Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters. All the rights go to Mark Schwahn and the CW.

AN: So this was an idea that I had and decided to write it. It's another AU story. It's a very long one-shot, but I couldn't control myself. Please read & review!

Finally! After spending hours trapped inside of airplanes, buses and taxis, they had finally arrived. As soon as the king-sized bed came into view, Haley James let her body fall on the fluffy and comfortable mattress. She had a feeling this trip wouldn't be so bad after all. She was in Italy and that could never be a bad thing.

However, she wasn't supposed to come here just by herself. Her friends Lucas and Peyton should be here as well, along with her sister Quinn. The three of them had gotten together and decided to plan this trip. It had been their gift to Haley for being promoted as the Tree Hill High School Principal.

Everything was still a little surreal for Haley. She had always known she wanted to be a teacher and that, along with the fact that she felt completely and utterly fulfilled whenever she made people understand things they didn't get before, made her become a tutor throughout her high school years, in Tree Hill High. Afterward, everything seemed to take a natural path: she had gone to Stanford and, after she graduated, she had applied to a lot of different schools and only had to wait about two weeks before Principal Turner called her and asked her if she'd like to be the new Tree Hill High English and Literature teacher. To say she was ecstatic about it was an understatement.

Everything in her professional life seemed to be perfect: she considered herself a cool teacher and the students, except for a few lazy ones, liked her. Maybe that had been one of the reasons why Principal Turner had invited her to be the heir of the school's throne and become the new Principal. Haley had been baffled at first. She was just 27 years-old, why would he invite her instead of choosing someone who was older and with more experience? The thought had scared her at first but after a few weeks of thinking, she accepted it and promised to give all her best. That had all been a year ago and after that first year as a Principal, she was exhausted. Haley loved what she did, but was it tiring!

And here she was now. On vacation. In Italy. The thought made her squeal a little, just before her mind was invaded with memories of Lucas and Peyton telling her they wouldn't be able to go with her to Italy because of one of Peyton's art shows. Haley had wanted them here with her and she blamed the Gods who had made the stupid guy from that stupid company schedule the art show for this exact week. Thanks a lot.

At the time, Haley tried to look at the bright side: maybe spending a whole week with her sister would be good for them. They had always been really close as they grew up, but their careers, with Quinn being a professional photographer and having to travel a lot, had made it a little bit difficult for them to spend some quality time together. Now was their chance! But of course, like everything else in her personal life, the perfect scenario she had pictured soon crumbled when Quinn had been called off to Iran for a photoshoot with some actress. Great!

Haley wasn't sure if she wanted to go to Italy alone. This had always been a place she'd dreamed of visiting, but would it be worth it to come in here alone? As if reminding her she wasn't alone, Polly barked twice, looking up at her with her little dark brown eyes. Polly was a Yorkshire Terrier that Haley's mother had given her three years ago. Polly had become one of her best friends ever since then and Haley had taken the cute dog with her everywhere she went. In fact, they were so attached at the hip that Lucas, Peyton and Quinn, while planning the trip, had made sure to look for hotels that would allow dogs so that Polly could come with them.

"I know I'm not alone, girl. I'm sorry." Haley stated as she looked at Polly, before her cell phone started ringing. Haley cringed as she realized her cell phone was all the way on the other side of the bedroom. She had just lied down on the bed and she was tired, her legs were killing her. Did she really have to get up to answer the phone? "Polly, go get the phone." Haley's voice was dragged as she pulled up her arm and pointed at the table where she had put her cell phone in. It was only seconds later that she heard the rattle of Polly's dog collar and Haley instantly smiled. Polly had always been a really obedient dog.

"Good girl!" Haley patted her as Polly brought her the cell phone. Taking it out of Polly's mouth, Haley looked at the caller ID before answering it.

"We've been worried about you! We thought you were dead by now!" she heard Peyton's giggles on the other side of the phone.

"I could certainly be dead with all the travelling…" Haley replied in the same tone.

"How is it there? I'm so jealous of you! Italy… The land of pasta, pizza and beautiful, hot men…" Haley could hear Peyton take a deep sigh and she could only laugh.

"I haven't left the hotel room yet and-"

"Hmm, already found a hot guy?" Haley laughed almost hysterically. The idea was just too damn funny. Like she would ever sleep with a guy she barely knew.

"Of course! You know me too well..." Haley replied with sarcasm which only made Peyton giggle.

"I'm serious. I told you that I would help you have a little fun this trip. It won't kill you to make out a little with some interesting guy… or even do more than making out…" Peyton said suggestively.

"Peyton!" It didn't surprise Haley that Peyton was talking about this. Again. Her friend had spent the entire time telling her she needed to have fun. "I told you. I'm not like that."

"But it's okay to have flings, Haley! When was the last time you had sex?" Haley just rolled her eyes. Her friend couldn't get anymore predictable. So what if it had been way too long and she thought about it from time to time? That didn't mean she'd just get under some guy she had absolutely no feelings for in order to make her body feel better. No.

"Love leads to sex, not the contrary."

"See? That's exactly the thing. We're not talking about love, Haley. We're talking about having fun. It's okay to do that from time to time."

"I do have fun!" Haley contested.

"I know you do, but the type of fun I'm talking about isn't the same you're talking about. My type of fun includes touches, kisses, care-"

"Please stop." Haley couldn't hear more of this.

"Haley, I'm not telling you to do things you don't want to do. I just want you to get out of your comfort zone once in a while. It will do you some good. If you ever feel like having meaningless sex, then let yourself do it. And this applies to everything else in life. Stop playing it safe. Throw yourself out there." Haley kept silent for a few seconds as she processed Peyton's words. She knew Peyton was right. As far as her personal life was concerned, she never took much of a risk.

She had dated two guys her whole life. The first was Bradley, a guy she met in high school after they were partnered up in one of the Chemistry classes. He was smart, nice, cute and her teenage self had been so curious as to how it would be like to have a boyfriend that she convinced herself she was in love with him. They dated for a year, but she soon found out that she only really liked him. She didn't feel what those movie girls felt for the boys they were in love with and looking at the way some of her friends talked about their boyfriends… Yeah, maybe Bradley wasn't exactly someone she was in love with, but more of a curiosity.

Then, when she'd gone to Stanford, she'd met Dylan through common friends. There had always been something about him that she was drawn to, but she couldn't quite tell what it was. He was really sophisticated, down to earth and a true gentleman. They started dating and Haley was more than sure that he was finally it. Still to this day, she couldn't quite tell if she had been in love with him or not. A part of her thought she had, but there was something that made her doubt it. They had dated for two and a half years, but as the time went by, things started to change: there was no passion anymore and the both of them really started acting as if they were an old and boring married couple. Nothing excited them anymore and, of course, Dylan's jealousy over the stupidest things ever didn't help matters. They eventually decided to break up and that outcome hadn't been so hard for either of them. In fact, he started dating a new girl only two weeks after the break-up. Jerk.

Then Haley started working and that was actually the only thing she was focused on. Dating didn't even come close to her mind. Sometimes, she'd look at some attractive men that would either pass her by on the street or talk to her at work and she'd wonder what it would be like to have a husband who loved her more than anything… To have his kids so they could all live happily ever after, with the white picket fence and Polly… Then those thoughts would soon vanish as thinking about it would only remind her of how pathetic her love life was. She wanted to find Mr. Right, but she wouldn't force anything. He would appear naturally and when she least expected (at least that's what everybody kept telling her). Until then, she'd just live her life and enjoy it. She did not need a man to be happy.

"Haley? Are you there?" Peyton's voice brought her out of her trance and Haley quickly shook her head.

"Yes. Sorry, I was just thinking…"

"In how you need to follow my advice?" Haley usually thought about it. One-night stands. No strings attached romances. It was never something that appealed to her. She had always believed in love and that was part of who she was and the way she had been raised. She had nothing against people who hooked up and engaged in one-night stands and whatsoever, but she didn't want that for herself. That didn't mean she hadn't been curious to know how it would feel like to do that. To just have fun without caring about a thing in the world. To just have sex, without any type of love and/or emotional connection attached. It just sounded weird to her. Sex was the most beautiful expression of how much you love someone, but, clearly, not everyone had that perception. Hell, sometimes she thought she was the only person left in this world having such beliefs and ideas. "Sex is the greatest expression of love there is", she'd say while others would reply "Oh, what a beautiful and thoughtful unicorn". Yes, it'd probably be this way.

"Yes, but there are other ways to get out of my comfort zone without having to sleep with a guy whose name I don't even know". Haley pointed out.

"No one talked about sex."

"Are you kidding me? You've been encouraging me to listen to my hormones instead of my brain for the last few months and 'no one talked about sex'?" Haley mimicked with an edge on her voice. She heard Peyton laugh and Haley buffed, annoyed.

"I'm just saying. In the end, you are the master of your faith-"

"Is Lucas reading Invictus again?"

"He is. It's pretty catchy, actually."

"I can see that, you were about to recite it to me." Haley chuckled.

"Speaking of my gorgeous boyfriend and your best friend, he says hi. He'll call you later. But as I was saying… You do what you do and believe in. Just try to make some more things that normally you'd refuse or would be afraid to do, okay? "

"I'll think about it." Haley answered honestly.

"Okay, I have to go. Please have fun for me! Eat as much as you can: pasta, pizza… and… men…"

"You're unbelievable!" Haley shouted as both women laughed.

"That was just to rile you up, but seriously, have fun and enjoy it, girly! Buy me something and try to find Polly a boyfriend too."

"No way. You know how I wouldn't take it if she had puppies. I couldn't keep them, but it'd break my heart too if I had to give them away so preventing her from getting pregnant is the best solution."

"You're crazy." Peyton let out with a laugh.

"Maybe a little.", Haley muttered with a smile on her face while looking at her Yorkie. This was going to be an interesting trip.

The sun had now disappeared, giving place to the full moon that now lit up the sky. Haley was on the balcony of her room taking in the view and delighted at the way the docks and the Italian riviera's romantic lights merged with the sky above her. She didn't remember ever seeing something so beautiful before. She had wanted to spend the entire night there, taking in the view, but Polly had other plans. Before Haley could tell, Polly was in her sitting position, looking fixedly at her and with her ears down. That was what she always did whenever she wanted (or better yet, needed) to go for a walk.

"Really? Right now?" Haley asked Polly with a disbelieved look on her face. "You always have the best timing, Polly." Putting on her leash, Haley grabbed it and decided to go for a walk nearby. The Hotel was right next to the docks so she decided to take a coat. It was hot during the day, but at night a cool breeze would chill the air.

They walked for a while and Polly did everything she needed to do. Maybe taking her for a walk wasn't that bad of an idea. The view from the street was even more breathtaking. There was this unfamiliar but gorgeous European look everywhere and the air just seemed so different... More pure. It was relaxing.

"Eh..." Jumping a little at the unexpected voice behind her, Haley turned around and saw an old couple with a huge unfolded map on their hands. Maybe they needed help? What was going on? Polly began barking at the old couple and Haley quickly shushed her.

"Polly, stop it!"

"Do you speak English?" the old man asked her with a what looked like a French accent.

"Yes. Can I help you?" Haley asked reluctantly looking at the old desperate couple. The old man asked for directions. Apparently, neither of them could read the awful tiny letters on the map. Putting Polly's leash on one of the park benches there were around, Haley grabbed the map and began looking for this "Liguria Loop" or whatever that was they were looking for.

After what felt like a lifetime, Haley finally managed to explain to the old couple the way they had to take in order to reach their destination. They looked like really nice people and it was very romantic that they'd come here together, even at this age. Haley smiled before reaching for Polly's leach. When she felt nothing on the bench, she quickly turned around and Polly and the leash were nowhere in sight. Suddenly, it felt like someone had hit her with a brick wall. Her heart was racing and she wondered how she could've been so stupid to just let go of Polly's leash. With all the drama with the map, she hadn't even realized what she was doing.

"Polly!" Haley screamed. This was bad, really bad. She was in a country she didn't know and her dog could've gone anywhere. Her heart raced faster and tears filled her eyes. She just couldn't lose Polly and that only made her scream louder as she asked people who passed by if they had seen a Yorkshire Terrier. She kept calling Polly's name as she searched everywhere. Then she finally decided to go to a somewhat secluded area of the garden and she finally found her. The happiness of seeing Polly again didn't even allow her to take in the rest of the scene in front of her.

When Haley finally calmed her breathing, her eyes almost popped out when she realized what she was looking at. There was this huge Boxer dog behind Polly and was he...? No way. He was... They were... Haley closed her eyes and shook her head, maybe she was imagining things. When she opened her eyes, she saw it all again and no, she definitely wasn't imagining things. That... monster was mounting her puppy! Her Polly!

"Shhh! Get out of there, you filthy dog!" Haley screamed. How could that giant beast even mate with her small, little Polly? Haley felt the need to protect Polly and she just wanted to go there and pull him... out of Polly. "Get. Out!" Haley continued shouting and gesticulating but both dogs continued doing what they were doing without even flinching. Not knowing what else to do, Haley grabbed a rock from the floor and threw it near them, careful not to hit them, but maybe the sound would scare them and make them stop? She couldn't deal with a pregnant Polly and, suddenly, her talk with Peyton a few hours ago came to her mind. Polly couldn't get pregnant. And let's not even talk about how much that enormous dog could hurt the much smaller Polly. How was it even possible? The Boxer had a collar so that meant he was somebody's dog. Somebody who was dumb and negligent enough to let a beast like that on his own.

After Haley threw the stone, nothing happened and it was then that Haley decided to approach them. She had no idea if dogs became dangerous whenever someone tried to interrupt their... sexual activity. That's if anyone had ever tried to pull dogs apart during that, of course. She wouldn't like it either if she was having sex with someone and an intruder came in telling them to stop and for her to get out, she realized, but quickly brushed away that thought. So not the point.

As she was getting closer, the Boxer got away from Polly and then ran away. Fire rushed though Haley and she wanted to go blame the person who let this monster do whatever he wanted. She'd follow the dog and she'd tell his owner how irresponsible and dangerous it was to let a dog with this size alone. Polly could've gotten hurt!

After making sure Polly was alright, Haley grabbed her leash and started running after the dog. The path they were taking was very familiar to her and in about five minutes, they were in the Hotel's gardens. The Boxer sat next to one of the green wooden benches there were around and was looking at her and Polly with his tongue out, panting.

Haley stopped, needing to catch her breath herself. So this dog was in the same Hotel as her and Polly? Interesting. She would just stay here and wait until his owner would appear. He or she had to be here as well, right?

The time went by and the stupid, ugly dog kept looking at them, almost like laughing at the both of them. Haley glared at the dog and she knew she already hated him. Him and the stupid owner of his.

"Bongo!" The Boxer quickly turned his head as he got up and ran in the man's direction. The man who had called him. His owner. Haley took in the man's appearance. He was absolutely gorgeous and sexy. Tall, very built, raven short hair, blue eyes and he had some sexy scruff that framed his face perfectly. She was sure she was drooling. She had never seen such a handsome and hot man before in her life. Haley felt something stir inside of her just by looking at this divine man and this felt familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. She didn't know what to make of it. When he kneeled before his dog and started canoodling his dog's ears, she took in the way his biceps flexed and she gulped. It was suddenly too hot in there and she was sure she was blushing by now. His lips were moving and she could tell he was talking to the dog, but she couldn't hear anything. Then he smiled and Haley felt like someone had swept her off her feet. This guy was out of this world... He couldn't be real! Italian men really were beautiful, huh?

At that thought, she froze. He was Italian and she couldn't speak Italian fluently. Would he understand her at all? He had to speak English, right? Or maybe she could try speaking some Italian? The only things she knew were the bits she had memorized from those cheap, small pocket books she had bought the day before she got onto the plane. Taking a deep breath, she relaxed. She didn't care if this was the hottest and most beautiful man she'd ever seen or how his muscles were more than easy on the eyes or how his smile made her melt or how that scruff made her want to do things she should never vocalize. This was also the stupid man who let that monster of a dog by itself, resulting in it abusing her dog.

Working up the courage, she started walking in the man's direction, until she was right in front of him. Feeling someone looking at him, the man looked up at her before standing up.

"Mi scusi", Haley started and the man rased his eyebrows. God, he was even hotter from here, but Haley ignored those thoughts. "Il cane..." Haley pointed out at the Boxer and she silently cursed because she had no idea how to say "is this your dog" in Italian. 'This dog' were actually the only words she remembered. Oh God, this was so embarrassing. "Yours?" she ended up saying in English, pointing at him. Now she just wanted to dig a hole and jump in there to never get out. The man looked at her like there were snakes coming out of her eyes before he busted out laughing. Great. This was everything she needed. She really wanted to get out of there, but she also wanted to explain herself, she just had no idea how to say it.

"Your Italian is awful." The man finally said, with a perfect American accent. Haley narrowed her eyes and kept looking at him.

"You speak English?" she asked in utter disbelief.

"I'd better. I'm American." The man answered and Haley sighed in relief. That meant she could actually communicate with him.

"Is this your dog?" Haley asked, glaring at him and at his dog.

After all the failed communication, he really took in this woman's appearance. The first time he had looked at her, the word beautiful had come to his mind. She was absolutely radiant, hot, stunning. She had long honey blonde hair and light brown eyes that were now glaring at him and Bongo. He didn't understand why, but she seemed pissed off and she looked even sexier like that, if it was even possible. Her arms were crossed and instead of thinking about how that was a sign that she was annoyed, he could only gulp at the way her breasts were pushed up, revealing some cleavage. This woman had great breasts and a freaking fantastic body as well. She was wearing jean shorts and a salmon coloured top that fit her curves amazingly well. He started feeling hot and he had to control himself in order not to do anything he'd regret later.

When he noticed her tapping her food, he quickly looked up and decided to answer her question.

"Bongo? Yeah, he's my dog. Why?" he asked, intrigued. Her glare became even more intense and he couldn't help but notice how much fire there was in her eyes. He was extremely pleased with it. She sure looked fine.

"Your dog was doing things to my dog." Haley quickly stated, pointing at the two dogs. She noticed the man looking at her again with a confused look on his face.

"Eh..."

"And now she can be pregnant!" Haley added so he could understand what she was talking about and a look of realization hit his face.

"Oh... That type of things..." he had this unnerving smug look on his face and she just wanted to wipe it off his face. Did he think this was funny?

"Look at the size of my dog and now look at this... beast! He could've hurt Polly!"

"Pongo is not a beast! And honestly, I don't understand what you're getting at." What? Was he serious right now?

"I think you should be more careful and responsible and not let this huge and dangerous dog out by himself. He could hurt other people and other dogs. Just look what he did to her!"

"What? He screwed her? Oh my, that's such a horrible, horrible crime..." Haley couldn't even believe in what she was hearing. This guy was an asshole. A douchebag.

"Have you compared their sizes, you... idiot?" Haley blurted out, not controlling herself. Didn't he see his lame dog could've hurt her Polly?

"Don't you know a dog can mate with any other dog, regardless of the breed?" he was now going back and forth with her with an annoyed tone on his voice, much like Haley was doing.

"Of course that's possible, but you won't be the one having all these stitches because you've given birth to giant puppies, will you?"

"You don't even know if she's pregnant!" He muttered in frustration, but amused at the same time. He liked this woman. She was so bossy and so full of life. A hypocritical wacko? Maybe, but he liked going back and forth with her.

"I certainly hope she isn't!"

"Then what do you want me to do? Pull out a morning-after pill for dogs from my pocket?" He asked amused as he watched her boiling. She was about to lose it, he could tell from the look on her face.

"I want you to take care of your dog and know what he's doing! Is that so hard to understand? If you hadn't let him do what he wants, he wouldn't have done that to my dog."

"Okay, stop it. Are you actually saying that it's my fault that my dog decided to bang that dog sample that you have?" Dog sample? Did he just call Polly a dog sample?

"Polly is not a dog sample! And yes, it is your fault because you weren't watching what he was doing."

"So if you're saying that and blaming things solely on me, that means that you were watching your dog and let Bongo do that to her, right? It's either that or you're just being a hypocritical lunatic." Well, she wasn't watching Polly, but that was for a totally different reason! He could be hot, but he certainly was an obnoxious jerk.

"I had her on this leash, but I let it go to help an old couple and she ran away! When I found her, your dog was corrupting her." She crossed her arms once again and he couldn't help but drift his eyes to her breasts. He couldn't keep his eyes away as he started to think about all the things he could do to her. "My eyes are up here, pal." Haley muttered, baffled at his boldness. Had he really been staring at her boobs? He was such a guy.

He just smirked when he realized he'd been caught. There was no use in showing embarrassment now.

"So you weren't watching your dog either, right? Nice to meet you, Pot. I'm Kettle." Haley rolled her eyes as she watched him smirk once again. Damn him and that stupid smug smile. Jerk. Idiot.

"I told you it was an accident and I'd appreciate it if you stopped calling me Pot."

"Well, that may not be your name, but judging by the way you've been acting, it is most certainly the name of what you smoke." Haley's mouth dropped open as she glared at him as much as she could. What a... She couldn't even find the words to describe this idiot!

"You know what? I just arrived today, I'm tired and sleepy and having nonsensical talks with people who lack common sense is the last thing I want to do before I go to sleep. I hope you and your dog have a nice night. Let's go, Polly." He watched as she walked away, his eyes focusing on the sway of her hips and her perfect and sexy ass. He didn't know who this woman was, but she had something that captivated him.

"I love you, Bongo! She's gorgeous. But next time you see that dog, keep it in your pants, boy."

It looked like this woman was staying at this Hotel. He needed to see her again. He just needed to keep his eyes opened.

The following day, Haley woke up unsettled. She had dreamt Polly had disappeared and Mr. Hot Stuff, as she had mentally dubbed him, had been the one bringing her Polly. After that, she just remembered how she had basically attacked him, ripped off his clothes and - she didn't want to picture the rest. What was happening to her? Sure, the guy was handsome, but he was also a presumptuous egotistical jackass, as she had repeated over and over again last night before going to sleep.

Deciding to get her mind out of everything that had happened last night, she decided to explore the city. Italy had to be one of the most beautiful places in the world. Everything just felt so romantic, magical, divine... The way the old yet beautiful streets merged with the Mediterranean shore and the docks was just breathtaking. Polly seemed to be enjoying the view as well, as she kept her head turned to the small beaches they passed by. A few hours later, Haley decided to eat something at a restaurant that had this astounding terrace with lovely views over the sea. Haley tied Polly's leach to one of the chairs as she sat down, looking at the menu. There were all these delicious pizzas and pastas and she was sure she'd be rolling on the plane ride back with how much she'd eat.

A few minutes later, she asked for a water and opted for a Spaghetti con le vongole, which was basically spaghetti with clams, sauce, olive oil and garlic. The food didn't take long to arrive and before she knew it, she was tasting the wonderful food. If she hadn't all her Principal obligations, friends and family in Tree Hill, she'd consider moving here just for the food. This was just too good to be hundreds of miles away from it.

Just as she was about to take another bite, the waiter was in front of her with a bottle of white wine in his hands. Haley glanced at him, confused by his presence. She had asked for a water, why was he holding a wine bottle?

"I was asked to give you this", the waiter stated with his Italian accent, as if guessing what she was thinking. Leaving Haley speechless, the waiter quickly opened the bottle and poured some of its content on her glass. When he was finally gone, Haley started looking everywhere, trying to find the person who had bought her a bottle of wine. She didn't even know anyone here, who could it be? That's when she saw him. Bongo's owner was inside the restaurant, sitting with a couple of what she supposed were his friends. When his eyes caught hers, he grabbed his own glass of wine and raised his arm, as if he was toasting. That was the only confirmation Haley needed to know he had been the one buying her the bottle of wine. Without helping herself, she rolled her eyes before turning her back at him and glancing at the ocean.

The nerve of him. Maybe she had exaggerated a little bit yesterday, but she had been stressed from the possibility of losing Polly and she had taken out on him, at first. Then he'd been a jerk and it'd been easy for her giving like for like.

"Spaghetti con le vongole with water? Really?", an already familiar voice behind her brought her out of her thoughts and she didn't have to turn around to see his face as, just a second later, he sat on the chair opposite her. Haley felt like gulping as she took in his appearance. She could swear this man got hotter and hotter. Today he was wearing a light blue t-shirt, that outlined his rock hard chest, and plaid shorts. Then she focused on his scruff and his smirk and she suddenly felt too hot. She had to look away so he didn't notice she was checking him out and liked, or more than liked, what she saw. "I don't think we've been introduced yesterday. I'm Nathan Scott." her eyes focused on the hand he had just stretched as she looked at him once again and let herself be captured by his dazzling blue eyes.

"Haley James.", she reluctantly replied as she shook his hand, ignoring the electricity she thought she'd felt. Haley looked at Nathan and his smirk was now gone, giving place to what looked like an honest breathtaking smile.

"So, if you were asking for a water to drink with that", he said, pointing to her pasta dish, "I'm led to believe that this is the first time you're in Italy." Haley didn't know what to say or do. What was he trying to get at with this? Why was he even talking to her after what happened last night?

"What are you doing?", she quickly asked him, leaving him surprised.

"That pasta you're eating is one of the most famous Italian dishes. It's a crime that you're drinking water with it instead of following the tradition and go for some white wine. I'm helping you taste the wonders of Italian food".

"So you're a cook or something?" she asked, reluctantly. He definitely didn't look like a cook. Haley watched as he laughed, before leaning back on his chair.

"No, definitely not a cook."

"Then I fail to see why you feel the need to criticize my eating choices."

"Drinking choices."

Haley paused for a second and she fought the urge to glare at him. This guy was such a smartass, she liked it and hated it at the same time.

"I come here a lot, I know a lot about Italy and its perks. I was just giving you some tips for you to take the best out of this trip." Nathan said and Haley didn't say or do anything about his last comment. When she looked at him with those big brown eyes with a hint of a glare in them, he felt like groaning.

When he had first noticed her tying her dog to the chair, he had almost jumped in his seat. He had wanted to see her again and he'd work for it, but it seemed like someone up there was doing all the work for him, because he kept seeing her without even doing anything for it. This woman, Haley James, was a goddess. There was just something so special and captivating about her. He had been thinking about ways of approaching her, but nothing good enough had come to his mind. That was until he saw the waiter serving her food and he took the whole water thing as an excuse to talk to her again.

He knew he shouldn't do this, he hadn't done this in a while, but something in his head kept telling him to go for it. He was 28 years-old by now and he was done with his playboy life. He had hooked-up with so many girls in the past and now, maybe because he had matured, he found himself wanting more. Wanting a serious relationship and build something special with a woman he truly loved and was the one for him. Nathan didn't really believe he would ever find that, things had never been like that for him, but he was trying. That was the least he could do. However, when he had seen this woman yesterday, he couldn't resist. He had to have her. He knew that.

"The wine is good." The sound of her voice had him smiling as she noticed she had just taken a sip of the white wine he had bought her.

"This is also an apology for yesterday. Bongo is a great dog and I already told him to keep it in his pants next time." Then his smirk was back and Haley tried to ignore it. She was surprised he had apologized.

"My dog sample appreciates that.", Haley smiled sarcastically, using the term he had used to describe Polly. Nathan looked at her amusingly. So she really wanted to play this game?

"My beast will try to keep his promise then."

"Who knows? Maybe it'll be easier for him if I give him some of my pot." Damn, he liked this woman already.

"I think your pot would be too strong for him." Haley glared at him once again. She thought he had apologized!

"So what have you apologized for if you're doing everything all over again?"

"You started it! I apologized and instead of apologizing to me and fixing things, you kept being hostile."

"I may have overreacted, but I wasn't the one calling you a hypocrite lunatic, implying you were a pothead and insulting my dog."

"You insulted my dog as well."

"Because he's huge and took advantage of my small, little dog!"

"I'm sure she didn't mind. You do realize your dog probably went for it as well, don't you? You make it look like Bongo raped her or something."

"This is a stupid conversation." Haley finally let out after a few minutes of silence.

"It is." Nathan agreed. "And you also called me an idiot." He almost sing-songed that last part and Haley took her eyes away from her pasta to look at him.

"Look, I'm sorry, okay? I was stressed with Polly disappearing. I shouldn't have called you or your dog that and you shouldn't have said the other things. Can we settle on that?"

"Of course." Nathan smirked once again, letting his eyes wander to her cleavage. "So, what are you here for? You know what they say when women come to Italy..."

"What?" she asked him with an inquisitive look. What was he talking about? She had never heard anything about women and Italy.

"It's been said women come to Italy because they want three things: pizza, pasta and... sausage." Nathan replied with his smug grin.

"I had heard about the pizza and the pasta, but sausage? Is it an Italian specialty as well? I had no idea." Haley replied before taking another bite. Nathan busted out laughing at her innocence and now was her turn to look at him like he was an alien.

"What?", she asked. What was his problem? Was it so funny that she didn't know much about Italian cuisine? "I didn't know Italy was also famous for the sausages. I have to try some." When Nathan's burst of laugh only intensified, she started processing everything he'd said and the way he had said it. Wait a minute... Did he actually mean "sausage" as in... that? Great. No wonder he currently looked like he was about to pass away with laughter. "Nevermind, I got it." Haley tried to clear up the situation, but Nathan was still looking a t her with a smirk on his face, only now he was just chuckling.

"So, will you still try some?" Nathan asked her in a flirtacious manner.

"Perv." Haley let out, trying to hide the blush that began creeping on her face.

"I could help you with that." Nathan's voice was low and suggestive and Haley almost choked on her food. Suddenly, images of them together invaded her mind and she had to take a long sip of wine to get herself together.

"I didn't come in here for that, for the record." Nathan heard her say and he wasn't surprised. After so many years chasing skirt, he knew which women were easy and only wanted one thing of him. Haley wasn't like that, he knew that much already. He just wanted to spike her a little bit. Nathan noticed how she was blushing and found that he liked it. He had never been with a woman before who blushed so easily. It was cute even.

"So why are you here, all alone?" Nathan decided to change the subject, not wanting to get her even more uncomfortable. He was genuinely interested in her and he felt this urge to know more about her.

"I'm not alone. Polly's here with me." Haley quickly stated, grateful that he had left the whole sausage convo behind. "I was supposed to come with my friends and my sister, but they had some things going on and they couldn't come."

"That sucks."

"Yeah, but I'm enjoying it. It's nice to relax a little bit after a stressed year." Haley added before taking another bite, finishing her pasta dish. "What about you?", she asked him, interested.

"I'm from North Carolina, actually. I just come here every Summer. My dad bought an old house five minutes away from here and I've done this ever since I was a kid."

"Oh." Haley couldn't even imagine how cool it mustn't be to own a house in Italy. She'd kill to have one herself. "How come you're sleeping at a Hotel then?" she asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

"There have been some problems with the neighbours and previous owner of the complex ever since my dad died. Long story short: things are confusing and I'm not allowed to stay in the house until everything's settled." Haley noticed how Nathan had now this serious expression on his face. It was probably the first time she was seeing it. No smirk, no smile, no smug grin. He was just serious and still looked as handsome as ever. By the way he was talking, it looked like he could be an intelligent and serious man when he wanted. She liked it.

"I'm sorry." she offered him some comfort at the mention his father had died and Haley was aware of how Nathan uncomfortably shifted on his seat.

"It's okay. And where are you from?" he asked, trying to change the subject again.

"Would you laugh if I said North Carolina?" Haley was now smiling at the coincidence.

"No way."

"I am. Tree Hill."

"Talk about a small world." Nathan added with his smile back on his face.

"Yeah. This is... curious." she added with a laugh and Nathan smiled once again. Hearing her laugh made him want to smile.

"Extremely curious. How come we don't meet each other when we're in the same state but we find each other in a different continent?"

"Crazy." Haley agreed, taking the last sip of wine and finishing it.

"So listen, you're here alone - I mean, you're here without the presence of any other human being -", Nathan corrected himself as he looked at Polly and Haley chuckled at the gesture, "and my friends are in there. Why don't you join us? You can leave Polly with Bongo." He said that last part with a smirk on his face and Haley could only fake glare at him.

"Funny."

"I'm actually serious. I tied him to one of the lamp posts in the back. We'll be able to see them from our table." Nathan stated and Haley was left thinking about her options.

Should she even go with him? After all, this was someone she didn't even really know. She glanced at his group of friends and as soon as her eyes caught some of theirs, she noticed they were staring at her and Nathan and quickly turned their heads when they noticed her looking their way. Weird. What if they were bad people? They certainly didn't look like criminals, but if you could tell those things by people's appearance, there would be a lot of less awful things happening in this world. However, there was a voice in her head saying she was being paranoid. What could possibly happen to her by joining a group of people eating at a restaurant? Following Peyton's advice, she decided to accept Mr. Hot Stuff's invitation.

"Okay." She said, getting up from her chair, before untying Polly. "Thank you." Visiting Italy by herself was good, but she'd be lying if she said she didn't want someone to talk to and so she'd take this opportunity to do just that.

Nathan led the way as he helped her tie Polly to one of the lamp posts near Bongo.

"And for your information, I'm just doing this, because I know your dog is tied and won't be able to bother my dog." Haley said in a teasing tone.

"Fair enough." Nathan joined in their playful banter, before they both returned to the restaurant and Nathan guided them to his friends' table. As they approached him, the sight of a familiar face startled Haley as she just opened her mouth in surprise.

"Tutor girl?" Haley had no doubts that the brunette in front of her was Brooke Davis, the captain of the cheerleading squad, way back in her high school years. Haley had hated the girl. She remembered how much fun she used to make of her for being a tutor and a 'bookworm' and the only reason why she even dealt with her was because she actually got along with Peyton. Fortunately for her, their friendship or bondage (or whatever you want to call it) had ended when Brooke started making a move on Lucas when she knew more than well he was Peyton's boyfriend. After that, Haley had finally been able to pretend Brooke and her cheerleader friends who only thought about boys and partying didn't exist. They were part of different worlds and things should stay that way. Now, after so many years had passed, here they were again. Haley couldn't believe this. The day was going so well and the last thing she needed was to see Brooke Davis again. What a small world, indeed.

"Oh my gosh, it's really you! You're hot now!" All the eyes on the table were on her and she mentally thanked Nathan for motioning her to sit down, right next to him.

"You two know each other?" Nathan asked, completely caught off-guard.

"Yeah, we went to the same high school. Tree Hill High School. God, I was such a wreck back then. What are you doing here, ehh...-"

"Haley. My name's Haley." Haley quickly interrupted. It was only predictable Brooke didn't know her name. She hadn't known it all those years ago, always calling her "Tutor Girl", let it alone now. "I'm on vacation. And how have you been doing?" This was awkward. Was she actually small-talking with Brooke Davis?

"Really great! I imagine I must've been a complete bitch to you back then, huh?"

"You were, yes." Haley replied, dryly.

"I'm sorry." She seemed sincere and Haley just nodded, at least appreciating the gesture. She still didn't like her, though.

"Okay, now that you two have fixed whatever you had in the past..." Nathan muttered as he made a signal to the waiter to bring more beers, "Haley, this is Julian, you already know Brooke, and this is Jake and Clay". Haley smiled as everyone returned the smile. Eveyone looked nice and Haley found herself thinking how Nathan met Brooke.

"What a small world." Brooke said as she opened another can of beer. "You look really good now, Haley. I didn't even recognize you when I first looked at you. Not that you looked bad back then, but-"

"Don't worry. I know you thought I looked bad." Brooke had made sure Haley knew it so why was she pretending like she'd never called her a 'hippie tutor', 'homeless clothes girl' and a whole lot of equally awful things.

"Sorry. If it can make anything better, I love your fashion sense now." Brooke offered with a smile.

"Thanks." Haley thanked her, still weary.

"I feel like I'm watching one of those girly fashion shows." One of the guys stated. Haley thought he was Clay? Yeah, that was it.

"Maybe it would do you some good." Brooke was quick to reply as everybody else on the table laughed.

"Would you like a beer?" Nathan asked Haley, offering her a can.

"No, it's okay. Thanks."

For the next minutes, Haley talked about herself, answering the group's questions as they also talked about themselves. Everyone was really nice. Brooke was more mature now, but even if Haley wanted, she didn't find it in herself to like her. Let the past go, yes, but like her? Not really. Brooke was just indifferent to her. Apparently, Brooke had gone to Duke ater high school and that's where she had met Nathan, Julian, Jake and Clay and they'd become close friends ever since. It seemed like they were currently on vacation, just like her.

Nathan had talked the most to Haley throughout the whole time. As she talked about her life, he found himself drifting his eyes to her lips. He knew by now that he had it bad. This woman was completely out of this world and when she had told them she was Tree Hill High School's principal, her eyes had widened in surprise. He had to make an effort to avoid imagining her as a hot and bossy high school teacher, which was exactly what she was. Damn.

After about an hour had passed, the group stood up and got ready to leave. When Clay and Julian started talking about getting the towels, the portable freezer and swimsuits, Haley took that as a hint and prepared to say goodbye to them. This lunch had been fun and she was grateful that Nathan had invited her. They were great people.

"What are you doing?" Nathan asked her, guessing her next move. How did he know she was about to say goodbye?

"I'm leaving now. Thanks for everything."

"Give me at least a chance to invite you to something else." Nathan wasn't ready to 'lose' her just yet. He wanted her to go with them to their next adventure. "I have a yacht. We're going to spend the afternoon there. It's really great. Join us."

A yacht? That was certainly something she had never done before. Should she go?

"Eh, what about the dogs?"

"Bongo has been plenty of times on the boat and he has a room for himself there. I'm sure Polly will be okay too. We'll be watching them."

"But I don't even have a bikini with me..."

"You could always not wear one..." Nathan almost whispered, but he was loud enough for Haley to hear him by the way she was blushing right now. "I have to go to my room and get some things so we could go together and you'd get your bikini."

"I don't-"

"It's settled then." Nathan interrupted her and she only had time to watch him wink at her as he turned to the rest of the group and started talking. "Okay, guys, Haley and I will get the stuff we need. Get everything ready and take the dogs." Nathan then threw some keys at Julian. "Be careful with my yacht. We'll meet you there."

Before they left the restaurant, Haley fondled Polly's ears.

"Don't worry, Polly. I'll be there in a second."

"Oh no worries, I'll take good care of her, Haley." Brooke told her as she grabbed Polly and rested her head against Polly's. The dog immediately started licking Brooke's face and Haley could only laugh and sigh in relief. At least Polly already liked Brooke, but that was Polly for you. She liked anyone who'd give her attention.

Moments later, Nathan was holding the door for her and they both left the restaurant towards the Hotel. It was really hot outside and being near Nathan didn't help matters.

"We'll just go for a swim in the ocean, listen to some music, eat and sunbath a little, right?" Haley broke the silence. "It's just that I never done anything of this kind before and that's the idea that I have of spending an afternoon in a private yacht.

Nathan just chuckled. She hadn't been too wrong.

"Yeah, we'll do all those things..." He nodded.

"But?" She felt like there was something he wasn't saying. Feeling like there was no point in keeping the truth from her, Nathan decided to spill the beans.

"Ever heard of parasailing?"

"Oh my God! I can't believe I've agreed to this." Haley said as she looked at Jake being pushed up in the air by the balloon. How had she ended up here? How would she do this? She would die. She was a klutz, radical sports weren't for her. Haley felt like crying, but Jake's ecstatic yells prevented her from doing so. He looked like the happiest man in the world as he swirled around in the air.

"Let's just hope there's not too much wind." Brooke stated.

"I don't think so." Julian replied as he looked around.

"Why? What happens if there's too much wind?" Haley's heartbeat incrised tenfold.

"Bad things. The parachute may close, the cables may entangle and... let's just say it's bad." Clay answered her question and Haley started panicking. She was already imagining herself swirling uncontrollably in the air, and the water getting closer and closer... Haley suddenly thought about her family and her friends, Polly... Would they miss her? What about school? Before she could keep wondering about it, she felt a strong arm wrap around her shoulder.

"Hey, relax. We wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't safe. We'll have lifejackets, the water isn't that deep here and the people doing this are professionals. I've done this more times than I can count and nothing ever happened to me." Haley still didn't look very convinced. "Nothing will happen to you, I promise." With that, Haley felt safer and she didn't even know why. Maybe it was the honesty in his words or the way he was looking at her, but she felt better.

"How does this work anyway?" she asked, looking at all the cables and tools around. She had no idea how parasail worked and she wanted to know before going into the air. Nathan immediately started explaining everything to her as she paid all the attention and nodded her head in understanding.

"You get a terrific overview of the whole Riviera. And the water's so clean that you'll most likely see some dolphins, streaks, sharks, turtles..." Nathan informed her, hoping she wouldn't be so terrified by now.

"I'm sorry, but did you say sharks?" Haley asked him, startled. Maybe she heard it wrong.

"Yeah. We're in the Mediterranean."

"Do they bite?"

"No, they just cuddle." At that, Haley swatted his shoulder.

"I'm serious."

"Some do, yes."

"That's just... great." Haley let out through a sarcastic laugh.

"You don't need to be afraid. They won't bother you."

"That's how all the shark attack stories begin." Nathan just laughed at her nervousness. She looked so cute.

"I never heard of anyone who has been bitten by a shark while doing parasail. Besides, your feet will only be on the water for four or five seconds."

"I don't know if I should do this..." Suddenly, Haley's doubts about doing this crazy thing returned and she didn't know what to do.

"What if I go with you? Will you try then?" Nathan suggested as Haley looked at him. Could he even do that? Nathan was nice. More than nice, actually. After their encounter last night, the more she got to know him, the more she liked him and the more she thought about being with him. She was still embarrassed of how much she'd stared at him when she saw him shirtless and just in his white and blue knee-lenght swimming shorts. His body was perfect. He had muscles in all the right places and she hadn't been able to keep her eyes away from his chiseled rock hard chest. Haley knew by now that she was attracted to him, she didn't have how to deny it, but could she really act on that attraction? Or, better yet, should she?

"I'll think about it." Haley said, in a somewhat flirtacious manner, when she realized she still hadn't answered Nathan's question. "Can we even go up in pairs?"

"Sure. All you have to do is ask." Nathan answered with yet another smug smile on his face and Haley could only smile at him in turn.

This woman was so sexy! He couldn't take it much longer. He had been thinking about kissing her ever since he met her, yesterday. However, as the hours passed by and they were together, Nathan felt like this girl was different. She was so unique, so... special. When he had seen her in her studded purple bikini, he hadn't been able to control the drool that had left his mouth. She not only had a killer body, but was also intelligent, smart, sarcastic, funny, quirky... Everything about her seemed to be perfect. He had no idea what was happening to him, but he wanted her. The attraction between them couldn't be denied.

A few minutes had passed when Jake finally came back to the yacht. This hadn't been his first time parasailing, but he made sure to let everyone know everything went perfectly fine. Haley looked at him and Jake just seemed so happy, so carefree. This once, she really thought about what Peyton had told her the day before. Wasn't this exactly the type of experience Peyton had been talking about? Wasn't this something she'd be scared of doing? Why not take a chance? Why not take a little risk? Deciding to finally follow Peyton's advice, Haley held Nathan's arm as he turned his attention to her.

"Let's do this." she said with a confidence that was unfamiliar to her.

Nathan couldn't hide his happiness as he witnessed Haley's bravery and strenght. He smiled at her and immediately started talking with the three men who were controlling everything. When everything was ready, Nathan asked Haley if she was ready. After that, there'd be no turning back. Feeling a wave of positivity hit her, Haley nodded and the both of them started being pulled. Haley was screaming, delighted with the experience. There was nothing she'd ever done that could compare to this. It was a fantastic feeling. It felt like she was a tumbleweed being taken by the wind. How could have she been afraid of doing this?

"Are you okay?", she heard Nathan ask her. Surprisingly, she could hear him quite well and he wasn't even yelling.

"I'm perfect." She replied, taking in the view of the Riviera. Just like Nathan had told her, the overview was just breathtaking. "It's so beautiful."

"It is." Nathan nodded as he also let the view marvel him.

"This is so amazing. I feel like I'm flying."

"Someone has been watching Titanic..." Nathan replied with that smug grin and Haley laughed at his remart.

"I'm flying, Jack! I'm flying!" Haley joined in as she mimicked the famous scene, opening her arms and feeling the air in her face.

"It's just a shame I don't have a car in my yacht's cargo." Nathan let out, unashamedly flirting with her. Haley opened her mouth a little bit, caught off guard with his suggestive comment. She didn't have much doubts left, but now there was just no way that he didn't feel attracted to her, too. At that, she felt her heart pounding a little bit faster and she didn't know what to make of it. The only thing she knew was that she had become a fan of parasailing.

After the parasail adventure, which had ended a few hours ago, the whole group was now standing in the yacht, eating some of the wonders they'd brought. Haley found herself wishing that the day wouldn't end. No one had known her before this day, except for Brooke, and they had all treated as if she was one of them. She was really grateful she had had this opportunity. And then, of course, there was Nathan. He had been a sweetheart throughout all their jump together and even after it. He was always making sure she was okay and they had talked about a lot of topics. They weren't exactly similar people, but it seemed as if there was a pull between them.

Polly and Bongo were on the deck with them and, much to Haley's surprise, Polly seemed to be enjoying the ride just as much as she was. Bongo and her had even played a lot of time together, running after one of the dog toys Nathan had on the yacht. If there was one word Haley could define the way she felt right now, that word was 'happy'. She was happy being here with these people. She was happy that Nathan couldn't seem to take his eyes off of her. She was happy she was seriously considering throwing all caution to the wind and just surrender to the desire she was feeling for him. None of these things made sense to her, but she couldn't control what she was feeling. It'd be a lot easier if she could, that's for sure.

When Haley realized, they were near the docks and Nathan stopped his yacht. Brooke and Julian had told them earlier that they had a dinner reservation and had to return before seven.

"As much as I've loved our afternoon, I can't wait to have dinner with my boyfriend so thank you, Nathan and I'll see you boys tomorrow." Brooke said as she started grabbing her things. "It was great to see you again, Haley. I loved this afternoon. You have to join us tomorrow!" Brooke squealed as she hugged Haley. "And I'm sorry for everything. I was a child." Haley was so happy that she didn't even want to think about that. Clearly, Brooke was different now.

"Don't think about it." Haley dismissed.

"It was really nice to meet you, Haley." Julian said as he pushed Brooke out of the way. He knew that the girl would keep talking the whole night if they let her.

"You too."

"Tomorrow we'll be in charge of bringing pizza." Julian pointed out as they were already on the docks.

"You'd better!" Nathan shouted back, with a beer bottle in his hand.

Meanwhile, Jake and Clay were silently making signals to each other without Haley or Nathan noticing. As soon as Haley looked back, they immediately stopped, pretending they were shooing the flies.

"Damn these mosquitos!" Clay waved his hands in front of him before he slapped Jake's chest, as if he was telling him to get out of the yacht.

"Ouch!" Jake protested as Nathan and Haley's inquisitive looks were fixed on them.

"That's what you get for having your head in your butt. You completely forgot that we have that bowling game to attend." Clay made a look at Jake and suddenly Jake realized what Clay was trying to do. Right.

"What game?" Nathan asked them, curious. He had been with them the entire time and he didn't remember any of them playing bowling.

"It was a game we scheduled way before." Clay quickly said.

"Yeah, like way." Jake said, almost immediately after Clay, using his hands to explain himself.

Nathan wanted to chuckle. Now he knew what they were doing and he wanted to thank his friends for getting the hell out of there, but he also wanted to smack them for being so obvious. Nathan took a glance at Haley and he knew she totally caught what was happening as well. She had this small and embarrassed smile on her features. It was adorable.

"Sorry guys, we'd love to stay here with you, but I guess we should get going."

"Yeah, we should. It's just that this is a really great game and I have a feeling we're going to win tonight." Clay muttered before Jake passed him his things and pushed him.

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow then." Nathan waved as if telling them to hurry. Both men said their goodbyes to Haley and before any of them knew it, Nathan and Haley were finally alone. Although they were not exactly alone, Bongo and Polly were with them.

"Smooth." Haley muttered, breaking the silence. Nathan laughed, knowing he had been right. She totally knew what Jake and Clay had been trying to do.

"Yeah. I'm sorry, they're idiots." Nathan dismissed. "Would you like another beer?"

"No, thanks. I'm fine." Nathan nodded, sitting on the chair next to hers.

"Did you have fun?" he asked her, trying to know if she had had a good time. He had kept a close eye on her during the whole day and she had always been laughing. It definitely looked like she'd been enjoying herself, but he wanted to make sure.

"I loved it. Today was amazing. Thank you for inviting me. You didn't have to do it, but I'm really glad that you did." she replied, honestly.

"And I'm really glad that you said yes." Their eyes locked and both could feel the tension in the air. A tension that had been growing and growing ever since the day before. Before any of them could say anything, Bongo barked. Shifting their attention to the dog, they noticed Bongo as barking at the sea.

"Ah, it's just a shoal. He always does that." Nathan told her, not wanting her to get scared. Damn, he wanted to kiss her, but it had been so long since he'd done this that he wasn't so sure of himself anymore. This wasn't just him luring a girl into his bed, it wasn't just him wanting a piece of ass, like it had happened before. This time, he was actually interested in her. He had no idea how this whole thing was possible or how it had happened, but he was completely captivated by Haley and he wanted to do more things to and with her than just sex. He wanted to know her. The time they've spent together had let him know some things about her, but he wanted more. He just didn't know how to do it. He had never done this before.

Haley took in the way Nathan was chewing the inside of his cheek as his eyes were completely focused on the water in front of them and she couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking about. Something had changed since the previous night and she had no idea how it was possible to be so interested and enamoured with someone just after a few hours had passed. She had been all day telling herself that this was just a silly crush that she had on Nathan, but she couldn't lie to herself. She wanted him. And she wanted him in more ways than just physically. Of course it was stupid and there were no logic explanations for this, but she did. Haley found herself wishing she knew more things about Nathan. So far, she knew he was a PE teacher and a basketabll coach, that basketball had been his dream until he injured his knee and that his family was messed up. Eminem was his favourite singer, Coach Carter his favourite movie, Friday Night Lights his favourite TV show and prime rib was his favourite food.

"Do you want to stay for dinner?" His voice broke her out of her thoughts as Nathan looked at her with his irresistible blue eyes. "It's almost sunset and I can assure you that'll be something you won't want to miss." How could she resist him? He stood up in front of her and she couldn't help but let her eyes wander over his sexy body once again. He looked so good with his short raven hair still wet from the earlier swims from before. Nonetheless, she didn't want to give him too much trouble. He was probably tired and wanted to rest.

"I don't know. I don't want to give you too much trouble." Haley said as she got up and stood in front of him. It was easier to keep her eyes on his that way.

"I have a few steaks on the freezer and I have a kitchen so it's no trouble at all. Come on, I insist. You're never trouble." Nathan pointed as he flashed her a smirk.

"Oh, really?" Haley replied using the same approach and when she realized what she'd said, she cringed. She had no idea where that had come from. That wasn't supposed to be a thought. To herself only. Reading Nathan's features, she knew he had liked it and then they both ended up laughing.

Oh God, the way he looked at her... One thing was for sure, she was very close to losing all her control.

"Wow." Haley muttered, still impressed with what she had just seen. They were now in the middle of the sea again and they had just finished witnessing the sun sinking lower and lower until it merged into the lonely clouds. Haley had watched the sunset before, but never in the middle of the sea. The image of the whole beautiful process reflected in the sea water was just breathtaking.

"Yeah. When I was a kid, I used to stay here, looking at the sky for hours." Nathan almost whispered as he handed Haley her clothes. The temperature had dropped, and their swimwear wasn't enough anymore to protect them from the cool air.

"It's really beautiful." And romantic, but Haley didn't say that out loud. It was no wonder Nathan had been doing this for a long time. If she had a yacht she'd always be here as well.

"Are you cold? Dinner shouldn't take too long."

"No, I'm fine." Haley slightly closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She had always loved the sea breeze. When she opened her eyes, she realized Nathan's eyes were on hers. The way his baby blues were practically devouring her made her shiver and she couldn't help but gulp when she felt him taking a step towards hers. He was now only inches away and he didn't know what he was doing, but there was something about the way she had breathed deeply. When he looked at her, he saw this aura around her and he didn't resist the urge to get closer to her.

Haley's heart was about to come out of her chest as she breathed in his cologne. Her knees suddenly became too weak when his strong, calloused hand cupped her cheek and his thumb caressed the soft skin. Nathan felt her shiver and he smiled at her, taking in her beauty.

"You're so beautiful." He whispered and Haley closed her eyes at his words. This had to be a dream. "Can I kiss you?" His voice sounded weaker than he had intended. He felt like a stupid, insecure teenager and he cursed himself for being such an idiot.

Haley's eyes suddenly shot open. It was the first time someone had asked her permission to kiss her. Her heart thawed at his gesture and everything that had been preventing her from surrendering to him left her as Peyton's words echoed in her mind.

"Yes." She whispered back at him, smiling at him. Nathan felt like someone taken a brick wall off of him when he heard her answer and saw her smiling. Leaning down, he softly brushed his lips against hers. They stayed like that for a while before he slipped his tongue between her lips. Allowing him access, Haley parted her lips and brushed her own tongue against his. Her heart was about to explode with everything she was feeling. They couldn't get enough of each other and the slow and sensual kisses soon became rough and frantic.

Not controlling himself, Nathan's lips left hers and moved to the soft skin of her neck, dropping open mouthed kisses all over it. Haley moaned in response, before tilting her neck to the side, giving him better access. God, he sure knew what he was doing. Haley's hands gripped his short hair and it wasn't long before Haley was unbuttoning the shirt he had put on a few minutes ago. She didn't care that they'd just met. She wanted him.

When Nathan felt her fingers on the buttons of his shirt, Nathan was sure he was about to combust. When she was done, Haley threw his shirt away and her hands quickly went to his rock hard chest. He was delicious. The feeling of having his huge muscles under her hands didn't compare to anything and losing any rest of control she had, Haley guided her lips to his chest and started kissing every inch of skin. Nathan rolled his eyes in pleasure. God, what she was doing felt so good. His pants tightened even more. Holding her face, he brought her up to his lips as they practically devoured each other. Without thinking twice, Haley grabbed her waist and picked her up, guiding them to the yacht's only bedroom.

As soon as he saw his bed, he laid them over and now was his turn to have his way with her.

"Are you sure you want to do this", he asked her as he stopped kissing her. He didn't want to cross any lines.

"Yes. Just kiss me." Haley breathlessly told him as she pushed him on top of her. Nathan's hands travelled down her body and he helped her getting out of her shorts. Her legs, like he had realized that afternoon, were fucking amazing. As was the rest of her body. He was so aroused and turned on right now he wasn't sure he could take it. Tugging on her green emerald top, he told her what he wanted and after no proteste from her, he lifted it off of her body, leaving her only in her purple bikini.

Slightly getting up, Haley started kissing Nathan's neck and he growled at the sensations she was creating within him. This woman was compeltely out of this world. His hands caressed her back as he started loosening the tie of the bikini. When it was finally off, she stopped kissing him and laid down on the bed, her naked breasts in all of their glory, only for him to see. He felt a rush of lust through his veins and he groaned at the sight. "My God..." he whispered and that had looked more teenage like than he had wanted, but Haley was perfect. Her breasts were perfect. Everything about her was perfect. "You're beautiful." he told her as he leaned down and showered her collarbone with kisses.

Haley initially felt insecure about being topless in front of him, but after seeing the way he had reacted and how he was kissing her right now, she couldn't help but feel like the sexiest girl ever. He made her feel sexy. When she felt his tongue swipe over her pink little nipple, she cried out in pleasure as she grabbed his hair and held him in place.

"Nathan." she moaned as he continued worshipping her breasts, his tongue loving one while his hand caressed the other. As amazing as he was making her feel, Haley wanted more and she wanted to give him the same amount of pleasure he was giving her. Letting her fingers wander around the waistband of his shorts, Haley started pushing them down with the help of her feet. Knowing what she wanted to do, Nathan let go of her nipple and he kneeled on the bed so that Haley could remove his shorts. As soon as they were on off, Haley couldn't help but be mesmerized by him. She couldn't take her eyes away from him and, if it was possible, she became even more turned on by watching his member spring to life.

"You're beautiful, too." She whispered on his ear as Nathan moaned at her words. Bringing him down with her, Haley brought his hands to her breasts and he caressed them once again. While trying to think straight with all the pleasure she was feeling, she found the courage to touch him. She softly started stroking him and it felt so good. The faces he did because of what she was doing... There was nothing better. Nathan groaned as he started thrusting against him, but he soon stopped doing it. He didn't want things to finish before they had even started.

"Haley." Her name had come out of his lips in the form of a moan, but he was actually asking her to stop. He put his hand over hers, brushing it away. Haley took a few seconds to understand what he meant with that, but she soon realized what it was.

Not being able to hold it any longer, she nodded as she pushed him down and kissed him sensually on the lips.

"I want you." she told him after breaking the kiss.

"I've wanted this since the first time I saw you." Nathan admitted as he held himself at her entrance. When she kissed him again, he thrusted himself inside of her. She moaned at the feel of him inside of her and their breathing increased as both closed her eyes, savouring the feeling of being so intimately joined together. It didn't take long for Haley to crave her nails on Nathan's back, silently urging him to start moving. He did as requested and soon he started moving in and out of her, at a leisurely slow pace, making Haley roll her eyes in pleasure and moan in response. Loving the way his name fell off her lips, Nathan kneaded her perfectly round breasts and got Haley's whimper as a was sure she could passa away from the pleasure. He was so big and perfect. He felt so good. Nothing had ever felt like this.

"Oh God." she whimpered as he changed angles and started hitting spots she never even knew existed. Haley's hands were gripping the sheets tightly and Nathan didn't resist in taking her hands in his and lacing them together. Haley felt like she couldn't take much longer.

"Nathan." she moaned again, not being able to say two words at once. "Faster." Nathan didn't need to be told twice. He increased his pace and he heard Haley chant his name. Suddenly, blinding colours flashed before her eyes as her body shuddered around his and she screamed his name louder than she ever had before. Watching her come undone made it for Nathan as he let go, groaning at the feel of his powerful orgasm. It was intense. Their slick sweaty bodies stayed practically glued to each other, the both of them panting heavily, tring to come down from their high.

When the both of them could move again, Nathan kissed her forehead.

"Wow." she said when she finally got her breath back. Haley couldn't even believe this had actually happened. Nathan had now rolled over to her side, but his fingers were tracing patterns on her stomach. She felt warm everywhere he touched.

"Wow indeed. You're amazing, Haley James." Already missing, Nathan started kissing her shoulder and Haley giggled. She was so happy. When she got up a little bit to look at him better, something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye.

"Nathan", she said, "what are they doing?" she asked as she pointed to Bongo and Polly who were both on the floor, looking intently at the couple as if they were statues.

"It looks like they watched the whole thing." Nathan grinned as Haley stared at the dogs in disbelief. "Hey, go away. The show's over." Nathan muttered as he threw them one of pillows. Sure enough, both Bongo and Polly ran away, out of the bedroom.

"I had no idea dogs did that." Haley stated as she let her body sink on the mattress once again.

"I guess these two were always a sort of foreshadow of what would happen to us." Turning her head to his side, Haley snuggled into him, resting her head into his chest.

"What do you mean?", she asked him, furrowing her eyebrows.

"We met because our dogs had the hots for each other and then we had the hots for each other." Nathan answered her, amused.

"Had?" She whispered in his ear, biting his earlobe. "What about now, Nathan?" she asked him, a little more serious. She didn't know if she was ready to hear him say this had been just for fun and a one night thing, but she had to be strong to face the consequences. She wanted to get things straight, whether they made her happy or completely devastated her.

"I like you, Haley. I want to know you better." as she heard the words leave his mouth, she closed her eyes and smiled. She had been right, there was something more going on between them than just lust and want. "I'm not using you. This wasn't just sex, was it?"

"God, I really wanted you to say that." Haley felt like she could breathe again. "I'm not like this. I don't do this, sleep with guys I barely know..." Nathan nodded, knowing fully well she was speaking the truth.

"So you want to give this a chance? Because I know I want." Her entire face lit up as she happily nodded.

"I want that more than anything." With that, Nathan pulled her body to him and kissed her frantically. Haley didn't know what this meant, but she was sure of one thing. For the first time in her life, she felt like everything was just going to be alright.

AN2: I must say I've never been to Italy and I've never done parasail (although I wished I had) so all the descriptions and mentions may not be 100% correct as I've done everything by looking at pictures. Thanks for reading!