Once on the beach I rolled out a bamboo mat and we lay huddled together and I covered Jenny’s torso with my jacket. The beach was sparse of people and this suited me because I figured if we were going to kiss and if I was going to allow my hands to wander over Jenny’s body, to touch maybe her fine stomach or maybe between her legs, I wanted it to be a private gesture and I wanted her to feel comfortable. We lay still and Jenny began to come out of the after-pain and she was in high spirits, and kissing me back in between her laughter. I had gone from doctor to lover. I was close to her face and I couldn’t see any flaw in her, no pore too large, no wrinkles hollowed into her cranium, only a couple of laughter lines, only the mirth.

And Jenny’s hand in my boxers. She moved her palm slowly at first. Her movements became almost lethargic as if her hand had a mind of its own, as if it was no longer in the mood and then the movements became faster but the increment in pace was gradual, it was barely noticeable because I was focused on the water and the sound coming in off the sea. I wasn’t thinking about what Jenny was doing because I was enjoying it so much and I was thinking vaguely about the sudden depth of the water in Killiney and about the dangers of that and it was a surprise when I felt the wetness and the warmth of the sperm on my stomach.

I used the sleeve of my jacket to wipe myself and Jenny said that the semen would stain it and she suggested that it would be a good idea if I rinsed it in the sea.

I walked to the water which was only a couple of feet away because that is where I had chosen to park ourselves so that we could have this time together and be able to hear the sound of the light waves close to us as they lapped against the shore. I was careful not to get my shoes wet and I rinsed the sleeve of my jacket, imagining my sperm floating away amidst all the flotsam and swimming faster than anything I could imagine and I didn’t know how I felt about what I was adding to the water. I couldn’t work out if I was enriching it or polluting it, but there was one thing I knew for certain, Jenny was good with her hands and doing things with our bodies felt amazing. The clamouring and the rushing of tongues and the heat and the tips of our tongues, twisting and probing. Anywhere felt wonderful and once that kind of physical contact between us was moved outside into the fresh air our actions were pure exhilaration.