Ariel dropped her bag and ran after Jake along the sunset beach. The wet sand was cold, but she hardly noticed. Her internal heater was keeping her warm, burning with the desire to be near Jake. She ran after him, heedless of everything but the man in her sights, so that she didn't see the wave. When it hit she went down--fwap--onto the sand, laughing. When the wave receded, she found Jake lying beside her.

"You okay?" he asked, leaning over her, braced on an elbow, sand streaking his face.

"Fine," she said, aware that she'd just been assaulted by all she hated about the beach, but she didn't mind one bit. The delight of lying near Jake masked anything unpleasant. "More than fine." She brushed the sand from Jake's cheek, enjoying the firm muscle and solid bone beneath her fingers. The retreating wave tugged the sand from under her, making her feel unsteady, a little unsafe--a feeling that intensified as she looked up into Jake's warm eyes, blue as the sky and the sea.

"Here." Jake handed her the fish chart, now wet and sandy. "I haven't been such a bad a roommate, have I?" He pushed a strand of hair from her cheek.

"No. Except for the noise and the mess and the confusion--and not remembering to give me messages."

"Yeah, but what about the food?"

"The food's been great."

"You'll miss me when I'm gone."

She looked into his blue eyes. The sunset made them glint with gold. Water rushed under their bodies, further eroding the ground, tickling her, warning her, but she couldn't look away from Jake's face. "So don't do it," she said softly, looking at Jake, her visiting sea god, his eyes full of affection and promise in the dull-gold dusk light.

"Don't do what?"

"Don't move out."

"I was hoping you'd say that." And then his lips met hers and his arms convulsed around her from under the sand and the kiss was perfect--warmer and stronger and deeper than the first.