Siwon was there too and it was he who took her for a walk along the seashore on that first night which Tiffany tactfully shortened when she saw her friend Taeyeon and Seunghyun in a sandy hollow moving in time with the waves that lapped against the seashore only a few feet away.

Siwon and Tiffany eventually kissed each other too on that starry night – but only briefly and soon afterwards they returned to the party.

The next day was bright and sunny. The blue sea shimmered and the scent of Cypress trees and olive groves vied with the morning aroma of freshly ground coffee as the group gathered together for breakfast on the patio overlooking the sea.

Taeyeon looked crumpled, as if she hadn’t slept a wink. Seunghyun looked proud and impossibly svelte with fresh white shorts and an uncovered back that was scored with the evidence of his night’s triumphs with Taeyeon. His eyes too were impossibly fresh and his smile relaxed.

The next fortnight went by in a haze of sun, sea, sand and, even for Tiffany, some love making. John and she became close – because it seemed natural. Their relationship grew from an understanding and companionship that eventually overcame their awkwardness. There were some magic moments in the evenings when the red lights were shining all around and the waves rolled in across the beach and the smell of the olive trees was pungent in the air. Even for Tiffany , who was reserved in these things, shorts gave way to a perpetual bikini bottom, even occasionally worn without a top.

Then it was time for some of the visitors to leave. Alice was staying but Taeyeon had to go. It was a cause for sadness but also for celebration

The villa with its swimming pool, olive trees and views of the sandy cove was the scene for the going away party. It started early, with a barbecue and drinks and remained relatively subdued until the Retsina drinking contest. Tiffany got knocked out relatively quickly but not before her legs had grown distinctly wobbly under the influence of the strong woody flavoured drink.

Everyone was in everyone else’s arms and the tears and long goodbyes were flowing freely. Midnight came and went, followed by one o’clock and in the night’s haze, two o’clock.

Tiffany was just coaxing Siwon to his feet with the suggestion that it was time to squeeze together into Siwon single bed when somebody started a conga. She was still bent over kissing and coaxing John to his feet when the conga came up behind her and she felt a hard slap on her behind. She turned around angrily only to meet the amused eyes of Seunghyun who immediately swept her up before him.

Perhaps he guessed that he’d hit her too hard because for the rest of the conga when his hands were not around her waist they were busy caressing the part that he’d just assaulted.

In her alcoholic haze, the shock for Tiffany was not so much the affront to her dignity but the surprise she felt as her heart went into overdrive and his hands created delicious sensations that poured down her legs and shot all the way up to the tips of her fingers.

The next day, after a restless night that lasted well into the next morning, Tiffany said goodbye to Taeyeon and went off to the seashore to find a secluded hollow in which to sunbathe. Taeyeon was going to the airport with seunghyun and siwon had gone off to sightsee some archaeology.

Lying face down in her sandy hollow, Tiffany felt in heaven. The scent from the Cypress trees was strong this morning and the music of the waves on the seashore echoed in counterpoint with the wind through the trees.

Everybody else was busy doing their own thing and Alice was content with her own company and thoughts. Suddenly a shadow fell across her back. Some sixth sense told her it was seunghyun even before he spoke.

“A beautiful lady slumbering in a sea of sand,” he commented poetically, his deep voice booming with the sound of the waves.

“I thought you were seeing Taeyeon off.” Tiffany didn’t turn her head to look at him.

“She’s swapping addresses and telephone numbers with some of the others. I saw you coming over here and came to say hello.”

“Tifffany still didn’t turn round.

“Like you said hello last night!” Her voice was dreamy – but sharp.

“I thought I’d made it better again.”

“You did … a bit.”

Tiffany still hadn’t turned her head to look at him.

She felt his finger tickle the back of her neck as if to attract her attention. The sensation rippled across her back and down her legs making her wriggle involuntarily.

His shadow above her grew and the tip of his tongue joined his finger, turning the rivulet of sensations into a torrent. In the haze of sunshine, the sound of the sea and the tickling sensation of the sand, she felt his strong chest mould into her back. His lips were now kissing her from her neck to her shoulder blades and her bikini bottom was not designed to offer a defence. Time lost its meaning and then at long last the hot lava stream of Tiffany sensations erupted and her own personal volcano overflowed.

Shortly afterwards, seunghyun left as quietly as he came and Tiffany went contentedly to cool off with a leisurely and blissfully swim.