Chapter 66:

Doug grabbed their stuff. his head was killing him. he shoved three asprin in his mouth on the way out. he saw her with her eyes closed and knocked on the glass before he opened the car door. "anna...do you think you could drive? i just got a killer headache. i can barely see." doug hated it when he got migrains. he was getting them more often and he hadnt grabbed his medicine before he left chicago.

She opened the door, "yeah not a problem." She slid over into the driver's seat. She waited for him to climb into the car and close the door before she slammed the car into reverse and pulled out of the parking lot.

Doug closed his eyes and tried to think. "ahhh you wanna hit...highway 42. go straight down, take the first exit. right off of there is a big strip of hotels. just pick one." doug reclined his seat all the way back. he knew he would feel better soon but driving was making it worse right now. he undid his seatbelt and closed his eyes to rest while she was driving. after a few minutes he fell asleep.

She didn't say anything, not wanting to make his head ache more than it already did. She pulled into a parking lot and after putting the jeep in park she turned it off. She climbed out and grabbed her stuff from the back seat. "Come on baby, wake up we are there." She said to him as she walked around the car. "I know your head hurts so let's get checked in so you can lay down. I have percocets in my bag you can have for it when we get inside."

Doug woke up. He hadnt meant to fall asleep. He got out of the car and grabbed the bags from anna. "let me take that." he said slinging it over his shoulder. Doug waited as Anna checked them in. he was actually glad she had offered to do this. He would have hated to stay in that motel again. They made their way up to the room and he set the bags down. The room was beautiful. Once Anna closed the door Doug put his arm around her waist. "Thank you" he said closing his eyes. "Now i owe you one." he said turning her around. Even though his head hurt it didn't stop him from wanting to spend time with her.

"Na, we're even." She said to him as she tightened her arms around his waist. She was happy right there with him. She smiled at him, "you know there's jets in the bathtub...I know you have an evil headache, but how about some soft music, hot water against your back, and a warm body? I mean you could pass on the warm body and we could turn the lights down for you until your headache subsides or would you rather just lie down on the bed?"

Doug gave a weak smile. She knew how to make him feel better. "No I think I'd like some company." he said taking her hand and leading her into the bathroom. Doug closed the door and turned on the hot water. He took off his shirt and sat on the edge of the tub looking at Anna. "You're not going to embarrass me again are you?" He said with a grin. "No." She said softly as she walked over standing in now in front of him, "I wouldn't do that to you right now." She got down on her knees resting her head against his chest, as she brought her hand up next to her head drawing lazy circles on his skin, her fingers trembled as she lowered her voice almost afraid to admit it out loud where he could hear her thoughts, putting her true feelings out in the open. "I love you... I want you...I...I need you." Saying I love you was the easy part, she couldn't deny that but admitting that she needed him was hard, she had never needed anyone before, no one had gotten so inside of her heart like he had. She had fallen hard for him.

Doug looked down at her and put his arm around her shoulders. For once what he had heard sounded real...not just a line. Doug knew she was serious for him the moment she showed up in the jail cell that night to bail him out. He loved her too, and didn't want to leave her. Doug put his hand under he chin and tilted her head up so he could look in her eyes. "I'm not going anywhere." He said as he pulled her up into a kiss.

Her heart skipped a beat hearing his words; she wrapped her arms tightly around him. She felt pain her in knees from kneeling on the floor. She had forgotten that they were on the edge of the tub until she felt herself pushing him backwards the water splashing up as they ended up in the tub.

Doug's head smacked against the side of the tub as he fell in. The water was really hot...he had forgotten to put some cold on too. "Ahh damn" he said bending his back up to get out of the water as Anna lay on his chest. As hard as he tried, the muscles in his legs gave out and he fell back in. Doug sat there for a moment looking up at Anna. "Way to ruin a moment." he said seriously at first, then adding a smile. He reached down in the water and pulled out his wallet from the back of his pants. He tossed it on the floor and shifted his body so it was no lengthwise in the tub. He touched the back of his head and felt a small cut. "You're always trying to kill me i swear." he joked "and wet jeans are hard to get off!"

She covered her face with her hands as she laughed before looking at him, she was going to say she was sorry but that was a word that they had said to many times to each other. "Just be thankful I love you." She said batting at him, "Yeah they are...but you're only half dressed, so no whining." She said looking down at him, "oh man hot water too. I am so not going to be able to get these off. They were tight to begin with!"

Doug rolled his eyes as he reached behind him to turn on the cold water it equal it out. He wiped off the little drop of blood that dripped down his neck and flicked some water at Anna. "Well you better try don't you think?" he said with an evil grin.

She pulled herself off of him, she noticed his grin and the wicked glimmer that was in his eyes, sitting on the edge of the tub now as she wiggled free of her jeans. She tossed them onto the floor behind her, sitting there now in just her soaking wet shirt, she knew what he wanted and she wanted it to, "you know my parents give me the middle name of Grace for a reason." She wanted to get to know him, to be a part of his life, all of it. To know his likes, his dislikes, his dreams, and his fears. She reached down dragging her hand thru the water, slowly, lazily, happy to be there with just him.

"Grace huh? Boy i guess you are Catholic." he said smiling. "You know i feel really dumb sitting here...in a bathtub with you like that...and me with my jeans on."

She laughed, "Yeah I bet you do. No my middle name is not Grace...Anna Grace, ha-ha." She pulled her legs out of the tub, "well there's nothing stopping you from getting out of them." Softly adding, "Yeah so catholic that's its Gabriella. Don't laugh."

Doug slid back so he could lean against the side of the tub. He was getting the feeling they weren't on the same page. He brought his knees to his chest and smiled at her. "I wouldn't laugh at you. It's not any worse than mine..." Doug paused for a second. "Douglas Timothy Ross...its kind of a family name anyway." Doug said picking at the scab in his hand. "I don't know...I had all kinda of names picked out for when i had kids. I didn't get to voice my opinion any to carol but...i guess i can hold onto them."

She jumped back into the tub straddling him, "well you can always use them for our..." she stopped herself before she finished..."if you're not going to take these off then I am going to just have to do it for you."

Doug was a little shocked she said that. He wouldn't let it bother him. He was surprised to see her back in the tub. "Uhhh I didn't think you wanted uhhh..." she always seemed to make him blush.

"I was trying to get out of your way so that you could get out of these with out me kicking you in the head or something." She said as she leaned forward, her forehead against his, "Ohh baby you don't have any idea how much I want you."

Doug knew his face was red. He could always blame it on the hot water though. "That's good to know." he said pulling at her shirt. "I was afraid i was loosing my appeal or something."

"Never." She said as she freed herself from the wet shirt throwing it over the edge of the tub. She hit the jets on the tub with one hand as she put her hand behind his neck and kissed him.

'Got to love bubbles' Doug thought as he kissed her back. The aspirin he had taken had finally kicked in. 'thank god for small favors' he said to himself. Doug messed with his belt, but Anna had his other hand pinned against the side of the tub and he wasn't having much luck. He was afraid she'd laugh at him if he didn't get it. After all she didn't seem to have that much trouble. Just thinking about it made his laugh which broke their kiss.

Anna pulled away smiling. How did she expect him to free himself from his wet clothes if she was plastered onto of him? She scooted to the other end of the tub and leaned back against one of the jets and closed her eyes. Then maybe, just maybe he wouldn't blush or self conscious because she was watching him. He could very easily reach her when he was ready.

Doug grinned as she backed off a little. It took him a few minutes but he finally got it together. He poked her side with his foot. He knew the spots where she was ticklish and wasn't afraid to exploit them. "What are you doing all the way over there still?" he joked grabbing her hands and pulling her forward.

"Leaving my man alone for a minute." She said smiling at him trying her best to tease him a little by pulling away from him, "making you want me even more."

Doug just shook his head. "There ya go again with the blush!" he said coving his face and sliding under the water. After a few seconds he grabbed her leg and pulled her over. He shot up out of breath with her in his lap. There were bubbles covering his face but he knew he had her. "Got ya" he said trying to blow the soap out of his eyes. He leaned back so his neck rested against the side of the tub and he was lying down. He put Anna's hands on either side of his shoulders so he wouldn't slip. He always felt the most self-conscious right about now, when people had the opportunity to take advantage of him. Deep down he knew Anna wasn't like that though. He put his hand on the side of her jaw and pulled her down into a kiss.

Anna closed her eyes and let the moment take her away. She pulled back away breaking there kiss before taking in a deep breath and disappearing under the water.

Doug closed his eyes as he felt her touch. The touch of someone who loved him. Who he could actually be with forever. Doug had never thought of the word forever until Anna. He hoped she felt the same way.