dressed as Catwoman and
looked amazing; Tony was Batman and looked selfconscious.
Juan went to get the drinks and Angel
found herself scanning the room for Cal.
'He's over there,' Gemma told her friend,
knowing exactly whom she wanted to see.
Angel looked to the far side of the room. She
knew that Melanie had persuaded him to go as
Brad Pitt in Troy and she so wanted to laugh at Cal,
figuring that it would help her get over her
attraction to him, but tonight wasn't going to be the
night. He was indeed dressed as Brad Pitt, but
whereas most men would have looked ridiculous in
the Ancient Greek get-up of a leather skirt and
leather body armour, Cal looked heart-stoppingly
gorgeous and got to show off even more of his fit
body than usual.
'Oh no,' Angel whispered to Gemma. 'I so
wanted him to look a complete tit.'
'Don't worry,' Gemma told her. 'Just you wait
until you see Mel.'
Suddenly she came into view. Mel had gone for
Monroe in a big way, with the peroxide-blonde wig,
the startlingly red lipstick, the white fifties-style
dress. But her features weren't good enough to
carry it off and instead of being sexy she just looked
overly made-up and tarty.
'She looks well minging!' Angel said gleefully to
Gemma, starting to enjoy the evening. Juan
appeared with their drinks and when he told them
it was a free bar everyone cheered up even more,
knocked back the first round and sent Juan back for
refills. Angel was longing for Cal to notice her but
so far he seemed oblivious to her presence and was
constantly surrounded by people congratulating
him on his news, so she took to the dance floor with
Juan instead. He spun her round, took her in his
arms and generally showed off with her. Angel was
aware that they were the centre of attention but for
once she didn't care. She was with a gorgeous man
who adored her. When Juan took her into his arms
and kissed her, her mind was made up.
'Come on,' she whispered in his ear. 'Let's go.'
And she led him outside the clubhouse and away
from the crowds.
'Where are you taking me?' Juan asked her.
'It's a surprise, but I think you'll like it.'
They walked across the deserted football pitch.
There was a full moon in the August night sky and
it was almost as if the pitch was floodlit. Angel took
off her shoes and walked barefoot, enjoying the
feeling of the grass against her feet. They came to
the groundsman's hut and Angel felt above the
doorframe for the key, which she knew was kept
there, as it had been one of hers and Gemma's
hiding places when they got tired of watching the
match. Inside there was just a table and chair, and
a cleanly swept wooden floor. Angel took off Juan's
jacket and laid it on the floor, and told him to turn
around. She unzipped her bunny costume and
slipped it off, along with everything else. Only
when she was naked did she tell him to turn back
round and she stood before him with the pale
moonlight shimmering on her naked body.
'I'm ready now,' she whispered huskily.
Juan pulled her towards him and kissed her
deeply, then whispered, 'Oh, baby, I've been
wanting to make love with you for so long.'
Some time later Angel and Juan slipped back
into the party. Juan went to the bar to get them a
drink to celebrate and Angel found herself face to
face with Cal.
'Hi, Brad,' Angel exclaimed. 'Love the skirt!' She
laughed, seeing Cal looking so obviously embarrassed
by his costume.
'Yeah, well, it wouldn't have been my choice,
bunny girl.'
Feeling emboldened by the alcohol and by
having made love with Juan, Angel moved closer to
him and said, 'So what do you think of my outfit
then?'
Cal looked at her in the same way he had in the
club all those months ago, with such desire that
Angel's heart almost skipped a beat. 'Angie, I
wanted to say before, I'm really . . .' But at that
instant Mel joined the couple, looking less than
pleased to see them locked in intimate conversation.
Angel broke the awkward moment by saying, 'I
was just complimenting Cal on his skirt, almost