When Fitz led Olivia to his truck, he wasn't sure where he was taking her but he knew he had to get her away from the prying eyes of the wedding guests who had witnessed her and Garrett's disagreement in the parking lot. Once they were inside of the vehicle, Fitz gave her plenty of space. He didn't question her, or try to make idle conversation. Fitz was sure his presence was more calming than anything he could say.

She hadn't said a word since getting in and buckling her seatbelt. She obviously wasn't happy and there was no way he was going to leave her alone, not in this state. Her head was turned towards the open window and Fitz figured she was gathering her thoughts about whatever had happened between and Garrett. Glancing at her he noticed she had fallen asleep. Slowing down, he pulled over onto the side of the road and took out his cell phone. Giving the person on the other end specific instructions, he ended the call and pulled back onto County Road headed toward his destination. His plan was to do something he hoped would make her feel better. He also hoped to get to know her better because he liked her, a lot.

The change in the road surface woke Olivia from her brief nap. Looking around she asked Fitz, "Where are we?"

Smiling at his passenger, Fitz answered, "We are on the private road leading to my family's home in Tisbury."

"Why?"

Briefly looking at her before he answered, he could see the panic in her eyes. He reached out his right hand and touched her arm, feeling her body tense at his touch.

"When I saw you standing in the parking lot, I knew you were in no shape to be alone. I didn't know where you were staying, so I couldn't take you home. Coming here was the next best thing."

She appeared to relax as she took in her surroundings. Neither of them said anything for a few minutes. He was just happy that she hadn't demanded that he turn the vehicle around and take her home.

"I hope you like being on the water," he stated casually.

Olivia looked over at Fitz with the biggest smile on her face. "Are you kidding me? I grew up swimming on this very island. I was a lifeguard back home in D.C., taught swimming lessons and I swam competitively in high school, earning varsity letters in my Sophomore, Junior and Senior years. Now I swim laps on occasion to blow off steam and stress."

He smiled at her excitement.

She was quiet for a minute and her smile faded. She turned to Fitz with a panicked look. "Fitz I don't have a bathing suit and I am not swimming in the nude." She crossed her arms over her chest and looked out of window again.

He grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently.

"I would never do or say anything to make you feel uncomfortable Olivia. I wasn't joking when I said that everything was going to be okay. I respect you and I think you trust me." He looked at her and asked, "Do you trust me?

She stared at him for several seconds before answering, "Yes, I trust you."

"Thank you for trusting me, I will never jeopardize that."

She visibly relaxed and he continued, "I would like for you to spend the day sailing with me."

Smiling, she said, "I would love to."

She glanced in his direction, making sure he didn't see her. His concern for her well-being was sincere, heartwarming and provided her a level of comfort she hadn't felt in a while. She would always be grateful to him for the way he looked out for her.

X

Olivia hadn't known what to expect when they drove through the gates of the Grant family compound. As the vehicle neared the massive traditional Cape Cod style house, an older lady stood on the porch waving at them excitedly. She turned to look at Fitz as he parked the truck in the circular stone driveway.

Grinning, he unsnapped his seatbelt, jumped from the vehicle and rushed to the passenger side to assist Olivia. By this time, the waving lady was walking towards the couple.

"Hello Mr. Grant, it's so nice to see you again. It's been a while."

"Hello Daisy. It's good seeing you too." He gave the small woman a hug.

Turning to Olivia, Fitz pulled her closer to his side.

"Daisy I'd like you to meet my guest, Olivia Pope. Olivia this is Daisy Wallace, house manager for Casa Grant."

They all laughed at his comment as Olivia reached out shook the woman's hand. If Daisy thought it odd that Olivia was standing before her in what was an obvious bridesmaid dress, she didn't say anything.

"Fitz everything you requested has been taken care of. "

"Thank you for doing this on such short notice Daisy."

She scoffed as her cell phone began to ring and she excused herself to answer it.

Fitz took this opportunity to walk back to the truck to retrieve Olivia's bag, and was closing the door when Daisy came rushing back.

"Sorry about that but duty calls," she said as she walked towards her car. "It was very nice meeting Miss Pope, and I hope you enjoy your day on the water."

"Thank you, and it was nice meeting you too Daisy."

She turned to Fitz and said, "You let me know if you need anything else. The cleaning crew will be here tomorrow afternoon." Climbing into her car she stopped suddenly, "Oh yeah, Smith is out back on the deck waiting for you."

"Thanks again Daisy."

They both stood in the driveway and watched as she drove off in her hot pink Mini Cooper, waving and blowing her horn.

Taking Olivia's hand, Fitz led her up the steps of the wide porch and guided her through the big red wooden door. There was an awkward silence as Fitz closed the door behind them and then stood next to her in the large foyer. Olivia stood looking into the great room with its vaulted ceilings, whitewashed floors and expanse of glass across the back of the house. The water in the distance looked inviting and she felt herself relax a little.

She angled her head to study the man who was watching her so intently. He smiled that sexy and crooked smile as he handed her the leather weekender that he was holding.

"I'm assuming you have a change of clothes in here, otherwise you may have to wear that dress…or one of my shirts."

She laughed at his comment and said, "Yes, I have a change of clothes."

They were both quiet again. Olivia stood looking everywhere but at Fitz. He turned to look directly at her. Using his index finger, he tipped her face so that she was looking into those deep blue eyes. He brushed the backs of his fingers against her cheek, moving a stray curl away from her face.

Fitz gently grabbed her shoulders and turned her towards the powder room off of the foyer. "You can change in there." His touch suddenly had her hot. A response was caught in her throat, but she could only nod.

She was standing in the doorway when she heard Fitz say, "I'm going to run upstairs to change and I'll meet you back here in ten minutes. Taking a step, she turned and closed the door.

Once inside, Olivia dropped down onto the toilet lid. Her reaction to the nearness of him had been unexpected. Or had it. She had no words to describe what she was feeling. It wasn't sexual desire, it was deeper than that. Olivia had never been one of those people who believed in love at first sight. She definitely wasn't in love with Fitz, but she knew that there was something special about him and between them.

Fitz had been a perfect gentleman and she did trust him, but she wasn't certain whether she trusted herself whenever they were together. Hayes, Harry and even Garrett spoke very highly of him. They said he was a great guy, and he had to be because how many men would be there for a woman, whom they knew was engaged, and whom they'd just met. She hoped that Fitz knew that nothing could happen between them. As for these feelings, they needed to be contained and extinguished. She would not cross that boundary with him, or any other man.

Sighing, Olivia stood. Digging into her bag she removed the linen shorts, silk tee, cotton sweater and Tretorns that she'd worn to the club earlier. She was grateful that she'd worn the sneakers instead of the four inch sandals she usually wore, for added height. They would be perfect for sailing.

When she'd finished changing clothes, she looked in the mirror at the face peering back at her. As irrational as it might be, she felt guilty about being alone with Fitz. Maybe it was because she enjoying what little time they'd actually spent together a little too much. He knew she was getting married and appeared to respect that. Of course that still didn't explain the flutters in her stomach when she thought about him.

Get it together, Olivia. Her inner voice was talking to her. Blowing out a breath, she began to removing the many hairpins that the hairstylist had used to hold her updo in place, allowing the silky tangle of curls to fall down around her shoulders. She ran her fingers through her curls to separate the strands. Satisfied with her hair, she reached for the dress, folded it and then stuffed it and the shoes she'd worn into her bag. Noticing her purse at the bottom of the bag, she reached in and removed her cell phone. There were several calls and text messages from Garrett and Cecily. Deciding she would call her sister later, she put the phone on vibrate and slid it into her back pocket.

Zipping the bag, Olivia opened the door to and was about to go search for Fitz, when he came bounding the stairs. He took in the sight of her standing there looking around. It was the first in two days that he'd seen her dressed so casual and he liked it.

Smiling that crooked smile of his, he asked, "Are you ready?"

"Yes," she answered.

"Wait here," he said as he walked off to the large chef's kitchen and retrieved a rolling wicker picnic basket that was sitting on the floor next to the kitchen island. Returning to Olivia, he took her bag and said, "Follow me."

He led her out of the French doors in the great room and past the covered patio. They walked down to end of the yard, where the tiled ground gave way to freshly cut green grass. About ten feet ahead was a row of steps going down to the Grant's private dock that stretched out to the Vineyard Haven Harbor. Today was a perfect day for sailing so there were several boats on the water. The water and the horizon always brought Fitz peace. Today he hoped they did the same for Olivia.

The renovated seventy foot custom, twin-keel cruiser was moored at the end of the dock. There were two smaller boats that were covered and bobbing on their moorings along with three jet skis. The sailboat had an enclosed pilothouse that was designed for comfortable, all day water cruising. The all-weather, luxury vessel could easily be handled by the two of them. As they neared the sailboat, she saw a tanned man coming down the boarding stairs on the starboard side of the boat. Setting the bag and basket on the dock, Fitz went to greet the man.

"Good afternoon Smith, good to see you," Fitz said as he shook his hand.

"Afternoon Mr. Grant, she's all ready for you."

"Sorry for the short notice Smith, but this was a last minute decision."

"It's okay, I just had to remove the cover and go through the checklist. I'm just glad somebody's taking her out. I think your parents are supposed to be here next month. She should get a good work out then,"

"Yeah, they haven't been here in a while. Unfortunately I won't be able to make it."

Fitz took Olivia's hand and walked her over to Smith.

"Smith, this is my guest Olivia Pope."

"Olivia this is Smith. He's been maintaining our boats for years."

"Nice to meet you Smith," Olivia said as she shook his callused hand.

"Hello ma'am," Smith said grinning at Fitz and Olivia.

Smith picked up Olivia's bag and the picnic basket and took them aboard the boat. They followed behind him and waited for him to climb back down the stairs.

Well I'll let you two get out on the water. You have a good day and stay safe."

"Thank you," they said in unison.

They watched as he climbed into a small motorboat and drove away from the Grant property.

Fitz turned to Olivia and said, "after you madam."

She climbed the boarding stairs with Fitz behind her. Midway up, she stopped and turned to look down at Fitz. He quickly averted his eyes, but she knew he was watching, and she smiled to herself.

Fitz had been caught. He was enjoying the view. The way her little linen shorts were hugging her backside made his body react. When he woke this morning never in a million years would he have guessed that the lady he couldn't get out of his mind would be spending the day sailing around Martha's Vineyard with him. Watching her climb those stairs, he had leaned back to get a better look. In her sneakers she seemed even smaller, petite. She hardly reached his chest, but there was a quality about her that intrigued him. A fragileness that made him want to shelter and protect her. A beauty that made him want to adore her, and a simmering sex appeal that he wanted to unleash…in time.

As they climbed aboard deck, Olivia took a deep breath and took in her surroundings. The sky was a brilliant shade of blue. There wasn't a cloud to be seen and the sun was shining brilliantly. It couldn't have been a better day to be on the water.

Fitz guided her below deck where he showed her the full galley with its mahogany cabinets and stainless appliances, the four double cabins with private showers and toilets, the saloon with it dark stained wood and crème leather included a state of the art stereo, satellite television and phone system, and a small wet bar. There were large windows where she could see the outdoor scenery. The luxury finishes and upscale fixtures made it a sight to behold.

"This is very nice," Olivia exclaimed as she spun around in a slow circle, taking it all in.

Fitz nodded. "It's where my family used to spend a lot of time before we all got too busy. My grandfather had it built 1989 as a fiftieth wedding anniversary gift for my grandmother, and it was renovated about ten years ago." He walked towards the galley and placed the picnic basket on the small counter before storing the contents labeled "cold" in the refrigerator. Next he took her bag to the master stateroom and told her that if she got tired of the view on deck, she could come down to the room and relax.

Back on deck, Fitz looked intently at Olivia. He didn't want her to feel as if he was pressuring her.

"I thought it might be nice to just sit and relax, maybe enjoy a bottle or two of wine. Later on, after the sun sets, there's going to be fireworks. We have ringside seats." He gave her a sideways glance before speaking again. "I can't assume that you'll want to stay, so whenever you're ready, I'll take you home."

Olivia was excited about the prospect of spending time in such a beautiful environment…alone…with Fitz. She definitely wasn't ready to go home.

She grinned at him before saying, "I'm with the Captain.

X

Although Smith had prepped the boat, Fitz did his own inspection. He checked the standing rigging-the cables and ropes that supported the mast and turnbuckles, and cotter pins that secured the rigging to the hull. Fitz explained everything as he did it, and Olivia took it all in. It was only minutes later that they were headed out of Vineyard Haven into open waters.

Pointing the boat into the wind, they hoisted the sails and were moving with the late morning air. Fitz was in his element. She watched as he commanded the vessel with genuine experience and expertise. Everything about sailing excited him and she was thoroughly engaged as he educated her on sailing terminology and boat parts. In no time at all she was as enthusiastic as Fitz. She had sailed on many occasions, but usually with a group of people and never saw or paid attention to the mechanisms that make it all work.

"Watch the boom!' Fitz yelled.

Olivia ducked as the sail support pole swung over her head, the boat shifting directions as Fitz turned it around.

Joining Fitz in the pilothouse, Olivia watched as he managed the sails and the wheel. She looked at his face, classic aviator sunglasses, faded blue polo shirt, khaki shorts, well worn Tod's and eyebrows turned so white blond by the sun, they were barely noticeable. Cars, clothes, travel and money were abundances that were common place in his life. He had the arrogant ease of someone who had had a lifetime membership in the ruling class. He could have any blond he wanted, why was he chasing her? He had made it clear last night that he was interested.

Of course Olivia had also grown up in affluence. The Pope's money wasn't as old or as large as the Grant fortune, but they still breathed the same rare air. She was the youngest daughter of high-powered parents, and had grown up privileged, been a debutante, vacations, extracurricular activities, summers in the family home on the Vineyard, Princeton undergrad, Georgetown Law, the list was endless. She, along with her sister, cousins and also Garrett, was raised to believe the world was her oyster. They'd all been on the same track of high achievement since birth, but were also taught that "to whom much is given, much is expected." To her parents that meant that she was expected to give back as much as possible, whenever she could, and to make a difference in people's lives, which she tried to do. Like Fitz, Olivia had the right air.

They sat, neither saying a word. It was so quiet all you could hear was the hull going through the water and the breeze pushing past them. Olivia couldn't help but notice the way Fitz kept looking at her when he thought she wasn't looking. It made her pulse race and she had to remind herself again that she was someone's fiancé, even though lately, it seemed that her fiancé had forgotten.

Quietly Olivia went down to the deck to lounge on one of the settees and put some distance between them. She was wrestling with her feelings for Fitz and her being in close in proximity had only made it worse. She had been caught unaware, shed of the armor she normally wore to protect herself against being hurt. After hearing Garrett's news earlier, that protective shield had been pierced, making her vulnerable, and the looks he was giving her were threatening to send her common sense spinning out of control and that could not happen.