"Was it....I mean....How'd it happen?" he turned to face her, curious how it had happened. She'd told him a little, but not in great detail. "Was I....I mean, did you like it?" he asked, looking a little unsure of himself or of whether she had enjoyed it. "I'm not....I mean, I haven't..." He blew out a sigh, wondering why he was feeling so nervous.

Lena bit her lip, glancing down at the top looped over her arm for a moment. Live for the moment. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. "I liked it," she told him, setting her top down as she turned to face him fully. "I more than liked it." Stepping close to him, she reached up, curling her fingers to his cheeks to draw him down to her. Telling him the detail might have been a little beyond her, but showing him wasn't. If he wanted to. Her lips brushed his, asking permission before she went further. The ball was entirely in his court, no matter how far out there she put herself.

Oh, he wanted to. He had wanted to nearly from the very first moment he'd seen her. It wasn't like him to feel so awkward and shy with a girl, but then this girl was special - he could feel it, right from the very first moment she'd arrived and that very first kiss. He had never been one to think too much or plan too far in advance, living for and in the moment, knowing it might be his last, but this girl seemed to know when that moment would be, and he found himself wanting more from life than just two days. The kiss he returned silently gave her the permission she was looking for, and he found himself wanting more than just that kiss.

The change in her demeanor as that permission was given was almost electric. She went from shy and uncertain to confident within seconds, letting her fingers trail down his arms to relieve him of the clothing he was holding. Dinner could wait. This was somehow more important. Her arms wound about his waist as she kissed him, unafraid to open herself to the chance of rejection, the possibility that any moment he could change his mind and pull away. Live for the moment, that's what he said. So that's what she did.

Back in Rhy'Din, it had been him who'd kissed her first, who'd made the first move, and now it seemed the tables were turned. It was her kissing him, her leading the way, her giving him permission, just as he was giving her. Nothing else was important in that moment but the two of them, nothing else mattered. He cupped her face in his hands, pushing her hair back as he kissed her lips, slowly, tendering, deeply. In that moment, it was as if that kiss was all that mattered in all the world - in both their worlds.

Nerves fluttered through her as they kissed, igniting butterflies in her stomach that just didn't seem to want to go away. Did he really want this" Was she ready to risk being this intimate" Was she over thinking this way too much' Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Those words again, words Tommy and Jon had used to encourage her over the past week, filtering through her mind to give her a little nudge further in. Her palms smoothed down over his chest, familiar and tender, as she gently drew back, blue eyes stormy with loving desire. Taking just one step backward from him, she held his gaze with her own as her hands went to the hem of her pajama tank top. She drew in a slow breath to give herself just a little more courage, and slowly peeled the thin pink fabric up and over her head, making the leap she had been afraid to only moments before.

All it took was that one kiss to re-ignite the desire he'd been fighting ever since she'd arrived in his shop earlier that day. One kiss that opened his heart to all the possibilities that might be in store for him if he followed her to her world. One kiss that all at once eased his nerves but filled him with a different kind of tension. He held his breath as she drew away from him, heart pounding in his chest. He thought for a moment, she was only teasing him, but then she was peeling her shirt away, revealing a view that was meant for his eyes alone. His gaze held hers, and he saw the sea in her eyes, blue and stormy with desire, and he couldn't wait a moment longer. He pulled her to him, catching her lips as his hands slid up her back, pressing her against him, heart to heart, his lips telling her everything his heart desired without saying a word.

Too soon, some people might have said. Others might have suggested that she should have done this the moment she arrived. But to Lena, it felt right. It felt like this was the moment to embrace the intimacy she craved, that he so obviously wanted in return. Pressed close against him, she surrendered to his kiss, letting him lead the way as he had done to her that first day she'd known him. Hands trailed lovingly over his skin, following the routes she had learned, knowing just where and how to touch him as she breathed his name, tender and sweet, into his mouth on the cusp of a moan.

Hers was a rediscovery of him, a renewal of the passion she already knew was possible between them, but for him, she was fresh terrain for him to explore and discover, learning every nuance, every wonder that was Helena. He plied her with kisses, touched and tasted her, giving as well as taking, slowly learning her and what made her sigh and moan. He took his time, following the cues that she gave him, allowing her to share in the ritual that was lovemaking as much or as little as she so desired.

There was no sense of hesitance in her at all. What had been shy and uncertain was all confidence and passion beneath his touch, encouraging eagerness to love and be loved as she guided him, renewed her acquaintance with his form, rising with him to the height of ecstasy before tumbling back, caught up in his arms, quiet and affectionate, and completely unaware of where they went from here.

Just a few moments of loving affection and passion had gone a long way in eradicating years of loneliness and grief, the likes of which he'd refused to admit even to himself. A heart that had been closed, afraid of opening itself to love or even the possibility of love, was slowly opening again. Yes, it was quick - some might say too quick - but if anyone knew how short life really was and how quickly it could be over, it was them.

When they were done, they lay together in his bed, faces side by side on the pillow as her fingers tenderly caressed his cheek. Lena didn't know if this had been a good or a bad thing; she'd laid herself open all over again, knowing she could be hurt once more. But wasn't this what he had been trying to teach her? To live for the moment, because you never know which one will be your last' Inching closer, she brushed a soft kiss to Tommy's lips, drawing back with a faint smile. "I missed you," she whispered, forgetting for a moment that this Tommy might not understand or necessarily believe such a sentiment from her.

"You've got me." Three words, a simple promise, but one that meant a great deal more than she might have thought. Lena only knew what it would have meant to her, what it had meant to her, to have someone completely safe to talk to, to share her triumphs as well as her mistakes. He was that someone for her; she wanted to be that someone for him. Her stomach chose that moment to growl, however, making her snort with laughter, rolling her eyes. "At least until I starve."

"I guess that means it's time for pizza," he said, hearing her stomach growl and the mention of food. It would be nice if they could live on love, but love wasn't going to fill their hungry stomachs, and he had promised her pizza. "That means you have to get off me, you know," he teased, that hint of mischief in his eyes returning.

"Darn," she drawled in answer through a lazy smile. "I guess that also means I should get dressed so you don't get distracted again." Grinning, she kissed him once more, moving to roll onto her back beside him. "Better?"

"That would probably be a good idea," he admitted, smiling as he rolled to his feet to find his clothes, following her kiss. He looked just the way she remembered him - the same tall, slim athletic build, tanned from the sun, blond mop of curls touching his shoulders.

She watched as he found his feet, shamelessly enjoying the view even more now there was no awkward shyness to make her feel bad about looking at him. He was beautiful, to her eyes, though no doubt he would have argued that point vociferously if she'd mentioned it. For herself, she was a small, slender echo of him, tanned in her own way, crowned with that wayward mane of sun-kissed brunette locks that tumbled about her shoulders as she sat up. "Do you mind if I use your shower?" she asked curiously, twisting to sit on the edge of the bed once again.

He found his pile of clothes right where she'd left them and pulled on his shorts, turning to face her as he pushed his hair away from his face. "Why would I mind" Make yourself at home." He was tempted to join her, but that would only delay dinner further. His gaze moved over her as she sat on the bed, a very delectable vision.

"Had to ask, right?" The easy-going reply had softened the edge of wariness that had begun to rise once again, giving her the courage to stand and sweep her clothes over her arm, easing past him with a decidedly cheeky cast to her smile. She couldn't resist stroking her fingers over his stomach as she moved by him, always tempted to touch, and now with the freedom to do just that. A soft laugh escaped her lips as a thought occurred to her. "You know, your friend Sandy is going to call you a liar any day now."

He watched her, gaze riveted as she sauntered by - there was no other word for what she was doing - relieved he was at least wearing a pair of short to hide what affect she was having on a certain part of his anatomy. "Who?" he asked absentmindedly, before remembering the waitress in the cafe. "Why is she going to call me a liar?" Whatever the waitress had said to him just a few hours earlier had already evaporated from his brain.

"What' I don't have a girlfriend," Lena teased him, offering up a passable imitation of his voice and accent as she backed toward the bedroom door with a sweet smile. "Unless I'm reading this wrong, of course," she added with a charmingly sweet shrug of one shoulder. "But somehow I don't think this is a one-afternoon-stand. Do you?"

"Is that what you are?" he asked, not really needing to put a label on it, but curious how she might define their relationship, or whatever it was that was blossoming between them. It wasn't a one-afternoon-stand, no. Not if he was going with her to this place called Rhy'Din, and suddenly he wondered how she had bewitched him so easily. "I don't know what it is, but whatever it is, I like it."

She smiled again, brushing her hair out of her face. "Then maybe we don't need a label," she commented mildly. "I don't think "old friend" is going to cut it anymore, though." With a teasing wink, she slipped out of the room, heading for the bathroom, feeling more alive than she had for several days. She didn't know quite what had happened, but she had a good feeling. A very good feeling.

He watched as she disappeared into the bathroom, a little bit lost in thought for a moment as he tried to sort out what was happening. Had he really only met her that morning and they had already slept together" She'd told him she loved him, and he'd believed her. It was all happening so fast, he could hardly believe it. Was he just dreaming or was she for real"

What was real was the fact that a woman who loved him was making use of his facilities at that moment. A woman who had stepped back in time not once, but twice, risking an awful lot more than what she had admitted to in order to save his life. Perhaps it was strange, the way their roles had reversed - this time, she was the one with the confidence, the one who didn't second-guess the rightness of their intimacy so soon after their first meeting. She knew it felt right, and for the first time in her life, she was holding onto the joy of doing what she wanted to do, with the person she loved.

As for him, he wasn't sure what he was feeling. He couldn't deny he was attracted to her. Who wouldn't be attracted to a beautiful woman who told you she loved you and risked so much to save your life" But who was she really' Did it even matter" He had only met her that morning. It was a lot to take on trust. He no longer doubted that what she was telling him was the truth, and it was true he had very little left to lose, but he still needed a few days to get it all straight in his head. This place where there were two moons and four tides intrigued him, but it was a lot to wrap his head around all in one day. For now, he decided, he would focus on simply getting to know her, and see where things went from there. So, while she was busy taking a shower, he busied himself whipping them up a bite to eat in the form of pizza from scratch.

Around twenty minutes later, Helena found her way into the kitchen, dressed once again, not entirely sure of the reception she could expect. She was torn - sleeping together had either eased the pressure on him or made it worse, and she didn't know which it was. Should she back off and not touch him again? Would that make him more comfortable" Or had she already destroyed any chance of him coming to his decision without feeling as though she had pushed? Barefoot, she lingered in the doorway, watching him as he prepared the pizza, finally raising her hand to knock on the door.

"Yeah," she nodded, letting him turn her hand this way and that to study the band more closely. "Made me promise to come and get you." Her smile was a little sad as she remembered that goodbye, how hopeful it had been, and how hopeless it had turned out to be. "You said you didn't want to go, but you had to get that board delivered on time. A man of your word."

"Didn't do me any good though, did it?" he asked, assuming that if he died in a car crash, the board didn't get where it was supposed to go. "I'm not even sure if it's that important anymore. I mean....It's not like one surfboard is gonna save the shop. Yeah, I made a commitment to get the board there on time, and it's important to someone, but is it worth dying for?"

"You could pay someone you trust to deliver the board on time," she suggested softly. "It's not worth dying for, but there are other ways to fulfil that commitment without risking your life. Plenty of ways." She bit her lip, dropping her gaze to the bottle in her hand. "I feel like all I've done is complicate things for you, and that was never my intention. I'd like to help settle everything the way you want it, if I can."

"With what money?" he asked, already two steps ahead of her. "I was gonna ask Jack, but....What if all I'm doing is sending Jack to his death? I can't trade his life for mine. That wouldn't be right." He sighed, watching her as she dropped her gaze away from him. "You didn't complicate things, Lena. They were already complicated long before you got here."

"Well, there is one way that springs to mind," she offered. "It's a little convoluted, but it'll make sure no one has to make the journey at all and still get the board where it needs to be on time." She raised her eyes, sea-blue hope that he might go along with her on this one. "We could take it with us to Rhy'Din. There are courier companies there that don't mind taking on a little time travel that could get it to Laguna Beach on time, guaranteed."

"You're kidding," he said, that uncertain look on his face again, though she had no reason to lie to him. "You realize how crazy that sounds," he pointed out as he snagged his bottle of beer.

"Yeah, I know how crazy I sound," she agreed, nodding. Her expression suggested that she was actually surprised he hadn't told her that hours ago. "But it is possible, I promise you." She took another swig of her own beer, twisting to lean back against the counter, pulling her hair over her shoulder to give her hand something to do. "I know all this sounds completely far out, but it's real."

"Far out," he repeated, chuckling at her choice of words. Now she really did sound like a hippie. "So, where's this painting you wanted to show me?" he asked, changing the subject, watching as she pulled her hair to one side, remembering what it felt like to touch the softness of it, with an ache of longing in his chest.

She looked up at him with a wry smile. "It's in my bag. Should I go and get it, or do you want to watch while I pull it out of there?" Her smile widened to a mischievous grin of her own as her eyes sparkled, knowing that the sight of a two by three canvas coming out of a bag that didn't even hit a full foot across at its opening could be a hair-raising experience for anyone who hadn't seen it before.

"If you're asking if I wanna watch while you pull a rabbit out of a hat, by all means. How much can you fit in there" I mean, there has to be a limit, right?" he asked, curious again. He wasn't too concerned about his own belongings, as he had so few of them, but he was curious how much she had packed away in that bag and brought with her. "I'll check on the pizza while you get your bag, how's that?"

"Gods, I don't know," she laughed, shaking her head. "I think I'm pretty much at the limit of how much it can take at the moment, but even that's a lot. You can get differently spelled bags to hold different amounts." She shrugged again, smiling at his suggestion. "That sounds like a plan. I'll be back in a second." Leaving her beer on the counter, she slipped from the kitchen to retrieve her bag from where it had been left in the bedroom.

He watched her hurry away for a moment, before hopping off the counter to check on the progress of the pizza. From the looks of things, it looked like it was almost done. In the meantime, he took down a few plates and set them on the counter, frowning a little when he realized there was no table. He rarely, if ever, ate there, and when he did, it was usually at the counter. He looked out into the living room, chewing on a thumbnail as he considered what to do.

She returned to find him contemplating his living room as he bit his thumbnail, a small smile spreading across her face as she comprehended what was bothering him. "Are we having a picnic on the living room floor?" she asked, hoping she'd put just the right amount of enthusiasm in her voice for him to take the suggestion and not feel bad about it. In one hand, she held her bag, shaking it triumphantly. "I had to do a bit of digging. You know, for some reason there was a towel on top of it. Can't think why."

"Well, it's either that or we eat at the counter. I'd suggest the beach, but it gets a little chilly at night." He turned his attention to the oven as the timer went off, announcing it was time for pizza. "A towel?" he asked, a bit absentmindedly, as he was still mulling over where to eat, wondering if she'd mind a picnic on his living room floor. He grabbed a pair of potholders and pulled the pizza from the oven to set it on top the stove.

"I'm always open to a little al fresco living," she smiled, tossing her bag into the living room easily. She had complete faith in the cushioning of the spells that made it what it was to protect her breakables. "Can I help?"

"Al fresco?" he echoed, unsure what that meant exactly. "Um, sure..." He glanced over at his living room with another frown, unsure how safe it was to sit on the floor. "Maybe toss an afghan or something on the floor?" he asked, never having had a picnic on his living room floor before. He pulled open a drawer in search of a knife in lieu of a pizza slicer.

Not entirely sure what was worrying him about sitting on the floor to eat, Lena nodded obligingly, moving in search of an afghan or a blanket, something to spread out over the floor as he'd suggested. Of course, if there was anything unsafe on that floor, her bare feet were bound to pick it up, but she located a throw to spread out without impaling herself on anything. "Should I be worried about stepping on anything?"

His gaze broke away from the sunset as he felt her come up behind him and put her arms around him. "Our beach?" he asked as he turned his head toward hers. "You mean the one we camped out on that I haven't seen yet." If anyone were to overhear their conversation, they'd probably have no idea what they were talking about. "I'm sorry, I didn't meant to distract you. I just..." He turned back to admire the view before him, as if it might be the last time he ever saw it again. "I know there are other beaches, but I'm gonna miss this place."

Was he limiting himself by having settled down here" There were other places to explore, other beaches, others surfs to conquer. Despite the fact that he had nothing left here, he had called this place home for a long time.

Her lips brushed absently behind his ear as she mused for a long moment. "I could take a picture of this beach," she offered quietly. "I could paint it from that, but I'm not how well it could come out. And we could always come and see this place in my time, if you wanted to."

"I'd like that," he admitted, voice quiet, as a hand came to rest against hers, fingers rubbing fondly against the back of her hand. He didn't specify which of her suggestions he was approving of, perhaps both, though he wasn't sure he wanted to come back here again only to find everything had changed. Maybe it was better to remember it as it was and move on, just like he remembered Robby and his mother and everything else he'd held dear.

"All right." With another soft kiss against his shoulder, she disentangled her arms from about him, turning to open up her bag once more and pull out her camera. Dropping the lens cap, Lena raised it to her eye to snap a few shots of the brilliant sunset as it washed this beach with vibrant, fiery hues. She'd do her best to bring it to life on canvas, for Tommy, no matter which way he eventually chose to go.

"I'd like to see your work someday," he remarked as he watched her take the photo, reminiscent of the Tommy that had unceremoniously dropped into Rhy'Din through the portal. Not just the painting she'd brought with her, but all her paintings. It wasn't because he was much on an art critic, but because it was something that interested her.

"Well," she mused, peering through the lens to find a better angle for the shot, "the door to that particular room is never going to be locked to you. Everyone else ....may still have to ask and hope I'm in a good mood." She flashed him a smile, lowering the camera from her eye. "I should take a few more shots another time, just to get the lay of the beach right."

He looked thoughtful for just a moment, before grabbing her hand and pulling her away from the window. "Come on. The window doesn't do the view justice." And in true spontaneous Tommy fashion, he was tugging her toward the door, barefoot and all, beer and pizza forgotten for the moment, as was a sweater and shoes. The beach was right outside his door, after all. All they had to do was go down a flight of stairs and it was right there.

Startled, nonetheless Lena started laughing as she found herself tugged away from the window, picking her way over the floor to the door that led downstairs, putting the safety of her bare feet entirely in his hands. "You pick the view, then," she giggled, happy to be drawn along in the wake of the spontaneity that had so endeared him to her the first time around. Here and now, that spontaneity seemed more important than ever, and she was glad to be included in it.

Down the stairs they went in their bare feet, through the little shop and out onto the beach, where the sunset awaited in all its fiery glory. There were a few people on the beach admiring the sunset, walking hand in hand, or trying to catch their last wave before darkness fell, but it was a scattered group and no one paid them any mind as they joined the other beachcombers. "You're the artist," he replied, as he led the way there and came to a halt on the beach, facing west, where the Pacific Ocean seemed to go on and on as far as the eye could see.

"But it's your beach," she pointed out with a smile, enjoying the feel of the warm sand beneath her feet as he drew her out onto the beach itself. "Which view do you like best' Show me, and I'll try and paint it for you."

"I kinda like the view right in front of me," he said as he drew her close, no longer talking about the beach, but the girl right in front of him. Careful of the camera she still held in her hand, he leaned close to brush an equally spontaneous kiss against her lips, just another couple on the beach enchanted by each other and the setting sun.

Charmed by his switch from admiring the beach to admiring her, Lena was smiling as he kissed her, curling her arm about his neck - mindful of her camera - to linger in that kiss a little longer before pulling away. "Charmer," she murmured teasingly, her nose nudging his for a moment before she drew back. "So ....this angle?"

He'd been the one to initiate the kiss that time, just as he had back on Rhy'Din, though of course, that was not this Tommy, but the Tommy he would have been a few days in the future if and when he'd been pulled through the Nexus. "Best view on the beach, if you ask me," he replied, smiling as she nudged her nose against his and drew away.

She blushed a little, turning to face the surf as she raised her camera to snap a few more shots of the gorgeous sunset. "It'd be even better if you got me down to my underwear and threw me in the sea," she mused aloud with a playful smirk. "Although, of course, you'd have to join me. No point being under-dressed and wet if I can't have you to play with."

He laughed. "Don't tempt me. But if you really want to go skinny dipping, I suggest we wait until dark, unless you want to give everyone a free show," he teased. "Besides, it gets pretty cold once the sun goes down. Are you sure you can handle it?"

Laughing, she lowered the camera to look him up and down with a speculative look. "That all depends," she said through her own grin, lifting the camera once again. "Are you prepared to handle me, or will I have to do it myself?" Smirking, she twisted abruptly, snapping a picture of him just to get his reaction to that question on film.

Tommy took this all in, not too terribly surprised by it. It sounded just like Jack. He remembered how torn up he'd been after Robby's death and how Jack had tried to hold it all together. Even after Red left, it was Jack who had always stuck by him, even more so than Robby, always believing in him, even when Robby hadn't. "Did he call my dad after I died?" Tommy wasn't sure why he was asking, but some part of him needed to know. Did his father ever think of him, ever miss him, ever wish things had been different, or had he just cut him completely out of his life, his heart, and his mind"

Her face fell, for once not having an answer to his question. "I don't know," she told him honestly, easing her fingers between his as she leaned into him. "It didn't occur to me to ask, and Jack wanted to talk about you. He needed to talk about you, and there was no one to listen. He was packing up your belongings himself, but he never said if they were going to be sent anywhere. It felt like he was really fragile."

Tommy furrowed his brows, surprised to hear this about the man who'd become his closest friend these last few years. "What else did he say?" he asked, needing or at least wanting to know more. What was it people said" That you never realized what you had until it was gone" It was the same for people, he thought, and he'd learned long ago that life was too short.

"He told me a little about Red and Robby, about your mom, about your financial problems," she said, her voice quiet as she thought back over that conversation. A faint smile twitched at her lips. "He's so proud to know you, to be your friend. He told me that everyone likes you, that you're friendly guy. That you used to compete in surfing competitions, but you stopped after Robby died." Her fingers squeezed his gently. "He missed you so much it hurt to even talk about it. And I think it would be the same for him, if you didn't give him the option of coming with you."

Tommy thought about that a moment, knowing she was right. He couldn't just leave Jack behind without a word. That wouldn't be fair. He'd have to give Jack a choice, just like Lena was giving him a choice. While leaving the bay solved a few problems, it created some others. "What are we gonna do in Rhy'Din?" he asked. "I don't have any money, and I don't think Jack does either."

She bit her lip, tilting her head as she looked up at him. "Surf?" she suggested with a gentle smile. "It's not completely urgent to find a job. I can handle that side of things for a while. But I was thinking ....Well, there isn't much of a surfing culture on Rhy'Din, despite the natural advantages of the four tides. So maybe you could open another shop, and let it grow from there. Maybe."

He was about to protest her first suggestion when he remembered the Tommy she knew had already indulged in surfing the waves on her world. The second suggestion gave him further pause, not because it wasn't a good idea or because he didn't think it was do-able, but because he was a little too proud to accept what he considered to be charity, but perhaps should have thought of as an investment. "I can't take your money, Midge."

"All right," she shrugged. "I'll set up a surf shop and hire you and Jack to run it for me." Her sweeter, more playful smile rose on her face as she looked up at him, brows raised in impish challenge. "It's just money, Tommy. It's just sitting there doing nothing. Why not this?"

He waggled a finger at her, though he was smiling in amusement, the setting sun casting him aglow in its fiery light. "That's cheating, you know." His mood had shifted again, unable to stay moody for long. "I'll talk to Jack in the morning, okay' But I'm not promising anything. It's up to him." As if the idea of opening a new shop required Jack's approval and involvement, but he couldn't very well run it alone.

"I know." But her smile had grown, fairly sure that even if Jack didn't believe a word of what Tommy told him, he wouldn't risk his friend driving away without him and never coming back. "And there's nothing wrong with cheating for a good cause," she added, suddenly bouncing up onto her toes to kiss his cheek. "What now, Moonbeam?"

"Now, I'm tempted to throw you in the water, but I don't want to ruin your camera," he warned, with a playful smirk, eyes alight with mischief. "We should probably clean up the mess inside before the ants make off with what?s left of dinner." Should, but that didn't mean would. There were enough things you had to do in life.

She giggled at the mischief in his eyes. "Later," she promised him. "Skinny dipping sounds like fun. But for now ....you promised to feed me, and somehow we ended up out here, taking pictures. So unless you're gonna show me a full moon and let me snap a few shots of it, I think eating dinner before the ants get to it sounds like a plan."

"You only live once, Midget," he reminded her, even in his case. That might not be quite true in Rhy'Din, but he didn't really know that yet. He leaned his tall self down to touch a brief kiss to her lips. "You sure you don't want to take a walk on the beach at sunset' I hear it's romantic."

"Mmm ..." He was good at distracting her, especially with kisses, which seemed to reset her brain away from anything that might be concerning her. She smiled faintly. "Can I run and put the camera inside before we start walking?" she asked with an impish cast to her smile.

"Sure, I'll wait," he told her. Where was he going to go, after all" The sunset would only last for so long, and then they'd have to wait another whole day before it repeated itself again. Why put off until tomorrow what was happening at that very minute"

"Okay." Barefoot, she whirled away, jogging back to the shop to safely stow her camera inside, drawing the door closed behind her. Hands now free, she accelerated as she ran back to him, bright smile, sparkling eyes, hair windswept off her face, embracing a sense of silly romance that hadn't been there until a moment before. She jumped him, quite literally, wrapping her legs about his waist, cradling his face in her hands, and kissed him through her grin, enjoying having the freedom to do just that.