"Emma...baby...I know you're cold. But we are sticky and sandy and I don't want to rub you raw when I ravage your unbelievable sexy body again. Come on.." he grinned as their skin noisily unstuck. She giggled and took the hand he offered her, her breath catching in her throat as she gazed up at his gorgeous, naked, moonlit body. She wished she had the stomach to tell him what she knew he wanted to know, but once HE knew, would he still love her like he said he did? Would he still look at her like she was the most perfect thing he'd ever seen? Or would he put some of the blame on her and say she'd brought it on herself? And how could she give him the whole story when she could only remember bits and pieces? The bits and pieces that seemed to go along with what Danny made sure to tell her about that night. Her head reeled and she felt as if she was going to throw up. Zac caught her as she stumbled slightly, "Emma, are you okay? You didn't drink that much..you like like you're going to be sick, baby." He grabbed her elbow and steadied her as she fought to gain control of herself and she shook her head. "Head rush...dizzy...stood up too fast, that's all baby." she murmured as she steeled herself and swallowed hard. "I'm alright, Zac. I'm okay.." she said softly and reached for her shorts. "Em. No." he commanded. "Just stay with me.." he told her and pulled her close to his side. "We're just going to rinse off first. Then we'll get dressed and walk, okay?" She nodded giving him a weak smile. She held tightly to his arm around her as he led her to the water's edge. "Still okay?" he asked softly as they stepped into the cold water. "Yes, Zac. I'm fine." she reassured him he took her into the water, up to her mid-thigh, and gently splashed it over her body as she shivered. "I know, baby. I'm sorry, it's cold." he crooned. "It's okay, Zac. I'm really alright.." she sucked in her breath as the salt water stung the tender skin on her stomach. "Oh shit, Em. I'm sorry babydoll..I forgot.." he apologized quickly. "Zac, it's okay. As soon as you put the lotion on it it'll stop stinging. Please don't worry..." she smoothed his hair back and cupped his face in her hands.. "I love you." she told him, looking straight into his eyes. "I love you, Zac." He quickly gathered her into his arms and squeezed her tightly. "I love you, too, Em. I love you.." he kissed the top of her head. "Let me quick rinse off, baby.. "he told her. "Let me, Zac.." she said softly and splashed the water gently onto his strong body, running her hands over his muscled torso as she did so. "Kay. Good enough, Em. You're shaking." he said and scooped her up, carrying her gently back to their blanket. He grabbed his large-t-shirt and handed it to her. "You'll be warmer.." he said and pulled his board shorts on, quickly tying them. She pulled his shirt on and pulled her hair out of the neck, giving it a shake, as Zac picked the blanket up and shook it out, then spread it neatly on the sand. He picked up her bathing suit and shorts and shook the sand out of them for her, thenput them at the corner of the blanket. "Lay back, baby.." he ordered and she did as he asked. He pulled the small container of cream out of his pocket and very carefully smeared it on her tattoo, smiling when she sighed in relief. "Better?" he asked. "Much." she smiled warmly up at him and tucked his long hair behind his ear. "Thank you." "Buzz wearing off yet?" he grinned. "Yeah.." she giggled. "Kay. Let's walk, Em." he said and helped her stand. He watched as she pulled her baosrd shorts on and tied them so they rested under her new tattoo. "All set." she smiled and he reached for her hand. He grapsed it firmly and led her down the beach, unwilling to let go even for a second.

Taylor and Jen walked slowly down the beach, Taylor's hand firmly around Jenny's. "You warm enough, babe?" he asked her. There was a light breeze blowing off the water, and she was only in her bikini and board shorts. "With all that anti-freeze I just drank?" she giggled. "Yeah, I'm fine, Tay." Taylor chuckled, "Damn. Too bad.." he grinned. "Too bad?" she asked. "Mmmhmm...I was looking forward to warming you up.." he told her. "Damn Hanson." she laughed. "You're nothin' but a great big hornball.."  He stopped and pulled her into his arms, then cupped the back of her head in his hand, threading his fingers through her long, blonde hair. "I didn't hear you complaining this morning.." he raised his eyebrow at her, grinning. She slipped her hands around his waist and slid them up his torso, underneath his shirt. "Who says I'm complaining now?" she asked, smiling up at him. She had to bite her lip to keep from gasping. The moonlight shone off his beach tangled hair, making a silver-gold halo around his head and his blue eyes glow in the darkness. She reached up and stroked his cheek, then ran her fingertips through his chunky blonde bangs. He leaned down, lifting her chin with his fingers, and kissed her. "Can't help it, Jen. You're too sexy for words, baby." he smiled when he pulled back from her. "And I love you.." he told her, leaning in for another kiss. Jen quickly kissed him, then pushed him away a bit and sighed loudly. "Jenny? What's wrong?" he asked her. "We better find a place to sit." she said and tugged him by the hand, pulling him behind her to where the sand sloped up toward the dunes behind them. "Jen? What's up, baby?" Tay asked nervously. "Don't get mad, Tay. Until you hear everything I am going to tell you. Because I do love you. I just didn't think this was important. Until this morning. I didn't think you'd even begun to let go of Emma so it really didn't matter." she said. "Jenny.." he sighed, "I was done with that the night she disappeared. I care about her, you can't help but love her...but you've seen them together, and I haven't thought of anybody but YOU for months." he told her and tucked her windblown hair behind her ear. "Taylor. I know. That's not what I'm talking about, okay? Just listen to me. Emma and Zac have been through so much because she's a big chicken-shit and doesn't open her mouth when she should. I know she's still holding something back and it HAS to be bad, because I" she laid her hand on her chest, "don't even know what the whole story is. Danny isn't done and I don't want any secrets between us. I don't want to go through all that pain, Tay. Hannah doesn't deserve all that baggage either. So listen." she took a deep breath. "I am." he encouraged her. "The only reason Emma could even go to Danny when her dad took off, was because I already worked for him." she stated. She looked at Taylor for a reaction. "So? You danced?"  he asked. "Yeah...I danced. But I didn't have a problem taking off more than Emma did, Tay. I don't think I have anything to be ashamed of.." she grinned up at him. "Definately not." he smiled. "Anyway," she continued, "That's was where I met Hannah's biological father. He tended the bar. He was great, until he found out I was pregnant. He lasted all of two weeks after I told him, the loser. he signed his parental rights away a month after she was born. She doesn't need to know him unless she chooses to when she's old enough to find him on her own and I won't lie to her about him either." Taylor took her hand and squeezed. "I'm sorry he hurt you like that, Jen. But not that he's gone." he said softly.. She squeezed back. "Me too. So he split, and I kept dancing, until I started to show." she continued.

"My mother didn't like it. But she didn't have a choice, I'm an adult, and the money was GOOD. Hannah wouldn't have had HALF the stuff she needed when she was newborn if I hadn't started socking it away as soon as I knew. I WON'T live off the state. I refuse. So when I started to show, I couldn't dance, so I tended bar for a while. I decided that I wouldn't go back to dancing after Hannah was born and Danny freaked., whining about the money he'd lose. Emma needed money fast, or she and her mom would have been on the street so I told her to ask Danny about tending bar. Danny was cool with that, but that was before I KNEW what had happened between the two of them in school, or I would never have suggested it. Then of course Emma got drunk and shot off her big mouth, and she was stuck, but suddenly Danny was letting me off the hook without a fight, and Emma was in my face about getting out for the sake of the baby, and not to worry about her. When I found out about what Danny did to her, I was already out, and pissed because I'd had plenty of opportunities to split that bastard's skull and didn't. Everything was mellow though, until Emma met Zac.." she took another deep breath. "Taylor, you know Danny isn't above blackmail, or any other sleazy thing you can imagine. It's not that I am ashamed, I made good money. But I don't want Danny in my face, trying to blackmail me into coming back to work for him, cause he's got 'pictures' to show you. And I don't want you angry, thinking I was keeping something from you. I just didn't want there to be any ugly surprises." she finished.

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