A challenge was given and accepted between Black Angus and myself to write a moment in the lives of Peter Gunn and Edie Hart. The rules were as follows:

1. 1,500 words. I promise I did not go over!

2. Six words had to be used; girlfriend, tree, attack, intimacy, sandwhich and exclusive.

3. Two phrases. It was the best sandcastle he'd ever seen and the urge to interrupt him before he was finished was overwhelming to her.

4. We picked first season. Mine is in between 1 and 2.

I make no money from the story but do enjoy hanging out with the characters. Its as close to Peter Gunn as I will ever get! They belong to Blake Edwards and each other.

References in this story are made to A Lifetime in 8 Days by Black Angus.

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It was the best sandcastle he'd ever seen.

It had been Edie's idea to build one and he'd liked the idea. Not having made one since he was a kid he smiled at the memory of him and his Mum building them near the water's edge, waiting in anticipation for the water to ATTACK them, watching them melt into sea. "Where should we put it?"

Choosing a spot by the water's edge, Edie gathered up the sand, while he filled the two pails they'd brought along with water, sitting the tools of their trade in arm's reach. They worked together in an easy INTIMACY, saying little but communicating with every look and touch. Every now and then he'd sit back and watch her work, noting the way her hands moved through the sand, mixing it with the water as she formed the masterpiece. And it truly was he thought as he looked at the finished product, a solid foundation with a turret on each end, an impressive bridge and a moat. "The only thing missing is the alligator. " he teased.

"Alligator? I always thought it was a dragon " she giggled.

"Or a shark. "

He insisted she stand beside their handiwork, while he took her picture, the wind blowing the short curls off her face, her long coverup swirling around her ankles. As he snapped the picture he couldn't help but think that Edie Hart truly was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. And she was his.

"It is nice isn't it?" She looked over at him with a beckoning smile, her hands reaching out for him. He took her in his arms, nuzzling her neck. "I think it's great. " he nodded. Our EXCLUSIVE design. When should we move in?

"As soon as possible. " She laughed and kissed him, running her hands down his back ,cupping his behind. "Getting a little personal there aren't we?" he teased before capturing her mouth in a kiss that seemed to make the air around them sizzle. "I'm a nice boy. "

"Alright nice boy. she pushed him close. "I haven't even begun to show you personal yet. " They shared several more kisses until a wave rushed in, almost knocking thrm over. Laughing she slipped her arm through his as they started walking down the shore towards their rental cabin.

It was nearing the end of September, but the weather was still nice and the beach was far from crowded. It was nice just to sit and enjoy the motion of the waves, laughing at the sea birds as theY ran in and out of the surf, just thrilled to be with one another.

They had separated over the summer. Edie telling him she couldn't continue to stand there watching him get hurt. Life had had little meaning after that and he'd thrown himself into his work. When he had woken up from a near fatal beating she had been there waiting for him. That had helped him pull through more than any of the doctor's ministrations. And she had stayed!

Things were slowly getting back to normal and since they were there was something he really wanted to do.

He had told Mother first, making sure it was fine with her to take her singer away for a week, seeing from the look on the woman's face that the urge to interrupt him before he was finished was overwhelming to her, but she listened to his reasoning finally nodding her consent. "Have a great time." she'd hugged him.

Later that night he and Edie had cuddled on the couch, when he told her that he thought they should go away for a week. She'd thrown her arms around him, her voice full of excitement. "Just us? Just us two? Completely alone?"

"You and me. " he'd promised. "No people or phones. "

"Then what are we waiting for?"

They had rented a cabin near Cape May that had a wide verandah, a sunny bedroom with a view of the lighthouse and a nice kitchen which so far they hadn't used ; either going to the small lobster shack down the beach or throwing together a SANDWICH.

The first day they'd caught up on their love making; flirting and sleeping to their hearts content. The next day, they had played on the beach, meeting a family with two small kids the youngest, Simon, informing Pete in his most serious four year old tone that he thought the man's GIRLFRIEND was very pretty. "I think you're right. " he'd winked at the boy.

Later that night the couple had gone digging for clams, feeling around with their toes in the sand until they felt the shells , Edie screeching everytime she got squirted. They had walked back to the cabin long after midnight, sandy, sweaty and laughing, a bucket of clams between them.

"Seems like a lot of work for a few lousy crustaceans. " she'd grumbled which earned her a chase around the cabin, Pete's bare feet slipping in the heavy sand more than once before he'd pinned her under the outside shower, the water cascading over their bodies.

The sunrise the next morning colored the water with yellows and reds, the two lovers watching the show as they sipped coffee and tried not to think that they had to leave in the morning. "Thank you for this week. " she said softly, resting her head on his shoulder. "It's been nice having you all to myself."

"I've enjoyed it too. " he nodded "it's something I've been thinking about a lot lately and I think if you don't mind we should make it a regular thing. "

"I think I could handle that. "

He kissed her gently, running his finger down her jaw line, thinking again what a lucky man he was.

"I know I tend to get caught up in work but I want you to know that I will try better. You are the most important thing in my life. "

"I love you so much Peter Gunn. "

After several minutes of soft kisses and long looks, they decided to play in the waves and look for sea shells, Pete reaching for her hand to pull her up beside him.

"Pete what is that?" She pointed up, his eyes following her finger.

"What's what?" he turned in the direction she was pointing to. "I don't see anything. "

"I do, it's right up over our heads in that TREE. And I can't figure out what it is. "

Reluctantly he let go of her hand, walking closer to the oak. Once more he looked where she was pointing , ready to tell her he didn't see anything, then suddenly he burst out laughing. Laying there in the branches was her blue swim suit tangled in the leaves.

"Looks like I've got a pretty good arm. "

" Yes but how good are you at climbing ?" She teased him. "We just can't leave it up there!"

"You want me to go up there and get it!?

"It is my new suit!"

Their last day together was perfect, the water cool on their feet as they looked for shells and starfish, washing them off in the surf, then laying them on the patio to dry. Pete cooked the clams in a white wine sauce, that they ate over long grained rice, finishing off their meal with a scrumptious blue berry cheesecake he'd picked at a bakery down the road.

After supper they lit a fire in the stone fireplace, sitting cross legged on the floor and playing Scrabble, Pete surprised at the fact that he won."It will never happen again bub. " she teased him.

It was late when they climbed into bed making love to in time to the waves, contentment washing over them as he moved deep inside her, their bodies and souls joining in harmony.

It was a perfect moment.