He’d awakened once feeling hot and sweaty, and Irene was curled up against him.  Sam had kissed her shoulder and tasted her glistening skin with his tongue. She seemed to purr in her sleep and shifted her body to lie partly across him.  He smiled and gave up on the heat and went back to sleep.<br/><br/>This time he felt groggy from the heat.  He also felt alone.  Sam knew that he was half asleep but yet he knew before he had any conscious awareness that Irene was not in the bed with him His mind drifted back and forth between reality and what must have been a dream.  He felt for her, wanting to caress her breast, to kiss her . . . even as he knew she wasn’t there with him.<br/><br/>Then a soft voice spoke to him . . . offering him water.  His mouth was dry and his throat was scratchy so the water sounded good.  He wondered where the voice was coming from.  Then his thoughts drifted and he wondered if the water was still in the tub for him to sit in and cool off.  When he figured out that he should open his eyes he opened them, just a crack and smiled at  Irene who was sitting in a chair, watching him, and holding a cup of water.<br/><br/>“Hey Darlin...where’d you get off to?  Is it morning? God I hope not...the heat wears me out when I sleep so I need more when it’s sweltering like this.  Water sounds good...thanks  You okay?  Everything all right baby?”