The weather turned bad in Western Kentucky. An ancient pick-up with a dog in the bed passed us going seventy plus, and at the curve it just kept going straight. Then it rolled over. We managed to make the curve.

“Should we stop,” Elle asked.

“Yeah, I’m getting off next exit,” I answered.

“No, I mean for that guy who...”

“He’s okay. I saw him get out of the truck.”

“That’s good,” Elle said, “but what about the dog?”

“I’m sure the dog is fine,” I said.

“You’re sure?”

“I’m pretty sure.”

“I wish we knew.”

“I’m sure he jumped out or something. Don’t worry.”

“Okay.”

I squeezed Elle’s thigh in a reassuring way.

Elle squeezed my thigh. Up until an hour ago, someplace in Tennessee, I’d been squeezing Elle’s thighs in a different way, her thighs and in between, and had the weather not turned bad I would have moved my hand into her panties, into her cunt. Stopping now would be a very good thing.

There was a big chain hotel on one side of the highway, but there was also a little Mom&Pop place on our side.

“Let’s try there,” Elle suggested, indicating the Mom&Pop.

The clerk was very friendly. “You coming far?” he asked Elle, as I filled out the form. “Pretty far,” she said. I could tell he was smitten. Who wasn’t? I handed him the credit card, and after he rung us up he smiled at Elle as he handed me the packet of key cards.

The room turned out to be very nice for this sort of place. Big bed. Clean bathroom. Soft fluffy towels. Even a microwave and little refrigerator and a number of well-placed mirrors. Elle and I wasted no time. We’d soon flung off our clothing and tested the bed. The testing of the bed took quite some time. It passed with flying colors.

We were resting on our backs, holding hands, our breathing deep and slow. “Do you notice anything unusual about this room?” Elle asked.

“Unusual?”

“Yeah. There’s no art on the walls. No hackneyed modern art or prints of geese over the marsh or anything.”

“There’s that.” I pointed to some kind of flower arrangement high up on the wall opposite the bed. “Whatever that is. What would you call it, an arbor?”

“I don’t know,” Elle said. “It is sort of odd. Probably they needed a place to hide the cameras and microphones.” She laughed.

“Well, let’s give them a show,” I said. I swiveled around so my head was at the foot of the bed. Elle got on top of me. We sixty-nined for a while. It was a turn on pretending that the cameras in the wall-flowers would be aimed right at Elle’s beautiful bottom. Having so recently orgasmed, I didn’t come again, but Elle did.

After, we cuddled up again.

“I don’t suppose this place has room service,” Elle said.

I laughed. “Vending machines,” I said. “Are you hungry?”

“Maybe a little,” she said. “Do you think we should have told the room clerk about that truck that ran off the road?”

“You’re not still worried about the dog, are you?”

“No, but it would be nice to know.”

“Okay, I’ll tell clerk about the truck when I get your goodies. Snickers if they have it, right?”

“Right,” Elle said, “but hold me for a few minutes first.”

I held Elle. It turned out to be more than a few minutes. We fell asleep in each other’s arms. Maybe two hours later I awoke, dressed, and went to the office to get Elle’s treat. The sleet had changed to snow. I was thinking we might be stuck here for a few days. I could think of worse spots.

“Hey,” I said to the clerk upon entering the office. “Nice night, isn’t it? Could I get some ones for the vending machine?” I put a five on the counter.

“Sure thing,” the clerk said. He put five ones on the counter. “The guy from the pickup is okay,” he added. “Came in an hour ago. Normally we don’t allow dogs, but being how it is and all ... I put him in a room at the other end so if there’s any barking it won’t disturb you.”

“Thanks,” I said.

I bought the Snickers, four of them in case there was a run. The wind was stronger now. My footprints from the trip to the office were already filled in. I didn’t want to knock in case Elle was still asleep. I pictured her sprawled naked on the top sheet, a sheen of sex sweat on her skin like moonlight. I fumbled in my pocket for the key card and I wondered whether I should tell her about the dog.