"I cannot even imagine!"

"So, what about you? Are you married? Do you have children?"

"The answers are 'no', and 'no', respectively!"

Their drinks arrived aboard the serving tray of the smiling waiter.

"Miss Bagley, your Martini, just the way you like it! And for you, Sir, straight scotch!"

"Thank you."

"Would you like to order dinner now, or wait?"

"Let us enjoy our conversation over drinks for awhile."

"Yes Ma'am. Ring when you are ready." He left a small silver bell on the table.

Travis sipped his drink, then asked about the book-signing circuit. "So I am to be at Piccadilly Circus tomorrow at two, for my first book signing?"

"Why, yes! Where did you hear that?"

"I saw it in the London Times this morning, as well as the schedule for the rest of the week."

She reached into her briefcase and brought out a schedule of dates and times. "Did it look like this?"

"Yes, that's it, exactly."

"You may keep that copy for reference. Look it over to be sure there are no conflicts with your tour itinerary, and get back to me if there is." She took a sip of her martini and said, "I like to get to know our authors personally, if you know what I mean. I like to understand what makes them tick! What about you, Travis? What makes you tick? How do you make a living?"

"Back in Alabama I am a coal miner, and a farmer. Not exactly a glamorous occupation, I know, but it puts food on the table, and pays the bills."

"Well, very soon, your writing will be putting food on the table, because you have the inside tract to success."

"That's why I brought a copy ma.n.u.script of my next novel, 'Behind The Green Door'. I thought perhaps I could get a contract on it as well."

"Ooh! A second novel! I wondered what that was you brought with you. May I see it?"

"Sure."

"May I read it later?"

"Sure, if you like."

"My father is the one who decides which ma.n.u.scripts we publish, but if he asks me, just on the merits of your first book, I would say to go ahead and publish this one!"

"That's very kind."

"Behind The Green Door', that sounds very intriguing! I can list quite a few things that go on behind closed doors! Can't you?"

"The t.i.tle refers to a green door that leads to a laboratory, where disturbing genetic experiments take place."

"Is it horror as well?"

"It's more of a suspense/thriller, but I guess it could be also considered horror."

"I can't wait to read it! To me, reading is like a s.e.xual experience! There is the antic.i.p.ation, the fore-play, and then the action! And if it's really good, you want to read it again!"

Travis smiled and nodded.

"So you agree?"

"I can't say that I have ever thought of it in that way before. To me, writing is more of a stimulation for my brain, as well as my senses. When I read something, I want to be entertained, and learn something as well. I write the kinds of stories I would also like to read."

"Yes, I understand that. So, it just 'flows' from your brain? How would you explain it? The process of writing, I mean."

"In my case, I just want to tell a good tale. Story-telling is an art. It is a talent that starts out small, and grows, the more you use it. If you do not use it, it withers away. I'm sure you could write romance novels, if you stayed with it long enough and kept trying. As a writer, I write about the things that I know. If you know about romance, or what it should be, then there is no reason why you can't write it."

"So you must know something about romance, if you can so accurately write about it in 'The Relic!"

"Everyone knows a little about every subject."

"So the fact that you seem to gravitate more toward horror, seems to indicate that you have a dark, devious side!"

"I have had some traumatic experiences in my life that have shaped my psyche, no doubt. I spent some dark days in Vietnam, back in the late 60's. That is probably where my 'dark side' comes from."

"That is very insightful. You are probably exactly right! I had a minor in psychology at Dartmouth University, and it comes in useful at times, in my evaluation of prospective clients."

"So what did you major in? Something related to publishing?"

"No, I majored in s.e.x! As research, I tried to screw every boy on campus, and were it not for graduation, I would have succeeded! I'm joking, of course! But I did make a dent in the male population. I was a bit wild in my younger days!"

"I bet you were, but weren't we all? Life has a way of mellowing us out though, doesn't it?"

"I can a.s.sure you, I am far from mellowed out, s.e.xually! There is nothing I enjoy better than a good 45 minute aerobic work-out of a s.e.xual nature! And you?"

"Well, 45 minutes is overdoing it a bit."

"Why Travis! Are you blushing? Do I embarra.s.s you by talking so openly about s.e.x?"

"It's not the usual topic of conversation I carry on with a woman."

"So you like a woman to be more discrete, more lady-like?"

"I'm from the South, where women are more conservative, generally speaking."

"So I suppose your wife is a more conservative lady?"

"Yes, you could say that."

She set down her drink and clasped her hands beneath her chin, as she smiled at him. "Perhaps you would like to slip into something a little more 'liberal', during your stay here?"

"Exactly what are you saying, Miss Bagley?"

"Oh, so I'm 'Miss Bagley' now, am I? What happened to calling me Angel?"

"You don't seem very 'angelic' at the moment."

"I have a halo, but it's held up by little horns! Oh, I see! I'm moving a little too fast for you, huh?"

"And in the wrong direction."

"Ah, you're a little shy! That's okay. I like a man, any way I can get him!"

Good Lord, what have I gotten myself into here, Travis thought. He reached across the table, and Angel probably thought he was going to take her hand, but instead, he picked up the silver bell and rang it. "I think we had better order dinner."

"Yes, the sooner we eat dinner, the sooner we can get to the dessert!"

"Are you always this s.e.xually charged?"

"Not always. Only when I see something I like!"

Fortunately, the waiter showed up immediately with his note pad in hand. "So we are ready to order, Ma'am?"

"Yes, I think I will have the pork tenderloin, smothered in apricot sauce. With asparagus and carrots."

"And for you, sir?"

"Let me see. I don't see hamburger on the menu. What is this?"

"That is a lean cut of beef, wrapped in bacon."

"I'll have that, cooked well done, and green beans, and potatoes. Are those potatoes mashed?"

"No sir, they are boiled."

"Okay, I'll mash them myself. Pour a little gravy over them."

"Would you like wine with your dinner?"

"Of course!" Angel replied. "White wine for me!"

"And red wine for you, sir?"

"Yes, that will be fine."

"And can we have our drinks freshened up while we wait?" Angel asked.

"Of course!" The waiter took their gla.s.ses and hurried away. Angel could hardly wait for him to get out of earshot, before leaning across the table toward Travis again. With a twinkle in her eyes, she said, "I might as well tell you this up front, Travis. I intend to get you in bed with me, before you leave England, married or not! What do you say to that?"

"I think your martini must have been a lot stronger than my scotch! You are probably saying things that you will regret saying tomorrow."

"I am nowhere near intoxicated! I am in full control of my faculties! I intend to have you, and I am being honest in telling you so!"

"Do you make the same offer to all your authors?"

"Only the male ones! I am strictly heteros.e.xual! I consider my offer to be part of the 'fringe benefits' package of publishing with Jester Books! And as our existing #1 selling author, you are ent.i.tled to a considerable back-log of benefits, which are past due! It might take days to catch you up!"

"All your male authors? Even the doddering old guys?"

"I cull none!"

"Does your father know about these 'fringe benefits'?"

"I am sure he is aware of my behavior, but he prefers to look the other way. I am who I am, and he knows that. Besides, there is nothing better than having satisfied authors! Our Better Business Bureau rating is off the charts!"

"I can imagine. So do you offer any other benefits besides s.e.x?"

"What did you have in mind?"

"Well, like maybe some sort of monetary incentive to publish my second book with you? Perhaps a small share of the profits from 'The Relic' would be nice. I know that by the present contract, you are not obligated to do so, but it might encourage me to re-sign 'The Relic' to you in 19 months, and also this second book."

"My father is the one who will decide on that aspect of the contracts, so you will have to negotiate with him on that. He makes the final decisions."

Their 'freshened up' drinks arrived, and she thanked the waiter, then, as soon as he was out of range, she again leaned over toward Travis, throwing her flaming red hair out of her face.

"Let me enlighten you to this one fact, Travis. Since I have been with my father's company, almost eleven years now, I have had a perfect record! Sometimes it requires a dose of v.i.a.g.r.a. But I do not intend for my streak to be broken! Most of the authors we published only became published, because I strongly recommended that we publish them. Father has never refused to publish someone I have recommended!"

"Your point being?"

"That if you want to secure royalties from 'The Relic', or sign your second book to contract, it will not happen without my recommendation!"

She and Travis both took a big drink, and glared at one another across the table. Her glare turned to a sweet smile. "Now, that is not too much to ask, is it?"

"Let me get this straight. You are trying to blackmail me into sleeping with you?"

"Blackmail is such an ugly word. I would rather say that I am encouraging you to agree to publishing under the Jester Books logo!"

"Well, you know that I am married, and in my mind, what you are suggesting is out of the question."

"But your wife will never know!"

"That's not the point. I have been accused of infidelity before, which was not true. So I am already treading on thin ice. I'm going to have to turn down your offer. I can get my second book published under a different logo. I would rather use a State-side company anyway, as a logistical thing."

"Don't be too hasty to decide. Jester Books is the parent company of a large book publisher in the United States, so getting copies to market will be no logistical problem. But don't think you have to decide now. You'll be here a whole week! Please think about it."

"And I will feel the same on Friday as I do today."

She gave him a sly smile. "But you have not yet seen all of my physical attributes, nor all the perks that Jester Books can offer!"