CHAPTER FOUR: TIME FLIES

The night air was turning chilly, but Phoebe didn't want to say anything for fear the evening would end. The sound of breaking waves and the feel of the cool, dark sand on her bare feet had a soothing effect. Not that she needed soothing. She was pleasantly tired. Joey had given her the short version of the tour and although they had seen a million things in a few hours, she remembered very little. She had just savored the time she and Joey were spending together. Dinner had been great and having dessert on the beach seemed like the perfect ending for a perfect evening.

"This is wonderful, Joey. I'm so jealous you live so close to the beach, you lucky thing you."

"Hey, you can come stay with me any time. You know that. I like walking on the beach at night. It clears my head and look..." he said pointing to a spot was made a bit secluded by the natural winding of the beach "my favorite place. This is where I come sometimes when I can't sleep"

"It's beautiful, Joe"

"It is isn't it?"

When they reached the spot, Joey spread the blanket he'd brought, sat down and handed Phoebe a bag with dessert.

"This is the best chocolate pie ever, Pheebs. You gotta taste it!"

Phoebe was mesmerized by the ocean but turned around and joined Joey on the blanket.

"I'm having so much fun. I wish the guys could have been here... but oh well, their loss is my gain" she said with a smile as she started eating her dessert. "Oh my God! This is delicious"

Joey gave her an I-told-you-so smile and kept on eating until his pie was gone.

"Oh man, no wonder you like this restaurant so much. This is really good" With a gasp she said "I bet this beats Chandler and Rachel's infamous cheesecake from Mama's Little Bakery"

"By a long shot, babe" he said contentedly. He had stretched out on the blanket and using his hands as a pillow, was gazing at the stars, waiting for Phoebe to be done eating.

"So" Phoebe asked when she was done "is this a favorite place for the ladies?"

Joey turned to look at Phoebe, and with the darkness of the hour surrounding them, he guessed more than saw the teasing smile on her face.

"Surprisingly enough, I have never brought a girl out here" he said "I told you I come out here when I can't sleep. I never thought about being here with a girl"

"That is a surprise. Oh! You know what would be a great idea? To go skinny-dipping! Comeoncomeoncomeon. Let's do it!"

Joey went still and just watched Phoebe stand up and pull her dress over her head. There was no moon and visibility was only hinted at by the glare of the city lights, but Joey's imagination needed no lighting. He slowly sat up and hesitated only slightly, before he too got rid of his shirt and pants.

"We could get in trouble, you know" he said half-heartedly

"I know" she said with a smile as her undergarments joined the dress she'd been wearing "but let's do it anyway" and she ran toward the ocean.

It was the sight of Phoebe's naked backside running to the beach that jolted Joey into action and soon both of them were playing in the water splashing each other. The water was cool, but neither of them seemed to mind. They continued trying to sink and splash each other for a good while, until Phoebe breathlessly called for a truce.

"Are you ok, Pheebs?"

"Yeah, I just need to catch my breath..."

"Come on. Let's get out"

"Aw, not yet. I'm having fun"

"I know but aren't you tired? It's 5 a.m. in New York!"

"Oops. Sorry, Joey. I forgot you're an old man now" She teased as she started toward the shore.

"Old?!? I'll show you old" He said and started toward her, which made Phoebe shriek as she started trying to run aided by the movement of the waves. As soon as she felt the sand under her feet, she picked up the pace laughing hard feeling Joey gaining on her, but Joey's legs were longer and stronger and no sooner had she left the water than Joey grabbed her waist and they both landed on the sand, out of breath.

It took Phoebe about ten minutes to stop laughing. Being chased was fun, but getting caught was hilarious. As her laughter subsided into a smile, she opened her eyes and stared up Joey's smiling face. She was on her back and Joey was on his side, very close to her, his arm still around her waist. She returned his smile and with her hand she wiped off some of the water dripping down his face.

Phoebe's innocent touch felt like a surge of electricity down Joey's body. His breath caught and was all of a sudden aware that he was holding a naked girl.

The feeling of Joey's cool skin had a warming effect on Phoebe and her stomach started doing flips like she was in a rollercoaster.

Neither of them realized they were just lying there, staring at each other until the soft breeze made Phoebe shiver.

"Are you cold?" Joey's voice came out a little hoarse, but Phoebe didn't notice.

"A little bit" her own voice was deeper than usual "we should...uh...you know...uh... go home" she lost her train of thought looking at him watch her.

"Yeah". Taking a deep breath, Joey let go of Phoebe, got up and helped her to her feet. Trying not to look at her naked body, he quickly dressed, not caring that he was getting sand all over his clothes. When he finished, he glanced at Phoebe and saw that she was dressed too and that she was looking at him. He saw her smile and once again was overcome by a feeling of breathlessness. She was so beautiful. Even in that disheveled state, full of sand and her hair in disarray, she was exquisite, and so off-limits he felt like crying.

"Thank you, Joey. This evening was wonderful" she said huskily as she gave him a soft kiss on the cheek, which was more than he could bare. Her closeness and the feel of her soft lips on his skin were his undoing and his arms went around her and his lips caught hers for a hungry kiss.