He drew her down onto the straw and when his hand found her breast and started to tease her nipple she gasped with pleasure as she experienced feelings she had never known existed. Soon she was naked, and as his hands roved across her soft flesh she groaned with anticipation. She knew what she was doing was wrong; Sunday had always drummed into both her and Livvy that they should never allow a man to go too far with them before they had a ring on their finger. But this was Ben, the man she had loved all her life and it felt right. Her mother would be horrified if she were ever to find out what was happening between them, but his soft feather kisses were leaving a trail of fire across her flat stomach and when she felt his hand slip between her legs she sighed with pleasure as his fingers slid inside her. Then he parted her legs and climbed on top of her and as he penetrated her, she gasped and closed her eyes tight as he began to buck on top of her.

Sometime later, as she lay with her head on his bare chest listening to his heartbeat, she smiled with satisfaction. After all the years she had worshipped him he was finally hers, all hers, and she was his. Surely he’d have to marry her now and make her dreams come true? She wouldn’t allow herself to think what her mother would say about such a thing – she was determined that nothing should spoil the moment, it was just too special. It was the first time she had ever given herself to a man and she was wondering what all the hoo-hah the young nurses at work talked of was all about. She had enjoyed the foreplay and the closeness, admittedly, but the act itself had been rather painful and over very quickly. Perhaps sex was like a good wine, and improved with time?

However, while she was quite happy to lie there in the afterglow of their loving, Ben seemed to have other ideas and, rising abruptly, he told her curtly, ‘You’d best get dressed. They’ll be wondering where you are over at the house.’

She stood up quickly and began to throw her clothes on as colour burned into her cheeks. Suddenly it felt as if Ben couldn’t get rid of her quickly enough.

‘D-did you never guess how I felt about you?’ she asked softly, hoping to recapture the moment as she struggled with the buttons on her dress and tried to untangle the bits of straw from her thick, dark hair.

‘Why should I have?’ His voice was abrupt, and she felt hurt.

‘S-so, what happens now?’