Here's chapter 21! Thank you to those who have reviewed so far, I love getting reviews.

Anna looked up as John, Daniel, Emma and Grace walked in, "You four look like you've rolled around in the mud." She said.

"We very nearly did." John said. "The carrot's still haven't dried out completely from the last rain storm."

"And it looks like another one is coming." Daniel said. He stepped carefully, trying not to get mud and dirt inside the house.

"Go change, Rachel said she was doing laundry soon." Anna said.

John pressed a quick kiss to Anna's cheek before moving to their bedroom.

Anna shared a look with Lily. "Men can get dirty." she told the girl, as if sharing a big secret.

"Emma and Grace got dirtier." Lily pointed out, she grabbed the rag and wiped her slate clean. "How do you spell your name?" Lily had soaked up knowledge like a sponge and was already reading and writing small words.

"A-N-N-A." Anna spelled her name carefully.

Lily slowly wrote the letters down. "It's spelled pretty." She said.

"Thank you." Anna said.

"Anna, could you come here for a moment?" John called.

"Write out your name." Anna directed Lily as she got up and went to hers and John's bedroom. "Yes, John?"

"I think I got some mud on my back, could you...?" He trailed off as Anna nodded and took the rag from him. She smiled as her hands moved over him. He felt good and solid beneath her. His braces hung at his side, a sudden surprising reminder of the times he'd walked around their cottage in just his pants. She let her eyes roam his body, she had always loved seeing his muscles and the sight of them before her gave her a silent thrill. The now unfamiliar desire made her feel racy, but why not? She was a married woman and these feelings were for her husband.

"Did you strip first?" Anna teased. "Before rolling in the mud?"

"No." John huffed, she could see his jaw was set and he gripped the sides of the dresser in front of him.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm fine."

"Is it your leg?" Anna asked.

"I'm fine, Anna."

"John," She dropped the rag into the bowl on the dresser and moved so she could look her husband in the eye. "Is it your leg?" Her voice was insistent.

"No, it's not."

"Well then what is it?" Anna reached up to touch her husband's cheek. John hesitated and Anna grew concerned, "What is it?"

"Do you know how good it feels, your hands on my back?" John asked.

"Probably about as good as it feels to touch your back." Anna replied quietly.

At his abrupt turn away from her, Anna wondered if she'd said the wrong thing. "John?" she swallowed and spoke again. "Did I say something wrong?"

John turned around to face her, shaking his head before speaking. "No Anna, I just..." He looked down, but then back up to look her in the eyes. The desire on his face made her gulp. "I don't want to push you." He said finally. "I told you that you say how..." he cleared his throat. "How physical we are." Anna's head rocked back in understanding as John pulled her close, she could feel his desire. Both need and revulsion welled up in her.

"I was serious when I said I wanted a bigger bed and more time." Anna told him, the sudden look on John's face made her desire rise above the revulsion.

"I know." When John spoke it came out strained like he was having a hard time keeping control of himself. John's hands came up to cup Anna's face, "I very much want the same thing."

She went up onto her tiptoes to kiss him, and found herself pinned against the dresser, one of John's hands buried itself in her hair, cupping her face back so he could have better access to her.

"God Anna." John pulled away to kiss her neck, she whimpered at the contact, her hands gripped John, one arm around his back and the other gripped his hair. Faintly she registered that the dresser drawer knobs were digging into her back, but the touch of John's hands on her body drove any other thought from her mind. She ran her hands through John's chest hair, he pulled away to look at her, his eyes dark with desire.

"Do we have the time?" Anna's question came out as a whisper, "Supper should be in half an hour."

"No." John pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek. "Once we get started, I'm going to spend as long as I can, kissing, touching, caressing, you will cry out in pleasure like it's our first time." John breathed, one of his hands held one of hers, his thumb ran across her knuckles.

"I don't think I've ever wanted you this badly." Anna knew she wasn't helping John, saying this but the desire to have John was overwhelming.

John lowered his head and kissed her again, but they jerked apart when there was a knock on their door. "Anna!" It was Rachel. "Come out here, it's about Lily."

"I'll be out in a moment," Anna called to her sister in law. "Tonight... if we can..." Anna started.

"Go," John pulled away, "I know you worry about Lily." Anna's mouth worked for a moment and John smiled, "Go." he turned her towards the door.

"What is it?" Anna asked, entering the kitchen, there was a bag on the table, it was mostly empty but she could tell there were a few things inside it.

"Mrs. Patterson came by with this." Rachel pointed to the bag, "said Lily was to spend the rest of harvest with us, they have no need for in their words; a lame girl."

"She twisted her ankle!" Anna protested. "And she's been a great help in the house."

"Well apparently they don't want her in their house." Daniel looked disgusted. "She's ten, give her a chance to recover."

"Where is Lily?"

"She's out feeding the horses with Ben, Ruth and Michael," Mama said. "She didn't see Mrs. Patterson here."

"Good." Anna said, "Well at least they were honest and are wiling to let her stay here," she looked up at her parents and then looked to Daniel and Rachel. "If we've got the room for her."

"We'll make room." Mama insisted. "She needs some fattening up, she looks like she's closer to Michael's age rather then Ruth's. And she's clearly bonding with you, Anna."

"She's a sweet girl, it would be hard not to like her." Anna murmured.

"You're a regular mother to that girl." John's voice made her turn. He had changed and was now entering the kitchen.

"She needs a family, a real one." Anna said.

"If we had the money, we'd take her in permanently." Rachel said, "Even Daniel was saying that last night, weren't you?"

Daniel nodded, "But we'd have to take in the set, both her and Jacob and we don't have the money for that."

Without meaning to, Anna looked behind her to John, she could see by the look on her face that he wanted to take in Jacob and Lily as well, she sucked in a breath. "John, I need to talk to you, privately, could we go outside?"

John nodded, "all right."

"I don't mean to heap this on you, but could you watch after Lily while I talk with John?" Anna asked the group at large, with a nod from both Rachel and her mother, she turned back to John. "Outside."

They pulled on coats and Anna led the way to the tree where she'd had her pity party earlier in the day. "John," when they were under the protective branches Anna didn't waste time with small talk. "If we can find a hotel near here..." she began.

"I'd love to." John interrupted.

Anna couldn't stop the grin. "You'd want to take in Lily and Jacob in, if we could find a place near here?"

"Today in the fields, I kept telling myself that I wasn't working with my son, but it felt right." John said. "And coming in, seeing the two of you at the table..." he trailed off.

Anna threw her arms around John, he held her close. "Me too." Anna said. "And I was worried I'd have to convince you."

"I kept expecting Lily to call you mother, this morning." John said.

Anna giggled, "I was thinking it, whenever Lily would say something." Her arms loosened and she stepped back, suddenly serious.

"What is it?"

"I don't want to get their hopes up but then not be able to take them in." Anna said.

John sent her a comforting smile. "Let's get a hotel first." he said, he took one of Anna's hands, and turned, "Let's go ask in the house if there's a hotel near by for sale." Anna nodded and they made their way back to the house.

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