Peter Bishop handed over the large Dunkin Donuts cup to his co-pilot through the car window and walked back around to the driver's side of the Vista Cruiser with his own, and got in.

"Peter, this is the second one, already!" Olivia Dunham exclaimed laughing, carefully sipping from the lid.

After starting the station wagon, Peter threw it into gear and peeled out of the gas station lot.

"Well, there's one thing I learned at MIT. If your hands aren't shaking, you haven't had enough coffee."

Olivia made a snorting-like sound, trying not to laugh while sipping. Peter laughed at her trying not to. He found the I-95 North sign and hopped back on the highway.

'When I was in college at Northeastern, there was this group of friends that always compared food to their men."

Peter looked at her, perplexed. "Explain, please."

"They'd say 'I like my men like a like my-' and then fill in the blank."

"I'm sure there's more to this, Dunham. Let me guess, and you said, 'I like my men like I like my coffee."

"Exacly," Olivia replied sipping, knowingly frustrating Peter.

"Which was?" he asked pleadingly.

"Strong and white," Olivia said smiling at him, knowing it was a silly answer.

"Good to know I make the grade, Sweetheart. You had some weird college friends," Peter told her.

"No weirder than your weird connections," she retorted.

"Touche, I guess."

Peter turned to look her. Even drinking coffee she was beautiful. And to his delight she was actually wearing something not work-oriented today. A pale blue cover-up. The thought of what it was covering sent a shot through his mid-section. Peter got ahold of himself and stuck his eyes back on the road and grinned. He loved driving her around, not necessarily in Walter's old beat-up station wagon, but still, Peter loved having Olivia as his captive audience.

"So why did you pick the Pelham Resort Motel in Hampton Beach, New Hampshire?" she asked him curiously, looking at his clipboard.

"Maco recommended it."

Olivia choked on her he picked up his cup.

It took her a moment before she could speak again. "Maco? The chop shop guy with all the earrings?"

"Yeah." Peter looked over at her and saw the scowl on her face.

He turned toward her, gesturing with his right hand. "So what are you saying? Just 'cause he runs a chop shop the guy doesn't know anything about R&R?"

Olivia set her coffee in the tray to her left and put her hands up in defense.

Peter continued, shifting his attention between her and the road. "He used to talk about Hampton Beach all the time. Said it was the happening place, and cheaper than Cape Cod and the Islands."

"Well, we know that last part's true, Olivia replied. It had been a pleasant surprise earlier in the week when Broyles had insisted the four of them add Friday to their holiday weekend, a way of saying thank you for closing a difficult case, quickly, and efficiently. They were all quite grateful for the break. Peter had offered for his father and Astrid to come along, but Astrid declined, insisting Peter and Olivia go on without them, that she would entertain Walter the entire time of their absence. At the time Peter had been shocked, but happily accepted her generous offer. So had Olivia, thanking her several times in the last few days, Astrid just smiling knowingly in reply.

Peter's words drew Olivia back to the present. "Believe it or not my mother and Walter brought my here once when I was a kid. But all I can remember is the ocean and alot of shops."

Olivia looked over at Peter and smiled warmly, happy that he had at least one decent memory from his sad childhood.

An hour later found them walking up the porch steps to the Pelham Resort Motel reception desk.

A teenage girl with sun-kissed hair eagerly approached them, broadening her smile when she noticed Peter. "Can I help you?" she asked looking him over.

Peter gave her his trademark smile. "We're checking in. The name's Bishop. Two adults."

The girl scanned the computer monitor. "Yep you're in here. Arriving today and leaving Sunday." She made a face and tapped the older man next to her on the back. "Dad, look at this. The rate has been changed for Mr. Bishop here who's checkin in. Is this right?"

Her father leaned over and smiled. He straightened and nodded to Peter. "You're friends with my brother, Billy, the co-owner?"

Olivia hadn't been paying too much attention, but perked up at the man's words waiting to hear Peter's reply. She wondered if Billy was another of his weird connections.

Peter creased his brow and looked over at Olivia who was all ears, and then back to the man.

"Uh, I'm friends with Mako."

"Well, that's close enough. They're best friends since grade school. Billy's given you and your lady a price break. Nice deal. Ninety-nine a night instead of one hundred fifty-five."

Peter blinked. He hadn't been expecting any favors here, other than to actually get a room for them over the busy Labor Day weekend.

"Uh, I'll have to thank him then," Peter answered. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Olivia smiling at him. He winked at her and then signed the paper the man had pushed in front of him.

"Is there a good but inexpensive place to grab lunch around here?" Peter asked.

"Sal's pizza is two blocks down. Best deal in town," the man answered as he handed Peter two keys. "You're in room 505, a sweet oceanfront room. And you have your own balcony. You two have a nice stay." The man smiled at both of them, checking out Olivia as he did so.

Peter nodded and they headed out the door and down the street to Sal's. Peter took Olivia's hand in his watching her continue to stare. He knew she was thinking.

"So, you and Mako must have been pretty good friends."

Peter laughed. "Let's just say we played alot of cards back in the day." He gave her hand a squeeze.

Looking up they saw several people standing in line, and the delicious smell of fresh pizza dough assualted them. "Apparently this is Sal's," Peter said.

It took them a minute to check out the menu. They decided to both get the special. Peter was digging in his pocket as Olivia placed their order.

"Do you want fries with that, Peter?" Olivia asked him.

"Huh?" Peter asked as he fished a twenty and some change out of the pocket of his swim trunks.

"Apparently the special is not only a double slice and soda, but also an order of fries," Olivia said re-reading the menu.

'That's different. Sure."

They took their food and sat on a bench looking out at the beach. It was a pretty afternoon, hot, but not too hot, a slight breeze blowing the sea air around. It didn't take long for a group of seagulls to appear above them begging for food. They both laughed, enjoying the moment.

After they settled in their room, Peter and Olivia grabbed their oversized towels and walked across the street hand-in-hand to the beach. They had secretly started dating two week ago, and were very comfortable with each other. The transition had been amazingly smooth, and they were truly happy.

It wasn't that they were hiding their realtionship from anyone, they just hadn't told people yet, figuring eventually they would find out. Both of them were pretty certain Astrid and Walter already knew, and that was why they were here now alone together.

After a very long walk to both ends of the public part of Hampton Beach, Peter picked up Olivia and threw her into the water. She screamed and he laughed. When she could finally see again she grabbed him around his legs and pulled Peter under. They both laughed and shared a gentle kiss when the laughter died down. The two of them spent the rest of the afternoon and early evening frolicking in the water.

They took separate showers that evening in their motel room, keeping the sexual tension pleaseantly suspended.

After a long, leisurely meal of New England clam chowder and fish and chips, they took to roaming Ocean Boulevard with their open containers of beer, marveling that everyone could get away with that here. There were alot of people in the street having fun and walking in all directions, and Peter agreed with Mako that it was indeed a happening place.

On their way back to their hotel Olivia spotted a little store with bin after bin of salt water taffy.

The blue awning read 'The Candy Corner.' She begged Peter to go in with her and he readily complied. Twenty-five minutes later they came out with a bag containing 3 big boxes of taffy they had selected together. A box for Astrid, a box for Walter, and a box for just the two of them to share.

After their third six-pack was emptied they returned sweaty and tipsy to they room. Peter suggested they shower together and they did, almost pulling down the curtain rod in the process. At one point Peter made the strangest sound and Olivia tried to silence him with kisses.

"What was that, Peter?" she asked rubbing the smooth skin of his backside.

"Walter always says showers are good for yodeling. I thought I'd try it."

"I'd prefer you didn't," she told him. Before he could answer she covered his mouth again with her own.

After towling off with some difficulty, Peter threw both their towels to the floor and started dancing around the room with Olivia haphazardly.

"Uh, I think you should come here, Peter," Olivia told him as she let go and steered herself toward the bed, pulling his arm."

"But I like dancing naked," Peter said childishly falling on top of her.

Olivia pulled him flush against her, locking her arms around his back. "You'll like this better. I promise." The kisses grew hotter and sloppier and soon they were moaning as they made love. But their moans were drowned out by the sound of squeaking. Abruply Peter broke away, got off the bed, and grabbed his bag, almost falling over in his haste.

Propping herself on her elbows, Olivia stared as he retrieved a roll of duct tape from his overnight bag. She was still wondering why he had a roll of duct tape in his luggage on their vaction when he spoke up, tearing a long piece off the roll with his teeth as he spoke.

"Duct tape equals silence, Peter explained. Olivia watched in fascination as it took him a few times to wrap the piece around the noise-producing area of the bedframe. "And that should do it," he said, admiring his handiwork, swaying a bit on his feet.

"C'mere, Bishop. Let's check out your work," Olivia told him seductively, and Peter made his way back onto her on the bed.

Peter kissed her forehead and smiled mischievously at her. "Now, where were we?"

END