Raisins and almonds - Poisoned Pen Press (UK)

148 Kerry Greenwood
onto him and moved as though she was riding Thetis’ horses
of the sea. He thought of conjunctio, the crowning alchemical
mystery, as his hands found her breasts, and then he lost capacity
for thought altogether. He did not know how long it was until
he groaned, and heard Phryne cry aloud like a seabird.
Late, sandy and incompletely dressed, Phryne parked her car
and brought Simon into the house. She led him up the stairs
and into her apartment.
‘A shower,’ she said, pulling off the green dress. Under it
she was naked. She dropped stockings, shoes, underclothes and
jewellery on the floor. Simon began to remove his hastily donned
garments, wondering why fly buttons were so prone to desertion.
He had lost two. Phryne flung him a gown and he pulled it on,
still astounded at the ferocity of her passion.
She showered thoroughly, rinsing the salt off her skin and
the sand from her hair, then yielded her place to the young
man. Such a beautiful boy, she thought, observing that he was
somewhat abraded around buttock and back by the shingle.
Prior experience had taught Phryne that it was wise not to be
underneath if making love on sand.
‘Oh, Phryne,’ sighed Simon, ‘that was…’
‘Astonishing?’ asked Phryne, towelling her hair. ‘Yes. Lovely.’
He was a little disappointed by her response. After all, he had
given her all he had to give. She leaned past the fall of water and
kissed him gently.
‘You are quite delightful,’ she said, and went into her bedroom.
He heard her exclaim, ‘Jesus wept!’ and he got out of the
shower and draped the gown over his wet body. He would dry
quickly enough in the hot night, no matter what his mother
said about catching cold. Phryne was looking at a room which
had been comprehensively ransacked.
‘The others,’ she said, and ran for the stairs, her black kimono
billowing behind her.
Downstairs was silent. Simon was behind her as she opened
the girls’ door and exclaimed with relief when she heard them