The log fire in the dining room at Clos Maggiore crackled and hissed as Greg took Rosanna's hands between his and looked deep into her green eyes.
"I suppose, Rosanna, what I'm trying to say is, will you do me the honour of marrying me?"
Rosanna blushed.
"Yes, of course, you silly man. What took you so long!"
And leaning forward across the table, Rosanna kissed Greg hard and deep.
***
Rosanna had of course expected this. "London's most romantic restaurant" was a bit obvious, even by Greg's standards.
So she had primped, and preened, and manicured everything in sight, to make sure she looked absolutely *perfect* for the big moment.
She was again wearing her favourite pink Hervรฉ Lรฉger dress, which clung to her voluptuous body like an infatuated lover.
Anticipating an evening of celebratory post-engagement sex, underneath she wore a slinky pair of lace knickers, in a dark burgundy colour, and a matching bra so sheer that it served more as ornament than concealment.
This was going to be a good night.
Engagement, forward progress, pushing her dangerous liaison with Taylor behind her, and moving on to a happy future with the man she almost certainly loved.
Leaning forward across the table, she made sure Greg got an eyeful of her cleavage.
"I can't wait to get you home, Mr. Future Husband" she purred. "I'm going to give you the best b--"
***
"I'm very sorry to interrupt Sir, Madam," the waiter said apologetically. "But one of the other tables saw your happy moment and asked me to bring this, with their compliments."
And he placed a bottle of 2002 Dom Perignon in the ice bucket by their table.
"Oh how lovely!", exclaimed Rosanna. "Will you point them out so that I can thank them?"
The waiter gestured towards the other side of the room, where a blonde couple sat.
Rosanna's breath caught for a second.
"Is that who I think it is?" hissed Greg.
Rosanna sighed. "You know what, I think it might be."
***
"I can't believe you two know each other," said Greg in wonder. He turned to Rosanna. "I really thought that might be the sort of thing you'd mention in passing," he said with mock severity.
"At Aitchison Maitland we treat the confidentiality of our clients with the utmost importance", Rosanna said prissily.
"She really is sooo professional," Taylor interjected.
Taylor's boyfriend, Joe, chipped in. "Taylor never tells me anything either, just 'go here', 'go there', and I follow like an obedient puppy".
"I am taking notes", giggled Rosanna.
Draining her glass of champagne, Taylor stood up abruptly from the table.
"Will you excuse us for just one moment?" Taylor smiled. "Joe, you and Greg can talk about rugby or whatever you London boys like".
Turning on her heel, the leggy pop star strutted away towards the ladies' room, her pert bum wiggling through her short black dress.
Rosanna offered a helpless, foolish, grin in the direction of her fiancรฉ. Then she obediently followed Taylor to the bathroom.
***
Taylor closed the bathroom door, and bolted it. Rosanna stood in the stiflingly hot little room, with her back against the sink.
"God, you look good enough to eat in that dress", Taylor growled.
"Thanks, that's very sweet of you to say. But-"
"But I'm angry with you, Rosanna. You can't just text me and end things like you did."
Taylor cast around for the right words.
"It was just...so casually cruel? It hurt me."
"I'm sorry Taylor, truly I am. I suppose I just thought it was easier this way. Cleaner? So we could both move on. You've got Joe, I've got Greg, you know?"
Taylor looked meaningfully at Rosanna. "I've told you before, Joe isn't for you to concern yourself with."
"Well, what about Greg then? I'm going to marry him for fuck's sake! Getting caught in a lesbian affair with an international pop star probably would put a bit of a dampener on proceedings, don't you think?"
Taylor laughed.
"I don't want to speculate about your lovely husband-to-be, but I don't think he fucks you the way I do."
"There's more to a good relationship than sex, Taylor!"
"Prove it."
And lunging forward, she pressed Rosanna back against the sink.
Her mouth swooped in, and those iconic red lips halted millimetres from Rosanna's.