But when she looks up at Serge, her expression changes.
‘Oh, Serge,’ she trills. ‘It is you, isn’t it? How are you these days?’
‘Hey, Maggie,’ he says. ‘Very well, thanks. Working up at St Faith’s now.’
‘Step up from here,’ she replies. ‘And is this your wife? Girlfriend?’
‘This is my partner in crime,’ he says, pinching my bum so that I startle. ‘Emma.’
She looks me up and down and there’s a twinkle in her eye that says I know what he’s been doing to you. I flush and concentrate on packing the bag.
‘You want to watch him in supermarkets, love,’ she said. ‘He was always getting into trouble when he used to work here. I suppose there isn’t so much chance of that at St Faith’s.’
‘Most of the people I work with are out of it,’ he says ruefully. ‘I’m an anaesthetist. It’s nice to see people with their eyes open occasionally.’
She smiles. ‘Just their eyes? That’ll be twenty-seven pounds fifty, love.’
Outside in the car park, there is a moment of awkwardness. I have packed all our groceries together, mine and his combined.
‘How much do I owe you?’
‘Oh, sod that, I’m not going through the receipt doing sums,’ he says. ‘Let’s sort it out when we get back to my place.’
‘Oh, we’re going back to your place, are we?’
‘Or yours. Either way. We’ve got some cherries left, haven’t we?’
If you’re ever in the BargainBuy off the main town roundabout, watch out for frottage in the fruit aisle, canoodling in the canned goods. You never know what you and your unco-operative trolley might stumble upon.
Deep End
Terri Pray
‘I thought you just wanted to stick your toe in the water, Cathy?’ Mags’s hand tightened on her arm.
Cathy sighed and turned to look at her friend. ‘Look, no one made you come with me. This was your choice, not mine.’ Not that she regretted having a friend to lean on here but Mags didn’t have to know that. Even she had to admit that the club was a bit on the wild side. With chains hanging from the black-painted walls, alcoves with St Andrew’s crosses, whipping posts, spanking benches, and more, the place was more than she’d ever imagined possible.
‘Why don’t we go down town? There’s a new club we could try, free drinks for women until midnight.’ Mags leaned in a little closer. ‘I don’t like how they’re looking at you.’
‘You mean us.’
‘No, you.’ Mags insisted.
Cathy frowned but stopped and took a second look around, this time focusing on the men and women in the club. More than one gaze had turned her way and the intensity in their looks all but stripped what little clothing she was wearing from her body.
‘Perhaps you should have worn something a little different?’ Mags whispered.
Cathy looked down, flushed, and then lifted her chin. ‘I figured this would help me fit in.’ OK, so perhaps the short black miniskirt, stockings, heels, black bustier and a little black velvet choker hadn’t been the wisest set of choices.
‘Come on, please. Let’s get out of here before …’ Mags pleaded and took a step toward the door.
‘Before what?’
‘Before something stupid happens.’
Her jaw set and she turned, slowly removing Mags’s hand from her arm. ‘Like what?’
‘I don’t know, maybe before one of those leather-wearing weirdos comes over here.’