Nikolas was waiting in the hall. "Well?"

"I'm…uh…staying in the guest wing," Emily explained, a little dazed from her meeting.

"Good!" he said, smiling brightly. His dark eyes shone and Emily's heart flipped. "How long are you staying?"

"I don't know. Depends on my dad."

"I'm glad," he said, grinning like a four year old.

"I've noticed," she remarked dryly, trying to fight her own smile. "Uh, your grandmother told me to get you to find me a dress for dinner tonight."

"Sure, come with me."

Emily followed him down the hall to another door that had a staircase on the other side that she guessed led to the attic. The light dimmed even further the higher up she got and the air grew damper and mustier. "I can't see anything." She should have felt nervous as she'd never been a big fan of the dark, but didn't because Nikolas was holding her hand.

"Your attic has a window," she noticed.

He turned on the light which didn't really illuminate much. "Sun's going down but during the day it's usually pretty bright up here."

"Oh let me see," Emily moved to the window and gasped at the beauty outside. The sun cast a purplish, silver glow on the water that took her breath away. Nothing in Port Charles even came close. "Oh wow. It's so beautiful out there. After we find a dress can we go outside?"

"Sure. There's a place I want to show you." He opened a trunk and pulled out a few dresses. He held up a green velvet number that looked much too extravagant for a simple dinner. She shook her head. "Way over kill."

He looked from her to dress. "Good point." Next he pulled out a simpler white dress laced with pink ribbon along the sides.

Her eyes widened. "Oh that one is so lovely."

"If possible this will make you even more beautiful." He held it up against her.

"Do you enjoy making me blush?"

He grinned. "Immensely."

"I'll take it."

The breeze outside was warm. They walked to the side of the island behind the house. Nikolas led her up a small hill to a small garden that faced the ocean.

Nikolas extended his arms. "Here we are."

Emily closed her eyes and listened to the tide crashing against the rocks.

"I come here to be alone. My grandmother's window can see most of the island except for this small bit because it's hidden by the cliffs."

"You're not alone now," Emily pointed out.

"I don't mind if you know about this place."

"Thank you for bringing me here. Thanks for giving me a place to stay too."

"Careful. I might have dastardly ulterior motive," he warned mischievously.

"I don't think so." Emily looked up at him. "You have kind eyes."

"What was it you said before? That my head was getting too big?"

Emily laughed.

"Well it definitely is now."

She reached up and kissed his cheek. "You're special," she whispered in his ear. "And yes, I think you're handsome." Blushing, Emily turned away quickly and sat on the grass, looking at the ocean. "Do you ever get lonely out here?"

"Why do you think I'm so anxious for you to stay?" He sat beside her.

"Ah, there's the ulterior motive," she teased.

"Guilty as charged."

"I don't know how long I'll be staying here," she said suddenly feeling sad. "Once I contact my dad…" She let her voice trail off. Emily swallowed and faced him. "I'll miss-" Her words were cut off by the brush of his lips across hers. Emily held her breath as his lips touched hers. Her heart hammered in her chest like a wild animal. Her first kiss. Nikolas ran his fingers up into her light brown hair and Emily followed his lead and wrapped her arms around his neck, unable to think of what to do, unable to think of anything of the electric pulse beating through her blood at the feel of his soft mouth against hers. She felt the briefest brush of his tongue and it was too much sensation all at once and frightened, Emily pulled away. She broke away, smiling. "That was…like flying."

Nikolas nodded slowly, his eyes moving over her and making her feel like she was the prettiest thing he'd ever seen.

"Where did you learn to do that?"

"Do what?"

His grin turned mischievous. "A gentleman never tells."

She narrowed her eyes partly playful, partly jealous of whomever the first girl he kissed was because he was too good, too confident for this to have been his first kiss.

"Come on. I've never done that before, I'm sure I screwed it up, but I'm glad you were the first. I bet you have though, right?"

"You did not," he assured her. "It was perfect. "

"Liar. What was her name?"

He chuckled softly and wrapped his arms around her and Emily leaned back against his chest. "She was from France. Paris."

"Let me guess, her name was Claire Lisette or something like that."

"Are you jealous?"

She cocked an eyebrow. "Should I be?"

"Never," he insisted, leaning down and kissing her again.

He teased her with his tongue again and…ohhhh, she pushed through the nervousness and uncertainty and gently touched his with her own. Emily's senses spun and she held on to his arms as his mouth moved tenderly over hers, guiding her. She decided she should thank French girl, whomever she was.

"Did you like her?" Emily asked when she could breathe again.

He exhaled in impatience. "Really? We're still on that?"

"I'm just curious."

"Nosy," he countered.

She met his gaze and held it, waiting.

"Not like this," he admitted, his eyes softening, his thumb running down the curve of her cheek.

She beamed at him. "I like you. A lot."

"You make me smile. I usually don't, you know," Nikolas admitted.

"Oh, that's sooooo hard to believe," Emily said sarcastically, then giggled.

"Oh, look who's here," Nikolas said, looking at a boat coming up towards the dock.

"Who's that?"

"My uncle. Let's go back inside."

"I can't wait to try on that dress." Emily jumped to her feet and started to walk back towards the hill.

"This way," Nikolas said.

"Aren't we going back to your house?"

"There's a secret passage way. Come on, I'll show you."

"Of course there is," Emily joked.

He led her across the garden towards one of the cliffs. He reached through a rose bush and one of the cliffs began to move. Emily jerked back and stared at it in awe.

The rock shifted to the left, revealing a dark tunnel.

"How did you do that?"

"Let's go," he said, walking into the tunnel.

"Oh, I don't know about that." Emily backed away.

"Scared?" he teased, extending his hand towards her.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm not scared of anything." She lifted her chin. "Except your grandmother."

"You just have to get to know her."

"Can't wait," Emily drawled without enthusiasm.