Aaron Tracy

The passion between Neil and Cooper was always running at a 10.

We had reached a depth of real appreciation that all people desire, but few realize, Neil writes in her memoir.

He truly loved my body, and I loved his, and he knew it.

When he reached out to love me, it was first with those penetrating eyes, which stripped away all barriers between us, and then with those godlike hands, which seemed to create me.

In his arms, I thought, I am.

At last, I am."

Yeah, so if you missed it, that's Neal adopting the biblical creation story as a metaphor for sex with Cooper.

I'm telling you, find yourself somebody who looks at you the way Patricia Neal looks at Gary Cooper.

Since Cooper is married with a family, Neal continues dating other guys, if for no other reason than to have something to do on weekends.

She starts dating Kirk Douglas, the handsome star of Spartacus and Ace in the Hole.

Neal writes,

I had had a few drinks, and let's face it, Kirk was very attractive.

I found myself responding to his extremely persuasive kisses.

But when it came right down to it, and it did, I simply couldn't.

After he left, the doorbell rang, and an unexpected Gary Cooper was standing on the threshold.

A strange cloud darkened his face.

"'I looked into your window tonight,' he told her, and I saw what was happening."

She continues, "'Nothing had really happened at all, but I was impressed by this outburst of jealousy, which was so unlike Gary.

I could feel myself starting to smile.

Suddenly, Gary slapped me.