The Naughty Girls Book Club. Sophie Hart

… I wouldn’t say no …’

      Rebecca’s lips broke into a curving smile. ‘It’s just that I was reading this book recently – have you heard of Ten Sweet Lesssons?’

      Andy almost choked on his potatoes. ‘I didn’t know you’d read that!’

      ‘Oh yes,’ Rebecca informed him. ‘I read it on the bus, on the way to work and back.’

      ‘You can’t read something like that on a bus!’ Andy’s eyes were bulging. ‘What will people think?’

      ‘Oh, don’t be such an old stick-in-the-mud! It’s totally acceptable – nobody cares these days.’

      ‘Well,’ Andy harrumphed, looking perturbed. ‘Was it … a good read?’ he asked curiously.

      Rebecca nodded, looking up at him seductively. ‘It’s given me one or two ideas …’

      Andy hastily drained his glass of wine and poured himself another, finishing off the bottle as he anxiously wondered what was coming next.

      ‘I was thinking … It might be fun to try out some new things in the bedroom. And I don’t mean a new lampshade,’ she added quickly, before Andy got the wrong idea. ‘There were all sorts of things in the book,’ she continued, trying not to lose her nerve. ‘Spanking, bondage …’ Rebecca stretched out her foot underneath the table, running it along Andy’s leg all the way up to his crotch. Using her toes, she began gently stroking him through his trousers. ‘Do you fancy trying anything like that?’

      Rebecca’s eyes were sparkling. Andy sat bolt upright, his food completely forgotten.

      ‘What have you done with my wife?’ he joked weakly. ‘Bring back the brunette one.’

      ‘Fine,’ Rebecca snapped, withdrawing her foot sharply. She grabbed her empty plate and stood up, an expression of hurt on her face. She’d gone out on a limb to try and spice things up between them, really making an effort to get their relationship back on track, but her husband seemed more interested in making stupid jokes than ravishing her across the dining room table.

      Andy realised he’d said the wrong thing, yet again. ‘No, no, I didn’t mean …’ he scrambled to reassure her. He reached out to take her arm, stopping her in her tracks. ‘Please, sit down again, darling,’ he implored.