A/N: here you go! Am I not going too OC with Will by the way? I'm really trying to stay true to his character but I don't know how well I'm really doing on that. (feedback?)

Enjoy your read! J

CHAPTER 5:

She rubbed the clothed palm of her hand, flexing her fingers as she stood. With a nod of approval she looked up from the knot she had just made and out to the lake. Her eyes checked the movements of her students as they docked and secured their single sailboats. As she clasped her hands behind her and straightened her back, preparing to stroll down the long dock to see if everyone was doing okay, the barking of dogs made her look at the shore. Three familiar balls of furs came rushing towards the water. A heavy and slightly annoyed frown came onto her face, noticing how the students got distracted by the unexpected visitors.

"Donald, it goes under and then twists to the right, not the left." She noted out of the blue, making the youngster next to her jump surprised and return to his work. She stuck two fingers between her lips and gave a sharp whistle. Her students yelped and groaned at the ear-piercing sound. When she saw how the dogs instantly froze right before the dock, she returned to her students.

"Keep going. You're all almost finished for the day." She told them and continued walking, her sandals barely making any noise against the wood beneath her feet. Here and there she corrected or tightened the knots and once they were all standing on the dock, waiting to be dismissed, she lifted her gloved hand.

"Remember to learn the new knots, I expect you all to be able to show them to me next week." They all nodded and started trickling away as she finally waved her hand. Her eyes went back to the end of the dock, where the dogs were still sitting, their tails wiggling and slamming against the ground as the group approached them with calling and adoring sounds.

"Leave the dogs alone." She called out disapprovingly right before they reached the animals. It earned her a few scolds and sighs of irritation, she didn't mind at all.

She held back a sigh as she followed them, pulling the dirty beige gloves off before stuffing them into the back-pocket of her faded and worn jeans. The dogs sprang up in excitement as she neared them. She hushed them and ruffled their fur shortly. Her eyes wandered around for Will, wincing a bit as she tugged her hair-tie out. Laura kneeled down, her hand brushing through her locks to get them out of her face. The dogs barked softly at the tired smile she gave them and they pushed their noses against her arms and knees. With a quiet chuckle she began patting them. Buck flopped down onto his back and gave her a pleading look.

"They really do like you." Came an amused voice, she smiled at Will and busied herself with Buck's soft stomach.

"It appears so. I was quite surprised when they came running towards me earlier. My students got quite distracted." Her words were reprimanding but her tone was airy, making him shift on his feet, not comfortable without knowing if she was annoyed or amused. He let out a half-hearted chuckle none the less and took a few steps closer. Gary sat down next to him and Will patted his head affectionately.

"I hope they didn't get in your way." She shook her head assuringly and scratched Amelia behind her ear. When Laura got up he blinked startled at the sunlight that reflected quite sharply on her golden locks as they showered down her shoulders from the movement.

"John paid you?" she asked casually and started for the make-shift container office. It took Will a second to follow her, not knowing what to do with himself as she started unbuttoning her over-shirt. He snapped out of it quickly and strode after her.

"Yes. He asked me to look at a few more boats. That's why I'm still here." He explained, the dogs trailing behind them calmly. His eyes sunk to the skin of her shoulders and arms when she pulled her shirt off. She was surprisingly pale for someone who spent a lot of her time on boats. With unconsciously parted lips he looked at the back of her head again before he let them wander any lower, remembering how appealing she had looked a few nights before at the restaurant.

She hummed understanding and threw the shirt over her shoulder, keeping her eyes in front of her, knowing very well what effect she had had on him when taking off the over-shirt and revealing the tight green tank-top underneath. They stayed silent for a while as he followed her to the office pointlessly. The moment her hand landed on the door-knob he had made up his mind.

"Would you like to walk the dogs with me? They're a bit energetic today and they listen to you even more than to me." Laura froze. That was….unexpected. And very soon. She composed her surprised expression and turned around with a half-smile stretching her thin, red lips.

"Sure, but I'm pretty tired, you'll have to treat me to a coffee." He raised his eyebrows amused and stole a glance at her eyes. The afternoon sun changing the grey at the center to a light green. The absence of the steel grey made her seem kinder and more approachable. His eyes slid away from her with difficulty and he let out a short throaty laugh.

"There aren't really any coffee shop in this town. But if that's the only condition then I don't mind making you some." From the corners of his eyes he saw a pleased smile on her face which made the small doubt he had left flow away easily.

"I'll go change." With that she went into John's office and let him standing there with his dogs looking up at him, waiting for something to do. Will placed his hands on his hips and glanced down at the three animals. He pushed his bottom lip up, the corners of his mouth turning upwards. The dogs wiggled their tails at the nod he gave them, letting his pride seep through carefully.

"That was good, right? Smooth." He mumbled to them and looked back up at the lake contently. Very easy. He gave himself an imaginary pat on the shoulder.

After a few minutes the door opened and Laura appeared, waving a goodbye to John over her shoulder. She was wearing loose, sand colored trousers that bellowed around her legs softly in the cool breeze, with a simple and comfortable looking white T-shirt. As she pulled on her brown and soft yellow tartan suit-jacket, he couldn't help but glance at her chest as it puffed out. It was then that he noticed that her shirt was somewhat see-through, teasing his senses with the brown color of her bra that shimmered through. Taking a deep breath he closed his eyes before looking up. Her expression was calm while she closed her stuffed bag.

"Good breeze for sailing?" he questioned as they started walking, making her look away from her bag. Laura grimaced small.

"Well, for beginners yes. Not a lot of risks of making mistakes they don't yet know they can make with this weather." She informed him, her eyes roving over the thin clouds in the sky. He raised his eyebrows at the hint of dismay he caught.

"Not enough of a challenge for you?" her eyes shot to him suddenly, pulling his gaze to meet hers with as much sudden force as a parent who would rip their child away from a busy road. They shone and glistered with stout excitement.

"No, not in the least." She grinned sincerely and hooked her thumb behind the strap of her leather bag. He huffed out a laugh, to chase away the breath he had held in an unnoticed way, and looked up at the crossroads.

"Let's go walk in the woods." Laura suggested and turned to the left, the black head followed her without any word of protest, pleased to know she preferred the humming nature above plain roads with buildings scattered along them sadly.