Abby knew she had no reason to be nervous.

She had spoken with Bob enough to be comfortable around him. They had laughed together, smiled at each other, and he even paid for her drink that one time at the Hard Deck when she'd forgotten her wallet.

That was circumstance, happenstance if anything, but this? This was intentional, and just the two of them. No Rooster to make jokes, no Hangman to offer thinly veiled jibes, and no encouraging smiles from Phoenix.

Just Abby and Bob at a beachside cafe, getting coffee, and nothing else. It was their first date, and Abby had no idea what to wear, which was why she'd called Kennedy to come over.

She sat on Abby's bed, lost in her phone, as Abby changed for the fifteenth time. The denim shorts had been an easy choice, but her top was a different story.

Abby turned away from the full-length mirror and faced her friend. "How's this?"

Kennedy glanced up from her phone, a grin on her face. "Better than the last one," she told her. It was a loose blouse with a small floral print and a slight v-neckline. It did look better than the last one she tried because that one belonged to Kennedy, who was both taller and had a fuller chest than Abby.

She turned back to the mirror for one final glance, deciding that the top was good enough.

"Will you drop me off?" Abby asked Kennedy, grabbing her purse from the bedside table.

"Sure," she said and stood. "I don't want to miss the look on Bob's face when he sees you."

"I look normal," Abby argued as they left her bedroom and headed for the front door. Abby rented a place off base because living in barracks wasn't all that appealing when it was an extended assignment.

"You look hot," Kennedy told her and stepped out the front door Abby held open for her. "Bob won't know what hit him."

Not ten minutes later, Kennedy pulled into the parking lot. Bob stood out front waiting, and Abby felt her stomach twist with nerves. He looked good in his dark jeans and white t-shirt, and she wasn't disappointed to be able to see his biceps. She hadn't stopped thinking about those biceps since that day on the beach.

She wanted him. Badly.

Kennedy parked and sent her a knowing look, which Abby pointedly ignored. She got out of the car but leaned in through the open window to say goodbye.

"Thanks," she said.

Kennedy nodded. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"So I can do everything?"

"Yup," she told her. "Including sex on the first date."

Abby rolled her eyes. "You're a menace."

"Maybe," Kennedy concurred as Abby stood up straight. "It's always the quiet ones, though, and I have a feeling our sweet Bob is packing."

Abby just shook her head and watched as Kennedy pulled out of the lot and disappeared down the road.

She approached Bob, who smiled as she came towards him and offered a small wave.

"Hi," she greeted him when she finally stood in front of him. Had his eyes always been this blue?

"Hi," he said back, hand coming up to scratch his neck. "Glad you could make it."

"You asked," she said just to say something, and his smile, although a bit shy was genuine.

He took the two steps towards the entrance to the cafe and opened the door for her. "Ladies first," he insisted.

Abby shook her head in jest. "What a gentleman," she commented and walked past him. He followed behind her, placing a featherlight hand on her lower back. She wasn't sure he did it consciously, but Abby could feel the warmth of his touch all over.

The waitress led them to a table overlooking the beach and took their order.

Abby took the first sip of her coffee and barely managed to stifle a moan. Bob's eyes widened slightly, followed by a dusting of pink across his cheeks. He shifted in his seat.

"Good?" He asked.

Abby nodded. "So good. So much better than the garbage on base that Warlock drinks buckets of every day."

He sipped his own coffee. "How did you end up working for him?"

It was an innocent enough question, and Abby knew Bob asked it earnestly. She'd never told anyone the real reason why she accepted Warlock's offer to get her reassigned to him. "I was headhunted," she told him, which wasn't technically untrue. "Not many think doing administrative work is important, but I enjoy it."

Bob shook his head, a look of disbelief in his brilliant blue eyes. "No," he contradicted. "You keep everything running smoothly. Without administrators, nothing would get done."

Abby leaned back in her chair, suddenly bashful at his words though she wasn't entirely sure why. "Thank you, Bob."

The bright smile that spread across his face was rewarding enough.

They talked for what seemed like hours, and Abby found herself more and more entranced with the shy Lieutenant who scratched the back of his neck when he was nervous. When they finally left the cafe, Abby didn't really want to leave him yet. She sensed that Bob was hesitant to part ways, too.

"Do you wanna-"

"I'm really-"

They laughed because it was the only reaction that seemed appropriate for speaking at the same time.

Bob offered her a gentle smile that made his eyes crinkle around the edges. "Do you want to walk on the beach for a bit?"

"I would love to."

Abby and Bob sat on a bench to take off their footwear and headed straight for the water's edge. They walked next to each other, hands brushing against each other every once in a while.

The silence was comfortable, but Abby needed to fill it even for just a moment. "I'm glad you asked me out," she told him. She didn't know if it was the right thing to say because he stopped in his tracks and looked at her in a way she couldn't quite describe.

"Yeah?" He asked, his voice lower than usual, and Abby felt naked under his gaze.

"Yeah," she confirmed. Bob took a step closer to her as the water lapped over their feet. She had to tilt her head up to look at him properly and felt his breath across her face. She swore she had stopped breathing.

"I was afraid you'd think it was weird," he confessed, his hand raising to scratch the back of his neck again. Abby was pleased to have figured out his tell but hoped he'd one day stop doing it in her presence.

The corners of her mouth turned up involuntarily. "It's cute," she said before she thought better off it. "This thing you're doing," she finished, gesturing to where Bob's hand still rested on the side of his neck.

He huffed out a breathy chuckle, lowering his hand and avoiding her eyes. "Being all nervous?"

Feeling bold, Abby reached up and touched his cheek, bringing his eyes back to hers. "I'm nervous, too," she confessed.

His eyes widened slightly. "You are?"

Abby nodded. "Bob, everything about you makes me nervous," she told him honestly. "Especially how much I like you."

His eyes glanced at her lips for the briefest moment, and he placed a tentative hand on her waist as if testing the waters.

He hesitated again. "Can I kiss you?"

"Please."

He didn't waste a second, capturing her lips in first a tender and easy kiss. It quickly grew hungry and desperate. He tasted like coffee, but he smelled like him, leather, and jet fuel, and it was intoxicating.

They pulled apart, and Bob's eyes were blown wide, but he looked shy again. "I've been wanting to do that for a while."

Abby stood on her tiptoes and kissed him again. He gave a surprised groan but returned the kiss with fervor. He pulled her closer to him, and Abby could feel how much he wanted her.

"We should get out of here," Abby said once they pulled apart again.

Bob's hands still rested on her waist, and he looked as if he was searching for something in her expression. He must have found it because he pecked her on the lips again, grabbed her hand, and headed for his car.

A/N: Thank you for reading my story! All chapters in this work can be read independently of each other, though I have placed the chapters in somewhat chronological order. Please let me know what you think by leaving a review! To learn more about Abby, her relationship with Bob, or simply talk to me, you can find me on tumblr at cantfighthemoonknight.