High Heels & Pink Glitter (the heavily edited version)

Kill or cure

The first time Nate turned up at Avril's house post after that first sex session, she pecked him on the cheek and greeted him warmly, but no differently from the last time. She made no reference to their encounter throughout the training session, so he kept quiet too.

At the end, she cast an ostentatious look at the star-burst wall clock. "I'm so sorry. I need to get on. My agent's coming round in a few hours' time."

The second session two days later was different. Again, there was no hint that they'd had sex together as Avril worked out, Nate putting her through a series of punishing bum and tum exercises on the Swiss ball, but this time at the end, she smiled at him.

"I really enjoyed our evening together, Nate." She reached out a hand to touch his cheek. "Did you?"

Did he? God, the thought of it had provided masturbatory material for the last three days. "Och, it was alright. I've had better."

For a tiny, outraged second, she looked as if she believed him. Then normality resorted itself to Avril Taylor's brain. An ordinary personal trainer from Glasgow had been in the lucky position of having sex with her. Of course, he had a fantastic time!

"Oh very funny! You remind me of my mother, you know." Seeing his bemused look, she hastened to explain. "Nothing physical, you idiot! It's just that my mum thinks her job is to keep me real. She doesn't like to think I've got above myself. Or forgotten my roots."

She looked down at the floor. Searching for those roots perhaps? When she looked up again, her mouth was open and the tip of her tongue touching her front teeth. Was she nervous, Nate wondered.

"So, ah... do you fancy a repeat performance?"

This time, Nate had an appointment. He was due to pick up the twins in two hours' time. But if he was quick... Again, he thought about and dismissed the idea of telling her of the twins' existence.

"I do," he said, noting with pleasure the wide grin she gave him. "But I've got somewhere tae go afterwards, so we'd have to..."

"Make it quick? You've already proved that when it comes to sex, you're Speedy Gonzalez." She grinned at him, all trace of nerves gone.

"Cheek! Young lady, you're going to pay for that."

The second time, he could slow himself down, but he took Avril's words with a pinch of salt anyway. She herself had told him how tedious she found Matt's protracted performance.

They settled into a routine. Sometimes, all they did was a training session. Other times, they had sex at the end of it. Avril never, ever forwent the training session. That was bought and paid for. It always took place and it always happened first. Afterwards, she might suggest sex. Sometimes, but not always. He suggested it once and was rebuffed.

Again, her film commitments provided the excuses. Wardrobe fittings, meetings with the director, getting together with her co-stars, learning lines.

Nate knew he was in a bubble—an ephemeral, light thing that drifted along, untouched by reality but destined to burst any second. He didn't mind that much. Given Jennifer's pathological jealousy and the threat that hung over him all the time, the secrecy suited him. But he needed to give his future much more consideration. The online business idea he'd come up with at the start of the year hadn't progressed. At some point, the contract with Avril would come to an end and all that lovely money would vanish.

Bumping into Kelly in the beauty salon seemed like fate presenting him with a perfect opportunity. He'd put together various twenty-minute work-outs and needed someone, other than Mrs A who'd been happy to help, to try them out. Besides, the less than noble part of him quite fancied seeing what Kelly looked like when she worked out. The thought of her hot and sweaty made him... well, hot and sweaty himself.