

   "You're a furnace, babe!"

   "Yes...  fuck me!"

   Jake began to stroke faster, but not as fast as Mary wanted.  She
gritted her teeth in frustration, grabbed his arse, and tried to pull him
down harder.

   "Over?" he ordered.

   "What?" she cried, "you want doggie?  Ferchrissake, Jake!"

   "You don't want to?"

   "Yes...  just slam me, you sonofabitch!"

   Mary got on all fours and Jake moved behind her, entered, and thrust
hard.  She grunted, 'that's it,' and he continued, forcefully.  He smoothed
his hands over her back, around, and scooped at her breasts.  Mary stabbed
back, catching the rhythm, until he grabbed her hips and increased pace. 
"That's it...  oh...  nearly...  oh, Jake..."

   She ground and humped out her orgasm and Jake responded with powerful
spasms of his own.  He collapsed on top of her and lay still for a moment.

   "I'm sorry, Jake," she said breathlessly.  "Sometimes I want to make
love and sometimes...  I just want to fuck like there's no tomorrow.  You
understand?"

   "Maybe?" he grinned, "don't care...  it's all good!"

   "So long as you get your share, huh?"

   "Something like that.  I wouldn't be quite so blunt."

   "It's, ok.  I know how it is for fellars.  You can't help it, it's in
your genes.  Can you get off me, please?  I feel kinda crushed."

   "Sorry."

   "Don't be.  Never apologise to a lady for great sex."

   Jake thought they ought to go out that night for dinner.  He asked her
if she didn't mind a local Turkish restaurant that had recently opened. 
Mary liked the idea and told him they ought to dress up a little, that she
had a dress she'd hardly ever worn.  She told him she'd bought it for some
conference function a year or so ago.

   Her and Jake had hardly gone out together.  Mostly, they'd hung around
the cottage.  But, now, she thought, it would be nice to go out, to be seen
around town as a couple.

   ----------------------------------------

   Sharmila wiled away the time by doing some work on her laptop.  She had
it plugged into a port in her Audi.  It was getting late and she wondered
what could've delayed Mary and Jake.  It was nearing midnight and they
still hadn't returned.

   Presently, she saw headlights and ducked down instinctively.  Even
though the car couldn't been seen from the road, she was still terrified of
being spotted and forced to come up with an awkward explanation.

   They parked, and Sharmila watched them go inside.  By the light of the
veranda, she saw they were dressed up.  Mary had a long black dress on with
a nice scoop line top.  Jake was dressed in sports trousers and shirt.  She
thought it looked a little old fashioned, but it looked nice all the same.

   He opened the door for her with his own key.  Sharmila thought that was
kinda nice because it showed he was as part of her cottage as she was.  He
followed her in like a real gentleman and she watched the lounge lights
come on, and the kitchen, as, evidently, Jake went to make them some
coffee.

   Sharmila wanted to get a closer look.  She crept down past the pine tree
towards the ditch that ran up the side of the property.  Suddenly, she saw
oncoming headlights and heard the sound of a car coming really fast down
the lane.  In panic, she threw herself at the ditch, falling right on top
of a steel warratah, part of an old temporary fence long fallen down.  The
jagged top of the rusty post punched her in the side of the abdomen, just
inches from her baby, and opened a gash about six inches long.  She fell
with a clatter of stones and a cry of pain to the bottom of the ditch.  The
car roared on past, having not seen her.

   She lay there bleeding and crying with the pain.  She felt nauseous from
a blow on her head where she hit a rock.  She tried to move, but her legs
were stiff and scratched from blackberry thorns.  She tried pulling herself
out with tufts of long grass, but they were dead and came away in clumps in
her hands.  She cried 'help' but her voice was weak and would scarcely
carry beyond the top of the bank.

   The blood soaked her shirt and collected at her hip by her jeans' belt.
It was streaming readily and she thought the gash was deep and serious. 
She knew she needed help and fast.  With strength born out of desperation,
she staggered to her feet and slowly made her way up the ditch where she'd
seen the gap in Mary's shrubs.  The ditch was shallower and she thought she
just might be able to crawl up and under the wire fence to her yard.

   The fence had been trodden down at that point by someone picking
blackberrys along the ditch.  Using branches as a lever, Sharmila pulled
herself slowly out of the ditch, through the shrubs, into Mary's garden. 
The effort exhausted her and she found herself growing weaker.  She'd
crawled halfway across the lawn when she slumped, barely conscious, and
unable to continue.

   It was Jake who found her there.  He'd gone out back to smoke a cigar
and was just returning when he thought he saw a dog lying in the middle of
the lawn.  As he got closer, his face fell in horror as he realised it was
a human being.

   "Mary!" he yelled, "outside, quick!" He then ran over to the figure on
the ground.  "Hey...  you all right?" he said.  He thought afterwards that
was the dumbest thing anyone could've said.

   Jake saw the blood, then, by the light of the open door as Mary ran out
to see what was wrong.  "Mary!  Ambulance!" he yelled, and she scuttled
back inside.

   A few minutes later she returned.  Jake had turned the person over and
was trying to remember what the recovery position was supposed to be.  He
took off his shirt and tried to stem the blood.  Sharmila was semi concious
and moaning.  Slowly, Jake recognised her and his mouth fell open in shock.
"Mary, do you know who she is?"

   "Jake, I...  my, God, Sharmila!  Can you get her inside?"

   "Are you not supposed to move..."

   "She'll die of shock, Jake, pick her up and bring her inside."

   Jake scooped her up in his arms and carried her inside.  Although she
was short, she wasn't exactly light and Jake was puffing from the effort.
He carefully placed her on the sofa as Mary brought out her first aid kit.
"Let's see," Mary said, peeling back the shirt from the wound.  "Ugh... 
that's deep.  She'll need stiches for sure.  It's a wonder it didn't
penetrate into her womb.  Get me those long scissors, babe, from the bench.
I'll bind her up as tight as I can until the ambulance gets here."

   Some time later, the ambulance had just departed and Jake was talking to
the policeman at the door.

   "So, Jake, what's your theory?" the cop asked.  He was local and he'd
seen him many times.

   "I reckon she was coming to see us when a car came past and knocked her
into the ditch.  Just happened there was that bloody warratah down there."

   "Yeah, Jake, I'd pull those things out along there if I were you.  You
never know...  next time it could be kids playing there or something."

   "Yeah.  I will, Steve."

   "Found her car...  parked up by that old layby.  Why didn't she drive in
your gate?"

   "Who know's?  She's never been here before.  Maybe she wasn't sure of
the place and was having a look around?"

   "Still.  Strange leaving it up there?  Oh, well, she'll be all right. 
That's the main thing.  Seeya, Jake."

   "You, too, Steve."

   Mary had gone with Sharmila in the ambulance.  It wasn't quite the
conclusion to the evening she'd been expecting.  Sharmila clutched onto
Mary's hand, but she seemed to be resting easier.

   At the hospital, they considered it wise to admit her overnight, to
ensure there'd been no risk to the baby.  Sharmila begged her to stay with
her because she was frightened.  The hospital, she said, had bad memories
for her.  Mary could do little else but acquiesce.

   Sharmila was vague as to why she was coming to see them at midnight. 
She explained she'd arrived earlier but they were not home.  She decided to
wait in her car for them and must've fallen asleep.  She told her she'd
been working long hours and was tired.

   Mary wondered whether that was the key, fatigue, and she was not
thinking rationally.  She knew Jake had given her his number and asked her
why she didn't call.

   "I...  I didn't think of it," she explained.

   Clearly, Mary thought, Sharmila needed a rest.

   "Jake?" she called the next morning from the hospital, "Sharmila needs a
place to stay for a few days.  She's pretty sore and, well, I think she
needs some pampering.  I was wondering whether she could stay with us?"

   "Mary?  Are you sure that's a good idea?"

   "What's wrong, honey, scared she's going to jump your bones?  I don't
think she'll be jumping anyone for a while, love, she can hardly move."

   "Well, I'm kinda curious what she was doing prowling about outside our
gate at midnight.  What was she coming to see us for, and why midnight? 
She told you?"

   "Honey, she's burning herself out with this new venture of her's.  I
think she wasn't thinking straight..."

   "She told you that?" Jake asked, sceptically.

   "Jake, uh, you seem ready to condemn her.  I thought I was the one who
did that?  She does some strange things, sure, and, who know's what she was
doing outside our place.  Y'know, honey, right now I couldn't give a shit.
She needs our help, babe?"

   "Yeah, of course, bring her home," Jake said, "I'll fix up the back room
for her.  I'll dust the place out and set up that old single bed in there.
She won't mind if the room's a bit small?"

   "Of course not, honey.  I doubt she could care.  Only, uh, I'm afraid I
have to work.  It looks like you're going to have to look after her during
the day.  Do you mind?"

   "How long for?"

   "Just a few days."

   "Yeah, I guess."

   "You're a sweetheart.  See you this afternoon?"

   Jake really couldn't think of any practical or logical reason why they
couldn't host Sharmila for a few days.  Lately they'd got on just fine and
she'd rescued him from a night in the cells.  She'd proved herself s good
friend on that occasion and even offered some very worthwhile advice on
what he should do when he went home.  That morning she'd even asked him
when he was going to propose and, well, it got him thinking.  Yes, Sharmila
had proved herself a firm friend.

   Nevertheless, there was something about her that still made him feel
uneasy.  Sure, he was very attracted to her.  But, then, so would a
celibate priest.  Jake couldn't think of any straight male whose jaw
wouldn't sag a little, whose tongue wouldn't dry out and who wouldn't be
secretly trying to re-adjust their trousers.  No, it wasn't her sexual
power over him that set him on edge.  He thought of those antique chests of
drawers with secret compartments expertly concealed.  Sharmila was a
craftsman's triumph, but he wondered how to open those compartments, and
what lay concealed within.

   -----------------------------------------
   KATZMAREK (C)