They were both fully clothed, but couldn’t be much closer. She could feel the heat from his jeans, the firmness there beneath her. She was obviously doing something right, even though she was a little out of practice.

She gave a long, slow sigh. ‘I think we should take this to the bedroom.’

Alfie, who’d followed them through and was sitting beneath the sofa, raised an eyelid, and then slid his head back down to the floor.

Emma took Max’s hand and led the way, excited and slightly anxious all at once.

She was with this gorgeous man in her double room. And there was Luke looking at her from the dressing table. Oh, no, she hadn’t thought to move his photo. But that would have seemed wrong too. No, she mustn’t think of him now. But how could she not, he was still such a huge part of her life? But she knew if she didn’t give herself to Max, she’d never give herself to anyone again. He’s gone, Emma. It’s okay, a voice in her mind spoke out. A silent tear welled in her eye. She blinked quickly, turned to face Max, and buried herself in his kisses.

Max was tender and caring, taking things slowly, yet not too slowly, kissing her shoulders as he slipped her blouse over her head, tracing her body with confident, caring hands. She kissed him back, touched him, tracing the hard, muscular lines of his body so different from Luke’s leaner form, his body, so wonderfully new to her.

Then there was nothing but skin on skin, and their slow, rhythmic dance of love. Every nerve ending tingled, delighted, so alive. He plunged deep within her, still kissing her. Oh, my!

And they moved together, until she came in a warm, beautiful pulse around him.

They clung to each other.

‘Wow,’ Max whispered, still above her.

Then from nowhere tears formed, Emma struggled to keep them back.

‘Em, are you okay? Did I hurt you?’ Max scanned her tearful face.

She wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand as he gently moved to lie beside her.

‘I’m okay,’ but she couldn’t hide the sniffling from her voice. ‘Really, I’m okay. Sorry.’

He held her to him for a few tender moments. She could feel the mass of balled-up emotions within her unravelling.

She needed to try to explain. ‘I didn’t think that I could ever feel like that again.’ It was so beautiful, tender, like he’d reached her soul somehow. It was so much more than sex.

He smiled, relaxed a little, looked at her as she spoke again. ‘And it feels kind of strange too. Disloyal to Luke, you know …?’

‘Yeah, I get that.’

‘I’m sorry … Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything. It’s nothing against you.’

She lay quietly. Her head on his chest, his arms gently around her.