house. She liked him, wanted him in a carnal way and enjoyed his presence here, but she was fearful of getting too close to him too soon. A sexual and casual relationship was appealing, but anything deeper, rewarding and desirable though it might be, could threaten her new found freedom from the tyranny of love.
She had only taken a few steps down the stairs when she stopped. ‘Oh no,’ she chided herself. ‘Remember, you left the baggage of the past behind you and that included love gone wrong.’ With renewed resolve to do away with the past, she banished all negative thoughts, although not caution, about love in the future. Nothing whatsoever from her past would be allowed to interfere with her happiness.
Luke rose from the chair as soon as he saw Jessica standing in the doorway. The light behind her made her blonde hair shimmer and outlined her figure, a silhouette of utter female sensuality. She wore her evening dress with a confidence and style that made it quite obvious she was accustomed to being looked at and admired. He was amused to think of the hand-me-downs she usually wore. If she thought she was hiding her real self behind them, she was fooling herself but certainly not him.
Jessica could see delight in his eyes. Something about the admiring, sensual glances of men gave her a thrill that nothing else did, an excitement that set her free to explore her sensuality. Men had always given her an erotic stamp of approval and Luke was no exception. She fingered her hairin that familiar gesture and shook her head so that her blonde tresses fell away from her face. Her laughter had the sound of tiny silver bells in it.
‘This dress calls for champagne,’ she said, ‘but unfortunately I have none in the house, so I will settle for a Pernod. Will you pour me one?’
‘A woman like you, Jessica, deserves nothing less than vintage champagne. You look outstandingly beautiful.’
Jessica gave him the most seductive of smiles and told him rather matter-of-factly, ‘I did tell you earlier that I could do better with my hair and my face.’
‘So you did.’ He went to the silver drinks tray and poured her a Pernod over a few cubes of ice and then added a modicum of water. Jessica held it up to the light. The colour was perfect; the strength was just the way she liked her Pernod.
Luke sat down on the settee next to her. It suddenly occurred to him that with Jessica there was no place for small talk. He felt too intensely about her for trivial chitchat, and there was no past to delve into with her.
They sat in silence, listening to the music, sipping their drinks. A warm glow of contentment caressed them, and there was, too, an erotic intensity building between them. Each of them revelled in it, in anticipation of what was to come. They were ripe for each other.
Jessica placed her nearly finished drink on the table. She rose from the settee and Luke was about to follow but she stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. She stood for a few minutes in front of him and Luke could feel the heat of her sexuality. He was aware of being more alive with lust than he had ever been with any other woman. He watched her move the diaphanous spider web silk jacket back off her shoulders. The thread-like straps of her evening dress tantalised for being all that held up the silk velvet covering her breasts.
Jessica was deeply touched by what she saw in his eyes.Lust for her, yes, but something more than that, a deep, abiding love and adoration not just for her but what they might be together. She knew by the way he gave himself up to his desire to be with her, his ease in her presence, a sureness he emanated that it was right that they should be together without having to utter a word.
She stepped up to his knees and, never taking her eyes from his, she reached down and parted them sufficiently to step between them. ‘You do understand, this is not by way of a thank you. This is because I want you very much, now,’ she told
She had only taken a few steps down the stairs when she stopped. ‘Oh no,’ she chided herself. ‘Remember, you left the baggage of the past behind you and that included love gone wrong.’ With renewed resolve to do away with the past, she banished all negative thoughts, although not caution, about love in the future. Nothing whatsoever from her past would be allowed to interfere with her happiness.
Luke rose from the chair as soon as he saw Jessica standing in the doorway. The light behind her made her blonde hair shimmer and outlined her figure, a silhouette of utter female sensuality. She wore her evening dress with a confidence and style that made it quite obvious she was accustomed to being looked at and admired. He was amused to think of the hand-me-downs she usually wore. If she thought she was hiding her real self behind them, she was fooling herself but certainly not him.
Jessica could see delight in his eyes. Something about the admiring, sensual glances of men gave her a thrill that nothing else did, an excitement that set her free to explore her sensuality. Men had always given her an erotic stamp of approval and Luke was no exception. She fingered her hairin that familiar gesture and shook her head so that her blonde tresses fell away from her face. Her laughter had the sound of tiny silver bells in it.
‘This dress calls for champagne,’ she said, ‘but unfortunately I have none in the house, so I will settle for a Pernod. Will you pour me one?’
‘A woman like you, Jessica, deserves nothing less than vintage champagne. You look outstandingly beautiful.’
Jessica gave him the most seductive of smiles and told him rather matter-of-factly, ‘I did tell you earlier that I could do better with my hair and my face.’
‘So you did.’ He went to the silver drinks tray and poured her a Pernod over a few cubes of ice and then added a modicum of water. Jessica held it up to the light. The colour was perfect; the strength was just the way she liked her Pernod.
Luke sat down on the settee next to her. It suddenly occurred to him that with Jessica there was no place for small talk. He felt too intensely about her for trivial chitchat, and there was no past to delve into with her.
They sat in silence, listening to the music, sipping their drinks. A warm glow of contentment caressed them, and there was, too, an erotic intensity building between them. Each of them revelled in it, in anticipation of what was to come. They were ripe for each other.
Jessica placed her nearly finished drink on the table. She rose from the settee and Luke was about to follow but she stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. She stood for a few minutes in front of him and Luke could feel the heat of her sexuality. He was aware of being more alive with lust than he had ever been with any other woman. He watched her move the diaphanous spider web silk jacket back off her shoulders. The thread-like straps of her evening dress tantalised for being all that held up the silk velvet covering her breasts.
Jessica was deeply touched by what she saw in his eyes.Lust for her, yes, but something more than that, a deep, abiding love and adoration not just for her but what they might be together. She knew by the way he gave himself up to his desire to be with her, his ease in her presence, a sureness he emanated that it was right that they should be together without having to utter a word.
She stepped up to his knees and, never taking her eyes from his, she reached down and parted them sufficiently to step between them. ‘You do understand, this is not by way of a thank you. This is because I want you very much, now,’ she told
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