Thanks to all of you who are reading and special thanks to those that are taking the time to let me know. Just thought I'd tell you that Ryan and marissa are going through a kind of 'honeymoon' period but unfortunately there is drama to follow.

Catching up

A short time later they were walking on the deserted beach hand in hand. "So are you happy?" she asked.

"What right now?" Ryan asked, unsure of what she meant.

"No. I mean with your life. I mean … I know you are really successful. But that brings its own problems. Like what we encountered last night." She explained.

"Yeah sure. I mean I've worked really hard to get where I am… so I have no one to blame but myself if I'm not. And normally the paparazzi don't bother me. My personal life is much too boring. Or at least it has been." He smiled looking at her, then leaning in and giving her a light kiss. "But they do make it really difficult, if they are watching you all the time. Especially, when you are trying to start a relationship with someone, and you are not really sure how it is going to turn out."

"Is that what you are doing? Trying to start a relationship." Marissa said turning to look him in the eyes, wanting to know exactly where this was going.

"Maybe. I mean, I don't know. It takes two to start a relationship; I can't do it on my own." Ryan stared at her holding his breathe, wondering what her thoughts were.

Marissa smiled and leaned over and kissed him softly on the lips and then pulled back to look at him. "Does that answer your question?" she said.

Ryan moved closer and put his arm around her and kissed her again. "Not really. But it will do for now" he replied as their lips met yet again.

They continued walking until they came to a lifeguard tower.

"Want to sit for a while?" he asked.

"Sure." She replied and he placed his hand behind her back and guided her up the ramp.

Ryan sat down and leaned back against the wall and Marissa sat in between his legs using him as a back rest. Marissa sighed and looked out over the ocean and realised that she was completely happy. Being with Ryan was all she needed. She wondered why it had taken her so long to realise that. But it scared her a little that she felt like this and it was not even 24 hours since they got together. Maybe she should try not to rush things. I mean she didn't even know how he felt about her. He was obviously attracted to her but…. was it deeper than that and how could she tell? A small frown formed on her brow as she tried to think of how she could find out.

"Hey. Whatcha doing there? Not falling asleep on me are you?" Ryan asked noticing her silence.

"No just admiring the view" Marissa replied not yet ready to admit to him what she was thinking, and just how confused she really was.

"Me too !" he replied as he looked at her gently tracing the outline of her ear with his finger.

She realised what he was doing and leaned to the side so that she could give him a kiss over her shoulder.

"Is this what you thought your weekend would be like?" he asked as she turned back around to watch a seagull flying out to sea.

"I didn't really know what to expect – when you asked me out for a drink I wasn't sure if you were asking me along as a friend or as a 'friend' " she replied using her fingers to indicate the quotes around the second friend.

"And now you know?" Ryan asked.

"What do I know? I know us getting together happened a whole lot faster than I ever imagined" Marissa stated.

"And whose fault is that? I did try to slow it down but you didn't seem to be too happy with me when I suggested that" he stated, suddenly scared that she was regretting what was happening because it was all moving too fast.

"Yeah. Sorry about that. I guess I got a little carried away." She blushed as she thought back to what went on between them. "But in my defence I was just trying to be helpful since you were being nice enough to offer me a bed for the night it seemed the least I could do to give you some assistance when you obviously needed it." She had never been like that with anyone else. "I'm not usually like that." She explained.

"Yeah ..well...I was so embarrassed when you came to my room and caught me... in the act, so to speak, but the thought of you in the shower was all a little too much for me." he smiled and then looked at her seriously and said "….. but if you want to slow it down, just let me know. I'm happy to let you set the pace."

"Okay Thanks….. I'll think about it, but all I can think of at the moment is that massage you promised me".

"Now a massage is not necessarily the best way to slow things down." He smiled and helped her to her feet so they could begin their walk back to his house.

---

As they entered the house, Ryan could hear his phone ringing and he rushed to get it. Looking at the display he answered and said "Hey Seth. What's up?"

"Where were you man? I've been calling for ever. "

"Yeah sorry I went for a walk on the beach and didn't take my cell with me."

"That's not like you. It's normally attached to your ear. But anyhow, I've been instructed by Summer to find out how everything went last night."

"Good."

"C'mon. You're going to have to give me more than that to keep the little woman happy."

"Very good" he replied looking over at Marissa.

"You do know that Summer will not let you get away with a 2 word answer about last night. She wants details. She has tried calling Marissa but her phone is off. That's why she made me call you. I think the next step in her plan is to call Marissa's hotel room. So it will be all your fault if Marissa doesn't get her beauty sleep because she gets woken too early. Can you live with that?"

Ryan smiled. Little did Seth know it was already his fault that Marissa didn't get much sleep but it had nothing to do with the phone waking her. "I guess I'll just have to."

"So… 'Very good'… That's it... I don't think so… Are we going to have to do this the slowwww way?" Seth asked.

"What? Seth what are you on about?"

"You know. I ask specific questions and you give me yes/no answers."

"No."

"See you know how to play already. So number 1 are you going to see her again?" Seth asked.

"Yes... but that's it I'm not answering anymore of your questions."

"Not even easy ones like how about going out to a new club tonight?"

"No."

"What about if we can talk Marissa into going?" Seth teased.

Ryan smiled. "I doubt that will happen, but get back to me if you do."

"Hm… So there is some interest there?"

"Seth. I'm running out of patience with you." Ryan smiled as he said it.

"Okay. But will we see you at mum and dad's for lunch tomorrow?"

"I'll see, I've go a few things to do." he said looking at Marissa as he replied… thinking that 'doing' Marissa was definitely right up there with things he could think of to do. It was obvious from her grin that she knew exactly what he was referring to.

"Okay. But you can expect to be interrogated by Summer. She wants a blow by blow account of how it went. And any how, why are you acting so weird? You know I really think you need to get some, boy. You're definitely going off."

It was all Ryan could do not to laugh out loud. Little did Seth know, he had been 'going off' quite a lot in the last 24hours and all because he was getting some. "Seth I've got to go, I have a lot on today. I'll see you tomorrow."

While Ryan was on the phone, Marissa had slowly started to strip her clothes off. When she was stark naked, she walked up to him and started to undo the buttons on his shirt.

"Watcha doing?" he asked "Not complaining of course, just wondering".

"Well I heard you tell Seth that you had a lot 'on' this weekend, so I thought if I helped you take some 'off' then you would be able to relax more."

"Forget about MY clothes ….I don't think… you… taking… your… clothes off is going to help me relax" he gulped as he could feel the tightening in his pants. Once she had his shirt and wife beater off she continued down, proceeding to undo his jeans and remove them along with his boxers. "In fact, quite the opposite".

"Ah. But I'm just getting ready for the massage you promised me." She batted her eyelids innocently.

"I see. Exactly what did you want me to massage."

"Well I seem to have aches and pains just everywhere" she answered fluttering her eyes at him with a little southern belle accent. "So I think a full body massage would be in order".

"I think that can be arranged." he smiled and picked her up and walked to the bedroom.

After placing Marissa gently on the bed, Ryan looked at her naked body and said "You do realise that it's not your outside I'm thinking of massaging at this very moment".

"I must admit it had come to my notice that perhaps you had something else on your mind, although it's not exactly your mind that brought it to my notice. ….There seems to be at least a small, well not small – really quite big now that I'm looking at it – part of you that is a little, shall we say, 'excited'. Why don't you join me on the bed and show me what you have on your mind and we'll postpone the massage till later" she replied seductively.

He didn't need to be asked twice. Ryan bent down and kissed her and then joined her on the bed……………..

A short time later, after their breathing had returned to normal he looked at her and chuckled.

"What? What are you laughing about?" she asked.

"I was just wondering, where is the Marissa I used to know? And more importantly who is this hot and horny woman that is with me?"

"One and the same. Disappointed? …That I'm not who you thought I was?" she asked.

"Hell no. I can't get enough of you. Although at this rate though, after another 24 hours with you, I may not even have the energy left to get out of bed, let alone drive back to LA."

"So you mean we'd have to stay here?" she smiled moving her hand down under the sheets and to his groin to make sure he was left in no doubt about her thoughts on that possibility.

"Hm. I see the way you are thinking….. You do know that we could do something else like watch a movie or play chess?" he suggested trying to keep a straight face as he said it.

"What you're not interested in me already. Less than 24 hours and your over me." She pouted.

"I enjoy being 'Over You' " he stated "and 'Under You' for that matter …and every other position you have thought of …. just in case you hadn't noticed." Ryan replied while rolling on top of her to finish off what she had started.

---

A short time later, they emerged from the bedroom in search of food. "So what's for lunch? I seem to have worked up an appetite or maybe it's just the fresh sea air." She teased as she walked into the kitchen. "And I think you need to turn on the fire" Marissa said.

"But it isn't cold in here?"

"Well, I was only thinking of you. Since you said you would take your shirt off for me whenever I asked and I rather like the idea of having lunch with you without a shirt on… actually without anything on would be fine too."

He laughed and grabbed her to give her a kiss "What do you take off if I have to lose my clothes I don't think I should miss out"

"I don't think you missed out at all if I remember correctly…..or was that someone else earlier."

"Nope. Definitely me." He replied as he kissed her gently " And your right I didn't miss out but right now we need sustenance, just in case you want your way with me later in the day." He smiled as he opened the refrigerator.

"What would you like to eat?" he asked with a suggestive grin widening across his face, as he looked at her, remembering some of the activities that had just taken place in the bedroom..

"Not again. You can't be serious!" she replied instantly getting his meaning. "don't you need to rest?" she taunted.

"I've been saving myself for you" he replied "so I have a lot of catching up to do."

"Well I'm sure I'll let you catch me again but right now we need sustenance. I'm super fit, you know so you may have to go in to training to keep up with ME" she suggested.

"Keeping UP is my specialty" he laughed "hadn't you noticed?"

"Yes that had come to my notice. "

"I was scared that if you noticed you would run a mile."

"Well …I promise I'm not going anywhere….unless of course you don't feed me...then I may have to leave in search of food."

"How about one of my special omelettes?" he suggested.

"Sounds good" she replied.

Ryan set about making the omelettes while Marissa set the table. Then she moved over in front of the fire and picked up the cushions and rugs that were on the floor from earlier. She smiled as she wondered to herself if this could still be termed going really slow.

Sure they hadn't really talked yet, but she realised that she was too scared to admit to him exactly the depth of her feelings for him. She had been hurt too much before. It was as if she had been trying to show him how much she wanted to be with him rather than tell him. She hoped the message was getting through. She wasn't prepared yet to open up to him in case he didn't feel the same. She knew he was attracted to her, she just couldn't tell how much. But for the moment she was prepared to just get to know him again and all she could think was that nothing had ever felt so right.

---

After lunch they cleaned up and then they decided to watch a movie. They made some popcorn and sat and snuggled up together on the couch happy in each others company.

When the movie ended neither wanted to move, happy and contented exactly where they were. They sat for hours talking as they had on Friday night, keeping away from anything personal and just enjoying one another's company. They were playing with each others hands just entwining them and messing around when she decided to ask Ryan something that had been on her mind for quite a while now.

"When did you think that we might still have a chance together?"

"Seriously?"

She nodded.

He looked deeply into her eyes. He was still wary about letting her in too close but he knew if they were ever going to make something lasting out of this then he would have to open up. He would just have to try to take it slowly. "Well I guess I've never given up hope." He shyly admitted, somehow feeling embarrassed that he had never really moved on.

She leaned over and kissed him passionately. She tried to convey to him that she loved him. It was much too early to say the words but there was no chance that she could deny her feelings any longer. Sure there were still lots of questions to be answered and things to be sorted out but she realised that she would never be able to stop the feelings she had for him.

As she pulled back to look at him he smiled "Whoa…I guess that was the right answer."

"Yeah." She blushed, wondering if he realised just what she had been trying to say without words.

---

"So. I'm guessing you're hungry again. It must be at least 5 hours since we last ate."

"Don't be mean. It's not my fault I have a fast metabolism."

"So steak and salad okay?"

"Sure but I think I might go a have a quick shower first. I'm a little cold."

"Okay want me to join you?"

"Thought you'd never ask." She smiled and took his hand and led the way.