Disclaimer-see first chapter

Hello everyone! I don't know if you've heard, but there were half a million people in the greater St. Louis area without power last week and into this one. I was one of those lucky people. In fact as I write this, I have power but my cable (meaning internet) is still out. I'm starting now, so I can post this as soon as I'm back online. I'm sorry about the long delay. I promise I haven't abandoned the story. Thanks again for your support.

Addition-I just got internet. Yea! This was going to continue to the dance, but since my power prevented me from updating I'm going to post it now. I got some really nice reviews while I was offline and I wanted to post asap to show my appreciation.

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The trio didn't have much time to consider what had (or hadn't) transpired on the beach. After dropping Charlie off, and a strangely silent ride home, Hunter announced that he needed a nap. Blake decided that was a good plan and lay on the couch. Tori absentmindedly called something out about pleasant dreams as she retreated to her room and instantly blushed when she caught Hunter giving her a thoughtful look. She quickly shut her door and leaned against it, her heart pounding as if she'd just escaped some new evil from Lothors army.

Tori eyed her own bed briefly, but decided that she was too keyed up to sleep. Instead, she went to her closet to get ready for their night on the town. Tori wasn't normally the type who needed hours to get ready, but tonight she wanted to look extra special for Hunter. Blake! she corrected herself. Apparently the incident on the beach had shaken her more than she thought. She let her mind wander as she chose and discarded outfits for the night's festivities.

Nothing happened on the beach. I'm overreacting. Hunter had no intention of kissing me. I didn't want Hunter to kiss me. We're friends and roommates. We both missed Blake when he left and now we're very close. Whatever I was feeling was just a result of being lonely for Blake. Tori tossed aside another blue dress and dug deeper into her closet as she continued to analyze her feelings. Except...Blake's here. And Hunter said he was dreaming about me last night-last night when I heard him say "love you" in his sleep. Was that dream about me? He was giving me a strange look when I said pleasant dreams. Tori shook herself to stop that train of thought. No, that's crazy. Most people have more than one dream a night. It probably wasn't the same dream. And even if it was, he was probably saying it in that casual way we do before hanging up the phone or something. Yes, I'm sure that's all. And I'm happy that that's all. Tonight I'm going to dance with Blake and forget everything that happened today-which was nothing anyway.

Nodding her head to emphasize that last point, Tori spun to face her mirror. She hadn't really been paying attention to what she'd been putting on and was slightly surprised with the outfit she had chosen. It had been a birthday gift from her sister, and she'd almost forgotten she owned it. It was a cocktail dress with spaghetti straps and a modest, square neckline. The dress hugged her upper body and then flared out at her hips, ending in a handkerchief hemline. It was beautiful, and the silk felt nice against her skin. It was also deep red. The card that came with the gift said that blue looked wonderful on Tori, but that sometimes a girl needed to make a statement. Tori decided that she loved the dress. Tonight she wanted to make a statement.

What statement are you trying to make with a red dress? She wondered and then answered herself out loud. "Tori, girl, you think way too much. Shut up and enjoy yourself."

The Bradleys woke up 15 minutes before they were supposed to leave. In annoying male fashion, they were dressed and ready to go with time to spare. Both men wore khaki pants-Blake with a navy button-down and Hunter with a crimson one.

Hunter was explaining the excess of purple in the apartment when Tori walked out of her room. He broke off in mid sentence when he spotted her. It seemed to Hunter that time had slowed down. The whole world shrank until he and the woman approaching him were the only two people in the world. He couldn't breathe she was so beautiful. Blake turned to see what had left his brother speechless.

"Tor-Wow!" Blake said with a huge grin. "I don't know what else to say. You just...you're really...Wow!" Tori laughed and thanked him, but she was watching Hunter out of the corner of her eye. He had been staring since she walked out of the room, but he still hadn't said a word.

"Hunter," Blake waved a hand in front of his brothers face. "Bro, relax. It's only Tori. What do you think of her dress?"

Hunter shook himself as if trying to wake himself from a dream. He eyed Tori critically, gave a smirk, and said, "I like the color." Tori joined Blake in laughing, but she felt a little disappointed. Whatever had happened on the beach must have been all in her head. Well if he doesn't think anything strange happened, then neither should I she told herself.

"Hey, speaking of color, where's your blue? Isn't there a law or something against forsaking your color?" Blake asked.

"Nobody panic. There's lots of blue on my charm bracelet." Tori answered as she showed off the item. Blake could see that it had a small blue surfboard, a blue drop of water, two bikes-one blue and one red, and a purple chair among other charms. He assumed the purple chair was a nod toward the chair they shared at Cams, but he didn't understand one in particular.

"What's with the blue number four?" he asked curiously. Tori looked over at Hunter and the two burst out laughing.

"It's a private joke," she told the younger Bradley. When he continued to look at her expectantly Tori added, "Trust me. You had to be there."

Her answer didn't completely satisfy him, but he let it go when Tori looped her arm through his and pulled him out the door.

When Tori, Blake, and Hunter arrived at Storm Chargers they discovered the rest of the gang was already waiting for them. They had been talking loudly when the last of their group arrived, but feel silent when Tori came into view. Marah and Kapri gushed over Tori's dress. Dustin and Shane stood dumbfounded. Cam seemed surprised at Tori's appearance, but he recovered quickly.

"You look really lovely Tori," he told her with a warm smile. He slid an arm around Leanne and added, "You ladies are really putting us to shame tonight." Leanne, who was wearing a short green cocktail dress, smiled in response. Dustin and Shane finally seemed to recover, and they added their compliments. However, they kept glancing at each other and looking Tori over quizzically.

"What?" Tori asked the third time this happened, "Is there something wrong? Or are you just being your annoying selves?" She gave a half-smile to let them know she was joking. Shane shrugged at Dustin to let him know he should go for it.

"Where's your blue?" Dustin wanted to know. Tori rolled her eyes and shook her head with a smile. She decided to have a little fun.

"I'm wearing blue underwear," Tori answered mischievously. Hunter and Cam started coughing to cover their laughter.

"Too much information Tor," Dustin said with an appalled expression. Shane didn't seem disgusted. In fact, he looked intrigued. Blake smacked him. Tori decided that this was too fun to let go. So she moved closer and threw her arm across Dustin's shoulders.

"Don't worry Dustin. I was only joking. My blue is on my bracelet," She told him as she held her wrist close to his face for inspection. When she felt him relax she continued, "Besides, I'm not wearing any underwear." And with a wink she walked out of the store, leaving three laughing girls and five very stunned guys in her wake.

Tori had already secured a table when the rest of the gang caught up to her at Maurizios. Hunter noticed a man in an apron taking Tori's drink order and hurried over to sit next to her. The man backed away quickly and retreated to the wait stand. Since it was Saturday, the place was very busy. After having a stern talk with his wait staff, Maurizio approached the table.

"Hello favorite people!!" Maurizio started with a warm grin. "I have serious matters to discuss with you. It's a busy night and there are nine of you. My people have agreed to help me with your table, but they want you to promise not to break anyone's arms." He said with a pointed look at Hunter. Hunter groaned and threw his arms up in exasperation.

"It was only a sprain!" He shouted. The people at the next table turned to look at the cause of the commotion. Hunter smiled apologetically at them and lowered his voice, "Sorry." They turned back to their conversation, but the group at his own table continued to stare expectantly. "Fine, I promise not to break any bones."

"Or sprain anything," Shane added. Hunter nodded his agreement and Maurizio went to share the good news with his staff.

Despite Hunter's promise, the waiters studiously avoided even looking at Tori when they could help it. They went out of their way to avoid passing her chair, and only Maurizio himself would hand things directly to the water ninja. The rest of his people gave anything she asked for to Hunter. Tori rolled her eyes each time this happened, but Hunter was enjoying this treatment. He knew Tori could take care of herself. She would probably beat him black and blue to prove it if he tried to say otherwise, but he still liked being seen as her protector. His primal, baser instincts (his inner-caveman, as Tori would say) were satisfied with the knowledge that other men respected his strength and his claim to this woman. Even if I really have no claim at all, Hunter thought t himself.

Hunter allowed his thoughts to drift back to the beach. Tori had looked so beautiful. Although she was obviously stunning tonight, Hunter thought he liked her best as she had looked that morning. She was really in her element, literally and figuratively, at the beach-no makeup, hair wet from the sea, and the sun making her whole body glow in its warmth. For that moment on the sand, everything had seemed perfect. He had wanted to kiss her so badly; and for minute, he had thought she wanted it too. That's crazy Bradley. She's nuts about Blake. He looked over at Tori who had her head bent towards his younger brother. They were discussing something about a modification Blake was considering making on his bike. Living with Hunter had taught Tori more about motocross than she had ever wanted to know.

Hunter continued his inner monologue. Besides, you don't kiss your brother's girl. You don't even do that to your spiritual bros-much less your real one. After his nap, Hunter had decided that he had been suffering from sunstroke and had imagined the whole thing. Seeing Tori in that dress had made him reconsider, but he acted like everything was normal. What choice did he have with Blake standing right there? Tori seemed to have brushed the whole thing aside. If she doesn't think anything strange happened, then neither should I. I should forget the whole thing.

"Hunter?" Tori's voice pulled the crimson ranger from his reverie. "Penny for your thoughts?" Hunter gave her his patented half-smirk and joined in the motocross conversation. Tori fell silent as the boys started discussing things beyond her limited knowledge and tried to flag someone down to refill her glass. Hunter noticed her dilemma and picked up her glass. It was promptly filled by a passing waiter. Tori sighed and grumbled, "I think I liked it better when I was a guy-girl."

Shane heard this and cried, "I said I was sorry! Let it go already." The others laughed, but Hunter looked at her seriously.

"I never saw you as a guy-girl. Especially dressed like that." Hunter said quietly. Tori locked her eyes with his and smiled faintly.

"Do you really like my dress?" she asked shyly.

"Of course I do. You look gorgeous. You always do. Only a fool would call you a guy-girl." Tori blushed and her expression soften. Hunter felt his pulse quicken and knew he needed to lighten the mood before he said something that destroyed them all. "And certainly none of these perverts ever saw you that way." He added loudly. A brave waiter had been about to hand Hunter the bill, but on the word perverts he spun on his heel and delivered it to Cam at the opposite end of the table.

Cam peaked at the bill and said, "Hunter, do you think you could intimidate the staff into giving us a discount?" Hunter grinned wolfishly. The others laughed and went about dividing the check.

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Okay, on to dancing next. Sorry about the delay. In case you're wondering, the number four thing really is a private joke between my sister and I. It really isn't funny if you weren't there, so like Hunter and Tori, I refuse to explain it.