"Nick calm down before I smack you." yells BJ to a jittery Nick.

"I can't help it. I love her much, I just want everything to be perfect." says Nick.

I don't think you and Rachel should date." states Aaron.

"What?!" asks Nick angrily.

"She should wait for me to grow up." answers Aaron w/ a mischievous grin.

"Oh you little..." Nick grabs for Aaron but Aaron runs out the door and right into Rachel.

"Wow!" exclaim the Carter brothers.

Rachel who is dressed in a blue sun dress and white sandals smiles at them. "Thanks. I heard what you said Aaron and if you were older you may have gotten my attention before your brother did."

"It's okay. Nick's cool. He'll be good for you."

Rachel hugs him then walks up to Nick. She looks over his outfit of khaki shorts and Nike t-shirt and sneakers. "You look great." She lightly kisses him.

"So do you." he says running his hand over her French twist. "Time to go."

"Why won't you tell me where we're going?"

"Because I want to surprise you."

"Keep your eyes closed!" affirms Nick.

"I am." cries Rachel as Nick pushes her along. "Nicky I know we're on the beach. I can feel the sand in my shoes."

"Okay open them."

Rae opens her eyes. "Oh Nick!" She gets misty-eyed when she sees a beautiful castle. "Did you do this?"

"I had some help from Aaron and Angel. We built it back here to protect it from the tide, and I just prayed there wouldn't be any wind or rain."

"Why a sand castle? I don't understand."

"I just thought it'd be creative, something different. This is our own little world. Do you like it?"

"Very much." She pulls him down into a long sweet kiss.

"Wow! All that for just a sand castle. I can't wait to get your reaction when you see what else I've got planned."

She playfully hits his arm. "You're such a bad boy." she says with a laugh.

At that Nick sings, "If you want it to be good girl get yourself a bad boy."

"That's one of my favorite BSB songs."

"Go look on the other side of the castle."

Rachel walks around the sand castle and sees a folded blanket and picnic basket. She smiles and opens the basket. "Chicken salad sandwiches! Nick we've known each other for less the three weeks and you already know everything."

"I try anyway. My mom made them so you don't have to worry about food poisoning."

"You're not that bad. Stick with me and you'll be cooking in no time. Because as much as I like doing it for you I'd like to be treated once in a while."

Nick spreads the blanket out for them. After they eat he tells her, "Look in the bottom of the basket."

She curiously does as he says. She pulls a small box from the basket and opens it. "Nick this is beautiful." she says of a gold, heart-shaped locket.

"Open it."

Inside she finds a picture of the two of them taken the morning of Nick's kidnapping. "That was the worst day of my life." she says thinking back.

"Mine too. I was the one that got kidnapped. Remember?" he says putting the necklace on her.

"Yeah. But the night before was the best night of my life. When you told me you love me. I remember that magnificent kiss and each kiss gets better and better." Nick just smiles at her. "Blondie that was a hint."

"I know, I just like teasing you." he says as he leans in to kiss her.

He gently pushes her down on the blanket and lays on top of her. the kissing gets more and more intense. His lips move to her neck. Rachel runs her hands through his hair. She is enjoying being close to him until she feels his hand slide up her thigh and under her skirt. She grabs his hand and jerks it away. "NICK I CAN'T!"

Nick sits up. "Baby I'm so sorry! I guess I was going too fast."

Rachel raises up and looks into his mesmerizing eyes. "Nick I want to. I mean I think about you. Sometimes the mere sight of you can set me on fire but..." She takes a deep breath. "Nick I don't believe in pre-martial sex."

"Okay." Nick says.

"Just like that?"

"Yeah. Honey I don't expect you to do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable. I love you. I know you love me too, you don't have to do anything sexual to prove it."

"Thank you for being so wonderful. But you know what?"

"What?"

She smiles slyly and pins him to the blanket. "Just because we can't make love doesn't mean we can't make out." she says as she leans down and begins kissing him.

>>>>>

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