She tried to sound nonchalant. "Maybe I'll break his."

"I hope so. But I'm afraid the world doesn't work that way."

"Oh, Frank, don't be so stuffy! I'm having a wonderful time with Luke. Who cares about tomorrow?" She flitted away before he could say any more. She couldn't cope with Frank's disconcerting insights.

As they lay in each other's arms that night, Luke kissed her and said, "I'm afraid Frank and I bring out the worst in each other."

"I know. He said you were rackety. I told him he should have been rackety at your age."

Luke shouted with laughter. "I wish I could have seen his face. It's not his way, any more than pipe and slippers are mine."

"Who wants pipe and slippers?" she murmured, beginning to nibble him. "There are other things

"Mmm?" He lay back and stretched luxuriously one arm behind his head, one leg carelessly raised giving her the slow, significant smile she loved. "Why don't you tell me about these other things?"

"Aren't you going to give me any help?"

"Nope. I'm just going to lie here and let you have your wicked way with me." He yawned provocatively. "I may even fall asleep."

"Over my dead body! Or yours!"

He grinned. "Woman, are you going to seduce me, or are you going to sit there and yak all night?''

"I'm going to seduce you," she whispered. "But first I'm going to enjoy just looking at you."

She drew back and feasted her eyes on him. Luke's shoulders weren't broad or heavy with muscles, and his strength was of the whipcord variety, so apart from his height he wasn't physically splendid: not if you were only looking. But Pippa wasn't only looking. She was remembering, too, and her memories were delicious.

"You're a shameless woman," he murmured.

"I know," she said as she trailed her hand over his smooth chest. "It's more fun that way. Don't you think?"

"If you put it like that," he said, speaking with difficulty, "then yes."