Joanna Bobin

New client Aleksandar takes Belle to a prestigious sex party - a very glamorous event that Belle has wanted to attend for some time. While there, Belle is distracted by the writer Jay Lorre, a longtime crush who wants her to go home with him. Just as she ditches her client for him, she receives a call from her family to meet them at the hospital where her sister has just given birth. Belle heads straight to the hospital and quickly explains away her inappropriate attire to her family, but Ben is not entirely convinced.

Belle attends the launch of her first book in disguise, and hears all her criticism first hand. Her confidence knocked, she leaves for a client appointment. Left to his own devices, Ben chats up Camilla who mistakenly thinks that he is the author. Ben quickly finds himself out of his depth pretending to be Belle. Duncan, Belle’s editor, has big ideas for her second book. Belle is worried she won’t have enough material for a new book, especially when she has a really boring client. Duncan reassures her she’s a natural raconteur – the first book is already selling well. Bambi is upset not to find herself in Belle’s book, until Belle explains she gave Bambi and Ben fake names. That night they celebrate, and then Jackie, Belle’s sister, turn up on her doorstep. Jackie’s husband has cheated on her and she needs to stay. Belle now has to be a prostitute, author and sister.

Belle's sister Jackie comes to stay, having left her husband, and Belle feels unable to tell her her line of work. However, whilst Belle is out, Jackie is turned on by reading her book and gets very drunk, having sex with Ben who has come to call. Belle is not amused, though nor is Stephanie, who has now worked out that Belle is the author. Nor is Bambi, because black girls get paid less than white. However Bambi does hit it off with new client Byron, a mystery man whom she first encounters being chased down the street.

Duncan encourages Belle to find out what really turns her clients on. What is the meaning of desire? Belle’s client, Simon, desperately wants to be normal in bed, but having grown up on a farm his greatest desire is for women to make animal noises during sex. Happy to please a client Belle complies, but when it comes to writing it up Belle finds her own subconscious desires taking over and she fantasises Duncan into the role of the client. Belle’s chapter makes the appointment seem much sexier than it actually was. Meanwhile Bambi is on her second appointment with Byron, and despite promising Belle she will remain professional, she takes Byron back to her flat. Jackie wants Belle to accept that she and Ben are now a couple, and organises a dinner. Belle can’t cope with this charade and storms out of her flat. With nowhere else to go, Belle finds herself at Duncan’s office. They talk late into the night and there’s palpable sexual tension. Belle admits to us that she fancies him, but goes to bed alone.

A glamorous new temp is threatening to drive a wedge between the smokers.