Prologue

            Caitlin Van Dyke had reserved a room at the Ritz-Carlton. Tonight, was the night she was finally going to sleep with her boyfriend. In a way, it was silly to call someone so much older than her her boyfriend, but in essence that’s who he was. They had been dating for six months. Caitlin had thought he was being a gentleman. They had only kissed and he had never tried to push it any further than that. Caitlin thought he was waiting on her to give a signal. Nothing could be more of a signal than wearing a sexy piece of red lingerie on Christmas Day night. Because of family holiday obligations, they couldn’t have any time alone together until this evening. Her bedroom-wear had straps that tied behind her neck, smashing her bosom together in the front. She was showing quite a bit of cleavage. The satin ensemble was a one piece. It fitted almost like a bathing suit. Caitlin had called Hector to let him know she had a surprise for him and to meet her at the hotel.

            The room was only 450 square feet, but it had a splendid view of Central Park. There was a mini-fridge and a small bar area. The sitting area was in front of the king size bed, a stone colored loveseat and a chair counter-clockwise from it. The carpet was tan.

            She waited patiently as she lounged on the bed. He was never late. The white sheets were at least five hundred count and they felt marvelous on her skin.

Sure enough, she heard the key card being slid into the door mechanism. She had left word with the front desk to give him a key when he had arrived. She didn’t want to ruin her surprise by opening the door.

            “Caitlin?” Hector called out.

            “I’m here.”

            She heard the door close.

            “So, what is this surprise –” He stopped talking as he rounded the corner and saw her on the bed. “Wow,” he mumbled.

            She smiled brightly. “Don’t be shy. Come open your gift.”

            Hector chuckled nervously as he made his way to the bed. He sported a white dress shirt and dark gray slacks. His silver hair was slicked back and parted a few centimeters from the middle like always. Hector sat down on the edge of the bed. He was acting awfully strange for a man who was face to face with a woman in lingerie who was wanting, willing, and able.

            He turned to her as she scooted closer to him. “It’s all right. We’ve been seeing each other for months. I’m ready, Hector,” Caitlin said seductively. “I’m sure you are, too.” She took his hand and placed it on her partially exposed hip.

            “Oh, Caitlin,” he said with a hint of pain in his voice. “I would love to take you here and now, but I can’t,” He removed his hand from her body.

            “Why?” she asked barely above a whisper.

            Hector looked away from her. “Because I’m . . . impotent.”

            Caitlin’s mouth dropped open. Who knew a man who was such a go-getter and up for adventure here and there was impotent. Granted, he was old enough to be her father but he wasn’t that old. “I . . . I had no idea.”

            “Obviously,” he said hoarsely.

            “I just thought you were . . . waiting for me to give you a signal to . . . oh.” She felt just as embarrassed as he did. She looked down at her lap. Then a thought came to her. “They have pills for . . . that sort of problem.”

            “Which I can’t take,” he said as he kept facing the wall. “I have an irregular heartbeat and four years ago I had a small stroke. Taking Viagra can be detrimental to me.”

            “I see.”

            An uncomfortable silence fell between them.

            “I guess this is the part where you say that you can’t handle this . . . situation and want to part ways,” he mumbled.

            “No,” she said as she looked up at him. “Not at all.”

            “There’s no reason to spare my feelings. I’ve been through this twice before with women I had dated. And both ladies bowed out gracefully, let’s say.”

            “Hector, please look at me.”

            He slowly turned to her.

            “Hector, you are the first man I’ve dated past four months in years,” Caitlin began. “You’re kind, gracious, generous, and fun. And a woman like me needs a man in her life that knows how to have fun.” Caitlin lived a pretty drab life for being a billionaire heiress – until she went out on a date with Hector. He made her smile and he made her feel attractive. “And you make me feel . . . special. No man has done that for me in ages. I don’t want to break up with you.”

            “Are you saying that . . . you don’t mind not having sex?”

            “Yes,” she said with conviction. “It’s really not that big of a deal.”

            “Really?” he said with disbelief. “You do see what you have on, right?”

            She let out a short laugh. “I thought you would like it. The truth is I thought you were being unbelievably patient and was climbing the walls waiting. And I wanted to give you something special for Christmas. Sex isn’t that important to me. I haven’t had it in five years. I’m not going to miss it for another five – or longer.” And she meant it. Yes, she got urges from time to time, but she was better at satisfying her body herself than sleeping with some stranger. More than likely they wouldn’t satisfy her anyway. She knew this from experience.

            “Truly. You don’t mind?”

            “Not at all. Matter of fact, I’m relieved. For a while there, I had started thinking you didn’t find me physically attractive.”

            “Please know I do find you attractive,” Hector clarified.

            “Thank you. Now, I’m going to get dressed. I’ll just treat you to a drink instead. Okay?”

            He gave her a little grin. “Okay.”