Disclaimer: I own everything but their names.

July 2, 2001 – Santa Cruz, California

I barely slept that night.

When six rolled around, I was standing on a deserted beach with clenched fists and a heart I was sure would pound out of my chest. It was too dark and quiet to be normal, and that only added to the nerves dancing in my tummy.

Not even Edward's lithe, muscular body strolling out of the ocean all wet and looking as delicious as I'd ever seen him calmed me down.

Okay, maybe a little.

He threw his surfboard into the sand at my feet and shook the water from his hair. "Morning."

"Morning," I replied shakily.

"Ready?"

"Not even a little bit."

He cracked a tiny smile. "Don't worry, I promise not to be too rough on you."

I coughed at the double meaning in his words and looked out toward the water to hide the heat in my cheeks.

He grabbed his towel from the sand and rubbed it across his head. "Ever play baseball before?"

I turned away from the water and looked at him in question. "What does baseball have to do with anything?"

He tossed the towel down and reached behind him to pull at the zipper on his wetsuit. "Just… have you played or not?"

"Sure," I said, shrugging. "My dad's a baseball nut."

"Okay then, come here."

He grabbed my hand and, using his grip, spun me around until my back was to his front. His hands lingered on my shoulders and his breath was warm in my ear as he asked, "If you were standing in the batter's box right now, getting ready to hit one out of the park, which way would you be facing?"

I sucked in a breath and hoped he couldn't feel me shivering. "I'm right handed," I murmured.

He shook his head slightly. A single drop of cool ocean water dripped from him to my neck, sliding beneath my shirt.

"That's not what I asked. Sometimes you can be right handed and batting left is more comfortable. I'm right handed but I surf goofy, with my right foot in front. Like a lefty."

"I've never tried it any other way, I guess."

He rested his hands lightly on my hips and pushed my body to face the water, with my right foot in front of me. I bounced a little, lifting my arms like I was holding a bat and felt out the position. Edward stayed behind me as I turned in the opposite direction and put my left foot forward.

"Well?" he asked.

I stayed where I was and turned to look at him over my shoulder. "I feel more comfortable this way."

"Okay then." He stepped around me and leaned over to straighten his surfboard in the sand. "Come here and lie down on your stomach for me. Make sure you're in the middle of the board and back far enough that your toes are touching right here." He pointed to the tail end of the board.

As he suggested, I moved to the board and lay down, wiggling until it felt like I was in the position he'd asked for. Before I could look up to gain his approval, his hands were on me again. The tips of his fingers dipped under the hem of my hoodie and my whole body reacted to his cold touch. He squeezed slightly and my head fell forward, resting on the surfboard as I bit my lip to keep from moaning.

"You always want to make sure you're in the center of the board," he said. "You need balance."

Yeah, 'cause balance was totally possible with shaking... everything.

He released me and walked to sit in front of me on his knees. I lifted my head and looked at him.

"When you're in the water, the nose of the board should always be up. If it's not, you're not far enough back."

"Okay," I said, feeling ridiculous. "I think…" God, I wanted to die. I felt like the biggest fool on the planet. And of course it had to be in front of him.

He smiled softly. "You'll get it."

"I highly doubt that," I replied.

"Learning to surf is easy. Just try to remember it's about calm and balance and just going with the flow. Moving your body the way the wave wants you to go. The minute you fight it, that's when you're gonna fail. Can you do that? Let everything else go and just let it happen?"

I stared up at him, realizing very quickly that I was in serious danger of getting lost in the swirls of green made brighter by the rising sun. His eyes held so much passion, it was hard to tell him no, but I had to be honest.

"I'm not sure."

"I am."

"How—" I started to ask how he could possibly know that, when he interrupted.

"Listen. I've watched you these past few weeks," he said. My mouth went dry and something bloomed inside me just knowing he'd been watching me. "You totally stepped up to the challenge I gave you. Those guys, and some of my customers, aren't easy to deal with. But you haven't backed down once. I know you can do this, and just so you know, I don't give up easily. And I'll continue pushing you until you know it, too."

All I could do was stare in response. He'd said everything with such conviction; it just made me like him even more.

Completely unaware of what he'd done to me, Edward flashed me a quick grin and moved to lie down at my side.

"We'll cover more about paddling out later. What you need to know first is how to pop up, and since you've admittedly got… balance issues, that's where you're going to have trouble. It'll take some getting used to. Watch me, okay?"

He lifted, and I knew I should have been paying attention, but I couldn't help that my eyes stayed glued to the flexing muscles in his arms as they supported the weight of his body. Faster than I could tear my eyes away from the glorious view he'd pulled his legs beneath him and stood towering above me.

"If you're not fast, you're gonna eat it every time. Now you try."

My stomach fluttered as I asked, "Can you do it again?" hoping he'd think I was being thorough, and not that I hadn't been paying attention.

The second time, I kept my eyes away from the muscles.

When Edward finished his demonstration once more, I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I tried to picture exactly what he'd done.

Mimicking him, I pushed up slowly with my arms, holding on to the sides of the board as I went. I dragged my foot beneath me until I could stand and tried my very best to 'pop' up like he had. Only… it didn't go so well the first time.

Or the second. Or the third.

By the fourth try, my frustration was reaching limits of epic proportions. Especially when I heard Edward bark out a laugh at the growl I sent into the air.

"You're kind of a sucky teacher, you know that?" I sassed, giving up and falling to the sand as I tried to catch my breath.

Edward stood above me and held out his hand. "You wound me, woman."

I ignored him, of course. Then I kicked sand at his legs in one of those classically kindergarten type moves.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have laughed. You just looked so—" he cut himself off and lowered his hand.

What? I wanted to scream. What were you going to say?

Instead of giving me what I wanted, he sighed. "Let's just call it a day, okay?" he asked softly.

I nodded tightly and stood up. "I told you I trip on flat surfaces; what ever made you think I could actually do this?"

He bent over, grabbing his surfboard and tucking it beneath his arm. He shrugged. "It's your first day, you can't give up on me already," he insisted. "And I know you won't. You don't have it in you."

He turned and started up the beach. I hurried to follow.

"I don't really have a choice," I said, shrugging as we walked side by side.

Edward stopped, turning to me. He lifted his hand and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. I melted.

"You always have choices. It's up to you what you do with them."

I hope this was some of the interaction you've been waiting for between these two. We're just getting' started. ;) And just what was he going to say, huh?

Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing and tweeting and ILY so much!

Reviews are love, and when you love me, I love you in return.

Until tomorrow!

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