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‘My father is a classics professor,’ I explain. ‘So it comes from Greek mythology.’

‘I see. I’m afraid I never had much time for all that mumbo-jumbo. And what do you do for work, Athena?’

‘I work in IT, mainly retail based.’

‘I’m absolutely hopeless with computers,’ he states, almost as a point of pride. ‘More of an outdoorsy sort, me. Do you ride?’

It’s going to be a long wedding breakfast.

* * *

By the time the speeches and cake cutting are done, I’m anxiously glancing at my watch, trying to work out if there’s time for Nathan and me to slip away before the first dance. Once again, we’re in that no-man’s land. The hotel staff are reconfiguring the room as the people who’ve been invited to the evening reception start to trickle in, and the DJ is setting up his equipment at one end of the room. Sod it, I can’t wait any longer.

‘Nathan,’ I say, sidling up to him. ‘Could I borrow you for a minute?’

‘Sure,’ he replies. ‘What’s up?’

‘I have something I need help with. Would you mind coming with me?’

No sooner are we out of the function room than I grab his hand, practically dragging him towards the staircase. It takes me a minute to locate my keycard, but then we’re in my room with privacy at last. I pull him towards me, locking my lips onto his and I hear him sigh with pleasure. Our hands wrap around each other and, as the kiss deepens, it’s not long before we’re starting to tug at each other’s clothes.

‘Unromantic, I know,’ I tell him as I break off the kiss for a moment. ‘But we need to be able to go back downstairs looking like we haven’t just been…’

‘Doing what we’re about to do?’

‘Exactly.’

And so follows what would be the most un-erotic undressing process, if we weren’t both so fired up. I carefully remove my dress and put it on a hanger, while he does the same with his clothes until we’re standing in front of each other wearing nothing but our underwear. Very nicely ironed underwear in his case, which I would normally comment on were it not for the unmistakeable bulge of his manhood underneath.

‘You seem a little pent up,’ I say as we move to the bed. ‘Let me see if I can help you with that.’

* * *

‘There you are,’ Trudi says as I stride back into the function room a while later, having first checked that everything is firmly back where it should be. ‘I’m dying to know how things went with Nathan.’

‘Well,’ I squeak. ‘We’ve, umm, had a good catch-up and everything is fine, thanks.’

The fact is that everything is more than fine. Although I’ve had sex with men since what happened at university, going to bed with Nathan was a totally different experience. Because I trust him, I didn’t feel the need to be in control. I could surrender myself fully into the moment, allowing him to take the lead. And what a lead it was. I blush as I think of the way I offered myself to him, but he proved to be every bit the considerate lover I’d hoped he would be, making sure I was satisfied before seeking his own pleasure. If that’s what sex should be like, I’ll take as much of it as I can, thank you very much. It’s just a shame he has to go back to his parents’ tonight. Maybe I can poach him for a little while later, before he goes.

* * *

Being more relaxed, I found myself able to really enjoy the evening reception. Trudi and James’s first dance was sweet, even if he was a little clumsy, and I enjoyed dancing with her and the other bridesmaids, as well as Nathan and Stuart, who I couldn’t quite look in the eye once Nathan had informed me that he was the infamous Bronco. I even had a quick dance with James’s dad, who proved to be much more nimble on the dancefloor than he evidently is with computers.

However, the night is now drawing to a close, guests are starting to drift away, and I have something I need to do before it’s too late.

‘You know the thing you helped me with earlier?’ I whisper to Nathan.

‘Yes.’

‘I think it might need looking at again.’

‘Oh, might it?’

32

It takes me a while to orient myself when I wake. The room is still dark, and the clock on the bedside table tells me it’s half-past three in the morning. I smile as the memories of the evening come back to me, and I shiver with delight as I think about Nathan. The second time was, if anything, even better than the first. To my astonishment, I realise I must have fallen asleep, completely naked, in his arms. I sit up, hoping to be able to watch him for a while as he sleeps, only to find his side of the bed empty.

A sense of foreboding sweeps over me as I snap on the light. Did I imagine the whole thing? No. There’s the indentation where his body was, so where has he gone? I glance around the room. My dress is on its hanger, but I can’t see any sign of Nathan’s clothes. He wouldn’t have abandoned me, I’m sure of that, so where is he? Please let him not have gone home to his parents after all. There’s so much we still need to say to each other, plans we need to make. Assuming he wants to make plans. Stop it, Athena. Of course he wants to make plans. He’s not that kind of guy, remember?