Chapter XV

When Anna arrived at the address Thomas had texted her - soon after she had left her flat, but not before she had explained to him why she needed their boss's address before six in the morning - she could see that a light was on in one of the rooms…the only room with a light on the whole street.

So…he was awake, Anna thought, still sitting in her car, parked just a few feet from his driveway.

Anna, what the hell are you doing? She was certainly losing her mind, driving across town to make him talk to her about things he had already made clear that he didn't want to discuss.

It would be much easier to just start the engine and drive away, pretending that nothing had happened between them…not in Rome and not in her kitchen just a few hours ago. But Anna knew she could not continue working with the man without clearing the air.

''Now or never,'' she whispered under her breath, and got out of the car.

His neighbourhood was nice and quiet, she thought, as she slowly but determinedly made her way towards the front door of his cottage.

She rested her fist against the cold wood, took a deep breath, and then knocked loudly.

It took only a few moments before she could hear movement behind the door and then, before she knew it, he was standing in front her, bare-chested, a simple white towel wrapped around his waist, his hair wet, and shock written all over his face.

''I...wh-...Smith, what...I mean...what are you doing here?'' She was definitely the last person he would have expected to show up at his place at this time of the day…or maybe ever.

''I...I...'' Ohh god, Anna thought, why in the world did he have to be so damn gorgeous, standing there, effortlessly looking like a Greek god. All she had to do would be to stretch out her hand and then she would be able to run her fingers through his dark, damp chest hair, over his solid abs, and under that towe-...

''Smith?'' His voice brought her back to reality, making her blush on the spot. She could only hope that he hadn't seen her staring...but she was sure he had.

''I…I need to talk to you,'' she stammered, finally looking up into his eyes.

''Can't we discuss this at the office?'' he blurted, afraid of what she wanted to discuss.

''No, we really can't,'' she replied with all the confidence she still had in her, and folded her arms across her chest, holding herself in place, trying to keep her eyes from drifting over his bare torso once again.

''All right, come in, then,'' John said, after a long pause, and he moved aside for her to enter. He had promised Robert to give whatever this might be between them a chance, so he might as well start being a little more open now.

He was also nursing a massive headache, a result of the countless beers he and Robert had downed the evening before, which really gave him no choice but to listen to what she had to say.

''Thank you.'' She walked past him, trying not to brush against him on her way in.

''Can I get you something? Coffee? Tea?'' he asked, as he closed the door behind them and walked down the hall towards the kitchen. Anna followed him slowly, trying not to stare at his bum.

''How about a shirt?'' she chuckled, before she could stop herself. If she wanted to get this right, she desperately needed him to put some clothes on.

''Sorry?'' He looked at her in surprise.

''Khm...'' she coughed and pointed up and down his bare form with her finger.

Looking down, John finally realized he was standing in front of her with almost nothing on, and it was his turn to blush.

''Oh, my god, I'm so sorry!'' he said quickly. ''Just give me a second.''

''Make yourself comfortable!'' he shouted from the hallway.

And she did. She sat down on one of the bar chairs by the window and looked around the room. Whoever had furnished it had very good taste, she thought. Maybe his wife?

Wife.

He had a wife, for god's sake. What was she even doing here? He had been very clear that he was done talking to her about his life, so why in world was she here?!

Anna felt her panic resurface. But before she could make a move to leave, a tiny orange kitten jumped in front of her.

''Well, hello, you.'' She leaned down and lifted the cat into her arms. ''Where did you come from, hmm?'' She ran her fingers through its soft fur and down its back. The little ball of fur just purred in response.

John could not be this perfect, Anna thought, gazing down at the adorable little munchkin, who started playing with its little tail while lying in her arms.

''I see you've met my roommate,'' John's voice filled the room a few moments later, making Anna look up.

Seeing him, she couldn't decide if it was even harder now than when he was half naked. He was wearing a white V neck which suited him perfectly, a hint of chest hair poking out of the collar, and black shorts. To make it even worse, he was barefoot.

''Her name is Mer,'' he offered, as he leaned on the kitchen island, making sure there was something between them. He still could not trust himself when he was alone with her. Not after Rome, and especially not after yesterday.

''Mer?'' Anna chuckled and put the wriggling cat back on the floor.

''Robert's youngest daughter's idea.''

''Ohhhh.'' Anna immediately understood. ''From Brave, right?''

''Yes.'' John smiled. ''I never asked Robert, but how do you two know each other?''

''I gave a few Maths lessons to Mary a couple of years ago,'' Anna explained. ''And babysat little Sybil when she was just a baby. It was Robert's mother's idea, really. She knew my granddad.''

''Oh?''

''He was a gardener to the late Mr. Crawley and, after he died, Robert's family was kind enough to keep my granddad on. He was quite a rose master and the countess loved having her garden full of roses. Especially the pin-...''

''…pink ones,'' John finished her sentence, realisation dawning suddenly. ''They were called Anna's Love.''

''Yes. My granddad grew them just for me.'' Anna smiled, remembering her late papa.

''They were gorgeous.'' John's eyes pierced hers.

''They were.'' She stared into his dark eyes, almost forgetting the real reason she had come to see him. ''But enough about that. The reason I came is because I need to get something out of my system.''

''Smit-…I mean Anna...'' he began, intent on stopping her when he saw how serious she had suddenly become.

''No, listen.'' She walked closer and stopped on the other side of the kitchen island, opposite him. ''I've been up all night because of our talk yesterday, and I can't do what you ask.''

''What do you mean?''

''I can't pretend that there is nothing going on between us.'' There - she had finally said it.

''Smith...''

''No, just let me finish. Please.'' She looked him directly in the eye, and he knew he could not deny her anything.

''I heard what you said yesterday, and I could understand and respect that, but the thing is...you said you have feelings for me, and then asked me to just forget about them. I can't do that...because the thing is…I feel something, too.''

She had no idea when she had last been so brave when it came to voicing her own feelings about something so personal. But she didn't care. She was 28 years old, and she was done playing stupid games with the opposite sex. If he liked her, he should be man enough to do something about it. If not, well, then he should simply leave her alone.

''Don't say that,'' John whispered. It was out in the open. They liked each other. She was literally giving him the green light to act on his feelings.

''Go on a date with me?'' she blurted, completely ignoring his words.

''What?!'' His head shot up, not quite sure if he had heard her right.

''You, me, a date,'' she said boldly.

''You can't be serious.'' He laughed, but quickly stopped when he saw how dead serious she was.

''You do know that I'm a married man,'' he reminded her quickly. Anything to push the silly notion out of her head.

''I do. But I also know you've been separated for quite a while.''

''Yes, but...'' he protested weakly.

Anna, however, wasn't about to let him off the hook. She was done being pushed away because he was afraid or whatever this was about.

''Yes or no, Mr. Bates?''

''I don't thin-…''

''Yes or no?'' she interrupted again, gazing at him with her ocean blue eyes that he loved so much.

He had no idea what to say. He wanted to scream yes at the top of his lungs, but the words were stuck in his throat. He looked down.

''Look at me.''

John suddenly felt her gentle hand on his shoulder and his eyes met hers again.

''I love my job, but I can't keep working for you if we don't resolve this. I wish I could, but I know myself. I'd end up hating it. And I don't want that.''

Her palm cupped his left cheek. ''I like you, Mr. Bates,'' she admitted softly.

''And I like you,'' he whispered into her palm, forgetting about his fears for just a moment. It felt so good to be touched by her. ''A lot more than I should.''

Anna could not help but smile at him, but then he turned his eyes on her and said, ''But my answer must still be no.''

''But...'' she began.

''I can't go on a date with you, but if you still want to work with me, I can rejoin the Moretti project...starting today.''

''There was never another project, was there?'' Anna had to smile.

''No.'' He was glad that she didn't seem upset with him.

Baby steps, he thought to himself. Robert was right - he needed to at least give it a try. No matter how scared he was, he owed it to himself to try.

''All right.'' Anna nodded, realizing that this was the best he could give her at the moment. She could do with just being friends with him, at least for now. ''Welcome back to the team, Mr. Bates.''

''Thank you, Miss Smith.''

''So…does that coffee or tea offer still stand or should I stop embarrassing myself and get the hell out of your house?'' She removed her hand from his face with a grin.

''Milk and no sugar, right?'' He stepped away to get her a mug.

''How did you know?'' She looked at him, surprised.

''You should know by now that I know a lot more than people think I do,'' he said with a wink, as he poured her drink.

''So do I.'' She winked back, making him laugh as he knew she was also right.

She had been at the company for just a few months, and already she knew more about him than any other person in the office, except Joe.

Baby steps, John, baby steps, he thought to himself, as he handed her the mug and smiled.

YES! We are still alive! haha Happy New Year my dear follower.. i hope you are doing well and i do hope you are still interested in this fic...my lovely beta: ANNAMBATES