Olivia hadn't known what to make of Elliot's comment. She had given him a small smile and looked away, but not before she'd felt a small blush in her cheeks. Elliot had started whistling and seemed pretty pleased with himself, and she relaxed against the seat. They were having a great afternoon. She was having fun. She had to stop with this constant analysis.

They turned off and took a narrower road that brought them closer to the shoreline. Olivia could hear the waves against the rocky shoreline. The day had warmed up nicely and Olivia was anxious to make it to the beach. "Watch for the sign for Sand Beach."

"I thought you wanted to drive around the island." So far, they had been doing very little driving and lots of stopping. It didn't really matter to him. He just thought it was funny.

"I just want to stop at the beach for a few minutes." Olivia said. "I want to put my toes in the water."

"Just your toes?"

Olivia nodded.

"Good. Because I didn't bring my suit." He knew the water would probably be too cold for a swimming, but he wouldn't put it past Olivia to try. They hadn't gone much further when he saw the sign that Olivia had mentioned. Before he could say a thing, Olivia pointed it out to him as well. There was a small parking lot and he managed to squeeze into the last open spot.

Olivia hopped out of the Jeep, her hair whipping around in the ocean breeze. She tried brushing it back from her face but to no avail. She detached the clip from the strap of her tank and tried to clip back her hair, anticipating the wind would be even stronger down on the beach. Elliot had already worked his way around the back of the Jeep and was waiting patiently for her. She could see where the sun was already making his nose red and she realized that neither of them had thought to bring sunscreen. She made a mental note to remember tomorrow.

They headed towards the beach. It was a little busier than the public beach in town had been, but it seemed that for most that dotted the shore, it was just a quick stop on their way to hiking trails that branched off in either direction. Olivia made another mental note to check out those hiking trails versus the ones that climbed the mountain. They skirted a family having a picnic and stopped a few yards from where the waves lapped at the shore.

Elliot breathed in deeply. This entire scene reminded him of the times he'd spent at the beach house, both as a child and an adult. The feel of the breeze against his face, the smell of salt air and the sand beneath his feet were things that brought all the memories rushing back. He put his hands on his hips and closed his eyes, taking in one deep breath after another. When he opened his eyes, he saw that Olivia had slipped off her shoes and was inching towards the water, the material of her skirt bunched up in her hands. He watched as she approached the water tentatively, smiling as she tensed up slightly in anticipation. The water lapped at the very edge of her toes and the tension left her body. She straightened, looking out as the water went back out to sea. Elliot saw a larger wave coming towards her, and he knew immediately that she had misjudged it's reach. Seconds later, the cold water washed over her feet and he heard a slight squeal.

The cold water was a shock, and goosebumps had broken out across her body. Olivia held her ground, the sand seeming to melt beneath her feet as it shifted with the moving water. The next wave was larger still and had splashed up past her ankles, but she was getting used to the temperature no. She waded in a little more deeply, lifting her skirt so it wouldn't get wet.

"You're crazy." Elliot said, walking a few steps closer to Olivia but staying far enough where the water couldn't reach him.

"Scared of a little cold water Stabler?" Olivia taunted him as she turned to face him. Another wave crashed against her legs, drenching the hem of her dress.

Elliot chuckled at the implied challenge. "Not at all."

"Then why are you standing on the shore and not in the water?"

"I'm watching you."

Olivia grabbed at the hem of her dress and lifted it enough to wring out the excess water. She focused on the task at hand, feeling slightly thrown off-kilter by Elliot's comment, despite his earlier explanation. "Maybe instead of watching, you should be doing."

Now it was Elliot's turn to be surprised, and he could see by the slightly shocked look on Olivia's face that those words hadn't come out as intended. "I can do that." His comment was laced with innuendo, and he saw that Olivia heard it as well.

He kicked off his shoes and waded into the water after her.

Olivia laughed when she heard the sharp intake of breath from Elliot. He wasn't going to admit the water was freezing, but he hadn't been able to hold that back. "Feels great, doesn't it?"

"It's awesome." Elliot reached for his shirt and peeled it over his head, tossing it back on the beach. "In fact, it is a great day for a swim."

Olivia's jaw dropped when she saw his intent, and two seconds later, he dove into the water. He came up, sputtering and spewing water and let out a loud yelp. Olivia laughed. "Now who's crazy?"

Elliot started moving towards her with a mischievous grin on his face. Olivia shook her head and held out her hands in a defensive gesture, but before she could even turn to head back to the safety of the shore, he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tightly against his wet body. "You're going in!" He teased, pretending like he was going to fall in and take her with him.

"Stop!" Olivia yelled out, feeling the water seep into the material and the cold water against her skin. The goosebumps were back, and she felt her nipples harden in reaction to the cold. She couldn't push away from him or she'd go in for sure. She yelled out again as they did an awkward dance in the water, but the word was cut off again with a laugh that came deep from her belly. Elliot pressed his wet cheek against hers, causing another deep intake of breath on her part, followed by another laugh. She tried to backpedal and recapture her balance, but the sand shifted beneath her feet, making it impossible.

Elliot felt Olivia start to fall and he lifted her off her feet slightly, moving them towards the beach to keep them from landing in the water in a tangled mess. He was able to ground himself in the shallow water and took a few steps farther until he could set her gently on the sand. He made sure she had her footing before he released her. They were both laughing, and Elliot ran his hands over his head, sluicing the water from his hair and skin.

Olivia's watched the muscles in his arms and chest flex as he moved, and she looked away. Her wet dress was clinging to her body and she tugged at it, trying to pull the cold material away from her body. "Now who's crazy?" She said, shaking her head as she looked back at Elliot.

"That's what happens when you toss out a challenge like that."

"That wasn't what I had in mind."

"Go big or go home." Elliot said, watching as she wrung water from grabbed the hem of her skirt and started wringing water from the material. As she stood, he saw how the wet material clung to her. The white dress wasn't translucent, but it did nothing to hide her hard nipples or the outline of her bra and panties. "Do you want to wear my t-shirt?" He bent over and scooped up his t-shirt, but he hadn't thrown it as far on the beach as he'd thought and half of it was wet. "Oh."

Olivia laughed. "It'll dry." She pulled her dress away from her body again. The way Elliot was looking at her and the offer of his t-shirt pretty much confirmed that her white dress wasn't leaving much to the imagination. She was glad she had worn white underwear beneath.

"I tossed some towels in the truck. Be right back."

Olivia watched him run up the beach and then turned back towards the ocean, listening to the chatter from the family picnic and the gulls weaving and diving over the waves. She heard a small 'oof' as Elliot hit the sand again, and then he was back by her side, wrapping a towel around her shoulders.

"Here you go."

Olivia clutched at the edges. "Thanks."

"I grabbed the Army blanket I keep in the back too. I thought you might want to sit here for a bit and dry out." His own shorts were soaked, along with his underwear and t-shirt, and he didn't relish getting back into the Jeep and driving in wet clothes. He spread the blanket out next to where Olivia was standing. She didn't waste any time stepping on to it and settling herself on one side, leaving ample room for him.

Olivia leaned back, bracing her arms on the blanket behind her. She dropped her head back and closed her eyes, feeling the sun on her face. She felt Elliot settle on the blanket next to her. When she opened her eyes, she saw he was laying down. He had his arms bent above him, cradling his head as he stretched out. She tried not to stare at the muscles in his abs, or the way his shorts hung low on his hips, but when her eyes met his, she knew she'd been caught.

Olivia lowered herself down on the blanket and then rolled over on to her side, so she was facing Elliot, bracing her head on one bent arm. She saw Elliot's eyes drop down to her breasts. She grabbed the neckline of her dress and tugged at up, but with how wet it was, she wasn't sure it really helped. But Elliot got the message and looked up at her face. "I'm really glad I didn't cancel this trip." She said, feeling the smile on her face.

"Me too." Elliot said. "I didn't realize how much I needed this." He reached out and ran a finger across Olivia's cheekbone. "Your freckles are coming out." He said before dropping his hand.

Olivia's fingers followed the trail Elliot's finger have, as if she'd be able to feel them. "Ugh."

"I like them." Elliot said. "They're adorable."

"Adorable?" Olivia raised one brow, surprised by his word choice. She didn't think anyone had used that word with her before.

"Yeah." Elliot said, not backing down. "You shouldn't cover them up."

"Well, since I don't plan on putting on any makeup on this vacation..."

"You don't need make-up." Elliot said.

Olivia heard the implied compliment and she looked away. Compliments had always been difficult for her, but a compliment like that from Elliot was even harder to accept. She wasn't sure what to do with it. She rolled onto her back, adjusting her dress again. She grabbed the towel Elliot had provided and stuffed it behind her head, using it as a pillow. The sun was starting to do its job, and her skin was warming nicely.

Elliot had seen Olivia's reaction to what he'd said, and he smiled as she ignored it and lay back on the blanket. He'd never be able to tell her just how beautiful she was outright, but he was glad he'd found a way to let her know exactly what he thought. He let out a slow sigh and closed his eyes, feeling incredibly relaxed.

A few minutes later, he opened his eyes and glanced over at Olivia. He realized she had fallen asleep. He knew she hadn't slept well the night before, but had never been much of a napper, so it surprised him. Of course, if he added in the drinks she'd had, it made more sense.

He rolled over on his side, taking the opportunity to look at her without recrimination. Her windblown hair looked incredibly sexy. Her dark lashes rested against her smooth skin, her cheeks slightly pink from the sun and dotted with those adorable freckles. Her beautiful mouth was relaxed and looked so damned kissable in that moment that he had to keep himself from moving closer.

He let his eyes continue down her body, resting momentarily on the swell of her breasts before he roved over her stomach. He moved lower, realizing he could still see the outline of her panties. He felt like a voyeur as his eyes traced the waistband, cutting extremely low on her abdomen, and then landed where the material of her skirt was caught between her thighs.

Elliot tore his eyes away, feeling guilty about the way he was looking at her and the thoughts running through his head. If he didn't stop, he was going to be in an uncomfortable situation right here on the beach.

Elliot laid back, closed his eyes, and tried to think pure thoughts.