"So by that time the cabbie wasn't in a particularly cooperative mood. He absolutely refused to go to my mum's and then back to Jimmy's, even with the promise of a large tip, because he said he was tired, it was his last run of the night and he wanted to go home -- which was over on the Heatherlanes estate. In the end, I suppose there was no point in arguing so Jimmy just picked me up and carried me into his house. I have a very vague memory of being laid down and some sort of cover being put over me... and then I was completely out for the count again.
"I don't think I slept for very long because when I woke up, absolutely desperate for the toilet; it was still dark outside. It felt as if I was in the middle of a nightmare... the kind where you can't really be sure whether you're awake or still dreaming... and I remember trying to work out where the bathroom was. That's the trouble with being so used to living in a bungalow... you forget about 'upstairs.' Eventually, despite my addled condition, I managed to work it out and... God alone knows how... I also managed to get up the stairs without either making too much noise or falling and breaking my neck! Unfortunately, it was all just a bit late... because I peed a bit in my knickers before I could get them down! I know I took them off... well, obviously... but I've no idea what I did with them. They're probably still in his house somewhere!
"The next thing I can remember is waking up with a stinking headache... naked and all alone in a big, double bed.
"Jimmy told me later that he'd heard me stumbling around in the bathroom for quite a while before the cistern flushed and then, a few moments later, I staggered into the bedroom, took the rest of my clothes off and slipped in between the covers! I really have no memory whatsoever of doing that! You can't even begin to imagine how embarrassed I was when he told me about it!
"And it didn't help one little bit when he told me how tempting it had been for him! Apparently, he'd fancied me for quite some time... since we were teaching at the same school... although he'd never let on to me before. So, when I suddenly stripped off like that and climbed into his bed, I suppose he must have thought....
"Well... I'm sure you'll understand the kind of things he must have thought! The thing was, though, that he controlled himself... and he really did behave like a perfect gentleman. As soon as he was certain I was asleep... by the way, do I really snore loudly when I've been drinking? No, never mind about that. Once he knew I was sleeping, he sneaked out of bed and went downstairs.
"He ended up spending the night on the two-seater couch where he'd originally put me. God only knows how he was able to do that! I'm five-three as you know... but he's well over six-foot, and pretty solidly built, too... so it couldn't have been a comfortable experience for him and I really can't imagine that he got very much sleep.
"Well, I'd not long woken up and I was still a bit disoriented when I heard him tap on the door and ask if it was okay to come in. I could hardly refuse, could I? It was his bedroom in his house after all! So I said 'yes' or, rather, I groaned something that sounded like it.
"And I have to tell you, it was a very strange situation. I'd become extremely aware of the fact that I was naked by this time, and I'd pulled the covers right up so it was just my head and my fingers that were visible... when he came into the room with a big, beaming smile on his face and a cup of coffee in his hand. 'Frosty this morning, isn't it?' he said and, even though it was corny, I couldn't help but return the smile.
"He was wearing a pair of pyjama bottoms, but no top, and I found my gaze wandering from his cheerful smile to the mass of curly hair on his chest and, if I'm really honest, to the very well-toned muscles. He's big and he's broad, but he doesn't seem to be carrying an ounce of spare of spare flab anywhere. I watched him as he carefully put the cup down onto top of the cabinet on the side I was occupying and I queried why he wasn't having any. But he told me he'd already had two cups while he'd been waiting for me to wake up. I hadn't realised until then that it was almost noon!
"Being a gentleman, he was about to leave me to it but I wanted to know exactly what had happened the night before. I mean, I could tell that nothing had happened between us... but I needed to know how it was that I'd ended up, stark naked, in his bed. It was while he explained what had happened that I got the first indications that he really fancied me. I can't be sure how many times the phrase 'if I hadn't known that you're married' came into it... but it was certainly more than once.
"Eventually, I learned that he'd put my clothes in his washer-drier because there'd been some vomit on them, and that they weren't quite ready yet. He told me I was welcome to take a shower... that there were fresh towels and one of his old dressing gowns in the bathroom... and he'd wait for me downstairs. After he'd left... and I'd heard him go down the stairs... I drank the coffee, had a shower, and put the dressing gown on.
"It was absolutely huge! If it was full-length on him, you can only imagine what it must have been like on me! I must have looked an awful sight in it... but at least it covered me up! I headed back to the bedroom to pick up my watch and my earrings which I'd left there while I showered. I was feeling a lot better by then but, just as I turned to leave, I must have stepped on the hem of the dressing gown because I lost my balance, stumbled a bit, and fell headlong... half on the bed and half on the floor! It obviously made a bit of noise because he came charging up the stairs to see what had happened yelling, 'Patsy! Are you alright, Patsy?'
"I didn't know whether to laugh or cry! I mean, I hadn't hurt myself or anything... but I felt so stupid! The damned dressing gown seemed to have wrapped itself around me and I was struggling to free myself and get to my feet again; but by that time he was in the room, picking me up as if I weighed nothing at all; and gently putting me down on the bed, even though I kept protesting that I was 'fine.'
"But all the time, something was happening to me. I didn't understand it at first... but I think it was something to do with the strength of the man... about the way he could pick me up so easily... as if I was nothing more than a rag doll, and just put me down again so gently. It made me feel so helpless but so... how can I explain it... so safe and secure when he held me. And then there was this kind of raw, animal, smell from him that made me feel dizzy. It sounds stupid just saying it but... he was so incredibly masculine that I could actually sense my temperature rising!
"Without even being aware of what I was doing, I curled my arms around his neck when he lifted me and then, when he'd put me down on the bed and attempted to move away I... I just held on to him! I just clung to him, Geoffrey... I couldn't help myself!
"He tried again to move away from me, very gently... but I wouldn't... just couldn't... let go of him. Our eyes met and I could see the desire in him and feel the heat in myself. I heard his voice whispering; 'Patsy... you're married. We....' But I didn't want to hear that... I wanted him! I heard my own voice saying "pretend I'm not... please," and then I brought my face up to his and... and I kissed him!
"He was still unsure... I could see that... but I didn't care. Our lips met... barely brushed together... and then his resistance seemed to crumble. I felt his arms start to tighten around me again... gently at first and then his lips were pressing firmly on mine and it was as if some smouldering embers had been breathed into life and a fire was beginning to rage inside me.
"There was never a chance of it being any kind of slow and gentle seduction... it was wild and fierce! We kissed again and again and the belt holding the dressing gown he'd lent me came undone as he eased himself down onto the bed beside me. I brought one hand down to run my fingers through the hairs on his chest, and then moved it again because I wanted to feel the friction of them on my breasts and against my nipples. It felt so wonderful... I just kept kissing him... pushing my tongue into his mouth ...and my head was spinning from the way it made me feel.