She gazed back, stood up in front of him, leaned forward and kissed him on the mouth. Instantly, he took hold of her arms and stood, kissing her as passionately as she was kissing him. They clung together, pressing against each other. They continued to embrace and touch and kiss for a long while. Finally, they stopped, drew apart slightly and gazed at each other, looking slightly shocked.

She spoke first. “Can we become very close now? Intimate? Why do we have to wait until we know each other better?”

“We don’t,” he said, his voice hoarse, stroking her breast, leaning forward, one arm still around her. “Can we find a different room? More private.”

“We can. My bedroom. An intimate room for us to be intimate.” She took his hand in hers and drew him up the stairs, across a landing into her bedroom. After closing the door and locking it, she leaned against it and opened her arms to him.

He rushed forward, embraced her, kissed her lips, her cheeks and her forehead. When he finally stopped, he whispered against her hair, “Oh, Angela, Angela, let us not waste another moment.”

“We won’t,” she whispered back, and slid her hand against his crotch. “Ah, you see, I knew you felt about me like I felt about you, the very moment I set eyes on you. We are meant for each other.”

“True,” he said, struggling out of his jacket, and then tugging at her sleeve.

“Hurry! We must hurry,” she murmured, and turned her back to him. “Just open four of the buttons and I can slip out of it.”

With trembling hands, he did as she asked, then swung around and rapidly undressed, as anxious as her for them to be together. And all the time he watched her, as she stepped out of the long silk dress, threw it on a chair and then shed her petticoat, her corset and stockings. When she turned to face him she was naked as she pulled out pins to release light-brown curls.

They virtually rushed at each other and began their passionate kissing once more, staggered over to the bed, arms still entwined.

Once they lay next to each other, Blackie pushed himself up on one elbow and gazed down at her.

Her exquisite beauty entranced him … the finely crafted high cheekbones, the arched, darker eyebrows, the perfect nose and a full, rather voluptuous mouth. But it was those extraordinary very blue eyes that dazzled him, held him transfixed. He would never tire of looking at her.

It was Angela who pulled his head down to her face, and they began to kiss and touch each other. Their lovemaking was now in earnest, intense and deeply felt.