It was with a sort of dry bitterness that Judith Sommerville read the contents of the letter for the second time.
'You've heard me speak occasionally of Helen? She wants me to take charge of her son, Petros,' remarked Judith, glancing up. Her eyes brooded as she folded the letter and put it back into its envelope.
'She's going to Greece, though-at least, that's what you told me.' The girl sitting at the sewing machine stopped what she was doing to stare at her flatmate with an odd expression. 'You'll not accept, surely?'
'I don't really know….' Judith's mouth pursed thoughtfully.
Lena sighed and frowned at the same time. 'It was her brother who-er-jilted you…?'
Faintly Judith smiled. 'I've survived the indignity. In fact, I'm completely cured of anything I felt for the handsome, masterful Greek who once told me I was the only girl he had ever wanted to marry.' Pausing in thought, Judith clearly remembered the thrill of those weeks when Alexis Vasilis, tall and distinguished, with dark skin and jet-black hair and eyes, had come into her life and dominated it for just over two months. It was a whirlwind affair with passion flaring almost every time they found themselves alone. He had wanted her, desperately, and in his high-handed Greek manner he had fully expected Judith to succumb to his persuasions. But she had always been determined to follow where her high ideals led, and that path was in no way the path which Alexis wanted her to take.
And so he had asked her to marry him. She accepted, and they went to London to buy the ring-a sapphire surrounded by flawless diamonds.
Alexis, at thirty-one, was the head of a shipping company originally owned by his father, who had died four years before Judith and Alexis met.
'He's a millionaire,' someone had said, and Judith could well believe it.
Judith had met Helen Voudouris, Alexis' half-sister, whose husband, Panos, owned a wine business in England. The couple lived in a gracious Tudor mansion high in the Berkshire hills, and for those few idyllic weeks Judith was familiar with the lovely house, its gardens, and its many servants.
'I love this place,' she had confided to her future sister-in-law. 'It has such a mellow atmosphere.'
'But you will be living in Greece,' Helen had reminded her. 'Alexis has a wonderful home in Delphi-Oh, you'll love it, for I'm sure I do! How I wish we could go home to Greece! But Panos has his business here, so we have to stay in this dreary country, where the sun never shines!' Helen, dark and petite with typical Greek features and a ready smile, was pouting as she spoke and Judith had laughed.
'That manner of yours doesn't affect Panos, so why bother to adopt it?'
Helen had grimaced. 'Like all Greek men, he has to be the master,' she had complained, then stared for a long while in silence at the girl who was engaged to her brother. 'You do realise that Alexis will domineer over you-that his will is the one which must prevail in your household?'
'I'm prepared for his dominance,' Judith had admitted and wondered what it was in a woman that inspired the desire to be mastered. She supposed it was the primitive instincts which still held sway, both with men and women. The man was the provider, the fighter; the woman was the one who stayed at home and cared for the children.
'Being English, though,' Helen had mused, 'you might just become fed up with being bossed about.' Although she was Greek, Helen spoke impeccable English-not like her half-brother, who had a slight accent, an accent which to Judith had seemed inordinately attractive. Alexis had been visiting his sister and her husband when he met Judith at a charity ball given by the Lord of the Manor-a lovely mansion situated only a couple of miles from his sister's home.
'I might have a few slanging matches with Alexis,' Judith had admitted with a rueful little laugh. 'But I'd much rather let him have his own way than bring about a serious quarrel.' In spite of these words a serious quarrel did, in fact, come about. Judith's onetime boyfriend, Daniel, had come home from a two-year visit to Australia; he and Judith met by accident and it was only natural that he should ask her to have lunch with him. Then he made another date, for dinner this time. Alexis was away in London on business, so Judith readily agreed to dine out with Daniel.
But it so happened that Alexis returned earlier than expected and, finding that Judith was not at home, he asked his sister and brother-in-law to dine out… and by some capricious trick of fate he chose the same restaurant as that chosen by Daniel.
Judith felt she would never forget that evening, especially the moment when Alexis, walking in, stopped abruptly and stared as if he could not believe the evidence before his eyes. Then anger, violent and almost uncontrollable, had taken possession of him. But somehow he had managed to be civil, though he had merely said a cold 'good evening' and passed on, urged rather hastily by his sister, who had seen everything.
The following day Alexis had been so furious, so domineering, so threatening, that Judith, no weakling despite her willingness to meet her future husband more than halfway, retaliated in a way Alexis had never for one moment believed she would.
She had given as much as she received, with the result that Alexis told her, in his customary arrogant and forthright manner, that unless she was prepared to apologise, and to give him her firm promise never to go out with another man again, he would ask her to consider the engagement at an end.
'So you don't love me?' She had stared disbelievingly for long silent moments while her heart seemed to be breaking within her. 'It was-was only-desire?' So vividly she was recalling his persuasions, futile persuasions that had resulted in his asking her to marry him. 'You never loved me. It was nothing but physical desire which made you ask me to marry you?'
He had frowned then, but after a prolonged silence he had frankly admitted that she was right in her deductions. 'You're still the most desirable woman I have ever known,' he had added almost harshly, and she could see that the fact of losing her was hurting him as much as it was hurting her, but for a very different reason. 'You wouldn't be my pillow-friend, so I asked you to marry me.'
'Pillow-friend?' Judith's eyes had widened in enquiry.
'Don't be na?ve!' he had snapped. 'The expression's self-explanatory!'
'How very delicate you Greeks are,' she had returned sarcastically.
And then he had stepped forward and brought her protesting body towards his. She then knew the real meaning of primitive lovemaking. Bruised and breathless when at last he released her, she would have hit him hard across the face, but he caught her hand in a ruthless grip which made her cry out with pain. Judith felt she hated him in that moment, but afterwards… it had taken more than a year before the pain in her heart began to ease, and over another year before she could learn to laugh again. For she had loved deeply, for the first time in her life. And she had never loved since. Minor affairs, yes, and happy times spent in male company, but she had been determined never to let her heart be touched again.
'You're very quiet, Judith,' Lena's soft voice brought Judith's mind back from its wanderings and she glanced up, stirring restlessly.
'I could do with a change of job.' She was a secretary but had also taken a nanny training course because, on leaving school, she had thought that she would like to work with children. However, her first post being a disastrous failure owing to the unwanted interest of the little boy's father, Judith had decided she would be happier in a different kind of post. Helen knew Judith was trained as a nanny, knew also that she had recently become dissatisfied with her nine-to-five job in a solicitor's musty office, for she and Judith, having become friends during the engagement, still corresponded-not often or regularly, but now and then one or the other would take it into her head to write, just so they wouldn't lose touch. It was only a fortnight since Judith had sent a letter saying she was unsettled in her job and wished she could find something more congenial.
'I can't quite understand why Helen wants to go back to Greece,' said Lena, and Judith answered at once.
'I think I mentioned that she often used to become homesick. Well, as Panos has just partnered up with another wine merchant in Portugal and intends to go there for about a year to get the business running smoothly, Helen asked if he'd mind her going home.'
'She didn't want to go to Portugal with him?' asked Lena frowningly.
'She mentioned in her next-to-last letter that she was more homesick than ever before and was thinking of suggesting to her husband that she and their child take a long holiday in Greece.'
'She has relatives there-other than Alexis, I mean?'
Judith nodded her dark head. 'Her mother's still living-Helen and Alexis had different fathers, and both are dead. There are several brothers and sisters, as well, and lots of cousins. You know how it is with Greeks; they all seem to have large families.'
A profound silence followed before Lena asked perceptively, 'You wish you were a member of a large family, don't you?'
Again Judith nodded. 'An only child is a lonely one. There's no truer saying than that. I was looking forward to becoming a member of a large family.'
'Alexis' family.' Lena spoke to herself; she had momentarily returned her attention to the skirt she was making, a cotton skirt, flared and short, which she hoped to be wearing that evening, when she went to the local hop with her boyfriend.
'Yes, his family. I don't know if they'd have taken to me,' added Judith, having paused after the first sentence. 'However, it wasn't to be.'
'But if you accept this job, you'll be meeting him again.'
'After four years.' Alexis would be thirty-five now, she reflected, and she herself was twenty-six.
'He isn't married?'
'No. Helen would have mentioned it if he was.'
'Engaged?'
Judith's grey eyes became thoughtful. 'Helen did mention in her last letter that there was a girl. Camille something-or-other. French-well, part French and part English. Perhaps he'll marry her.'
'If he can't get what he wants without,' Lena was swift to return with a grimace.
Judith coloured slightly as the words brought back a memory. 'I daresay he has had many pillow-friends during the past four years.'
'And will have even more when he is married, I expect.'
At that Judith frowned. 'I know that most Greeks are unfaithful, but I never believed Alexis would be like that. I feel sure that once he is married, he'll not bother with other women.'
'An idealist!' Lena sighed a little as she looked at her friend, taking in the mass of gleaming dark brown hair, the serious grey eyes, the facial lines and contours that could not be faulted, nor could the skin, peach coloured and finely textured. Her forehead was high, unlined, her mouth full and generous. She had a lovely figure, and she possessed an unusually sublime air of distinction. 'You're terribly na?ve, Judith.'
'I'm twenty-six,' she reminded her friend.
'I still say you're na?ve.'
Judith shrugged and changed the subject. 'Helen obviously doesn't like minding her own baby.'
'Most rich mothers have a nanny these days.' Lena paused a moment, becoming occupied with pinning up the hem of the skirt. 'How old is the child? I had the impression that he was rather more than a baby.'
'Yes. He's three and a half years old.'
'You've never seen him?'
'No. Helen and I don't visit one another.'
'I expect she felt awful-about the broken engagement, I mean?'
'She was upset, because she and I had become friends.' Judith fell silent, a thoughtful expression in her eyes. 'We had both looked forward to the time when we'd be related-sisters.' A sigh escaped her, but there was no pain anymore. No, that had healed long ago and she knew that she had nothing to fear from an encounter with the man she had once loved. She was immune to his charms-and in any case, it would appear that he was well settled with this Camille.
'Well,' said Lena after another silence, 'have you made up your mind to accept and go for a sojourn in Greece?'
'I shall think seriously about it,' returned Judith. 'I feel I have come to a-well-sort of crossroads in my life and career. This job I'm in isn't going to lead anywhere important. I want to find something with greater prospects.'
Her friend shook her head, a little gesture that seemed to denote both sadness and impatience. 'You sound as if you're fully resigned to spinster-hood,' Lena said almost irritably. 'And as for prospects-what sort of prospects will this post of temporary nanny afford you?'
'None, I admit, but it'll be a break, make a change-and that's what I want at present.'
Lena threaded a needle to sew up the hem by hand. 'You've been restless for weeks.'
'It's Mr. Holding. He seems determined to find fault with almost everything I do.'
'Take no notice,' her friend advised. 'He's a miserable old bachelor who ought to be thinking of retiring.'
'He has four years yet before he retires.' I shall then be thirty, Judith mused-thirty and perhaps out of a job. No one could guarantee that the new department manager would agree to keep his predecessor's secretary. He might have one he wished to bring with him.
***
To Judith's amazement, the meeting with Alexis proved to be nostalgic; she was recalling numerous incidents of pleasure, remembering his passionate kisses, his almost overbearing masterfulness. He seemed not to have aged at all, with the additional years having caused no noticeable physical changes, although his manner was somewhat changed. His smile was delayed, not spontaneous, as once it had been; his attitude seemed rather more austere than Judith remembered it, and there was about him an air of polish and arrogance which served as a supplement to the self-confidence which, at times, she had found more than a little disconcerting.
She was immune, she had told herself… but she was wrong. I'm still affected by you, she thought silently, and she was staggered by the admission. She gritted her teeth, told herself she was merely being sentimental and melodramatic.
Little did she know that Alexis was thinking to himself: I still desire you.
They had arrived at the villa only an hour ago. Judith had not expected Helen to be staying with Alexis, but to be living in another house altogether. However, she was immune. So why care that she was to stay in her former fiancé's lovely white villa overlooking the Sacred Precincts of the sun-god Apollo?
And now, as she stood just inside the door after coming down to look for Helen, she realised that her immunity against Alexis' kind of attraction was proving easily broken down. Neither one spoke for a full minute and the silence was tense, profoundly disturbing for Judith. Indescribable waves of emotion were passing through her; she had the sensation of something strong and binding. It was to her as if the whole world revolved round them both, with nothing to interfere with the rhythmic revolutions. Primordial and earth binding their relationship at this quiet, tense, and profound moment in time. It all seemed to have been planned a millennium ago, with only the Supreme Being in control. She shut her eyes against the unnatural sensation, then opened them and tried to sound light and normal. 'Hello, Alexis! How are you?'
'Yassoo, Judith! I am well, and… happy.'
She looked swiftly at him, wondering at the hesitation. She said softly, 'I hope my being here won't inconvenience you. When Helen asked me to be nanny to little Petros, I naturally concluded that she was to have a home of her own.'
'It was considered, but we decided it wasn't necessary. I have more than enough room here.'
'Your mother doesn't live with you?' Judith glanced past him to where a vraga-clad gardener was setting up a sprinkler on the lawn. Flowers abounded out there-hibiscus, oleander, bougainvillaea, and numerous others. A fountain played, seen through a white marble arch supported by statues-Athena at one side, and Artemis at the other.
'No. She prefers her own home still. There might come a time when she'll consent to giving it up, but certainly not while she is fit and well.'
'Is she very old?' Questions and answers. They were both talking just for the sake of avoiding another intensely emotional silence.
'In her late sixties; that's not old these days.'
'She lives close by?'
'About a mile away.'
'Alone?' It was then that Judith saw the mocking smile which at one time had either sent her into confusion or brought a militant sparkle to her eyes.
'Tell me about yourself,' Alexis invited, beckoning towards a chair facing the window. 'What have you been doing all this time?'
Judith thought: no antagonism, no recollections of the parting, which for her had meant months of heartbreak. They might never have been engaged, never kissed… or made love with such passion that at times they had almost reached the point beyond which there was no return.
She told him about her job and how, recently, she had become dissatisfied with it. 'When Helen made this offer, it seemed heaven-sent,' Judith remarked, 'although at first I wasn't quite sure if I'd accept.'
'But you did,' slowly and thoughtfully. 'And here you are-here we are, meeting again, in my country. You'll enjoy your stay, Judith. This is a particularly wonderful part of Greece, as you will admit as soon as you've been to the Sanctuary.'
The Sanctuary of Apollo, beloved son of Zeus and Leto and brother of Artemis. Apollo was born on the tiny island of Delos and, symbolized on occasions by a dolphin, he gave the name 'Delphi' to the most holy place of ancient Greece, the place of his Sanctuary, where suppliants came from all parts of the known world to seek advice from the Oracle. And now, as she gazed from the window of the beautiful villa, which could have been her home, but for that fateful evening she had spent with her former boyfriend, Judith thought of those ancient times when men put their full trust in the Delphic Oracle, never doubting the advice given them through the lips of the priestess and interpreted by the priest.
There seemed to be a celestial quality about the site, even when viewed from this distance; Judith could feel it. Perhaps she showed something in her face, because she heard Alexis say, very quietly so that she only just caught the words, 'Your mind is adrift. Where have you taken it?'
A smile curved her lips. 'I was thinking about the Oracle, and the faith it inspired in people.' She paused, not quite sure what she wanted to say. 'Many vital problems were solved and questions answered. So simple were the solutions….'
She trailed off and Alexis finished for her: 'If only life today were half as simple. In other words, if we could consult the Oracle about the problems with which we are so often beset. Yes, how very comfortable life would be.'
Was he mocking her? He appeared to be serious enough, but with Alexis one never quite caught his mood. He was able to hide his feelings behind the dark depths of those fathomless Greek eyes of his.
Judith said, in order to break the silence that was falling between them, 'I cannot think that you have many problems, Alexis.'
His eyes flickered momentarily. 'Every one of us has problems of one kind or another,' he commented at length. 'I have my business; you have your job.'
She nodded and sighed unconsciously. 'I don't know what I shall do when Helen no longer wants me.'
'She might decide to keep you on even when she returns to England. I never did understand why she was willing to look after Petros herself when she was in England, but now that she is here she needs a nanny.' An underlying edge to his voice puzzled her.
It was exactly what had occurred to Judith, and all she could think of was that Helen, away from the vigilant eyes of her husband, intended to have a little freedom. Time would tell, of course. Judith admitted she could be wrong in her guess. She changed the subject, asking Alexis about his business, and if he had launched any more ships since the one she had read about last year.
'We launched a rather special cruise ship three months ago,' he told her. 'It's called the Santa Maura.'
'Named after an island, isn't it?'
Alexis nodded his head. He seemed more than a little interested in her now, and she felt the keen vigilance of his gaze. 'We call it Lefkas, too.'
'Tell me about the ship.' Judith had no idea why she wanted to keep him with her. She ought to be looking for Helen, who presumably had Petros with her somewhere in the garden. 'Is she very large?'
'Not too large at all; twelve thousand tons.'
'So she carries about four hundred passengers?'
'We intend to keep it down to three hundred, or perhaps a few more. As I said, it's rather special.' He stopped a moment, and then, 'I shall be taking a short cruise on her myself later in the season. You and Helen must come, too.'
Judith said nothing. The very idea of a romantic cruise was undoubtedly exciting, and yet she knew she must refuse when the time came-unless, of course, Helen insisted, in which case she would be forced to go, since little Petros would be in her charge, and Helen would not go on the cruise without him. Judith wondered if Camille would go, too, and a sense of weight crept over her.
'I must go and find Helen,' she said flatly. 'She'll be wondering what I'm doing.'
'She'll expect you to be unpacking.' Alexis moved with the ease and grace Judith had once found so exciting, his body slim and pliant, narrow waisted, broad shouldered. She watched the way he carried himself, with his head proudly set, his long legs crossing the room in a mere three or four strides. He was at the cocktail cabinet when he swung round. 'What will you have?' he asked, opening the doors.
'Oh-only a glass of lemonade, please.' She was faintly taken aback at his action, as she had expected him to let her go once she had decided to do so. Instead, he seemed as anxious to keep her as she was to stay. She accepted the tall crystal glass from him and their fingers touched. The tiny electric shock brought colour to her cheeks. Alexis smiled down at her with that hint of mockery in his eyes.
'Almost like old times, eh?' His voice was low and yet whimsical, like the tilt of his lip at one corner. How sure of himself he was! And how perceptive. He knew full well he was disconcerting her-and he was deriving supreme enjoyment from the knowledge!
'Almost, but not quite.' Judith's voice was brittle.
'How is it that you're not married?' The question she had been expecting, and wondering why it hadn't come before now.
'I'm not interested in men.'
'But men must have been interested in you,' he observed as he subjected her to an overall visual examination before allowing his eyes to linger on the delicate upsweep of her firm, round breasts. She blushed more hotly and heard him laugh, quietly, as if to himself. But it riled her and her pointed little chin shot up.
'What's so funny?' she almost snapped. 'I can't think I've said or done anything that's in any way amusing.'
He ignored that as, turning, he poured himself a drink. When he turned again she saw that his eyes were veiled.
'Have you any real idea as to why my sister is here?' he enquired at last. Only then did she realise just how long had been his hesitation before putting forth the question. Judith flashed him a glance and frowned.
'You sound as if-as if…' She trailed off as her mind worked to find just what she wanted to say. 'Surely she and Panos are not-not thinking of parting?'
'Why so surprised?' Alexis asked caustically. 'Divorce is common these days.'
Judith shook her head vigourously. 'No! I can't believe their marriage is breaking up.'
'It hasn't broken up, if that is what you really mean. But it's on the rocks, as the saying goes.' He tilted his glass and seemed to swallow more of the liquid than he should have.
'Helen doesn't seem upset-Oh, surely you are mistaken!' she cried in distress. 'Helen is so nice, and Panos-well, he's bossy and he doesn't fuss over her, but I'm sure he loves her.'
Alexis smiled faintly down at her. 'How should you be able to express an opinion?' he wanted to know. 'Their lives are private, and who knows how much or how little they get on one another's nerves?'
She frowned again, more darkly this time. 'You seem so casual about it,' she accused. 'Aren't you troubled?'
'In a way.' His mouth seemed to tighten.
'Well, then, aren't you going to try to do something to keep them together?'
Alexis lifted one eyebrow. 'Neither one would thank me for interfering. They'll work out then-own destinies, just as we all do.'
'Do we, though? Do we all work out our own destinies?' She had spoken the words before she realised just how he might take them.
His lip curled. He said, after taking another drink, 'You're telling me that you didn't work out your own destiny?'
She blushed at the implication, but her voice was steady as she replied, 'I suppose we both worked out our destinies. We weren't meant for each other, and if we had married it might have been the two of us who were thinking of a divorce.'
She had scarcely let the last word fall before he said harshly, 'I do not believe in divorce, and were you my wife, then you would stay that way!'
Judith stared. Only on that fateful evening had she seen Alexis looking like this-looking like one of the pagan gods, with that stone-cold, level gaze and those tight lips. Judith turned away, confused and angry with herself for being the cause of this little scene.
'You don't believe in divorce, and yet you're so casual about the situation between Helen and Panos,' she said at last.
'That is their affair. You were talking about us.'
'Then I think we had better change the subject,' Judith suggested and, turning, saw the glint appear in the chill directness of his gaze. 'I don't mean to be rude,' she hastily told him. 'I merely felt that the conversation was profitless.'
It was strange, but there was a certain intimacy about this whole situation, she thought, recalling how, when she had visualised the meeting, she had seen only a sort of compelled civility between them, a coolness as both remembered the quarrel which had brought about their separation. She looked at him, saw that he was still angry, but when he spoke it was in a quiet tone as he asked her what she was thinking.
'I was thinking about us,' she answered frankly, 'about this meeting between us, which I had imagined would be so different from what it is.' Her eyes were wide and beautiful, faintly shadowed because at this moment she was thinking of what might have been-marriage, children, happiness, and love.
Strangely, he held her gaze as he said, 'You were expecting it to be cool and conventional?'
She nodded, batting her lashes. 'Yes, I was expecting it to be something like that.'
Alexis moved closer, and for some reason she knew fear. Rather unsteadily, she rose to her feet after placing her glass on the small table at her elbow. She had no idea why she had risen, or why she should be feeling tense and afraid.
'Judith,' she heard him say in an unfathomable tone of voice, 'why did you come here?'
She blinked because this was not a question she had expected. 'It was at Helen's request. You know that.'
The dark eyes, cold and level, seemed all at once to hold contempt, not unmingled with mockery. He seemed to be measuring his words as he said, 'It wasn't a natural course, though, was it?'
'What do you mean?' Unconsciously she had taken a backwards step towards the door. 'I don't know what you are getting at.'
'Under the circumstances, and in view of the way we parted, it was not natural for you to agree to come here. On the contrary, it was more conceivable that you would have instantly refused my sister's offer.'
A flood of colour darkened her face as she grasped his meaning. 'Are you implying that I jumped at the chance of meeting you again? What an opinion you have of yourself! You always were pompous and self-opinionated, but this-! My God, if that is what you think, then you can just think again! I had no wish for a meeting, but I knew that it must come. I was prepared for the cool, conventional meeting you have just mentioned-and nothing more!'
'Living here, in my home, you knew something more must occur-'
'I never expected to be living in your home!' she broke in fiercely. 'I naturally assumed that Helen would have her own house.'
'How could she? Her home is in England.' Cynical the tone and the expression in his eyes. 'No, Judith, you seized the opportunity for a reconciliation-'
'I did not! I hate you for reaching a conclusion like that!'
'Hate?' with a lift of his brows. He moved with the lithe agility of a jungle cat, and before she knew what he was about, he had grasped her wrist and she was jerked, roughly, to his hard and sinewed body. A struggle ensued, fierce and prolonged, as Judith fought for freedom from the steel hawsers of his arms. At last she sagged, eyes filled with tears as his hard, demanding mouth closed on hers in a kiss that totally lacked respect. His hands roamed, one along the length of her spine, and the other to take one breast, enclosing it possessively. The warm, sensual caresses of both hands communicated his desire; she tried desperately to resist the temptation he was subjecting her to, but she had no defence against the heady, emotional pleasure-erotic pleasure-he was arousing within her, and she was soon gripped by the longing to reciprocate. Yet still she fought, mentally, the desire of the flesh and did manage for a time to remain like a log in his embrace. But she should have known from past experience that he would conquer in the end. She found herself pressing close, curving her supple frame to meet the virility of his. She blushed to feel his hardness and yet pressed even closer still, until it seemed their two bodies were melding together as one.
'Your thighs are soft and wonderful.' he murmured in a throaty bass tone, his sensuous lips, warm and moist, touching the soft, delicate flesh of the breast he had uncovered almost without her being aware of it.
'Alexis… let me go….' The appeal was so weak that he gave a low laugh and kissed her more passionately than ever. She thrilled to the strength of a mouth that bruised while it possessed, to the warmth of hands smoothly caressing, to the virile body that was so easily conquering hers. Flames, fierce and relentless, consumed them both until it seemed that, as on so many occasions in the past, they would be carried by blind passion almost to the point of no return.
Sanity came to them both at the same time. Judith cried out her protest even as she found herself being released. Alexis stood over her, his hands busy with her blouse buttons, his eyes mocking and victorious. She averted her head against the kind of look which seemed only to insult.
She would go home, she decided-yes, that was the only course open to her now that this had happened.
