EastEnders pictures confirm aftermath of Lauren and Mark twist as sparks fly

This is the moment that Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa) and Mark Fowler Jr (Stephen Aaron-Sipple) contemplate giving into temptation in EastEnders following their passionate kiss.

There has been chemistry aplenty between the duo as of late after they resolved to do up and sell dodgy motors at the car lot.

Lauren, as viewers will recall, initially refused to get involved in anything illegal but, knowing it would pay better, she ultimately relented.

And she and Mark have been reaping the rewards ever since, resulting in electricity brewing between the pair.

Mark, however, risked scuppering their thriving dynamic when he let Ravi Gulati (Aaron Thiara) into his head about how he’s taking all the risks on the business end of things while Lauren gets off scot free.

As a result, he set Lauren a test, which backfired dramatically and left her terrified, fracturing the relationship. This animosity continued in Monday’s (July 20) visit to the Square, with Mark warning Lauren off delivering their latest motor as he didn’t want her to face any potential danger.

But amid their argument, he left the garage – without the new number plates on the car! To make the situation even worse, Mark was pulled over by police and forced to get out of dodge, hightailing it to client Sonny’s dad’s work site.

When he got a moment, he phoned Lauren, pleading with her to take the fake plates and the tools he left at the Arches to his location. Lauren complied – and it didn’t take long before chemistry ensued, with the pair sharing a series of passionate kisses.

Once back at the Square, Mark instructed Lauren to meet him at the Boxing Den if she wants anything further to happen. If she didn’t turn up then he would know she wasn’t interested.

But after some deliberation, Lauren arrived, shutting the blinds of the office.

The above pictures, taken from Tuesday’s (July 21) edition of the BBC One soap, indicate what happens next as Lauren continues to wrestle with her emotions.

Will she cheat on Peter with Mark?

Is this the beginning of a passionate affair? Fans have long suspected that these two would embark on a secret relationship after a flashforward episode – which previewed events from New Year’s Day 2027 – implied such a thing.