The Sister Swap

Ivan stays at the university crèche—’

‘Only when you’re in class. I would have thought it was more important for you to free up your writing time—’

She woke up suddenly to the trend of the conversation. ‘I told you, I’m best at night.’ She jumped to her feet and began to clear away the dirty plates. ‘Speaking of which, I suppose I’d better get down to it.’

He rose meekly, but getting rid of him wasn’t so easy, she discovered, as he insisted on helping her with the dishes while he finished his wine.

‘Just don’t think this means I’m coming next door to help you wash your pots,’ she warned him, her attempts at polite denial giving way to a flat-out rudeness to which the man seemed equally impervious.

‘I wouldn’t dream of thwarting the nightly flow of your passion.’

Her toes curled in her shoes at the teasing remark. ‘At least I don’t have to