They finished their beers and went to bed. Never had Lenny felt as content in himself as he did when he was with Reggie. It was as if a piece of a puzzle had finally been found, and now he was whole. He could have him and have his family; as long as they were discreet they were fine. It wasn’t just about sex either, though that was amazing and came naturally to him. They talked for hours about everything and anything – that was the main attraction for him. In some ways, Reggie was like the brother he had never had.

As they lay together in the moonlight, the breeze drifting in through the open patio doors and the smell of sweat in the air, Lenny knew he had never felt such complete happiness before, and that actually saddened him. A part of him knew that Sharon was worth so much more than he could now offer her.

‘You’re quiet again, Len.’

He sighed in the half-light. ‘I’m thinking about Sharon.’

Reggie stroked his stomach gently, and he closed his eyes. ‘We won’t hurt her, Lenny. How could we?’

‘She was all I ever wanted, and now this has happened. It is hard to get my head round it you know, Reg?’

Reggie smiled slightly. ‘I feel the same. But no one will find out. No one can ever find out. So there is no harm really, is there?’

Lenny supposed there wasn’t and, as they fell asleep, he decided that he was just going to go with it. He had no choice really. The die was already well and truly cast.

Chapter Forty-Three

‘Ooh, wait till Lenny sees you in that!’

Sharon blushed at Geraldine’s words. She had bought some sexy underwear from a shop in Soho and she was going to put it on for her Lenny when he got home. She still had a good figure, not a mark on her really. She had carried such a small bump that there had not been too much to stretch. Her boobs were still full – that was down to the breastfeeding, she had heard – and her Lenny was all over her like a rash. He couldn’t get enough of her. Look at how he had taken her on the kitchen table! She felt the pull of him as she thought of their reunion tonight. She was going to cook a nice dinner, with candles and everything. Then she was going to lead him to bed.

God, she had missed him so much.

‘Earth to Sharon!’

She laughed at Gerry’s scandalised face.

‘I can guess what you were thinking about, dirty cow.’

They went into a Wimpy and settled at a table.

‘I really missed him, Gerry. I suppose that is natural enough. We’re still newly married after all.’

Geraldine Dornan felt a wave of affection for her friend; she looked so bereft without Lenny. It was lovely to see.