Chapter IX.
New Year's Eve had come around quickly. John was checking around the flat one last time. He really wanted everything to be perfect. Dinner was in the oven, the place was beautifully decorated, and there was even a big Christmas tree in the living room. A few small cinnamon-apple candles were lit around the house, and a crackling fire could be heard from the living room. John was humming along with the song on the stereo when the doorbell rang.
''Just a second!'' he called, and walked toward the front door, taking his apron off. He checked himself in the mirror for the last time and opened the door. ''Hello!'' he greeted them happily.
''Jooohn!'' Gracie squealed. She was holding Olaf under her arm and had a small backpack on her back. ''I brought my PJ's with me!'' John lived almost an hour's drive away from Anna's place, so he had offered to have them spend the night in the guest room.
''I can see that you brought your things,'' he smiled, kneeling briefly to give her a hug. ''Why don't you put everything in the living room for now? And be sure to look under the tree when you're there.'' He winked at her. She smiled back and ran past him. John's eyes followed her until she disappeared into the living room, and then he finally turned his attention to Anna, who was still standing quietly by the door. ''Hi!''
''Hi! You shouldn't have bought her another present. You already gave her one,'' she answered softly, and took a step closer to him, giving him a quick peck on the cheek. John's hands itched to grab her by the waist and bring her body closer to his, but she quickly and playfully asked, ''Can I come in?''
''Yes, yes, sorry. Please come in.'' He stepped aside, letting her enter the flat. ''And you know that little one deserved one more present. She's an angel,'' he smiled.
''Maybe you're right, but still... Mmm...something smells nice.''
''Yes, it does,'' he whispered, and she could feel him standing right behind her with his head close to hers. ''Can I take your coat?''
''Yeah, sure,'' she replied, and started to unbutton it. He helped her with her coat and hung it in the hall closet.
After checking their dinner, he poured her a glass of wine and gave her a tour of his small flat. ''This is it, this is my grand house,'' he joked, when they ended their tour in the kitchen.
''I like it; it suits you,'' she smiled.
''Well, thank you, I guess?' he laughed, and took the dinner out of the oven. ''Did your parents have a safe trip back to York?''
''Yes, they did. Thank you for asking. And I think I owe you an apology.'' She placed her glass on the counter and sat down.
''What do you mean?''
''My father.''
''Hey, I already told you - it's OK. Let's just forget about your parents for tonight, all right? I just want to spend some time with you two.''
''All right.''
''Come on, dinner is ready,'' he said, and turned the oven off.
''Gracie, dinner's ready!'' Anna called her.
''Coming!'' She was still sitting on the floor of the living room, trying to figure out her new Frozen-themed puzzle, one of the presents John had given her.
They spent their dinner listening to Gracie talk about everything. She hadn't seen John for some days and she really wanted him to know what she'd been doing while he was away. They were eating dessert when she finally seemed tired of talking. ''Can I finish my puzzle?''
''Sure, honey. Just wash your hands before you do,'' Anna said, setting an empty panna cotta glass on the table. The little girl just looked around her, as if she was looking for something. ''Is something wrong, Gracie?''
''I don't know where the bathroom is,'' she stated simply.
''Oh, I'm sorry. Come on, I'll show you.'' John stood up, smiling, and gestured to her to go on down the hall.
When he came back a few minutes later, he found Anna by the sink, her back to him, doing the washing up. She hadn't heard him return, and he took a moment to look at her. She was wearing a simple black dress, which ended just a few inches above her knees. His eyes travelled slowly down her body, and he had to admit to himself that she really had the most perfect pair of legs. She wasn't tall - she barely reached his shoulder - but to him, she was absolutely perfect. He slowly and quietly stepped toward her and he could hear her humming a melody he didn't know. She didn't hear him approaching; she was too focused on the dishes. And when he gently slipped his arms around her waist from behind, his touch made her jump.
''You shouldn't be doing my job,'' he said softly into her ear.
''I know, but you always cook for us, and I always feel guilty for not doing anything,'' she answered, leaning back into him.
''But you are my guest,'' he whispered, nuzzling his nose into her hair. She smelt so good, like lavender and honey.
''And you were mine just a few days ago, but that didn't stop you, remember?'' she joked back, and she could hear him chuckle. But he didn't say anything. His lips drifted from her hair, down her neck, finally reaching her bare shoulder, and he started to leave small, long, open-mouthed kisses there. She let go of the plate she was holding and tilted her head to give him more space to continue what he had started. This was their first intimate touch since the night they had shared their first kiss. John could feel her body melting into his, and that gave him the courage to tighten his hold around her. ''Mr. Bates...'' she whispered. It felt so good to feel a man's lips on her body; it had been too long, far too long.
''Yes?'' he asked in a low voice.
''Umm…'' She didn't know what she really wanted from him.
''Should I stop?'' he teased, when he sensed she was enjoying this as much as he was.
She turned around to face him and looked up into his eyes. ''Don't you dare.'' And before he could respond, her lips were on his, and her hands travelled eagerly from his chest to his face. Her hands were still wet from the dishes, but he didn't care. She felt warm against him, and it didn't take long for him to deepen the kiss. She gladly opened to him, and their tongues started to move in perfect harmony. It felt so right, and when his left hand cupped her behind and brought her closer, her body reminded her how good it felt to be held by someone.
''Mr. Bates?'' she said, out of breath, when they finally ended the kiss. Her hands were now resting around his neck and she could feel the heat on her cheeks. The man could kiss!
''Anna?'' He looked down and he could see that her eyes were still closed.
''Is this really happening?'' she asked, finally looking up.
''What?''
''You, me. Your arms around me, your lips on mine.''
''I really hope so. But if I'm only dreaming, I need to tell you that I really don't want to wake up.''
''You'll think I'm being silly, but I've wanted to be in your arms from the moment I saw you standing in my kitchen, baking with Gracie,'' she admitted.
John chuckled. ''I've wanted you from the moment you closed the door on me...twice.''
''Oh my god.'' Her hands covered her face. ''I was so embarrassed.''
''You were cute.''
''Yeah, sure.'' She shook her head.
''And hot,'' he added. He gently nuzzled his nose against hers, and then lowered his lips onto hers. Anna stood on her tiptoes, grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, and pulled him closer to her.
''Is John your boyfriend?'' They jumped apart at the sound of the small voice. Gracie was standing by the door, staring at them.
Anna coughed before answering. ''Gracie dear, ummm, come here, please.''
The little girl approached her, and Anna picked her up and sat her on the kitchen counter. ''Would you mind if he was?'' she asked slowly, looking her in the eye.
Gracie first looked at her and then at John, who was standing next to Anna, nervously waiting for her to say something. ''Does that mean he's not going to be my nanny any more?'' Her face fell at the thought of no longer spending time with her favourite nanny.
''Well, you see, Gracie...'' Anna moved her gaze to John and then back to her daughter. ''If he is going to be Mummy's boyfriend, he can't be your nanny. But that doesn't mean he can't spend even more time with us. We can even spend the whole weekend together, if you wish.''
''You mean you can watch my morning cartoons with me?'' She turned and looked at John.
''Sure, I can.'' He smiled at her question. ''So what do you think, kiddo?''
They could both see that she was thinking about something. ''Sweetie?'' Anna asked, after a while.
''Are you going to marry my mummy and become my daddy?'' she asked innocently, shifting her gaze to John.
John and Anna looked at each other, not really knowing what to say. Deep down they both sensed that they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together, but it was too soon. It had been only a week ago when they had finally admitted out loud that they liked each other, and now the little blonde girl was already asking them about marriage.
''Well…'' John started, but Anna interrupted him. ''I think it's a little early to talk about marriage, Gracie. Mr. Bates must be Mummy's boyfriend for a while first.''
''All right, then,'' Gracie said, and with that the whole boyfriend topic was finished for her. She simply reached for Anna, who put her down on the floor again, and with that she disappeared back into the living room.
''Well, that's a relief,'' John chuckled, taking Anna's hand in his.
''I hadn't imagined she would find about us like that. But she seems happy about the situation, and I'll talk to her some more when we go home.'' She looked at him and smiled. ''But right now, don't you think we should join her in there, my handsome boyfriend?'' she asked, when he hugged her from behind, resting his head on her shoulder.
''My god, it's been ages since anybody has called me that,'' he joked, letting go of her. She turned around and faced him. ''I quite like the sound of it, to be honest!'' she said and bit her inner cheek.
''Say it again.''
Anna giggled. ''Come on, boyfriend, you promised me a present.'' She took his hand and pulled him into the living room.
xXx
Gracie had dozed off around 11:25 p.m., while playing on the small couch in John's office. She had looked so peaceful there that neither Anna nor he had had the heart to move her, so John had gotten out a pillow and some extra blankets, and was now waiting patiently for Anna to come back from tucking her in. He was preparing himself to tell her about his past, his father, and Vera. He really wanted to tell her everything before the New Year began. He wanted a clean start with her - no lies, no secrets.
''I'm in here,'' he called from the living room, when he heard her walking into the kitchen.
''Hi, you! I wondered where you'd disappeared to.'' Anna smiled at him and he offered her his hand. She gladly took it, and he pulled her onto the couch to sit next to him.
''Here - I've made us some cocoa.'' He handed her a mug.
''Thank you.'' She took it from him. ''So, I guess we need to talk?''
''Yes. I think it's important that you know everything about my past before this year ends.''
''All right.'' She took her high heels off and pulled her legs onto the couch. ''Tell me.''
''I was 12 years old when my mum and I left Ireland and moved to London,'' he began.
''Oh, so that's the reason your accent sounds different.'' She finally understood why he sometimes sounded a little bit...better, sexier...than other people who lived in London.
''It does?'' He furrowed his brow, then smiled at her.
''Yes, but in the best possible way.'' She looked up and she could feel him cover her hand with his.
''I hope so.'' He smiled. ''Now, let's see...where was I? My father wasn't the best father or husband in the world; he wasn't even good, for that matter. You see, he liked to drink a lot and when he did, my mum was his main target. She could take his sharp words, but sometimes he just lost it. He beat the crap out of her, for no reason at all. I was only a kid when he first slapped her, but I remember every word he said, every move he made.'' He stopped for a moment, and he could see her eyes were watery.
''The next day, when he'd sobered up, he would beg Mum for forgiveness, and she loved him so much that she always forgave him. But he never changed; it only got worse. And after some time I couldn't just watch and do nothing. So I fought back. He came home one night, drunk as always, and he started to throw vases around the house. She begged him to stop, but that didn't work; it never did. I was sleeping upstairs, but her screams and cries woke me up.'' He could feel Anna's body shifting even closer to his. ''I went downstairs, and kind of lost it when I saw my mother's face covered with blood. I was only 12, but I was already tall. I ran into him with all the force I could muster, and it wasn't that hard to knock him down onto the floor. He just laughed when he looked at me. He'd never loved me, not the way a father should love his son.'' At that, Anna thought about Paul. He hadn't been violent, but he'd never even met Gracie, had never loved her the way a father should.
John continued, ''I yelled at him, but all he did was laugh, and when he'd had enough, he stood up, grabbed me by the neck, and threw me to the other side of the room. I passed out and woke up later in hospital. He was gone, for good this time. The same day I got out of hospital, we packed everything and moved to London.
Anna placed her mug on the coffee table and stared at him. He could see a tear slipping down her cheek.
''Hey, hey - don't cry.'' He used his thumb to wipe it away. ''Come here.'' He put his arms around her and pulled her close.
''Is your mother all right?'' she sniffed, resting her head on his chest.
''She is. She never got a divorce; she didn't want to go looking for him. But she ended up meeting a man, and she's living with him in a small cottage in Scotland. She's happy, and I'm happy that she's happy.'' He started tracing small circles on her shoulder.
''How about your wife? Could you tell me something about her?''
''I can tell you anything you want me to. Her name is Vera, and I met her when I was about 20. I'm ashamed to admit it but...well, I was...how do I say this politely...I didn't mind being in the company of ladies when I was younger...'' he stuttered.
''Oh, really?'' Anna chuckled. She looked at him and really didn't have a hard time believing that he'd been one handsome devil when he was a young man.
''I'm not proud of myself, but I think that I was scared to get attached to anyone, afraid that if I stayed too long, I would turn into my father. But then I met Vera and she seemed to understand me, in a way. Her father had left her and her mum, too, so we thought we had something in common. So we got married.''
''Were you in love with her?''
''I think I was in love with the idea of her being the one for me. However, we quickly discovered that we were not good for each other. I wanted kids, she didn't. She grew nasty over the years, and she knew what to say to get a reaction from me. At some point, it got so hard that I started to see my father in me, and that's when I realized it was over for me.''
''Were…were you violent?'' she asked slowly, looking down. She was afraid she was pushing too far, but she had to know.
''No. Anna, I never laid a hand on her.'' He gently lifted her chin so he could look her in the eye. ''You have to believe me.'' He wasn't lying. He'd never touched Vera, not even when she'd yelled at him, screaming what a sad excuse for a man he was, and throwing furniture at him.
''I believe you,'' she reassured him. ''But why did she finally leave you?''
''I didn't know for sure, and I didn't really care. I mean, she said she'd met someone else and that was that. I was glad she was gone, and I didn't have any reason to go after her…until now.''
''What do you mean 'until now'?''
''I've asked Robert to find her. I want that divorce; I need that divorce. If we are going to be together, I want to be a free man for you, without any unpleasant surprises from the past. Because you and Gracie deserve the best, and I want to give you the best...or at least try to.''
She didn't say a word. Anna simply leaned closer, silently begging him to kiss her, and he did. His hands went to her cheeks and he could feel her entire body lean into his. Her hands slowly travelled from his waist toward the collar of his shirt, and he could feel her start to unbutton it. She ended the kiss, but did not move away, so he started to place small kisses on her neck. Without breaking contact, he gently pushed her back onto the couch, continuing to kiss her soft skin. When she'd finally unbuttoned his shirt completely, and he could feel her warm palms spread on his undershirt, for a second he didn't know if he would be able to stop what they had started.
''Anna,'' he whispered against her neck. ''We need to stop.''
''Mhm,'' she purred. ''I know...'' Her head was spinning. She finally had him in her arms, his warm lips making magic on her skin, his hand playing with the hem of her dress. She wanted more, she wanted all of him. He found her lips again and took her lower lip between his teeth, biting gently. She automatically raised her hips, and when she shamelessly rubbed against him, John could feel his body responding to hers. But when her left hand gently squeezed his buttock through his trousers, he knew he had to stop right away. He forced himself to end the kiss, and looked down at her. Her mouth was swollen from the kisses and her skin was covered in small, light scratches from his stubble. ''I'm sorry for starting this, but when I tasted your lips, I started to wonder how your body tasted, and now I definitely know we have to stop.''
''Never apologize for starting something as beautiful as this. But you're right - we have to press the pause button here.''
John smiled and loosened his hold on her. He sat up, looking at his wristwatch. ''It's almost midnight. I think I should fetch the champagne.''
''I think you should, too.'' She smiled and tugged her skirt back into place.
John stood up and walked into the kitchen, buttoning his shirt again. The truth was that he needed a minute to cool himself down. He could still feel her all around him and he wanted her, he wanted her so much, but he had promised himself a long time ago that if he ever had the chance, he would wait patiently for the right moment to make her his. She was Anna, and she deserved the best.
''Am I late?'' He stepped into the room a few minutes later.
''No. We still have 2 minutes,'' she said, standing by the window.
''Here you go.'' He handed her a glass of champagne.
''Thank you. Mr. Bates…'' she began, when he interrupted.
''Why don't you call me John?''
''I don't know,'' she said shyly. ''I think…I think everything will become real, if I do.''
''Don't you want it to be real?'' he asked in low voice, and gently used his free hand to bring her flat against his body.
''I do...'' Anna whispered, resting her hand on his chest. ''…John.'' The moment she said his name, the sky exploded. Hundreds of fireworks coloured the night sky and a bell announcing the new year rang out in the distance.
''You see what happens when you call me by my first name?'' he joked, and she giggled. ''Happy New Year, Anna.''
''Happy New Year….John.''
xXx
It was dark when Anna's eyes opened. She was still lying on the couch, but the fire had gone out, and John was nowhere to be seen. After they had shared their first New Year's kiss, they had cuddled up on the floor in front of the fireplace. Beyond a few gentle pecks and feather-light touches, though, nothing had happened. After a while, they had moved to the couch, and it hadn't taken long for both of them to doze off.
The spot where John had been lying just a few hours earlier was empty. Maybe he had gone to bed, Anna thought to herself, and decided to do the same. She quickly checked on Gracie, who was still sound asleep in the office, and then headed to the guest room. The flat was completely dark and she didn't know where the light switches were, so she hoped she would make it to her room without breaking anything. ''Thank god,'' she said, as she opened the door. She quickly unzipped her dress and jumped into bed, wearing only her bra and knickers.
She was just starting to doze off when she heard a noise. She listened for more, but heard only silence. ''Anna, go to sleep. It's nothing…'' she told herself, but before she could finish her thought, the bathroom door opened slowly, and she could hear footsteps approaching. The footsteps stopped, she could hear something being tossed on the floor, then a click, and then another one. Someone had just opened the closet. ''What on earth is going on?'' she thought to herself, and finally found the courage to look over the top of the duvet. Whatever her mind was preparing to see, this definitely wasn't it.
John, or rather a completely naked John, was standing in front of the closet, looking for something. He had woken up on the couch just about ten minutes before, and found that his shirt was wet from the tea that he had spilled on himself when he'd dozed off. He had gently pulled himself away from Anna, and had decided to have a quick shower before waking her up.
The street lights coming through the window gave her just enough light to see his broad shoulders and muscled back, and when her eyes finally reached his firm bottom, she could feel a warm wave rush through her body. She knew she should say something to let him know she was there, but she couldn't produce any words. John slowly took a pair of blue boxers out of the inside drawer and took his time pulling them on, then grabbed the towel he had tossed on the floor and started to dry his hair. He turned around slowly, and when he looked up, he finally saw that someone was sitting in his bed, looking directly at him.
''What the...?!'' he exclaimed, and quickly turned the light on. Anna was sitting on the bed, speechless, just staring at him. He exhaled in relief. ''Anna? What are you doing in my bedroom?''
''Your bedroom? I thought this was…'' My god! He looked so good! The wet hair, the body, the chest hair, the boxers!
''Are you all right?"
''Yes…''
''How much did you see?'' he asked, when he finally realized what she had probably witnessed just moments ago.
''Everything...'' she said weakly.
''You naughty girl!'' he joked, and started to walk toward the bed.
''I'm so sorry! I couldn't find the light switches, and I must have mixed up the doors. I saw you… and your…oh my god. I'm so, so sorry! I didn't want to…'' she started to blabber, and covered her face with her hands.
''Anna...'' he stopped her, and removed her hands from her face. ''It's all right. Stop apologizing.'' He really wanted to make her feel better about everything. Sure, he had almost had a heart attack when he had turned around and seen someone watching him. But after he'd realized it was Anna, he had to admit that he found the whole situation a little bit arousing. ''So what are we going to do? Are you staying or leaving?'' he teased.
''I think I should leave.''
''Are you sure?'' he asked, and started to pull his pyjama bottoms on. ''You can stay if you want.''
''No, I really think I should go,'' she said regretfully, looking at his chest. She started to get up, but then remembered she was only in her undergarments.
''Is something wrong?'' he asked, when he saw her looking at him shyly.
''Ummm, would you mind turning around?''
John just stared at her. This year was starting out even better he could have ever imagined. First she had finally called him by his first name, and now she was lying in his bed, half-naked. Turning to face the wall, he smiled, ''This isn't very fair - you know that, don't you?''
''What are you talking about?''
''Well, you saw me undressed, so I think it's only fair for me to see you.''
''Mr. Bates!'' she chuckled, zipping up her dress. ''You can turn around now.''
''So...we're back to Mr. Bates again?'' he asked playfully, leaning his head to one side.
She smiled at him and took a step closer. He looked good - his hair was still wet from the shower, and he was giving her the cutest boyish grin she had ever seen. She leaned in, gave him a peck on the cheek, and slowly ran her hand through his chest hair. Then she couldn't resist whispering seductively in his ear, ''Only in the bedroom…Mr. Bates.'' With that, she was gone, leaving John standing in the middle of the room with his mouth open. All rational thought had left him. The only thing he was able to do was to open the bathroom door and step into a very cold shower...without even bothering to take his boxers off.
beta: AWESOME ANNAMBATES! :)****
thank you for all the F&R&F&PM, you really are the best readers! :D I love you guys and me and my beta love getting reviews :D so don't be shy :D :D**
Let's celebrate this blissful, cheerful, colourful New year with a smile. Wish you happy New Year.
SREČNO NOVO LETO 2016!
