The music switched to a classic Madonna song and suddenly my hips took on a life of their own. I felt myself twist and turn, grinding against my partner and finding him more than up to the challenge. Without really thinking, I turned around, looping my arms around his neck as my skirt rode up above my knees to make room for his thigh between my legs. We swayed back and forth, skin on skin, sweat mingling with sweat as the gospel chorus kicked in, the two of us moving together in time to the music. Life is a mystery, indeed.

It’s only dancing, my mind whispered, my eyes closed and my body on fire as the sound of everyone singing drowned out the song and the pounding of my heart drowned out the voices of everyone singing around us. His hands moved down my back, slipping lower, his warm breath against my cheek …

And then without warning, the song ended and the music stopped. My dance partner and I froze, still pressed together, panting, sweating, on the precipice of something.

‘That’s a wrap on another Dark Disco, thanks for coming, everyone,’ a voice boomed through the speakers. ‘We’ll be back next month, hope we won’t be seeing you!’

And then the lights came on, unflattering fluorescent strip lights that were no one’s friend. I looked up at the man’s face and gasped.

‘John?’

I dropped him faster than if he’d been on fire. Staggering backwards, I pulled my skirt back into place, searching for the right words, but I was still half lost in another world.

‘Are you OK?’ he asked, holding out a hand.

‘There you are.’ Sumi, glassy-eyed, sweaty and utterly euphoric, bounced across the dance floor as everyone else began to filter out towards the doors. ‘John! I wondered if you’d be here, we came last minute. How brilliant was that? I wish they would do it every week. Once a month is not enough.’

John and I were still staring at each other, him looking more than a little confused and me feeling utterly mortified. He pushed damp, messy hair away from his face, recovering just enough to give Sumi a smile.

‘Yeah, great one,’ he agreed, eyes drifting back in my direction. ‘Glad you had a good time. I’ve got to go, see you tomorrow, yeah?’

‘OK, weirdo.’ Sumi pulled a face at me as John turned around and bolted for the door. Bouncing up and down on the spot, she grinned at me madly. ‘Don’t know what’s wrong with him. Did you love it? Was it the best thing ever?’

‘So good,’ I replied, forcing weak enthusiasm into my voice.

‘Ready for a Nando’s?’ she asked.

‘Always,’ I replied, forcing a smile and pushing away difficult thoughts I wasn’t ready to deal with.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE