He feels his jeans being loosened. Cool air breezes over the most intimate part of his body. Just the very tip of April’s little finger makes contact with him. For an instant he’s harder than he’s ever been. A surge of pleasure washes outwards from his groin to the tips of his fingers and toes. His body convulses, thrusting clear of the ground.

‘Shit!’ Will says. ‘Fuck. Shit. Sorry. Bollocks. Fuck. I …’

‘It’s fine, Will,’ April says.

‘Sorry. I’m sorry.’

‘Stop, Will. It’s OK.’ She discreetly wipes her forearm on the rug. ‘I’m better than I thought, clearly.’

‘Such an idiot.’

‘It’s all right. It really is.’ April snuggles next to him again and tickles his thigh.

But it’s as though Will’s entire body has become one single nerve ending. He pushes her hand away, too sensitive, her every touch like being electrocuted. Self-conscious all of a sudden, he pulls his jeans up and backs away from her. The night seems cold now, what the two of them had been doing till moments ago absurd.

April reaches for her coat, sitting up and wrapping it round her.

Will thinks of the people she’s been with: Danny, Lauren’s dad, whoever else. Would her previous lovers have disappointed her like this? Of course they wouldn’t.

April turns to him. She chuckles gently, about to speak.

‘Please don’t laugh at me,’ Will says.

‘I’m not laughing at you. Was just going to say –’

‘I’m sorry, right. I haven’t had sex with loads of people like you have.’

‘Excuse me?’ She’s silent for a moment. ‘What the fuck’s that supposed to mean?’

‘Well, you know … Danny, and … well …’

‘What the fucking hell’s that got to do with anything?’

‘It’s …’

‘It’s what, Will? Do tell.’

‘I’m sorry, all right? Sorry I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing. Sorry I don’t know how to show you a good time. Like Danny can.’

She raises an eyebrow at him. ‘I’ll tell you this, Will, don’t buy the hype. What, you think cos he talks the talk he’s this … great shag? You’re way off.’

‘Really?’

‘Seriously.’

Will kneels on the ground, folding but then unfolding the blankets repeatedly. ‘So why keep going back? Why did you keep seeing Danny if he was so …’

‘Shit?’

‘Yeah, shit.’

‘You think I don’t ask myself that question?’

Will shrugs.

‘Because I make bad decisions, Will. It’s what I do. I made terrible decisions before Danny – why change the habit? I was starting to think it was different with you.’ She stares out at the sea, refusing to return Will’s gaze. ‘Maybe I thought I could make a good decision for a change. Start something new, something great. Not doing the same shit again and again.’

‘Have you seen Danny again?’ Will asks. ‘Since the bowling alley?’