Alysia reached the crest of the hill just as the sky was really starting to brighten. She looked out over the cliff toward the ocean and took a minute to catch her breath. As she regulated her inhales and exhales, her sounds were overcome by the still labored breathing coming from behind her.

"You are even fitter than you look. That last stretch was nearly vertical, and my trainer has been kicking my arse lately, and I'm dying. How have you already recovered?" Harry huffed indignantly.

She laughed over her shoulder at him and smiled wide, "I was out of breath, I had just caught it right as you came up, if you hadn't stopped to help me up that last set of boulders with your phone light, our positions would have been reversed."

"Doesn't matter, you kill me in all physical arenas," Harry said it like a compliment.

"I think we will have to test that theory," she said with a glint in her eye. "Let's be quiet a moment and watch the sun rise. Maureen says it magic here early in the morning."

It was their first official date. When they were brainstorming an activity that met all her criteria on the phone 3 days ago, (physical, outdoors, and not to interfere with her sister's schedule) and his (private, during the day time as his nights were in the studio, and romantic), a sunrise hike was pretty much the only option open. They settled on Charmlee Canyon in Malibu. It was convenient as he spent a good amount of time there cruising from one guest room to another and she was quite close being just inland in Simi Valley. They met up 30 minutes before sunrise and used their phones to navigate their way until the sun was peaking out to light their steps.

She smiled at him, and he reached out and took her hand in his. Her smile grew a fraction wider. This was the first time they had touched since she snuck out of his bed the other morning. They seemed to have some unspoken agreement. Their connection had been so fiery, so physical, that if they were going to make this work, they had to keep their hands to their selves for the time being.

Alysia was floored when he showed up at her class. He was dressed to work out, with a small newsboy cap on. With the newish short hair, most of the people in the room, primarily moms with elementary aged kids, didn't seem to catch on to the superstar in their mix. She was thankful that she had done this particular workout many times, muscle memory carried her through as she demonstrated moves and walked around correcting form and giving encouragement, or her distraction would have been painfully obvious. Harry kept his eyes on her, as did most of the other students, but his gaze was heavy, knowing and hot, and she avoided eye contact so she wouldn't light on fire right there. When she walked by him, he seemed to lean into her personal space unconsciously.

"Try to keep your elbows in," she commented.

"Like this," he asked with a mischievous smirk.

"No," She countered, she knew he was teasing her, so she took the bait, stepping into his space and pushing his elbows closer to his ears. She realized her mistake the minute she looked into his eyes, she was too close to him, and her panting now had little to do with the workout.

"Lo, Love," he whispered, forgetting himself and leaning in again.

Alysia started to lean closer as well, before the music changed and she realized she needed to give instruction on the next set. She dropped her hands from his slick skin and skittered to the front of the class. For the remainder of the morning, she avoided eye contact and gave him a wide berth. She clearly had some self-control issues when he was near her.

After class, the little huddle that always formed around her gave her the space she needed to prepare herself for him. He was hovering on the outside, clearly waiting to chat with her; hat still on, gaze still focused.

Once her chatty students had dispersed she looked up to find him suddenly closer. Not exactly in her personal bubble, but close enough to make her catch her breath.

"Hi, Harry," she dared.

"Lo, Alysia," he rejoined with a silly tilt to his head, "So, you left...."

"I did, I wanted to avoid the awkward, 'that was great, let's not do it again' thing."

"Why would we not do that again? I was looking forward to doing it again at least once before I made you breakfast, myself," He smirked, but he looked a little put out.

"Listen, Harry, That night was amazing."

"It was..."he interrupted, "But," he prompted.

"I knew what it was when you asked me to your place at the bar, you don't owe me anything, even an explanation." Alysia clarified.

"Alysia, look, if I was just looking for a fuck, I wouldn't have taken you to my home. You are gorgeous and sexy, so wanting to sleep with you didn't surprise me, but I haven't taken anyone I've just met home with me ever. You are funny and I love to hear you talk, about your family and your plans. That's new, and I'd like to pursue it, you, really. Let me take you out."

Her face must have been a picture, she had no idea what to say to that. She stood there fish mouthed for a moment before she breathed an ok.

"Ok," he laughed. "I have a lunch meeting to get to, and I need a shower after that, but, I'll need your number to set up our date, please."

She gave him her number, and he leaned in to chastely kiss her cheek, and even that felt too enticing, so she hadn't seen him until a week later for this hike.

He had texted her immediately after class with a "Hi, this is harry." That made her crack up, but he had called her that night to discuss their date. She had expected texts, as that was the only way she had communicated with romantic interests in years. And he did text her, funny pictures, and silly thoughts. Mostly light and fun. No requests for nudes or overly sexual requests like most other guys. She was totally charmed.

So, now she stood on this cliff with him, admiring the view, and simply holding his hand. She felt warm, content, and not just from the rising temperature.

"This is magic," he confirmed.

She smiled at him pulling off her back pack and setting up their breakfast picnic. Some cold brew, a couple bananas, and overnight oats with walnuts and a touch of maple syrup.

He told her about his night at a party the other day, he was meeting his new neighbors. "So, some lady from survivor was telling me about her mom's one direction mix, and we recorded a lil video for her."

"Do you usually do that, record things with people?" Alysia asked, she'd seen a few, he seemed weirdly accessible.

"Yeah, when asked, it's a small thing and seems to make people inordinately happy."

"Does it bother you that they wind up on the internet?"

"Well, it might, if everything didn't wind up there," he explained, "I had to get over that quickly, or I would be constantly miserable."

She had a thought, a question, she met his eyes while biting her lip coyly.

"Just ask," he laughed.

"ok, it is you?"

"Well, you're in a position to know, you tell me?" He responded gamely.

"Really not, if you recall, given our position, I was mostly looking out your window," she felt shy. "and you look different than you did then."

"I would hope so," he looked away from the ocean then, meeting her eyes, "and I do remember, everything."

The air felt heavy, their sexual chemistry reasserting itself. Unless she was going to let him take her on this hillside, she better change the tone.

She broke the eye contact, and looked out over the ocean again. "I think it's you, and you are a show-er, not a grow-er!" she joked.

"Heeeyyy, that's not nice," he allowed her mood change. He reached out and tickled her ribs and she laughed for a bit, at him mostly.

They continued their banter until her phone buzzed, signaling it was time to head back down. Alysia knew she'd get caught up in him, like last time, and she had to get be home so Maureen could get to work and she could help the boys to pre-k.

"I need to go, Connor and Caden have school and my sister has clients."

"Yeah, I have a meeting too, let's head out," he said while clearing up their food.

They made their way down, occasionally, he would take her elbow or touch the small of her back, but their date remained innocent, and she wondered about it, especially when his goodbye kiss landed on her cheek. Maybe she had cooled things off too much, did he think she wasn't interested? Why didn't her kiss her? Would he call again if she didn't seem willing to have sex with him? She really would like to be with him again, damn, she screwed this up!!!

Mind whirling, she checked her phone at the next red light, Harry had texted,

"I'll show you a grower!"