A/N: Thank you to all the wonderful readers who find this story worthwhile! The faves ,follows, and reviews are greatly appreciated. This is the longest chapter yet, and I must say it's been my favorite to write so far for this story. Let's find out what Banna gets up to this chapter shall we? M Rated towards the end. Happy reading!
Disclaimer: Same 1-11.
Anna closed her front door and dragged herself down the hall to her room. She threw her purse on the bed and then collapsed on it herself.
What a week.
She was incredibly thankful for the next two days off. The amount of interviews, paperwork, and emails from Mr. Brogan over the week had made her exhausted. The company was growing rapidly which meant more and more work for Anna. Sure she had people that worked with her in her department, but at the end of the day the brunt of the work laid with her. She was starting to kick her shoes off when she heard her phone buzz. She reached over and took the phone from her purse. It was a text from John. She swiped her phone and opened the message app.
Did you make it home?
She immediately replied.
Yes, finally. What an exhausting day.
Would a surprise help to cheer you up?
What kind of question was that? Of course it would if it meant being with him.
Yes it would. What kind of surprise?
If I told you it wouldn't be a surprise. Just come to the house tomorrow at 6.
Now she was even more curious.
How will I know what to wear?
We will be outside. That is all you're getting out of me. Back to work, Love you.
Love you too.
She laid her phone back on the bed and got up. She lazily gathered her pajamas and changed into them. She brought her hair up into a messy bun, and walked toward the kitchen. Turning on the kettle to make some tea, she heated up some leftovers while she waited. Once it was done, she walked into the living room and sat on the couch. She placed her food and mug on the coffee table and turned on the TV. She flipped through the channels while sipping on her tea. There wasn't anything good on for a Friday night, so she just kept it on a TV movie while she ate. After finishing her dinner, she began to nod off. The daunting week finally catching up with her. Too tired to even walk to her bedroom, she reached over to the armchair and grabbed the pastel crochet blanket. She turned off the TV, and drifted off to sleep on the couch.
The next evening Anna arrived at John's. She pulled her car into her usual spot and noticed his truck wasn't there. Had she read the text right? She picked up her phone and looked back through the texts. She had read it right, so she got out of the car and walked up the driveway. When she reached the front door she noticed a note taped to it.
Go around back and keep walking towards your right, and don't go inside asking momma for details. She won't give you any. xox
He knew her too well. She went back down the stairs of the porch and rounded the house to the back yard. She had never asked how big his property was and never really thought to ask. The path through the property was mostly clear, and it was a nice walk. Coming to a patch of trees, she saw another note.
Keep going.
The suspense was building now, and she was already feeling excited without even knowing what she was going to find. A few minutes later she found another one.
Almost there.
She sped up her pace as her adrenaline started pumping. She walked a few more minutes until a small stable came into view. Since when did he have a stable? He never mentioned it before. Anna stopped on a dime as she saw John brushing a white and brown horse. She was still out of his line of sight as she watched him carefully run the brush down the side of the beautiful horse. He was dressed casually in a white long sleeve button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up. She could tell he didn't have an under shirt on as the top of his chest came into her line of vision. He was wearing the Levi's that hugged his backside just right and his brown hat and boots. She could stand there and watch him all day but the need to be closer to him was greater. She started walking towards the stable at a slow pace.
"Alright girl your coat is nice and smooth now," John said as he finished brushing the horse. He put the brush back inside the stable and when he walked back out that's when he saw her walking towards him. She looked like a vision in her light blue and white plaid shirt, and her skinny jeans were tucked into her brown boots. Momentarily transfixed by the way her hat looked on her, he was sure he was going to wake up any moment and this would just be a dream. He would never know what he had done to capture her attention.
"Hey stranger," she said with a coy smile.
"Yes, six days without seeing you is far too long. Hello to you too. You look beautiful."
"You're looking rather handsome yourself," she stepped closer to him, "You never mentioned you had a stable."
He cocked his head to one side, "I don't like to show my hand fully Miss Smith."
She answered back playfully, "Is that so? And who might this be?"
"This is Bonnie, and that young man over there is Clyde."
Anna looked over to see a stunning large black horse with a long mane. The stable itself was in excellent condition. It was most likely a way for him to keep a part of his former self in the present, working with the horses.
"Well hello Bonnie," Anna said as she petted the horse.
Bonnie blew air out her nose in reply and they both chuckled.
"I thought we could take a quick ride if you like," he offered as he patted Bonnie's side.
"I haven't ridden in ages."
"You'll be great. Let me get them saddled up and we'll go."
John saddled Bonnie first, and then brought out Clyde and fixed him up too.
"Now, Bonnie can get jealous since she thinks she's my girl, so I'll ride her and you'll ride Clyde."
Anna looked up at the tall, muscular creature with a nervous face, "Are you sure?"
"He's as gentle as a lamb. Trust me."
He helped Anna mount up on Clyde, and when she was settled on top he mounted himself on Bonnie. He took hold of his reins and clicked his tongue and Bonnie started walking. Anna followed suit with Clyde and both horses were in motion. They rode along for a bit before she said, "I had no idea you owned all this property. How big is it?"
"I own forty acres," he answered casually.
Anna turned her head. "Forty acres?" she asked incredulously.
John chuckled, "Remember I told you I bought this as a foreclosure. The land came with it."
"You will never cease to surprise me John Bates."
"Glad to hear it," he replied with a grin.
Continuing on for several minutes, they came upon a small pond and made their way to circle around it.
"Are there any fish in there?" she asked, making sure she didn't guide Clyde into the soggy ground around it.
"Not that I know of. I've tried fishing in it a couple of times. Never caught anything."
"I've went fishing a handful of times. I'll have to try out the pond sometime."
"So you're saying I'm a terrible fisherman," John said teasingly.
"No... Maybe," she said with a smirk.
"You'll pay for that Miss Smith," he said with a wink.
"This was a nice surprise. Thank you for sharing Clyde with me."
"I can tell he has a crush on you already," he said with his brows raised.
She chuckled at his words before saying, "I've always wanted to work with animals you know."
"You never told me that. Why haven't you?"
"After I went to live with auntie Paula, she encouraged me to go to business school instead. She thought it would give me more opportunities, and I guess she was right. Working with DownAbbey opened the door for me to come here."
"And are you happy doing what you do?" He asked sincerely.
"It's a great job, and I do really well at it. I have no room to complain. Maybe one day I could do something with animals, but for now I'm content," she answered honestly.
They made it back to the stable and John situated the horses back in their stalls. Anna was hanging up the last saddle as John spoke, "Time for the next surprise."
Anna's eyes lit up. "What do you mean?"
"Let's get in the truck and we'll find out."
Getting in the truck, John drove out a few more acres until they were in a big open field. He parked the truck and they hopped out. Anna closed the truck door and when she did she saw a fire pit with a metal grating standing over it to her right. John reached into the bed of the truck and grabbed some firewood and matches he had tucked away in the corner. He brought the wood and matches over to the pit and started up a fire, and then went back to the truck and grabbed a cooler, sitting in down near the pit.
"Have you ever had hobo sacks?" He asked as he opened the cooler, and then looked at her.
Anna looked at him like he was growing two extra heads. "Hobo sacks?"
John took that as a no and pulled out two aluminum foil sacks and opened one.
"You fill a piece of aluminum foil with whatever you may like. I chose chicken, veggies, and potatoes. You season it and fold the aluminum foil up to make a sack." He closed the sack back up and placed both of them on the metal grating above the fire. "We'll let them cook over the fire and while we wait..." He placed the lid back on the cooler, and rounded the truck to the driver's side, opening the door. Anna's vision was blocked from seeing what he was doing. He closed the door and Anna heard a faint clicking sound as he was coming back around. He had his lasso in his hands and still not knowing where that sound was coming from she looked down. She stopped breathing when she saw he had the spurs on. She really wasn't sure if her mouth was hanging open because she was frozen to the spot she was standing. Anna still hadn't moved or said a word as he came to stand in front of her. "I believe someone I know had a request that I wear these and show them how to use this," he said in his sexy, growling tone as he lifted the lasso slightly. Finally remembering how to form words, she replied, "Yes, I believe they did." A knot had formed in her throat and she swallowed hard.
"Then allow me to show you Miss Smith."
She nodded and followed him away from the fire. He had set up a couple hay bales and placed them standing vertical.
"Now you want to have the rope looped like this," he was fixing the rope as he spoke.
"Then make sure the small loop is tied off on the end so the large one will stay adjustable. Once we've got that you want to have the length of the rope coiled up in your other hand." He got himself into position. Anna was trying her best to pay attention to his instructions, but all her senses were pulling her to focus on the sight of the spurs instead.
"You'll bring the loop up over your head but a little to the side and rotate your wrist in a circle to get it spinning." He brought the rope up and started spinning it over his head. "You have control over how big the loop gets by keeping your hand on the knot or letting it loose." He let the loop get a little bigger. "Then you'll flick your wrist and aim towards your target then let go."
He spun it around a couple more times then let go. The rope went around the hay bale and he pulled the rope tight to secure the rope on the bale.
"Then you'll pull the rope like I did there when it gets around the target to secure it."
"Now let's have you try."
Anna fidgeted and shifted her weight from foot to foot, thinking she wouldn't be able to do it. He made it look easy.
He gathered the rope and walked back over. As he did she gave him a nervous look.
"I'll help you get it set up and spin it."
This made her feel some better about it.
He stood behind her and placed the coiled part of the rope in her left hand and put the part with the loop in her right.
"See where the rope adjusts."
"Yes." She managed to reply.
Putting his hand on hers, he instructed, "Now we'll bring it up and spin it together."
He grabbed her hand fully and brought both their arms up as the rope started to spin. He let her get the feel of it for a few spins before speaking.
"Do you feel how your wrist is rotating?" He asked.
She nodded, but was feeling a lot more than just that at the moment.
"Now on the count of three we're gonna bring it around and release it."
"1...2...3!" They let go of the rope and it went flying down onto the hay bale.
"Pull!" They both pulled and secured the rope.
"Look at that!" John said with a smile that could break his face in two.
Anna stared at the hay bale in complete shock. "That was only because you were helping me."
"Nonsense you're a natural," he said as he brought his hands to her hips from behind.
"I think I'd rather see you work that rope than me learning Mr. Bates," she said a tad seductively.
He kissed her neck and whispered into her ear, "I do have a few tricks up my sleeve."
Anna thought she was going to melt into the grass right then and there.
"I bet you do."
John released his grip and went to gather up the rope. Anna went to one of the hay bales and pushed it horizontal to sit on it; standing would be a hard task at the moment.
He walked back over to where they were previously standing and gave her a wink. Yep, sitting was a good idea. He began spinning the rope around and Anna's heart rate quicken. He brought the rope straight above his head, slung it down around his body and flung it back up in the air. This was like a private rodeo show just for her and she was loving every second of it, and the spurs made him look even more manly, if that was even possible.
He spun the rope down and was spinning it near the ground as he stepped in the loop and out then he whipped the loop from side to side stepping through it as he did. He really was very good. If he was still lassoing like this after his accident, she could only imagine how good he was before it happened. He did a few more tricks before coming to a stop. She clapped her hands as she stood up and she walked towards him. He tipped his hat with a half smile.
"That was some fine lassoing Mr. Bates," she said as she settled her arms around his middle.
"It's been a long time since I've handled a rope, but it doesn't take long to get back on the saddle."
She reached up, kissed him, and then he said, "I better check on the food." He handed her the rope and walked back over to where the fire was. Rope in hand, she had an idea. Handling the rope like he showed her, she followed quietly behind him. He leaned over and opened a foil pack to see if everything looked cooked then slowly stood back up. As soon as he was beginning to stand, Anna began spinning the rope. He stood up straight and that's when she released the rope. It went down and around him, and she pulled the rope tight to secure her target. She held on tight to the rope and he said, "Someone is a fast learner."
She only giggled.
"You can let me go now," he said with his arms held tight against his sides from the rope.
"And why would I want to do that?" She was trying so hard not to start laughing.
"Anna," he said firmly.
"Yes?" Her resolve wouldn't hold out much longer. She began pulling the rope which was bringing him closer to her.
"I've secured my target, and now I'm ready for my reward," she said the latter in a flirty tone.
"You naughty girl."
She couldn't take it anymore and began to burst into a fit of giggles while still pulling him closer.
"Oh, you think this is funny do you? Just wait until I get out of this rope."
She giggled even more and finally pulled him completely to her.
Still holding the rope tightly, she lifted herself up on her tip toes and kissed him fully. His lips began to move confidently with hers. She completely forgot about the rope and dropped it out of her hands as she brought her hands to the back of his neck. He broke their kiss before either could deepen it.
"Seems you've dropped your rope Miss Smith," he said with a wide grin.
Her eyes widened and she could see a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"John..." she said as she backed up.
He was moving in on her as she turned to run. He grabbed her just in time and started tickling her sides.
In between laughs, she tried to get him to stop, "John! Please stop!"
He stopped when she asked him to, and they were both laughing at how hard she was laughing.
"Fairs fair," John said in a sing song voice.
"Now before I was rendered helpless," he said with a smile. "I was going to tell you the food was almost done, but it's probably done now."
"Wonderful, I'm famished," she replied.
John grabbed a blanket from the truck and laid it down by the fire. He carefully removed both the hobo sacks and sat them on the grass to cool down. The sun was almost completely gone when he pulled out a couple sodas, forks and napkins from the cooler. After the food had cooled some, he sat one by Anna and one by him. They opened them up and began eating from the foil pack.
"This tastes delicious," Anna said after a few bites.
"We used to make these all the time when I was a kid. I loved it when we made them." He took a drink of his soda.
"I can see why. It has a great flavor."
They continued eating as the sky grew darker, and after they had finished he took a large bottle of water out of the cooler to put the fire out.
"I was hoping to catch the meteor shower if you still want to stay," he said, hoping she would want to.
"There's a meteor shower tonight?"
"There is, and it should begin pretty soon."
He walked to the back of the truck and lowered the tailgate. Anna joined him and in the moonlight she saw several comforters, blankets, quilts, and pillows. How she had not noticed them there before now she didn't know.
"You're a smooth operator Mr. Bates."
He smirked. "I only brought them in case you may have wanted to watch the shower and it's more comfortable to lay on these."
"You do this often? Come out here at night?"
"I do from time to time. It helps me clear my head or think about things without distraction."
He took off the spurs, placed them back into the cab, and then climbed into the back of the truck. Spreading out all the comforters and blankets, he placed the pillows on the far end and placed the quilts to the side. He went back to the tailgate and offered his hand to help pull her up. Once they were in the bed of the truck, they took off their hats, laid down on the blankets, and put their heads on the pillows. Anna took the quilts and pulled them over the both of them, snuggling in close to him.
Looking up into the night sky, Anna said, "The sky is so clear tonight, but it seems to be like this most of the time."
"We do have good weather most of the year. It's just the heat that can get to you if you're not used to it. I take it most days weren't the greatest for weather back home?"
"No, the weather in England is nothing like it is here. The sky is rarely this clear, and it's dizzily a lot of the time."
A beat of silence passed between them.
"John?" She spoke quietly.
"Hmm?"
"Do you think I'm fitting in here? In America I mean."
He turned his head to look at her, "Of course I do."
"I just don't want people to think I don't belong here."
He turned on his side to look at her better.
"No one thinks you don't belong here. Everyone loves you and I love you more than anything," he said as he brushed her cheek with his hand.
Anna smiled softly, "And I love you."
The meteor shower began across the sky.
"Oh! It's starting!" Anna said enthusiastically.
They tangled their limbs together as they watched the meteors fall. It was so quiet and peaceful, and the shimmer of the sky was breathtaking. Nature could always provide the most sincere form of beauty.
John shifted his gaze to watch Anna as she took in the night sky. It was like the shower was reflecting off of her, illuminating her in the dark.
"It is so beautiful," Anna said in a whisper.
Without taking his eyes off of her, he replied, "Yes. Yes, it is."
Anna turned her head and gave him a loving smile. She gave him a kiss and pulled him tighter into her embrace.
The atmosphere shifted between them, and the meteor shower was now the last thing on either of their minds. It was nice being out in the night air with no one around but the two of them. He had been out in this field many times by himself but being here with her was no comparison. She hooked her leg over his hip and circled her arm around his middle. No words were needed between them to know what the other was thinking. He brought his hand up to run through her hair. She held onto him tighter as her lips pressed firmly against his. He loved being with her like this. Sure they had only made love one other time, but the skin to skin contact had felt... John broke the kiss and gave her a horrified look. Shit.
Anna thought something was seriously wrong. "John? John are you okay?"
"Anna... last time we..." He felt embarrassed and guilty about what he was trying to say.
"If you don't want to we don't..." She thought he didn't want to take things further.
"God no, please don't think that. Yes, I want to it's just I'm sorry Anna," he stammered.
"Please just tell me John." Now she was getting nervous.
"The last time we were together I didn't use anything." There he said it and felt even worse having to say it.
"You mean...protection?" she asked cautiously.
He nodded, "Anna..."
She stopped him from speaking by putting her fingertips to his mouth. "I'm on the pill John."
"You are? I didn't think..."
"The pill is good for other things too besides birth control," she said as she gave a small smile. "And before you ask no I haven't been with anyone other than you in over a year."
"I wasn't even thinking that Anna," he said, feeling embarrassed.
"Even if you weren't, I still wanted you to know. Now Mr. Bates may we continue or do I need to secure my target again?" she asked with a smirk.
"You are quite the temptress you know that?"
"Yes, I know." She gave him a saucy wink.
He crushed his lips back onto hers as he was undoing her shirt buttons. He only unbuttoned them half way down not wanting to be completely undressed. They were still outside after all. He deepened the kiss as she unbuttoned all his shirt buttons and untucked it from his pants to let the shirt hang open.
She slid her hands up his broad chest and reveled in the feel of his chest hair against her palms. As she fully explored the expanse of his upper body, she ran her tongue along the roof of his mouth. He moaned loudly into her mouth as their tongues danced with each other. He broke their kiss and slowly guided a hand down the front of her body until his fingers were slowly pulling down her zipper.
His arousal was already pressing tightly against his jeans as she removed her boots and wiggled out of her underwear and jeans. She laid back down and he began kissing the tops of her breasts. The feeling was indescribable to her, and she loved the combination of his lips and big strong hands on her body. She groaned into his mouth as he slid his hand up over her center. Dipping his fingers inside, she was already slick with desire.
He moved his lips to her neck placing kisses up to her ear and back down as her hips bucked from his change in rhythm. He thought it amazing how her body reacted from a few touches from him. She panted in his ear as he continued to devour her neck. "Faster John." He became even more rigid at her command and he picked up the pace rubbing over her sweet bundle of nerves over and over again. She gripped his shirt as her breathing became even more erratic, and his name fell from her lips.
In the next moment she came undone, she looked like she was trying to yell out but no words would come out as she rode out her orgasm. John stopped his ministrations and gave her a minute to come back to earth. She gave him a wide smile when she did and pushed him onto his back. "Your turn," she said as she was working his jeans off.
She pulled his jeans down to his ankles and then pulled his boxers down as well. She straddled his calves and reached to take him in her hand. She stroked him once, twice and then began to lean her body over. "Anna, you don't have to do that," he said as he realized what she was about to do. She didn't even acknowledge his statement as she took him fully in her mouth. "Fuck!" he cried out as she took him. She chuckled at his language and he felt the vibrations against him. He clutched onto the blankets to try to keep some form of control. She slid her tongue up his shaft and around his tip as a small bud of moisture gathered there. She ran her tongue over it and took him fully again. "Anna you have no idea. Ahh.. how amazing that feels," he choked out.
She started using her hand in combination with her mouth. He knew he wouldn't last much longer if they continued on like this so he spoke, "Anna, I won't last if we keep going. I need you now." She sucked on him hard on the way back up and released him with a seductive grin. With a growl, he flipped them over and he sank himself into her. Both released an appreciative groan as he filled her completely. This time he went straight to work already moving at a steady pace. He held Anna's hands over her head with his own as he drove himself over and over again into her.
That's the only thing she focused on in that moment. The feel of him entering and exiting her repeatedly. He was everywhere at once, his body completely covering hers, his words sweetly caressing her ear as he claimed her. Anna felt as though she may float away with the amount of intense pleasure he was giving her, so she tighten her grip on his hands.
"Oh, John," she said as her body began to tense, heading towards her end, "John, oh God, John."
"Mm.. sweetie," he whispered ruggedly into her ear.
She lost control in the next moment. Her body shook with an intensity she had not experienced with anyone other than him.
She released her grip on his hands when she came back down from her peak and noticed he had stopped his movements.
"Do continue Mr. Bates," she breathed.
An involuntary groan escaped him as he set his pace, and she gripped tightly onto his muscular back. His breathing became more labored and his thrusts more erratic. The next moment, he furrowed his brow and let out a low groan. His body collapsed onto hers and his breath was hot against her neck. She brought a hand to back his of his neck to keep him there for a moment longer, lingering in the feel of them still being connected. Once his breathing calmed down, he lifted himself up, breaking their connection, and laid down on the blankets facing her.
Anna spoke first, "So, I've never done that in the back of a truck before."
They both broke out into a fit of giggles.
"I haven't either."
She was making lazy circles on his chest when she replied, "I figured you brought all the girls out here."
He turned his head to look her straight in the eyes, "There hasn't been any other girls."
"It's okay you don't have to explain yourself."
"You explained yourself and now it's my turn. I have been with very few women since my divorce which was four years ago, and me and my so-called ex-wife hadn't been intimate for years before then. I didn't bring any of them back to my home or out here. I have honestly never shared with anyone what I share when I'm making love with you, and I know I won't ever again."
Anna's eyes began to fill with tears. She was so so thankful for this man.
"Please don't cry sweetie," he said as he wiped under her eyes.
"They're happy tears. I promise. I feel exactly the same when I'm with you John."
They shared a few more sweet tender kisses when Anna started to shiver.
"You're cold. Of course your cold we're outside at night." John reached for Anna's clothes and handed them to her. He then reached down to his ankles and redressed himself.
Both of them fully dressed again, he lifted the quilts to cover them and snuggled himself in next to Anna.
"I think watching meteor showers is now one of my favorite things to do," she said with a happy sigh.
John just smiled and gave a breathy laugh.
"I rather like it out here with only the two of us. Thank you for sharing your secret place."
"It's no longer just mine, and I will share anything I have with you."
They were quiet for a moment, listening as the crickets played their nightly song, then Anna spoke.
"John?"
"Yes?"
"Can we sleep out here or do you need to go back to the house?" She asked with her eyes closed.
"She'll be okay tonight she knows where we are."
"Okay." She nuzzled into John's neck as sleep began to overtake her.
He listened as her breathing evened out, and as he curled a protective arm around her middle, he whispered, "I love you."
He closed his eyes and let out a deep contented breath. They both drifted off to sleep under the star filled sky.
Next Time: John gets a few surprises.