He gazed at her not knowing whether she would dare to make the step that they both knew to be possible.

Sarah didn't leave him waiting for long. Linking her arm through his, her reply was without any hesitation.

"I'd love to!"

A short, clattering tube ride later took them to a little café that was bursting at the seams with people, smells of freshly ground coffee and hissing cappuccino machines. Squeezing themselves into a quiet corner position, they sat looking at each other and tried to avoid the eyes of the other couple they had just beaten in a race for the table.

Decisively, Sarah took the next step by placing her hand over his on the table top and leaving it there. In that simple action she transformed their relationship from the status of mere acquaintance to the status of a new couple. In that second, they became no different to the many others that sat all around in that crowded cafe.

Her action stopped their conversation for a while. But then, slowly, as they adjusted to those first breathless moments of physical contact it slowly started to flow again.

They talked about the guitarist that was playing in the corner and about how refreshing it was to find somewhere that didn't feel that it was part of a national chain. The coffee arrived with Danish pastries that stuck to their fingers. She briefly disengaged her hand to delicately wipe her mouth and then his. They both seemed to be doing a lot of smiling. When. at last, their conversation fell silent, her small hand was back entwined with his.

"I wonder whether this will build my hopes up too much", said Peter looking at her hand.

"Do you mind?"

"No, not at all. In fact I like it very much."

"I've been looking forward to our meetings in the park", Sarah admitted, "but didn't realise why until last week".

"Much the same for me", replied Peter avoiding her eyes for a moment.

"It's funny how something so innocent can tip over so quickly into something ... a bit more involved", said Sarah. "It's a bit scary. What about our families?"

"I suppose, in a way, as long as it doesn't affect them, it's really can't do any harm", mused Peter. He seemed to be trying to convince himself. "It's really just to do with us."

He looked at her again, reached over and traced the jaw line on her face with his finger, enjoying the slight flush it brought to her cheeks and the way it turned her eyes into liquid blue/green pools.

"To be honest, since I saw you outside the underground station this afternoon, I've hardly been able to think of anything else but what it would be like to kiss you again."

"I know what you mean", said Sarah, hesitantly. "I've been feeling the same way". Then she checked her watch and exclaimed: "Whoops! Is there somewhere that I can make a telephone call. I have to tell my after school child minder that I'm going to be a bit late?"

"There's a public telephone by the cloakrooms in the basement downstairs. It's quiet there so you won't broadcast where you are.

"Sounds great, I'd better make a call", said Sarah, then slowly and with a hesitant smile. "On the other hand, if it's quiet, perhaps I might need a big protector."