A/N There wasn't going to be M rated stuff at the end of this chapter, I don't want it to just be about that but I couldn't resist. A bitty chapter, but plenty of fluff. I'm not well versed in football academies, or business so I've tried to keep it as simple as possible.

Disclaimer: Same as chapters 1-20.

'Ladies and gentleman, I'd like to introduce you to the future Mrs John Bates.' John announced, entering his living room.

Anna was home from her promotional tour in the States. After a quick visit to her parents, they made their way to John and Adam's house from the airport. There to greet them were Adam, The Crawley's, Matthew and Tom. Mary was immediately out of her seat, greeting her friend and asking for a glimpse at the ring she had helped John to pick. Robert stood up and made his way to John.

'Congratulations mate,' Robert smiled, shaking John's hand. He looked over at his wife and daughters making a fuss over what, to him, was just a small piece of metal. 'You're a lucky man.'

'And don't I know it?' John nodded, his heart warmed by the sight of Anna so excited.

'How much did the rock set you back?' Robert sighed.

'John, the ring must have cost a fortune,' Tom exclaimed. 'I didn't realise the garage was doing that well.'

'It's beautiful,' Sybil cooed.

'Don't be getting any ideas,' Tom said quickly.

'Listen to the man, Sybil,' Robert added.

Anna stepped away from the group and looked around to see Adam resting on the arm of the chair Matthew was sitting in. Matthew and Adam's shared loved of gadgets had meant they had formed a solid bond, particularly since Matthew became engaged to Mary.

'There he is,' Anna said enthusiastically. 'My new housemate.'

Adam stood up then and made his way towards Anna. He smiled broadly before kissing Anna on the cheek. 'Welcome home.'

'We've got a small feast lined up in the kitchen, Anna,' Edith revealed. 'I hope you're hungry.'

'And don't mind us all being here on your first night back,' Matthew chipped in.

'Yes, we have kind of invaded.' Cora laughed.

'It was my idea,' John said. 'I thought it might be quite nice to have a get together to welcome you home.'

'No, it's lovely to see you all.' Anna insisted. 'You all being here has saved me the bother of walking up the road to show off my ring, anyway.'

'Can we eat now, then?' Adam asked, standing up and walking through to the kitchen.

John sat in bed as he waited for Anna to finish her shower. Although he was disappointed things hadn't gone as planned for her work wise, he was thrilled to have her home and that she would be moving in in time for Christmas. Hearing a noise, he glanced over hopefully at the bedroom door.

'Night Dad,' Adam called from the landing.

John sighed before replying. 'I thought you were already in bed.'

'You woke me when you came up so I went to get a drink.' Adam shouted back.

'Go to sleep,' John said sternly. 'You have school in the morning.'

'Chill out, old dude,' Adam said before John heard his son's bedroom door slamming behind him.

'Yeah, chill old dude,' Anna laughed as she entered the room, just in her robe, her hair wrapped in a towel.

John was transfixed as Anna closed the door behind her and walked towards her bag which she had placed on top of John's chest of drawers. She pulled out her hairdryer before taking hold of her neatly folded pyjamas and tossing them on the end of the bed. Anna caught sight of John staring at her and smirked.

'Can I help you, Mr Bates?' Anna said, cheekily.

'I still can't believe this is all happening,' John whispered, almost as if he said it any louder it would turn out to be a fantasy.

'Well it is,' Anna replied, walking around the bed to sit beside John. She took hold of his hand. 'I'll go around to Mum and Dad's tomorrow and get the rest of my stuff from there.'

'Adam's keen for the three of us to put up the tree together,' John said, rubbing the back of Anna's hand with his thumb. 'I know it's a big step for us, but we need to consider how Adam will be feeling...'

'Of course,' Anna interrupted. 'I don't want to steal his Dad away from him. '

'He adores you, Anna.'

'I'm glad.'

'What about your place down in London?' John asked.

'That reminds me, I need to talk to you. About work stuff.'

'Okay.' John replied, narrowing his gaze on Anna's face.

'I've rented the flat out for the time being,' Anna replied as she stood up and walked back to the chest of drawers, removing the towel from her head to reveal her wet hair. 'I'll still need to travel down to London, albeit infrequently.'

John remained silent. Anna looked at him sympathetically before crawling on the bed towards him. She knelt beside him and stroked his cheek gently. John took in a deep breath and closed his eyes at the contact.

'I will only go to London to promote the new album once it's finished. I'm recording it mostly in Leeds.' Anna explained. 'And Manchester. The contract I originally signed was for three albums. I am obligated to record it. If I wasn't, believe me, I'd be taking a year off so we could get settled together properly. I don't want to be away from you for too long, which is why I pushed for the record label to let me record it up here. They've been good to me, and I want this album to be my best yet.'

'Of course you do.' John smiled, stroking Anna's arm. 'And it will be.'

'And they want me to tour again,' Anna revealed, tentatively. John's face remained emotionless as Anna continued. 'So, what I'm reluctantly suggesting is a long engagement.'

'How long?'

'If we are to do it properly, I can't really see us beginning to plan for the wedding until after next Christmas.'

John nodded. 'Alright.'

'Are you sure?' Anna asked.

'Yes,' John smiled. 'When I asked you to marry me, it was with full understanding of your job and what you have to do.'

'Thank you,' Anna said, smiling softly before leaning towards him and placing a gentle kiss on his lips. 'You do know I'd marry you this second if I could.'

'Alright, I'll go and book the registry office tomorrow.' The look of horror on Anna's face at his suggestion made John chuckle.

'You will not,' Anna said sternly. 'If something deserves being done properly, then it's this.'

'What's improper about a registry office?'

'Nothing at all, I just want the big white dress, a marquee on the lawn,' Anna leant back on her haunches and looked to the ceiling as she imagined how the day would be. 'The church my Mum and Dad married in. Bridemaids in lilac, or maybe a soft pink. A gorgeous man waiting for me at the end of the aisle in top hat and tails...'

'There are two flaws to the lovely scenario you dreamt up there, Anna.'

'What are those?' Anna asked.

'Well, the man standing at the top of the aisle will, one,' John held up his index finger. 'not be in top hat and tails. And two,' John added another finger. ' He will not be gorgeous. It shall be me.'

'We can talk about the top hat and tails later.' Anna replied before running her fingers over the hair on John's chest. 'You are always putting yourself down. You are everything I'm ever going to need. I'm just sorry we have to wait so long.'

'My darling, I'd wait forever for you,' John replied before leaning up and brushing his lips against Anna's.

'It seems you're always waiting for me though,' Anna breathed, a sad tone to her voice. 'I hate being apart from you.'

'Anna, you know I'm not one for empty words.' John sighed. 'I'm not going to lie to you. Being away from you is so difficult...'

'Hearing you say things like that breaks my heart.' Anna interrupted, closing her eyes and bowing her head.

'Let me finish,' John said, resting a finger under Anna's chin and meeting her eyes with his once more. 'I've never loved anyone like this before. You know that. If I had been in this situation with anybody else, it wouldn't be as difficult to say goodbye. And on the other hand, I possibly wouldn't have persevered with it. It's because it's you. I don't mind waiting for you. You are so worth the wait. What we have together is worth the wait. '

'I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am that you will be my husband one day.'

'Then why don't you show me?' John whispered, covering Anna's mouth with his own.

Christmas passed in a blur. John, Anna and Adam spent the day alone together, just the three of them. Anna took on legendary status in Adam's eyes as she presented him with an iPad. Although the gesture made the football boots John bought Adam less as exciting, Adam and John were still out in the garden having a kick-about for most of Christmas morning as Anna insisted she cook them all Christmas dinner.

'I can handle it,' she had said rather huffily to John as she struggled to get the Turkey in the oven.

John left Anna to it and walked back outside, but not before not being able to resist peeking into the kitchen where he saw Anna hacking at the bird with a kitchen knife.

Adam's gift for his father of Just For Men and a mug with the slogan, 'be nice to your kids, they choose your nursing home,' went down well with himself and Anna, but John wasn't as amused. Anna laughed as she also opened a mug with 'World's Greatest Stepmother' emblazoned upon it.

'I knew you both like tea,' Adam shrugged before turning his attentions back to his iPad, his shiny new boots on his feet as his legs hung over the side of the armchair.

Adam was almost forgiven when John received his actual gift of a new wallet, then was forgiven when John opened a remote control car. Anna was touched when Adam gave her a bottle of her favourite perfume.

'It seems I'm giving you too much allowance each month,' John smiled.

'Really, you're not.' Adam replied.

Although having decided not to buy each other a Christmas gift, John couldn't resist sending Anna some roses to the house whilst he returned to work a couple of days after Christmas. Anna then admitted she had bought him a gift before they put the ban on presents, giving John a watch she had bought him whilst in America.

Anna had completed her move to John's fully by the new year. She was delighted recording of her album was to be put back to March so she could generate some sort of normality in her personal life before being thrust back into her work. It also meant she would be able to fully get involved in the festivities of Mary's hen night and then her subsequent wedding which was to be a week later. Mary and Matthew were to marry on Valentines Day, such has always been Mary's dream.

Adam's first training session with White Rose after Christmas had also brought some good news along with it. A scout from Leeds United had been tracking Adam's progress for a while, and invited Adam to have a trial for their youth academy. Although leaving White Rose would be difficult for Adam, it was an opportunity he had to grab with both hands, one that he wanted to make the most of.

'Dad, I can't believe it,' Adam squealed, running into his father's garage, Anna following behind him

'Hello Ads,' Tom smiled as he looked up from the tyre he was fitting. 'What's up?'

'Where's Dad?' Adam shouted back enthusiastically, almost jumping up and down.

'He's under that Ford Focus over there,' Tom pointed, jumping up and down as well, his tone mocking.

John appeared from under the car, his cheeks and forearms covered in oil. 'What's going on out here?'

'Dad, you got a letter today.' Adam said, running to where his Dad was sitting.

'You opened my mail?'

'It had the Leeds crest on it,' Anna stepped in, removing the hat she had been wearing to conceal her identity. 'I let him. We knew what it was going to be about.'

'And?'

'I've been invited to join the Under 16's squad.'

'Seriously?' John smirked before snatching the letter from Adam's hands. He read over the words, confirming what Adam had just told him. 'Blimey son.'

'Isn't it great?' Anna said.

John stood up, his eyes focused on Adam's eyes as he did so. Although he would never push Adam to do something he didn't want to, bedtime and brushing his teeth excepted, it had been John's dream that his son become a footballer. He was still a long way from that, but the words in the letter meant that Adam playing professional football was a little closer to coming to fruition.

'I don't know what to say, son,' John admitted, his voice breaking a little as he wrapped an arm around his son's shoulders.

'Ahh Dad,' Adam said bashfully. 'Please don't cry.'

'I'm just so proud of you,' John replied, sniffing a little.

'Seriously Dad, don't.' Adam added before looking up at his Dad and smiling. 'Looks like we did it, then?'

'Let's not get head of ourselves,' John said gently, giving his son's shoulder a gentle squeeze. 'Give this your all, if you want to, and we'll see where it takes us, eh?'

'Come on, Ads,' Anna said, rubbing the back of his arm. 'Lets go and get a burger to celebrate. Maybe your Dad can join us in a little while.'

'Alright, I'm just going to tell Will, Alf and Joseph,' Adam agreed, nodding at his Dad before moving to the other mechanics on the opposite side of the workshop.

'There is something Tom wants to talk to me about,' John informed Anna. 'But I'll be with you as soon as I can.'

'It can wait,' Tom interrupted.

'No, you said you wanted to talk to me and talk to me you shall,' John replied. 'Wait for me in the office, I've just about finished on the car anyway.'

Tom nodded and walked towards the office, leaving John and Anna alone.

'You are so adorable,' Anna cooed, pinching John's cheek.

'Why?' John smiled, taking hold of Anna's hand and removing it from his face.

'Your face when Adam told you. It was lovely.' Anna replied. 'I can't wait for us to have...'

Anna stopped before she finished her sentence, John narrowed his gaze at her. 'Can't wait for what?'

'Nothing,' Anna shook her head, slightly flustered. 'Adam, let's going shall we?'

'Anna,' John said, smiling although frowning faintly.

'I'll see you later.' Anna whispered, smiling back at John.

John waved as the two of them left before joining Tom in his office. 'I tell you, women can be weird sometimes.'

'You don't have to tell me,' Tom replied. 'Good news about Adam, then?'

'Great news,' John enthused as he moved around to sit at his desk. 'What is it you wanted to talk to me about?' Tom sat in the chair opposite John's desk before leaning forwards. He looked up at John who was waiting in anticipation for Tom to speak. 'Please don't say you are handing in your notice.'

'God no, nothing like that,' Tom shook his head. 'Sybil's pregnant.'

'What? Does Robert know?'

'Yes, and the family do.' Tom nodded. 'Sybil had the three month scan today, that's where I really was this morning.'

'I knew there was something fishy going on when you said were meeting your sister for coffee.'

'Why?'

'Because I know you don't have a sister.' John laughed.

'Oh,' Tom said weakly. 'Why didn't you question me, then?'

'I let it go because of how good you've been to me recently,' John answered. 'And you wouldn't need an hour out of work for no good reason.'

'Thank you,' Tom replied before clearing his throat. 'It wasn't planned. It just happened.'

'How does Robert feel about it?'

'Well, he's not happy,' Tom sighed. 'But I mean to do right. By Sybil and the baby. I love her and although it's a little ahead of schedule, it feels right.'

'Good,' John smiled. 'Everything is alright, with the baby?'

'Yes, everything s perfect.' Tom smiled. 'I believe Sybil and Mary are descending upon you tonight to let you know the good news.'

'Anna probably already knows, Mary tells her everything,' John remarked as he stood up. 'But it will be nice to see them. It always is.'

'That's not everything,' Tom said, standing up to face John.

'Oh?'

'You know how much I love working for you.' Tom began. 'But since I've taken on more responsibility and dealt with the management side a lot more, I've realised I enjoy it. Being involved in the day to day running of the place.'

'I've enjoyed showing you the ropes,' John agreed. 'You've been a godsend to me.'

'You see, I've been thinking about this a lot, and now with the baby and everything, I feel I need to ask this. And in the spirit of, if you don't ask, you don't get...'

'Spit it out, Thomas.' John said impatiently.

'I'd like to become junior partner.' Tom said. 'I have inherited some money, from a relative and I'd like to buy into the business.'

'Tom, I...'

'Hear me out,' Tom said, holding his hands up to stop John from talking. 'The garage is your baby and I would never dream of taking over. But I practically run the place as it is, which I don't mind. But with Anna's time up here so precious, it would free you up even more to spend time with her. It would still be your business, and I wouldn't want any more money than you even though I'd be here more. If I'm honest, I'd just like a bigger cut than I'm getting now.'

John took in a deep breath as he considered Tom's offer. He sat down again, all the time retaining eye contact with his employee. He was right. John would have more time with Anna if Tom was his junior partner in the business. When he thought about it, John trusted Tom implicitly. He had trained him from when Tom left college. They had known each other for fifteen years, spent most of that time working alongside each other. Tom was a skilled mechanic and had proved in the past few months he was a shrewd businessman, gaining more contracts meaning John had the funds to take on a new employee.

'I'll give you some time to mull it over.' Tom suggested.

'I don't need you to,' John replied, straight faced before holding out his hand. 'You've got yourself a deal.'

'Really?' Tom exclaimed, shaking John's hand, replicating Adam's excitement only moments previously.

'Yes,' John nodded. 'I am realising what is important. If you're willing to take on the responsibility that comes with being a junior partner in the business, then I'm all for it.'

'You won't regret it,' Tom said enthusiastically.

'I'll get in contact with my lawyer tomorrow and we can discuss figures and all that sort of stuff.' John said. 'Right now, I'm going to get cleaned up before enjoying a burger with my son and my fiancée.

John sighed as he looked at the clock on the wall. One thirty. In the morning. He would usually be up this late on a Saturday night, or early Sunday morning as it was, but waiting for Anna to come home had never been his favourite pastime. Anna had gone out on the town with Mary for her hen night, taking in a show in Leeds before a private party at the club Mary had booked for Anna's birthday.

Not realising it until he focussed on the television, John had managed to sit through ten episodes of M*A*S*H without even really noticing, the channel he had eventually settled on showing a marathon of the show. Adam was staying at Oliver's house, so he couldn't even lean on his son to relieve the stress and boredom of waiting.

It wasn't that he minded Anna going out, he didn't at all. It was just because of her notoriety, it made her vulnerable and he hoped people would leave her alone. She was a normal person who deserved to do normal things like go for a night out with friends without being troubled.

John's ears pricked up at the sound of a car pulling up outside. Walking to the window and peering around the side of the curtains, he saw Anna exit a rather large taxi. Mary and Cora, clad in tiaras and feather boas, were shouting at Anna to tell John not to be too hard on her for being so late. Edith was willing her relatives to be quiet. John squinted and was sure he could see Sybil asleep, resting her head in Cora's lap. Anna waved at them before the taxi door swung closed. She then turned to walk up the path, John dashing to resume his position sitting on the sofa.

The door opened quietly and then shut, before John heard Anna padding down the hallway. She looked around the doorframe and saw John, staring at the television set.

'Hello,' Anna said softly. 'I wasn't expecting you to still be up.'

'I said I'd wait up for you,' John smiled, sitting up before turning the TV off. 'Good night?'

'So funny, although Mary is drunk out of her skull,' Anna replied, sitting in the armchair and kicking off her heels. John couldn't help himself enjoying the view of her perfect legs stretching out in front of her. 'And Cora. Sybil obviously can't drink and Edith didn't in solidarity.'

'Did you drink?'

'Not really, I did a couple of shots but nothing too out of control,' Anna replied. 'Why do you ask?'

'No reason, I was just wondering how easy you were going to be to seduce tonight,' John smirked before raising his eyebrows.

'You know me, John Bates, I'm not easily seduced.' Anna retorted. John looked at her as if to say they both knew that wasn't true. 'What?'

'Are you going to come over here, or not?' John continued, patting the seat beside him. 'I've missed you tonight.'

'I missed you too,' Anna agreed. 'Let me go and get my pyjamas on, I'll be right back.'

'Why don't I just come up with you?' John suggested, rising to his feet. He walked to Anna and placed his hands on her hips. 'That way we can bypass pyjamas.'

'Mr Bates, control yourself,' Anna replied, pulling away from him. 'I'll be back in a minute.'

John huffed as Anna left. Lying on the sofa now, he suddenly remembered what Anna had begun to say in the garage before she backtracked. He hadn't pursued it, not wanting her to feel uncomfortable but he had wanted to revisit the conversation sooner rather than later. They both knew what she was about to say. If he was honest with himself, John had rarely considered more children, the only time was when he proposed. It was something he wanted though. Wholeheartedly. The joy Adam had brought to his life was immeasurable. Imagine that joy coupled with the happiness he would find in seeing Anna smitten with their child in her arms. John's heart skipped a beat at the thought of it.

Anna appeared at the door, wrapped in her silk dressing gown. 'Room for a little one?'

She manoeuvred herself so she was sitting in between John's legs, much like they had been sitting on the sun lounger in LA overlooking the beach. Except, this time it was in a centrally heated living room in the depths of an English winter.

'How was Sybil?' John asked, trying to keep the subject of babies fresh in his mind.

'Alright, excited bless her.' Anna mused. 'But so young. Cora is worried about her.'

'She's got a strong support network around her,' John replied. 'She'll be fine.'

'Yeah.'

Silence fell then as John tried to broach the subject that Anna had stopped dead a couple of days previously.

'John, what do you want to say?' Anna said finally.

'Me?'

'No,' Anna replied sarcastically. 'The John sitting in the armchair.'

John sighed before deciding to be straight. He was intended to marry the woman in his arms, he could surely talk to her about anything. 'Do you think we'll ever have kids?'

Anna turned to look up at his face, he stared straight back at her. 'What makes you ask that?'

'Well, you were going to say something about kids in the garage the other day,' John replied as Anna protested slightly. 'Don't deny it. And Adam getting into the Leeds under sixteen's has made me realise how much I love being a Dad. The pride they bring you, the feeling that you would die before they came to any harm. How precious it is to love something that much. I want all that all over again. Not now, but when we are ready.'

'I want that too,' Anna answered. 'I've always wanted children.'

'How many?' John asked before kissing Anna lightly on the top of her head.

'Four.'

'Four?' John exclaimed.

'Yeah. A girl and then three boys.'

'That's very specific.' John laughed. 'Why three boys?'

'I guess it's because I only like one girls name,' Anna replied. 'Pathetic isn't it?'

'No,' John chuckled. 'I am finding your musings highly charming.'

'Well I did want five,' Anna continued. 'An older brother to protect the four younger ones.'

'Why not five anymore?'

'Well, they've already got the older brother to protect them, haven't they?'

Just as soon as John believed the woman sitting with him couldn't get any more perfect, she proved him wrong once again. He squeezed her gently around the waist before replying. 'Yes, I guess we have. What names do you like?'

'Olivia for a girl,' Anna said without hesitation. 'Olivia May. Although May is my middle name, it's a family tradition for the daughters on my Mum's side to have that somewhere in their name.'

'Alright, I can agree to that.' John said softly. 'And boys names?'

'I'm a lot more relaxed.' Anna replied. 'You might get a say in that one.'

'Thanks,' John laughed.

Satisfied with having spoken to Anna about what was troubling him, he tried to find some subtle way to change the subject. In the next instance, he was kissing Anna's neck, being treated to her moan.

'God, that feels good,' Anna said. 'Are you back onto trying to seduce me, Mr Bates?'

The way Anna called him that did things to John he couldn't describe. 'I thought I'd give it a try. Can I tempt you upstairs?'

'Why bother?' Anna asked, turning to straddle him. 'Adam's out, no one will interrupt us. Why waste time when we can stay right here?'

John and Anna's lips met in a passionate kiss as Anna's gown fell open a little at the top. It wasn't till then that John realised she was completely naked, underneath her gown.

'I was surprised it took you this long to realise,' Anna said as she took in the darkness that had taken over John's eyes. 'This gown is only made of silk.'

John replied by kissing Anna more feverishly, their tongues tangling as one of John's hands wandered down past Anna's hip before resting on her thigh. Feeling something unusual there, the need to investigate further overtook him as he finished the kiss and reached inside her gown. Anna let out a small laugh as John groaned outwardly once he had discovered what it was Anna was hiding.

'Christ, Anna.'

'Mary had bought each of her hens a garter,' Anna explained. 'I thought I might try it out. Do you like it?'

'I love it,' John growled before taking possession of her mouth once again.

Anna began to try to push her hands underneath John's t shirt, the desire in the way in which he was kissing her enhancing the need to feel his skin under her fingertips. Leaning forward, John allowed her to pull his shirt over his head before she discarded it across the room. Anna's gown joined it shortly afterwards, John's hands roaming all over her body, occasionally grazing over the garter. Anna gasped as she felt John's hardness through his trousers, hot against her thigh. She felt some satisfaction, she was sure the garter and coming downstairs in just the robe had escalated this. Anna would always feel some kind of gratification that she could make a man behave in this way. The fact it was the man she loved with all her heart and soul, only added to the pleasure.

'Shall we remove these?' Anna asked, tugging at John's waistband.

'I thought you'd never ask,' he replied.

Anna allowed him room to remove them before he resumed his position and Anna was leaning over him again almost immediately. Without another word, John took one of Anna's nipples in his mouth, causing her to call out in pleasure. Having had months to learn each other's bodies, John knew how Anna liked to be touched, what turned her on. With Anna hovering over him, he ran a hand down over her breasts, over her belly button, leaving goosebumps as he went, down further to tangle in the garter once more before resting his hand just below her stomach. He could feel Anna tighten her body in anticipation as, with his tongue grazing over her nipple, he pushed his fingers inside her.

'Oh John,' Anna called, moving her hips as soon as she felt John find her centre.

She was already ready for him, John massaging the wetness he found inside her, rubbing gently against the sensitive nub he found there. With John still paying attention to her breasts with his tongue and mouth, Anna felt like she was about to explode. She wanted more.

Taking hold of his arousal in her hands, she felt John's mouth leave her breasts as he groaned at her touch. Moving her hands up and down, it was now John's turn to lose a little self control. He gasped, stilling the movements in his fingers.

'John, I want you. Now.'

'You can have me.'

Anna met John's lips as she positioned herself over the top of him. John rested one hand on her bottom, the other against her thigh where the garter was. Anna slowly pushed down until he drowned inside of her, the heat as John pushed inside Anna as far as he could go taking over all his senses. Anna slumped down so she resting on John's chest, trying to acclimatise to the sensation of them being joined once again.

'I love you,' Anna breathed.

'You just feel better, each and every time we do this.' John whispered into Anna's ear. 'I love how you feel when I'm inside you.'

John's hips began to move once the words had escaped him, Anna sat up and rested her hands on John's shoulders. Leaning up, John began to lick Anna's nipples once again. He looked up at her face as Anna bit her lip, her eyes screwed tightly closed. The sounds emanating from her were noises John would never grow tired of hearing. It was enough to bring John ever closer to his end, the sight of Anna's body writhing above him. He was relieved as Anna called out, slowing her actions before she collapsed against him. John stopped moving his hips as Anna recovered, her soft breaths now calmer against his chest letting him now she was slowly coming back down to earth.

'Sufficiently satisfied, Miss Smith?' John asked, running his hand over the arch of her back.

'Thank you, Mr Bates,' Anna murmured.

After a few moments, John resumed his movements as Anna rested her head on his shoulder. 'I love your shoulders.'

'Hmmm.'

'And your chest. You're just gorgeous.' Anna continued. 'All over.'

'I love you,' John said, his thrusts deeper and not as controlled, Anna knowing instantly he was close.

'I love you too,' Anna said. 'And I also love the feeling of you inside me.'

The candour in Anna's word were enough to send John over the edge.

'God, Anna,' he groaned as he fell back against the arm of the sofa. Anna leant over him, meeting his lips in another kiss.

A little while later, Anna removed the garter before she turned so she was laying between John's legs again, her back leaning against his chest. Looking around, John reached across to the armchair and pulled the throw that was draped over it away before wrapping himself and Anna up in the material.

'You liked the garter then?' Anna asked.

'God yes,' John replied without hesitation. They lay in silence then, enjoying the feelings laying naked together brought them.

'This is nice,' Anna said sleepily as she leaned even more into John's chest.

'You just being with me, is enough to make any situation nice.'

Anna laughed softly, placing her hands on top of John's which were placed on her stomach. She entwined her fingers with his. John closed his eyes and felt himself drifting closer to sleep. Experience told him his leg would complain if he slept on the sofa all night. No matter how good it felt to be lying together at the present moment.

'Are we staying here, or going up to bed?'

No answer. Anna had already fallen asleep. Sighing, John decided he would grin and bear it, Anna looked too peaceful when she was asleep to wake up. Settling as best he could, John kissed Anna softly on the temple before closing his eyes.