"If I can help."

"You can't. Sit in that chair and I'll play hostess," she said, pretending firmness.

"On one condition… you don't run off and slip something on," he said, grinning, his blue eyes alive with swirling bits of obvious lust that were sparking unbelievable tiny sensations inside her.

It had always been the same, every time they were together, but tonight… hell, he had to have her, or go out of his mind, he decided emphatically. Susan could hardly control her trembling. Dear God, she hoped it wasn't noticeable. She even felt wet down between her legs, and he hadn't been in the room two minutes.

"Sit!" she ordered, half-smiling.

"No changes?"

"No changes… at present, anyway."

She went to the kitchen, an open view from where he sat in the one comfortable chair, and talked back over her shoulder.

"Nadine's gone to the movies with Ann Trent," she said, pulling the ice-tray from the refrigerator. "I thought a little change of mental ideas would do her good."

"She should make a habit of studying movies the acting… the same with TV," he said.

"I've talked to my old teacher about taking her. He's hip to the idea. He thinks she sounds like great material… and I can tell you that Eben Lang is one of the best. Expensive, but the best."

Susan paused in her concocting and turned to look through the shell of her apartment to where he sat. "What do you mean, expensive?"

He laughed. "Like money, baby. But don't worry, we'll see to that. Let's have her get a couple of these beauty things behind her first, and maybe some high school acting."

"She's all enthused about the acting idea, Jamey," Susan said. "She talked to her school drama teacher and he wants her to try out for the next play."

"Great… great," he said, his mind a million miles from his words.