*He must have gone out. Fancy leaving the front door unlocked like that! I'll scribble him a note. I can't wait any longer. I've got half my Christmas shopping to do yet.'

As the voices faded, Bianca saw the man move to and fro again to ease his feet on the hot paving and his frown vanished. He had black curly hair, cut short, and his grin was infectious, even when you could only see half of it. She found herself smiling in sympathy. She was pretty sure now that he wasn't a prowler.

Impulsively she went outside, crossing the three metres of patio s.p.a.ce without him even noticing her. When she cleared her throat and said, *h.e.l.lo. Can I help you?' he jerked in shock and spun round, his mouth opening in alarm.

The same older woman's voice immediately called from inside the house next door, *Did you hear something, Rita? I'm sure I heard a voice.'

He gasped and looked from side to side as if he wanted to flee for his life.

Bianca tried again. *What are you-?'

He cast a desperate glance over his shoulder, and as the voice said, *I'll just look outside again,' he grabbed Bianca and pulled her towards him, covering her mouth with his and m.u.f.fling the rest of her words with a kiss.

She ought to have been afraid, but she wasn't. In fact, she forgot all fear, not to mention self-defence strategies, as her hormones kicked suddenly into action. It had been nearly two years since the divorce and she hadn't been seeing anyone seriously since.

She hadn't really missed having a man in her life, either. Now, for some weird reason, her body was responding to a stranger's kiss, and she was relishing the sheer maleness of his body against hers.

Words of protest died to a gurgle in her throat as his lips moved on hers. For a moment or two she found herself returning the kiss.

Then he moved away, but was still so close she could feel his soft breath against her skin. She stared up into his eyes, beautiful blue eyes fringed with long lashes, and every thought left her head but one: he's gorgeous!

She wasn't aware how long she stood there in his arms, but at the sound of a car pulling away from the central roadway between the units, she came abruptly to her senses and began to push at him.

This time he made no attempt to hold her, but stepped back with his arms spread wide in a gesture of surrender. *I'm sorry for that. I was desperate to keep you quiet.' Then he smiled, a curl-your-toes sort of smile. *Mind you, I also plead guilty to enjoying it.'

She sucked in air frantically. She'd enjoyed it, too. Fancy enjoying kissing a stranger! *Who are you?'

*I'm your new neighbour.' He stuck out a hand. *Hal Crawford at your service.'

She was still feeling disoriented and couldn't manage more than, *Oh. Well. I'm Bianca. Bianca Marella. And a um, this is my unit.'

He pumped her hand. *Pleased to meet you. And I do apologize for kissing you like that. I wasn't trying to hara.s.s you, I just had to stop you making a noise and it a well, got a bit out of hand. Thank you for going along with it.'

Going along with it? She'd not been able to think or move.

She was suddenly aware that she was only wearing a skimpy bikini that showed a lot more than it concealed. It was the heat that was making her so slow to react. It must be. She tried to speak sharply, in the tone which usually shrivelled men up and made them turn away to find softer, easier females to conquer, only the words didn't come out sharply this time. *I didn't have much choice about the kiss, actually.'

As she watched, he blushed. He actually blushed. Bright red. She could feel herself softening. How could you stay angry with a guy who blushed like that?

*It was an emergency,' he pleaded. *My mother and aunt aren't sure whether I'm actually living here yet. I told them I was going away on business for a few days, but trust them to come round and check that out.'

Bianca watched him run one hand through his hair, setting the curls springing about in glorious disarray. He must be a male model! she decided.

He glanced towards the front of the house. *That d.a.m.ned car is such a giveaway and somehow I've got to hide out from them for five more days.'

Now she was utterly fascinated. If this was a pitch, it was a good one. But she didn't think he was trying to chat her up. He looked genuinely worried. *Could I ask what exactly you're hiding from?'

*Christmas.'

She blinked.

He stared at her with a challenging expression. *I hate Christmas. It's nothing but commercialism. There's no real Christmas spirit left. But most of all, I hate big family parties with all the old aunts trotted out and kids screaming everywhere a not to mention the women my mother finds and parades in front of me because she's desperate for grandchildren. Tall ones, short ones, pretty ones, even ugly ones. I don't know where she finds them, but there's always a new one waiting for me whenever there's a family gathering.'

She could relate to that. Oh, boy, she could certainly relate to that. *Tell me about it!'

She groaned as her own troubles resurfaced. *My mother is just the same. I've not answered the phone for days without checking first who it is on the answering machine. But she's sure to come round and catch me in one day.' She grinned at him. *And actually, I hate Christmas, too.'

*You're a neighbour after my own heart, then. You'll not be deafening me with carols or wrapping tinsel round the palm trees or having loud parties.'

*I most certainly won't.'

They stood smiling foolishly at one another for a few moments, then his smile faded and the worried expression reappeared. *My family are determined to get me over there for dinner on Christmas Day, and if I know my mother she'll set up a roster of cousins and sisters to keep coming round until they catch me in.'

She nodded and couldn't help sighing. *I've got two sisters, both married with children. It makes my mother twitchy about me. They keep trying to find me another man.'

*Another?'

*I'm divorced.'

*Ah. You have all my sympathy, then. I've not got any sisters, but I have about a million cousins, who all keep producing friends I just have to meet. The thing is, I don't want to get married. I never have. It's simply not my scene. Well, not yet, perhaps never. I'm having a great life without it.'

Sympathy flooded through her. *Don't let them persuade you into anything you're not sure about. I escaped from a nasty marriage two years ago, and I wouldn't recommend it unless you find Miss Perfection a and even then you should think twice.' She realized how thirsty she was and without thinking, asked, *Would you like a nice cool beer?'

*I'd kill for one. I've been moving boxes all day and taking delivery of furniture, and I haven't had time to go out and stock up on booze yet.'

Just as they were going inside, the phone rang. Bianca froze. On the answering machine, her mother's voice called out brightly, *I know you're there, Bianca, and I'm warning you a if you don't turn up on Christmas Day, we'll come over and get you!' There was the sound of a phone being put down.

Bianca stood staring at the answering machine in dismay. *They will, too,' she whispered.

He patted her shoulder sympathetically. *My family do things like that, too. They'll send someone round to winkle me out on Christmas Day, I just know they will. This is my first Christmas in Western Australia for years and I'm out of practice at avoidance tactics.'

He straightened up and a determined expression settled on his face. *That settles it. I'll have to book into a hotel under a false name for a few days.'

By that time they were inside, so she went to the fridge, took out two beers and handed her fellow sufferer one. She popped hers and took a long cooling gulp from the can, then realized he was staring at her.

*No fancy gla.s.ses or holders?'

*I don't let anything come between me and a cold beer on a hot day,' she retorted.

*You're a woman after my own heart.' He gulped down some of his beer with a blissful expression.

For a few minutes they sat in the air-conditioned coolness, not talking, just relaxing.

*What do you do for a living?' he asked after a while.

*I'm self-employed,' she told him. She was very proud of that. Roger had jeered at her when she'd broached the idea of starting her own business. He'd said she'd never make it, but she was doing really well. *I'm in IT. I train people to use software packages, small business people mainly. And I run workshops about the various software programs for small to medium companies.'

*Hey, I'm in computers, too, but I design and build linked systems, the hardware. I'm a company man, work for a multinational.' He grinned. *Well, a company bright boy, actually, so I don't have to conform to suits and ties and that sort of stuff. I produce such lovely gizmos they put up with my little quirks. And they pay me rather well, too.'

*What are you doing in sleepy old Perth, then? The centre of the universe it is not.'

*We're just opening up an office in Western Australia and a new research unit as well. I was going to settle down here for a while, but now I'm having second thoughts about that. I may have to arrange for a sudden transfer to Sydney or London.'

They spent a few minutes discussing computers, then he finished the beer and stood up. *I'm keeping you from your swim and I still have some boxes to unpack.'

*It was nice to meet you, Hal. See you around.'

His smile faded. *Not until after Christmas, you won't. h.e.l.l, what am I going to do? I'm sick to death of hotels. They're full of the Christmas spirit, too.'

It was then that the idea began to blossom, a really neat idea. Smiling, she stretched out one hand to stop him leaving. *Wait a minute. I have an idea.'

*Oh?'

*About Christmas a and our mutual problems.'

*You have?' His eyes lit to an incandescent blue and he took an eager step towards her.

She backed off a prudent yard or two. Being close to that gorgeous body scrambled her brain. *This is rough thinking at the moment, right? But what gave you away was your car. And what'll give me away is my car. So-'

He said it for her, *Why don't we park in each other's carports? We're round the corner from each other, so the cars should stay fairly well hidden.'

She nodded.

*Brilliant.' Then his shoulders sagged and he shook his head. *They'll knock on the door if they see any sign of life at all, trying to find out where I am. And if I leave the door unlocked again, they'll be inside before you can blink. My mother's pestering me for keys now, so that she can drop meals off for me. As if I haven't learned to cook for myself after eight years away from home.'

*My mother's just as bad. She'd love to be able to pop in, but I told her it's a rule of this place that we don't give people keys a because of the security angle.'

*Good one. I must tell mine the same thing.' Then he grabbed her arm. *Hold on! I've just had another idea.'

*What?' Her question was more of a gasp than a word, what with his naked chest so close and his hand warm on her bare flesh.

*Well, when we see someone coming, we could nip through the back gardens and answer each other's door.'

She was beginning to nod approval, seeing what he was getting at, and without thinking she finished the idea for him. *We could say we're friends, house-sitting for the holidays while the owner is away.'

For a moment, they were both silent, contemplating the blissful image this raised.

*Or if the other is out, we could just sort of hide next door,' he added. *They can't see the rear patios from the street.'

*Oooh, don't tempt me.'

*Why shouldn't we do it? I'm talking survival here.'

There was silence as they both thought this through.

*Why not indeed?' she said at last. *I've no training jobs on at this time of year, so I'll be around most of the time.'

*I could rig up a buzzer to call for help.' He smiled modestly. *That'd be simple. As I said, I'm a whizz with electronic gizmos.'

It was the thought of her elderly Aunt Maria that did the trick. The old lady kept questioning her publicly, in the overloud voice of someone who was hard of hearing, asking when she was going to find herself another husband.

Or worse still, her mother producing yet another *lovely young man' and saying things like *You two have got so much in common, I'm sure you're going to get on like a house on fire.'

*Let's do it!' Bianca breathed.

*Do you think it'll work?'

*We can only try.'

Part Two.

For the first time in years Bianca faced Christmas without fear of her mother's matchmaking. She told her family she was going down to the country with a group of friends, while another friend house sat for her. She invented several fict.i.tious people and casually offered the information that they included a man she was interested in.

*Oh? Tell me about him. What's he called? How did you meet him? How old is he?'

Her mind went blank and she could only think of, *His name's Hal.' But hey, he'd understand that if anyone would.

*Hal who? And you haven't answered my other questions. What's wrong with him that you can't bring him round to meet your family? He isn't another Roger, is he? I never did like that husband of yours.'

Bianca knew her mother wouldn't let the matter drop without some information. *He's called Hal Crawford and he's in IT, like me. And I'm not bringing him round yet because Aunt Maria would be giving him the third degree about what his intentions are and a you know, I don't want to put him off.'

*All right. Remember, you're not getting any younger, thirty-two next year. I don't like you going away for Christmas, though. It's a family time. Still, if you've got a young man, just this once I'll forgive you.'

Bianca's cousin Paola rang up the next day *for a chat'.

*I'm looking forward to getting together on Christmas Day.'

*I'm going away with friends this year.'

Seething, Bianca put down the phone. Paola hadn't rung her for months. It had to be her mother checking up on her again!

But on Christmas Eve her anger about the festive season and her interfering but well-meaning family faded as she carried in her shopping and prepared for a siege. Outwitting them was going to be fun.

Just as she was unpacking the fruit and salad, the buzzer went. For a moment, she couldn't think what it was, then remembered and rushed out to the back in time to see Hal climbing over the fence.

*My aunt's here!' he hissed.

*Right.' Bianca set one foot on the pole supporting the fence. With a mutter of impatience, he put his arms round her waist and lifted her up. That took the air from her lungs. What was there about his touch that did this to her? She didn't want to react so strongly to a man. She was enjoying her freedom. Intended to go on enjoying it.

Breathing rather rapidly, she rushed into his house.

Someone was knocking at the front door and rattling it. *I know you're there, Hal,' a voice called, *and I'm not going away till you let me in.'

Bianca s.n.a.t.c.hed a towel from the bathroom and wound it round her head as if she'd just washed her hair. Smoothing her top down over her midriff, she opened the door. *Can I help you?' she asked, hiding her amus.e.m.e.nt at the look of shock on the woman's face.

*I'd like to see Hal. I'm his Aunt Naomi.'

*Oh, sorry. He's gone away for the holidays. I'm house-sitting for him.' Bianca realized suddenly that she didn't know exactly what tale he had spun to his mother and clamped her mouth shut, making a play of looking at her watch. *Look, I'm rather busy. Can I give him a message when he gets back?'