The hall of the house was dark and rather gloomy. Julie flung herself on the smoky damask silk that covered the bed and gazed unhappily up at the ceiling. She should be flush with success, but she had found she couldn't truly enjoy any of it. Instead she was only filled with a ceaseless, restless anxiety.

She had only been lying there about fifteen minutes  before the door opened, and she jerked up on her elbows, staring round in surprise. Alec stood in the aperture, surveying the tense apprehension in her face, and then closed the doors behind him with a distinct, unnerving click. Julie sought to keep control of her emotions. She was over him. She had to remember what he was like.

'Come here', he said. Julie didn't turn around, but her shoulders shook. He was crazy. Why hadn't she noticed that sooner? She had neither seen, nor heard from him in the fortnight since that unexpected, heart-pounding, earth-shattering kiss. Once she had recovered from the pure, physical shock of their embrace, she had been furious. Yet their love had seemed so strong then, so worthy of any strains which might be put upon it. She lay waiting, quivering, while he remained where he was but didn't move.

“I want you,” he whispered. He crossed to her, knelt by the bed and stroked the matted spill of her hair.
"I don't want you to leave.”
Julie cleared her throat to disguise the hysterical gulp that threatened to escape her. Any inhibitions she may have brought to her bed swiftly vanished beneath Alec's skilful, avid hands.

“Tell me what you want,” he coaxed. “Anything.”
He ran one finger along the tendon from her shoulder to her neck, and she shivered. He reached out, pulled her towards him. Their gazes met and held. The green in his eyes grew cold.

“Do you have any idea how much I want you?”
She parted swollen lips to reply, but could think of nothing to say. He was all she wanted. Her fingers reached up and touched his cheek.
“I've been wanting to kiss you all evening,” he said thickly, and suddenly she was lost. Pulling him closer, her lips opened like a flower beneath his.

A smile played across his lips, as, slowly, he began to move his hand lower, towards the shadow between her breasts. Each and every cell in his body had caught fire and burned with need.

“I don't think you need a nightdress now that you have me to keep you warm,” he said, in a husky murmur. He moved one spaghetti strap off her shoulder and the other seemed to fall off by itself, leaving her bared to the slow tease of his tongue. She was lovely in the reflected light of a summer moon. He was bending his head, running his tongue over her nipples. His every touch was a dizzying new pleasure previously unknown to her.

Her hand slid over his chest beyond the open collar. He shucked out of his shirt, groaned again at the feel of her hands rubbing over skin. Then he was on the bed, drawing her legs apart and settling himself between them. He cupped her sex, and she pushed against him. She stifled a cry and he let out a hot breath in her ear as he gave her another stroke.
“Is that it? You want me to touch you there?”

There was no point in holding back now. He cupped her again, then circled his thumb over her hard little centre. She could feel the urgency in Alec's body mounting as he gathered her closer.
“Oh, yes. I want you now,” she said horsely.
She slid her hands over his erection. Alec groaned, gave up whatever hope he had of going slowly. Was it her own shaking hands that guided him inside, or was it his around hers? She felt the thrust of his desire, like an invasion of fire. Her body welcomed him and embraced him so sweetly it was like coming home.

Much later Julie opened her eyes as Alec stirred beside her.
“What time is it?” she asked, seeing the moonlight. She must have slept, but she didn't remember doing so.