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and decline on the basis that she wouldn't trust a baby-sitter to look after George, but to his surprise she nodded enthusiastically.

During the journey home it was as if someone had brought Sam back to life. She was bubbly, talkative, and actually laughed. Spontaneously. Three times! Chris felt all his anger melt away as he looked at her with affection, and after they'd got home, bathed George, and put him to bed, Sam, for the first time since George, initiated sex.

And not only that, she was an animal. She couldn't get enough. Chris had always taken the lead, but suddenly Sam was growling with lust and contorting her body into positions he'd never even heard of.

It was fucking amazing.

Little did Chris know that while Sam was kissing his lips, she was thinking of Dan. While moaning with pleasure as she licked his left nipple, she was imagining Dan. While trailing a tongue down his stomach, she was dreaming of Dan.

She closed her eyes and let lust wash over her body, vaguely conscious of not calling out Dan's name, but picturing him with every moan, every shiver of lust, experiencing a passion she didn't think existed for her anymore. Afterward, when Chris had gone to sleep and Sam was lying in bed, eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling, she indulged in an elaborate fantasy about Dan falling head over heels in love with her, leaving Jill, and Lily. She, Dan, and George would live happily ever after. Who knows, maybe even Jill and Chris would get together. . . . Stranger things had happened.

She ran over every possibility, thought through every outcome, while Chris tossed and turned next to her, and when she eventually went to sleep at two o'clock in the morning she had a smile on her face.

The next few days are filled with thoughts of Dan. In an odd sort of way her newfound crush has enabled her to be nicer to Chris. She accepts now that she married the wrong man. It's not his fault, it just isn't meant to be, and with that knowledge she is able to treat him with kindness, with courtesy, because he, after all, doesn't know that she is just biding her time.

Surely Dan feels the same way. She spends hours thinking about that afternoon, going over every glance, every laugh, every movement. Remember how he kissed her hello? Surely that's far too intimate a gesture, one he reserves for women he finds overwhelmingly gorgeous. Surely it was just her.

Remember how he came to sit next to her, brushing his thigh against hers? A sign if ever there was one. Remember how he told her the weight suited her? Weight! Suited her! He liked her like this! Definitely flirting. She hugs herself and smiles, a warm glow enveloping her body. He was definitely flirting and he definitely feels the same way.

A part of her half expects him to phone, is disappointed when the phone rings and it's someone else. Each time the bell breaks into the silence she jumps. Each time she picks it up she hesitates before pouting into the receiver, ensuring her voice sounds sensual and provocative.

“Hello,” she purrs as the phone rings this morning, praying it's Dan, praying he's been thinking about her as much as she's been thinking about him.

“Hello. It's me. What's the matter?” It's Chris.

“Nothing's the matter. Why?”

“You sound peculiar. You didn't sound like you.”

“And who else could I possibly sound like?”

“To be honest you sounded a bit like the rabbit in the Caramac ad.”

A smile spreads itself upon her face. That is exactly the effect she had intended. “Did I?” Her voice is innocence itself. “How flattering. I must try and make my voice sound like that more often.”

“Hmmm. Sounds very interesting.” Chris smiles, thinking of his gorgeous sexy wife in bed the other night. “Could produce unexpectedly nice results.”

“Is everything okay?” Her voice is back to normal. Sam has no wish to encourage Chris's lustful thoughts mid morning.

“Yup. I've just spoken to Jill. The Castaway tickets are for six-fifteen on Sunday night, which means we can go for supper afterward. Jill suggested Montana.”

“Great!” The enthusiasm is back in Sam's voice as she starts to plan, already, what to wear. “Sounds lovely.”

“And you definitely think your mum's not going to pull one of her numbers and claim to be busy on the night?”

“No. I made her swear. She's definitely going to baby-sit, but we have to be back by eleven.”

“Eleven?” Chris lets out a