I don't own the O.C and thanks for your reviews.

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Am I nuts or is Ryan freaking annoying? I didn't think he was gay, but it wasn't something I could be sure of -it's not like I expected him to wear a stamp on his head or anything. He'd dated or was dating Marissa (I wasn't sure which), he'd impregnated Theresa and after spending time with him, he seemed to be a little bit attracted to me, or at least aware that I had breasts. But these are things some gay men have been known to do.

And what's up with "you could say that?" We both knew what I was talking about so I didn't think it would have hurt him to be a little more forthcoming.

After leaving me with that dangling thought, he went into the kitchen, took out ingredients from our little pantry, pulled out the mince meat from the fridge and started working his magic.

"Do you need help?" I asked out of courtesy. I really just wanted to sit down and let the new information sink in.

"Sure. Mind chopping the onions?"

If looks could kill… I got up and grabbed the vegetable he was holding out to me. We worked in silence till he started humming. Ryan was humming? In the months I lived in Newport, I never saw him listening to music talk less of actually singing. Just a few days earlier, I had to practically force him to dance with me. But all of he sudden, he's Pavarotti. It was apparent that he was enjoying my discomfort a little too much. I'll be fine with who he is either way, but did he have to be so coy about it?

Forty minutes later, we were digging into our meals. It was amazing what he could do with a pack of pasta and a can of pasta sauce. Pasta was his specialty. His potatoes were either over- or undercooked and he seemed to hate salt on his chicken but his pasta was almost sinful. As was his breakfast. That got me into wondering if his culinary skills were a further indication of who he was. As I was pondering this, he said, "By the way, about what I said earlier...,"

"Yes?" I replied, hanging on his word.

"By 'more than friends' I meant that we are like brothers."

"Oh," I replied. I think the sigh of relief I let out was a little loud. At least, that would explain the amused glance he sent my way.

"In fact," he continued, a devilish look overtaking his face, "I happen to have a thing for cute blondes."

At this point, I noticed that some red sauce was stuck to the side of his mouth.

He put his hand on his lips. "What?"

I tapped the corner of my own mouth. "You've got something there."

He picked up a napkin and tried to wipe it off but he kept rubbing the wrong area.

I giggled. "Dude, a little to the left," I said directing him. Either he was stupid or he didn't understand my directions because he just couldn't seem to touch the right spot.

"Don't worry," I said. "I'll get it for you."

I dipped my finger in my glass to wet it then rubbed it slowly on the offending particle. Except that, even though I knew I was rubbing it quickly, it seemed to go in slow motion. Of course, my finger touched his lips and of course, I noticed how soft they were and how plump they looked and how stupid I was for even thinking that about someone who was about to be a father.

I took my finger away and smiled.

"Alright, you can dry it now," I informed him.

I was still remembering what his lips felt like on my fingertips when he said, "Anna, did you hear what I said?"

I shook my head. "No, what did you say?"

"I said that I happen to have a thing for cute blondes."

He could say that again. "Yeah. Although it seems you like brunettes as well."

"Sorry?" he asked, looking genuinely confused.

"Marissa is blonde, Theresa's a brunette."

"Oh," he replied, frowning disappointedly.

"I won't talk about that if you don't want to." I didn't want to pressure him but I knew that sometimes, talking to someone helped one understand things better. Or at least release some stress. Plus, I wanted to know.

"It's okay Anna, I'm fine. Go ahead."

"I was just wondering how this whole thing happened. One minute you're with Marissa, the next you're with Theresa and now she's pregnant. When did all this happen?"

"Around the time you left."

I nodded, remembering the time he introduced us at Seth's place. "But you'd just broken up with Marissa."

He shrugged. "And?" he said nonchalantly.

I sniffed. "Wow, you work quickly... Guys..."

I pulled back my chair and got up. I picked up my plate and glass and reached for his. He held on to his plate and didn't release it till I sent him a warning look.

"I'll clear up the table," he announced.

Hey, if that made him feel better. All he had to clear up were the salt and pepper shakers.

I put the dishes in the sink and started washing them. He put the seasonings in the pantry and leaned against it.

"You were saying something about guys?"

"Yeah. It must suck being a man. You can't even go a few days without having sex."

"What are you talking about?"

"Do I have to spell it out? Shortly after you broke up with Marissa, you were already sleeping with Theresa."

He looked across the floor. "So what? Marissa and I never had sex."

"What?" I was so shocked that I almost dropped the dish.

"You heard me."

"Really? I guess Marissa was holding out, huh?"

"Not really…" he said but I didn't let the words sink in. I was trying to get over the fact that the passionate relationship I'd always imagined, wasn't that passionate after all.

"Damn," I said aloud to myself, "That even makes it worse."

"How so?"

I looked at him. "Marissa wouldn't give it up so the minute she's out of the picture, you jump into bed with another woman…" His jaw clenched and I think his nose flared. "I'm sorry about how that came out. I didn't mean to sound judgmental."

"It's alright. I want you to be able to say whatever you feel, even if you're wrong."

I rinsed the last dish, walked back to the couch and stretched my legs on the coffee table. He followed me and sat across from me.

"Anna, should you be putting your shoes on the table?"

I groaned. He could be such a mommy. "Dude, if you don't like it, you can take them off."

And in a swift and unforeseen motion, he untied my laces and proceeded to do just that. I must have turned red the minute his warm hands touched my cold legs. He probably didn't realize it but even though he was holding on to my ankle, he softly grazed the sole of my foot when he removed the sneaker. And it sent a tingle up me. Or maybe it was a tickle. I really couldn't tell but there was definitely a sensation.

He was taking the shoe off the second foot when he said, "continue with what you were saying...?"

"Yeah. About you and your women." I had to wait for his hands to get off my feet before I could regain my senses. For once, I should have just done as I was told and taken my damn feet off the table.

"You didn't have sex the minute you were able to get out of your sexless relationship?"

"You're making it sound worse than it was."

"Yeah?" I said skeptically.

"Yes. I didn't sleep with Theresa because I was dying to have sex or anything. Trust me, I've had plenty so it's hardly a big deal," he stated.

I laughed. "Go on, playa," I teased.

"I'm serious. Me and Marissa's relationship wasn't like that. It was about love and not sex."

"So you mean to tell me that you've had enough sex by seventeen that it's no longer a big deal?"

He nodded vehemently. "Yes."

I chuckled. "Tell me another lie."

He smiled. "I'm serious."

"I don't believe you. When did you lose your virginity?" I asked, as he got off his couch and sat next to me.

"Scoot, I want to stretch out a bit," he said.

I made some space so that he could rest his head at the other end.

"Answer me. When did you lose your virginity?"

He looked up at me. "Are we seriously having this conversation?"

"Yep. Now, answer me."

He thought about it for a moment. "When I was twelve."

"What the hell? Twelve? That is so nasty!"

"It was a week before my thirteenth birthday," he said sincerely.

I laughed even harder. "Is that supposed to make it any better? Why the hell were you having sex at twelve?"

"Trey and my mother seemed to love it so much that I had to try it."

I stopped laughing. It was a rare glimpse into his past. He never really spoke about it to me but from what I'd heard from Seth, he didn't have it easy as a kid. He must have noticed the change in my demeanor because he smiled sadly. I decided to return to the matter at hand.

I looked at him with mock disappointment. "I never took you for the kind to follow the pack - do things because others were doing it."

"Permit a twelve year old to be immature."

I shook my head in disbelief. "Wow. Twelve."

"When did you lose yours?"

"None of your business, dude."

He wagged his finger. "No. No… I am not letting you get off that easy, you started it."

I lifted my hands in surrender. "Alright, you got me -I'm a virgin."

"Seriously?" he looked a little surprised. "That's good."

"Why is it good?"

He chuckled. "I don't know - I just didn't know what else to say."

"Well, if you must know, I was a virgin till I was fifteen."

"See? Yours isn't that much better," he dismissed with his eyes. It was amazing that he could convey something that would take me fifteen pages to express, in one seemingly effortless look.

"Dude, fifteen is better than twelve. I was already a teenager," I pointed out.

"It's still illegal and some might say, sick"

"So what? In England, it's legal at sixteen. Are you going to call them sick?"

He folded his arms across his chest. "What difference does that make? Fifteen is not sixteen."

"Whatever. And in some countries you can get married at fifteen."

"And in some, you can get married at twelve."

"You suck!" I playfully hit the side of his belly.

He chuckled, then shifted his weight on the couch.

"But you're really disgusting for having sex at that age," I continued.

"And so are you."

We paused before we looked at one another and burst out laughing.

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A/N: I find it hilarious that some of you thought it was becoming a Seth/Ryan. I didn't even realize it was a twist - it was just Ryan teasing Anna. Don't worry, this is just a simple story of two people falling for one another. No threesomes allowed... I think. And don't worry, there'll be some kissy face in the not-too-distant future.