She'd invited me, but for some reason I didn't feel like it. I went down to Saint Augustine, rented a condo on the beach and spent a week by myself. I... didn't turn on the TV or read the paper. I walked the beach from early morning until late at night. I pondered deep thoughts and enjoyed the feel of beach sand between my toes.At night I hit the bars at St. Augustine Beach and one night drank Brandy with a hooker named Renée and the DEA agent who'd left his wife and career to be with her, even. The quilt and pillows were thrown to one side leaving just the sheet in place and the two men either side sat her on the edge of the bed with them, laying her back across her bed with them they held her arms above her head, their mouths descended onto her hard puckered nipples to suck them onto their mouths and nibble gently on the sensitive buds, Sophia gasped and arched her back to offer her breasts and nipples up for their attention. As she did this one of the others knelt down and taking. "Get it up inBoston?" I didn't _get_ it anyplace, you son of a bitch. I _found_ it, found it bythe bed, while I was unpacking." I don't --" The hell you don't. Who was she this time, Dan?"She had me dead to rights. The only way that earring could have gotten toour bed was on a woman's ear. "She's... I went out for dinner and drinkswith Nick Tatum. She was a friend of Beth's from out of town." Mary knewabout Nick and Beth; like I said, it was no big secret."And just how long have you and Nick. She truly was glad to see me awake. I did my best to smile back at her."Hi, Ms. Connor." I was pleasantly surprised at the energy in my voice. At least I didn't sound like death warmed over like the last time I saw her."Call me Debbie, Mark. You gave us quite a scare. How's our patient?" she asked Dr. Payton."We were just starting to get acquainted," the doctor replied. "I just wanted you to know he was awake again so you could stop worrying about him so much," she said in a teasing tone of.