Idle Thoughts

The sparkling California sun felt like pure heaven as it fell upon her skin, bathing her body with the welcoming touch of an old friend as she tilted her face up to the vast and deep blue sky. The fresh sea air filled her lungs in a great gasp as she combed her fingers back through her dripping hair and blinked into the bright light that shone all around her, reflecting off the rippling waves that held her in a gentle current, beating down on her glistening shoulders as she rose up out of the water to catch her breath.

For a few more moments she merely let herself soak in the foreign landscape around her, a dreamy and content smile settling on her face. There was something so calming about water. A sense of freedom that felt almost primitive, an instinct grounded so deep in human nature that they almost forgot it was there sometimes. Rachel squinted at the shore line, watching the activity along the sand, the distant shouts and splashes fading into pleasant white noise. She was one of the furthest out swimmers, yet the quiet solitude didn't bother her – indeed, she found herself almost seeking it.

She had forgotten how much she loved swimming. It was a pastime she rarely had time for these days, a luxury that had fallen by the wayside of her increasingly busy schedule many years ago. She felt almost guilty, indulging in something that seemed so aimless and unconstructive – something that was just for her. But she couldn't deny that it was exactly what she had needed.

The art of relaxing had always been the one discipline that Rachel had somewhat struggled to master.

She turned her head to gaze out towards the open ocean again, allowing the endless view to the horizon to soothe her mind, easing the restless pressure that had built up heavily over the past few months. She could already feel the tension slowly ebbing from her bruised muscles, helped along considerably by the lengthy massage she had received from those gifted fingers the previous night.

A soft warmth spread along her lips, lighting up her eyes, and she glanced back towards the beach. He was probably starting to feel a little abandoned. With a grin, she ducked under the water again and kicked off towards the shore.

/o/

The sand burned under her feet as she pulled herself out of the surf and found her land legs again. Rachel crossed the beach as elegantly as she could, picking her way around the sandcastles and umbrellas, wringing out her hair as she worked her way over to a familiar figure.

One might think the subject of her attention was oblivious to her approach, that he had succumbed to the lazy heat and was quietly dozing under the summer sun, and they could certainly be forgiven for believing so. He remained still, reclined back in effortless relaxation, no tilt to his head or change in expression to acknowledge her presence. But Rachel knew better, and she knew that he was watching her – an instinct that was confirmed as she drew closer.

Without a word exchanged, Jesse subtly shifted his legs to allow her to join him on the lounger. The Armani shades lowered and a private smile broke across his face as he met her eyes through the scorching sunlight.

"Well hello there, little water nymph," he teased softly, his hand moving to rest upon the smooth, damp skin of her thigh. "I was beginning to think you were never coming out."

His gaze skimmed down her body in leisurely appreciation, his thumb stroking her leg almost absently as he enjoyed the feeling of having her close again. He knew he was not the only one in the proximity who was admiring the lines of her brand new bikini or the way the light illuminated the silky curves of her form and glinted off the droplets of water that coated her skin. However, her eyes were only on his and thus he was entirely unconcerned by the audience she had unknowingly coveted. It wasn't as if he could blame them, after all.

Rachel could start a riot in a monastery if she chose to, and do it all without raising an eyebrow.

He smiled to himself. Maybe he had to give her credit for this little break after all. It had been hard to escape the fact that she had been getting increasingly grumpier and grouchier over the last few weeks, snapping even quicker than usual, until eventually she had announced in typically abrupt and non-negotiable fashion that she needed a holiday. She declared that she was craving heat and sun and mindless relaxation; that she needed to get away and get some breathing space before she lost her mind.

He was surprised to say the least. They rarely took holidays, the only breaks being the ones between show runs and even then they had nearly endless demands on their schedules. They travelled plenty, but it was nearly always in a professional capacity in some way and that suited them just fine. They thrived on their hard lifestyle and neither had been particularly comfortable with the concept of being idle. It was against their nature to do nothing. They lived on late nights and drama, hard work and adrenaline – the life-blood of their profession.

Jesse had also suffered from an uncomfortable association with the last beach break he had taken. San Diego might have been years ago now but it was still inextricably tied up with a dark place for both of them in his mind. However, on inspection, he could also see her point. Pressure had been insane recently, and they had increasingly been taking the stress out on each other, one of the inevitable effects of working so close together. Laughter and humour were two of the corner strengths of their relationship, it was why they could survive and excel in such intense situations that would crack other performers, but even the best partnerships in the world need to take time out now and again. And of course there was no point in arguing with Rachel anyway once she'd set her mind to something. Even if he'd felt so inclined to try, he'd learnt long ago that it was an exercise in futility that mainly resulted in dramatic ultimatums and slamming doors.

And so they had booked the first escape they could find and had forced the time into their diaries. It was only four days but it was enough to replenish them in the onslaught of a particularly gruelling work period.

It was certainly unusual for them – they were both big city lovers and night owls by nature – but he had to admit that beach holidays were not wholly unpleasant. Jesse was more than accomplished at making his own entertainment, and as long as Rachel was around things would never be boring.

His gaze traced the curve of her lips before finding her eyes again, which were sparkling at him like precious sea pearls.

"The water is glorious. You should come in again."

He shook his head with a smirk. "I prefer the view."

She smiled at him before glancing away almost shyly. She shook some water out of her face, scrunching her nose slightly. "I do feel a little like a drowned cat now though," she admitted.

Jesse raised his hand to stroke through the wet hair that framed the delicate features of her face, suddenly forcibly reminded of the heady scent of her skin fresh out of the shower. He quickly pushed the dangerously alluring memories out of his mind. It was a mutual look they were both deeply susceptible to, and he reluctantly made himself shut down that train of thought – one that always succeeded in shattering their self control if they gave it the chance.

He met her eyes with a playful smile, his gaze sincere. "Perhaps. But you're still gorgeous."

"I am not," she corrected with an adorable pout. She examined her forearm with a critical frown. "I'm starting to sunburn."

Jesse couldn't help grinning wider. "My little cherry tomato."

Rachel rolled her eyes. "You say the sweetest things," she said with a grudging smile, absently running a cool finger down his chest, trailing droplets of salt water upon his skin until she reached the waistband of his shorts. She could feel him suppress a shiver and tighten his grip almost imperceptibly in her hair. She smirked to herself.

His eyes darkened in a way only she could recognise, though his voice remained calm and teasing. "I like it," he said, continuing on with the thread of their conversation. "It's as if you're constantly blushing."

She poked a finger in his chest, sharp but affectionate. "You wish, St. James."

Jesse raised an eyebrow with a smug smile. "Be thankful my natural modesty prevents me from putting that challenge to the test."

Rachel laughed, a bright and musical sound that seemed to catch on the ocean breeze. She held his gaze for a long moment, a soft smile gracing her lips.

"I love you."

She uttered the familiar words almost nonchalantly, yet there was such depth behind them that they filled the air with all the clarity of a chiming bell. Jesse smiled, his fingers playing with the dripping strands of her hair as he gently tucked them behind her ear, his hand lingering on her neck. He let his gaze drift over her face, watching the way the sunlight glittered off her skin like crystal. There was no uncertainty or expectation in her eyes. Only calm conviction and a tender fire – one that never faded even through the tumultuous drama of their most heated arguments, an exchange of explosive tempers that ended in their bed more often than not.

Of course she knew. But she still deserved to hear it, and he could never begrudge her the words that existed there in every breath between them.

"I love you too."

She grinned slowly, and it was a breathtaking sight. She leaned forward, pressing her hand to his chest. Jesse adjusted his grip with equal force as their lips met in a gentle kiss. However, their kisses never stayed innocent for very long. He pulled her down close against him, his fingers lost deep in her tangled hair as his other hand came to settle on her waist, enjoying the contrast of the cool refreshing touch of her body and the searing heat of her mouth. She tasted of salt and the sharp tang of the sea, but she was still undeniably and irrevocably his Rachel.

He eased them apart just enough to speak. "People are starting to look," he murmured with a smirk, his eyes never leaving hers to bother confirming the obvious.

"I don't care," she whispered back firmly, her smile dazzling and full of a glow of mischief that made his heart beat all the faster. She leaned in to him until her lips brushed his. "Let them stare."

Jesse grinned, pride and desire evident in his expression for the briefest moment before he kissed her again. Hard.

~o~

AN I've been away on holiday this last week, enjoying the sun, sea and sand and wishing I didn't have to ever come back to work! However, I was completely blown away by the amazing responses to my stories while I was gone - seriously, it was unreal. You guys are awesome...I don't have words. I don't think I've ever seen that many emails at once in my life! It was such a wonderful and humbling gift to come back to, and made my return much less painful! I promise I will get around to replying to all of you as soon as I can, but in the mean time, please accept this little themed fic as a *huge* thank you from me for all your kind words and support. You have no idea how much it means to me. (And yes, even on my holidays I am thinking about St. Berry. Okay, maybe I'm more than a little obsessed...)

Thank you! :)