All the lights went out just as Matthew opened the Blake's front door for Alice's departure. They both reached for the switch...they collided.

The most intimate areas of the male form was familiar to Alice and she usually had no reaction except scientific interest. But this wasn't a corpse under her fingertips. "I'm so sorry!"

"Yes, of course," he said, contrite, and his touch disappeared.

He called out, his breath warm on her cheek, "Lucien, have you blown a fuse again?"

"Not me!" Lucien replied, his rich chuckle carrying from the lounge. Jean's laughter joined his, then was suddenly stifled.

Uncomfortable, Matthew and Alice realized what those foolish newlyweds were up to.

Alice peered outside. "The entire neighborhood is dark."

"I don't want you driving in this."

Flaring with anger, she whirled back-

The damn high heels that she'd worn by some unspecified impulse gave way, and she collapsed against him. She was able to catalogue all the details as she grasped for purchase; the hard tendons tying his neck to his shoulders, the firm pectoral muscles, the ripple of his ribcage, the smooth skin where his jumper rode up.

"I'm so very sorry," she murmured, and was mortified to hear her tone as sultry.

Matthew's response was a low rumble. "No worries." His hands were busy as well, sliding down her back, over the swell of her hips, nudging her closer- "Can't have you fall..."

In the stillness of the dark, there was the faint but distinct sounds of kisses and moans from the lounge.

"That's an idea," Matthew suggested in a whisper, his lips against hers-

The lights popped back on, making the foyer bright. Alice's eyes widened in shock-who was this woman, and what was she doing?

"Goodnight," she gasped, and flung herself out the door.