Chapter 1

Lisa Radwin could not believe how much pain she was feeling despite the luxurious Bel-Air surroundings in which she now lived. As she sat in the round redwood Japanese tub in her yard, with birds chirping all around her, with ripe oranges on some trees and bright red berries on others, she thought that truly southern California was as close to paradise as anyone could ever know. Then why, oh why, did she feel like crying. The sky was a brilliant turquoise and, though the air was cool, the sun felt deliciously warm, and it was hard for the Pennsylvania-bred young woman to believe that it was February. It was heaven... and she felt like hell.

The water in the tub was sensuously warm and the Jacuzzi heads sent whirlpools of water into the hidden crevices of her voluptuous young body. Stretching her smooth arms up above her beautiful blonde head and stiffening her long, well-formed legs against the redwood sides, she raised her slender body halfway out of the water and allowed the gentle breeze and the warm sun to play on her belly. Her skin stretched tautly against her rib cage, further accentuating the curves that ran from her proud shoulders down to the slight jut of her pelvis that pointed out softly near the crest of her slender hips. It had taken her a long time and much assurance from her husband Charles that she had total and utter privacy in their yard, for Lisa to feel free enough to enjoy her body outdoors like this. Lisa had been the most beautiful girl in the small town where she was raised, and had always been very modest about her body, understanding that it gave her a great deal of power over men, yet knowing too that she was too unsophisticated to really handle it.

As she settled back down into the warm whirling water, her thoughts began to wander to their plans for tonight. She was very excited about this evening, for she and Charles had been invited to dine with their neighbors, Rachel and Don Carpenter, one of Hollywood's most celebrated couples. Lisa and Charles had moved to their Bel-Air home only a few weeks ago, and, though it was all like a dream come true, Lisa had been feeling a bit lonely.

Los Angeles was so different from her hometown and even from New York City, where she had worked as a secretary for Charles at United International Film, until they realized they were in love and Charles fired--then married--her. At first Charles had been merely one of their staff of lawyers until Farley Greendawn, the Chairman of the Board, realized that Charles had a brilliant talent for producing. They groomed him for awhile in New York and then, having rented this Bel-Air mansion for them, sent Charles out to Hollywood.