Chapter XVI
As John had promised, he was back on the Moretti project that very same day. Joe hadn't been very happy that he wouldn't be able to spend as much time with Anna as he had anticipated, but he kept his feelings to himself.
It felt really good to have John back at her side, Anna thought a few days after their little talk, as the whole team was gathered in his office. They were reviewing the work they had done through the week and making sure everything would be ready for Monday, when Green would join their team.
John was leaning on his desk, talking about the things that still had to be done by the end of the day, when she caught herself staring at him. He wasn't just handsome; he was also so unbelievably good at what he did.
Nothing much had really changed between them during the week, except that he smiled a lot more and a lot more brightly when she was in the room. She hadn't noticed it at first, not until Thomas had pointed it out to her. And he was right.
John had really softened up since they had openly admitted that they liked each other, but that was about it. Anna still had no idea if he was ever going to act on his feelings, but right now just knowing that he was making an effort was enough for her.
''That's it for now, people.'' John straightened up. ''Please try to have that done by six, Smith,'' he added, as his office emptied.
''Sorry, what?'' Anna looked at him blankly when she heard her name.
''The colour palette?'' he smiled, noticing her blush.
''Oh, yes, I'll do my best,'' she said quickly and stood up.
''You always do,'' John whispered to himself with a grin as she walked out of his office. She might not realize it, but he had seen her staring at him throughout the entire meeting. And although he was trying his best to resist, he had to admit that he quite liked it.
xXx
''You have a visitor,'' Thomas stated as he knocked on Anna's office door later that day.
''Who is it?'' Anna looked up from her work as none other than Alex Green walked past Thomas into the room.
''Hello, gorgeous!'' The man smiled, walked over to her, and placed an unwelcome kiss on her cheek.
''Mr. Green, w-what are you doing here? I thought you wouldn't be in town until tomorrow…?''
''Anna, please call me Alex,'' he smiled. ''We finished in Rome earlier than expected, so Mr. Moretti said I should not waste any time getting here. So here I am.''
''Oh, that's nice.'' Anna said politely, not quite sure how she felt about his presence. With everything that had happened with John in the few last days, Mr. Green had been the farthest thing from her mind.
''I have seven o'clock dinner reservations at my hotel. I do hope you'll join me. I'm staying at the Golden Lion. Room 27.''
''Well, that's nice of you, but I have…''
''Oh, come on, Anna,'' he urged. ''You promised we'd go for a drink when I…''
''I really can't. Mr Bates is expecting this to be done by six o'clock.''
''Oh, forget about what that old fart wants,'' Green snickered. ''It's Friday!''
''I know…'' Anna smiled tightly, not appreciating the way that he was talking about John. ''…but this needs to be finished today.'' Suddenly she felt very uncomfortable being alone with him.
''Anna…'' He sat down on her desk. ''…I really thought you'd call me.''
''I was busy,'' Anna replied. She had no idea why he was acting this way, but he seemed like a completely different man to the one she had met in Rome. All of his charm was gone.
''With your man, you mean?''
''Maybe.'' Anna suddenly felt annoyed. This wasn't friendly banter like they'd exchanged on the day they'd met; this was something very different. He was pushing her, and if there was one thing Anna Smith hated, it was being pushed into doing something that didn't feel right to her.
''Well, lucky him,'' he snorted. ''Are you sure you don't want to join me? I'd love to spend some time alone with you. You know, since we hit it off so well last time.''
''As I told you, I'm busy.''
''Anna…''
''I believe Miss Smith said that she was busy, Mr. Green.''
''John.'' Green immediately got up from Anna's desk.
''That would be Mr. Bates to you,'' John said coldly, not in the mood for his bullshit. He knew him too well to give him any leeway. ''And I do believe our meeting is to take place on Monday. Until then, I'd advise you not to bother my employees while they are doing all they can to ensure our business starts on time.''
''And I'd like you to remember that I'm supposed to report to Mr. Moretti on our progress every week.'' Green walked over to John and stared directly into his eyes.
''You do that.''
''I will.''
''Good.'' John said icily, not taking his gaze off of him. If Green thought he could walk into his firm and act like he owned the place, he had another thing coming. ''Until then, see you on Monday, Mr. Green.''
''You can count on it,'' Green hissed, and then turned to Anna. ''You know where to find me if you change your mind, babe.'' He winked at her slyly, then walked out of the room.
''Are you OK?'' John turned to Anna, who had, for a second, thought that the two men had been about to exchange more than words.
''Um, yes, thank you.'' Anna smiled at him, grateful he'd arrived when he did.
''Good.'' He nodded in understanding. ''Well, I'll leave you to it, then.''
'''Ohh, and I'm almost done.'' She pointed to her computer screen.
''Take your time. I'll be in my office when you're ready.''
''OK.''
Walking out of her office, John paused at the door and turned back. ''I know you two hit it off in Rome, but please don't hesitate to let me know if he crosses the line.''
''I…''
''Because he will cross it, no matter what you say or do. He always does.''
''All right. Thank you,'' she smiled weakly. He had warned her about Green in Rome, and at that time she had thought he was only doing it to annoy her. But after today, Anna realized that he wasn't kidding. There was something fishy about Green.
''Good,'' he smiled.
''Mr. Bates?'' she called, when he was already out in the hall.
''Yes?'' His head popped back through the door almost immediately.
''We did seem to hit it off at first, Green and I, but I don't...I mean, we don't…'' she ventured. She wanted him to know that nothing would ever happen between her and Green.
''Just…be careful,'' John said with concern, then turned and walked away.
xXx
''Anna! How nice to see you!?'' Robert exclaimed, when Anna walked into John's office about an hour later, standing quickly to give her a hug.
''Mr. Crawley!'' Anna smiled, surprised to see him there.
''How many times must I tell you, please call me Robert.''
''How is John treating you, then?'' He gestured for her to sit, pointing to the chair next to his and opposite John, who was sitting quietly behind his desk, his cheeks still red from arguing with Robert over what it meant that Anna had shown up at his place the other day.
''Umm, well. Really well.'' Anna's face reddened.
''Great! Good! Sit! Sit!'' Robert urged once again, noticing that she was still standing awkwardly.
Anna wasn't sure what to do. Whatever Robert said, John was still her boss and this was still his office.
''I…I don't…I just brought this for Jo-, I mean Mr. Bates.'' Oh, for god's sake, Anna! Get yourself out of here, now!
''Thank you.'' John took the file from her. Hearing her almost call him by his Christian name for some reason made him feel warm all over in the best possible way. For god's sake, Robert - don't…don't you dare…
''Would you like to join us for dinner at the pub?'' Robert offered before John could redirect the conversation.
''What?!'' both Anna and John said simultaneously, but Robert ignored them. He was done playing John's game. If John wasn't going to do anything to move forward with her, Robert would do what he could to help him.
''Come on, it will be just me, Cora, and John. I know Cora is dying to catch up with you, what do you say!?'' Robert urged, thrilled to have a chance to play a matchmaker for his best mate, even though he could feel John's eyes boring into him.
''I'd love to, but…'' Anna finally stammered. ''…I don't want to bother you, and I…''
''Nonsense. John, tell her to come. It'll be fun!'' He finally looked at John, who still could not believe what Robert was doing to him.
Fun for whom? For Robert?! It definitely would not be for him, John thought. He couldn't let himself get too close to her, and yet he couldn't shake the feeling that he already had. Much too close.
''It's OK, you don't need to…'' Anna began, but Robert wouldn't let it go.
''Come on, get your things and let's go! My treat, don't worry!'' he chattered on, not stopping to even take a breath.
''But I…''
''Come on, come on. You can show me your office on the way.'' Robert stood up and started herding her out of the office, ignoring the tight sounds of protest from the back of John's throat. ''John, let's go!'' he called back, before closing the door behind them.
You're a dead man, Robert, John muttered to himself, as he turned his computer off. Silently he hoped that he would be strong enough to survive the evening without falling even more in love with his interior designer.
He couldn't have been more wrong….
beta! ANNAMBATES! thank you! xoxo