THAT NIGHT, George Bengosian got lucky.

Short and balding, with a large flattened nose, Bengosian had realized early in his residency that he had no flair for urology and found his true calling stringing together failing regional insurers into giant HMOs. He also realized he wasn't the type who could charm a beautiful woman with his profit projections and silly industry jokes - certainly not this sexy analyst at the Bank of America Health Care Conference.

It was as if he were living someone else's dream. Mimi was mesmerized by him, and now they were on the way to his suite. "The penthouse, wait until you see the view," he teased.

George giddily traced the outline of her bra as he opened the door to his suite at the Clift; he was imagining her perky tits jiggling in front of him, and those mooning eyes staring into his. This was what having your picture in the annual report was all about.

"Give me just a second," Mimi said, pinching his arm and heading into the powder room.

"Not too long," George said with a pout.

In clumsy haste, he ripped the wrapping off a bottle of Roederer that had come complimentary with the suite and poured out two glasses. His fifty-four-year-old cock flopped around in his pants like a cod in a catch basket. In the morn-ing he had to be back in the jet, off to a meeting of the Illinois Senate Health Care Committee, which he already knew had been swayed into looking the other way while he dropped the poorest individual accounts and highest risks from his enrollment. One hundred forty thousand families out of the plan, and all of it accretive to the bottom line!

Mimi came back from the powder room, and she looked better than ever. George handed her a glass.

"To you," he said. "Well, to both of us. To tonight."

"To Hopewell." Mimi flashed a smile and clinked glasses.

"Hey, want to try something?" She put her hand on his wrist. "This is guaranteed to make your projections rock-solid firm." She produced a vial from her purse. "Just stick out your tongue."

George did as he was told, and she dribbled out two drops.

Bitter. The taste was so sharp, it almost made him jump. "Can't they make these things in cherry flavor?"

"One more." Her smile was dazzling. "Just to make sure you're ready for me. For us."

George stuck out his tongue again. His heart was ............