"Ah that's better," said Jai Sharma, as he slipped of his shoes and settled in his chair, a glass of Merlot in one hand and the controller for his music system in the other.
He selected a classic piece of Miles Davis and sat back to relax.
He was alone in the house, his dad was visiting family in India, his sister Priya was on a girly weekend in Leeds and his dads lady friend, Manpreet as away at a medical conference.
He planned to enjoy a relaxing weekend after a very busy few weeks at the family sweet factory.
As Miles started on "Summertime," one of Jai's favourites, he heard a car pull into the driveway outside the house.
Getting up to check, he saw his fathers girlfriend Manpreet get out of a taxi.
As she entered the house he asked, "what's wrong? I thought you were in Birmingham."
"Bloody women drivers, " she exclaimed. "I was just past Leeds, when this stupid woman, cut right in front of me and I had nowhere to go but into the back of her."
"Are you hurt," was Jai's first question.
She replied, "no, I'm fine, shook up and pretty mad, but no physical damage, cars a write off though."
"You should have called me, I could have picked you up, taxi must have cost a fortune."
Manpreet sighed and said, "sorry, never thought of you, but the bimbo's insurance will be footing that bill."
Jai poured her a large brandy and she sat across from him on the sofa.
After a while she said, "if you want to be alone with your jazz, I can go to bed."
Jain replied, "no I'm fine, another drink?"
After a few drinks, Jai thought to himself, "she is a fine looking woman, my dad is lucky to be with her."
Jai had been so busy developing the business, he hadn't had time for much of a love life recently, in fact he couldn't remember the last time he had been with a woman.
He dismissed the thought immediately and poured himself another drink.
Meanwhile Manpreet had been having similar thoughts.
A failed marriage, money problems and finally living with a fat, balding Indian businessman, who for all his money, wasn't good in bed either, was her lot for the time being.
As she sipped her brandy, her mind wandered to Jai. He reminded her of a lover when she was a trainee doctor in India. He had the same sharp features and skin tone. She smiled to herself and wondered, not only if Jai was as well endowed as her former lover, but whether he could use his implement as well as Sunil.
A smile crossed her face.
"A penny for you thoughts," said Jai, noticing the smile.
Manpreet replied, "oh, just a nice memory from the past."
After another couple of drinks, Jai said, "well that will do for me , time I went to my bed."
He got to his feet and went over to Manpreet and said, 'are you sure you're ok?"
Manpreet replied, "yes, I'm fine, now get off to bed." She placed a light kiss on his cheek.
"Good night then," he said and began to climb the stairs .
Jai slept naked, and was asleep almost immediately.
Manpreet took a long bath to ease her body after the collision, then donned a sheer nightdress and climbed into the bed she shared with Rishi.
Unlike Jai, sleep would not come. Her mind was picturing the car pulling out into her path. But overriding that was her trying to visualise Jai , naked with a large erection.
Jai's sleep was suddenly filled with a familiar dream. He often dreamt of family holidays in India, of golden beaches beside turquoise waters. In his dreams a young woman would emerge naked from the sea and walk slowly towards him. As she approached, he recognises her, it is his sister, Priya.