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on the salad。〃
〃Anything to start？〃
〃No；〃 said Hooper； raising his glass。 〃This'll be fine。〃
In a few minutes； the waitress brought Ellen's shrimp cocktail。 When she had left； Ellen said； 〃Do you know what I'd love？ Some wine。〃
〃That's a very interesting idea；〃 Hooper said； looking at her。 〃But remember what I said about impetuousness。 I may bee irresponsible。〃
〃I'm not worried。〃 As Ellen spoke； she felt a blush crawl up her cheeks。
〃Okay； but first I better check the treasury。〃 He reached in his back pocket for his wallet。
〃Oh no。 This is my treat。〃
〃Don't be silly。〃
〃No； really。 I asked you to lunch。〃 She began to panic。 It had never occurred to her that he might insist on paying。 She didn't want to annoy him by sticking him with a big bill。 On the other hand； she didn't want to seem patronizing； to offend his virility。
〃I know；〃 he said。 〃But I'd like to take you to lunch。〃
Was this a gambit？ She couldn't tell。 If it was； she didn't want to refuse it； but if he was just being polite。。。
〃You're sweet；〃 she said； 〃but。。。〃
〃I'm serious。 Please。〃
She looked down and toyed with the one shrimp remaining on her plate。 〃Well 。。。〃
〃I know you're only being thoughtful；〃 Hooper said； 〃but don't be。 Didn't David ever tell you about our grandfather？〃
〃Not that I remember。 What about him？〃
〃Old Matt was known … and not very affectionately … as the Bandit。 If he was alive today； I'd probably be at the head of the pack calling for his scalp。 But he isn't； so all I had to worry about was whether to keep the bundle of money he left me or give it away。
It wasn't a very difficult moral dilemma。 I figure I can spend it as well as anyone I'd give it to。〃
〃Does David have a lot of money； too？〃
〃Yes。 That's one of the things about him that's always baffled me。 He's got enough to support himself and any number of wives for life。 So why did he settle on a meatball for a second wife？ Because she has more money than he does。 I don't know。 Maybe money doesn't feel fortable unless it's married to money。〃
〃What did your grandfather do？〃
〃Railroads and mining。 Technically； that is。 Basically； he was a robber baron。 At one point he owned most of Denver。 He was the landlord of the whole red…light district。〃
〃That must have been profitable。〃
〃Not as much as you'd think；〃 Hooper said with a laugh。 〃From what I hear； he liked to collect his rent in trade。〃
That might be a gambit； Ellen thought。 What should she say？ 〃That's supposed to be every schoolgirl's fantasy；〃 she ventured playfully。
〃What is？〃
〃To be a。。。 you know； a prostitute。 To sleep with a whole lot of different men。〃
〃Was it yours？〃
Ellen laughed； hoping to cover her blush。 〃I don't remember if it was exactly that；〃 she said。 〃But I guess we all have fantasies of one kind or another。〃
Hooper smiled and leaned back in his chair。 He called the waitress over and said； 〃Bring us a bottle of cold Chablis； would you please？〃
Something's happened； Ellen thought。 She wondered if he could sense … smell？ like an animal？ … the invitation she had extended。 Whatever it was； he had taken the offensive。 All she had to do was avoid discouraging him。
The food came； followed a moment later by the wine。 Hooper's scallops were the size of marshmallows。 〃Flounder；〃 he said after the waitress had left。 〃I should have known。〃
〃How can you tell？〃 Ellen asked。 Immediately she wished she hadn't said anything。 She didn't want to let the conversation drift。
〃They're too big； for one thing。 And the edges are too perfect。 They were obviously cut。〃
〃I suppose you could send them back。〃 She hoped he wouldn't； a quarrel with the waitress could spoil their mood。
〃I might；〃 said Hooper； and he grinned at Ellen。 〃Under different circumstances。〃
He poured Ellen a glass of wine； then filled his own and raised it for a toast。 〃To fantasies；〃 he said。 〃Tell me about yours。〃 His eyes were a bright； liquid blue； and his lips were parted in a half smile。
Ellen laughed。 〃Oh； mine aren't very interesting。 I imagine they're just your old run…of…the…mill fantasies。〃
〃There's no such thing；〃 said Hooper。 〃Tell me。〃 He was asking； not demanding； but Ellen felt that the game she had started demanded that she answer。
〃Oh； you know；〃 she said。 Her stomach felt warm； and the back of her neck was hot。 〃Just the standard things。 Rape； I guess； is one。〃
〃How does it happen？〃
She tried to think； and she remembered the times when； alone； she would let her mind wander and conjure the carnal images。 Usually she was in bed； often with her husband asleep beside her。 Sometimes she found that； without knowing it； she had been rubbing her hand over her vagina； caressing herself。
〃Different ways；〃 she said。
〃Name one。〃
〃Sometimes I'm in the kitchen in the morning； after everybody has left； and a workman from one of the houses next door es to my back door。 He wants to use the phone or have a glass of water。〃 She stopped。
〃And then？〃
〃I let him in the door and he threatens to kill me if I don't do what he wants。〃
〃Does he hurt you？〃
〃Oh no。 I mean； he doesn't stab me or anything。〃
〃Does he hit you？〃
〃No。 He just。。。 rapes me。〃
〃Is it fun？〃
〃Not at first。 It's scary。 But then； after a while； when he's。。。〃
〃When he's got you all。。。 ready。〃
Ellen's eyes moved to his； reading the remark for humor； irony； or cruelty。 She saw none。 Hooper ran his tongue over his lips and leaned forward until his face was only a foot or so from hers。
Ellen thought： The door's open now； all you have to do is walk through it。 She said； 〃Yes。〃
〃Then it's fun。〃
〃Yes。〃 She shifted in her seat； for the recollection was being physical。
〃Do you ever have an orgasm？〃
〃Sometimes；〃 she said。 〃Not always。〃
〃Is he big？〃
〃Tall？ Not。。。〃 They had been speaking very softly； and now Hooper lowered his voice to a whisper。 〃I don't mean tall。 Is he。。。 you know。。。 big？〃
〃Usually；〃 said Ellen； and she chuckled。 〃Huge。〃
〃Is he black？〃
〃No。 I've heard that some women have fantasies about being raped by black men； but I never have。〃
〃Tell me another one。〃
〃Oh no；〃 she said； laughing。 〃Now it's your turn。〃
They heard footsteps and turned to see the waitress approaching their table。 〃Is everything all right？〃 she said。
〃Fine；〃 Hooper said curtly。 〃Everything's fine。〃 The waitress left。
Ellen whispered； 〃Do you think she heard？〃
Hooper leaned forward。 〃Not a chance。 Now tell me another one。〃
It's going to happen； Ellen thought； and she felt suddenly nervous。 She wanted to tell him why she was behaving this way； to explain that she didn't do this all the time。
He probably thinks I'm a whore。 Forget it。 Don't get sappy or you'll ruin it。 〃No；〃 she said with a smile。 〃It's your turn。〃
〃Mine are usually orgies；〃 he said。 〃Or at least threesie