So, here we were on a commercial airliner headed to an exotic tropical island. Mike had paid for the tickets, looking forward to a week of adventure. And why not? To prevent the sales reports that I had mishandled from being discovered by corporate headquarters, I had promised to do whatever he wanted for the entire trip. And I was still vague about what he wanted, and uncomfortable with the way he kept smiling at me. But...

Sometimes we need to be careful about discussing our fantasies. My friend Stan was a graduate student at USC studying psychology. We played on the same soccer club and often shared stories. He approached me on a Wednesday night at The Blue Duckling, our local bar. “Jenny, I’m working on my thesis and need your help,” he said. “Sure, Stan. What is it?” I asked, drinking the beer but barely touching my salad. “I’m asking pe...

“That’s it. You lost the bet!” Jessie declared. “Now you owe us a dare.” It was true. We sat in the campus tavern as the game ended. My beloved Chicago Bears had been defeated 27-24 by those rascally Detroit Lions. Most fans in the bar were as unhappy as I was, though they hadn’t made such a stupid wager. “Don’t forget, you were warned,” Billie Hammer said, pointing at me with her smirking grin. The long-haired blonde had...