I'm not proud
But I'm usually the type of girl that would hit and run
No risk so I think I'm all in
When I kiss your lips, feel my heartbeat thump

Late Evening August 12th, 1890 — Corfu, Greece

The decision to swim beneath the stars had been an impulsive one on both their parts. After a long day of hiking through the fauna with Zach's colleagues they both wanted a way to cool off. A private bath might've been better, especially given that she had cut her swimming costume off at the knee, but that was a regret she might have later on. For now, Jo would enjoy the warmth of the sea without complaint.

She was also doing her best not to force things along with Zach. The handful of kisses they shared had set her desire for him ablaze. Englishmen were notoriously proper, though, so Jo was unsure if he would even be willing. (Then again, what sort of proper Englishman agreed to a weeklong vacation with an unchaperoned woman wearing trousers? Jo had to believe that if he cared one iota about propriety he would've refused any of her previous advances.) Whatever the case may be, Jo was determined to make her move tonight.

"I'm glad your errands took us here." She told him earnestly as they walked along the shore. "Today's been wonderful."
Yur

  

The enthusiastic nature of the Sideris family had been infectious. They’d tramped about a good portion of the island inspecting rare herbs and flowers, sampling many of the fruits, and generally having a jolly time. (Though he could have done without the lecture on the 55 wild orchid species on Corfu.) It was that lingering exuberance that allowed Zachariah enough courage to accept Jo’s suggestion of an evening swim.

He still couldn’t believe he’d agreed to the trip in the first place. What would people think if they found out he’d gone abroad with an unmarried woman? He’d just been so drawn to her and wanting to share a common interest that he’d forgotten that society didn’t wish men and women to simply be friends. That being said, Zach wasn’t one to go back on things he’d agreed to. Nor did he think he had made the wrong choice.

Being in a swim costume had him feeling oddly self-conscious. The last time he’d worn one was when the Binns family briefly vacationed at the Sandition. His eldest nephew, Albin, had been young enough to still enjoy searching for crabs. He was amazed it still fit. He had never been in such a state of ‘undress’ before while in the company of a woman. A woman who seemed to be much more confident in her own bathing suit.

"As am I. Greece is truly an enchanting country." As they walked closer to the ocean, the waves began to lap at their feet. It was a much more pleasant temperature than he was used to. Turning to Jo, he smiled, "I’m glad you agreed to join me. You’ve made it all the more beautiful."

  

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Pretties thanks to Olive! <3

If Jo thought she could get away with it without horrifying both Zach and any other beachgoers, her swim costume would've been cut further up her thigh. Not for any sort of fashion or whorelike statement, but simply because the material clung to her when wet and irritated her skin. But, at least she wasn't in some billowing dress like those at home chose to swim in. A soaking wet dress would be uncomfortably heavy to carry around.

"I wouldn't have missed it." The conversation was a bit too cliche for her liking, but perhaps Zach's love of books and inexperience had made him that way. Any other man and she likely would've laughed it off and moved on. However, Jo found herself completely unable to fault Zach for his inexperience. And, hopefully, after tonight he would be that much more knowledgeable. "It's not a third continent, but there will be plenty of time for that." She then teased. "You'll have to come visit me in Egypt eventually."

  

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beautiful set by mj

Zach couldn’t help being cliche.  He had very little life experience that didn’t come from the books he read.  If things kept progressing, he might need to speak with his sister about what ladies preferred to hear aside from the usual pleasantries.  Though, that would be embarrassing.  Merlin, would he have to ask Gibson for other sorts of books and pretend as if he had a client who preferred to keep their identity under wraps?  Perish the thought.

No, he would just have to keep allowing his heart to try and grasp at whatever words it gave him.

"I’m sure visiting Egypt could be arranged," he replied with a rather crooked sort of smile.  Though, she’d be surrounded by her colleagues there; they might have to find a way to be a bit more discreet than they were now.  It was one thing to travel to a country with few witnesses, another where there might be fellow Brits.

With a tilt of his head, he beckoned her further into the ocean.  The briny water cooled muscles sore from the day’s adventures.  "Do you swim well, Jo?"

  

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Pretties thanks to Olive! <3

Swimming was never a priority for the Smith's to learn. They had seldom opportunities to visit places where swimming was available, and with so many children to watch over it seemed more of a stressor than anything worth enjoying. It had taken Jo nearly twenty years to swim in the ocean, and she was still wary of going in too deep. Her instructor had warned her of the monsters lurking beneath the surface, some even worse than sharks. Were there sharks in the Mediterranean? Jo now felt foolish for not knowing.

Still, she followed him further into the water so that the water came up to their shins. Sharks wouldn't come this close to the shore, would they? Could she kill a shark with magic or were there some sort of laws prohibiting such an act? Jesus. Perhaps an evening swim had been a bad idea. "Not very well, if I'm being honest. I only learned a couple of years ago." She admitted. "So long as my feet can still touch the bottom I'll manage alright."

  

Zach was somewhat relieved that Jo wasn’t the best swimmer. When he was young, he’d been taught enough so he wouldn’t drown, but it had been quite some time since he’d practiced. Going in the water with his nieces and nephew had meant staying where it was more shallow, which suited him nicely.

"Then we won’t go too deep. It’s rather dark, as well. Perhaps just to the waist?" It seemed like a safe depth and a more efficient way to actually cool off. However, if Jo grew uncomfortable in the slightest, he’d ensure they were back on dry land.

He would await her agreement before leading them deeper.

  

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Pretties thanks to Olive! <3

To the waist was a fair compromise. At least then if a shark did come they would be able to escape fairly quickly. "That sounds fair." She ought to have been bolder, more willing to submerge herself (and by proxy Zach) into the deep waters, but she knew her deeper fears would win were that the case. Having an anxiety attack was not the sort of mood Jo was hoping to set for tonight.

They waded out until the water sat above hers and at his waist. She didn't mind the extra few inches of being submerged as the water was wonderfully warm. It was odd to be attempting to cool off in the sea when the water was as warm as the air, but it still felt nice. "Do you ever wish we could just stay here?" Jo asked wistfully. "I've never wanted to stay anywhere indefinitely, but I could imagine being here for awhile."

  

Zach observed her carefully as they continued to wade, watching for any indication of her discomfort. When they had reached the depth that seemed comfortable enough, he allowed himself to relax slightly, though he was keenly aware how alone they seemed to be.

"Yes," his answer was honest. However, Zach didn’t know whether or not his current feelings were compounded by Jo’s presence. "Hogsmeade’s skies don’t shine as brightly as they do here," he tipped his head back, admiring the sky above, free from any sort of light pollution. It was so peaceful, free from expectations and the general hustle and bustle of society. After a few moments, his head dipped back, and he smiled. "I wouldn’t mind enjoying this place a little longer." An unspoken ‘with you’ hung in the air.

Sometimes, his thoughts drifted to the possibility of remaining in the many places he ventured, but he’d always be drawn back to Hogsmeade. "But I don’t think I could ever truly abandon the shop. Not permanently." It was his true passion, where he threw the majority of his energy. His life’s work, even though he had inherited it. Who else would carry it on?

"Maybe we could return here."

  

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Pretties thanks to Olive! <3

"Of course not." Jo replied immediately. "You leaving the shop would be like me quitting archaeology — unthinkable." Such truth spelled out a rather sad future for them both, seeing as neither would be happy to bend. Jo could give up traveling and settle somewhere, but it would never be Hogsmeade or anywhere in England for that matter. She didn't mesh well with the rigid society types, and once rumors started swirling about her behavior she'd be a disgrace to her family. "Maybe we can stay here until the end of the week, instead of running about." It would mean less explorations and discoveries, but perhaps that was how it was meant to be. Perhaps this was all they'd ever have.

With that thought in mind, Jo moved to close some of the distance between them so that they were now almost touching. The future would wait, the thoughts of sad goodbyes and unfortunate truths didn't have to prevail tonight. They could have these few days to explore whatever it was that was growing between them. "I've-" An unexpected powerful wave forced her against him, and for the first time since meeting Jo blushed. "Sorry…"

  

For the first time during their trip, a touch of sadness crinkled the edges of his eyes. It seemed he too realized the truth of Jo's words. Even if they weren't meant to be more, Zach was determined to hang onto the shred of whatever this was. He felt at ease with her. He felt content, but also a strange new yearning need for adventure. He couldn't find that in a bookshop or in the drab niceties of society.

"Yes, let's." Zach had more business in Greece, but he found himself agreeing to her proposal to linger on Corfu. He could make those stops when she departed. For once, they felt like insignificant errands.

As the wave crashed, Zachariah instinctively reached out to catch her. His arms enveloped her smaller frame, inadvertently drawing Jo even closer, the skin of his legs brushing with hers. Her blush would have been met with his own, but his facial hair concealed it.

"Don't be.

  

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Pretties thanks to Olive! <3

The wave and his reassurance were the push Jo needed to make her move. With her hands resting on his shoulders, Jo stood on her tiptoes to upkiss him. Only this time the kiss was fueled by passion rather than the sweet gestures made over the past few days. There would be time again for sweetness come the morning when they were (hopefully) tangled in her sheets.

The kiss lasted until a second taller wave startled them into separating. She laughed and looked back towards the shore. "Maybe we should head back in." Her hair was soaked now in the back, along with the back of her swim costume. This was, of course, to be expected, but the waves did seem to be growing taller. Or had they drifted further out in their distraction? Jo's brows furrowed as she considered the distance. They weren't terribly far from where the waves broke, but the water was now closer to her breasts than her waist. If they were to remain out here she'd soon have to cling to him to avoid panicking.

  

Zach helped Jo's reach by taking advantage of the way he held her and the buoyancy of the water. He drew her upwards, likely bringing her toes up off of the ocean floor momentarily. At least until the second wave hit and he was forced to let go.

A bit of the wave splashed off their bodies and into his face, causing his laughter to sputter as brine dripped off his mustache into his mouth. "Yes, before we get swept out to sea, and we're at the mercy of the merfolk!" He joked, not thinking it likely, but the waves were certainly growing. Zach didn't know enough about the ocean to want to chance it.

Reaching out for her hand, he gave her a reassuring squeeze. Perhaps a promise that he wouldn't allow her to be dragged to any murky depths. They began to fight the crashing waves, wading for shore.

  

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Pretties thanks to Olive! <3

They got to the shore with ease, the momentum of the rolling waves pushing them along. She was once again glad to have adjusted her swimming costume, as the walk back to the hotel would likely be long and the added water weight would be unpleasant. Perhaps Zach knew of a drying charm they could make use of. Jo's charmwork was, at best, mediocre on her best days. She daren't attempt magic on him in such an aroused state.

"That was fun." She laughed, trying to ease whatever tension might've developed between here and the sea. Jo almost wondered if they could continue here on the beach, but quickly decided against it. Sand was already clinging to her toes and legs, she had little need for if to be in her intimate parts. "Do the heroes usually get to kiss the damsel in the ocean?"

  

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beautiful set by mj

The less submerged they became the more Zach decided he disliked the clinging tightness of bathing costumes, particularly in the pants. He thanked the stars it was fairly dark and they had a good walk back to where they were staying.

Ears burning, Zach chuckled and pulled away only long enough to fetch the shoes they'd rest on the sand. It had been fun. So much so that he felt as if he still needed to catch his breath. Although his charm work was good, he was so flustered that the possibility of drying charm had yet to enter his mind. It's what he would have done if their swim had remained innocent.

"Sometimes, though they're usually on a boat," he laughed. Romances weren't his specialty, though he had perused some of the more interesting ones. "Or dry land." He tenderly ran the back of his knuckles on the nape of her neck. "After they've escaped the clutches of pirates," he added to the narrative, though his voice was far away.

After a moment, his eyebrows knit together, a cool breeze tossing at the back of his hair. "I do hope you aren't chilled, Jo."

  

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Pretties thanks to Olive! <3

"I like our version better." She said warmly. Being on a boat or dry land wouldn't have allowed for the closeness they had in the water. The waves interrupted them, sure, but it was pleasurable all the same. Jo rarely took the opportunity to kiss someone without it progressing in the same breath, considering how her trysts were usually one night stands or quick affairs meant to be hurried along. "Although...escaping from pirates would be an adventure. Maybe we'll run into some yet."

The cool breeze pressed her soaked costume into her skin and her loose hair onto her cheek. The swim tonight had certainly served its purpose of cooling them after such a hot day, even if the walk back would be a tad uncomfortable. "Not too terribly." Her foolish adventure to Hogsmeade back in February sprang to mind as she shrugged. A thin dress and Scottish snow were not a happy mix. If she managed to survive that she would survive a walk in a wet costume alright. However, Jo doubted Zach would make the same mistakes and he was likely cold now. "Are you chilled?"

Her bright blue eyes stared up into his. Lord, she hoped the walk went quickly enough, for all she wanted to do was lose herself in his kiss again.

  

Not too terribly sounded like the polite version of yes, which just wouldn’t do. The last thing he wanted was for Jo to be uncomfortable in any sort of way.

"I could help you with that," he commented with a surprising amount of flirtatious undertone. By the way he moved closer, it seemed Zach might have had another way of keeping her warm in mind, but instead he produced his wand and cast a hot-air charm on the two of them. His nerves made the spell a bit less powerful, but it would at least make the walk a bit more pleasant.

The drying process had also offered him a moment to observe her without feeling like he was merely staring. How could a simple dip in the ocean somehow make her look more stunning? With an awkward clearing of his throat, he stowed his wand. "But we best hurry so we’re not kidnapped and taken to the high seas." It was a playful comment, but not the one he meant to make. Merlin, why did he say that?

With a congenial smile, Zach urged them to continue across the beach and onto the path that would bring them back to their hotel.

  

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Pretties thanks to Olive! <3