THE SEX DIARIES: 'I want to focus on your play-zhure,' purred Italian Alessandro. That was fine with me...

Now I was separated from my hubby of 15 years, I whirled astir London for illustration a middle-aged dervish.

I flirted pinch men. I slept pinch an aged friend. I was successful a 'situationship' pinch gorgeous 27-year-old Eliot. I kissed a man I'd conscionable met connected nan Tube, connected nan measurement location from a nighttime out.

In short, I behaved for illustration a cliché of a divorcée (even though excavation had still not travel through). It was fun, but I was acting for illustration a 48-year-old teenager.

So erstwhile my barrister friend suggested I travel to her Chambers' summertime party, I accepted pinch alacrity. A bully lawyer was perfectly who I needed to meet, a divorcement lawyer preferably, considering nan disbursal of my own.

A overmuch much sensible proposition than Eliot, whose powerfulness complete maine I was hopeless to loosen.

The statement was successful afloat plaything erstwhile we arrived. The cobbled quadrate was strung pinch lights, nan barroom awash pinch Aperol spritz. High earners shrugged disconnected their jackets and loosened their ties. Hot night, it was summertime successful nan city!

My friend introduced maine to a solicitor, astir my age. He was shorter than maine . . . and wearing a wedding ring. He was charming enough, but nan speech quickly trailed off.

Time for a cocktail. There must beryllium personification present who wasn't married. The lawyers clustered successful animated groups, talking shop and agency politics. Not overmuch flirting going on, astatine slightest pinch an outsider.

But ne'er mind, nan cocktail deed nan spot and nan DJ was playing my favourite song. Only 3 group were dancing, 1 of them was a gangly guy, precocious 30s, successful a slim-fitting suit overgarment and stubble. His tight polo garment showed disconnected a thin physique.

His sanction was Alessandro and he took my manus and twirled maine astir until I didn't mind that we were nan only ones dancing. After that he sewage maine a drink, and aft much dancing he pulled maine complete to a acheronian area of nan courtyard.

'Why do you support looking complete your shoulder?' I asked.

'So my leader doesn't spot me,' he replied.

I expected to spot an aged lawyer, but Alessandro pointed alternatively astatine nan edifice manager. Instead of pulling personification called to nan bar, I'd pulled personification who worked astatine a bar. But ne'er mind! An Italian waiter, connected a basking summer's nighttime — now that's a imagination of a different kind. I astir apt wasn't fresh to settee down pinch a lawyer yet anyway.

Alessandro explained that though he'd vanished for nan night, it wasn't master to beryllium pinch 1 of nan guests.

'But I couldn't defy you,' he added, smoothly.

At nan extremity of nan evening he pushed maine firmly against nan wall and pushed his lingua conscionable arsenic firmly into my mouth. Then he asked for my number.

'You are very beautiful,' he said. And he was very handsome, moreover if his aftershave was a spot strong.

Well, why not? I thought. It could beryllium my London summertime fling. I hadn't behaved for illustration this since I was successful my 20s, but I was extracurricular nan information nett of my matrimony and location was nary rulebook for maine now. Anyway, possibly Eliot was doing nan very aforesaid thing. The pursuing week I met Alessandro again, successful a cafe adjacent his house. I was grateful that we kept distant from heavy and meaningful conversation. I didn't want to talk astir my ex, aliases my 3 children. Anyway, we had not met to chat.

I still couldn't judge I was doing this, though. Divorced friends had regaled maine pinch their crazy activity lives for years; I utilized to deliberation it sounded exhausting, that I'd alternatively beryllium tucked up pinch a cup of tea, but now I was 1 of them.

Alessandro's level was tiny, immaculate and filled pinch achromatic furniture. He wasted nary clip successful starring maine to his Ikea bed. I liked his authority, and his absolute deficiency of shame — it helped maine fto spell of mine.

I knew I wouldn't spot him again, truthful I didn't attraction that I was older than him, aliases that I mightiness sag successful places he wouldn't expect. But I went to nan gym now; if I was wobbly, I was besides strong. I felt arsenic bully arsenic I was ever going to.

'I want to attraction connected your play-zhure,' purred Alessandro. That's ne'er been said to maine by an English guy, and it was alright pinch me. I told him precisely what I liked, and didn't like; he was truthful evidently turned connected that it was easy to beryllium bossy.

Alessandro was nan cleanable operation of dominating and eager to please. If he had much stamina than me, it was only by astir 10 minutes, and he seemed genuinely excited to person maine successful his bed.

Afterwards, arsenic I drove backmost home, my bosom ached a little, but I wasn't astir to import Alessandro into my life. It was nan cleanable staycation romance.

Annabel Bond is simply a pseudonym. Names person been changed.