Yours Unfaithfully by Geraldine C. Deer Read Free Book Online

resistance. Nothing needed to be said so he let the moment take care of itself, hoping that she wouldn’t make a sudden move away from him. Silence really was golden, he mused. All around them people continued to drone on, while the music kept up a steady thump, but they were unaware of it. They were enjoying these precious moments, each believing that they alone were relishing the intimacy of their encounter.
    Quite by accident, Ratty reasoned, he’d ended the evening in the arms of a beautiful woman while all around people were dancing and carrying on conversations that had little or no point. He surveyed the crowded sitting room and realised that no one was taking any notice of them. It was as if they were invisible. In the midst of so many people they were quite alone. A tingling sensation was developing deep inside his chest, one he hadn’t experienced in years, and still he knew exactly what it was. The last time had been fifteen years ago when he’d met Sharon, his wife, on a skiing holiday. Then he hadn’t been afraid to say it, ‘Love at first sight’, but was it only for teenagers? Love was a silly word anyway, only in English he reasoned, could you use the same word to describe the passion you felt for your lover as for your need for a glass of beer.
    The mood was surreal. He’d only come here tonight to gain his colleagues’ approval. He’d never expected this. But that followed ‘Ratty’s Rule’ to the letter, a rule he had believed ever since he was at school. ‘Things never turn out the way you expect them to.’ Was Melanie asleep? Was she even aware that she was ensconced in his arms? If so she must be happy with the situation? He blocked that line of thought, reminding himself that she’d consumed too much wine. In a moment she would wake up, compose herself and disappear next door, and into the arms of her loving husband. Pangs of jealousy stabbed Ratty where two minutes ago he’d felt a very different emotion. Battling with his feelings he questioned himself, should I wake her? She might be horrified to find she’s been asleep in my lap in front of so many people. Go on... wake her... I will, in a minute, she looks so peaceful, so... so lovely, and she’s in my arms. God this isn’t meant to be ...but I’m loving every second of it. Melanie stirred and looked up at him, she took a few seconds to locate herself, and when she did she tried to remember how she had come to end up in Ratty’s embrace. Despite the awareness that she was deep in the arms of a man she hardly knew, a man she’d only met two hours ago, she made no attempt to move. A sense of belonging invaded her. Her limbs refused to take orders. She was powerless to move away from him, or even to sit up straight. Her mind was translating pulses from every inch of her body, subliminal messages of contentment. She wasn’t moving because she was happy where she was. Common sense was telling her that she should get up, end this interlude now before people noticed, before people pointed at her, but her heart was overruling her head. She wanted to stay fast in his arms, she wanted more! As she slowly rejoined the real world thoughts of her problems at work came flooding back. She remembered how useless she felt at work, how undervalued she was at home, that word ‘failure’ came charging back at her. Why then, was this lovely human being showering her with kindness? She thought about the things she’d told Nina. Nina, oh my God, where was Nina? I’m in her house laying on her new boss in a drunken stupor, and next door my children are playing, and my husband is due home at any moment. I’ve taken leave of my senses. With great difficulty she pushed herself away from Ratty and slowly stood up, a little wobbly at first. She looked down at the man with whom she’d spent the last two hours, two wonderful hours. She smiled tenderly.
    “I must go, I had too much wine. I hope I haven’t spoilt your evening!”
    He looked at her