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[h3][url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrleydRwWms]Promises Kept[/url][/h3]
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The ever-present small smile on Penelope's lips spread as the shuttle view shown a familiar little beat up truck. She hadn't forgotten her plans, and felt mighty bad she'd kept 'em waiting this long, but she'd promised - letting them know it'd probably be late. There hadn't been any expectations on either of them showing, but here they were. 

"Nice shutt-o," Gavin, the one who'd been driving her up the shore the previous day said in that all-too intoxicating accent. His mate, Corbin, was nowhere to be found. He must've caught her glance around, because he answered the question the look asked. "His ma got called in on emergency, leavin' him with the little ankle bitters, and they got to be tucked in early or it's pandie next morning."

That sounded fair, Pen thought, and so her smile returned. She leaned down to release Hermie, who'd been tucked in the curl of her hand, back on the beach. The short braid she wore slipped off to dangle until she righted, resting back on her shoulder. She looked out at the ocean, a storm brewing in the distance. It was beautiful as it was deadly, and she loved it. "No waves for us though. It's too late."

She turned back to him, catching him studying her but not phased. It was flattering since he was quite a handsome fella himself with all that stereotypical surfer boy vibe going well for him. Real well. "Swim instead?"

That clearly surprised him, given how his dark eyes darted to the choppy waves and his hand went to that salt-dried wavy hair. "Ya … " he hesitated, maybe wondering if he should complete the question on how certain she was about that being a good idea. Instead, she was pleased by the fact he shifted back to her direction. "Ya got bathers on under that?"

Penelope glanced down at her cotton over top and pants combo as it danced along her skin in the wind, as if she had to check. She grinned back up at him from her lashes. "Can't say I do. Pretty bold of a fella to ask a lady that."

She held out her hand to him then as she lifted her gaze. It was pretty cute how shy a guy could get all of a sudden. But, he wasn't stupid. 

They didn’t make it further than thigh-deep off shore before Penelope whirled around, either on her own or at Gavin’s direction - hard to tell since it seemed simultaneous, both caught up in their own exhilaration of the moment. The ocean’s night chill was nearly forgotten as it ebbed and flowed all around them, even as they crashed to the wet sand and it pooled over and around them. 

Would’ve been nice to take him up on the offer to spend the night, wake up in those wiry arms in the cabin of the truck on the beach, storm threatening all around. But, she had to get some sleep if they were to be flyin’ to Greenleaf the next day after picking up a haul of fish. So when Penelope returned with the shuttle later that night, her damp hair hung loose and she smelled of ocean. Sand and salt alike needed washing off, but she didn't mind what didn’t brush away. Not. at. all.