Her face was almost touching my face. She whispered, “Have you ever made love to anyone, Bobo?”

I was astonished by the question. I shook my head.

“I didn’t think so,” she sighed. “I have. Not to Carter, no matter what he tells you, but I have.”

She pushed her lips against my lips and she caught me in a powerful hug and pulled me to her. Her mouth crushed my mouth. She rolled, still holding me, and I was suddenly on top of her. She opened her legs and scissored my body and began thrusting herself against me.

“Make love to me, Bobo,” she begged. “Let me be the first.” Her mouth attacked me again.

I fought to free myself. “Rene, stop it. I don’t want this. Carter—”

“I don’t want to hear about Carter,” she snapped. “Not now.” She was breathing heavily. She looked at me from the dark burrow of the laurel bush and smiled triumphantly. She pushed her tongue from her mouth and slowly circled her lips with it, then she pulled open her jacket and slipped her sweater up over her bra. “Look, Bobo,” she teased. She ran her fingers under the bottom of her bra and lifted it, freeing her breasts. Her breasts were full, her nipples erect. “Touch them, Bobo, touch them.”

I wiggled away from her and stood. “Rene, I’m leaving,” I said emphatically. “You’re just trying to get back at Carter, and this is not the way to do it. Not with me.”

Rene pulled her bra and sweater down. The smile vanished from her face. She began weeping again.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured. “Bobo, I’m sorry.”

“It’s all right.”

“I’ve made a fool of myself,” she sobbed.

“No, you haven’t. Things just got a little out of hand.”

“You hate me.”

I knelt beside her. “No, I don’t, Rene. Sometimes big brothers and little sisters fight, but I don’t think that means they hate one another.”

A small smile played across her face.

“You’re a good person, Bobo Murphy. I envy Amy. She doesn’t know how lucky she is.”

I hugged her lightly and left her and returned to The Cave. Carter was there, sitting on the edge of my bunk, smoking a cigarette. He was in a subdued mood.

“Is she all right?” he asked.

“She’s fine. She was just a little upset, that’s all. What about you?”

“Okay.” He nodded and rubbed the palms of his hands together. “You’re a good buddy, Bobo.”

“Where’s Amy?” I asked.

He motioned his head toward the Inn. “She went in,” he said quietly. “She said she’d see you in the morning.”

“Did she give you the business?”

Carter stared at his hands. “Yeah. Yeah, she did.”