"Wow. You look beautiful," Zander said, looking her up and down as he walked up to her and kissed her cheek.

"Thank you," she told him with a shy smile, taking his hand that he was holding out to her. Holding his hand made her heart rate pick up and she smiled as he led her over to a motorcycle and picked up a helmet and held it out.

"Oh," she said, taking a deep breath. "This is yours?"

"Yeah. Have you ever ridden on a motorcycle before?"

"No my Dad wouldn't let me. He says they're too dangerous."

Zander looked back and forth around him. "Well I don't see your Dad here," he said with a devilish grin, continuing to hold out the helmet to her.

She took it from him hesitantly and put it on her head and then he reached out and clipped it under her chin before putting on his own helmet and flipping his leg over the bike to get onto it.

"Hop on," he said and she slowly walked over and flipped her leg over and sat down behind him. She was too embarrassed to tell him she was scared but the way she was shaking was a dead giveaway.

"Wrap your arms around my waist and hold on," he said, so she scooted closer to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, feeling his tight stomach underneath her hands.

Now she really wished she hadn't worn a dress. Of course the one time she does, something like this happens. She tried to tuck it underneath of her the best she could.

He started the motorcycle up with a rumble and she could feel the vibration of the engine under her as he started slowly walking it backwards and then he gave it some gas as they headed out of the parking lot.

She could feel the warm air whipping against her face and the sun was starting to set as he drove along the coastline. He finally pulled the bike up to a deserted beach and killed the engine, taking his helmet off.

"I thought we could go for a walk here," he told her as they both got off the bike.

The last glow of the sun disappeared under the horizon, meaning it would be dark soon. They both slipped off their shoes and he took her hand as they walked, feeling the squishy sand between their toes as they started walking along the deserted beach.

"So how old are you Zander?"

"I just turned 20. How old are you?" he questioned her back.

"I'm eighteen. I'll be 19 soon though. So how did you end up in the Coast Guard at such a young age?"

"I'm in a program called the College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative. It's a scholarship program for the Coast Guard that's really hard to get accepted into. I completed my basic training summer of last year and received full funding for up to two years of college. They pay my tuition, books, and fees, a full-time Coast Guard salary, housing allowance, and medical benefits."

"Oh so you're in college?"

"Yeah. This is my second year at Boston University."

"Is it hard to balance going to school and being in the Coast Guard?" she asked.

"No it's not that bad actually. During the school semester I only have to do four hours of training a week where I'm on call for rescues if they need me, I have to wear my Coast Guard uniform once a week on campus and work rescue missions during school breaks. Not a bad trade off for free college. I still can't believe they chose me, but I'm really glad they did."

"Good for you. That's amazing. Dean and I are both actually going to Boston University too. We're both freshman this year."

"Oh really? That's cool. So what's up with Dean? I get the feeling he doesn't like me very much."

"Why's that?" she laughed. "You only talked to him for a second."

He laughed too and said, "I'm pretty observant. I noticed the way he was glaring at me when I was talking to you. So what's up with him?"

"He's been my best friend since we were babies and he's really protective over me. You don't have to worry about it though. I made him promise not to give you a hard time and to give me some space. I'm tired of him trying to run off every guy I get close to."

"Why do you think he does that? Do you think he has feelings for you?"

"No," she laughed, shaking her head.

"He doesn't like me like that. He's just very protective over me. He's really good friends with my brother and after he went off to college all the way in California two years ago Dean took it upon himself to take his place as my protector. It's kind of annoying really and I told him he has to stop. I'm a big girl now and I can take care of myself."

"You're sure that's all it is, being a protective older brother type, and not that he has feelings for you?"

"Yeah, I'm positive," she said, thinking back to when she tried to get him to take her virginity and he flat out refused. Obviously he didn't see her as anything more than friends. "He's my best friend but he's more like family really."

"Are you sure? I see the way he looks at you."

"How does he look at me?" she asked, playing along. Here it was once again. Guys were always getting the wrong idea about her and Dean and getting jealous even though there was nothing romantic between them. She wondered why this kept happening? Did people think it was impossible for a guy and girl to genuinely just be best friends?

"He looks at you like he's in love with you," Zander said, kicking some sand with his foot.

Berkley laughed. "I can guarantee you right now that he's most definitely NOT in love with me. He loves me like a really close friend but that's it. I'm not even his type, plus he doesn't do the whole love, girlfriend thing anyway. The longest he's dated the same girl was like five weeks, but most of the time it's only a couple weeks with him. He always cuts them off before they get too close. Believe it or not he's never even had an official girlfriend because I think he's got commitment phobia, scared of tying himself down to one girl and limiting his options. He's a bit of a dog when it comes to women," she laughed. "He's definitely not boyfriend material."

Zander looked over, thinking. "What about me? Am I boyfriend material?"

Berkley smiled and her face flushed a little red. "I don't know yet, but you definitely have potential."

He smiled and said, "I'm happy to hear that."

Berkley looked over at him as they walked, studying him and thinking. He was by far the hottest guy she had ever been out with and he seemed sweet and he really seemed to like her which was shocking. Maybe he was boyfriend material. She wanted to get to know him a little better to find out.

"So did you grow up around here?" she asked.

"No I grew up in Omaha, Nebraska. All my family still lives there. I came out here to Boston at the beginning of last year when they recruited me for this Coast Guard program and I've been here ever since."

He was a very impressive guy the more she got to know him. She felt really safe being with him and it brought back a memory.

She looked up, shielding her eyes against the hurricane like winds and pelting rain to see a helicopter flying overhead. She held onto the railing with one hand and waved her other arm to get their attention and screamed, "I'm over here!"

A wave crashed against the boat making her almost lose her grip on the railing and she scrambled back over to it, holding on tight with both arms.

Another wave crashed against the boat throwing water up over the deck, soaking the bottom half of her jeans with frigid ocean water.

She saw the helicopter come closer, hovering right above her and a man started lowering himself down to her on a line. As he made his way close to her and looked into her eyes she noticed how gorgeous he was and that beautiful white smile.

"It's okay. I've got you. You're gonna be okay," he told her holding out his hand to her.

She let go of the railing with one arm and reached out to him with a shaky hand, trembling with nerves and from being cold. He took her hand and pulled her closer, strapping her against his body with a heavy harness right as the boat tilted sideways against a major crashing wave.

He motioned to the helicopter pilot with a thumbs up and she held onto him tight as she felt herself and him being lifted up off of their feet as they were raised towards the helicopter. She looked down and watched as the boat got hit with another major wave and started to sink. It gave her chills. He had saved her just in time.

When they finally reached the helicopter and got inside all of the emotions of what she had just gone through hit her and she started crying against his chest and clinging onto him. He started to reach down to release the harness that held them together but she said, "No please don't." Being hooked to him made her feel safer.

He just nodded and sat there in the floor of the helicopter and held her all the way to the hospital where she had to go to get checked out. He stayed at the hospital with her until she got the all clear to leave and her Dad arrived with a worried look and hugged and held her while they both cried. Her Dad gave him a hug and thanked him for saving his daughter before Zander walked away and she thought she'd never see him again.

Now here she was walking on a beach with him, holding his hand. It reminded her of what she told Dean earlier. Maybe it was fate that had brought them together again like this. They finally came to a pier and decided to start walking down it right as the sun dipped below the horizon and it got darker. They stopped at the end of the pier and she stood with her hands on the wood railing looking out at the water and she felt him come up behind her, putting his arms one on either side of her.

She turned around to face him right as the lights on the dock flickered on with a buzzing sound, drowning them in artificial fluorescent light and there was silence between them. The only sound was the waves crashing against the pier.

He smiled and then he looked down at her lips for a split second before he leaned in and pressed his lips softly to hers. She closed her eyes and felt butterflies in her stomach and a tingle ran across her skin. Then he pulled back and looked down into her eyes and gave her a smile.

She couldn't help but smile back and she could feel her face blushing.

He looked into her eyes and said, "I really like you Berkley. I'd love to take you out again sometime if that's okay with you?"