Christian's POV

As I walk through my front door, the guys upstairs playing some game on the Xbox, their rowdy shouts echoing through the whole house. I take the stairs up the main floor and find them both slumped on the couch, fingers furiously jabbing at the controllers. They're so engrossed in their game they don't hear me come in, so I take the opportunity to scare the crap out of them.

"BOO!" I yell when I get up behind them, both startle at my voice though Elliot scares more than Taylor guess all the marine training really does help with reflexes.

"Asshole." Elliot says while Taylor just flips me the middle finger, a series of loud explosions ring out on screen as they both die and untimely death.

"You killed us, you dickhead." Taylor says throwing the controller on the couch and sulking off to the kitchen, while all I can do is laugh though if it was the other way around, I know I'd react the same way and so would he so I don't feel bad.

"Someone's in a good mood, did you finally get your dick wet? How longs it been six months? A year? No wonder you'r smiling." My brother ladies and gentlemen.

"Not everything is about sex you know."

"Yeah, yeah. Not everything is but wouldn't life be so much better if it was?"

"How you get anyone to sleep with you is beyond me." I shake my head before jumping the back of the couch and planting myself in Taylor's vacated spot.

"Can't tell you that or I would lose out on good pussy." I roll my eyes. "So, if you've got blue balls why are you smiling?"

"No reason."

"Yeah right? You finally kissed her, didn't you? About damn time."

"Not a word. Okay? I don't know what she wants to tell people so keep your mouth shut."

"You're doing the walk of shame; you still have on the same clothes you had on like thirty-six hours ago. You really think they aren't going to notice?" He points in the direction of the kitchen.

"I don't care what they think, it's what they know. You know she doesn't like the be teased and you know what they're like, especially Kate, love to tease so. Not. A. Word."

"Jeez, don't get your panties in a wad. My mouth is shut."

"Thank you."

"You packed yet?" He asks pointing to the suitcases already lines up ready for our trip.

"Nah but it will take me like half hour." Given its just after four I've got enough time until we need to leave at around five.

Deciding I need a snack before I pack my stuff, I wander off to the kitchen to see what we have. Kate and Gail are in the kitchen making some kind of snacks, I assume for the car ride or for when we're away. Even though I'm excited about this trip up to the Hamptons, I know that it means the end of our summer because when all come back, we'll all be staring our new jobs. Plus, I won't have the freedom to see Ana whenever I want, and in a couple of weeks when she has her cast off she'll be going back to work as well which means that well have virtually opposing schedules so I really may only get to see her on the weekends. Which is really going to suck. Because although we've been hanging out all summer, things have only really changed between the last few days so we haven't had the chance to see where things will go. I know I shouldn't be this hung up on a girl I've only really just met but there is just something about her that draws me in, and I don't wanna let go.

"Hey, Ana." Kate says answering her phone pulling me out of my head. "Yeah, of course, you can borrow a bathing suit. We're the same size so they should fit. What one do you want, I've got a navy blue with white polka dot, an all-black and a purple one. Ah tell you what I'll bring them all and you can wear whichever one you want, plus it would be good to have once for the beach as well as one for the pool." Kate nods along to whatever Ana is saying. "Erm I don't know what about a long sleeve shirt that would cover you and if it's not too thick it shouldn't make you too hot either. You do know you don't need a shirt to cover up though right none of us care about your scars, right?"

Before Kate has anything further to say I stealing one of the chips she's snacking on right out of her hand before taking her phone.

"Hey."

"Oh hey." Ana says faltering for a moment when she realizes it's me, not Kate.

"Kate's right you know, none of us are going to care. But I know how you feel about them so do you want me to bring a few of my old shirts with me so you can use them as a cover-up and then if you want we can buy you some more fancy cover-ups while were up there?"

"Uh yeah, that would be great. Thank you."

"You're welcome. But just so you know I think you'll look beautiful no matter what you wear." I hang up before she has a chance to disagree, I can almost see the blush no doubt already gracing her cheeks. I hand the phone back to Kate stealing a few more chips which makes her shove me away before heading for the stair to mine and Elliot's rooms.

Grabbing the suitcase from the top of my closet, I open it on the bed and start bunging clothes in, we're only going to the beach for a week I don't need to think about what I'm packing. As long as I've got swimming trunks, shorts, a few t-shirts, shoes and a couple of nice outfits in case we want to go out I'll be fine. In less than ten minutes I've got everything ready, the suitcase zipped, and I've changed into something a bit more conducive to the weather, settling on my bed I spend my remaining time searching out a nice restaurant to take Ana to while we're in the Hamptons. Because even though we've slept together twice I still haven't taken her out on a date and that just doesn't sit right with me, it doesn't take me long to find a nice place, with good reviews, I bookmark it on my phone before heading down to the rest of group.

As I walk down the stairs into the living room, I spot the rest of the group on the couch, I place my suitcase with theirs and go the kitchen to grab a bottle of water for the drive. Looking at them all on the couch I wonder how long it will be like this, how long before Gail and Taylor move out and get a place of their own because I know one day they will, hell maybe they'll end up living on base wherever he gets deployed. It'll kind of crazy to live in a normal house, my parents brought this house a few years ago as an investment piece intending to redo it and then maybe sell it, don't ask me why because really they have enough going on in their lives without all the added stress of developing something. But I'm really glad they did because it's allowed us to build the perfect house for all of us to live.

I remember how confused Ana was the first time she came over, I mean this house isn't really built like others. We live in your typical brownstone on the upper east side at least it looks that way from the outside after we all decided that we're going to go to various New York colleges, my parents decided that they were going to remodel this house to fit out needs. So, they reconfigured the first floor to have two bedrooms instead of the usual kitchen and living spaces, Kate and Gail have the first floor to themselves. Seeing as Taylor doesn't technically live here, he never got his own room because when we all moved in, he was away at basic training and we all knew he would be sharing with Gail anyway we didn't bother to build him another room. So, we could all have what felt more like our own spaces, my parents redecorated the third floor so Elliot and I could have our own rooms there. They also converted the second floor to house the kitchen, dining room and living room so we had a sort of communal floor for us all to hang out, as well as the basement, is kinda one big game room with our laundry room attached. My favorite part is the fourth-floor roof garden, which we make full use of all summer round with our barbeque and games table.

"You ready to go?" Kate asks.

"Yeah let's go get Ana. Then we can head off."

We all walk the block to where our car is parked because lord knows you can't get parking outside your house in Manhattan. Plus given where we live Elliot and I don't need our own car we pretty much only use the car to drive up to the Hamptons or upstate because driving in Manhattan is pretty much anyone's idea of hell. Even though its five-thirty on a Saturday evening the roads are still pretty busy, so it takes us about fifteen minutes to get to Ana's, by some minor miracle there's a space right outside her building so we pull up outside. I ditch the rest of the group because they all claim it's too hot outside to leave the car, wimps. When Ana opens her door, she's changed into a light floral blouse and high waisted denim shorts that make her legs look impossibly long, she takes my breath away.

"You look good." I say pulling her to me and planting a soft but lingering kiss on her lips which evidently isn't long enough because she pulls me back for more when I try to end it.

"You're not so bad yourself." She says giving me a once over.

"You ready to go?" I ask.

"Yeah. Erm, I was thinking would it be possible for us to take my car, I just… wanna take Ben and I don't think we'll all fit in your car with all the luggage. I mean I know I can't drive because I'm no longer seizure-free but if you don't mind driving, we could take mine and then Ben can come."

"Of course, I don't mind driving. Plus, this way I get to spend more time with you." I say once again taking her lips. "Speaking of which did you want to tell the rest of the group, I mean Elliot knows we kissed because he guessed but I didn't tell him anything else. I wanted to know what you wanted to do first."

"I don't mind if they know I don't think they are going to have a problem with it, I'm pretty sure they've been trying to push us together, all those times they've made us partners in a game and all. So, I say let's tell them plus it will give us an excuse to ride together and no one else to tag along, that way it will only be the two of us fighting over music." She smiles up at me with her arms around my waist.

"Sounds good to me." I say pulling back to pet Ben and grab her suitcase because there is no way I'm letting her drag it around with only one arm, plus she has to take Ben's leash.

We hold hands all the way down in the elevator and out to the car before we're even out of the main door Kate is out the car and stepping towards us.

"I fucking knew it. I knew you two had a thing for each other. Elliot, you owe me ten bucks."

"You bet on us?" I kiss Ana's hair before pulling back from her and putting her case in the trunk with the rest of our stuff.

"Of course, we did. You can cut the sexual tension between you two with a knife." Kate says like it's that obvious.

"Like you're one to talk." I swear I hear Ana mutter under her breath as I step back to her pulling her to my side but no one else seems to hear.

"Here you go." Elliot says leaning out the driver side window handing Kate her money.

"Thank you." She says doing a little happy dance. "Oh, is Ben coming?"

"Yeah I didn't really want to leave him for such a long time. Is that going to be okay with your parents?" Ana asks looking up at me.

"Yeah it will be fine, Mom loves dogs and it's not like Ben is some untrained monster is going to tear the place apart. In fact, he'll probably take better care of it that Elliot will."

"Hey! I resent that remark." Elliot says trying to seem like he's offended when we both know I'm telling the truth. I still don't think Mom has forgiven him for the time he got so drunk he threw up on the sofa and someone at the party he wasn't supposed to be throwing smashed one of the vintage vases she spent years finding.

"Exactly my point. Anyway, Ana and I are going to take her car, so we don't all have to squish into ours."

"Sweet. More room."

"You're driving, what difference does it make?" Kate asks which makes Gail roll her eyes from the backseat.

"You two have fun we'll see you out there." She says pulling Kate backward and into the car before things between her and Elliot and can escalate.

"Where's your car, baby?" I say before I can catch myself, Ana freezes for a second before a huge smile lights up her face.

"The underground car park, round here." She pulls me round to the side of the building, down an alleyway.

As we enter the car park, I'm struck by the level of high-end cars there are, I mean I knew she lived in a nice building, but I didn't realize it was this nice. I guess it isn't just the penthouse that is that fancy, I mean I'm no stranger to high-end cars, my Dad has three, but I've never seen this many in one place aside a car show.

"Uh… this is mine." Ana says pointing to a dark blue Maserati Grancabrio.

"Fuck me, this car is a wet dream."

"Only a guy would say that." She giggles and I gently run my hands over the car like its precious artifact, which it really is. It's a hundred thousand dollar car for fuck's sake.

"Hey, now girls can have wet dreams to." She blushes burying her face in her hands which makes me laugh, so she playfully slaps my chest. I pull her to me caging her between my body and the car, pressing a deep kiss to her lips. "I can't believe you have a car like this."

"Me either. It was a gift."

"Who the hell gifts a car like this?"

"Italian mob bosses?" She asks with a shrug of her shoulder and if she were anyone else I would think she's lying but given who Ray is I know she's not.

"Hmm. Really?" I say littering her neck with little kisses, I know we need to get going if we want to keep with the others but right now I'm having too much fun playing with her.

"Yeah, he had a uh… really good night at the tables and as a thank you, he gave me her."

"That's a really big thank you. But I'm glad because I get to drive her and I bet she drives like a dream."

I pull back giving her enough room to get out of my hold, she takes the opportunity to go around the passenger side, sliding the seat forward for Ben to jump into the backseat. I open my door and slide into the seat admiring the dark grey interior and the suede seats, pushing the seat back I get comfortable in the car figuring out where all the controls are. Starting the car, the engine rumbles to life the way only a sports engine can, I groan out loud and Ana laughs smiling at me like I'm a child who just got a new toy while she fiddles with the radio setting up the music.

I was right this car does drive like a dream, gliding through the streets of Manhattan and out onto the freeway, we have the windows open the breeze whipping through our hair although Ana has tied hers up because she was spending the whole time eating it. Ben sits in the back happily resting just soaking up the sun on the drive, we were going to open up the top but with us going on the freeway we figured it would probably too cold and noisy. As we drive, I find my hand once back again in hers as we happily just listen to music and watch the world go by, but given that this is likely one of the few times it will just be the two of us for the rest of this trip I take the opening and ask her some questions I'm not sure she'll want the rest of the group to know.

"How did you get involved with Bonnie and Jamie?" She looks confused by the question, but she answers anyway.

"It was something 'Mone mentioned once about a nurse at the hospital doing, it seemed like a good way to give back. Most people who grew up like did don't get lucky I did, they don't find themselves in a multi-million-dollar residence never having to worry about money, or with a hundred-twenty-five-thousand-dollar car. Really the only reason I have any of this, and I'm not working some dead-end waitress job or worse is because Ray happened to be on the right street at the right time. If I hadn't met him, if he hadn't stuck around, if he hadn't paid my bills for me, I wouldn't be here right now, I'd probably still be paying off my medical bills. I figured I wanted to something for someone else, the home was just one of the first things that came up, so I contacted Kelly and asked if she needed any help, she said anything was welcome. All I had to do was complete a background check, we talked about what I could offer, I told her that I liked art, so she suggested I start doing something with the kids. I didn't think that it would become what it has, but I see how much it means to the kids, so I keep doing it because honestly, I love it and I love working with them. I mean how could you not?"

"They're pretty great."

"Not long after I turned eighteen, not long after I got out of the hospital actually, I was approached by a lawyer. He worked for my mother's family, they're uh… well off, so when my mother became a pregnant fifteen-year-old they kind of disowned her, which just left her with nowhere else to go but with my father. This lawyer he wanted to know what I wanted from them, I couldn't figure out what he meant, what did I want from them? I didn't even know who they were, I think my entire life she mentioned them like twice and when she did it wasn't to paint them in a good light. I hadn't even thought about them, I figured if they didn't want my mother to be a part of their lives then they sure a shit wouldn't want to get to know me. Anyway, he offered me money to stay away from them, I told them I didn't want it or anything else from them as far as I was concerned, they didn't exist, and they could forget about me like they had my mother. But he came back the day after and the day after, so I talked the Ray and 'Mone they told me to take the money and if I didn't want it then I could just donate it but at least it would get them off my back and away. So, I took it and put it in a trust I figured it could just sit there until I decided out what to do with it. In the end, I donated most of it to the charity and trust Kelly works for, it's a battered women and children's fund so I'll be able to help other people like me so maybe some other mother out there can see that there is a way for her and her child. Maybe that can be the difference between ending up beaten to death and being free." She brushes a tear away from her face and I squeeze her hand tighter because I can't pull her into my arms right now.

"That's pretty admirable. If you'll have me I'd love to come with you every week, I'm nowhere near what anyone would call an artist but I'd be happy to help where I can even if it's just to help Kelly when she needs a bit of help around the house with furniture, things like that."

"She'd really appreciate that."

From then on I try to keep the chat on my happy topics, I want to bring up what Kelly told me about Ana coming over for dinner with the kids at least three nights a week but I don't want to bring her down again so I store it away to ask at a later date.

As we drive into Southampton, I can see Ana's face light up at all the perfectly manicured and the houses, kinda the same way I did when looking at her car but what I don't think she realizes just yet is these aren't even the really expensive houses, sure theses ones aren't exactly cheap but compared to where my parents' house is these are pocket change. We now have to top down so Ana can look anywhere and everywhere, I'm sure some of the locals are giving us funny looks but I don't care what they think, all I care about is making sure she is having a good time and if I'm going by the look of her face I'm going to say yes.

Driving out of Southampton town center towards my parents' house the look of awe on Ana's face grows as the house starts getting bigger.

"Your parents own one of these?" She asks looking at what can now no longer be called houses but rather estates, given how big they are and the size of their gardens.

"Yeah." Do I tell her theirs's is pretty much the biggest on the street? A lot of the houses around here are marketed as beach houses but very few actually are, my parents is one of the exceptions.

"Holy. Fuck." Ana says as the gates open to my parents' house and we go up the driveway to the front door. "This is bigger than Vin's." I go to ask who Vin is when Elliot jumps out of his car, clearly having pulled up moments before us despite the head start, he runs towards our car practically drooling.

"Holy shit!" He says coming up the car, he goes to run his hand over the car but stops himself and his hand hovers as he traces the bonnet and windscreen. "Please, please, please tell me I can drive this car at some point this week, I will give you whatever you want for it."

"Jeez, what is it with you two and my car, I know it's cool and all but it's just a car." She opens the door carefully to avoid Elliot and gets out before Ben jumps out of the car after her with the roof down there is no need for anyone to move the seat for him.

"Can I drive it?" Elliot asks as Ana walks toward the house, I jump out and follow them.

"Don't let him drive the car, he'll probably wreck it." Kate says from where she's standing leaning against my car.

"Fuck off Kavanaugh, I will not. I promise I'll take such good care of it." Elliot says practically begging Ana.

"Oh, my fucking god. Will the two of you shut the fuck up. I cannot take another minute of you two bickering, either stop talking or go fuck out your differences somewhere." Gail shouts, I know if Gail has resorted to shouting those two must have been at it the whole car ride. Gail's hand flies to her mouth at her last words, and it takes me a moment to realize why but when I spot both Elliot and Kate as red as tomatoes everything clicks into place.

"Mother of God. You didn't? Oh, tell me you didn't." I say spinning to look at my brother but when all he does is stand there his mouth flapping open and closed like a damn goldfish I know. "You fucked Kate?" I say bursting out laughing because I'm surprised, I didn't see it before because quite frankly they would be perfect together, she's like the female version of him and vice versa its why they fight so much.

"So what? I was one time it didn't mean anything." Elliot says grabbing a suitcase of the truck and taking up the steps to the house and unlocking the house before stomping inside. I look over at Kate standing there dumbstruck and dare I say almost hurt but before I can ask, he what's wrong it replaces with her usual easy-going smile and she follow after Elliot with her suitcase.

When I look over at Ana she's staring at Kate with a look of concern on her face.

"You knew?" I ask.

"What? I didn't know for sure." She asks with a shrug, how did she know before I did, because I don't think for a second Kate told her, hell I don't even think she told Gail.

"How long have you known?" I say pulling her to me, while Taylor does the same with Gail and she looks sad probably at betraying Kate even though I highly doubt she did it on purpose.

"Erm, since beginning?" She questions and I give her a look that says, 'keep going'. "Don't look at me like that, it was obvious, have you seen the way they look at each other? I didn't know for sure though, but you remember the guy Gail caught Kate with?" I nod my head. "I'm pretty sure that was Elliot."

"Fuck. How did I miss that?"

"Because you had other priorities that night." She kisses me before pulling back to pull Gail into a hug, they quietly talk while Taylor and I finish pulling the bags from the bar and carry them into the house, by the time we're finished the girls are on their way inside.

I take Ana and Ben on a tour of the house so they can get a feel for the place because this place can be a bit of a maze if you don't know where you're going. The final stop on the tour is my room, we are walking down the hallway towards it when Kate comes storming out of Elliot's harshly wiping at the tears rolling down her face.

"Do you know what? Fuck you, Elliot." Kate says fuming, walking into her room slamming the door, I half expect Elliot to follow her but instead his door slams, Ana goes to follow Kate, but I pull her to me instead.

"Give her a minute." I open the door and pull us both through, Ben following he circles a few times before flopping down at the foot of my bed. I push Ana down of the bed and lower myself on top of her, dropping my lips to hers sealing out mouths together, by the time we pull apart we're both panting and I'm rock hard. "Would you like to sleep in here tonight?"

"I… uh..."

"Just sleep Ana, I promise."

"I know I'm still just a bit out of it from that kiss." She says as a beautiful blush graces her cheeks and I can't help but kiss them.

"I'm just that good huh?" She goes to refute it, but I stop her with a kiss. "It's okay you don't have to tell me I already know."

"You're an ass." She giggles.

"I know, but that doesn't answer my question. Do you want to stay? No strings attached."

"Yes." She says smiling up at me, we stay like that for a moment before noise in the hallway breaks the trance as Gail tries to persuade Kate to let her into her room. "Is Taylor going to stay the whole week or is he on standby? It's a long way back to the city."

"He's off for the whole week on leave, not on standby so he's here for the whole thing and we can get him to drink this time, trust me when I say he's the best drunk to be around, he pretty much spend the entire time telling you how much you mean to him. It's how he told Gail he loved her for the first time."

"Weren't they like fifteen?"

"Hey, we never claimed to be angels, and it only took like two beers back then to get him drunk although given that he doesn't really drink much anymore it may not take much to get him drunk now. Although I think everyone knew Taylor loved Gail back then expect Gail and Taylor, they were adorably blind back then, it was sickening really."

"You're just jealous he was getting some when you weren't." For a girl who still blushes at anything remotely sexual she sure has a mouth when she wants to, it's endearing.

"Hey, I was a late bloomer."

"Sure, sure." She says pushing me off her. "I should go check on Kate." Blowing be a kiss before she opens the door.

With my dick still rock hard in my shorts, and I knowing I need a shower, I head to the en-suite bathroom to shower and jack off with thoughts of Ana running through my head.

So, there it is, hope you enjoyed.

Wanna know something? I've plotted the last chapters baring the very last two or three, so those of you who like longer chapters can look forward to them being longer because it looking they are each easily going to be about 4000 words apiece.

As always thanks for reading, if you get a chance leave a review, they mean so much to me.

FearfullyBrave.