For His Little Girl

He smiled and kissed the end of her nose. 'You don't mean that. Think how well I could help you to sleep!'

'If I swing my fist, you'll be the one who goes to sleep-for twenty-four hours,' she teased. 'Now go.'

'All right,' he laughed. 'Have a nice snooze, darling.' He blew her a kiss and departed.

She slid down blissfully into Claudia's bed, wondering what had come over her to be so perverse. It was only half an hour ago she'd been happy just to be with Luke, longing for him. But he knew it and took it for granted just a little too much. And why shouldn't he? Nobody had ever said no to Luke.

But you did, said a perverse voice in her head. Since you arrived in Los Angeles a week ago, Luke has let you know in several ways that he still desires you, and you've turned him down.

So he kidnapped you. He virtually admitted it and expected you to see it his way. Things happen when it suits him, and only when it suits him. He was disconcerted about Mark, but only for a moment. He didn't really believe life could go against him. And now he thinks all he has to do is make his move.

He'll seduce you with teasing affection, delicately, subtly, making sure that you love every moment, for your pleasure will be as important to him as his own. That's what makes him so dangerously charming. But the end result will be what it always is. Luke will get his own way.

The clouds began to roll over her mind. She couldn't think of this anymore. She was too comfortable. Bidding the voice be silent, she slept.

She awoke to the sound of a bath being run. Sonia looked in, beamed and held up the robe for her to get into.

The bathroom was an eye-opener. Claudia had fancied the idea of a Greek temple, and her designer had gone to town. The bath was sunk in the floor and decorated with jigsaw mosaic around the rim. Elegant mosaics covered the walls. Sonia poured something into the water, and a delicious aroma assailed Pippa's nostrils.

She stepped into the scented water, feeling her cares vanish. To her relief the awkward voice was silent, and she was once more full of goodwill toward Luke.

She owned one good evening dress in a soft, green material that she wore with gilt accessories. Sonia then revealed that she'd once worked in a beauty parlor, and took over the management of her hair, brushing and curling it into an enchanting arrangement on top of her head.

Luke was enchanted. It was in his appraisal as she descended the stairs and took his outstretched hand. His eyes were warm and caressing, paying her silent tribute.

Because he thinks it's all so easy. The awkward voice was back.

Shut up! she told it firmly. I'm going to enjoy myself tonight.

Darkness had fallen and they dined by candle-light. It was Sonia's proud boast that she was the only person who could cook for Luke without reducing him to a nervous wreck, and Pippa soon found how she'd earned her reputation. The food was perfect. The wine was perfect. The atmosphere was perfect. Everything was perfect.

Too perfect. The voice again. It couldn't be silenced because it came from part of her own mind, the part that was still set to Common Sense. This section had several buttons of varying degrees of intensity, ranging from Oh, Yeah! through Pull the Other One! to Don't Take Me for a Fool! Right this minute Luke was racing up the scale with alarming speed, but she made a determined effort not to get upset. She really wanted to enjoy herself.

'I adore our daughter,' he said as he refilled her wineglass. 'But if you were to ask me if I mind that she's in someone else's care tonight,' he held up his hand, 'I cannot tell a lie. I'm delighted.'

'I am, too,' Pippa admitted. She took a mouthful of the confection Sonia had set before her. It was made of cream and ice cream, covered in a sauce made with wine, and she made a face of bliss.

'It's mind-blowing, isn't it?' Luke agreed. 'I keep begging Sonia for the recipe, but she's holding out on me. Her best offer is to leave it to me in her will. Have some of mine, it's slightly different from yours.'

They exchanged spoonfuls.

'Why are you looking at me like that?' she asked.

'Just thinking how gorgeous you look in the candlelight.'

It was wonderful, he thought, how the years had changed her from a delightful girl to a spell-binding woman. Attractive had turned into beautiful, funny had become mysterious, and cheekily sexy was now sexually alluring. He was in a fever to make love with her. When their fingers touched over the spoons he felt a jolt of electricity that radiated over his skin until it homed in on his loins. He put his spoon down with a clatter and took a deep breath to steady himself. This wasn't easy.

They had a ten-year-old child, for Pete's sake, and he was trembling like a boy who'd never been to bed before. The thought of the coming night made him smile, adoring her.

'Come and look at the moon,' he said, wondering how much more waiting he could stand. He took her hand and drew her to the French doors. A subtle perfume came from her body as she walked, and the light played on her bare shoulders, making the temptation to touch them irresistible.

His lips followed his hands, tracing gentle patterns on her bare skin, while his fingers glided along her arms.

'Luke-' To her dismay her response was dead.

'Sweet Pippa,' he whispered, 'kiss me, my love.'

He pulled her around and took her into his arms in a deep, passionate embrace.

And she froze.

She couldn't help it.

'What is it?' he murmured against her lips. 'Kiss me.'

'Luke-let me go-''

He did, but only a little. 'Darling, what is it? You've been in a funny mood all evening.'

'Have I?'

'Yes, and I thought everything between us was perfect again.'

'Everything was never perfect between us, Luke,'' she said in a calm voice that had a dangerous edge.

He heard it and felt a moment's alarm but no comprehension. 'What do you mean? Wasn't it perfect all those years ago?'

'For you maybe, but I got my heart broken.'

He frowned. 'What do you mean?'

His honest incomprehension was like a match to gunpowder. Suddenly the years rolled back and she was Pippa again, young, pugnacious Pippa, who would as soon quarrel with a man as love him, and quarrel with him the more fiercely for loving him. She broke free and turned her back on the alluring moonlight, walking firmly back into the room.

'I mean-I mean-well, I suppose I mean all those things you were saying at the airport today. All about how we couldn't communicate at a distance. That's what we did for years when you wanted to. Now you've decided otherwise, and instead of doing what I planned, I end up here.''

'But, darling, you couldn't have just walked out on me.'

'You walked out on me!'

There, she'd said it, after eleven years.

He stared as if she'd said something in another language. 'Only because you let me,' he said at last.

'You what? I did not 'let' you, you wanted to go-'

'You could have stopped me with a word. In fact, you could have stopped me by just staying there for five minutes. I told you I couldn't go any farther. What I didn't say was that I came all the way back to the barrier. I was so sure you'd still be there, and if you had been I'd have stayed. But not you. You walked straight off the minute I was out of sight. Out of sight, out of mind, huh?'

She stared at him, aghast. It couldn't be true, because if it was true it was unbearable.

'No,' she said, 'I don't believe that.'

'Hey, c'mon, when have I ever been a liar? I went back, and you weren't there.'

'That's right, I wasn't there,' she said, breathing hard. 'And you know why? Because you'd made it so clear that you were only around for a short time. Right from the start you were honest. You arranged everything so that I couldn't complain, because you'd been so bloody honest.'

He'd never heard her swear before, and it shocked him so much that he could only stare at her, dumbfounded. He didn't know this woman whose face was distorted with anger and unshed tears.