She should object to being used as a toy, she knew that. But the feeling that both Zadie and Max cared who she preferred was more intoxicating than the champagne.

‘I’m Zadie’s first,’ she smiled. ‘She is my room-mate, after all.’ It was supposed to sound playful, but it hadn’t quite landed. Max considered her, then stood, pulled Zadie back then ran his hands over her shoulders, down her arms, and kissed her, lightly at first but then harder, more insistently. Zadie seemed to like it, melting her body into his.

Chloe stood, pulling Max’s jacket around her, trying to work out what to do. Should she go inside? Max’s hands were on Zadie’s ribs, breasts, legs now. She didn’t want to watch it; she didn’t want to look. Was he doing this because she had said she was on Zadie’s side? Was it some kind of punishment? Or were they just drunk and in love? She took a step towards the door and then stopped. If she went downstairs, she’d have to answer questions about where Zadie was and why she wasn’t with her. She stopped, rooted to the spot. Zadie pulled away from Max.

‘Max, you’re being gross. Chloe doesn’t want to watch a live sex show.’

‘Oh, I don’t know. People pay a lot of money for that sort of stuff in some places.’

‘Chloe, do you want to watch me and Max have sex?’

The question was rhetorical. She knew that. But in asking it Zadie had made it seem like a genuine invitation. Max looked slowly between them, and something in the atmosphere became charged. The idea of watching his body, his huge shoulders and thick arms, his narrow torso, on top of Zadie’s bird-like nakedness was undeniably thrilling. It wasn’t as if she wanted to see it because it would turn her on, more that the idea of seeing the two people she was so fascinated by doing something so private and so intimate would be so completely remarkable.

‘No,’ she said. ‘A very kind offer, but no.’

Zadie giggled. ‘Of course, a threesome would probably be a bit much for your first time.’

Chloe tensed, knowing what was about to happen yet praying it wouldn’t.

‘You’re not?’ asked Max, his eyes wide.

Chloe could feel herself turning crimson. Maybe she had enough make-up on to cover it.

‘You’re a virgin?’ Max exclaimed. ‘But you’re hot?!’

The embarrassment was so acute Chloe couldn’t bring herself to enjoy the compliment. Before she could think of an appropriate response a huge pink-and-blue explosion above made her jump.

The three of them settled on the freezing roof, the awkwardness of the moment forgotten. Chloe and Zadie were sharing Max’s jacket, all of them wearing champagne for warmth, as overhead the sky burst into colour after colour after colour.