'You have defied all the rules, as usual.' He said, as they plodded along the sand of the nearest beach. They'd gone as a treat -they both had the day off and were keen to spend time with one another.

'I don't understand.' She shook her head.

'You weren't supposed to tell me which letters you'd opened!' He laughed.

'I didn't.' She replied. 'I happened to mention that going to the beach was indeed a good idea. If you have made your own assumptions, how is that my doing?'

'Of course, of course.'

'Here we are, stop complaining.' She replied, dropping the reusable carrier bag with a thump on the sand.

Iain splayed his fingers and screwed up his face, looking at the grey sky. 'It's raining.' He announced.

'Nonsense, it's drizzle, it will stop in five minutes.' She told him, laying out a towel. 'Besides, it's warm. 22 degrees.'

'What are we going to do, cloud bathe? You're meant to be the logical one!'

'Oh, why not? It's somewhere to sit if our legs get tired.'

'Legs get tired!' He repeated, tutting.

'I only have small legs...' She looked at him, unintentionally batting her eyes. It caused him to smirk, convinced that nobody else saw this side to her.

'You are on your feet for 12 hour days in them bloody high heels of yours. I think you'll be fine in trainers for an hour or so.'

'That is different, though...' She trailed off as she noticed a shell a couple of metres away from him. She took a few steps and bent down to pick it up.

'How is it different?' He replied.

Seagulls noisily flew overhead, and she made her way back to him.

'Look how pretty this is.' She said.

He nodded. 'Yeah, it's... it's nice, isn't it?' It was a noticeably delayed response.

She looked up at him and gave a little frown, before spluttering with laughter. 'You don't see it, do you?'

He smiled. 'Nah, not really darling. I'd be lying if I said I did.'

A pause. 'You're cute.' She gave him a smile, then crouched down again before he could reply.

He grinned to himself, smoothing out the curling corners of the towel with his foot. He looked back up and saw her clothes in a pile on the floor.

'Lily, you are going to be freezing in a bikini.' He told her, feeling oddly like the parent.

'You don't go to the beach to sit in your clothes! Hello?! Where's your sense of fun, Iain?' She sighed.

He rolled his eyes, pulling his shirt over his head.

'Race you?' Lily asked.

He groaned. 'Oi! You had a head start!'

She didn't hear, for she was too far down the sand for his voice to carry. It was a funny sight watching her pelt down the beach, and so unlike her.

She turned round, face alight, before her expression dropped quickly.

'Why are you still up there?' She shouted.

'I can't hear you!' He yelled back. He could, and they both knew it.

She gave him a disapproving look, before turning around to the sea and just standing there. He wondered if she was sulking, but then realised she was just looking at the waves. Amused, he crept up behind her and scooped her off the sand in one quick movement.

'What are you doing? Ughh! Iain!' She shook her head.

'Not so bossy now, are you?'

'Put me down!' She begged, trying not to laugh.

'What do you say?' He asked.

She glared at him. 'No. I am not pleading with... with you to put me back where I originally was!'

'Fine, you can stay up here then. Nice view, is it?' He asked, holding her above his head with ease.

'Stop it, I don't like heights!' She laughed.

'Say please then.' He chuckled, enjoying himself.

She rolled her eyes, silent for a couple of seconds before realising he was unbudging. 'Please.'

'Please, what?' He asked.

'Please Iain!'

'What do you want me to do?' He asked.

'Put me down, obviously! Stop playing stupid games! Ugh.' She protested.

'Try it all together.' He told her, loving having the power.

'Please Iain, put me down!' She whined.

'Okay.' He said, with as much nonchalance as he could muster, and after three big strides into the sea, he dropped her into the water.

She emerged from the water, nostrils flaring. 'You are not funny.'

'You are, though.' He pointed.

She winced and pulled the seaweed out her hair, coughing the water back up all the while. 'If I physically could, I would do the same to you.' She told him.

'Well, that's a pity.' He shrugged.

'I will get you back.' She warned, wringing out the water in the material.

He just smirked to himself and walked further up the sand.

'Now I'm cold.' She whined.

'I told you so.' He said, without even looking round.

'I didn't anticipate being drenched though.'

'Too bad.' He plodded up the sand. 'You could go get your towel.' He gestured back up the beach.

She paused for a second, thinking. 'Or you could just have a big hug?'

Iain let out a yelp as she wrapped her arms around him. 'What do you think you're doing? You're freezing!'

'And whose fault is that?' Lily replied, a smug smile appearing on her face.

'You've got your own back, good and proper.' He shook his head and stomped off, Lily giggling behind him as she skipped to keep up with his big steps.

'I told you I would.' She called.

He turned over his shoulder and rolled his eyes, smiling all the same.

-x-

Lily smiled to herself. Iain was in the shower, which she knew gave her a window of about 8 minutes (she'd timed him before knowing the information would come in handy). That was all she needed.

'Letter 7 - reasons why I love you

Hey beautiful girl,

How do I start? God, this is difficult.

I don't just love you. I adore you. With every single bit of me. Sometimes you scare me, because I've never loved a human like I do you.

I wish you knew. I'll try to put into words just how I feel, but I'm a bit crap at stuff like this. If it's lots of waffle, forgive me and try to push through it.

You are effortlessly beautiful in so many ways. You are breathtaking and amazing and I'm blown away that you even considered me.

I love the way your hair always smells like coconuts (don't correct me and say it's shea butter and almond or some other fancy rubbish, it's coconut to me).

I love the way your eyes light up at the little things, like when you're surprised or when you get some good news.

I love how you say my name, both at 2pm when you're whining at me for not listening or for being silly, and at 2am too.

I love your chubby cheeks, even though you hate them.

I love how you can still be a 10/10 even after the worst of night shifts.

I love your silly side, and I love seeing it come out more and more often.

I love your carefulness and attention to detail, it makes you so great at what you do.

I do love your bossiness - sorry, assertiveness - very much too.

I love the way you have an attitude.

I love your strength and ability.

I love your passion for the job and what you believe in.

I love the way you smirk when you think I'm not looking.

I love your dreadful attempts at jokes, and how they never fail to make me laugh.

I love your beautiful brown eyes, they are so innocent yet so wise too.

Speaking of which, I love your wisdom and depth - you are far beyond your years.

I love the way you steal the covers when you're asleep - and the rest of the bed too.

I love drunk Lily.

I love the way you love me.

I love the way you tell stories.

I love the way your toes curl when... I won't finish that sentence or I'll embarrass us both!

I love the way you find meaning in the littlest of things.

I love it when you're angry.

I love you when you're off guard.

I love your giggles, they make me smile too.

I love that you're an unstoppable force, and your refusal to listen, it's cute (sometimes)

I love you in your makeup

I love you with no makeup at all

I love your bed hair.

From your toes to your nose and back down again,

I love you.

-x-

'Sorry, I've had to open the window, it's so steamy in there.' He explained, rubbing vigorously at the back of his neck with a towel.

'It's fine, I'll go soon.' She nodded.

'Okay.' He looked more closely at her. 'Have you been crying?'

'No.' She replied, as she kicked the box under her bed.

'Lils...' He sighed, sitting down next to her on the bed. The way he said it sounded more like a telling-off than anything else, but she knew it wasn't mean that way and that he was just concerned.

'I'm not sad.' She shook her head.

'No? Cos... you can tell me if you are, it's not burdening me or owt daft like that.'

'No.' She shook her head more forcefully then, another small tear rolling down her cheek. 'I'm happy.'

His expression was still contorted with concern, clearly not convinced. She sighed. 'I'd tell you, but you'll tell me off.'

'No I won't.' He replied gently, not catching out.

'Iain, use your brain!' She snapped, although she did so jokily.

He chuckled. 'I am doing.'

She rolled her eyes. 'The letter.' She hissed, as if it was a secret and it wasn't only the two of them there.

'What letter?' He asked, confusion still visible on his face.

'Your letter! Letter 7.' She replied.

'Ohhh...' He blushed slightly. 'Yeah, that makes sense. I never meant to make you cry though.'

'Sh, I've told you. Happy tears, see?' She gave him a small smile. 'Reduced to tears by a man I swore I'd never fall in love with.'

'Well, there you go.' He smiled. 'I'm beginning to think there's no point in these being secret though.'

'Sorry...' She pulled a face.

'No, no. It's my fault too. You tried to keep it under wraps, but I didn't cotton on to what you were upset about like the numpty I am.'

'Well, let's not discuss the future ones, then.' Lily said, eyes brightening as if she'd found the solution.

Iain smiled at her. 'There's a plan.'

'Pinky promise?' She outstretched her hand in his direction.

'Pinky promise.' He nodded, linking his little finger with hers. They froze, staring at each other for what felt like an eternity before Lily turned round.

'We must stop doing that in daylight!' She begun to walk towards the bathroom without a backward glance, for she knew if she turned around, it was likely she wouldn't make it to the shower (at least, not alone)

'Just have a shower, go on.' He laughed, slightly embarrassed.

As the door slammed behind her, Iain pulled out the box from under the bed. Opening it, he saw the letter lying on top of the others. He unfolded it and begun to read the very words he'd scribbled down weeks before, and realised why she had become so emotional. He knew, in her shoes, he would have been too.