A/N: sorry; I couldn't resist a sex scene after all (although I have edited it). Just skip to the second section if you want to avoid it.

Part 10

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Could life ever get better than this feeling?

Donna was unaware of the travelling blanket on her bare back, covering them both within a warm cocoon. Normally she would have been acutely conscious of its itchiness but instead she ran her hands over the chest of the naked man below her as she straddled his hips, loving the feel of his taut muscles beneath her fingertips, his warm skin with its fine covering of dark hairs; leading up to that long neck of his. Giving into her impulse, she leant forward and licked a path up his throat before using her tongue to kiss and then suckle on his flesh. Oh how she loved his neck; it had long been part of her fantasy. Except, she realised as she sat back up again to rest her hands on his shoulders, that particular fantasy had been all about Roderick, whereas this one was brand new and only belonged to John.

Laid bare and prone with his feet propped up on the front facing leather seats of his Land Rover, his head was tilted backwards in ecstasy, on the folded down rear seats. Her initial reaction to him may have been guided by her earlier crush on Roderick but this moment, this exquisite sexual moment, was all about John. Who could have asked for such a gentle, loving, intelligent man and then expect to receive him? Nerys had once joked that Donna would only find happiness with a man who hardly spoke and could fulfil her fantasies. Well hadn't that one come true enough to bite Nerys in the arse? Oh yes!

A raw emotion welled up within Donna as John's hands returned to rest on her hips. "I…," she tried to declare as love for him roared through her being.

He chose that moment to lift his upper torso in order to plant ravenous kisses upon her lips, holding her as close as possible. "My angel," he gasped out. "Oh my beautiful angel!" The next second he gripped her tightly as his body shuddered. His breathing was rapid as he almost wilted back down onto the seating, taking her with him and within his loving embrace. Loving kisses were placed on her face as his heart rate tried to calm down. "You're fantastic," he enthused, the joy evident in his voice.

"You're not so bad yourself," Donna modestly retorted as they continued to pet each other.

"No, I mean it," he insisted, trailing a loving finger across her cheek. "I know this is a bit soon, but love at first sight used to be a thing I scoffed at."

"Love?" she queried, suddenly choked at his choice of words. How could she criticise such an emotion? Because she had questioned it within herself, mistaking it for something else entirely. "And there was me thinking it was just lust," she joked.

John chuckled. "Well… there is that too. I won't deny it; except…," he replied, and tenderly kissed her lips. "I think we could be brilliant together."

"I think we already are," she answered in a small voice, barely able to believe she had uttered the words. This wasn't her usual style at all. It must be all down to the man she was currently nestled up with on the back seats of a car. For some reason that made her feel really happy; for the first time since she could remember.

"Do you think you could be interested in a soon to be ex-farmer? I mean, I haven't got much to offer you," he sadly wondered.

She really hoped he could see her encouraging grin in the low light. "You fall in love with the person, not their job, you prawn. I only care about being with you. Everything else can sort itself out later."

"Then you'll have me?" His hopefulness and vulnerability were all too evident.

"Try stopping me," she murmured as she covered his lips with her own.

Judging by the way he returned her kisses, he believed her, and her spirit soared with happiness.

Apparently Ricky had booked a table for two o'clock, since he was travelling home that evening, so John had arranged to personally pick up Donna whereas his parents were been driven there by transport organised by his cousin. Little did she know that they were being driven by Roderick's chauffeur, having assumed he had merely booked them a taxi, and thought no more of it. Her main worry was dressing to impress them all and have an outfit that made her feel confident. Smart casual, John had insisted; so she kept this in mind as she perused her wardrobe.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on your viewpoint, she hadn't brought a great deal with her, clothing wise, so her choice was limited to the matching outfits hanging on the rail. Most of it was very business-like rather than glamorous, so that would have to do. It was possible to dress it up using jewellery and accessories, she reasoned.

"What do you think?" she had wondered when she had presented Jocasta with her final three options. "This, this or this one?" Each option was pointed at as it lay on her bed, side by side.

"Hmm." Jocasta carefully weighed up the pros and cons of each possible outfit. "I think you ought to go with the blue."

"Blue it is then," Donna stated decisively, and mentally mapped out the rest of her upcoming options.

John looked extremely proud of himself when he knocked on the front door to collect Donna.

"Nice suit," she gasped out when she saw him. The tailored jacket broadened his shoulders and narrowed his waist in a very pleasing way, and the striped silken tie complemented the underlying crisp cotton shirt and jacket wonderfully. "I can see why your mum told you to save it for best."

"Can you?" he wondered as he nervously fiddled with the tie knot.

"Yes, so leave it alone," she fondly chided him, and adjusted his tie to sit properly. "We can't have you looking like a scarecrow." She then took the opportunity to lean in close in order to whisper, "Jocasta has been quizzing me to within an inch of my life about last night."

"What did you tell her?!" he hissed in anxious tones.

"Nothing much," she consoled him. "I had to admit we snogged, obviously."

"Obviously," he agreed with a knowing grin. "But nothing about...?" he enquired, trying to keep the smirk off his face as he thought about their passionate activities, and how long it had taken to de-mist the windows afterwards.

"Not a word," she quickly assured him as Jocasta's footsteps were heard on the creaking wooden stairs.

"Oh hello, John! I didn't realise you were here yet. Where is your car?" Jocasta asked him.

"I was erm... I was dropped off by the village green. Mum and Dad went on ahead," John explained. "We're travelling in Donna's car."

"I see," Jocasta remarked in a tone that suggested that she didn't approve at all.

"This way I can't possibly show myself up by drinking too much," Donna added on to deflect any bad feelings.

"Are you likely to do that, my dear?" Jocasta pondered with concern.

Donna merely shrugged to show her lack of knowledge. "I dunno, but there's always a first time, so at least I'm avoiding it."

Jocasta frowned in confusion. Young people do and say such odd things these days. "Anyway, be that as it may; I hope you both have a very pleasant meal together."

They both chorused their thanks and headed out of the door.

Jocasta waved them off, and then went to produce her ideas notebook from its draw. The next item she grabbed was her favourite pen to write with. In her case it was a silver inscribed Parker pen that her mother had presented to her after the publication of her first romantic story in a magazine called Woman's Weekly. It was her most prized possession in daily use.

Having obtained her writing implements, she sat herself down in a comfy armchair covered in chintzy fabric, and turned to the page with the title: Ill Met By Satnav. It would do as a working title for now, and it amused her greatly. Writing in her neat script, she added to the notes there by stating that the heroine was the sort that drove the hero about when necessary, was keen to keep a clear head at all times, and refused to be dictated to by the usual standards of dating etiquette. Yes, she felt that described Donna to a T. As for the hero, she put that he didn't feel his masculinity was threatened by such a woman, instead he relished in such thinking and adored her independence. Her only problem was how 'modern' such a scenario was; but she could salvage it for a historical romance if she set it during the Second World War when women often took over traditional male jobs. It certainly got her creative juices flowing; and she happily set to, getting the best part of a chapter written by the time Donna arrived home again.

The drive to the Blue Peacock Restaurant was pleasant enough in the afternoon sunshine; but it turned sour as soon as they stepped in through the front doors after parking the car conveniently close by.

"Excuse me, madam, but would you mind moving your car? It's blocking the delivery entrance," the maître d'hôtel asked her politely.

Donna was completely mortified. "Oh my gawd! I am so sorry! I'll do that straight."

"I'll wait for you here," John instantly offered in moral support.

"No, you go in ahead," she insisted. "I won't be long."

The waiter smiled consolingly. "I'll escort you in, madam," he promised.

It only took a couple of minutes to shift the car into a safer parking spot and then she was being led through the various levels of the hotel restaurant. It rambled almost as much as a Harvester restaurant does, she casually noted.

She could easily see Verity sitting at the table as they approached, winding around a corner to enter a more secluded part of the restaurant. Also at the table were three men. Her gaze landed on John in relief just as the man two chairs to his right stood up to greet her.

"Here you are," the waiter announced as they reached the furthest point possible from the main doors. "The Peterson party."

'The who?!' she instantly wondered; right before she took in who exactly was stood right in front of her: only Roderick bloody Peterson!

"You made it," he declared in very pleased tones, and stuck out a hand to welcome her into the seat between him and John.

Everyone else thought he was being exceptionally polite but Donna had just caught up mentally with what the waiter had said and the sight of her ex-crush. "You what?" she lamely asked. "I was…"

John had stood too by this point and was dividing his attention between smiling at his parents and his guest. "Dad, Ricky, this is Donna," he stated proudly.

"Hello, love," Sydney cheerily greeted her. "Sit yourself down and make yourself comfortable."

To her amazement, Donna managed to utter a greeting to the table in general. Both Donna and Roderick looked equally stunned; but for different reasons, obviously.

"How do you know Donna?" Roderick demanded to know as his hand dropped away to his side.

"She's with me," John proclaimed as he took hold of her elbow and wrist to draw her closer.

"This is John's lady friend we told you about, pet," Verity added in a hiss that also managed to suggest that Roderick keep his voice down, thank you very much.

"But…" Roderick looked momentarily crestfallen, before sitting himself down carefully with a pout on his face. The frown stayed on his countenance as he watched John pulled out Donna's chair for her and then assisted her getting comfortable at the table. "You said you were otherwise engaged this evening," he said pointedly to Donna in a low voice.

"I did," she agreed, adjusting her napkin to lay it on her lap as she fought with her rampant emotions. "And this is me being that, Roderick."

To her left, John was midway to sitting himself back down as he exclaimed, "You know our Ricky?!"

"Yes, I do," she cautiously admitted, unable to meet his inquisitive and questioning gaze.

"Donna and I were colleagues," Roderick supplied. "We worked together intimately for many months."

Donna wanted the floor to open and swallow her up; but only after she could get the chance to shut Roderick up. The smug git describing her like that!