The Skinny Girl

By Steve Matthews

Jeff’s a bit rough and more than a little uncouth, but Daisy overlooks his flaws. He’s interested in her, after all. Life with him might be a roller-coaster ride, but once they’re married, things will smooth out and they’ll build a life together.

Unfortunately, Daisy soon discovers otherwise. Her marriage h

• Language: English
• Publisher: Highlight Publishing
• Release date: Nov 1, 2018
• ISBN: 9780994628671

Steve Matthews

Born in the UK in 1953, Steve Matthews migrated to Australia in 1985. After a successful career in commercial banking, he purchased a share in an industrial business before retiring at the age of 55 to write full time. Steve’s books for young, reluctant readers and his work in children’s literacy have been acknowledged in the NSW State Parliament and his adult books have mostly dealt with women’s issues. Now a best-selling author, published in nine countries and five languages, Steve continues to write full-time from the farm he shares with his wife Diane at Razorback, in NSW. 

Book preview

Chapter 1

Daisy Croucher stared absent-mindedly into the lunch-room mirror as she waited for the kettle to boil. A pretty, mousy-haired woman stared back. Daisy had never really liked her.

That thin bottom lip that started quivering at the slightest provocation and those large, brown, frightened eyes that rarely directly engaged with anyone — she especially disliked them.

She was small busted with a lithe, slim body — some even thought she might be anorexic — and she had an unusually childlike way of standing: head bowed, hands clasped in front, toes pointing inwards. People who knew Daisy found her to be either endearing or frustrating.

She had made the blouse she was wearing and as she adjusted the top button she wished in hindsight that she had put it a little higher. She knew only too well who would be trying to look down it every time she bent forward at the counter. There were plenty of girls out there with better and bigger boobs, but for some reason hers were a source of constant fascination to Theo Poppylou, the branch accountant.

Daisy didn’t like mirrors so she turned away to read the latest health and safety memo on the noticeboard. She heard the door open and close behind her, but never took any notice until Alice spoke. You have to come to the pub tonight, Daise! Some of the staff think you’re too stuck up to have a drink with us. Alice always got straight to the point. There was no beating around the bush with her; if she had something to say she said it. "To be honest, Daise, that is what it looks like. I know what you’re like, but hell, we’re never goin’ to get you laid if you don’t overcome this shyness thing."

Alice Golding was fond of Daisy and felt sorry for her because she knew what was missing from Daisy’s life — men and sex. Even though Alice was a little on the tubby side, she wore her tops low enough and her skirts high enough to convey a certain message to the opposite sex that was rarely misinterpreted.

Alice was single by choice, enjoyed promiscuity and was so confident within herself that she had no problems speaking openly about her love life or her body, regardless of who was around. Last month she decided to tell everyone in the lunch-room that she plucked her nipples. It was far too confronting for Daisy, so she made an excuse and quickly left. Then a few days ago Alice started gossiping about Theo’s lack of personal hygiene and weight. Try as I may, I can’t figure out how the fuck he wipes his arse — his arms aren’t long enough to reach all the way around his gut for starters. And how the hell does he shag Angela; she’s as big as he is!

There was no doubting it, Alice was what Daisy’s family would have called ‘out there’, and she had now said her piece about Friday night drinks. As she turned to leave, Alice stopped at the door. See you at the pub tonight, Daise? We’ll be expecting you.

As soon as Alice disappeared Daisy rushed to the toilet and locked herself in her usual cubicle, third on the right. She lifted the lid and sat down, head in hands, mind racing.

How the hell was she going to get out of this? Her first thought was to make an excuse; after all, Alice hadn’t given her much notice. It was a bit much to ask wasn’t it? A girl could have stuff to do on a Friday night, the start of the weekend. There could be places to go, the movies, restaurants, family things. Maybe she could say she had a headache or her periods were heavy; the girls knew she suffered from period pain.

No-one took any notice when Daisy settled back in her position behind the counter fifteen minutes later. Conversation was kept to the minimum and everyone seemed to be concentrating on their work. Two auditors had turned up midway through the week and they were now crouched over Theo’s desk looking at some documents. It was always heads down and bums up when the auditors were around.

Several customers were standing in the banking chamber, one of them cleaning his fingernails with a key and the other staring at the ceiling. A phone rang somewhere in the background and Alice was at the counter handling a wages transaction, counting bundles of notes and bags of coin, flirting with the man she was serving. She often teased the older male customers to help break the boredom.

What with the hum of the faulty air-conditioning unit, the humidity and the sound of the auditors talking in the background it would have been easy to fall asleep in the banking chamber that afternoon. It was a small branch, an old sandstone building on a quiet corner at the not so busy end of the high street. Business clients and mum and dad accounts were an even split, which was unusual for a branch in Western Sydney. Holding the trust accounts of the largest solicitors and real estate agents in the region helped enormously, and the branch was considered to be a highly profitable and well run unit.

Fewer clients meant less counter activity, and that usually translated to more talk time, but only when the auditors or Mr Jefferies, the manager, was not around. Jefferies was a member of every business club and service organisation in Western Sydney so he always seemed to be out at a function. The auditors were there to count the paper clips and report on the trust accounts and term deposits, but everyone knew they commented on more than just ledgers when they got back to District Office – there was always a section on staff at the end of every audit report. Fortunately it was Friday and the auditors were keen to leave early to miss the peak hour traffic.

Having a drink together on the last Friday of every month was a branch tradition, and Daisy was the only non-regular attendee out of the ten staff, even though she had been working there since leaving school two years ago. Her failure to join in made her the subject of lunch-room gossip, and the general opinion was that she was too up herself to mix socially. Alice was the only one who had taken the time to really get to know Daisy so she knew the truth — she was shy, that’s all.

We’re all the result of our upbringing, Theo said when Daisy was being discussed in her absence.

So, you were raised by perverts were you, Poppy? Alice found it easy to put Theo in his place; all she had to do was call him Poppy. He hated the nickname and always bristled when it was used in front of the rest of the staff. He may have been the branch accountant, but Alice did not respect him or his position, and she made no secret about it.

Theo was the branch sleaze. Every workplace has one; he was theirs, and he had attached himself to Daisy from her very first day. He was the one who trained her in admin procedures, handling basic counter transactions and dealing with the resulting dockets and paperwork. Right from the start he always insisted she sit on a stool not a chair, and she lost count of the number of times she caught him trying to look up her skirt or down her top as she perched precariously next to him.

Alice had warned Daisy about sleazy Theo and how he had tried to move in on her when she first joined the bank. But Theo had chosen the wrong person when he picked on Alice all those years ago. Look, if you want me to play with your cock or show you my tits just ask, OK, and we’ll see what we can arrange. Alice said it loud enough for everyone to hear and Theo left her alone after that, but Daisy could never be so confrontational. She was far too shy. As her father used to say, She wouldn’t say boo to a goose when she was a littley.

As a result, Daisy stretched her skirt over her knees whenever she sat near Theo, and she was always careful not to show too much when she climbed off the stool. She also made sure her blouse was buttoned all the way up, regardless of the weather.

So, Daisy, I hear you are honouring us with your presence at the pub tonight? Theo asked.

Where did you hear that, Poppy? Daisy tried to appear disinterested.

It’s just a rumour and I’m running a book on it. I’ve got a dollar says you won’t be there. Daisy cringed when she saw the brackish patch of perspiration under Theo’s armpit as he reached for a pen.

Alice jumped to Daisy’s defence. Leave her alone Poppy or we’ll never get her there! Alice looked at Daisy but she was speaking to Theo. It was a hopeful look because she knew it would be good for Daisy to go for a drink. She never went anywhere, seeming to prefer to stay home every night of the week sewing or watching TV with her parents.

I’ll be waiting for you, Daisy. I’ll buy you a drink, Theo said over his shoulder as he walked towards the auditors. The very thought of being anywhere outside the branch with Theo and his sweaty armpits made Daisy feel uncomfortable and she wanted to escape to her toilet cubicle again, but a regular customer had decided to step forward and stand in front of her position.

Hot? the woman asked when she saw how flushed Daisy looked.

Ummhmm, Daisy replied, head bowed, already ticking items off the deposit slip.

Chapter 2

Even though she tried to string things out and had checked her till count three times, Daisy knew she was trapped when the branch finally closed. There seemed to be no escape as Alice was already waiting at the door with Daisy’s jacket neatly folded over her arm.

A conga line of smartly dressed bank employees had already made its way down the road to The George, chattering like kindy kids on an out-of-school visit. Theo forced a glass into Alice and Daisy’s hands as soon as they arrived. Daisy sniffed hers; orange juice. She took a big drink and started coughing.

The alcohol burned her throat, her eyes watered and she coughed so hard that Alice had to rub her back. I don’t think she’s had vodka and orange before, she said. Come on, Daise. Man up, get it downya.

Some potato chips appeared as Daisy finished her drink. Theo spotted the empty glass and insisted on getting her another. Not vodka and orange this time please, Poppy. Daisy had no idea that you couldn’t taste vodka in tonic water either, but Theo did. As the effects of Daisy’s second drink took hold she started to relax, although she felt quite self-conscious about the red glow on face and neck. Alcohol always made her flush, which was just one of the reasons why she rarely drank.

Daisy had only been in a few pubs during her lifetime and she discovered early on just how much she disliked them and why: smoke, sticky carpets, the smell of beer and worst of all, the ever-constant jangling and clanging of poker machines. Her mother Violet had told her about the evils of gambling, how it ruined people’s lives and broke up families. Breaking up families was the worst of all sins, according to Violet.

The George was no different than any of the pubs Daisy had already visited.

Everything seemed the same, even the people appeared vaguely familiar; a collection of scruffy men sitting alone at tables around the perimeter and between them and the bar the more boisterous drinkers, jostling each other as they boasted and told well-worn jokes that ended in outrageously loud laughter.

More office workers had taken possession of the lounge bar, making it difficult to order a drink. The adjacent room was crammed with poker machines, their players a mixture of bored, chain-smoking middle-aged women, a few pensioners and the usual selection of hard core gamblers. Daisy watched them move from machine to machine searching for the one that was primed and ready to pay. The clanking of cash and tinkling of bells drifted into the other bar where the heavy drinkers, smokers and storytellers stood around pedestal tables. The hunters of women also had their place, taking up residence at one end of the crowded bar, eyeing off prospective conquests and providing their mates with a running commentary of the benefits they could bestow upon their next lucky conquest.

Voices were raised as background noise increased; someone had turned the jukebox up for Jimmy Barnes singing Working Class Man. At the same time there was a loud celebratory cheer from the poker machine area – a particularly raucous crowd of factory workers were having a great time nearby. The George was a popular after-work venue for all types.

Daisy’s family were not pub people. They occasionally visited their local club for a cheap meal, but that was the extent of it. There was something about pubs, something that made Daisy feel uncomfortable and itchy and left her wanting a shower when she got home.

Alice had her back to Daisy as she flirted with the branch loans officer. Poppy had disappeared somewhere but threatened to return soon and when Daisy turned around she realised she was alone. She tried to look as if she belonged, desperately waiting for the clock to reach seven so she could make her excuses and leave without causing offence.

Raising her glass to her mouth she pretended to drink as she surveyed the room. She knew that the longer she stayed the more vulnerable she was, especially with Theo hovering around, trying to spike her drinks. She could see his confidence rise by the minute, though she had done nothing to encourage him. The thought of Theo groping her in the car park as they said goodnight was just too much for Daisy. He had a problem with his personal hygiene and was also married with a brand new baby at home. How could he even look at another woman? What was that about?

Daisy had never had a real boyfriend and she had the Theos of this world to thank for that. Imagine having to kiss someone like Poppy goodnight? The thought terrified her. She could feel the alcohol in her system now so she knew she would have to wait until after seven to be safe to drive home. She decided upon a new tactic — she would get her own drinks from now on — that way she would know what was in them. Feeling pleased with her decision she turned towards the bar to order a glass of tonic water and that was when he caught her eye.

Oh my God, Daisy thought as she turned away. She looked again towards the far end of the bar. There he was, joking around with a small group of boisterous men, all wearing fluoro jackets, dark blue pants with large patch pockets on the side and steelcapped boots. They looked like a real bunch of likely lads, or unlikely lads as Daisy’s Aunty Lil would have said. They were eyeing the women, trying to goad a reaction by making crude comments to those who had the courage or misfortune to venture near them. The factory men seemed to have positioned themselves in a good spot for hunting, because it was impossible to reach the women’s toilets without passing them.

Daisy ordered her drink then continued to watch the hunters at work from the safety of the bar. After about ten minutes or so she realised that the women had two distinct reactions to the men’s comments.

The first appeared to be offended by their remarks. With their noses in the air they adjusted their pencil skirts and tight blouses then trounced away in a huff. The other type responded in a similar manner, but once they had passed the men they paused momentarily and looked back over their shoulders to see if they were still being stared at or discussed.

Daisy couldn’t help but wonder whether she would be a stern face and offended or a second looker. Was she brave enough to find out? No way. Absolutely not! However, the alcohol and the atmosphere in the room were giving her courage. But she couldn’t walk past the factory men on her own, could she?

Theo was back and Daisy grabbed his sleeve and surprised herself by demanding that he escort her to the Ladies.

It turned out that Daisy was a second looker.

Chapter 3

When she returned to the bar Daisy realised she was shaking. How on earth had she managed to summon up so much courage? Vodka! Alice was amazed to discover what Daisy had done. You little dark horse you! Where are they, which ones?

Another? Theo waved an empty glass towards the girls.

Don’t give her any more vodka, Poppy, she’s not used to booze and she’s dangerous enough as it is! Alice was hugging Daisy like a proud mother. Theo disappeared to get another drink and the two women positioned themselves at an appropriate angle to be able to converse with the branch crowd and keep an eye on the factory men at the same time. Daisy took a sneak peek. He was still there and had sensed that she was looking because he turned his head at just the right moment, looked over his shoulder, and winked.

I saw that! Alice screamed above the noise. Hey, he’s kind of cute, isn’t he? I like his mate, the one with the beard. I love hairy men.

Theo handed the drinks around. You love hairy men? You’re in the right place at the right time, my dear Alice. All Greek men are hairy!

Alice took her drink and raised her eyebrow in that casual, matter-of-fact manner of hers. Greek blokes also like anal sex, Poppy, and there’s no way you are ever going anywhere near my bum-hole, no matter how hairy your dick is!

You can try mine for size if you like, Poppy, you could get a ferret and a gerbil up my arse and still have room for a kebab. John Robinson — Robbo — the loans officer was funny, crude, single and handsome. He was a player but he liked posh North Shore girls, not common Westies like Alice or Daisy. But that never stopped Alice flirting with him at every opportunity. After all, if she could get him drunk enough he might cave in one day and she could be the first girl at the branch to do him. And there was always the Christmas party in the city. Who knows, she might get lucky with Robbo then?

The room was throbbing with noise now. The jukebox had been turned up again and Jimmy Barnes was still going strong with Tina Turner singing Simply the Best, while here and there people joined in with the chorus. Conversation had reached fever pitch and more drinkers arrived, giving the place a real buzz, almost a party atmosphere.

Making the decision to leave Theo and Robbo at the bar, Alice took hold of Daisy’s hand and dragged her across the room towards the factory men. To Daisy’s surprise, Alice didn’t hesitate to push her way into the group, making sure she was next to the one with the beard leaving Daisy with the Winker. Alice started chatting to the Beard immediately, but Daisy struggled with the Winker. As her face turned red she reverted to her usual tactic of pretending to drink to hide her nervousness.

You look lonely, the Winker finally said through a shroud of cigarette smoke.

And you look drunk, Daisy said over the top of her glass.

Ah yes, but tomorrow, I won’t be drunk… he waiting for Daisy to finish the sentence. She didn’t, so he did. And tomorrow, you will still be lonely…

And that was the start of it.

His name was Jeff. He refused to tell Daisy his surname so she asked his bearded friend, Greg, who already had an arm around Alice. He’s Jeff. Just call him Jeff, that’s all.

So Jeff it was; a mystery man with no last name. He shared a great little shag-pad with his best mate, Greg, and they both worked in the same factory, driving forklifts, loading and unloading trucks and other general warehouse work. He had no problem telling Daisy all about himself.

It seemed that his employers did not appreciate him. He could do the boss’s job with his eyes shut but preferred to work in the warehouse. You see, the trouble with bosses is they’re all out of touch, all of ’em. Fat cats with no idea how the average man thinks. He spoke with a level of authority that, at a different time, Daisy may have felt was misplaced. But not tonight, thanks to the alcohol.

It appeared that life had always been unfair to Jeff, but what the fuck, he always had enough for a beer and never had trouble getting a woman to share his bed when the need arose.

Surprisingly, Daisy never flinched when Jeff mentioned his love life. Maybe it was because she was drinking beer now, on top of the two vodkas. Jeff had insisted she have a beer. Those fancy spirits are shit. We all drink Victoria Bitter at this end of the bar, good old VB, a man’s drink. Even the sheilas drink it. So Daisy had a beer like everyone else, but her glass remained virtually untouched in her hand for over an hour. Despite Jeff’s insistence, she refused a top-up.

Before Daisy realised, nine thirty had come and gone and it was time for Jeff and his mates to leave. They had been there since three thirty, straight from work. We finish early on Fridays, gives us a good start on the weekend, he said. Daisy realised she had hardly spoken a word since she arrived at Jeff’s side, but he didn’t seem to notice or care. He enjoyed talking about himself and had hardly asked her a question all night. He knew her name, what suburb she lived in and where she worked. That was enough for Jeff and Daisy was relieved anyway, because she did not like talking about herself at the best of times.

It seemed that Jeff had an opinion on everything that mattered and most things that did not. Strangely, he didn’t seem to mind the occasional spell of silence between himself and Daisy, as that gave him a chance to drink properly. When there was still nothing to say he leaned back against the bar and surveyed the room. He was the king; this was his kingdom.

With Greg draped all over her, Alice made her excuses to leave. She told Daisy that Greg was too drunk to be of value tonight, but she felt he might be useful in the morning. They usually are, she said with a grin. See ya back at their place, Daise?

Daisy scrunched her face into a maybe not.

Coffee on Monday then? Alice extended a hand towards Jeff without waiting for Daisy’s reply. Goodnight, matey, she said with a smile.

He replied with, See ya ’round some time.

After Alice and Greg pushed through the crowd and disappeared into the car park, Jeff said to Daisy, Your mate seems nice. I like ’em like that – big tits, a bit on the chunky side. Nice.

Daisy felt an instant twinge of disappointment at Jeff’s comment and she carried it inside for a while. Alice did have a large bust, a very big personality too, and chunky was probably an apt description. She was very popular with men.

Jeff didn’t have a car, so Daisy volunteered her services as chauffeur and a few minutes into the journey she summoned the courage to ask him about his comments about chunky women. So you prefer bigger girls like Alice, do you Jeff, not skinny little things like me?

I likes something to get hold of meself, but a change is as good, he said. They fell silent for a few minutes and Jeff appeared to be not far from closing his eyes for the night when he suddenly jerked himself awake and said, Over there, just behind the Ford. Daisy parked outside a dingy looking apartment block. This is it, home sweet home! Jeff said, and he turned in his seat and looked at Daisy through bloodshot eyes. Skinny sheilas like you can be OK sometimes. For a change, as it were.

Jeff was slurring his words but still managed to ask Daisy if she wanted to join him for a coffee. Greg’s prob’ly rooting the arse of yer mate, but don’t let that bother ya, we’re all pals now, eh?

Daisy politely refused the offer. There was no way she was going to end up in bed with a drunk as his best friend and hers were doing God knows what in the room next door.

Despite her refusal to join Jeff for a coffee, and all it would have led to if she had accepted, Daisy knew right then and there that she was going to lose her virginity to Jeff. Something inside her said he was the one; but not tonight. I have to go, she said, making ready to leave. They arranged to meet at The George the next night and he stumbled out of the car without so much as a goodnight or a kiss on the cheek.

As Daisy drove home her head was spinning. Jeff had her in the palm of his hands and they both knew it. From the moment their eyes met it seemed obvious to Daisy that something significant was going to happen between them. There were no sparks flying when their hands accidentally touched and she didn’t hear angels singing when he looked at her, but there was something about him. He was manly, strong, tall and wiry with a face full of bristles and a square jaw beneath a long, slightly bent nose. And his eyes! They were deep set, and very deep. Jeff was so mysterious and enigmatic that Daisy had an ache when she thought of him, somewhere she couldn’t tell anyone about. She had never felt that way before and she certainly liked the feeling.

***

Alice and Daisy met for a coffee the next day. Greg had come good earlier in the morning, just as Alice had predicted. Twice, as it happened. But he wasn’t much chop either time. She asked Daisy what had gone on between her and Jeff and was told it was all quite innocent so far, but…

Look, Daise, you’re not going to float away on a cloud when it finally happens. Trust me on that. Alice found herself laughing as she told Daisy about the time she lost her own virginity. Daisy started to ask questions, using words that she never thought would ever come out of her mouth. Three cups of coffee later and they were still talking about sex.

Daisy was spellbound when Alice spoke of past boyfriends, the size of their… things and where they put them, what they made her do with them.

What happens if they have a really huge penis? Daisy asked enthusiastically.

Listen up, Daise, let me give you a tip right here and now. This was Alice the school teacher talking. Blokes don’t call them penises, or at least, the kind you and I shag don’t. They’re cocks or dicks. Be wary of a bloke that calls his cock a penis. Penny to a pound he’s gay.

The conversation continued, Daisy becoming more enthralled with every passing minute. She was a keen apprentice and even thought about taking notes at one stage! Alice talked about her love of real men. Rough stubble or, better still, beards, hairy backs and hairy arses. I don’t like ’em smelling of deodorant either, that’s a bit poncy for me, she said. I prefer the smell of a real man – and the taste.

By the time they finished, Alice had told Daisy enough to know what to do and how to do it, what men liked, what they wanted and more importantly, what they expected. As Daisy lay in the bath later that afternoon, getting ready for her first real date with Jeff, she realised she was touching herself, down there, imagining it was Jeff’s hand between her legs. There was so much to experience, so much to learn. Jeff was going to lift her up so she could see over the horizon. That was what experienced men like Jeff did for their women, wasn’t it? He may have been a bit on the rough side, a bit different from the men at the bank but he was mysterious, and so manly. There was nothing fake about Jeff, no airs and graces, and Daisy remembered what he had told her the previous night, I am what I am. People can take me or leave me because I don’t really give a shit either way.

She couldn’t wait for the adventure to begin.

Chapter 4

When Daisy arrived at The George for her first date with Jeff, he was already with his mates, which surprised Daisy as she thought she had a date with him, not him and them. She shrugged off her disappointment. No matter. He was dressed in black shorts, a white t-shirt, and white sports socks under a pair of scruffy Dunlop Volleys, which she later learned were what he called his old faithfuls. This was his favourite attire: comfortable, easy to put on and even easier to take off. And that was important, he told her with a sly grin.

On the other hand, Daisy had spent nearly an hour changing between the only two non-work outfits she owned, trying to decide what was appropriate. She chose a floral skirt that she had made under Aunty Lil’s guidance five years before and a simple plain green top over her best white bra, which she stuffed with tissues for good measure, remembering that Jeff like busty women. She spent a few minutes adjusting them, stuffing and puffing getting things just so, but was still not happy. That was Daisy’s biggest regret: no boobs! Jeff said he liked women he could get a hold of, women like Alice, but what could Daisy do? She was as skinny as one of Lil’s chooks; no matter what she did, she couldn’t make herself look bigger.

She wasn’t far from tears before she realised that Jeff was meeting her anyway, regardless of how big her tits were, so she couldn’t have been that bad, could she? And then doubt reared its ugly head. Perhaps she was the only thing available for the weekend: Chunky Alice has already hooked up with Greg so Jeff was left with skinny Daisy. Was Jeff taking one for the team? The thought lingered at the back of Daisy’s mind as she drove across town to The George.

As soon as she saw Jeff she felt that ache again, that itch down there, especially when he pecked her on the cheek and clamped his arm around her waist. She liked his greeting, the fact that he hadn’t shaved, and she also noticed that his arm was not around her waist but lower, over her hips, so his hand rested on the top of her buttocks where she let it remain. It was OK to touch.

Jeff was halfway through a plate of hot chips and he picked the longest one he could find and waved it in front of her face. Could you manage a mouth full of this? he asked, much to his mates’ amusement. As he dangled it towards her mouth she turned her face away, leaving a smudge of tomato sauce across her cheek. A hot flush rose rapidly up her neck onto her face, as if someone had just turned a red light on inside her skull. Jeff laughed at her embarrassment and surprised her by wiping her face with a paper napkin. He was thoughtful; that was nice.

As the evening wore on, Jeff kept his arm around Daisy, laying claim to his piece of real estate. He spoke more to his mates than to her, but she still felt as if she belonged; not so much a bolt-on member of the group but a part of him, attached at the hip. She was quiet most of the time, preferring to listen to Jeff talk, and she enjoyed watching his face, the way he said eh? at the end of his sentences and the animated way his mouth moved when he talked. He was chewing gum most of the night and she couldn’t help but stand there and imagine that mouth of his, closing onto hers in their first passionate kiss.

At one stage he unexpectedly asked her a question but her mind was elsewhere and she found herself making an excuse, pretending she never heard what he said. She sneaked off to the toilets where she closed her eyes dreamily and wiped away the wetness between her legs. Back at the bar