(A/N: Okay, I realize that Samantha is a bit out of character here, but I couldn't resist. Also, you M/S fans have waited long enough for some interesting tid-bits between the two.)


Chapter 27 – "I'm On Vacation"
Wednesday, June 16, 2004

At breakfast the next morning, Martin pushed Samantha's phone across the table toward her. "You'll be happy to know that Jack hasn't called again since yesterday." Samantha relaxed and let the tension dissipate from her shoulders.

She reached for the phone and glanced at it, then she turned it off and with a defiant smile said, "I'm on vacation!"

The next few days were spent concentrating on forgetting and for the most part they looked like two care-few individuals enjoying some time off. On Friday morning, they had exhausted visiting most of the tourist traps and Samantha reminded Martin of a sign they had seen for a beach off the beaten track. They decided to go explore the unknown.

From the road the beach appeared deserted, but as they reached the parking lot they were surprised by the number of cars. They gathered their towels and headed down a long walkway.

Martin saw her first, a woman walking near the ocean either in the skimpiest bathing suit ever or in the nude. Martin's jaw dropped as he stared mesmerized by the naked woman. Samantha followed his gaze and then scanned the entire area. She saw men and women in varying degrees of nudity frolicking on the beach. She turned back toward Martin, but he had not broken his gaze from the woman. "Samantha, do you see that, um, I mean her?" he said pointing. Finally, he blinked and turned toward Samantha. "She's naked," he said in a whisper.

Samantha couldn't help but laugh, she was amazed by Martin's reaction, but then realized that the prim and proper, clean cut boy had probably never been to, or even thought about, going to a nude beach. She nodded at Martin and pointed to the rest of the crowd, "And so are they."

Slowly Martin looked over the entire place in awe. A couple brushed past them on the walkway where they had stopped dead in their tracks. "They're naked too!" Martin exclaimed. But before he could make a move to return to the car Samantha acted. She decided to astonish him even further. She reached one hand behind her back and undid the clasp on her swimsuit. She let the material fall down her body and hit the ground. Purposefully she reached down to pick up the things she had dropped and walked toward the beach. She used all of her will power to prevent herself from looking at Martin, but she could picture the astounded look on his face. She started walking toward the beach and casually glanced over her shoulder, "Are you coming?"

Dumbfounded, Martin followed Samantha, although a few paces behind her. He didn't trust himself to keep his eyes forward if he walked beside her. "Samantha, do you think, well, um, maybe we should leave."

Samantha continued to laugh at his nervous attitude toward the nude beach and wasn't about to let him off the hook. "Oh, come on Martin, you don't have to get naked, it'll be fun. And I'm on vacation."

Finally, Martin caught up to Samantha and glance toward her, he was immediately aroused by her body and realized that there was no way that he could get naked right now. As they arranged their towels, Martin saw that nobody was paying any attention to them so he looked around. He saw that there were several men still wearing their swimming trunks and most of the women weren't fully nude either. He allowed himself to relax upon these findings, but still avoided looking at Samantha.

Samantha hadn't finished playing with Martin though and reached for the suntan lotion. She dangled the bottle in front of Martin's face, "Would you mind? I don't want to burn." She burst out laughing at the sight of Martin's face. His jaw dropped, his face turned red, and he was speechless as he turned to face her and his eyes moved from the suntan lotion bottle to her bare breasts.

As he was reaching for the bottle, she suppressed her laughter and let him off the hook. "Relax Martin, I'm just kidding. OK, I'll go for a swim and then we can leave and go anywhere you choose."

Martin laid down on the beach and watched Samantha run off into the water. He chastised himself for acting like such a schoolboy and decided that since he was here he may as well join Samantha for a swim. He quickly caught up to her in the water and they swam out until neither could touch the bottom. The water was deliciously warm and inviting. Before he knew what was happening, Samantha had closed the gap between them and planted her lips on his. He tasted the salty sweetness of her and returned her kiss. She broke away and then held up the bottoms of her swimsuit above her head. Martin's eyes grew wide, but he quickly followed suit and moved closer to Samantha. He resumed the kiss and felt her body next to his. The water lapped upon their faces in time with the waves.

But the water Martin felt upon his back was not warm and inviting, it was cold and abrasive in the heat. Instinctively, he reached out an arm and latched onto the ankle next to him and wiped the foot out from under his attacker. As Samantha landed on the ground next to him she cried out in surprise. "Easy Rambo," Samantha said, "I was just having fun." Martin shook his head and realized that he must have fallen asleep.

Martin looked at Samantha, she had put her top back on, but her hair was still glistening from the water. He started to reach for her face, to pull her near him and give her a tender kiss, but stopped himself as he realized that the kisses had all been a part of his dream, not reality. "Sorry," Martin apologized. "You have to be careful when waking up a trained FBI agent," Martin warned, trying to sound playful. Samantha laughed, stood up, and helped him to his feet, they gathered their items and headed back to the car.

During the ride back to the hotel, Samantha realized that her actions may have been perceived by Martin as encouragement for him to continue pursuing her, which was not what she had intended. She decided that she had to preempt any attempt by Martin to move their relationship to a romantic level. Without looking at him she started, "Martin, I guess I acted inappropriately today. I've been having such fun with you as a friend that I forgot all about, well, you know. I'm sorry if it appeared that I was leadin you on to, um, to ask me out again."

Martin was grateful that he was driving and didn't have to look at her as she said her words. He had taken some hope in her actions, but as rudely as the water had awakened him to reality so had this speech. He was determined not to let her see that his hope had been dashed, he looked at her and said, "Samantha, don't be sorry for the way you acted today. I'm glad that you forgot about my past overtures, I want to be friends with you. And, by your actions, I know that we are because you don't show this spontaneous side very often, but you let me see it. Thank you."

Martin concentrated on the road again and thought, "And I will always be able to carry the memory of you practically naked right next to me."

TBC