She'd tell herself afterward that she hadn't planned it that way. Planned for him to look so much like Mal. A bit shorter. Hair somewhat darker. No suspenders.

He was gracious enough, she supposed. Yet he was a bit sloppy in kissing her, and she couldn't help thinking that Mal would have been much more deliberate and precise about it.

He let her undress herself, preferring to watch her do so. As she made quick work of her dress, she imagined Mal would likely instead unwrap her slowly, layer by layer, giving himself a rare pleasure in savoring the slowness of doing so.

He was fumbling and quick in the act itself, more from nervousness than lack of actual experience. If she concentrated hard enough, she could almost fool herself into believing it was Mal, although she would like to think that Mal would have taken more time about it to be certain she got what she needed as well.

When it was all over, he dressed quickly, mumbled some excuse and then left.

And somehow, this man who was almost Mal seemed the most like Mal in that exact instant.