I'm not sure if people have stopped reading because they have lost interest or if they have just stopped reviewing. It's hard to know. I'd sort of decided that I would post again when I got 5 reviews but I guess that not fair to those of you that are regularly reviewing. Anyhow he's the next installment. Enjoy!

Ryan and Marissa offer reassurance

When Marissa and Ryan entered the restaurant, they noticed a few people looking at them but thought nothing of it. They were both attractive people and that sometimes happened. They made their way over to the table that Seth and Summer were at and sat down.

"Thank goodness you're here Chino. I was worried that you wouldn't come once you'd seen the newspaper." Summer stated.

Ryan frowned. "What's in the paper?"

Seth laughed. "You made the front page."

"But why?" Ryan tried to think of any business deals that he was working on at the moment that would cause enough interest to get that sort of response… but nothing came to mind. "I'm not working on anything that interesting at the moment." He added.

"Hear that Coop? You're 'not interesting'." Summer smiled.

Marissa looked at Summer and rolled her eyes. "Very funny."

Ryan looked at Marissa, the penny finally dropping. "Paparazzi?"

"Yep. Photo of you two looking bleary eyed leaving the airport last night arm in arm. I was half expecting that you wouldn't turn up for breakfast." Summer said.

"Maybe we'll just retreat to our room and have breakfast there." Ryan suggested thinking that would suit him down to the ground. He would get to spend more time with Marissa. Hell, he didn't care if they stayed there for the whole weekend.

"Oh no you don't Chino, I need you. There is something definitely wrong with Cohen today. He's worse than ever. Maybe you can work out what's going on with him?" Summer said as they all looked at Seth who had both legs shaking so much he was actually rattling the china on the table.

"Seth. Stop it." Ryan said. He looked up at Marissa. "Why don't you ladies go and have a look at the buffet and I'll have a chat to my friend here?"

Marissa quickly took the hint. "Okay. Summ let's go see what they've got? I hope there are pancakes."

Summer got up to follow Marissa and then turned to Ryan. "Good luck. But I think he's really lost his marbles this time."

Ryan watched the girls walk away, admiring Marissa's derriere as she made her way to the buffet tables on the other side of the room. He wondered if she had any idea of just what she did to him. He really did just want to take her back to the room and to bed but he knew he had to deal with Seth first. When they were well out of hearing range he turned to Seth. "Man get a grip. What's going on with you?"

"Ryan I can't do it. I've lost the ring. I've looked everywhere for it. When Summer was in the shower, I turned my whole suitcase upside down. There's clothes scattered everywhere but it's definitely not there. So I can't possibly….."

Ryan started to smile.

Seth watched this and added "There's nothing to smile about. I don't see how you can find this amusing when you were the one who suggested all this in the first place."

"Seth. I have the ring. You gave it to me yesterday when you came to the office. Don't you remember? You were concerned that you would forget it or that Summer would find it; so I said I would look after it and bring it with me. …..boy you were in a worse state than I imagined." Ryan stated. "Everything is under control. Marissa is going to take Summer out shopping for a while this morning and we can go and check things out and may sure everything is in place. We'll meet the girls back here for lunch. Okay?"

Seth looked at his brother who seemed to be so under control. "I guess so. But…"

"No buts. Everything will be fine." Ryan assured him. Now let's just go and get some breakfast. I don't want you passing out this afternoon with low blood sugar. And please try and act normal before you give it all away." Ryan suggested. "Okay so I know normal is not really possible for you but at least more normal than you have been, otherwise Summer is going to think she's getting stuck with a mad man and that'll never do." Ryan smiled.

"Okay. " Seth nodded his head. "Normal." He thought a bit more and as he and Ryan got up to make their way to the buffet he turned to Ryan and said. "Exactly how do I do that?"

Ryan laughed.

---

After breakfast, Marissa convinced Summer to go shopping with her to look for a new dress for the dinner that evening.

"I can't believe that we're doing this." Summer commented as they walked in to yet another boutique. "Why didn't you just bring something with you? It's not as if you don't have the most amazing wardrobe full of clothes already."

"Well, I did bring something with me that I could wear but I just thought I might find something here that Ryan might like more." Marissa suggested as she looked through yet another rack of clothes.

"Girl. When are you going to realise that for Ryan to like it more, you need to go less."

"What?" Marissa asked confused by what her friend had said.

"I'm just saying that the amount that Ryan likes an outfit on you is directly proportional to how much flesh you are showing. I wouldn't mind betting that he'd be happy with you in nothing." Summer teased. "Let's face it whatever you are wearing that boy will strip you bare with his eyes in a second and with his hands no doubt the minute you are alone." She laughed as she noticed the slight blush creep up Marissa's face.

"That's not…" Marissa started knowing that she couldn't really disagree. And what was worse was the fact that … if she was honest with herself, she had to admit, that was exactly the reaction she was looking for from him.

"Maybe what we are looking for is that dress that Annabel wore on Wednesday night. She may be a skank but I have to admit that was a hell of a dress. I bet if Ryan saw you in that …" Summer started.

"I don't want to think about or talk about Annabel." Marissa assured Summer.

"She's not still causing problems is she?" Summer asked.

"No. Thankfully Skip seems to have that" she stopped and giggled "or should I say 'her' well in hand." Marissa replied.

"What do you mean?" Summer asked.

"Well. It seems that Skip ended up staying the night on Wednesday and from what he told Ryan, they had quite a night. He was planning on seeing her again last night to replace the box of condoms they'd used. I think that Annabel is more interested in pilots right now than architects." Marissa stated. "And I'm very happy that she is."

"They didn't use a whole box in one night, surely?" Summer asked.

Marissa shrugged her shoulders. "That's the way it sounded."

"But surely they couldn't … I mean ... he couldn't…. how big a box was it?" Summer asked.

"I don't know. But I think even the smallest has about 6 or 8." Marissa suggested.

"Surely they couldn't use the whole lot in one night?" Summer asked.

Marissa could see that obviously Summer and Seth hadn't ever gone this far. She didn't want to say too much, scared that she may somehow make Summer think that she was missing out on something.

Summer watched her intently. "Tell me." Summer stated.

"What?" Marissa asked.

"I can see you're keeping something from me. Just tell me. How many times is normal?" Summer asked.

"What's normal?" Marissa shrugged, desperate to change the subject. "Let's get out of here. Maybe we can find new bikinis instead."

"Oh no you don't. I have an awful feeling I've been missing out here. Just tell me?" Summer insisted.

"Don't even think about comparing yourselves to what they did. It was one night and they were obviously sex starved. They probably had months and months to make up for." Marissa replied trying to reassure her friend." And they probably didn't know when the next opportunity might arise, so they just made the most of it." Marissa added.

"Let me tell you, I can't imagine Seth ever 'arising' six times in one night, no matter how long it had been." Summer stated. "I mean …. " she looked over at Marissa and then moved closed to whisper in her ear, suddenly aware that they were still in a public place. "Could Ryan?"

Marissa didn't know what to say. She didn't want to lie to her best friend but at the same time she was aware that if she told Summer the whole truth, then … well … she didn't think Summer would be pleased with the reply.

"Why don't we have a look in Victoria's Secret on the way back to the hotel. I'm sure there will be something there that the boys would like." Marissa replied and pulled Summer behind her.

Summer knew that Marissa was changing the subject and she could only think of one reason why she would be so desperate to do it. So six hey? She knew it would be a challenge but somehow she was going to try to break it tonight … or break Seth, she wasn't sure which would break first.

---

While the girls were shopping Ryan and Seth had gone and checked everything out. It was all in place. The game of shuffleboard was booked for 3. Seth was starting to feel really good. It was all starting to come together. They had caught up with Sandy and Kirsten and confirmed the plans for the evening and were making their way back to the hotel to meet the girls for lunch.

"I still need to get a few things for tonight." Seth said.

"What sort of things?" Ryan asked almost afraid of what the answer might be.

"Well that's just it. I thought you would have some ideas. You know this is much more your sort of thing." Seth suggested.

"Seth. I have already been more involved in your sex life than I ever wanted to be in anyone's beside my own. I'm sure you can come up with your own ideas."

"Come on man. Just a couple. Please." Seth pleaded.

Ryan grimaced. He closed his eyes and thought about a naked, trussed Marissa and all sorts of ideas flooded his mind, none of which he was willing to share. "I'm sorry, I can't do it. Just go with the normal things."

"Normal? What's normal about what I'm intending to do? I think we have a different view on normal." Seth muttered.

Ryan shook his head. How did he get himself into these positions? "What about flowers, champagne …" Ryan started and then added "… whipped cream, scented body lotion?"

"Wow. That's normal?" Seth asked.

"Just remember, one word to anyone about where the idea came from and your dead." Ryan glared at Seth.

"Dead. Right. But I do like your ideas. Let's just stop past the store on the way back and see what we can find." Seth responded. He really wanted to make this a night to remember for Summer. He hoped that she would be up to it. Never for a moment did he imagine that she had some plans of her own.