Warning! So, there are no sex scenes in this story, but things do get a bit heated in this chapter. And well… awkwardly cute…

OOOO

Rock the Boat

Embry smiled half-heartedly at whatever joke Quil had just made, though truthfully his mind was elsewhere as he glanced out the window. It was a slow day at the shop that had him not only counting down the minutes until he could leave, but his thoughts wandering to places they shouldn't go.

Namely Freja and their - now many - heated makeout sessions.

The second Embry's thoughts turned in that direction, his heart rate increased as a now familiar buzzing ran throughout his body. In the week that Freja had been back, he spent nearly all his freetime with her, the two quickly picking up where they left off.

And then some.

Freja had apparently returned with a boldness she hadn't had before, which on the one hand, Embry rather enjoyed. On the other, it seemed to come at inopportune moments.

Not to mention the fact that Freja was still a virgin. Or well, they hadn't actually talked much about that subject, but from what he knew about her, he highly doubted she had gone off and experimented with any guys while being terrified that she might accidentally kill them. He didn't mind this - he was actually rather neutral on it, finding it neither a turn off or turn on. But there was a lingering anxiety when he thought about it too much. For some reason, he hadn't really given the physical side of their relationship much thought before - being too worried that she was about to die while going through The Change.

But now, for some annoying and frustrating reason, it was all he could think about.

Didn't most girls want their first time to be special? What if he screwed it all up? What if she was upset to find out that he wasn't a virgin? Or what if it made her feel extra self-conscious, knowing he had more experience than she did?

Freja knew he had girlfriends before her, but did she understand that also meant that he had had sex too? He hadn't really planned his first time - it just happened. But what if Freja wanted something more than that?

Not to mention, this was the first time he would be sleeping with someone he loved. That meant something a lot more than the couple of hook-ups he had had in the past.

Sighing, Embry shook his head, not quite sure just why this was turning into a big deal in his mind. They were both adults. Adults who loved each other. But also adults who unfortunately both lived with their guardians, making it rather inconvenient when things did get a bit hotter. They were never truly alone at her house or the music shop. And he hadn't introduced her to his mom yet, so the thought of taking her to his place was a bit daunting. He wasn't so keen on the beach either, which would definitely have sand in places he didn't care to get, not to mention it was winter.

But at the same time, it wasn't as though he didn't want to take that next step. And from the way she had been acting lately, he was fairly sure that she did as well. Or at least he thought so. Christ, what if she didn't and he made the wrong move?

This was beyond frustrating. In more ways than one. Even just thinking about Freja was starting to get him worked up. He needed to get himself under control. He was at work, for crying out loud.

About then, something hard smacked into his head and then bounced off, falling onto the ground.

"What the fuck, Quil?" he growled, turning to his best friend, watching as he laughed hysterically while Jacob rolled his eyes.

"It's your own fault. Been asking you the same question the last three minutes but you're over there in Neverland," Quil replied.

"Oh, what was it?" Embry asked, rubbing his head slightly.

"Is something wrong?" Jacob asked, shooting a dark look at Quil before turning a worried expression to Embry. "You seem off. Everything okay with Freja?"

Embry's eyes widened slightly as he swallowed and tried to think of an excuse. While he knew Quil and Jacob were likely the only people he could talk to about this, he wasn't sure that the shop was the right place. Even though they were alone. A customer could walk in at any moment.

"It's nothing," he muttered as he shuffled over to pick up the marker that Quil had thrown at him.

"That does not look like nothing," Quil said. "Seriously. Not used to the tail yet?"

Embry shot him a dark look as Quil laughed loudly at his own joke. Apparently the double entendre was intended from how he was carrying on, which only caused Embry's cheeks to heat up. Jacob rolled his eyes.

"What is wrong, though?" he asked, looking at Embry. He picked up the marker Quil had hit him with and sighed, shaking his head.

Might as well get this out in the open.

"Well...," he said, unsure of where to start.

"Oh shit, this is about- OOF!"

Embry looked up, seeing that Jacob had punched Quil in the stomach, now scowling at him.

"He's not wrong," Embry finally admitted. Both Quil and Jacob looked over at him, Jacob's eyes wide while Quil started grinning.

"What is it? Can't find a good place? Can get it-"

"Seriously, Quil?!" Jacob shouted.

"Dude! I'm just trying to help!" Quil shouted in return, hopping back before Jacob could hit him again.

"Then would you let Embry talk?" Jacob said. He then turned back to Embry and motioned for him to continue.

Embry took a deep breath and slowly let it out as he leaned on the counter and fixed his eyes on the marker that he was now twirling in his fingers.

"Well… so Freja's never…" he stopped, frowning and feeling as though he were somehow betraying her trust. Granted, it wasn't as though anything could remain secret regardless of whether he actually said it or not. Not with the packs.

"Well that's not surprising," Quil said with a snort. Embry looked up, seeing Jacob raising his hand again. "I didn't mean it in a bad way! But you know that she wasn't allowed to date or be around guys. It makes sense. That's all I meant!"

Jacob lowered his hand and looked back at Embry, his eyebrows raised.

"Okay, yea. And well… I'm not sure… how to go about it," Embry said, frowning. That's not what he meant to say. Shit. How did he say this?

"Embry, you know how to go about it," Quil said.

"I didn't mean that," Embry said, shooting him a scowl. "I mean… it's different. It doesn't bother me that she's... It's more… argh." Embry ran his fingers through his hair. "I've never been with… someone like her before."

"You know, it's okay to say the word virgin," Quil said.

"Quil, you're really not helping," Jacob said.

"Yea, well it's not like you have any room to talk, virgin," Quil shot back.

"So?" Jacob retorted, the two of them starting to get into each other's faces.

"Would you both stop?" Embry whined. "Right now neither of you is helping."

They both looked over at him, their angry expressions fading as they saw just how distraught Embry was about this.

"And it's not like we're ever truly alone. Except for on the beach, and that's out of the question right now. But then… ever since she came back, it's like… we're both a bit… charged," Embry said, struggling with his words. "I don't know if it's the Change or… us or… something that happened while she was away…"

"Could be all of the above," Quil said. "Or well, I mean, it's only natural that at some point you two are going to want to take it to the next level… Really it's not a big deal. Claire was a virgin."

"Yea and so were you," Embry replied.

"Which means Freja won't have a lousy time with you," Quil said, smiling slightly. Embry rolled his eyes. "I mean seriously, it took us a few times to get it decent."

"I'm not worried about that. Or well, yea, I suppose that is part of it," he said with a sigh. "I just want to make sure that she's okay with it and all. That it's… special."

"Honestly, I think you just need to talk to her about it," Jacob said reasonably. "If you're so worried."

Embry blanched slightly. Of course, he knew it was what he needed to do, but he still got a little fidgety at the thought of talking about sex with anyone and most definitely Freja. Christ, it was like he was in high school again being forced to sit through "the talk" with his mother.

"Or… you just let it happen when it's meant to happen," Quil said. "Plan too much and you just work yourself up and it's good for no one."

"Not like we have that option with her grandparents always around," Embry muttered.

"Okay, maybe some planning might be involved," Quil said thoughtfully.

"Again, just talk to her," Jacob said. "It might not be that awkward. I mean, you said that you guys were always a bit charged around each other. Could be she's just as ready to take that step as you are. But you run less risk of fucking shit up if you talk to her first."

Embry thought it over and sighed heavily.

"You make a point," he admitted, looking over at Jacob.

"And it's not like you guys are going to be in wolf or Havsfru form," Quil added. Jacob reached out and smacked him again. "Seriously! I wasn't trying to make a joke that time!"

Embry couldn't help but chuckle at that. Though it started him wondering how it worked with Havsfru, remembering how Freja looked. He then shook his head. That was a whole other can of worms he didn't want to open.

"So, we're in agreement. Just talk to her," Jacob said.

"And then tell us all about it," Quil added with a grin.

Both Embry and Jacob smacked him for that one.

"God! I was joking!" Quil shouted, glaring at the both of them as he rubbed his arms. Embry shook his head, now feeling mildly better about the situation.

"Right… just gotta talk to her…"

OOOO

Freja huffed as she stared at her phone a few moments and then went through her phonebook.

"Just... get it over with," she muttered. It rang only twice before Natasha answered.

"What the hell!? I've been trying to get ahold of you for a month!" she shouted as soon as she picked up. Freja grimaced.

"Sorry… It wasn't intentional," she said, scrambling for an excuse that was believable. "My grandparents took me traveling and… reception was bad."

Natasha was silent on the other end, clearly not believing her. Freja rolled her eyes.

"Really, I am sorry. Just… a lot has been going on. A lot of crazy stuff and I just… I had to take some time to deal with it," she confessed, being completely truthful. "I know it was really shitty of me not to keep in touch, but… yea."

There was more silence.

"And, well, I called because I really wanted to tell my two best friends about some of the things," she continued, praying that Natasha wouldn't hang up.

"Oh yea?" Natasha said dryly.

"So… I have a boyfriend," Freja said, hoping that bit of news would bring her around.

"Is this the guy you were talking about before?" Natasha asked. While she was attempting to sound as though she didn't care, Freja could clearly hear the interest in her voice.

"Yea. And we're not sneaking around anymore. In fact, well, I'm in love with him," Freja said, a hopeful note in her voice. "He said he loved me too."

It took less than half a second for Natasha to squeal loudly.

"SERIOUSLY! OH MY GOD! Hold on," she said. Freja heard something like running and Natasha shouting at Amy. "Okay, we're back and you're on speaker. How did this happen?"

"Well… I suppose like any other couple," Freja said, unsure of just how to explain her and Embry's relationship. She couldn't very well tell them that he had imprinted on her. And that he was a wolf. Oh, and she was Havsfru. "We were just… hanging out a lot and talking and… it just… happened."

"I'm so happy for you!" Amy shouted. "Seriously! And your grandparents are totally okay with this?"

"Yea, they really like him. Guess they've finally lightened up," Freja said, feeling much more at ease.

"Ooo! Bring him to Stanford with you when you come to visit!" Natasha exclaimed. "I mean, I know you're all in love and shit, but our opinion of him still matters."

"Yea, totally," Amy added.

Freja chuckled as she happily realized that now she could go down and visit them. Hell, she could travel. Go wherever. For a moment, her eyes widened as she got stuck on that thought for a moment. She then shook her head. There were other things she needed to discuss today.

"Right, so things are… progressing," she said. "And well…"

"OH MY GOD, FREJA'S GOING TO POP HER CHERRY! FINALLY!" Amy shrieked, causing Freja to jump then blush furiously.

"Jesus!" she exclaimed.

"Seriously, Amy," Natasha replied. Freja heard a thwack. "We're listening." Freja chuckled.

"Yea, so… things are progressing, but… shit… I have no idea what I'm doing," she moaned. "And I'm pretty sure that Embry's more… experienced."

"Are you worried about telling him?" Natasha asked.

"Well, I'm pretty sure he already knows," Freja said, her cheeks burning. "I mean, we haven't really talked about it specifically, but he knows that he's my first boyfriend and that I never was around guys much before…"

"Okay, well, maybe he doesn't care," Natasha said. "I'm feeling like it doesn't bother him. He is still with you and all."

"And besides, you want someone who knows what they're doing your first time," Amy said.

"Seriously?!" Natasha shouted.

"Oh, shut up. You know I'm right," Amy replied. Freja chuckled, imagining the two of them sitting on the couch scowling at each other. "So, he most likely knows… What is the problem? Are you guys not… you know…"

Freja could picture her waggling her eyebrows and grinning. She laughed again, though it had a nervous hitch to it.

"I mean… it's definitely there. I mean," she stopped, remembering the last time they made out.

She was walking him down to the beach and ended up pinned up against a tree, her legs wrapped around him, his hot breath on her neck. And then they heard one of her grandparents open the back door which had them hiding and then sprinting down the beach.

But just thinking about it got her hot and bothered all over again.

"Okay, well, I ask again, what's the problem?" Amy asked.

"It's obvious. She's nervous. You don't have to be nervous," Natasha said.

"I mean unless Embry is-"

"Oh my god, shut up, Amy," Natasha snapped.

"Unless what?" Freja asked, her eyes wide suddenly worried.

"See? Now you made her more nervous!" Natasha said as Amy giggled in the background.

"You'll be fine," Amy said.

"But… I mean… how do we… or I…" Freja stopped talking, shaking her head.

She felt as though she changed while she was gone. She felt more confident and comfortable in her skin. More alive. But for some reason it seemed to retreat whenever this topic came up. The idea of talking about sex - even with her friends - was slightly terrifying - it had taken her a good 30 minutes to build up the courage to call, though she rationalized it by telling her self it had to do with the month of no contact. Truthfully, that was only a small part of it. She supposed these were conversations she would have had with her mother at some point. And well, she could talk to her grandmother, but that just sounded like it had embarrassment written all over it. And definitely not a conversation Freja wanted to have.

"Hey, it's going to be okay. You love Embry, yea?" Natasha said.

"Yes," Freja said, her voice firm.

"And he loves you," Natasha continued.

"Yea."

"Well, just talk to him," Natasha said. "If you're worried about something, it's okay to tell him. And if you are ready, well, definitely should tell him that. And if he really cares about you, he'll listen."

Freja was silent as she thought it over. It made sense. They had been able to talk about just everything else. Why couldn't they talk about this? Of course, she wasn't exactly sure just how to start that conversation off. The idea of plopping down on the sofa and saying, "So Embry, let's talk about sex," seemed too mortifying.

"Freja, are you sure you're ready for this?" Natasha asked when Freja didn't say anything for a while.

"I… yea," she said, firmly feeling that she was. "But… I mean, I just remember all those things we heard in high school. Getting pregnant. STDs. Or that it hurts and, and…"

"Oh sweetie, we all go through that panic stage. Even after you've done the deed," Amy said. "Natasha woke me up at the crack of dawn to go chase down Plan B just a few weeks ago. Not fun when you're hungover." There was another thwack. "What?! It's true!"

"Okay, first thing, go get yourself on birth control," Natasha said rationally. "And then, talk to him. Be honest. And it doesn't have to hurt that bad if your partner knows it's your first time and puts in the effort to make you comfortable. And chances are, he might be just as nervous as you."

"That is true," Freja said, thinking back. "I mean… he's stopped us a few times. Though it's usually because we're about to be interrupted. It's not like we have an abundance of privacy…"

"Oh, surely you can get creative," Amy chipped in. "Though what about his place?"

"Lives with his mother," Freja replied. "And I'm still with my grandparents."

"Girl, get your own place," Amy said. Freja chuckled.

"Not a bad idea," she replied.

"And surely your grandparents aren't always home," Natasha added. "But seriously, before anything, talk to him."

Freja took a deep breath and nodded.

"Yea, okay. I can do this," she said.

"Now," Amy said, "tell us more about things with Embry…"

OOOO

Freja cuddled up to Embry, glad for his extreme body heat. They were seated on the small wicker loveseat on her balcony but even though she wasn't as affected by the cold as before and they were buried under a thick down comforter, it was still a bit chilly. He chuckled as he pulled her closer and she rested her head on his shoulder.

Her grandparents were off somewhere in the house so it was just them, the twinkle lights wrapped around the railing casting a romantic glow. She sighed, thinking she wouldn't mind staying here for the rest of her life.

"How was work?" she asked, glancing up at him.

"Good," he said, though he shifted slightly as his cheeks started turning slightly red. "Nearly got the rocking chair finished."

Freja perked up at that. He had been refusing to let her see it until it was done.

"So I should be able to see it soon?" she asked, starting to smile. He nodded, glancing down at her but then looked out at the sea.

"Soon," he replied.

Freja settled back in his arms as they both fell silent. She swallowed and took a deep breath. If ever there was a good time to bring up the topic of sex, now would probably be it. Just… get it over with.

"So, Freja," Embry said, cutting her off before she could speak, shifting again. His jaw was slightly tense. Immediately she began to worry. This sounded serious. "I, um… well… there's something I want to talk to you about."

"Okay," she said softly. He refused to look at her.

"So things have… changed… since you came back," he said after clearing his throat. "Or maybe it's both of us… I don't know." Freja's heart clenched in fear.

Was he about to break up with her? But that was impossible. They were imprinted. You didn't just break up with your imprint, did you? Freja immediately began wracking her brain for all the information that she could remember on it.

"But, well… I was hoping we could… that we should…" he stopped and shook his head. He then chuckled and looked down at her. "I'm really fucking this up."

Freja sat up and put her hand on his arm.

"It's okay. You know you can talk to me about anything," she said. She then swallowed. "And well, there's also something I wanted to talk to you about… I mean, something I think we should talk about…"

Suddenly, it was her turn to look away, her cheeks blazing bright red. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Embry waiting patiently for her to speak. She then took a deep breath and turned back to him. She was a freakin' Havsfru. She could do this.

"So, you've probably gathered but, I'm… I'm a…"

"Virgin, I know," Embry said, though he stumbled over the word slightly. "And well, I'm…"

"Not," Freja said. He smiled sheepishly and nodded. Freja couldn't help but laugh softly, some of the tension relieving.

This was ridiculous. There was no need for either of them to be embarrassed. And they really did need to have this talk before anything else happened between them.

"It doesn't bother me," she said.

"Same with me," he replied.

"But I do… I do think that I'm ready for taking that next step," she said quickly before she lost her nerve. Embry's eyes widened slightly. "I mean, I think it was probably noticeable…"

"Weren't really hiding it, but I still wanted to make sure before anything happened," he replied, also seeming to relax. "And I am as well, but… I know that your first time can be a bit… I just want to make sure that you aren't scared or anything."

Freja stared at him a moment before leaning forward and gently kissing him.

"I'm not scared. Not with you," she said, staring into his eyes and finding that it was true. "I want this… with you."

His breath hitched slightly before he leaned forward, capturing her lips again. While Freja did enjoy their more heated moments, she found that she liked this best. When he was soft and gentle, their lips molding together perfectly.

His hand came up, resting on her neck before sliding back behind it and pulling her closer. Freja rested her hand on his chest as the heat built. Slowly, she began to lose herself.

Somehow, she was once again in his lap, her body seeming to take over and slowly move against his. She could feel a low rumbling in his chest as Embry's lips left hers, trailing hot kisses down her neck. Throwing her head back, a smile came over her face as her eyes slid closed. Embry tightened his hold on her, pulling her closer and urging her to move faster. She could feel a heat building up inside her as his hands roamed all over her back and body.

Freja looked down, opening her eyes and meeting his as she smiled. She then bent down, kissing him again, though this time with more urgency. Embry growled slightly, which only egged her on.

But then suddenly, Freja remembered that her grandparents were just downstairs. That thought was enough to dowse cold water on the whole situation. She pushed back from Embry, the two of them breathing heavily.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, a worried look coming over his face. Freja smiled and shook her head.

"No, it's just… maybe not right now," she said. "I mean… my grandparents…"

Embry chuckled softly as she rested her head on his shoulder, her arms still wrapped around him.

"Probably a good idea. I forgot myself there for a moment," he admitted.

"Same. And, I mean, we can definitely keep this up. But only if you think you can control yourself," she replied, smirking slightly.

"Me control myself? What about you?" he asked.

"Okay, fair enough," she said, starting to play with his hair at the back of his neck. Embry looked down at her and then wrapped his arms tighter around her.

"How about this… we can go off for a weekend somewhere… just the two of us," he said, raising an eyebrow at her. Freja grinned.

"That sounds like a good idea," she said before kissing him again.

"FREJA! EMBRY! I'VE GOT HOT COCOA READY!"

Freja groaned as she sat back and Embry chuckled.

"You think she does that on purpose?" Embry asked.

"I wouldn't be surprised. She's probably got some sort of radar," Freja grumbled as she got off him and started into her room.

In an instant, she was pulled back against a rock hard chest. She laughed softly as Embry wrapped his arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck.

"Soon," he promised.

"I'm going to hold you to that…"

OOOO

Truthfully, I'm not sure what possessed me to write this chapter. I just wanted some fluff before I got into the next bit of drama to even things out and this is what happened to come to my mind. But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Both Freja and Embry are a bit on the shy side. And Freja IS a virgin. Not to mention, they are both still pretty young, so it makes sense they would both be nervous about sex, both because of their age and personalities. And well, sex should be all about good communication. Plus I thought it could be an interesting twist to the usual trope/theme that sirens/mermaids/etc. are these seductive vixens - that Freja would be nervous about being more sexual.

And I won't lie, those conversations with the friends were kind of fun to write.

But as mentioned, I'm not planning to write a hot and heavy scene with this one, since I don't really feel like it's that kind of story. If I go there, it'll be a fade to black. If...

Oh, and for anyone that read my LOTR story "Bright Light in the Darkness" who wanted another story all about Haldir finding happiness - I've started on one. It won't be ready to post for a while since I'm still finishing up this one and plotting that one out, but it's finally coming! Just need a title...

.2020 - As always, thanks!

Guest - Thank you!

And thanks to everyone for reading and following!