she choked. "I'd even break my heart for you-if—if that would make you happy."

At the time Jan spoke those words, I little dreamed that someday I would have cause to remember them... a long time distant from the evening when she spoke them.

Jan and I hurried to my house, where we would be all alone together. There, we broiled steaks, made green salad, and fried potatoes to a golden brown. After dinner we sat close together, drank coffee, and watched T.V. for a while. And then we each had our bath.

I took my bottle of favorite perfume into the bathroom with me.

While I was bathing, Jan had turned off the light in the bedroom, and placed two tall candles on my dresser. When I came in the lighted candles were flinging a circle of amber glow across the bed.

I put on a wispy blue nightgown, and Jan got into tan pajamas. But after we were in bed, it wasn't long before my gown was on the floor beside the trousers of Jan's pajamas. And a few minutes later, while she held me close, I unpeeled the pajama top from her and tossed it from the bed. Completely naked we pressed our bodies together, shivering in anticipation of joys that would soon be ours.

As she tenderly lowered her body over me, my body instinctively rose to meet hers. And in the meeting we both went wild. As a damp mist of excitement came from the pores of my fever-hot body, I could smell the scent of the perfume I'd sprayed all over me, as it mingled with the body mist. The atmosphere of the room was heavy with the scent of perfume and passion. The candles sputtered now and then, as if imitating our excitement. And Jan and I performed wild rituals of eroticism.

Together we wove our rhythmic patterns of pressure

and movement throughout the night. Then we went to sleep. I awakened, aware that head my was settled on Jan's shoulder, and her hand was cupping my breast, claiming possession of the heart and flesh that she so expertly controlled. Even in sleep she was exerting her influence over me. I sighed. It felt good and cozy to have her hand where it was. It was sort of like a period after an expressive sentence. It was a punctu ation mark to a night of revelry. It was a gentle salute for pleasure we had known.

As dawn pinkened the sky, I lay staring out of the window, contented. Yet eager for more of our togetherness. I really would have liked to waken Jan and say, "Love me some more, darling." But I knew she needed the rest. So I went to sleep and dreamed our lovemaking all over again.

CHAPTER SIX

On Saturday afternoon of the weekend Jan spent with me while my folks were out of town, we had one unwelcome visitor. Who else but Bob Kemp?

He knew we were together and happy. He wanted to spoil our happiness if he could. I remember how my heart stopped its singing when he opened the door and strode in.

"Hi, gals!" he greeted in a tone both cheerful and mocking. “Didn't want you two chicks to get lonely.' He eased himself into Hal's special relaxing chair. He stretched out his long legs and put his heels on the coffee table. "So now you've got company.

I saw Jan's lips tighten even when she tried to smile. Irritation was hurricaning inside of me, but I tried desperately to be polite.