Alexei dove below the waves and swam underwater for what seemed like forever to Alison. When he finally emerged, he held Tyson's limp body around the waist.

Right away he lay the little boy on the quilt and began to do mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. After a few minutes, Tyson gasped, then began breathing normally and opened his eyes.

"Oh, my baby!" Annie fell to her knees and gathered her son into her arms.

"Alexei, you did it! You saved him!" Alison exclaimed, enthusiastically hugging and kissing her husband.

"I am just so very glad I find him before it was too late," said Alexei.

"I don't know how to thank you," Annie told Alexei.

"There is no need to thank me." Alexei grinned and blushed modestly. "I only did what anyone would have done."

"What happened?" asked Tyson. "I was looking for my seashell, and then all of a sudden I was lying on the quilt and Alexei was there."

"It's all right, sweetheart," Annie told him. "You just got tossed around a bit by the waves. That's all."

"Come on, Tyson." Alexei held his hand out to the little boy. "I will buy you prettier seashell."

"Hurray!" Tyson took Alexei's hand, and Alexei walked with him to the row of souvenir shops on the boardwalk while Alison and Annie looked after Tara and cleaned up.

Alexei and Tyson returned in about a half an hour, and Alexei took everyone for ice cream and then they all went home.

"So today you were a hero once again," Alison remarked to Alexei when they were home alone. "The first time you came, you saved the little boy who was stuck on the roof of the church, and today you saved Tyson."

"What would you Americans ever do without me?" Alexei laughed.

After dinner Alexei's mother called, and he spoke to her in Russian for a long time. When he finally hung the telephone up, he was grinning.

"My mother have very happy news!" he told Alison. "I am going to be great uncle. My nephew Stepan and his wife Lia are going to have baby. If baby is boy, he will be Pyotr in honor of my nephew who die in Afghanistan."

"It seems like everyone's having a baby," Alison sighed.

"They are young, Alisonka. It will be their first. I am happy for them."

"I am too, but..."

Suddenly Alexei's lips were upon hers, kissing her passionately.

"Seeing you in swimsuit make me feel...how you say?...turned on," he murmured.

"Watching you save Tyson's life really turned me on too," Alison said with a grin.

"In that case, I will become lifeguard." Alexei lifted her and carried her to the bed, where he gently laid her down and climbed on top of her. His tongue darted between her lips as his hands gently tugged her shirt over her head. Her bra was next, followed by her shorts and panties, then all Alexei's clothes. Alexei's fingers were between her legs, getting her ready, while her hands were all over him as well. Not that he needed that much stimulation.

She saw him reach for a condom and didn't say anything as she didn't want to spoil the mood. Quickly and expertly he slipped it on and slid inside her. She moaned appreciatively and arched upwards to meet him. They moved together smoothly, and within moments she was crying out in ecstasy. He followed seconds later.

Afterwards they lay together, breathing hard. Tenderly he placed dozens of kisses all over her face and along her hairline.

"Dearest Alisonka," he whispered. "I love you so much."

"I love you too," she whispered back.

"Oh, I almost forgot." His voice returned to normal. "When I was in shop with Tyson today, I bought something for you too. I was waiting for right time to give it to you."

He arose from the bed and swiftly returned holding a beautiful snow globe. It's bottom was filled with sand, and on top of the sand lay a tiny starfish surrounded by seashells of various sizes and colors.

"It's lovely!" Alison exclaimed.

"Look at words on bottom," said Alexei.

Alison read the inscription printed on the snow globe's base. 'Greater than the sands in all the oceans is the love I have for you.'

"Oh, Alexei!" Near tears, she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.