A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I may have to change the rating on this story due to this chapter ... but for now I will keep it T. It's not all that graphic but if you think it should be changed to M, please let me know and I will change it ASAP. Thankz! Christianz

Chapter 15: Another Love

"I can't believe the exhibit went so well," Annie said as me and her were taking what paintings were left off of the walls; Annie had sold six paintings and was quite happy.

"I can. Told you you were a star," I teased and she laughed, touching the pencil behind her ear. The one she had joked that she would use for autographs. And to her surprise, a few people had asked for her autograph. Since she had sold six of her paintings, three of them being the largest, Annie, Luke, and I were able to take the rest of the paintings back to her room without needing any additional help, which pleased Annie.

While we took the paintings to her room, I teased her by telling Luke about the protective way she'd been with her paintings before the exhibit.

"Wow, I feel privileged then," he teased, smiling at her warmly, more warmly than he had since I'd seen him. It seemed he had already decided that Annie was right about their future and had even stopped being so hostile towards me. I knew he was still jealous and envious that Annie and I had some sort of relationship but I saw he was feeling guilt knowing he'd hurt her all those years by ignoring her existence.

"Well Luke, you should," she said in her most haughtiest voice, a voice so unlike Annie that Luke and I burst into long peals of laughter that even made Annie join in.

"It was really nice seeing you again, Annie. I'll try and keep in touch this time," Luke said after we'd put her paintings away and he was preparing to go to his own room.

"You can't even stay for breakfast?" she asked, sounding disappointed. Luke sighed.

"No. I'm sorry, Annie. I'm a pretty busy guy these days but I promise to do my best and call and write often," he promised, kissing her cheek quickly. He looked at me.

"It was nice meeting you too, Bart. Sorry if I was foaming at the mouth back there," he apologized. I only nodded.

"I suppose you thought you had reason to. It's okay, it's water under the bridge. It was nice meeting you too," I said. Luke just stared at me as if I'd caught him off guard and he nodded.

"Right. Well, goodnight you two. And I'll talk to you later, Annie," he said before he started out the door. Annie sadly watched him leave and then she smiled at me.

"Well …. tomorrow's my last day," she softly said.

"I know. We'll make it a day to remember," I promised.

"And after that?" she whispered. I went over to her and cupped her cheeks.

"We need to discuss that, Annie. We need to talk and find out how we're going to do this. I don't want you to give up any part of your life or anything …. but we have to figure out something," I said and she nodded.

"How about we go for a walk on the beach? We'll change first," she suggested.

"That works," I softly said. I didn't let go of her cheeks until I leaned down and pressed my lips gently against hers.

"Be right back," I whispered before I left her room and went to mine. I changed into a pair of faded denim shorts and a plain white T-shirt before I returned to Annie's room. She came out a moment later in a short denim skirt and a purple tank top. Her hair was still curled but she had taken the pins from her hair; the pencil, however, was still behind her ear.

"Let's go," I said, taking her hand into mine. She locked her door and then we went downstairs and out to the beach. It was a beautiful night, just perfect for strolling. The moon was full and bright, the sky littered with millions of small twinkling diamonds. Even the ocean looked hard to resist at this time of night. It was as if nature knew we needed a comforting environment and had provided it for us.

"Annie, we don't live too far from one another; Virginia and Boston are not too far," I started, not sure on how to start. She nodded and reached for my hand.

"Yes. But it will seem far. Bart, I'm an artist. I can work anywhere. And even though I did inherit Tatterton Toys, Drake inherited part of it as well and he's been taking really good care of it. He's so busy that I don't see him often but he could run the business by himself for a while. In fact, he'd love to do so," she said.

"You sure you want to do that?" I asked and she nodded.

"Bart, I didn't realize just how much I needed someone until you came into my life. I hope you feel the same," she said, stopping to look at me.

"More than you know," I whispered. I stepped closer towards her, seeing her eyes widen in the darkness. I slipped my arms around her as I brought my lips to hers, kissing her with everything I had. The sweet taste of her lips only drove my desire further and before I knew it, my hands were slowly crawling up and down her spine, caressing her hips and her bottom, and then up to her ribs and her shoulders.

I couldn't get enough of her lips, her skin on mine. I inhaled her sweet scent as my lips traveled over her neck and shoulders. She was breathing as heavily as I was and her hands were searching out places in my body as well. When I felt her hands on my hips, I couldn't help but moan. How was it that she did such things to me? I couldn't remember feeling so aroused by a woman's touch in my entire life. A simple touch from Annie seemed to set my insides on liquid fire.

"Bart," she whispered, boldly yet slowly moving her hands down to my most private parts. I jumped slightly from the contact, even though we still wore clothes. I moved my hands slowly underneath her shirt, my fingers trembling as if this was my first time. I felt so clumsy with Annie because she made me want her more than I've ever wanted anyone.

I nearly lost it when I discovered she wasn't wearing a bra. I gasped when my fingers found her breasts full and unclothed but for her shirt. I looked at her with surprise and she just laughed and then I felt her hands beginning to pull my shirt up. I rose my arms so she could take it completely off and she let it drop onto the sand.

"Are we going skinny-dipping?" I whispered into her ear, nibbling softly on her neck.

"I always like to try new things …" she hinted and I groaned, softly biting her neck as I slid her shirt up and over her head. I laid her shirt down with mine before my hands lowered to settle at her hips. My fingers trembled as they tried to loosen the button on her skirt and in the end, she had to reach down and help me. I slid her skirt and panties down her long, lovely legs until they pooled around her feet.

She knelt down to take off her sandals and while she did that, I finished undressing. She looked up at me for a moment and her eyes glimmered in the moonlight. She slowly stood and then she turned to run towards the water. I cried out in protest and followed after her, but she only laughed. I wrapped my arms around her as we both plunged into the chilling water. We both yelped at the coldness and looked at one another.

"It's a bit cold," she said, beginning to retreat.

"Very," I agreed and we both ran back to where our clothes awaited us. Annie had her arms tightly wrapped around herself and she was shivering. Shivering myself, I wrapped my arms around her and began to rub her with my hands, delighting in the very intimate moment we were sharing. Our bodies were glistening from the short encounter we'd had with the ocean and our hair was slightly damp. When I kissed Annie, I could taste salt on her lips and was sure that she could taste the same. My hands began to wander lower, caressing her hips and then her thighs. Annie gasped as I touched her boldly and I suspected she'd never been touched like this before.

She wrapped her arms around my waist and she slowly began to lower herself down onto the sand, looking up at me. My breath caught but I too lowered myself to the sand without a moment's hesitation. I moved back slightly so my lips and hands could explore every delicious inch of her body, not wanting to leave out a single part.

I began at her temple, moving down to her nose, her cheeks, her lips, and her chin. I spent time nuzzling her neck and ears and huskily laughed when I discovered her pencil behind her ear.

"And what excuse do we have this time?" I murmured, showing her the pencil.

"In case I decide I want to do another picture of you when you're asleep …" she drifted off, her lips meeting mine to stop our communication. She pried the pencil from my hands and threw it to the side along with our clothes as her hands began to roam up and down my shoulders all the way down to my spine.

"Annie…" I murmured, feeling like I was about to explode at any moment. Her hands were softly yet insistently stroking every inch of skin she could find and I yelped in surprise at where I felt her hands and quickly stopped her. She seemed amused at my reaction, staring up wide-eyed at me and seeing her look at me with such innocence had made me want to ravish her. Which I did.

"Bart …. please," she whispered a moment later.

"What?" I murmured, my lips grazing over her neck.

"I …. I need you. Please…."

"Please what?" I softly teased, my hands moving in circles over her stomach. She softly groaned.

"I want you to make love to me, Bart. Please," she whispered. She sounded so desperate that I just stared at her. She continued to beg, her hands playing with my dark hair as she kissed my lips, my neck, my shoulders. I settled myself over her, pausing to kiss and touch her until I couldn't take any more and became as desperate as her for us to be one person.

I kissed her as I pressed forward, entering her, and as I suspected, she was a virgin. I felt her resistance and I felt the way her body tightened beneath mine. I heard Annie's gasp of surprise and then her even louder gasp of pain. I forced myself to become still for the briefest moment, allowing her to adjust. When I felt her slowly begin to relax, I began to slowly yet firmly move within her.

New sensations were filling my body as we moved together, sensations I couldn't recall feeling with anyone except for Annie. I probably had felt them before but not the way I was feeling them now. I really did feel like a part of me had melted and became part of her and I didn't want to ever leave. I wanted us to stay like this forever. I began to worry that Annie wasn't enjoying herself until I felt her fingers digging harshly into my shoulders. I looked down into her eyes and our eyes locked and met.

I found myself unable to move my eyes from her, like I was under some sort of spell. I finally covered her lips with my own and I felt her trying to move with me. She was inexperienced and she looked up at me with such frustration that I stopped and suddenly rolled so she would be the one on top. Her eyes widened and she looked scared to death but I put my hands on her hips and kept my eyes on hers, guiding her into the movements until she caught on and no longer needed my help.

She looked happy that she was finally doing something to become part of our union and I suddenly realized that Annie was the type of person who liked to please others. She wasn't content to just let someone else do all the work; she had to be included. I vowed that when I was on top again, I would show her that she could do just as much work as I did but for the moment, I allowed her to stay where she was.

I loved looking up into her eyes, loved leaning upwards to claim her lips again and again, and laughed with joy when she threw her arms around my neck and began to kiss my face wildly all over. We both finally came, though I knew she hadn't climaxed like I had. Still, she looked very happy and I felt her warm tears drifting down my neck as she lay against me, our hearts beating wildly against the other's.

"Was I bad?" she whispered into my neck so sweetly that I smiled.

"Never," I whispered back, cupping her face and smiling into her eyes.

"Oh, Annie," I whispered, kissing her forehead, her nose, her lips. She smiled and kissed me back before she reluctantly removed herself from me and I opened my arms to her, welcoming her.

"I love you," she whispered, looking into my eyes. I smiled and kissed her gently.

"I love you," I echoed, my heart beating happily. I took her hand into mine and placed it over my heart so she could feel how happy she had made me. She smiled and I saw tears shining in her eyes at the gesture.

"Annie ….. how would you feel about coming back to Foxworth Hall with me? And maybe I can stay with you some in Boston? I can operate my business from anywhere as long as I have a phone …." I drifted off. Annie smiled and kissed me firmly.

"I'd love to come back to Foxworth Hall with you," she said, looking more happy than I've ever seen her.

"Don't tell Luke," I whispered teasingly and she laughed.

"Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin," she sang and we both laughed, embracing one another as we looked out at the ocean. What a perfect place for us to have committed ourselves to one another for the first time, I thought. The ocean. Every time we make love, I'm sure we'll always hear the sound of waves in our ears and taste salt on one another's lips …. in falling in love with Annie, I had also managed to find another love ….. the ocean.