He smiled. What did it matter? He would not give her the name Vladek. Maybe they were looking for Vladek, and anyway, he had no family. He would be whatever he chose to call himself. “Yuri,” he said, smoothly. He kissed her hand, then stood up, unashamed of his nakedness, his skinny body. He walked into her bathroom and shut the door.

It was wonderful: American-style, with a Western shower, hot water on demand, clean white tiles, and soft towels. He stood for a long time under the warm droplets, washing himself from top to toe with the French lavender soap she had in a little dish. Then he shaved, carefully, and washed his hair. It felt glorious, and he took the husband’s plush bathrobe and wrapped it around himself.

“What are you doing?” she cried, when he emerged. “He’ll know you were in there!”

He shrugged. “A man who is so blind as not to see you will not notice anything.”

She smiled.

“You will tell him the robe needed washing,” he said.

“Where do you live, Yuri?” Natasha asked. She rolled around on the bed, arranged her body to display herself to him. “When can I see you again?”

He chuckled. Her need was so transparent.

“I am a thief,” he said. “I live everywhere and nowhere. I have nothing. I steal what I need.” He moved onto the bed, ignoring her shocked face, touching her above the knee. “Does that scare you?” he asked, enjoying the reaction. “Do you want to call for help?”

She tossed her head. Really, she was magnificent.

“No,” she said, thick-voiced. “It wouldn’t do me any good, would it?”

“None whatsoever,” he said. He pulled her to him, hard, and kissed her deeply.

After that it was easy.

Natasha was his opportunity. He felt himself in love; yet there was always that element of separation. She was his desire, but also, he could use her; if there was a conflict, it did not concern him.

He knew that as much as he loved her, he loved himself far more.

She provided for his needs, and he for hers; he was insatiable, every day, often more than once, he would take her, and work her body until she ached. And added to the pleasure this gave him, there were practical considerations. Natasha took money and spent on him, rather than herself; he rented a small apartment, close to her house; he bought woollen, American suits; he ate well; he owned several pairs of shoes. And as he groomed himself, he became ever more attractive to her, until she forgot that she was paying for every rouble of it.