‘I’m not your babe and have you heard yourself? You’re here with some bloke called Jeremy. You were with someone else last time I saw you and now you’re giving me the come on.’

‘They don’t mean anything to me. It’s you that I want. Please, Sam. Give me another chance.’

I strode away from her and away from the party, feeling very sober all of a sudden. ‘Go away, Kirsty.’

‘Sam!’ She ran after me. ‘Please!’

I continued walking. ‘I’m not interested.’

‘Then what about a quickie for old time’s sake? You know you loved it when I let you put your—’

‘Stop it!’ I spun round. ‘Seriously, Kirsty. You’ve got to stop doing this. It’s not all about sex, you know.’

‘It should be.’

‘No it shouldn’t. Stop hurling yourself at a different bloke every night. You’re degrading yourself.’

She planted her hands on her hips. ‘What’s so wrong with enjoying sex?’

‘Nothing. But you’re shutting yourself off to everything else.’

‘You’re a fine one to talk,’ she cried. ‘My fiancée’s dead, boo hoo. I can’t cope, boo hoo. I’m running away to London, boo hoo.’

I stared at her wondering what the hell I’d ever seen in her. At that moment, she disgusted me. There wasn’t a single caring or compassionate bone in her body. She was nothing like Nikki or Jemma.

‘Go back to your new fuck-buddy.’ I turned and strode down the beach again.

She ran after me and shoved me from behind. ‘Nobody turns me down.’

‘I think you’ll find they just did.’

‘You think you’re so high and mighty, Dr Jones, but you’re nothing special, you know. You and Nikki? I’d have given it another year then she’d have seen what a boring piece of shit you are. All looks and no substance.’

I turned to face her again. ‘Then why are you so desperate to have me back?’

‘I like a challenge. Come on, Sam. So you don’t love me anymore but even you can’t resist me.’ She unzipped her jacket.

‘You’re right about one thing but not the other. I don’t love you. But I can resist you.’

‘No you can’t.’ She swiftly unbuttoned her top and pulled it aside. She had no bra on, which didn’t surprise me. She’d often gone out braless or commando, saying it gave her a thrill. And in the early days, it had given me a thrill too. Not anymore.

‘Put them away, Kirsty.’

She ran her hands over her breasts and down her stomach. She had an incredible figure, but it no longer turned me on.

‘You know you want me really,’ she said, rubbing her fingers over her nipples.

I shook my head. ‘I don’t. Put your clothes back on, Kirsty.’