‘My opinion?’

‘That you think it’s highly over-rated.’

Keira chuckled. ‘That’s a blatant case of fishing for compliments if ever I heard one. I’ll just say your rating was-’ Keira paused ‘-phenomenal. Sensational. Not to mention spectacular.’

Eden pulled a wry face. ‘A simple yes would have done,’ he said and they laughed softly.

Then Keira sobered. ‘But when you and I did make love I-well, there hadn’t been anyone since Dennis and I was worried I wouldn’t be… It had been so long.’ Keira shrugged eloquently.

‘I’ve heard it said it’s rather like riding a bicycle. You never forget how.’

‘Would that be a male joke?’ Keira goaded, and he looked suitably offended.

‘Perhaps a little facetious,’ he agreed, ‘but in this case not exactly sexist. The pendulum can swing both ways.’

Keira glanced up at him in surprise.

‘I was apprehensive, too,’ he told her. ‘I had a gut feeling I’d met the one woman I’d been searching for all my life so you were the woman I most wanted to impress. I hadn’t done such a marvellous job of that out of the bedroom so I didn’t want to be found wanting in bed as well. Notwithstanding Daniel’s little revelation that I programme myself like a robot once a month. Once a month? He must think I’m way past my prime.’

Keira tried to swallow a giggle and failed, and Eden pulled her against him.

‘I hope that’s not cruel laughter, my love. My fragile male ego is at stake here.’

‘Rubbish! I don’t believe your ego was ever fragile in your life.’ Keira nibbled his earlobe. ‘Found wanting in the bedroom indeed,’ she repeated huskily, her warm breath making him groan softly. ‘I think I’ve already given you my assurances you were very impressive, so I think we can disregard that. Well, all except wanting and bedroom. In fact-’ Keira raised her head ‘-I really don’t think we need the bedroom either, do we?’ she asked, looking challengingly into his eyes.

LYNSEY STEVENS

LYNSEY STEVENS was born in Brisbane, Australia, and before beginning to write she was a librarian. It was in secondary school that she decided she wanted to be a writer. “Writers, I imagined,” Lynsey explains, “lived such exciting lives-traveling to exotic places, making lots of money and not having to work. I have traveled. However, the tax man loves me dearly and no one told me about typist’s backache and frustrating lost words!” When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading and cross-stitching and she’s interested in genealogy.