N: i haven't much to say, so read on and enjoy!

Bo

The water was perfect. It was refreshing and a departure from the heat of the sand. I stood waist deep in the deep blue water, looking out at the endless ocean. I grinned, tilting my head up towards the sun. I felt good, relieved and hopeful for the coming days. I knew there was some work left to do with Lauren and I, but I was content. I opened my eyes, running my hands through the water and looking over my shoulder. Lauren sat under an umbrella back on the beach. Her eyes only on me, and I could feel them run over my body. Lauren hadn't been able to stop staring from the moment I walked out of my room in the very small red bikini. She made a few awkward sounds, and followed me down to the beach like a love struck puppy. I only got her as far as the beach, her strange fear of the ocean keeping her on land.

I giggled, waving at my girlfriend. She waved clumsily back, looking down at her notebook. I sighed, giving in and wading back to her. When I was back on the beach, I sat on the edge of the chair next to Lauren. "You could take off the shirt, it's a beach you know. Let some of your pale skin see the sun again." I plucked at the oversize shirt Lauren threw on over the swimsuit I let her borrow.

Lauren shook her head vehemently. "I'm okay. I burn easily. It's genetics. I come from a pale family." She pushed her sunglasses to the top of her head. Her eyes immediately running over my body in a way that had me trembling. "Plus, the ocean…" she motioned to the water.

"Is harmless." I pulled at the hem of her shirt. "Come on, I want you to swim with me at least once." I waved around the beach. "There's not a soul here. My neighbors are older and never come out this late in the afternoon. No one will see you. Just me." I lifted her shirt, catching the edge of orange bikini bottom. "Please?"

I leaned over, kissing her on the cheek. "Swim with me, or tell me about Muffles."

Lauren frowned, closing her notebook and setting it on edge of the chair. "Muffles was a fast food chain mascot. A big muffin shaped character that looked like a grizzle bear, but cuter." She leaned back, smirking as she continued. "He was my favorite character, and the foam puppet…"

I groaned, grabbing her hand and lifting her from the chair. "Lauren! Swim with me." I pulled her shirt over her head, getting her arms tangled up. When I got a look at Lauren in my borrowed orange bikini, I had to step away. "Jesus on a bicycle, you're hot." She was. I'd seen Lauren bundled up, wear baggy jeans and shirts, I've even seen her naked, but this. This was a sight to behold. I'd never really seen Lauren in bright sunlight. Just in the dim light of her bedroom, or the steamy clouds of a shower. She was a work of art. I reached out, running my hands across her stomach, smiling as she gasped. "Why do you hide this under ratty old clothes? Those big old concert t-shirts do you no justice, you're incredible to look at Lauren."

Lauren wiggled out of the shirt, dropping it onto the chair, and immediately covered her chest with her arms. "I'm lazy? I don't like people looking at me?" she glanced down at herself. "This thing is big on me." She swallowed hard, avoiding my eyes and fidgeting with the bikini top. "I keep having to tie these tighter or my boobs will fall out."

I licked my lips, going slow was going to be impossible if I kept staring at Lauren, thinking about if her boobs did fall out. I took her hand, dragging her behind me.

"Bo? Wait!" She skipped behind me. "I can't swim!"

I shook my head. "Nope, we need to get into the water to cool down before I attack you." I squinted at the water ahead of us. "I need to cool down. I have a super hot girlfriend and we've promised each other to go slow. So, we swim to take my mind off the things I want to do you while you wear that thing."

I didn't let go of her hand until I drug her waist deep into the water. The chill of the ocean slaking off some of my body heat. I took a quick dip, submerging myself in the water before popping up right in front of Lauren. She looked at me tentatively. "You know I can't swim." She was cute, standing there with her hair up, looking everywhere for something to cover her body with.

I nodded. "I know, but I can. You'll be safe with me." I took her hand, pulling her a few more steps into the water. The water now reaching just under her breasts.

"You told me you couldn't swim." Lauren frowned, clutching to my hand like it was a lifesaver.

I grinned, biting my bottom lip at how irresistible Lauren was. Vulnerable, sexy, and it was making things very difficult for me. "I lied. I didn't want to chase after you if you jumped into the pool." I moved my hands, running them over her arms, my eyes taking their own journey along her body. "Relax, Lauren. Enjoy the water."

Lauren huffed. "Bo, I'm mildly afraid of large bodies of water." She looked at me sheepishly. "What if there's sharks? What if there's little fish that like to chew on human skin?" She fidgeted with her hands above the water.

I wanted to crack a joke, but held back. This Lauren in front of me, was the true Lauren. The scared girl from Boston, who apparently had a fear of tiny fish, but this was her. She had finally trusted me enough to brave enough to follow me into the water, and stand with me. It made me fall even deeper in love with her. I seized fidgety hands, and pulled them to rest on my sides. I leaned forward, tenderly kissing her. "I guess I have to distract you then." I made the decision in that instant, screw waiting. That, and her in a bikini was driving me over the edge.

Lauren gave me a confused look, opening her mouth to ask what I was intending to do, when I kissed her again. This time harder than the last. I was throwing caution out the window. I couldn't care about going slow with Lauren right now, I had to show her how much I loved every side of her. Lauren returned the kiss, squeezing my sides as she pressed our bodies together. I grinned against her mouth, my hand moving down her arm, under the water and across her stomach.

Lauren whispered out a delicate moan the second she felt my fingers graze along the edge of her bikini bottom. "Bo, what are you doing?" Her voice shook with a mix of desire and fear.

I nipped at her bottom lip. "Let me." I looked up in her eyes, she nodded slowly, I leaned forward capturing her mouth and kissing her with my entire being. As she opened her mouth to give me more, I pushed my hand past the thin material, running my fingers along the length of Lauren. I gasped when she bit my bottom lip, opening her legs wider for me. I couldn't hold back, sliding my fingers easily into her. I went slow, wanting to make this moment last. I wanted to make love to Lauren standing in the middle of the ocean. Lauren kissed me until the rhythm of my fingers made it hard for her to breath and kiss me at the same time. She broke away, pressing her cheek against mine, breathing heavily against my ear. I wrapped my free arm around her, supporting her as I increased the pace, feeling her hips match me. I soon felt her body tighten around my fingers, Lauren's hands clawing at my back as she whispered soft pleas to give her what she needed. I kissed the side of her neck before I moved my fingers at an angle, hitting the one spot that always unraveled the blonde. Lauren cried out, burying her face into my neck as she came against my hand. I held onto her, slowly removing my hand so I could wrap both arms around her. I felt her heart pounding like a jackhammer against mine, making me grin like an idiot that I was the one who made it do that.

We stood in silence in each other's arms, nothing but the sound of the water around us mixing with heartbeats racing from being completely in love with one another. I could've stayed that way forever, but after a few moments, Lauren leaned back. Her eyes were hazy, but there was a glint of payback washing over them. Her cheeks were flushed from her orgasm, or embarrassment, I couldn't tell which one. I was hoping it was the former.

"That wasn't fair. Distracting me like that." Lauren's voice was hoarse as she looked at my lips. I saw that she was definitely already planning revenge.

I shrugged, running my hands to the strings of her bikini top. "It wasn't, but you forgot about sharks, and scary little fish, didn't you?"

Lauren glared at me, reaching back to slap my hands from tugging those strings loose. "Still not fair." She stepped back, snagging my arm to keep her balance. "I can barely walk because of you."

I chuckled, lifting her hand up, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. "I'll take that as a compliment." I waded closer, placing my hand on the side of her face. "I love you, and I couldn't waste another minute not showing you, Lauren." I ran my thumb across her cheek. "Showing you that the girl from Boston will forever have my heart." I smiled as Lauren covered my hand with hers.

"I love you too." She sighed, looking up at me. "Now can we go back to the beach? Collect our things and head home?" She glanced at the water. "I felt a fish mouth on my ankle."

I laughed, linking my arm in hers as I guided her back to the beach. "Yes, we can. I still don't think there are any tiny ankle biting fish in the ocean."

Lauren leaned into me, her hand slipping down my back and past my bikini bottoms to squeeze my ass. "There probably isn't, but I'm not one to wait around on revenge." She leaned over, nipping at the skin under my ear as she whispered. "And I have quite a bit planned for you. Things better left for behind closed doors."

I literally gulped when she moved away, her hand squeezing once more before she completely left me standing in knee high water. Lauren smirked, looking back. "Coming?"

I broke out into a sprint towards the blonde, whispering in the ocean air. "Not yet."

XXXX

Lauren

Bo sat behind me, her legs wrapped around mine, a blanket covering the both of us as we sat in front of her large open window in the living room. The sun was starting to set, and we both had our physical reunion broken up by rumbling tummy's. It seems we had burned through the heavy pasta lunch we had, and now needed to refuel. I leaned back in Bo's arms, holding up the bowl of fruit and cheese she found in her fridge. "I like that you remember to grocery shop." I tossed a grape into my mouth, offering one to her.

Bo bent down, taking the grape from my fingers with her mouth, kissing the tips before snuggling deeper into me. I sighed at the warmth of her body as the cool air drifted around us. "I like eating, Lauren. Even if I had a staff like you do, I'd do my own grocery shopping." She kissed the side of my head. "If we have more makeup sex like we just did, I'm going to have to have a constant supply of food on hand. You're insatiable."

I laughed, biting into a piece of cheese. "It wasn't all just sex, we made love a few times." I held up a finger to make my point. "You started the war, I just won a few battles." I looked back at her. "Love is a battlefield."

Bo gave me a dirty look. "Quoting eighties nostalgia?" She reached in front of me, picking up a large strawberry. "And it's never just sex with you, Lauren. It's so much more." She ran her hand down my arm, finding my hand. "Never has been, never will be." She shifted so she was facing me. "Do you know how badly I want to quit the film and ask you to run away with me? Even if it was running back to the Midwest, and going back to being a teacher while you sat and wrote in our quiet little house on the hill?" Bo focused on my left hand, running her thumb back and forth over the skin.

"Why would you run from this great opportunity? Your dream?" I covered our hands with mine. "If you want to quit, you can. I'll be there and we can go anywhere in the world. I have the resources and the means."

Bo shook her head. "It's not about money, Lauren. After your film and this one, I have plenty to retire off of." She met my eyes. "It's about us. I'm scared what's waiting for us in the morning. The press, the industry, and all that comes with being an actor." She scooted closer to me, the blanket slipping down her shoulder. "Yes, this is my dream, to be a serious actor." She paused searching my gaze. "But you're my biggest dream come true, and I don't ever want to lose you again."

I furrowed my brow. "You won't, Bo. I've learned my lesson and I don't think there's anything left that could push us apart." I held up my hand, climbing to my feet and rushed to my bag. I snatched up my phone and came back to Bo swathed in the blanket. I went to crawl in with her, and she smirked, shaking her head. "I like this view better."

I groaned, rolling my eyes before grabbing a pillow to cover some of my nakedness. "Don't make me do that one thing I did that made you beg." I laughed, watching Bo's face turn bright red, and dropped my phone in her lap.

"That wasn't begging…" She swallowed hard, picking up my phone to read the email I pulled up.

"It was begging, Bo, but potatoe potato." I waved at the phone. "Read that. It's the statement Effy drafted. I'm willing to release it tonight if you approve. I'm willing to announce to the world that you're mine and I'm yours. Nothing will break us apart now."

Bo looked at me cautiously before reading the email. I picked up the bowl of fruit and continued to eat more, I was starving and wanted pizza. "Is there anywhere around this town that will deliver a pizza? I'm starving."

Bo sat silently, reading. I ignored her, looking for the chunk of Gouda I saw earlier.

"Lauren Lewis would like for the press, all media outlets, the studios, and anyone interested that she is in a committed relationship with Bo Dennis. The two developed a friendship on the set of Ms. Lewis's new film, which quickly developed into a romance. To quote Ms. Lewis, "I'm the happiest I've ever been in my life, and as I normally don't embrace a public life in regards to my privacy, Bo is worth coming to the world and telling them that she is the love of my life. A woman who I've loved for a very long time, and will for the rest of my life." Ms. Lewis and Ms. Dennis are releasing this statement and asking the media and public to be respectful of their privacy and be tasteful when approaching them. This is also not a studio stunt to garner more interest in the film, nor is it a tabloid stunt to counter act the negative press from the production. Ms. Lewis and Ms. Dennis will field appropriate questions during interviews, anything brash, rude, crass, or intrusive will cause all involved to be blacklisted from all future studio press junkets."

Bo set my phone down, her eyes watery as she smiled at me. "You're really doing this? We're really doing this?"

I nodded, chewing on the Gouda. "I am. We are. I wasn't lying when I dictated that to Effy an hour ago while you were passed out on my chest." I set the bowl of fruit down, crawling over to Bo to deeply kiss her. "Do you want to do this? If not, we can creep around in the shadows and play the best friend card."

Bo's hand fell to the back of my neck, holding me in place. "Let's do this. I'm ready. I'm scared, but I'm ready." She kissed me back.

I grinned. "Then text Effy the eagle has left the nest. Gillian will take care of who gets the statement." I watched as Bo scrambled to text Effy, showing me as she hit send. I took the phone from her, throwing it on the couch behind us. "Now, how about that pizza?"

Bo pulled me to lay on top of her. "I had Effy order it for us while I read the statement, it'll be here in twenty minutes. Gives us plenty of time to work up a bigger appetite."

I murmured against Bo's lips as her hand cupped my breasts. "Thank god for assistants."

I hated leaving Bo in bed, passed out to the world clutching to my pillow like it was me, but I had to. I had to head to the editing studio and get the film done. I wanted to be done with it, release it to the world and see the reaction to my heart's work.

I stood in the doorway to Bo's room, staring at her for a minute longer. Her bare back glowing from the slivers of sun sneaking its way in through the window. We had spent all night making love, talking, eating pizza, and sleeping in each other's arms. I had made the decision that at the end of the three weeks when Bo had to leave for Venice, I would surprise her in the city right before her two week break for the press junket. I was going to take her to that silly hill in Scotland where I first realized my deep feelings for her, and ask her to marry me.

I rolled my eyes at the plan, knowing I would need the assistance of the wonder twins to pull it off. I quietly closed the bedroom door, and slipped out of the house. The editing suite was a short walk down the street. I smiled, yawning from the lack of sleep, and pulled out my phone to call Effy.

As I rounded the last corner, Effy answered the phone. "Lauren."

"Elizabeth, why do you sound so serious?" I turned the corner, and my smile dropped as the mass of photographers spun around, saw me and started taking an incessant amount of pictures. "Shit. Effy, I thought Gilly released the statement."

"She did, but not before Bo's costar leaked the kissy kiss picture first. We were an hour too late, your statement has gotten lost in the mix. I'm working as hard as I can to get the legitimate news outlets to take on our statement. If they do that, the tabloids will lose steam." Effy was pacing, I could hear it in her voice. "Shit fuck balls, Lauren. This is a shit storm."

I covered my face, keeping my head down as I bum rushed through the crowd. "It is, but I'm more worried about Bo, than I am about me. Can you get word to her? I don't think they know where she's staying, take care of that. Then I want you to arrange a plan to get her to set in the morning." I ran into the open door my editor held for me. Reporters yelling disgusting questions my way. "I can handle this, my reputation is a formidable one." I ripped my sunglasses off, leaning against the wall as I heard reporters pounding on the door. There was a slow dread creeping over me. I hated the tabloids. "Detective, I need you."

"You have me. I will take care of it. The local police are on their way to clear out the crowd of paps. Gillian and I will brainstorm when we get to Bo's house. If anything, we'll move her to your small mansion for security." Effy growled. "That Ashley is going to get the long arm of the law in a few minutes. I've called my cousin the lawyer; he'll ensure she gets her due."

I let out a slow breath. "Just take care of Bo." I hung up on Effy and walked with my editor into the dark studio. He patted my shoulder, offering a few words of comfort before he fired up the monitors. I sat for a moment with my head in my hands. This wasn't how I wanted to start my life with Bo, I was scared. Scared she was going to get hurt from being the target of being with me, and those around her wanting to cash in on my fame.

I huffed, rubbing my face before I scooted up to the desk and focused on the work on hand. Trying so desperately not to go outside and scream in the faces of those idiots, then find Ashley and ruin her career with the flick of my hand. I sent another quick text to Effy, asking her again to keep Bo safe. I was afraid how she would react when she woke up to this. This wasn't what I wanted for us, and now I had to fix it.