"Oh, I hope Ash will be all right," Delia fretted as she and Professor Oak arrived at the Cairo Hotel on Cleopatra Island. She had spent most of the plane ride over worrying about leaving her baby alone – even though Ash had been out on his own for more than a year.

"They'll be fine, Delia. You told me yourself that Mimie would take care of the house. And Misty assured us that she would keep Ash in line."

"I guess," Delia said as the two of them went up to the registration desk. "But I still can't figure out why Brock told you that we needed protection while we were gone."

Professor Oak silently resolved to kill Brock when they got back to Pallet Town. On the way out the door, Brock had taken him aside and asked him if he had enough 'protection' for the trip.

Professor Oak's face had turned crimson with shock at Brock's comment. "Mrs. Ketchum and I are not going on this trip in order to..."

"Sure, Professor," Brock had said with a sly wink. "We all know the real reason the two of you are going away together. Have a good time, you two. And be careful!"

"Are you all right, Samuel? Your face is all red," Delia observed.

"Yes, I'm fine," he said hastily. "Let's get checked in."

"Welcome to the Cairo Hotel," the pleasant-looking young man at the registration desk smiled. "Do you have reservations?"

"Yes. Professor Samuel Oak and Mrs. Delia Ketchum."

"Hmmm…I'm showing a reservation for Samuel Oak, but not one for Delia Ketchum," the young man said as she checked his computer.

"Well, check again. There should be two separate rooms."

"Sorry. There's only one reservation for Oak. None for Ketchum."

"Oh no. What are we going to do?" Delia said with a worried glance in her traveling companion's direction.

"I made two reservations the other day," Professor Oak insisted. "One in my name and one in Delia Ketchum's name."

"That's the problem, then," said the receptionist. "The Pokémon Biology Conference already made a room reservation in your name because you're one of the guest speakers. When you called the other day, the person who answered must've thought that you were confirming your reservation."

"Well, that's all right, Samuel," said Delia. "I can just get another room."

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but we're completely booked up for the conference," the receptionist informed her. "We don't have any available rooms right now."

"Well then, I'll just stay at another hotel."

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but there aren't any other rooms at any of the other hotels on the island either. They're all booked up because of the conference."

"Now don't panic, Delia," Samuel said when he saw her crestfallen face. "I'm sure we can think of something. Wait! I know." He turned back to the receptionist. "Would there be an extra charge if Mrs. Ketchum stayed in my room?"

"No, the price would still be the same."

"Oh, Samuel, you don't have to…"

"Nonsense, Delia. It's no trouble at all. And it looks like we don't really have a choice," he said as he handed the receptionist his credit card.

"You're so sweet to go to all this trouble for me, Samuel," Delia smiled. "I'll have to find a way to make it up to you."

The receptionist gave him a "bet I know how she's going to make it up to you" look as he handed Professor Oak the room key. "Your room is 208. Enjoy your stay."

"Really, Samuel, you didn't have to go to all this trouble for me," Delia continued as he helped carry her luggage down the hall to their room.

"Delia, it's no trouble, really. Besides, hotel rooms always have two beds…" He paused in mid-sentence as he opened the door to their room. "Except this one."

The two of them stared at the king-sized bed sitting in the middle of the room.

Delia finally broke the uncomfortable silence. "That's all right. You take the bed, and I'll sleep in this chair." She plopped down in the chair next to the window.

"No. I won't hear of it. You take the bed, and I'll sleep in the chair," Samuel said as he helped her out of the chair.

"No. You can't do that. Not with your back problems. I'll sleep in the chair," Delia insisted as she sat back down.

"No, I won't let you be uncomfortable," Samuel insisted. "I'll take the chair."

"No. You'll hurt your back."

"I'd rather have a sore back than let you sleep in that chair. Now get up."

"No."

"Delia, please?"

"No," she said stubbornly.

The two of them glared at each other for a moment. Neither one of them would give up the chair without a fight.

"All right, I have an idea," Delia said as she reached into her purse. "How about we toss a coin for it?"

"Sounds fair."

"You call it," Delia said as she flipped the quarter.

"Heads."

The two of them watched as the quarter fell to the floor and rolled into the air vent.

"That was my last quarter, too," Delia said as she watched it disappear with a clang.

"I'll take the chair," Samuel said as he reached for a pillow.

Delia's face suddenly brightened. "Wait, I have an idea." She went over to the bed, removed the bedspread, rolled it up lengthwise, and put it in down the middle of the bed. "There. Now we can share the bed. You have half and I have half."

"But what if we get cold during the night? Won't we need the bedspread?" Samuel asked.

"Oh, we won't get cold. Not with two people sharing the same bed. There will be plenty of body heat to keep us both warm. Speaking of which, it's been a long day. Guess it's time to turn in," Delia yawned. "After all, you need your rest for your big presentation tomorrow. Do you want to get in the bathroom first?"

"Uh, no…that's all right. You can go." He was still somewhat distracted by Delia's previous remark.

Delia picked up her travel bag and disappeared into the bathroom. Samuel was busy unpacking when Delia emerged fifteen minutes later wearing a short pink nightgown.

At the sight of Delia in the sexy lingerie, Samuel's mouth fell open.

"Oops, I didn't mean to make you drop your pants," Delia said as she bent over to pick up the item he had let fall to the ground, allowing him a nice view of her cleavage as she did so.

"T-thanks," he stammered as he continued to stare at her.

"You're welcome," she smiled as she handed him back the piece of clothing he had been in the middle of unpacking. She then kicked off her slippers and got into the bed.

"Do you always wear things like that to bed?" Samuel asked once he had regained his voice.

"No. Usually I sleep in an old T-shirt, but since the weather's so warm here in the islands, I thought I'd bring something a little more lightweight. It is pretty hot tonight, don't you think?"

"Oh yes, it's very hot in here," Samuel squeaked. But he wasn't referring to the room temperature.

"Why don't you get ready for bed now, Samuel?" Delia asked. "You have a big day ahead of you tomorrow and you need to get some sleep."

Except that I'm not going to be able to sleep tonight, thought Samuel as he made an attempt to stop gawking at Delia. As he tried to focus on unpacking his suitcase, he realized that he had a problem. Since he wasn't planning on sharing a room, he didn't pack anything to sleep in. Most of the time, he just slept in his boxer shorts, but since Delia was now in the same room with him, he thought he should make some attempt at modesty in her presence. He dug around in his suitcase until he found a T-shirt, then disappeared into the bathroom. After a long, cold shower, Samuel felt that he had cooled down enough that he could handle being around Delia and her sexy little nightgown. Slipping on the t-shirt and shorts, he opened the door and saw that Delia was engrossed in a television program.

"Something interesting?" he asked as he climbed into the opposite side of the bed.

"Oh, it's just a movie," she said dismissively. "It's not very exciting."

"What's it about?"

"It's about this girl who's in college. I guess she's having some problems because right now she's asking her professor if there's any way he can raise her grade…oh my…"

The two of them stared as the buxom blonde on the television began to take off her clothes and the strapping young man who was her teacher began to do the same. As the two began to writhe naked atop the desk in the classroom, a shocked Professor Oak turned to an equally surprised Delia.

"Uh, Delia…what's the name of this movie?"

"I think it's called 'The Naughty Professor'. " Delia's eyebrows raised even further. "Wow, how can she do that with her tongue?"

Samuel quickly grabbed the television remote and turned off the X-rated movie. "Uh, maybe we should get some sleep now."

"Good idea," Delia said as she reached for the light next to her side of the bed. After switching off the light, she noticed that Samuel had picked up a stack of papers and was reading through them. "Aren't you going to sleep now?"

"Oh, I will in a minute." After I've had time to cool off again.

It was hard enough for him being in the same bed with her (especially with her in that nightgown) but the movie hadn't helped things. He had figured that re-reading his presentation for tomorrow would help him get his mind off of more exciting things.

"Is that your speech for tomorrow?" Delia asked curiously.

"Yes. You know, I've made hundreds of these presentations, but I still get nervous every time I have to do one."

"You know, whenever Ash had to do some kind of presentation, like give a book report in front of the whole class, I'd tell him to imagine everyone in the audience was in their underwear."

"Did it work?"

"Yes," Delia smiled. "Ash came home one day and said that he started laughing in the middle of his book report on The Caterpie in the Hat and couldn't stop. Maybe you should try it."

Samuel smiled at the vision of the heavyset Professor Wentworth in his underwear and stifled a giggle. "You know, Delia, I think that might work."

"Of course it works. It's always fun thinking about how people might look under their clothes," Delia said as she yawned.

You're telling me, Samuel thought as he watched her stretch out underneath the blanket.

"Well, don't stay up too long," Delia said as she closed her eyes. "Good-night, Samuel."

"Good-night, Delia," he said softly.

Her eyelids popped open. "Oh, I almost forgot." She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "Everyone needs a good-night kiss before they go to bed. It guarantees that you'll have pleasant dreams."

A stunned Samuel watched as Delia rolled over and pulled the blankets around her chin.

Oh, I'll definitely have pleasant dreams tonight, Samuel thought as he put aside his papers and turned out the light.

And he did. All evening he had wonderful dreams about Delia (including a somewhat naughty one in which the two of them re-enacted the movie they had watched earlier). And even though he had worried about being cold without the bedspread, he didn't get cold at all. Matter of fact, when he awoke early the next morning, he was surprised at just how warm he was.

This blanket is so warm and soft, he thought happily as he snuggled underneath it.

Then that's when he noticed that his blanket was also breathing. Samuel slowly opened his eyes and saw Delia lying asleep atop him. During the night she had rolled across the bedspread barrier between them and was now curled up against his chest, snoring softly.

Okay, Samuel, don't panic. He checked to make sure that he still had his clothes on and was shocked to discover that sometime during the night his shirt had disappeared. He then ran his hand across Delia's back to make sure that she still had her nightgown on.

Mmmm, that's nice, he thought as he let his hand slide across the silky material.

Oh, for crying out loud, Samuel! Stop it!

…But it's so nice holding her like this. I've dreamed about this for years.

You're taking advantage of her!

…But she's so soft and warm. I don't want to let her go.

Get your hands off of her, you pervert! She's your next-door neighbor!
…But she's also a very attractive woman.

And just who's the "naughty professor' now?

…Oh come on, I didn't grope her or anything. She's just lying here.

Come on, admit it. You'd like nothing more than to make love to her, wouldn't you?

…Well, I wouldn't be a man if I didn't have those feelings right now. It's a normal male physiological reaction.

And during the war with his conscience, Samuel realized that this "normal male physiological reaction" was beginning to kick in. Hoping to avoid further embarrassment, he tried to slide out from underneath her. Unfortunately, the movement also caused Delia to awaken.

"Hmm? What's going on…? Uh-oh." Delia's eyed shot wide open when she realized that she was lying in a very compromising position atop her next-door neighbor.

"Uh, good morning, Delia," Professor Oak said nervously.

"Samuel, did you and I…? Did we…?" Delia then shrieked. "Oh no! I thought that whole 'naughty professor' thing was a dream!" She quickly retreated to her side of the bed and pulled the covers around her chin.

"What 'naughty professor' dream?" he asked.

"Oh, I dreamed that you and I…that we…you know, that movie we saw last night…" Delia moaned as her face turned scarlet.

Samuel's jaw dropped. "Wait a minute. I had a similar dream last night."

Delia stared at him with wide eyes. "You don't think that you and I…that we…?"

"Oh no!" cried Samuel.