The next morning I awoke slowly, to sun burning it's way through my eyelids. I grumbled and attempted to roll over but found myself completely unable to do so for the fact that there was a strong pair of arms wrapped tightly about my waist. Who the hell was on my waist? I tried to think back to last night's events, well I was not hung over so I didn't drink, but there was- I shrieked yanking myself free from the arms and trying to get up from the bed only to find myself captive of my bed sheets, I was on my feet for less then five seconds before I came crashing to the floor with a loud thud. A hand stuck out over the edge of the bed, a strong, muscular, calloused hand, no doubt groping for me.

"Ellie…" A sleepy male voice called, distinctly British at that. And then it hit me. I freed myself from the offensive vice of my sheets, shooting to my feet.

"WILLIAM!" I screamed, probably waking any of the guests of the Inn that were sleeping late today. He jerked awake, rolling from the bed and standing at it's side, opposite from me. "Why were you in my be-" I paused, more like gaped. There he was shirtless, his bare, well sculpted chest held a light tan that gave way to a nice set of abs- NO! NO! NO! I can't be thinking about this I barely know this man! And William was smirking! The cocky bastard! He caught me gaping, he was going to use this over me now.

"Stare all you want, It's not like you've never seen me like this before…actually, the last time I was wearing less I believe…as were you." He smirked, I felt heat rise up in my cheeks as my mind immediately went to picture that. Dammit! No!

"Pig!" I snapped and turned around, what time was it? Oh hell it was almost eleven! Why didn't Ma wake me if I was so late? I growled and stalked into my bathroom to shower then stopped, turning around. "You! Back in your own room and go change into some clean clothes!" I barked at William, who raised a brow.

"Clean Clothing? I only have what I came in…" He said flatly, like I should know that or something.

"Well then go home and do that."

"Home is here….250 some odd years ago remember?" I groaned, not this bullcrap again.

"Ugh! Go back to the room you were supposed to sleep in last night!" He scowled at me and stalked from the room, finally I could take a shower.

Once clean and my hair was, somewhat dry I stomped down the hall to William's room, my riding boots tucked under my arm. My knuckles wrapped against the oak door. It echoed, I was met with silence otherwise.

"William?"

"You may enter." Came a stiff but muffled voice. I walked into the room, the bed had barely been touched, the blankets and sheets were pulled down slightly which led me to believe that he wasn't in this bed long before he came to mine. I looked about the room, where was he? The door to the bathroom attached was cracked open, I knocked.

"William?"

"Didn't I say you may enter?"

"Well yes but are you decent?"

"I don't see why I wouldn't be." I rolled my eyes, pushing the door open. He was standing at the sink, shaving with a cut-throat blade, I winced, one false move and he could cleave his skin right off, but he held the blade expertly.

"You should really use a razor to shave…it's easier and less deadly." He raised a brow at me in the mirror as I sat on the counter to watch.

"I assume a razor is another one of your strange tools from this time…" I rolled my eyes. "I'd rather not get too attached to this place…If I am to ever return." I nodded. That surprised me, he knew that it would be stupid to know too much about modern conviences.

"I see that Ma took the liberty of getting you some clothes." I nodded out to the other room where I noticed some modern attire hanging. He tilted his head some at me while dipping the sharp blade into the water pooled in the bottom of the ivory sink.

"Those are for me? Lady Heaton is too kind, but I don't think I'll be needing them."

"Yes you will.." He paused.

"Beg your pardon?"

"We wear clean clothes every day, 'cept sweatshirts, you can wear those a few days."

"Why would you spend so much money on wearing new clothing everyday? I understand a Lady wearing a new dress but not me…If I had another shirt I would change it but I don't need a new uniform everyday."

"You're not wearing your uniform in public…trust me…I'm not going to let you."

"And why not?" William looked at me astonished. Oh lord…this was going to be hell I could just tell.

"Because You'll look like a freak if you walk around like that Will!" He winced. His eyes turned very cold on me.

"Don't ever call me that again." He growled, It frightened me a bit.

"What? A freak? Well you will-"

"Never Call me 'Will'…Ever."

"Why-" I was about to ask but he cut me off.

"Just…Don't." Silence fell between us, William coped by continuing shaving, I was left to stare at the pristine tile on the floor before murmuring something about picking his clothes out. I walked to the closet, flipping through the clothing. No t-shirts, no shorts, just button-up long sleeves, a suit in black, lots of dress pants, and some riding gear. It looked to all be in his size, but then again my mother was good at eying sizes. I was going to be working in the barn today so the riding clothes were perfect. William stepped out as I pulled the hangars from the closet.

"Are you going to put clothing on?" He asked. I shook my head.

"You are."

"But you cant go out in just that!" He said looking at me, I looked down, black tank top, black riding pants and black riding boots, same as always, and It was decent…by today's standards at least.

"Um…I'm fine."

"You're indecent! I can see your shoulders, and your arms and that neckline is entirely too low-" I laughed.

"This is actually modest compared to some necklines!" Williams eyes widened. "And besides…If you are what you claim you are you shouldn't mind…Quit complaining." He grumbled.

"But other men can see!"

"So? I'm gonna be working in the barn, full of hay and crap anyway." I threw the clothes at him. "Now get dressed and meet me in the barn….you know where that is right?" He nodded. And I stalked off.

This is how it was every day, after a week or two he stopped fighting me on things, I'd make him wear clean clothing, he figured out the shower. He was still new to this world it seemed. He almost shot the vacuum cleaner, swearing at it, scaring the poor cleaners one day. He was quite startled by the lawn mower as well, it was almost like teaching a child, he was stubborn at first but eventually got used to things. My friends were all fascinated by him, they all knew it was an act but no matter how they tried they couldn't get him to drop it.

At night William would tell me stories of battles, or the day trips him and his Ellie took to the banks of the local River that ended in some not so innocent activities, I would usually blush at his hints, covering my face with a pillow. He spoke of how they met, how cross they were at one another in the beginning, how she always put him and any other man who dared in their place while talking about politics and the war. I was always captivated when he talked about his Ellie, he spoke with such conviction about her. But he always referred to me as if I were her. "In our time you…" or "One time you…" After a while I found myself not minding so much. I wanted to believe him so much sometimes, to add something to my dull life. I was fascinated…but I hadn't fallen, least I didn't think so. But the attraction between us was becoming more apparent as the weeks passed.

I had just gotten off the phone with Maddie one night and walked back to my room. William was already sitting there in bed, reading the book on the Green Dragoons I was letting him borrow. I'd given up any hope that he was going to stay in his own room ever, my mother had found this more humorous than scandalous much to my dismay I think she was encouraging it.

"Guess what?"

"Hm?" Was all I got for a reply, I rolled my eyes and jumped on the bed.

"We're going to the beach tomorrow." William looked up, his icy blue gaze resting on mine in wonder.

"What ever for?"

"Swimming maybe some volleyball…just hanging out."

"Volley-what?"

"It's a game. You hit this ball over a net…It's like tennis but the net's higher up and you use your hands…we'll teach you." William looked at me skeptically.

"The only volley I've ever heard of is a 'Volley of shots'…I don't suppose they are connected in any sort?" I shook my head.

"Nope….Ooh!" He jumped at my outburst.

"What?" My lips slid into a devilish smirk, he became slightly fearful. "What? What is that look for?"

"We're going shopping tomorrow!"

"Not Again! We have food!"

"No…For something much more fun!"

"I'm not coming out! I refuse!"

"William! Get your ass out of here!"

"No! I'm indecent!"

"It's a swimsuit! I'm wearing less than you are!"

"WHAT?!?" The door of the dressing room swung open and he flew out, that got him out fast enough. His eyes fell on my outfit or lack thereof. His eyes nearly fell out of his head at the bikini I had tried on, he licked his lips, I saw the hunger in his eyes and laughed. He jerked back to his senses. "My god Woman! Put some clothing on!" I smirked.

"Why you don't seem to mind so much. Plus there's gonna be a ton of other girls wearing the same thing." William's eyes went wide, but I wasn't looking at them anymore, my gaze shifted down to the surf shorts he had on, black, green and red, those colors always looked good on him. "I don't know…I might just not let you go…all the girls will be all over you William." He opened his mouth to protest but I spun him to face the mirror and his jaw snapped shut.

"My god…I look scandalous…This is not the proper way for an Officer in his majesty's army to dress!"

"Hun…you're here…not there…people will gape for a good reason. Now go change back into your clothes so we can buy these."

"Ok…You finally get the rules William?" Maddie asked for the last time, William nodded, I could tell he got it the first time but didn't want to spark another spat with Maddie, those two always seemed hot-tempered towards each other. Another guy on the opposite team scoffed.

"He might get the rules but he probably can't play, it's too 'taxing' for an English gentleman." He mocked William's accent, William sneered but ignored him and turned back to Maddie.

"Yes now let's play this…Volleyball." William said in that crisp English accent that was just making me want to melt for some bizarre reason today. I managed to get him to take his shirt off finally and had a feeling it was going to work to our team's advantage, since some of the girls of the other team were gawking already. I walked to the back right corner of the sand court, getting ready to set, there were five other members on my team, Gabriel to my right, Anne on his left, Maddie right in front of her, Maddie's boyfriend, John front and center and then William right before me. I tossed the volley ball into the air and served it right over the net beginning our game. They bumped it back over, it came back to me I bumped it over to Maddie, she set it up and then William, out of no where jumped up and spiked it over, it hit the guy who mocked him earlier, square in the face and fell over. William tried not smirk but there it was. He looked back to me.

"Looks like this game is just too 'taxing' for some of your American gentlemen." He looked over to the man who sat up and glared. "So sorry about that…well, not really." Maddie couldn't help but give William a high five and giggle while doing so.

"Ellie, I may not like this guy, but he has a killer Spike. Sheesh!" I laughed softly and we resumed the game, playing for several more hours until we decided to go swimming, by then the other team had been loosing so badly they had been more then happy to agree. I slipped my board shorts from my petite form and walked across the sand, still heated from the dying sun. I felt his eyes on me, I didn't need to look back I could already see them in my mind. He was watching me, the livid blue of them was drinking in the sight of my bikini clad form hungrily. The image was still in my mind as the cool salt-water waves lapped at my feet, growing to lick my ankles then up to my calves. I was up to my waist, with my eyes closed, my fingers skimming the surface of the water when a pair of strong hands grasped my upper arms firmly. I felt the calouses and smiled.

"So…how did you like volley-ball William?"

"It was strange…I don't quite understand the concept of the game...but it was…what was the word you people use? Fun?" I nodded and smiled, suddenly noticing his hands were stroking up and down my arms.

"Have you ever gone swimming in the Ocean?"

"I can't say I have…the closest I've been to it was in a boat, the one that brought me here from England." He almost sounded sad saying that, it hurt me a bit but I didn't know why, sympathy perhaps, he did miss his homeland after all. I turned to face him, I couldn't read his eyes as he stared across the water, the sun reflecting off of it and illuminating his already stunning blue gaze. He then looked down at me and pulled a small smile to his lips. "But this will be my first time Ellie, Thank you."