Reluctant Hero. John Hickman

wondered at her exotic beauty. She had even white teeth, which flashed against her coppery-olive complexion. Some Italian heritage and with and an obvious liking for younger men in uniform by the way she’d taken to him.

      Sophie was attractive and nimble on her feet. Occasionally when Bill glanced across at Olly, he noticed he and Richard gave him a thumb up sign behind her back.

      Then Richard raised his cup and did an exaggerated pelvic thrust and they all laughed, including Anne. It was as if she couldn’t get enough of Richard, but wanted Olly’s attentions as well.

      Sophie was a high-waisted girl with jet-black hair pinned up in a bun.Co-incidentally the same as Bill’s mum wore. He felt at ease and as they shuffled about and laughed together. He imagined this might be pleasant if it moved up a level.

      Then he wanted to kiss her. He leaned in to peck her on her cheek, and as he did so, she anticipated his move. She moved her face sideways to catch his kiss square on her mouth. During the kiss she kept her eyes open wide and laughed at Bill’s surprise. Ice broken they kissed again, slower than before. She tasted like candy floss. Bill licked his lips and drew Sophie closer to him.

      Her scooped dress collar rose up in their embrace and gaped open a little. As she leant towards Bill it opened wider. He imagined being able to rest his hand on her naked shoulder and follow with his thumb the hollow beneath her throat. From there he tracked the line of her breast as a child’s eye follows a line of print in a book.

      Between kisses he had an uninterrupted view of her exposed cleavage. Her small firm breasts looked larger than before. Another shuffle disguised as a dance and Sophie became impatient. She took Bill’s hand and with much sniggering and laughing between her and some other girls, led Bill away down stairs into the basement.

      To Bill’s surprise others were already down there. Anne’s long blonde hair made her look a bit like a film star, but she unquestionably had that please-mess-with-me attitude. As she sashayed about drink in hand, she kept looking for refills.

      Wow! Those two are fast workers when it comes to women, thought Bill.

      Sophie reached up and took hold of Bill’s face in both her hands. She opened her mouth wide and took Bill’s tongue and rolled it about with hers. Rather than lose it entirely in the exchange, Bill reciprocated. He had no trouble being caught up in the moment. Each time his hand brushed against her breast, Sophie pulled herself closer to him.

      Sophie reached up, tugged for a moment at the comb that held her hair in place. She shook her head vigorously from side to side and laughed as her hair cascaded over her shoulders. She then led Bill into an empty toilet cubicle and snapped closed the lock behind them.

       Thank Christ. At least Canadians have lockable doors on their shit-houses.