A/N: Next chappi! I really had fun writing this one. *giggle girlishly* Please let me know when you are fed up with reading fluff. I know I never will get tired writing it, so someone please stop me! ^^
~oOOo~
Anna and Bates didn't have a chance to talk privately for the rest of the day. Somehow, Miss O'Brien was everywhere, always staring at them. So they went to bed without saying a proper goodnight. Well, it wasn't proper, strictly speaking. But they both got used to sharing a kiss so quickly that they both missed it when they were lying in bed, thinking about the other.
But the night did past and the next morning came and soon enough, they were sitting side by side at the breakfast table again. Anna thought it would be more suspicious if they weren't talking at all now, so she poured John his tea like she had done so many times before, talked to him and smiled at him. She could tell that John was hesitating to act 'normal', but he overcame his fear and was smiling at her after a little while.
As Mr. Carson ordered everyone to work, Anna and Bates tried to linger around, but so was Mrs. Hughes. Anna could have killed her. She wanted to be in Johns arms so much that she was seriously thinking about doing it in front of her. Should she tell everyone, calling her a slut or worse. Anna didn't care.
But John did, of course. As if he had read her mind, as soon as she had that thought, he left the room and went upstairs. With an inward sigh, Anna followed and got to her daily routine, cursing O'Brien silently while she helped the girls dress.
"I am so excited about my new wardrobe", Lady Edith chatted while Anna helped her into her dress. "It's rosewood and really big. Much nicer than the small thing I have now. Unfortunately, I will be in town with mother the whole day, so could you please make sure that it is put right there?" she said and pointed in the right corner of her room, near the window. "And check for any scratches. I don't pay for damaged goods."
Anna smiled about that, for of course she didn't pay at all for this.
"Of course, m'lady."
"Thank you, Anna. I can manage the rest by myself."
"As you wish" she responded and went to Lady Sybils room to help her to dress.
John just entered Lord Grantham's dressing room and wished him a good morning.
"Good Morning, Mr. Bates", his employer answered without looking up. He was looking at a piece of paper, then shook his head, holding it out to him.
"My daughter ordered a ridiculously expensive wardrobe. We're at war and she throws the money out of the window."
John looked at the price and made a noise of shock.
"Exactly", Robert answered angrily, grabbing the cufflinks he would wear today. John laid the invoice on the table and took the golden cufflinks from Lord Grantham. With a smirk he said:
"Soon enough you have to sell the cufflinks to afford three daughters."
Lord Grantham couldn't help but chuckle. He knew that John didn't mean it disrespectful.
"Believe me, Bates, three daughters can be a plague. Always wanting new clothes, always needing to dress with the latest fashion", he sighed.
"But you love them just as they are, my Lord."
Robert sighed again.
"I do. Very much, indeed. I often remember when they were little. Mary, dressing in her mother's clothes, proudly looking up to me and asking if she was pretty…" he chuckled. "Edith was always afraid to play outside. She hated dirt of any sort, always pulling her skirt up to her knees when she walked through the grass. Cora had some trouble to teach her that pulling up the skirt wasn't appropriate behavior."
John smiled at Lord Grantham before he grabbed his jacket to hold it out for him.
"Sybil was the total opposite. She loved being outside, playing hide and seek with her nanny. We called her our little monkey…"
"I remember you calling her that", John said, thinking of a dark evening at war when John and Robert got to know each other better.
"Oh yes, sure" Robert remembered, too, and smiled.
John was checking if everything was in order with his Lord's appearance.
"You ever thought about having children, Bates?"
John instantly thought of Anna.
"Sure I have, my Lord. It just wasn't the right time…or the right woman."
"I see. Well, you can be happy that you don't have children with her."
"I am, my Lord."
Robert patted him on the shoulder and smiled at him before he left. Just as he reached the door he turned around again.
"Would you mind to oversee the delivery of the wardrobe? If we're lucky it's damaged and we can return it."
"Would you like me to make a scratch with my cane in it, Sir?"
Robert chuckled.
"Just if no one is looking, Bates" he joked and left with a friendly nod.
Bates chuckled and was amazed once more how easy it was to talk to His Lordship. He was really glad that they still were some kind of friends even though he worked for him now.
The wardrobe in question was delivered around noon and John showed the delivery men the way to Lady Edith's room. He was surprised to find Anna standing at the open door. He couldn't help but smile, his heart beating a little faster when she smiled back.
"Lady Edith asked me to oversee the delivery."
"And His Lordship asked me to do it."
Anna smiled.
"What a wonderful coincidence."
"Absolutely."
"Coming through!" one of the four delivery men suddenly shouted and the two servants turned their heads. The men had a hard time carrying the gigantic wardrobe and it didn't seem that they could stop that easily. Thinking quickly, John grabbed Anna's hand and pushed her in a little niche in the hallway, immediately following her just in time before everything went dark around them, the big wardrobe blocking the way. The men were shouting at each other as they almost dropped the heavy thing, but neither Anna nor Bates heard them anymore.
Overwhelmed by their sudden closeness, Anna's heart stopped beating. John was pressing her with a vase in her back against the wall. They had full body contact. Her hands had automatically laid on his chest and she could feel his heart beating fast. She smelled his clean scent, felt his body heat wrap around her. Anna blushed as she felt something unfamiliar brush her belly. Then she felt Johns breath on her face and she looked up, closing her eyes. Their heads were only inches apart, his nose touched her forehead while his lips brushed her cheek.
Everything around Anna vanished into the background, all she could feel or hear was her John. She clung to him, longing for his kiss. His hand was suddenly on her waist again, pulling her even closer to him, if that was possible. Slowly, he let his lips wander over her soft skin, taking in her scent. But he didn't dare to kiss her, which was a wise decision, then from one second to another the wardrobe moved and the daylight brought them back to reality.
Anna was all dizzy when John let go of her, stepping back. She almost fell so confused she almost fell. John steadied her with one hand, smiling that lovely crooked smile at her.
"Are you alright?"
All she could do was nod. John turned to face the hard working men who were trying to get the wardrobe through the doors into the room. Anna took a deep breath to clear her head, Johns scent still all around her. Clearing her throat, she stepped into Lady Edith's room after the men and told them where to put the wardrobe. John checked for any scratches but everything seemed fine.
"Thank you very much. Please see our cook Mrs. Patmore downstairs. She will offer you some cold beverages."
The men nodded and walked back down while Anna and Bates stayed behind. Bates left the door ajar and turned around to Anna. He wanted to say something, but Anna rushed forward, pressing her lips on his passionately. She threw herself at him, really, and John stumbled against the ajar door, closing it with his body. He needed a second to take in the situation. Annas body clung to him, her arms were around his shoulders, her fingers in his hair. She opened her lips, brushing over his with the tip of her tongue, demanding entry. John couldn't help but moan as he opened his mouth to greet her tongue with his own, finally wrapping his arms around her waist, holding her close. They got lost for one moment, drowning in their desire for each other.
Bates felt her hot breasts against his chest and her belly rubbing against his most sensitive spot. He could feel how it stiffened and he panicked. With some effort, he pushed Anna gently away.
"Stop it, Anna. This is neither the time nor the place."
She made a noise of frustration and John thought this so adorable that all he wanted to do was to grab her again. But he mustn't, he scolded himself.
"You started it", Anna complained, her voice all husky.
"I wanted to save you from being crushed by a wardrobe", he protested weakly, not able to take his eyes off her blushed face and her swollen lips. They had never kissed so passionately and John had a hard time fighting down his arousal.
Anna took another deep breath.
"I'm sorry, John. I was kind of overwhelmed…by you", she admitted, blushing even more. With a chuckle he pushed away from the door, moving over to her.
"I'm sorry. I admit I quite enjoyed pressing you against the wall."
A shiver ran up and down her spine and she bit her lip to stop herself from begging him to do it again.
John took her hand in his, gently rubbing the skin with his thumb.
"Are you ready to go down?" he asked in a low voice.
She looked up at him and smiled as she saw his messed up hair.
"I am, but you need some adjustments."
Tiptoeing, she reached up and around his head to straighten his hair in the back. They got close again and John closed his eyes.
Must not kiss that beautiful woman…Must not kiss…
"There you go", Anna whispered after she was done, her breath brushing against his lips. Every part of his body screamed to touch her. Leaning back was one of the hardest things he ever had to do.
"Thanks", he said hoarsely, quickly clearing his throat. "We better get back to work then."
With that, he opened the door and let Anna exit the room before he did it himself. After closing the door, they shared an insecure smile and walked away in different directions. Needless to say that the rest of the day was not easy to endure. Both of them had trouble to focus on their work, fighting against the overwhelming need to be with the other. But somehow, they managed to stay away from each other. John didn't even make it to dinner and Anna had to admit she was relieved. Of course she desired him all the time, but the incident today had been too much for her to handle. If John hadn't been strong enough to resist, they would have done something very stupid.
Anna didn't want her first time with John, her first time ever, to happen in another person's bed. She wanted it to happen in their own bed, in their own home. But would ever be happening? What if his wife never showed up? Or she wouldn't agree to the divorce?
These were the thoughts that repeated themselves over and over again in Annas head for the rest of the day and which hunted her in her dreams.
