Chapter 6

When the grandfather clock in the front hall struck two hours past midnight, Ana began to wiggle awake. She sighed contently, wrapped in the heavenly scented arms of her new acquaintance.

""Hi," she mewled while arching her back to stretch.

"Hi," Christian grinned.

"Were you watching me sleep?" Ana arched an eyebrow.

"Yep," Christian popped the "p."

"Cool, I always wanted my own creepy stalker."

Christian let out a belly laugh that vibrated through Ana's core. "Really? So I'm your first stalker, eh?" He teased.

'Ana gave a nod and a giggle. "Yep, my very first…"

Christian gave her his very best panty dropping smile. With expert precision, he held her tight and rolled them so that he was on top, supporting himself on his elbows with their faces just inches apart.

"I (kiss) like (kiss) the (kiss) sound (kiss) of (kiss) that (kiss)." Christian worked his lips slowly down Ana's jaw and across her neck to her other ear. She hummed in approval.

"Come on, let's go to bed," Christian said as he climbed off of the couch and pulled Ana's hands until she was standing.

"No!" Ana protested. "I'm not ready to say good night just yet." She stood on her tiptoes to give him a soft kiss just below his ear.

"Then don't. Come sleep in my room and the only thing we will have to say is good morning," Christian grabbed her hand to lead her to the staircase.

Ana pulled back in resistance. "We can't," she protested.

"I'm telling you, my parents will be thrilled to know that I have a girl in my bed. I think that my mom would be downright disappointed if we didn't sleep together tonight." Christian teased, wrapping his arms around Ana's waist. Ana swatted his arm.

"I'm serious, Christian. I'm just not comfortable doing that here."

"Doing what? Sleeping? I'm pretty sure that my parents already know that you sleep, Ana," Christian's humor earned him another giggle from his very own Christmas angel.

Ana blushed and hid her face in her hands. "I've, ehr, never, um, shared a bed with anyone before," she confessed.

"Not even at a slumber party?"

"That's different! I've never, you know, slept in the same bed with a guy, alright?!" She replied in embarrassment.

"Cool, then I can be your first bed buddy. Fantastic! Two firsts for you in one night - your first stalker and your first co-ed sleepover. Come on." He refused to hear any more of Ana's protests. He pulled her hand with determination and led her up to his room on the third floor. Ana giggled the whole way up.

Ana stood alone in Christian's bathroom. She brushed her teeth before looking at herself in the mirror for a pep talk. I can do this, she thought. It's just like when Kate and I shared a bed at Claire's wedding…except Kate didn't smell nearly as fantastic and we didn't cuddle and we certainly didn't kiss…

She entered Christian's bedroom. He kissed her forehead as he walked passed her into the bathroom. What do I do? She thought. Is Christian going to sleep in his long johns? That might get too warm - the two of us cuddled under the duvet.

Ana hurriedly opened drawers and found an old t-shirt. She threw her thermal shirt and her bra onto a chair and pulled Christian's rowing team tee over her head. It smelled just as delicious as its owner. Ana left her long john pants and fuzzy socks on. She dove under the covers and tried to make herself look like she did this every day. Inside, her heart was pounding.

"Did you use my toothbrush?" Christian inquired from the bathroom door.

Ana nodded in guilt.

"I approve," he said as he stalked towards the bed. Before climbing into the sheets, Christian pulled off his long john top and bottoms. Ana tried not to gawk at the beast of a man clothed only in black boxer briefs. She willed her heart to slow and her breathing to regulate. He was the most incredible thing upon whom she had ever laid her eyes.

Christian lifted the thick down covers and slid in beside her. In an excellently choreographed move, Christian rolled over so that his body was pressed against hers, chest-to-chest. He looked into her eyes and ran his finger tips up and down her cheek. Ana trembled just a bit when his lips met hers. They kissed slow, tender kisses as they memorized the feel of each other's lips. Christian snaked his arm around her waist and lazily stroked her back. Christian made no move to take things beyond their PG make out sesh. The two drifted off to sleep, nose-to-nose. Ana's hand cupped his face and his arm pulled her close.

—

"RISE AND SHINE!"

Ana woke to the feeling that she was in the hull of a boat getting tossed about in stormy seas. What the what?

"GET OUT!" Bellowed a familiar voice from beside her.

"Come on, Chrissy! It's time to get up. Elliott is already warming up Bone Crusher," Mia sang. "He needs your help to go rescue Wanda. Come onnnnnn!"

"Who's Wanda?"

"My car, silly," Ana laughed, now fully awake.

"The only thing that is going to need rescuing is Mia if she doesn't get out of here," Christian growled. He threw the covers off his head just enough to give his little sister the stink eye before disappearing back into the warm bed cover cave where Ana remained in hiding.

"Ok.,.but you have 15 minutes until breakfast is ready. The power is back on and Mom has been up since zero dark thirty making monkey bread and cinnamon rolls." Mia jumped off of the trampoline known as her brother's childhood bed. Once the door clicked shut behind his sister, Christian pulled Ana into his cocoon of body warmth and good smells.

"Mmmm," Ana hummed until his neck. Christian kissed her forehead and worked his lips down her cheek.

Ana clamped her hand over her mouth, "Morning breath," she mumbled behind her palm.

Christian rolled over to climb out of the bed. He strode into the bathroom and returned with a toothbrush and a cup of water. Ana sat up and giggled at his sweet gesture. She brushed her teeth and took a sip. When she handed the toothbrush back, Christian popped it into his own mouth and gave her a wink as he headed back to the bathroom. Ana found the gesture part gross and part adorable. She couldn't help but admire his tone behind.

After some yummy wake-up smooches, the couple followed the mouth watering aroma is cinnamon and sugar to the Grey Manor kitchen. They found the rest of the Greys gathered around, sipping coffee. A heap of phones were charging by the coffee maker. Christmas music floated through the air. Murphy looked over the baby gate from the mud room.

"Sleep well?" Elliott inquired with an eyebrow raise towards the two newcomers. Ana blushed and hid behind her hair.

"Yep," Christian replied with an unapologetic grin. He strode over to prepare a coffee and a tea.

"So, Elliott," Ana began, hoping to deflect the attention. "What is Bone Crusher?"

"She's only the ultimate all-terrain vehicle. With 60 horsepower of pure brute and a 12 inch lift kit, she's equipped with a military-grade winch crank and a tow hitch designed to pull up to 1 ton," Elliott bragged like a true snake oil salesman.

Christian interjected, "Don't forget she has a state-of-the-art, zero emissions power system."

"Grace asked for a golf cart a few years ago. What her sons gave her was a ridiculously over-the-top ATV that belongs in the backwoods not in Bellevue," Carrick added with good humor.

"It's the thought that counts," Grace winked at Ana and gave each of her sons a loving mom pat.

"Bone Crusher is fun," said Mia. "But after mom nearly destroyed the lawn and her rose garden on her first test drive, Dad ended up getting her the cart that she wanted. Elliott expanded the garage and added extra bays so that we could keep Bone Crusher, too."

"Wow, just Wow. Ray, my dad, has an ATV. He put a plow on the front so that he can keep our street and neighbors' driveways clear when it snows."

"You can add a snow plow?" Elliott asked with excitement while Christian grabbed his phone to Google 'ATV snowplow kits.' Soon, there would be no need for a snow shovel at Grey Manor.

The family ate a leisurely breakfast. No one seemed eager to move on from the table. The morning agenda was filled with one task - help Ana recover her car so that she could leave Bellevue and get on with her life. The unvoiced question hang heavy in the air. What would happen when Ana left?