They'd come a long way from a two-room flat with a single creaky bed.

They owned a pair of homes now, in two countries, but the s.e.x was as

strong and sweet as it had been when he had had nothing in his pockets

but desperate hopes and shiny dreams.

They rolled over the bed, limbs tangled, mouths growing hungrier. As she

rose over him, he watched her aching pleasure reflected on her face.

She'd changed so little. Her hair swung to her shoulders now, sleek and

straight. Her skin was milk pale, delicately flushed from the pa.s.sion

that heated it. Pushing up, he circled her b.r.e.a.s.t.s with slow, whispery

kisses. When her head fell back, he sucked greedily, excited by the

small, helpless sounds she made.

With Bev, he wanted the beauty. With Bev, he found it.

Gripping her hips, he lifted her up and onto him, letting her set the

pace. Letting her take him exactly where he wanted to go.

Nm&D, SHE STRETCHED then curled up against him. With her eyes half

closed she could see the sun pouring through the windows. She wanted to

pretend it was morning, some lazy morning, when they could stay just as

they were for hours.

"I didn't think I'd like staying here this time, for all these months

while you recorded. But it's been wonderful."

"We can stay a bit longer." His energy was beginning to build, as it

always did after making love with her. "We could take a few weeks, lie

around, go to Disneyland again."

"Darren already thinks it's his own personal amus.e.m.e.nt park."

"Then we'll have to build him one." He rolled over, propping himself on

his elbow. "Bev, I had a quick meeting with Pete before I came home.

"Outcry' has gone platinum."

"Oh, Bri. That's marvelous."

"It's more than marvelous. I was right." He pulled her by the shoulders

until she sat beside him. "People are listening, really listening.

"Outcry' has become like an anthem for the antiwar movement. It's

making a difference." He didn't hear the faint desperation in his voice,

the desperation of a man trying to convince himself "We're going to

release another single from the alb.u.m.. "Love Lost,' I think, though

Pete's muttering about it not being commercial enough."

"It's so sad."

"That's the point." The words snapped out, and he bit off the impatient

rest to continue more calmly. "I'd like to pipe it into Parliament and

the Pentagon and the U.N., all those places where the smug, fat b.a.s.t.a.r.ds

make decisions. We need to do something, Bev. If people listen to me

because I have hit records, then I have to make sure I have something

important to say."

IN mE PEWHOUSE HE'D RENMD in the heart of L.A., Pete Page sat at his

desk and considered the possibilities. Like Brian, he was delighted

with "Outcry"'s success. With him it was a matter of sales generated

more than social conscience. But that's what they paid him for.

As he had predicted only three years before, Brian and the others were

very rich. He was going to see to it that they all became a great deal

richer.

Their music was sterling. He had known that since he'd listened to