A Touch of Class

Vickie Allessio, a divorced British mother, shares a taxi with Steve Blackburn and is drawn to his charm. Their conversation leads to invitations for tea and lunch, and Steve privately suggests they have sex. Vickie agrees but says she wants uncomplicated sex in a sunny place, prompting Steve to arrange a trip to Málaga.

Steve's wife Gloria unexpectedly appears, forcing Steve to hide the affair and pretend Vickie is his mother. He cancels the tickets for his family and runs into his friend Walter Menkes at the airport. On the flight, Steve sits beside Walter while Vickie sits elsewhere, underscoring their need to keep Vickie out of sight.

Upon arriving in Málaga, Steve gives Walter the last decent rental car to dispose of him, leaving the pair with a closer look at each other. Walter ends up driving an Italian car with a balky clutch, causing discomfort for Vickie. They struggle up several flights of stairs to reach their hotel room.

Their first night together is awkward as they clash over sexual preferences. Steve injures his back and requires medical attention and sleep, setting a tense tone for the new relationship. The exhaustion from travel lingers into the night.

In the morning, Vickie meets an American woman named Patty but declines her invitation to dinner. Steve wakes to find Vickie sunbathing on the balcony and, later, they finally have sex. The moment marks a thaw in their dynamic after a rocky start.

Steve is disappointed by Vickie's lack of enthusiasm after sex, fueling anger and growing strain between them. A mundane, competitive vibe creeps into their relationship as they test boundaries.

During a golf game, Vickie takes offense at Steve's competitive nature toward a local boy, highlighting their different temperaments and the frictions in their relationship. The gulf between their expectations widens.

Vickie chooses to dine with Patty while Steve arranges dinner with Walter. The four end up in an awkward dinner when Vickie discovers Patty is Walter's wife. The revelation compounds the tension and forces hard conversations.

After a heated argument in their hotel room, Steve and Vickie decide to return to London, but at the airport they discover the last two plane tickets have been sold. Frustrated, they retreat to the hotel and resume a playful banter that hints their relationship could still evolve.

Walter and Patty notice the developing relationship and Walter warns that a holiday romance rarely lasts. Despite the caveats, Steve expresses a desire to continue seeing Vickie when they return to London.

Back in London, Steve and Vickie rent a secret flat, concealing their affair from colleagues and friends. The arrangement marks a shift from casual flirtation to a more committed, yet fragile, liaison.

Vickie invests a lot of effort to win Steve's affection, but he often disappoints her or acts without considering her needs. He rushes off after sex, forgets a lavish meal she prepared, and she longs for companionship that is unavailable.

Steve's coworkers begin to sense something is going on. When his wife Gloria calls, Steve cannot reach Vickie, and Vickie later sees Steve and Gloria together at the theater, feeling betrayed. The moment crystallizes the complications of their affair.

The next morning, Steve sends a telegram ending the affair but reconsiders and rushes to the flat. Vickie has already received the telegram and begins packing; she stands at a bus stop as Steve arrives and tries to stop her. A stranger's taxi offers her a chance at escape, and she boards it, asking the driver if he is married before walking away.

The story closes with Vickie moving on from the failed affair and seeking a new direction in life. The ending emphasizes personal growth and resilience as she looks toward the future.