Crystal clear water cascaded down a mossy mountainside. Flowers decorated boulders at the bottom, their faces turned towards the mist of the falls as though in worship of its beauty. Overhead, a canopy of stars danced their summer exaltations. And all the while, a pair of lovers bathed in soft moonlight as they lay, passionately preoccupied, on the jungle floor.

William Riker pulled away, sweaty and beaming. His heart still raced from the euphoric rush that had moments ago filled the jungle with their intimate cries. Echoes of lingering pleasure rippled across his skin, touching the edge of his very soul.

Beneath him, Deanna Troi's eyes glimmered with adoration. Her fingers ran up the back of his neck and through his short, dark hair. "I will miss this," she whispered.

He sank onto his side, using an elbow to prop himself up. "I know what you mean. I don't want this night to end."

"But it has to." Her smile turned rueful. "You belong to the Potemkin now."

"No." He brushed aside the long ebony tresses clinging to the sweat of her neck. "I belong to you. My imzadi."

"For tonight, yes." She pushed herself into an upright position, one leg curled beneath her and the other stretched across the cool ground. "But I know how important your career is."

"My career?" he repeated, a touch of disdain in his voice. "How can you talk about my career in a time like this?" He drew himself up behind her, encircling her with his arms. "I'd rather talk about your hands, and the things you can do with them. Your lips, and the way they steal my breath. Your voice, when it can only remember my name in the deepest of throes."

Deanna leaned against him, feeling the hair of his chest tickle her bare back. "Oh, Will," she teased. "You've always been smooth when it comes to words."

"Not as smooth as your skin." He kissed her shoulder. "Even the moonlight tries to imitate its silky complexion, its perfect glow..." He continued to kiss her, letting his lips wander from her shoulder to the side of her neck. One of his hands slid sensuously across her thigh.

"Will!" she scolded, though her smile grew wider. "Haven't you had enough?"

"Of you? Never." His hand slid further up her thigh, eliciting a soft moan.

"Imzadi...listen." Reluctantly, she placed her hand over his to halt it from migrating any further. "Tomorrow is almost here. And you still have to sleep at some point. I'm afraid it's time to say goodbye."

"I can't say goodbye. Not to you." He continued to nuzzle against the side of her neck.

"Well you can't stay here."

"Then come with me," he whispered. "Join me on the Potemkin."

"Come with you?" she balked, pulling away from his kisses and craning her neck to look him in the eye. "But I can't! It's too dangerous! Besides, what would I even do on a starship?"

"Make love to me."

She stifled a laugh. "Besides that."

He let his gaze wander towards the star-dappled heavens. "Anything you want. Imagine the possibilities out there. The life-changing discoveries just waiting for someone to stumble upon them."

She shook her head with a click of her tongue. "What universe are you living in? It's a battlefield out there! Nothing but war at every turn. People are saying that next, the Romulans will start things up again."

"People have been saying that for years. It's just a bunch of fear-mongering. And I won't let fear rule my life." He pulled her closer. "I prefer to let passion do that."

She smiled wryly. "I'll bet you say that to all the pretty women you meet on your travels."

"What pretty women? I can't remember any but you." He resumed kissing the side of her neck. "You have redefined beauty. Even the stars look different to me now."

She smiled in the wake of his adulation. "Oh yeah? How so?"

"They used to entice me more than anything in the world. All throughout the Academy, I dreamt of spaceships. Of freedom. But now...you're all I want."

A somberness stole her smile. She shifted to the side, drawing her knees up as she nestled against his chest. He planted his palms on the ground, supporting them both. "And yet you still dream of spaceships," she said. "And freedom."

"Not freedom from you."

She breathed in deeply. His intoxicating scent filled her lungs, tempting her all over again. "Come on, Will. Let's just take tonight for what it is. A long goodbye."

"I told you-I can't say goodbye. Not to you. To this."

"Then what do you suggest? Other than uprooting my entire life by morning or giving up your career."

He paused for a pensive moment. "Well...I'll be done with the initial phase of my training in six weeks. What if I took my first leave and saw you then?"

"All the way out here? We'd barely have any time together. I can't make you do that-"

"Not here. On Risa. Meet me there, Deanna. Say you will."

She shifted again, turning until they were face to face. "I don't know…"

"Well I won't let you go until I know for sure that I'll see you again." A mischievous smile crossed his lips. "I'll stop the sun from rising if I have to."

"Is that so?" Her fingers trailed playfully up his chest. "Well in that case, I wouldn't mind if you put morning off for a little while." His blood raced at the seductive invitation behind her eyes. She pulled her legs out from beneath her and wrapped them around his waist. "That way, I can give you something to think about for the next six weeks."

Six weeks later…

Deanna sat at the outdoor bar, a Samarian Sunset in hand. The sun sparkled on the ocean waves as they lapped at the shore. The hot, humid air kissed her skin. She closed her eyes, thinking of a different kind of kisses along her skin.

No. She forced the thoughts from her mind. Her mother's warnings echoed in their place. Be careful, little one. That's the kind of man who would choose work over the love of his life. You deserve more than that. You deserve a man who would choose you over life itself.

For two days she had waited there, hopefully glancing up at every tall figure that walked upon that beach, only to have her hope wither and die every time. No, he wasn't coming. All of his talk was just talk after all. In fact, he was probably giving that same speech to some blonde on the Potemkin at that very mom-

"Is this seat taken?"

Deanna's eyes flew open in disbelief. She found a familiar, endearingly lopsided smile shining back at her. "Will!" She leapt up from her chair and into his open arms. He laughed, holding her tightly against him so that her feet lifted off the ground. "You...you came. You really came," she gushed, grabbing hold of his face and kissing him eagerly.

"Of course I came. I told you-I couldn't say goodbye." He kissed her back, just as eagerly, and then set her down again. "Now what's good to drink around here?"

"Just about anything," she replied, smiling. She returned to her seat at the bar, beckoning him to join her.

Will ordered himself a Makara fizz and then settled into the seat at Deanna's side. His eyes wandered over her lavender-colored sundress, which gathered at the top of her long, graceful legs. "I've got to admit," he said. "This is a much better view than anything the Potemkin can offer."

She laughed breezily. "How was your training then? Did it go well?"

"Oh, yeah. Sure. They even wanted to promote me."

"Promote you? Already? Wow!" She beamed with pride. "That makes you a...what, lieutenant-commander now?"

"No, no. Still just a lieutenant."

The bartender reappeared, placing a neon-pink concoction before the young man. Will nodded gratefully and drew the glass to his lips.

"What do you mean?" Deanna asked, her face wrenched in confusion over his last remark.

"I turned them down."

"You turned down a promotion? Why?"

"To come here. If I had accepted the promotion, I would have had to leave immediately for a survey of Argana II. There's no way I would have made it to Risa on time."

"Will…" She averted her gaze, staring down at the counter instead. "You didn't have to do that."

"Don't worry." He reached for one of her hands and gave it a squeeze. "There will be other opportunities. Besides, how can you talk about my career in a time like this?"

Slowly, her smile returned. "I suppose you want to talk about my lips and my skin and...something about the moonlight..."

"Yes, yes." Will took another sip of his drink and then set it down on the bar. "But it's much too warm out here. Shall we head to my room instead?"

"Oh, well, I think it will be even hotter in there." Something sultry and suggestive smoldered in her eyes.

"I hope so," he winked. He tugged on her hand and together they hastened from the bar.