I get the impression that Annabel doesn't have many fans - but she hasn't even started to have her fun yet. Enjoy !

Dinner for two

Ryan left work at 5 which for him was like the middle of the afternoon, he usually worked until at least 9 but he couldn't wait to get home. He had called Marissa after he returned from lunch and she was at home and cooking him something special for dinner. Little did she know that food was not what he was most looking forward to?

As he let himself in the door, he could smell something delicious. He dropped his bag in the study and made his way into the kitchen expecting to find Marissa but she wasn't there.

"Ris…where are you?" he called out.

"In here Ryan." he heard coming from their bathroom.

He made his way in to see her. Dropping his jacket on the bed on the way passed.

"I'm sorry. I must have either lost track of the time or you are earlier than I expected." Marissa said as she stood up in the bath and reached for a towel.

Ryan stood at the door and stopped to take in the sight before him. Marissa was still standing in the bubble bath reaching for the towel that was slightly out of reach. The water and suds from the bubble bath that she had been taking were running down her naked body. Here and there the bubbles would stop as they attached themselves to her body not wanting to let go, ignoring the fact that gravity dictated that they should make their way back in to the bath water. She was breathtaking. He wished that he had a camera so that he could capture her beauty forever. He stepped forward and picked up the towel that she was trying to reach and debated whether he should use it to dry her or whether he would just put it further out of reach so that he could admire the view for a little while longer.

"What time is it?" Marissa asked. She hadn't noticed that Ryan hadn't spoken because she had literally taken his breathe away. She looked at Ryan and still he didn't answer. "Ryan." She said again… wanting to get a response from him.

"You're beautiful." Was all he could say?

"Thank you." Marissa smiled finally realising that he was behaving as if he was stunned. "But I still need to know what time it is. I didn't think I'd been in here that long but if you're already home then maybe I need to go and check on the meatloaf."

"Meatloaf?" he questioned realising that he recognised the aroma. "The Nana's meatloaf?" he asked.

"Yeah. Kirsten gave me the recipe. She said it was one of your favourites. And that in the last few years, since she had learnt how to cook, that whenever you and Sandy were having a 'disagreement' then she would make it for dinner because she knew it was something you both agreed on." She looked at him shyly wondering if he would think it was all a bit much…her trying to make his favourite foods. "I hope she was right. Otherwise I've gone to a lot of trouble for nothing."

"When was she ever wrong?" Ryan replied. "I had never realised that she made it deliberately when Sandy and I were at odds. But thinking back you're probably right. We always ended up talking over dinner. Although sometimes we had words again fighting over who got the biggest serve." He laughed thinking about the dinners at the Cohen's.

"I don't know if it will be any good but I followed all Kirsten's directions and it certainly smells okay?" Marissa added.

"Have I told you I love you?" Ryan said as he wrapped his arms around her.

"RYAN…You'll get all wet." Marissa said trying to push him away.

"Mmmm. But it's worth it." He added as he started to use his fingers to trace the outlines of the patches on her body that still had bubbles attached.

"Mmmm." Marissa replied loving the feeling of his hands on her. Would she never get enough of him? "But what time is it? I don't want it to burn." She added.

"It's about 5:30." He replied without stopping to look at his watch.

"Is that all?" Marissa replied realising that he had obviously left work early. She smiled and started to remove his tie.

Ryan smiled. "Yeah. Why?'

"Well the meatloaf's got another hour to go. Maybe you'd like to join me while we wait for it to cook?" she asked.

"Maybe I will." Ryan replied shedding his clothes in record time.

---

When Ryan was naked he hopped into the bath and sat behind her, wrapping his arms around her as she sat between his legs. He started to run his hands gently up and down her arms and then proceeded to move on to her body stroking all over her and Marissa couldn't help but relax and enjoy it.

"What's my chances?" Ryan asked.

"What do you mean?" she asked. Her eyes closed…blissfully enjoying having Ryan's hands reeking havoc with her senses.

"Well I thought that maybe if I returned your massage from yesterday then maybe I'd be able to get another lap dance." He suggested quietly in her ear.

"What do you mean?... in front of the TV later?" Marissa asked.

Ryan pulled her back closer to him to make sure that she could feel the effect she was having on him. "No I was thinking right now." He suggested.

Marissa smiled and wiggled her rear against him, feeling his hardness poking at her from behind. She turned herself around to sit facing him with her legs around him and as she pulled him into a hug he entered her and all thoughts of meatloaf left both their minds.

---

After the 'action' in the bath, the two dried off and made their way in to the bedroom to pull on some comfy clothes.

"You know I could just turn up the heat and then clothes wouldn't be necessary?" Ryan suggested.

"I don't think that would be a very good idea. What if I burnt myself while I'm cooking dinner?" Marissa laughed as she pulled on some flannel pyjama pants and a wife beater.

Ryan looked innocently at her. "I'd kiss it better." He suggested.

Marissa laughed as she pulled him toward her for a quick kiss before she went to check on dinner. "I'll have the kiss but miss out on the burn if it's all the same to you?"

Ryan pulled on some sweat pants and a wife beater and followed her into the kitchen.

"That smells amazing." He said as she opened the oven door to check on the meatloaf.

"Yeah. It does smell pretty good." she replied as she closed the door again. "I hope it tastes as good as it smells. It should be ready in about 15 minutes. How about a glass of wine while we wait and you can tell me about your day?"

"Okay. I'll go and open a bottle." Ryan thought about whether he should tell her about Annabel's mode of dress, or lack there of, but he decided against it. Hopefully tomorrow she would be back to her sensible office clothes.

He returned to the kitchen with a glass of red for both of them, and he handed one to Marissa and said. "Did you have any plans for this weekend that can't be changed?"

Marissa looked up from what she was doing mashing the potatoes and wondered where this was going. "Um no. Only to spend it with you." She smiled noticing the huge grin that spread across his face at her words.

"Well you can still do that. But how about we do it in Miami?" he suggested.

"Miami? Do you have a meeting or something?" she asked thinking that maybe it would be something like the trip to San Francisco.

"No nothing like that. It's the Nana's 70th birthday and Sandy has suggested that we all go for the weekend and surprise her. Well at least you and I and Seth and Summer will be a surprise. I think she is expecting Sandy and Kirsten already."

"I'd love to go. I haven't seen the Nana in……I don't know…a long time. Is she still as great as ever?"

Ryan smiled. "Yeah. She keeps us all on our toes."

"So when are we going?" Marissa asked.

"Friday night and coming back late Sunday in time for work on Monday. Is that okay?"

Marissa looked disappointed. "So no Newport House this weekend?"

"No. Does it really matter?" Ryan asked.

"Well….I'd been looking forward to those stairs again." She laughed. "But I guess I can wait another week."

"You do know I could always have some stairs put in here? Or if you're really desperate we could always try the fire escape? There's lots of stairs there." Ryan suggested.

Marissa laughed. "Thanks but I think I'll pass on that idea. A bit too cold and draughty for me." She looked back at what she was doing getting the plates and cutlery ready for their meal. "So you and me in a plane again……" she kept her head down but raised her eyes to look at Ryan.

"Not this time my lady." He shook his head. "I'm afraid we're travelling commercial with all the others."

She pulled a sad face, sticking out her bottom lip and pouting.

Ryan laughed as he took in the face she was pulling. "Don't look at me like that. I did think about chartering a plane. But I would have had to invite the others to come with us and then that would have defeated the whole purpose of having a private jet with you. So you're just going to have to slum it in first class."

"Hmm." She smiled. "You do know some of those first class seats have a fair bit of room and it is a long flight……" she suggested.

He laughed. "Okay. But YOU do know that I'm not up for anything where I may get arrested. I have too many government contracts on the go to risk them, by being charged with public indecency or something like it. I'll buy you a book to keep you occupied." he shook his head smiling. "I think I've created a monster."

"What you're telling me you didn't enjoy it?" Marissa asked.

He reached for her and pulled her in to his arms. "You know I enjoyed it. I enjoy every minute I spend with you." He said as he kissed her lightly on the tip of her nose.

Marissa hung her head. "Even when I was yelling at you yesterday?" she knew that part of the reason for making a special dinner was to try to say sorry to him for the way she had behaved. She had lain in the bath earlier thinking about everything that Kirsten had said and Marissa figured she was probably spot on. But she still didn't think that she could talk to her mother.

"Even then. I just wished I'd never put you in that position." Ryan replied.

"It's okay. Let's just move past it and look forward to the weekend." Marissa frowned. "How are Sandy and Kirsten going to get rid of my mother before then? Surely they aren't going to leave her at the house on her own while they are away?"

"Didn't Kirsten tell you?" Ryan asked.

"Tell me what?"

"Julie left today. Sandy dropped her at LAX before lunch and she was going back to London." Ryan informed her.

Marissa thought for a moment. "Good. That means I have no chance of running in to her anywhere."

Ryan wasn't sure what to say.

They both started to feel uncomfortable with the silence … neither wanting to talk about something that they knew they didn't and wouldn't agree on.

Finally Marissa said "I think I'll just go and call Summer so we can plan a shopping trip."

"What for?" Ryan was pleased that she had changed the subject.

"Ry. Don't act so dumb. We're going away for the weekend. Surely you want us to look our best. We can't do that in just any old thing."

"Let me assure you Ris. You will be the best thing that the guys in the retirement village have seen in a long time no matter what you are wearing. Maybe you should just wear a sack. You never know just how much those pacemakers can take? You all dolled up might be too much for them." He suggested.

"Very Funny. When did you develop this sense of humour Mr Atwood?" she asked.

"It must have happened while you were learning to cook." Ryan suggested.

"You're just a laugh a minute but you know you'd need to do a lot better than that to keep Summer and I away from a shopping trip."

They both realised that each of them had changed during the time that they had been apart and they would have to re-acquaint themselves with one another but that only made things more interesting and they were looking forward to finding out all there was to know about the other.

---

"So you haven't told me what Jake's replacement is like." Ryan asked as they sat at the dinner table. He had just finished off his third helping of meatloaf.

"Why don't we clean up here and then we can go and relax in the lounge and I'll tell you about him." Marissa suggested.

"Um. There's a slight problem with that idea." Ryan replied.

"What?" Marissa looked at him puzzled.

"I don't think I can move." He smiled, leaning back in his chair and patting his stomach.

"Ryan Atwood! You do know I'm only with you because you body is so hot I can't help myself. If you keep eating like that you'll end up with a tubby belly and I might change my mind." She teased knowing that she would love Ryan no matter what he looked like.

"Hey. It's not my fault. What's a guy to do for crying out loud? You made meatloaf! The nana's meatloaf! … I just wanted to compliment you on your cooking and I figured the best way to do that was by eating as much as I could possibly fit in my stomach." Ryan said in his defence.

"You really have been around Seth much too long." Marissa replied. "That's the sort of logic I can imagine him using."

Ryan laughed. "Yeah. You're probably right. I think I may have even heard him use the exact words last Thanksgiving…or at least something awfully close."

"It's a good thing that you're in sweats. If you had jeans on they'd be cutting into you by now."

Ryan pulled at the waist of his sweats testing their limits. "Yeah. I'm sure that meals like this are what these pants were designed for. I mean if my skin could just stretch a little more then I would have been able to finish the meatloaf off. The pants still have some give in them."

"Ryan. I can't believe you could even think about eating anything more. The recipe is supposed to make enough for 6 people and you've almost finished it on your own."

Ryan pulled a face and pouted at her trying to get her to forgive him. "But it's the first time anyone has ever made me a meatloaf all of my own. Well except for what you ate and that barely counts." He suggested. "I liked it…. And who knows it might not ever happen again. I had to make the most of it while I could."

Marissa looked at him. He was so cute sitting there talking about 'his meatloaf' with his sad puppy dog eyes. "Well, if I promise to make it for you regularly will you promise not to attack it like you haven't seen food for a month?"

The pout instantly left Ryan's face and a big smile took its place. He was just like a little boy on Christmas morning. "Exactly how regularly are we talking about?"

Marissa laughed and shook her head. "Would you like me to make it again on Wednesday when we have our visitors coming for dinner? At least I know that if you have to share it you won't be able to eat yourself in to this state."

"That's a great idea." Ryan said in agreement. "And it means I only have to wait 2 more days."

"Okay. By the way did you get to talk to Skip today?"

"Yeah. He said he'd love to come. He has to take a client to Denver tomorrow and then they are returning on Wednesday, but he doesn't think they should be too late. So unless there is a problem with the weather, he'll be here."

"And Annabel's still coming?" Marissa asked.

Ryan wondered again if he should mention to Marissa about what went on with Annabel today but he decided against it. He didn't want to make a mountain out of a mole hill and anyhow surely Annabel had got the message and would be back to normal tomorrow. "Yeah." He replied. "What time should I tell her to come?"

"How about 7? That should give me enough time to get home from work and get dinner under control before everyone arrives. Did you warn Skip that he was being set up?"

"Well I told him that there would be an unattached female here. You know I'm not the one trying to set him up. That's you." Ryan added.

"Yeah. I'm just so happy…..I'd like everyone else to be too." She smiled at him.

"Aww. You're so sweet. Little Miss Matchmaker. They'll probably detest one another on sight and then we'll have to try to keep them apart for the rest of the evening."

"I hope not. Skip's too much fun for anyone to detest and he's good-looking as well. I can't see how she could not like him. And if she doesn't then I'll be the one to sort things out. That girl has an unhealthy interest in you that I'd rather not see go any further. So you just keep your distance." Marissa suggested.

"Okay." Ryan thought again about the fact that maybe everyone was right about Annabel but he didn't want to deal with it now. "But about this Jake replacement? Do I need to worry?" Ryan asked changing the subject.

"No not at all. But come on. I'm sure you can manage to move as far as the lounge and we can relax. If you really can't make it then I guess I could roll you." Marissa suggested.

"Ha ha." Ryan replied as he rose slowly from his chair.

"I think you're just trying to get out of cleaning up." Marissa added as she collected their plates and made her way back into the kitchen.

Ryan picked up their glasses and refilled them and made his way into the lounge. He couldn't believe how much he enjoyed just 'being' with Marissa. He thought back to his life over the last few years and realised just what he had been missing out on. He had no intention of letting anything come between them again.

---

After cleaning up in the kitchen Marissa came and joined Ryan on the lounge. "Okay. So tell me about your day?" Ryan asked pulling her closer to him and wrapping an arm around her.

"Where do you want me to start?" Marissa asked.

"How about the beginning. It's always a good place."

"Well….." Marissa thought back and then suddenly she turned and hit him playfully in the chest.

Ryan jumped surprised. "What was that for?"

"I just remembered the embarrassing situation you put me in this morning with Summer. I got the third degree about what was going on last night when I was on the phone?"

Ryan looked innocently at her. "But I wasn't on the phone to Summer." He gave her his most angelic look.

"No…you were on … ME. She knew exactly what was going on."

"Well I don't see what I had to do with it?"

Marissa started to laugh.

"Sorry. Have I missed something?" Ryan asked.

Marissa shook her head. "No. It's just that Summer asked a sort of similar question. She said that if you weren't involved then from the noises she heard that I must have been pleasuring myself. I think it must have been pretty obvious that I was….." Marissa stopped not wanting to continue.

"Enjoying yourself….. and about to…..?" Ryan suggested.

"Yeah….I guess that will do." Marissa replied feeling herself go red at the thought of what was really going on when Summer had called.

"So…what did you actually say we were doing?" Ryan asked.

"I said we were celebrating." Marissa replied.

"You didn't tell her did you?" Ryan asked concerned that Marissa had told Summer about the engagement.

"No. But I would have loved to. I told her we were celebrating the fact that your football team won and that they don't win very many so it was something special." Marissa replied and shrugged her shoulders. "It was the best I could come up with."

"You're the one that's something special." Ryan replied as he kissed her softly on the tip of her nose.

"We really need to think of some way to get Seth to propose. Otherwise one day it's just going to slip out." Marissa said.

Ryan nodded. "Yeah. I know what you mean. When I was talking to Sandy today I would have loved to be able to tell him. Maybe I'll call Seth tomorrow and try to give him a little shove." Ryan thought for a moment and added. "I know, maybe he could do it this weekend in Miami? The whole family will be there. Maybe I can convince him that he should not waste the opportunity of letting the Nana be part of the celebrations?"

"That's a great idea. Do you think he'll go for it?"

"Well…it's worth a try. Then we just need to give them a bit of time to get over their celebrations and then we can let everyone in on our news." Ryan added. "And we can go and get you another ring for that finger of yours."

"Mmmm…I can't wait." Marissa replied.

"Summer will say yes won't she?" Ryan asked all of a sudden concerned that he may have been assuming something he shouldn't.

"Of course she'll say yes. How can you even doubt it?"

"I don't know. But I can guarantee that Seth will have a million doubts at the last minute. He's going to be a wreck. That's why it hasn't happened already. He's had it planned a couple of times and then chickened out because he's scared she'll say no."

"That will never happen." Marissa replied. "Summer has loved him for …. It seems like forever. She's been waiting for this for ages."

They both sat there thinking for a few minutes.

"You know you got out of it easily?" Marissa suggested.

"What do you mean?" Ryan asked.

"Well I think that what Seth's going through is probably pretty normal for the average male." Marissa shook her head. "Not for a minute am I suggesting that Seth is average. But you know what I mean. I think most men probably spend quite a bit of time wondering how and when to propose and then worrying about whether or not the girl will say yes." She raised her eyebrows waiting for him to disagree.

"And you think I didn't?" Ryan asked surprised.

"Well correct me if I'm wrong. But I don't think you had been planning it at all." She smiled. "It just sort of popped out." Marissa looked shyly at him. "But I'm hoping that you don't regret it."

"The only thing I regret is that I didn't ask you years ago." He replied assuring her that it was what he wanted. "And anyhow, you said no to start off with. You do realise that my heart stopped beating when you said that. Nothing could be as bad as what you put me through."

"Yeah. Sorry about that. But I was saying no, it wasn't too fast. It's just that I was having a little trouble talking at the time. There was this lump in my throat the size of an apple. It's not like I had been expecting to be proposed too." She smiled at him.

"So, you haven't changed your mind, now that you've had some time to think about it?" Ryan asked softly.

"No way mister. You're not getting out of it even if you want to." Marissa replied then all of a sudden losing confidence. "You don't want to, do you?"

"No…Are you kidding? Now that I know that you can cook the Nana's meatloaf, I can't get you to the altar quick enough. Actually, thinking about it, maybe we shouldn't have meatloaf on Wednesday night. Skip already has a thing for you. If he tastes the meatloaf, he might become unbearable."

Marissa just shook her head. "Well you better hurry up and clear the way to that altar then." She laughed.

"Okay, I'll talk to Seth tomorrow. But back to your day, how was work?"

"Yeah good. Matt Phillips, the guy that's taken over from Jake seems really nice. He's married with a 3 year old boy and I think he'll be really good in the part. Very professional, nothing at all like Jake. Which reminds me, I saw J.B. this morning and he wanted you to get in touch with him about dinner sometime."

"Okay. But it will have to be next week. There's a bit too much going on right now."

"Okay you just sort it out with him but I warn you, he was definitely fishing for the status of our relationship. He wanted to know where I was staying?"

"Did you tell him you're with me?" Ryan asked.

"No. I figured it's none of his business. I just told him I was staying with a 'good friend'. Isn't that all he needs to know?" Marissa asked.

Ryan laughed. "I'm sure that intrigued him even more. He's used to calling the shots, so leaving him in the dark will be bugging the hell out of him. But you're probably right. I don't think he would deliberately let on to the paparazzi but he can't reveal what he doesn't know. So well done. Now what do you say to going to bed?"

"What you tired?" Marissa asked.

"No. But I seem to be able to move a little better now and I thought you might help give me a little workout. I know you don't want me to end up with a 'tubby belly' so I think you owe it to me to help me do a bit of 'exercise' since your meatloaf was the cause of my overeating."

"Exactly what kind of 'exercise' are you talking about?" Marissa asked smiling as she could see where this was going.

"The sort that doesn't require clothes." He replied as he stood and pulled her up with him.

"Mmmm. I can probably help with that." She replied as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his head to hers. As their lips met, they both felt the sparks shoot through their veins. The kiss started slowly but soon intensified. Tongues probing and thrusting as they both sort to get even closer to one another, their bodies now pressed together, hips grinding, seeking the ultimate release. Ryan picked Marissa up and she wrapped her legs around him never breaking contact with his mouth. He carried her in to the bedroom and placed her gently on the bed. Ryan slowly rid Marissa of her clothes, trailing kisses over her as each part of her body became exposed to him. Slowly, tenderly, he moved his mouth over her until she lay writhing on the bed and grasping at his clothes to get them off. He stood and shed them in moments and joined her until they both cried out with release.