If I explain properly, you’ll understand why we had to burn down the house. Not our house, mind you. But I’m getting ahead.

Our neighbor, Lily, asked us to take in her mail and water her houseplants while she was visiting her mom—taking her on a two-week river cruise somewhere in Europe. We’d only been neighbors for six months. She’d moved in when the Webers went to assisted living. I think she was renting the house, but I’m not sure. Anyway, Lily and I didn’t get to be good friends, but she and Ivan, that’s my husband, hit it off. I don’t think they had an affair, or anything, well, probably not anything, but he clearly found her hot.

So we went over there two days after she left, mostly to check things out. I’d never been in her house before—I mean since she’d moved in. I’d been in the Webers’ house plenty of times. Lily had painted all the walls. It looked nice, though maybe a little too green for my taste. Plants in every room. But we only had to water them once or twice. Lily had stressed that they shouldn’t be overwatered.

In the bedroom Ivan seemed especially impressed by the calla lily. “Isn’t she a beauty?” he said, fingering the dark pink petals.

“Maybe you shouldn’t touch it,” I suggested.

“Why? Germs?” he said.

Something about that plant rubbed me the wrong way.

It was me who suggested we make love. It was a sudden inspiration—nothing planned. Ivan didn’t object. “But maybe we shouldn’t use the bed,” he said. Normally he’s not at all fastidious.

I did use the bed to brace myself. Ivan fucked me hard from behind. So hard he popped out one time, and when he went back in it was almost in my ass. I put him back in the right spot, and he went on, harder than ever.

“Oh honey,” gasped when he was getting close. “Oh honey, honey, honey.” He’d never called me honey before.

“That was so good,” he said, plopping down on the bed. Some of his stuff was dripping from his penis. I smiled inside, thinking it would leave a stain, one that might not come out. Quickly I knelt before him and cleaned him up.

“Can I get you anything else? Maybe some tea?” I offered.

“Yeah, that would be nice,” he said. At home he never had tea.

I wasn’t even sure Lily had tea, but she did, and a few minutes later I was back in the bedroom. “I added some honey in it, is that okay?” I mentioned.

“Sure,” he said, taking a sip. He guzzled it down. I had to smile—his big hands and that delicate little teacup.

“That was good,” he said, handing me the cup.