This isn’t much, just a short little vignette (I wrote it in around ten minutes)...my very first like this...be gentle...Comments are very very welcome and flames will only be used to burn bridges. Enjoy! 

Disclaimer: Do you honestly think they’d ever do this? Since Paramount won’t I did. That makes it mine mine mine. Pass it around and all but please keep everything attached (didn’t that episode just bug the hell out of you?). 

For Andi, who grew to love rides on the beach once he saw how much fun they can be.

“Are you sure about this?” she asked, eyeing the mare suspiciously.

He looked over at her, amused.  “Don’t tell me you’re frightened,” he teased.

“Of course I’m not.  It’s just that this horse looks a little wild... Don’t you think?”

Jean-Luc stepped back to survey the little mare.  The horse stood with her head lowered, hind leg resting on the tip of her hoof, eyes half closed, basking in the warm sun. “Oh certainly.  Stand back!  She seems awfully dangerous!”

The mare sighed and flicked an ear.  Beverly made a face at Jean-Luc.  “If you’re just going to tease me then I’m going back to the hotel,” she stated, glaring at him in mock anger.

“O no, I’m not letting you off that easy.”  He took a step towards her reaching for her arm.

“All right, all right!” She held up her hands warding him off, then resignedly stepped closer to the horse.  The mare raised her head slightly and turned to look at her.  Beverly glanced at Jean-Luc.  He chuckled softly.  Now Beverly was determined.  She stuck her foot into the stirrup and swung, with only a little difficulty, up into the saddle.  The mare sighed again, unimpressed.  Beverly beamed down at Jean-Luc.

“Well done,” he praised swinging gracefully up onto his own horse.

Beverly again made a face, annoyed at the ease in which he seemed to do everything.

Jean-Luc grinned back. “Shall we ride down to the beach?”

“I suppose,” Beverly grumbled still feigning annoyance with the whole thing.  “If you asked me, I got taken by the deal.”

“You’re the one who made me come.  If I’d had my choice we’d still be back on the ship,” he countered as they turned the horses towards the water.

“How was I to know when I said that you could pick what we did if you came that you’d pick this?”

“You shouldn’t have made the deal if you didn’t think you’d like what I picked,” he chuckled.

“How else was I going to get you off that ship?”

He shrugged, grinning.

“You’re enjoying this far too much,” she sulked.

“Isn’t that what we’re here for?  Enjoyment?”

Beverly ignored him and concentrated on keeping her heals down and her knees in.

Jean-Luc sighed. “I thought the idea was rather romantic,” he said in defense.

Beverly glanced over at him.  Now it was her turn to be amused.  “Romantic?” she asked cocking her head.

He shrugged again looking up at the clear, slowly darkening, sky.  “Evening ride along the beach...” He glanced over at her.  She was smiling. “Ah ha.  See?  I knew you’d enjoy it.”

“It’s you I’m enjoying, not the ride.” She said it before she could stop herself.

Jean-Luc pulled his horse to a stop and looked at her curiously.

Beverly avoided his eyes and rode ahead.  “Race ya,” she called over her shoulder.

Jean-Luc lingered a while, watching her hair flow out behind her as the mare leapt into a gallop, before urging his own horse to gallop.  His big gelding caught up with the little mare easily and they galloped side by side with the salty water spraying up around them.

Beverly reached the end of the small beach first, with a little unnoticed help from Jean-Luc, and pulled her mare up just before reaching the rocks that abruptly cut off the sand.  “I win!” she called and slid off the mare giving her a pat on the neck.

Jean-Luc slid off as well, smiling at Beverly.  Her cheeks were flushed pink with the thrill of her first gallop.

“See?” she asked proudly, “I told you I wasn’t scared.”

“And I told you you’d enjoy this didn’t I?”

She looked at him smiling softly.  “Yes, I suppose you were right.”  They stood silently not knowing what else to say.  “O look...” Beverly breathed finally.

He followed her gaze out across the ocean.  The setting sun was blazing red across the water.  He stepped closer to her so that they were just touching.

“Didn’t I also tell you it would be romantic?”

She turned to him, startled at suddenly finding her lips mere centimeters from his.  “I suppose you were right about that too.”  He smiled, his lips lingering so closely to hers wanting so much to be touching them.  She could see it in his eyes.  She could also see the hesitation.  “Know what would be even more romantic?” she asked softly.

He could feel her breath against his lips.  He shook his head slowly.

“If you were to kiss me.”

His eyes flickered to her lips and then back to her eyes.  He looked at her questioningly.  She nodded keeping her eyes locked on his.  Gently, carefully, he shifted closer brushing his lips against hers still a little uncertain.  Beverly made up his mind for him.  Leaning against him she pressed her mouth against his in a hungry kiss.  Slowly the sun disappeared beneath the ocean behind them.  Neither of them noticed.

The End