Chapter 17
Gilbert watched the group of girls that included Anne by the lake's shore from the rowboat he had taken out. Upon supposedly randomly running into him by the water, Diana had announced he was the perfect solution to their problem. Sensing Diana had some scheme, he had offered whatever assistance he could. Diana had innocently said that for her final shot she wanted Elaine to be floating away in the boat across the lake but the problem was how to get the boat and Anne as Elaine back to shore afterwards since it couldn't have oars attached for ascetic reasons in the shot. Gilbert at her wide eyed head motion had quickly offered to row another boat out to tow Anne and the boat the girls were using back in. Diana had announced that to be perfect over Anne's objections and then in an aside to Gilbert had said, "Once she is trapped out on the water she simply can't avoid talking to you if she is stuck out there with you."
Now he was patiently waiting to go retrieve Anne and the boat. It hadn't snowed yet, despite the chill in the air, but the lake made a pretty backdrop for Diana's short film. Seeing the boat be pushed off Gilbert watched it start to drift away. Once He saw Diana stop filming he began rowing toward the small boat.
"Hullo Anne," He said with a grin when he reached it.
"Hullo Gilbert," Anne said sitting up from her resting position.
Gilbert quickly tied the boat up to his own and innocently said, "Here let me help you over to here."
"What?" Anne asked.
"Well, it will be easier to tow an empty boat, so you had better ride in here with me," Gilbert said nonchalantly and seeing Anne hestiate he added, "or this might take forever."
"Oh, okay," Anne said and gingerly let him help her out of the other boat and into his.
Gilbert released his hold on the other boat and watched it drift away but remain tethered to his own craft.
"So Anne," Gilbert said grinning at her. "Is it time for those kissing lessons yet?"
"No," Anne said glaring at him. "I told you I have decided I don't need kissing lessons, especially from you."
Deciding to dive right in he said, "Look Anne, last night we were friends and it wasn't just because you were drunk. You've turned down my overtures plenty of times tipsy before. And I hope you realize I would never take advantage of your intoxicated state in that way. I care about you and respect you to much for that. I'm not, I'm not that type of guy. What gives? Is it cause of Gertie? I know I flirt with you a lot and I'm not gonna lie and say I don't want to have sex with you, cause I do. Lord, do I want to have sex with you. But I don't just want to have sex with you. No matter what Gertie or anyone says, I'm not trying to just get in your pants. I want to hang out with you. Laugh with you like we did last night and yea actually go to breakfast together and eat, not you tolerate me eating at the same table with you when no one else is there. It hasn't killed you yet to laugh at my jokes every morning, has it?"
"It hasn't and we do actually have a bit in common," Anne said slowly.
"A bit?" Gilbert said raising his eyebrow.
"Okay, a lot," Anne admitted. "We are friends, at least I think we are."
"You think?"
"Well we have been slowly becoming friends over the last month or so. I don't make new friends always as quickly as everyone else. I mean I'm more friends with you than I am Charlie or Moody."
"So-"
"Yes, were friends," Anne said decisivly. "Kindred Spirits even I think. But I'm not having you know with you. I'm not like that," she added uncomfortably.
"Fair enough," Gilbert said smiling at her and then adding, "for now."
"What!" Anne shrieked.
"I promise I won't ever pressure you to do something you don't want to do, Anne," Gilbert said slowly and then speaking quicker he added, "But I think it's only fair to warn you that I am dead gone on you, but totally willing to settle for friendship with every intention of charming you around to my way of thinking someday."
"And your way of thinking invloves having a one night stand?" Anne asked doubtfully.
"Nope. Not with you Anne-girl."
"Then what-" she started to ask confused.
Rather than tell her he was in love with her and hoped to marry her someday, he said, "I want to date you Anne, not just sleep with you. I know my previous reputation is not exactly a glowing recommendation, but maybe now that you can admit that we are friends you can get to know me and give me a chance. And if nothing else, Jo will be back from his mission trip soon and he can give me a glowing recommendation," he finished with a grin.
"Phil is super excited he is coming back," Anne said leaping on the offered subject change.
When the two made it back to shore after helping Anne out of the boat, Gilbert retained his grip on her hand and wound her arm through his and said, "Well since kissing lessons are out for the day, what say you to hunting down Phil in the library to study?"
"Uggg," Anne groaned. "I have geometry and the last time I tried to do geometry near Phil she drove me mad. She kept saying look its easy and asking why I didn't just get it."
"Phil is a math genius. But luckily for you, as I told you before, I'm a wizard at geometry," Gilbert said."And I'll make the lesson free this time."
"How gallant," Anne said sarcastically.
"First lesson only, next one I charge. Though the payment could be negotiated," Gilbert told her. "Or we could binge watch some Firefly in my room."
….
Gilbert glanced at Anne and smiled. It had taken him longer than he had expected to get to this point and he could admit he had envisioned watching Netflix with Anne snuggled up on him, not all the way at the other end of the bed they were using as a couch in his room, but he would take what he could get. If he was lucky by the end of binge watching Firefly there wouldn't be five feet of empty space between them.
"Simon, Walsh, or the Captain if you had to date one?" Gilbert asked her.
"What about Jayne or the Sheppard," Anne asked impishly.
"The Sheppard can't date, he's a Sheppard. And I didn't think Jayne was a consideration."
"True. Simon then. He's thoughtful and protective of his sister."
"Ah so you do like doctors," Gilbert said grinning.
"You're not in med school yet, Gilbert," Anne said rolling her eyes. "What if I picked Walsh?"
"He's a happy friendly, loyal guy. I can relate to that," Gilbert assured her.
…
At 2 am Gilbert looked down at Anne who by now was snuggled onto him and sound asleep. He was exhausted, but was reluctant to fall asleep. He knew he should wake her so she could sleep in her own room. But he wanted to put it off just a little longer. She had fallen asleep on him a few episodes ago after laying her head on his shoulder. He had attempted to act naturally and casually when she had laid her head on his shoulder after yawning and saying just one more episode, but internally he was fist pumping like a 13 year old to have her head on him again, sober this time.
