Can't tell you exactly where I've been. Life has a way of taking it's toll. Lost two of the best Grandmothers in a span of weeks. Became a business woman. Life was distracting. But I refuse to leave stories unfinished. I certainly hope to have any reader back who is willing to see this story come back to life.

Welcome back to Little Island. :)

They'd built the castle far enough up that the waves wouldn't bother it while they worked. She'd laughed at his insistence about the proper water to sand ratio. In the end, he'd had a point, sand too wet or too dry didn't perform the way they wished.

Before long she'd been artfully placing small stones and shells around the towers and windows of their little castle. He'd snapped a photo and promised it to his own little Castle.

"You're going to run out of room on your memory card." She'd teased him.

They'd ventured up and back again a few times. Food and other necessities sent them into the lush little patch of jungle that hid their outhouse.

That night at dinner, a small velvet pouch had found its way into the pocket of Castle's khakis. When he'd reached his hand in to retrieve the key to the boat engine, he'd startled when his hand touched the soft material. A few replays of the dinner had left him wondering when their host had managed to return it to him.

The worst storm of their stay had raged that night. In fact, it had blown in so fiercely that even with the tarps drawn and tied tightly, the two of them had squealed as they deposited some of their used towels beneath the East window while it poured.

Morning on the beach had left their sand castle a mix of rubble and a smooth mound of collapsed sand. He'd pouted.

"You took the best shells home." Kate pointed out, the fact lifting his smile into place.

"Cave today," he demanded. She'd used up every excuse she could to keep him from it, and as she paused to think of something new, he interrupted in the little school boy way he so often copied. "You don't have an excuse. Get the fins."

They'd ventured out and it only took a marginal amount of effort to locate the place they'd visited before. She alternated between watching fish and watching his back and he dove and explored with more care. The waterproof flashlight provided him a better glance inside. When he'd leaned in, she nearly lost her breath with worry. Unsure if she'd managed to unwedge him, should he get stuck without an air supply below, before he drowned. It was his sudden back pedal away from the cave that truly startled her. She's gasped, and flooded her mouth with sea water when she'd unsealed her lips from the tubing on her snorkel.

His eyes had locked onto hers before she sputtered to the surface. He surfaced beside her mere seconds later. "What?" She practically shrieked at him, her concern masked with annoyance.

"I'm embarrassed to inform you that very small fish, look very large when they swim towards your face in a tiny cave." The chuckle bubbled free from her, but the look that passed between them left more unsaid and words bottled tightly.

"Let's go in." He nodded in agreement and they swam in together, the differences in their bodies would have been obvious to anyone sailing by. Instead they were peacefully alone. His broad body carried him easily, but her body was strong and lean from her strict conditioning. Together, they kept an even pace.

Lunch came from their basket. Rick watched wearily as Kate sliced fruit in her hands. "Despite the fact that I researched some basic first aid for some of my Storm novels, I do not know enough to sew your finger tip back on."

"Oh, waa, waa. Grow a pair." She teased up at him, before gasping and dropping the fruit into her lap. "Damnit, Castle." She quipped and he tried to take her hand, her voice groaned, "You are a constant distraction." When he pulled it from her, expecting to find blood, he found nothing but unmarred skin. His relieved eyes found hers before the frisky fire returned to them. "That was for the cave."

"HEY!" He protested, "I was actually scared!" He drew her finger to his lips, despite the fact there was no injury. Placing a kiss on the tip and tasting the trail of juice from their fruit, his eyes burned hers with their intensity.

"So was I." She confessed. The enormity of her open confession, despite not uttering the words he loved to hear her say, was enough. Their mouths found each other in the same desperate fashion.

They claimed the beach as theirs and no other eyes found them but their own.

Marcus' eyes darted to Kate's neck the moment she set foot into the door. The move went unnoticed by Kate, whose eyes had gone straight to the menu board revealing their hot dinner choices. The dancing movement of eyes hadn't been missed by Rick. But his response had been a shrug. It needed a moment. That moment hadn't been created yet.

After dinner, they danced.

The boat ride had been quiet, her hand dangling in the water. The tension she had carried the first few boat trips, long lost under Castle's comforting control of the boat.

They'd sat, side by side, in the sand. Toes being lapped by the sea as the sun sank into the horizon that night. She'd leaned against him.

"Sometimes, mistakes are made," he confessed, her body relaxed into his side indicating the topic was open. "I regret a lot of things. Meredith, Gina. Never Alexis, she was the grace I was given. I don't know what I was thinking, either time. I shouldn't have married either one." The topic draws her head up from his shoulder, her body no longer relaxed into his.

"Why are you telling me this?" She asked, fear apparent in her tone, something he hated to hear.

"I'm not making that mistake with you."

"Oh." Kate let the reality of his words sink. Was he really saying he'd never want to marry her? It wasn't something wanted, exactly. But, not having it as an option produced a sudden wave of disappointment.

"Kate." He touched her face, her eyes darting away from him. "I'm not making that mistake with you." He stressed again. "It's never going to be a mistake with you."