‘I don’t know … it was just all so strange,’ said Rosie. ‘It was hard to know whether we were really lovers or it was just a product of what we were getting up to at those meetings … and I didn’t feel I had the right to exercise any kind of claim over him. I mean, if he wanted Trix, that was his prerogative. I wasn’t his girlfriend or anything. I was just the woman he met up with for kinky activities on a Saturday afternoon. And who happened to be hopelessly in love with him.’
‘And it is returned!’ exclaimed Dimitri, taking her hand and kissing it extravagantly. ‘But you know that now. All this misunderstanding – it works out in the end. Trix is just helping me with my career. And is a happy ever after. The end.’
He made a half-bow that ended with a long-armed reach for the red wine bottle.
‘That’s a lovely story,’ said Jasper. ‘It would make a great film for your friend, wouldn’t it?’ he said to Trix. ‘I’m fascinated by the bit where you spank her in Mal’s office when you’ve only just met. I’d love to film that myself. But I suppose I have enough on my plate just now.’
‘And Rosie, she doesn’t perform,’ said Dimitri. ‘Except for me, right?’ He laughed again and put an arm around her, pulling her closer so that she nearly tipped off her chair. Uh oh, I thought. He really needs to ease off that wine.
‘Except for you,’ she repeated, looking fondly into his eyes. ‘For God’s sake, Dimitri, don’t you think you’ve had enough?’
‘Do you think?’ He pressed his lips to Rosie’s and they snogged like crazy hormonal teenagers until I was so turned on I didn’t know where to look. ‘OK,’ he murmured, breaking off. ‘Only for you, I will drink water from now. Because I don’t want to disappoint you later.’
‘You never disappoint me.’ God, you just knew it was true. Wow.
I think Jasper could sense my illicit pleasure in their dynamic, because he leaned to whisper in my ear. ‘Somebody’s got big eyes.’
‘It’s just … interesting.’
‘Hmm. I’d say “exciting” was nearer the mark, hmm?’
I swallowed. I couldn’t deny it. Something about the way they were together fascinated me. It wasn’t anything to do with my own feelings for Jasper – they were completely unchanged. I was blissfully happy and fulfilled in our relationship. It was just … I don’t know. Just because you’ve written the perfect historical drama, it doesn’t mean you never want to read another.
But I didn’t want Jasper thinking I was desperate to get underneath Dimitri.
‘Like you say, it’s a great story,’ I said. ‘Trix, your glass is empty. Let me top you up.’
She laughed. ‘I’d rather you just topped me,’ she said. Oh, dear. Another one three sheets to the wind.
‘Oh, I wouldn’t know how. I’m not good at that side of things.’
‘I bet you’ve never tried it,’ she said. ‘I’ve done it now and again, but I’m wretchedly bad at it. I keep laughing at the vital moments.’
‘I think I would too.’
Dimitri and Rosie finally stopped fooling around and took some notice of the rest of us. They were bleary-eyed and flushed. They looked like sex on a plate. All of us had suddenly lost interest in the food.
‘So, go on then,’ drawled Rosie. Her lips were full and red, and not just from the wine. ‘How did you two work things out? Sarah?’
All eyes were upon me.
‘I came here to work, as you know,’ I said. ‘And one day I, uh, happened upon some of Jasper’s private collection.’
‘Private collection?’ Trix’s eyes lit up.
‘Jasper has the most amazing collection of historical and modern BDSM paraphernalia,’ I said. ‘Like I say, I stumbled across it …’
Jasper snorted.
‘No, you didn’t.’
‘All right, I was shown it by a third party. A man who used to work here. We thought Jasper was away filming, but while we were looking at it, Jasper just happened to …’
Rosie squealed. ‘Caught red-handed!’
‘I bet that wasn’t all that was red,’ said Trix. ‘You naughty girl.’
My stomach flipped with shame and arousal.