He parked the jeep alongside the curb of her house, walked up the stone path and rang the doorbell at 7 o'clock sharp.

She opened the door, and he couldn't help but look at her from head to toe. She was wearing a beautiful dark blue mid-length floral print strap dress and a pair of dark blue flat sandals. As at the bar, her hair was down and cascaded on each side of her face and cleavage, landing a bit lower than her breasts. She was simply stunning.

"You are stunning," he said as he smiled.

She smiled at his compliment, and he could have sworn that she even blushed.

"You clean up nice, Lieutenant."

He was wearing light beige chino pants, a white crew neck short-sleeved t-shirt and beige plimsolls.

"Thanks," he replied. "Are you ready to go?"

She nodded as she closed the front door and locked it. He waited for her to be at his side before starting out toward the jeep.

He opened the door for her then headed for the driver's seat.

"Did you get everything done that you wanted to?" he asked as they drove.

"Yes. I was more productive than I thought I would be. What about you?"

"Read a bit, worked out, had lunch and then just hung out with Coyote."

"Coyote?"

"It's his callsign. His name is Javy."

"What is your callsign?" she asked him.

"Hangman."

"Hangman?"

"What?" he asked laughing slightly.

"I don't know. I would have imagined you had something more terrifying."

"Like what?"

"I don't know… Venom, Raptor, Viper, Reaper…"

"Well, if I ever have the chance at changing it, I'll pick one of those."

"Would you say you are a great pilot?"

"I'm one of the best."

She laughed whole-heartedly. "And cocky."

"I'm not cocky, it's the truth. Remember? We made a deal to tell the truth."

"That was at breakfast."

He frowned. "So, anything you say tonight, could be a lie?"

"No. I always speak the truth. I don't see the point in lying. The truth always comes out."

After a twenty-minute drive they arrived at their destination, The Beach Restaurant and Bar on Gun Beach.

The waitress showed them to their table outside and they sat down. He eyed Olivia as she looked around.

"This is beautiful."

"You've never been here?"

"No. Never. I've heard about it but never had the chance to come here."

"I heard it was one of the most romantic places on the island," he said.

"That still needs to be confirmed."

He raised an amused and happy brow upon hearing her retort.

They ordered dinner and spoke about her work and some of his missions. He also learned that her parents had died a couple of years back when their sailboat had gotten caught up in a typhoon.

After finishing their meal, they headed for the beach long chairs and had a cocktail. He spoke of his fellow pilots and she was pleased to know that there was a woman pilot in the team.

"Are you a feminist?" he asked as he finished his strawberry daiquiri.

"No. I just believe in equality. I don't think one is better than the other."

"Is it hard for you at work?"

"Sometimes it is. Medicine is still very much a man's world, maybe even more than the military. In some situations, I need to speak up more to get noticed then if I were a man. And there are times when doctors and patients tend to be out of line."

He frowned. "What do you mean?"

"You know, snide remarks, sexist jokes, sexual allusions."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"It's not your fault. It's how it is and luckily things are slowly changing and improving."

He shook his head. "I respect Natasha, I can't even imagine doing or saying things like that."

"That's because you are good person."

He looked out at the ocean and then sat up, placing his feet down on the sand. He bent over, took off his shoes and socks, rolled up his chino pants up and stood.

"Walk with me?"

She mimicked him and untied her sandals, placing them carefully next to the long chair.

They set out walking down to where the sand got harder, but still far enough from the water to keep their feet dry.

"Do you ever get scared up there?" she asked.

"Sure. It can get scary, especially when you need to engage or take heavy fire. But we're trained for that. Up there, I don't need to think about what I'm doing. My plane and I make one. It's almost like an extension of who I am."

He turned his head and looked at her. The moon was shining down and lighting up her face. The light wind was lifting her hair up. She looked angelical.

"It's like you the other day when you were suturing up my gash. You didn't have to think about what you were doing."

"I guess you're right, it's kind of the same thing."

"I'm sure there are times when you get scared too right?"

"Of course, I've got people's lives in my hands. I can't mess up."

"Exactly. We're not that different in the end."

"Except that you risk your life every time you go up, I don't."

She stopped walking, turned toward the ocean, and took a few steps, allowing for the incoming waves to graze her feet ever so slightly.

He joined her and for the first time since he had met her, he allowed himself to get close to the point of their fingers brushing against each other just as the waves were doing to their feet.

When his fingers touched hers, she felt a warmth fill her entire body. This was so different than what she had known so far with men or knew with Beau. None of them had ever brought her here. Beau had never asked her what she liked to do and therefore had never taken her for a walk on the beach at sunset or under the moonlight. He had never asked her much about her work. Jake made her feel as though she was his equal, that she mattered, that she was important… and it felt good.

He felt her fingers move slightly against his. He didn't know if it was done on purpose or not, but it didn't matter. Still looking out at the ocean, he slowly and gently, intertwined his fingers with hers. He smiled internally realizing that she wasn't breaking the bond.

He turned so that he was facing her instead of the ocean, still holding her hand. She did the same and even though it was dark, her eyes drowned in his. A slightly stronger breeze sent a strand of her hair flying across her face. With his free hand, Jake took it carefully and placed it behind her ear, allowing for his hand to rest partly on her cheek and partly on the side of her neck.

She swallowed as he broke the gap between them. She was scared but not for the reasons she thought she would be. She wasn't afraid of what it would be like to kiss him, nor about what Beau would think or say… no… she was afraid that someday, she would miss it, that he would be gone.

He bent down, never breaking the eye contact between them, until their lips met.

It was gentle, there was nothing imposing about the way he kissed her. It wasn't demanding or dominating. He was following her lead and she knew it. He felt her hand slip out from his and before he could worry, he felt it place itself around his neck, landing on the back of his head as her other free arm joined it. In turn he let his own arms embrace her, naturally pulling her in closer against him. As if in sync, both felt each other's lips part and when their tongues met, she felt a tingling sensation flow all throughout her body.

Her lips felt so soft against his and her tongue was warm and moist. When his didn't meet hers, she gently teased his upper or lower lip with it. It was intoxicating and he didn't want it to end.

A firework burst in the sky not far from where they were, and they parted surprised.

They both looked up at the sky then back at each other.

She smiled and he smiled back.

"Pretty amazing," she said.

He raised a hand up. "I swear I had nothing to do with the fireworks, although it's a real good idea."

She turned her head back up to the sky. "They are practicing for the 4th of July celebration."

She shifted her attention back at him, her eyes shifting between his eyes and his lips.

"I wasn't talking about the fireworks."

"You weren't?" he asked as he moved in closer to her again.

She shook her head and bit her lower lip and his eyes darted to it. It was inviting, enticing… It was sexy as hell.

His mouth claimed hers and she knew she never wanted it to end… ever.

It was a little after ten when he pulled up the jeep in front of her house. The ride over had been an exchange of glances and smiles. His fingers caressing the back of her hand or intertwined in hers, while she caressed the back of his neck. He had to admit, her touch on him made it hard for him to focus on driving.

"Are you working tomorrow?" he asked as he had stopped the engine, and both had shifted in their seats so that they were facing.

"No. I'm off for the next two days. What about you?"

"Technically nothing is planned for the moment, but if we don't get called in on a mission or head back to an aircraft carrier in a little while, then we'll have to do maneuvers and add some flight time to our logs."

She nodded.

"Do you think you'll need to head out?"

He saw the concern in her eyes. The way things were starting so well between them, it was also on his mind.

"I don't know. I've learned over the years that the best thing is to not plan things medium or long term. In our line of work, you can very often expect the unexpected and sometimes we need to leave at the drop of a hat."

"It must be hard not being able to plant some roots."

He shrugged. "We move around and in a way I'm glad. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here right now with you."

She smiled slightly and that's when he realized that Cyclone had an advantage; he could offer Olivia something long term, whereas he couldn't.

"Look, all I know is that I've never felt this complete, and I just want to focus on that and spend as much time with you as I can while I can."

He tilted his head to the side, "Is that selfish of me?"

She shook her head.

"Spend the day with me tomorrow?" he said as he took her hand in his.

"Jake… I don't know."

"Olivia, I know I'm asking you to jump into the unknown here, but neither you nor I can deny that there's something here. Take a leap of faith with me."

She seemed to ponder what he had just said for what seemed like the longest minute of his life. He had told Coyote that they would sleep with as many women as they possibly could while they were here, but that was no longer valid for him. If she said no, he knew he wouldn't want any other women while he was here. If she said yes, he was going to show her exactly the kind of man he could be. The kind of man and lover, he had always denied himself to be.

She saw the intensity in his eyes and realized that if she didn't jump into the unknown with him, she would never do it with anyone else.

"OK," she said smiling.

"Yeah?" he asked smiling back wanting to be sure.

"Yes, I'd be happy to spend the day with you tomorrow."

"OK, then dress casual and pack a bathing suit."

She nodded.

They leaned toward each other and kissed a couple more times before she pulled back and let herself out of the car.

As he had done the last time, he had dropped her off, he waited for her to disappear inside the house before leaving. Leaving against his own will and desire, because there was nothing more he wanted to do than run after her and spend the night with her!

Jake walked into the recreational building and spotted Coyote, Rooster and Phoenix playing pool.

"I take it dinner went well," said Coyote as he looked at Jake.

"What makes you say that?"

"I don't know… maybe the look on your face."

"It went better than well," replied Jake as he took a cue stick and broke the rack they had just set up.

"That's it? You're not going to give me anything more to feed on?" retorted Javy.

"Nope."

"You had a date?" asked Natasha.

Still leaning over the cue stick aiming at a striped ball, he raised his eyes. "Yes, I did."

She looked at her watch. "And yet, you're here… How does that not match with what you usually do and who you are?"

He shot the ball in the pocket and resumed a straight position. "People are allowed to change Phoenix, ain't nothing wrong with that."

She smiled. "When do I meet her? Because I honestly want to shake the hand of the one who has managed to change you and your ways."

He shrugged. "Maybe we'll bump into you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" asked Bradley.

"Yep, we're going to spend the day together."

He shot another striped ball in a pocket then put the cue stick away.

"Speaking of which, I'm going to research some things to do on the island. I'll see you guys around."

They all looked flabbergasted, as he headed out of the recreational building.

"Was that really him?" asked Bradley to no one in particular.

"Good for him," said Natasha, "it's about time someone managed to break that concrete wall he's build up around his heart."

Javy handed over his cue stick to Bradley. "I'll be right back."

He ran out of the building and jogged to meet up with Jake who was halfway to the barracks.

"Jake, wait up, man!"

Jake stopped and turned just as Javy reached him.

"What's up?"

"Look, I know you love the adrenaline rush and living by the seat of your pants, but in all honesty, you're starting to navigate into uncharted territory."

Jake frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"She's in a fucking relationship with Cyclone! How do you not see this as a disaster waiting to happen?"

"Not only does she not love him, but she's not happy with him."

"Oh yeah? And how do you know that? Did she tell you?"

"I appreciate the fact that you are looking out for my best interest, but if she were all the things, you think she is with Cyclone, she would have turned me down."

"Fine and when he finds out, what are you going to do?"

"I'll jump that hurdle when I get to it and if I need to."

Jake resumed walking.

"We don't even know how long we're going to be here, and you want to go and mess up with her life and yours!?"

Jake pivoted in a flash and threw his face into Javy' face.

"You think I don't know that?! I do. Not a minute goes by since I've met her and spent time with her, that I don't silently pray that we stay here long enough."

"Long enough for what, Jake? To fall in love?"

Jake smiled from ear to ear. "Exactly. Now if you're done, I've got stuff to do."

Javy sighed as Jake put himself in motion, reached the barracks and disappeared inside.

Jake was like a brother to him. He wanted his happiness, and he wanted him to fall in love one day and get married, have kids. But he wasn't going to let some girl come in and stir up trouble, especially if it meant that Jake's career could be at risk.