Donna pushed him off her as if he was a rapist and jumped up from the sofa, knocking over her glass of wine. She straightened her clothes and tried to control the trembling inside her body, in her hands. Not trusting herself to speak, she walked into his bathroom and shut the door quietly behind her. Leaning against it, she placed her forehead on the cold painted wood and took deep breaths. She could hear Alan directing the waiter about the food. Splashing cold water on to her face, she stared at herself in the small mirror. Her eyes were bright, her skin pleasantly flushed. Her lipstick was gone, kissed away by Alan Cox.

She knew that if the waiter had not knocked she would have been unable to refuse Alan. She had been too long without a man, too long without the company of her husband. The drink and the circumstances had proved too much for her and she swallowed deeply as she realised just what she had been willing to do. And God Himself knew, she had been willing! In her mind’s eye she played out the scene, allowing it to reach a conclusion, and no matter how much she tried to deny it, she still wanted it to happen.

She realised she had wanted Alan for a long time. The shock to her was the fact that he felt the same way about her. He wasn’t a man who would take her lightly. Not Georgio’s wife.

For him to want her, it had to run deeper than that and even as the thought thrilled her, she was frightened because she felt out of her depth. Never a woman to encourage men, she wondered how she had encouraged Alan Cox. She must have done, because he wouldn’t touch his friend’s wife without thinking he had the right. Her permission and Georgio nearly home! She took a few deep breaths to steady herself.

Opening the door, she walked back into the room. Alan was sitting at the table eating a steak as if nothing had happened.

‘All right, girl? Come and eat your meal. You’re right, the wine went to both our heads, I think.’

Donna picked up her bag and walked to the door.

‘I’m sorry, Alan, but I think it’s best if I go now. Let’s forget about tonight, it was just a moment’s madness brought on by too much wine.’ She kept her voice light.

Alan cut another piece of steak and shrugged. ‘Whatever you say, love. You’re in charge.’

Donna walked from the room, her heart heavy in her chest because more than anything, she wanted to stay there. Stay and re-enact the scenario that had played in her mind minutes before.

She knew one thing. She had to get away now, and she had to keep away.

She had enough problems as it was.