His mouth still on hers, he steered her to the boardroom table and pushed her on to it. ‘I love you,’ he murmured. ‘God, I love you.’

In a well-practised move, he hitched her skirt up and pulled her pants down in swift succession. Then he eased himself into her with a contented moan.

They’d made love this way a dozen times before and, usually, she was lost in the passion of it, the urgency. This time, as he moved above her, the table was digging into her back and she hadn’t been quite ready and it all seemed a bit rushed, a bit forced.

He came inside her. They never used protection. She was on the pill and he trusted her to take it. What if one day she just stopped taking it and didn’t tell him? she wondered. What if she found that she was pregnant? Surely that would make Jude leave his wife?

While she was thinking this, her lover was already zipping up his trousers.

‘Have to dash,’ he said, smoothing down his hair. ‘I’ll call you later if I can. See you tomorrow, darling.’

Then Jude pecked her on the cheek and hurried out of the door.

Lauren stared down at herself. It was as if she was having an out-of-body experience. She could see a woman lying on the oak table, legs akimbo with no knickers on, still in her high heels, her lover’s semen inside her. But where was he?

Gone. That’s where.

She closed her legs, got down from the table, found her underwear on the floor and tugged it back on. Had she had an orgasm? Had she even vaguely enjoyed it? Had Jude even cared? Was this what he thought that she wanted?

This felt terrible. More than terrible.

Dazed, she left the boardroom and went to go back to her desk. Her legs were shaking, unsteady. All she wanted to do now was collect her things and go home.

‘Bloody hell, girl,’ a voice said from behind her. ‘You nearly gave me a heart-attack.’

‘Zak?’ Lauren turned. ‘What are you doing here so late?’

‘I could ask you the same thing.’ Both of their gazes returned to the boardroom door.

Self-consciously, Lauren straightened her skirt. A body language expert would have a field day with that.

Zak nodded towards the door. ‘I saw Jude leaving,’ he said. ‘He didn’t see me.’

Lauren realised that he could well have seen much more if he’d been there a few minutes earlier. They’d have to be even more careful from now on.

‘I’d left my wallet here,’ Zak said hastily to cover their embarrassment. ‘I was just going to grab something to eat. Join me?’

‘I’d better go home.’

‘What for?’

Lauren sagged. What for, indeed?