"Auld Lang Syne"
I wrote this story back in 2010. I decided to "tweak" it, and post it. What better way to start 2015 than with a story?!
Annabelle and Boris are celebrating New Year's Eve with a masquerade ball. This story was written before the writers turned Dieter into a ninja assassin, and before the writers introduced us to Cousin Claudette, and Cousin Milos. I thought Boris needed some relatives, so I gave him an elderly grandmother, Olga, who was visiting for the holidays.
Annabelle is a character I created back in the first season of "Royal Pains". If you want to read about the very beginnings of Boris and Annabelle's romance, check out "Boris and the First Invitation".
Enjoy!
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Disclaimer: I don't own Boris or any of the "Royal Pains" characters.
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CHAPTER ONE
Annabelle looked at her reflection with a critical eye. . .and put the finishing touches on her makeup. She fluffed a bit of pearlized powder on her collar bones. . .added a bit more eye liner to her already smoky eyes. She'd put her lipstick on after she put on her gown.
Annabelle continued to sit at her dressing table. . .aware that the minutes were ticking by. . .and she was running out of time. She didn't want to admit it. . .but she was getting nervous! In retrospect. . .this masquerade ball had been an insane idea. She HATED big parties! Note to self: the next time Olga has a seemingly great idea. . .RUN!
Boris had been cranky for several days. . .and his mood was only getting worse, not better! He was like a bear with a sore paw. Granted, a very elegant bear, but a bear, nevertheless! He hated big parties even more than she did. He was only hosting this ball because she had talked him into it! But Boris liked things quiet, controlled. . .predictable. And the hustle and bustle of the party preparations were driving him to distraction. He had taken to glowering at everyone; the staff had taken to running in the opposite direction when they saw him coming!
Annabelle had tried to distract Boris earlier in the day, but she hadn't been able to calm her nerves OR lighten his mood!
Well. . .she couldn't put this off any longer. She stood up, dropped her robe, and walked over to where her gown was hanging. She took the gown, dropped it over her head, and twitched it into place.
She could hear Boris, in his bedroom, muttering in German. Smiling, she walked through the connecting door into his bedroom. "If you help me with my zipper, I'll help you with your studs."
"What?!" Boris looked up in surprise.
"Boris. . .zip my dress, and I'll put your studs in! Please?!"
With a sigh of relief, Boris smiled one of those little half-smiles that drove Annabelle wild, and nodded. "Ja. . .kommen sie her."
Annabelle walked over to Boris and turned around. He pulled the zipper up, slowly, then rested his hands gently on her shoulders. "You are so beautiful, Prinzessin!" He spoke quietly, close to her ear.
She stood still for a moment, enjoying his closeness. Then she pulled away – reluctantly – and did a 'girly' twirl in front of him. "What do you think of the gown?! And before you answer. . .REMEMBER. . .you paid for it!"
"The gown is exquisite, Prinzessin! And WHATEVER it cost me. . .it is worth every penny!"
The gown WAS exquisite. . .and the most expensive dress Annabelle had ever purchased! The gown was black slipper satin, with a deep sweetheart neckline, and a low cut back. Two straps crossed over the upper back to hold the gown in place. The straps were encrusted with clear crystals, and the crystals continued on the back of the skirt, down onto the hips. The skirt flaired out slightly below the knees. The overall effect was very dramatic!
"You will be the belle of the ball, Prinzessin! Now, bitte. . .help me with these bloody studs?!"
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"Annabelle?! Bitte. . .let's GO!"
Annabelle took one last look in the mirror, flicked a stray lock of hair into place, added a bit more lip gloss over her red lipstick, and then put on the black silk mask, encrusted with clear crystals to match the crystals on her dress. The Annabelle she saw reflected in the mirror was. . .exotic. . .and she liked it!
She walked back into Boris's bedroom, only to find Boris answering a call on his cell phone. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw Annabelle in her mask, then he reluctantly turned away, speaking in German to the person at the other end of the cell phone.
"BORIS?!" Annabelle walked over to Boris, trying to grab the arm that held the phone to his ear. Boris put his hand up to hold her off, and quickly ended the call, putting the cell phone back into the inside breast pocket of his elegantly cut tuxedo.
Boris rubbed his left temple with his thumb as Annabelle started in. "Boris, it's New Year's Eve, for God's sake?! We are hosting a masquerade ball in less than an hour! And here you are, on your cell phone, doing BUSINESS?! I know you didn't really want to have this party, and I talked you into it, but you PROMISED! No business today! And you not only promised me, you promised your grandmother! And the party hasn't even started yet, and you've already broken your promise!"
"Annabelle, bitte stoppen?!" Boris put his hands on Annabelle's shoulders. "I am sorry, Prinzessin! It was a small matter, and it has been taken care of. Now, let us not spend any more time arguing about it, bitte?!" And before Annabelle could say anything else, Boris kissed her, hard! And he kept kissing her until she stopped fighting him, and started kissing back! When Boris finally broke off the kiss, Annabelle was breathless. "Now, Prinzessin, before I make us BOTH late for our own party, go fix your lipstick! Then we really MUST go, before Dieter sends the bodyguards to DRAG us downstairs!"
"Wait. . .what. . .just happened here?!"
Boris gave Annabelle another one of his quirky little half-smiles. "Well. . .a mysterious, masked woman came in here, and tried to seduce me, but I resisted!" Boris chuckled, and gave Annabelle a gentle push toward the door. "Now, GO, fix your lipstick! And please do hurry, Prinzessin?!"
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Boris and Annabelle were in the main entry hall, greeting their guests. The ballroom was filling up very quickly, and most of the guests were wearing masks. It was very entertaining, trying to recognize the faces behind the masks!
Waiters were circulating with trays of champagne and hors d'oeuvres. There would be a buffet set up in the formal dining room later in the evening, and dessert would be served after midnight. Annabelle and Boris were both sipping champagne from crystal flutes. But she and Boris had been so busy with the guests, she had barely been able to snag a shrimp from a passing waiter. She could feel the champagne going straight to her head.
The entry hall was starting to clear, as the last of the guests straggled in.
Annabelle pressed close to Boris and spoke softly to him, so that none of the stragglers could overhear. "Boris, is there any way I could convince you to go back upstairs. . .and finish what you started earlier?!" Annabelle looked up at Boris seductively, and gave him her most enticing smile.
Boris gave Annabelle a speculative look, then ruefully shook his head. "No, Prinzessin; we have a ballroom full of guests, all here, at YOUR invitation! Any tryst, I think, will NOW have to WAIT?!"
"DAMN?! Just my luck. . .all dressed up and nowhere to go?!" Annabelle took another sip of champagne. "All right, Boris. . .be that way?! I'm going to go and check on your grandmother, and get something to eat. I'm STARVING!"
Boris gently took the crystal flute from her hand. "Annabelle, leave the champagne. I do believe, you are getting tipsy!"
"Hmph?! Yes. . .and when I get tipsy. . .I get amorous! Or do I need to remind you?!" Annabelle wrapped her arms around Boris's neck. Boris gently disentangled her arms. Annabelle put her hands on her hips, and shook her head in disbelief. "No?! You're missing out on a GOLDEN opportunity, Boris!" With that, Annabelle started up the stairs, in search of Olga. . .and something to eat!
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Feedback is ALWAYS appreciated! PLEASE. . .write a review and let me know what you think. THANKS!