A/N: Thanks so much for all the lovely reviews, follows, favourites so far - I'm very relieved after that last chapter! (and so are Anna and John...*sorry*)
Here we are with the morning after the night before...
The room seemed brighter that morning, the light insistent as it rushed under the curtains and made to rouse her awake. Anna let out a little groan at its presence, sinking against the pillow, hair falling over her face a little annoyingly. Yet she couldn't be too annoyed at all, not when she was so comfortable. She shifted and wriggled underneath the sheets, clutching a fistful of duvet and letting it envelop her body. It was so snug and warm here, perhaps even a touch too warm. The sunlight increased its warmth on her face despite her seeking shelter from it, and a flush of intense heat ran the length of her prostrate body for a brief moment. She had to give in and blinked a few times, coming around slowly. Sleep was still heavy in her eyes for a while and so was a deal of momentary confusion as she took in what surrounded her. Then her lips curled as the realisation dawned on her, delightfully.
She wasn't in her own bed.
The same feeling had occurred to her several times throughout the night, when she had woken up for a moment or so in the dusk. A pleasant daze emerging from deep sleep, a delicious minute of not knowing, stuck between two worlds. She could only make out faint shadows on the wall in front of her, not really being able to see anything. But she could feel. She felt him lying next to her, his warm skin pressed against her unclothed back, the soft hair of his chest brushing her lightly, the steady beat of his heart aligning with her own. She smiled wide against the pillow she was laying on to find that his hand was resting upon her hip under the covers, his long fingers curved protectively and snugly around her hipbone. Memories made just hours ago rushed through her head, of his hands all over her, seeking her and finding her. His lips upon hers, and then covering every inch of her body. Just recalling it all sent her cresting high upon waves of sheer bliss. Her heart began to race, getting quicker as his hand moved in his sleep low upon her stomach. She couldn't be entirely sure that she wasn't on some clime not of this earth. The tips of his fingers twitched against her, stroked her skin almost imperceptibly softly. She was soothed, and with thoughts of the night past resounding in her mind better than any dream, returned to slumber.
She was awake now, stretching in the vast bed, fragments of all that had happened there being the most wonderful accompaniment to her rousing. She lay for a while just thinking, remembering, a hand drifting over her body, a jolt of electricity shocking her when her fingers traced the same routes he had taken. She couldn't take the smile from her face, and wondered exactly when the last time was that she had been so happy to greet a new day. A moment replayed and replayed in her head, and her toes curled tight against the sheets. The memory was enough for now, could be enough for her whole life, but she was still calling out for more.
Sighing, Anna rolled over onto her other side and was met immediately with a brush against her cheek. She was rather puzzled to find the piece of paper nestled between the two pillows and propping herself against the mattress, picked it up between her fingers, a shock of cool air hitting her shoulder blades as she read the words scrawled upon it.
Now that's what I call a BIG lapse of concentration.
Didn't want to wake you.
John x
There was another smile, replaced swiftly by an uncontrollable fit of giggles as she landed face first for a moment in the space between the two pillows. This man, she thought to herself. The scent of his aftershave was smeared across the pillows, the sheets, pressed to her nose. What is he doing to me? Whatever it was, it was completely wonderful. Birds chirped outside the window. Anna lay on her stomach, tangling a hand into her mussed hair. She ran her other hand over the creases on her pillow, drifted it over to the one by its side, smooth, still warm. A hot fuzz collected and spread out in the pit of her stomach, running down through her limbs.
She stood for a while once she had emerged and fixed on her underwear, not too cold from the air in the room. It had been fairly dark when she had ascended the stairs hours before, and she hadn't even taken notice of the other rooms while her hand had been in his, only concerned about their intended destination, so she wasn't sure where everything was. She wondered briefly about taking a shower, but she felt a little uncertain about that. She worried stupidly about using too much water or using the wrong towel, but primarily she was very aware that she could still sense him upon her skin, and she wasn't keen to get rid. She frowned while still being amused at the discarded clothes on the floor, the gold fabric swirled out, looking more extravagant and out of place in the daylight. Bending, she reached for the grey shirt, not needed as he clearly had many more to choose from, and slid her arms into it, effortlessly doing up the buttons she had previously fought such a battle with. As she reclined against the edge of the bed, she perceived the sound of shuffling below where her feet rested against the floorboards. She beamed excitedly, jumping up in an instant.
When she got to the top of the stairs her heart stuttered to see John at the foot, one of his feet perched on the bottom stair, making to climb upwards. He was clean shaven, dressed in a navy suit with a light pinstripe and light shirt, a mug held in one of his hands. Her hand clasped around the banister and she grinned as she saw him gazing at her, mouth open just slightly, stopped in his tracks. She made her way down to meet him, him removing his foot from the stair as she descended, her hair bouncing at her shoulders with the enthusiasm of her steps. Anna extended her fingers, taking the warm china from his hand and lifting her eyes cheekily up towards him as her lips settled on the rim and she took a sip.
"I wasn't sure if you'd be awake, but I didn't want to leave without bringing you some morning tea," he smiled at her, a light flush entering his cheeks as he watched her relishing the drink. "I don't know how you take it, I had to guess."
Anna smacked her lips together, humming in delight as she gulped down the warm liquid, a glow settling on her face as she looked back into his eyes.
"Milk, two sugars," she drawled, still sounding dreamy from sleep. "It's perfect."
John looked markedly impressed. "How did you work that out?"
"I wouldn't be a very good Yorkshire woman if I didn't know my tea. It's in the genes." She giggled, watching him looking rather amazed, wrapping her hands around the mug. "It only takes a sip to know."
He had shuffled closer, his breath expelling against her. "Maybe you can teach me."
"I would have thought you would know already, being an Irishman." Anna chimed, quirking her eyebrows up in amusement, going a little breathless as he smirked and his face drew nearer to hers. "But I can certainly try."
"I'd like that." His voice was raspy, hoarse. That fuzz came back suddenly into her stomach.
She wet her lips, her eyes flickering to his. "It only takes the tip of your tongue." She couldn't help the mischief from escaping, her words laced and her eyes twinkling with it. From the glint in his own gaze that was just about still visible to her, she knew he appreciated it.
"Is that so?" he growled, and she couldn't restrain her giggles. "Well, maybe I should experiment…"
Carefully, he took her fingers from where they were curled around the mug, taking it from her grasp and settling it on the little hall table. Anna looked up at him with wide, hopeful eyes, warmth drifting through her as he caressed her fingers with his own, sliding them in the spaces between when he met his lips with hers.
It had seemed like so long since their last kiss, and she welcomed him, her arm bracing lightly against his back. This was the perfect way to say good morning, far better than the tea, which was pretty good. His lips were soft and light, becoming just a little firmer in their press against hers. The very tip of his tongue traced over her lips and she smiled as she parted them, letting him in gently. She could taste toothpaste and tea, stronger than her own blend, and the tang of marmalade. His mouth smiled against hers, puckering to leave two light kisses on each of her lips in turn.
"Hmmm," he assessed, eyes half-lidded. "Milk and two sugars, sure enough."
"See, I told you you already knew."
"Now come on, you have to be absolutely certain about these things."
They both looked at each other and chortled, their laughter echoing in the hallway. Anna realised the hem of his jacket was still held between her fingers and she eased them away, pushing some of her hair back behind her ear. She smiled as his eyes raked over her, from her bare ankles up to where she was covered by his shirt. He looked a little sheepish when his gaze reached hers and he realised how he must have been staring, but Anna could only be amused and flattered.
His own smile settled firmly on his face. "It looks better on you than it does on me," he said sincerely and with just a touch of yearning. "Much better."
Anna blushed, twisting her hands in the sleeves. She had to admit that she rather liked wearing his clothes, not expecting to do so quite so soon. All she could do was smile at him, visions flooding through her mind of them together. She blushed a little more intensely. She couldn't tell if he had noticed, but he seemed to find her endearing at this moment if his own expression was anything to go by.
"So, last night," he started, bringing a hand to touch the back of his neck very briefly and then letting it fall by his side again. "That happened, didn't it? I didn't just dream it."
His face crumpled into a cheeky smile and Anna's eyes lit up. She giggled.
"No, it was very real." There's no way I could have a dream that good, she thought to herself.
"Just checking."
He grinned, reaching out to swipe his hand over hers. She wondered if she would feel these little, powerful shocks each and every time he touched her, even as light and innocent as it was now.
"My god, Anna, I…" He exhaled a long breath as the backs of his fingers caressed at her skin, and he looked down for a moment. "I've never experienced anything like that. I was lying awake this morning and it was all I could think of, my head was filled with you. Then I realised you were lying next to me, and I saw you, felt you sleeping. God, you looked gorgeous. I thought I must have been dreaming. I couldn't believe my luck, to have you there."
She smiled wide at all that he was saying. She couldn't quite believe that she had been so lucky, lucky enough to find him, apparently out of the blue, to have come to know him, and to be standing here now with him.
He faltered for a moment, his hand stopping its soothing movements against hers.
"You are…alright? About what happened..."
Anna had to laugh, though it probably wasn't the best thing to do at that very moment.
"You silly beggar," she exclaimed, curling her fingers against his, her bright blue eyes gazing up at him. "Of course I am. More than alright."
She glanced down for a minute, the smile pinned to her face as she recalled. When she looked back up at him, he was searching her face still, though he wore a gentle smile himself.
"It was amazing." She uttered the words slowly, savouring saying them and knowing how true they were, thrilling to see the spark in his eyes. Her hand moved over his, her other grasping onto his side. "I've never felt anything like it before, either. I'm still trying to find the words to describe." She began to move her fingers back and forth, kneading him through his shirt and smiling as he let out a little sigh, his own hand moving up to tangle lightly in the hair covering her neck. "You're quite something, Mr Bates."
He let out a dismissive chuckle, shaking his head softly while she stayed gazing at him, her attention completely rapt.
"I don't know, I think it was all you. You made me like that." He smiled, smoothing his thumb over her cheek. "You had your way with me, Miss Smith."
She scrunched up her shoulders, giggling delightfully as she got onto her tiptoes, angling herself to kiss him swiftly. His hands stroked down her shoulders and arms as their mouths moved together in harmony. They were hovering dangerously by where the shirt was hanging over her thighs and she smiled into the kiss, breaking it before things got too heated, though she really wouldn't have minded. She had a bit of an urge suddenly to explore the rest of the house, and didn't want to do so on her own.
He looked a little troubled as she pulled away from him, and she questioned silently.
"Obviously, I wasn't expecting…I didn't even realise, which is stupid of me, I know."
"What?" she said, a little confused.
"I didn't have anything," he uttered, and she realised, feeling relieved. John looked pained and more than a bit shameful; he wasn't the type to take this kind of matter lightly, she could tell, and it was the only sign that he felt a little uneasy about getting caught up in their passion. "It has been years, I wasn't exactly prepared."
Anna smiled, trying to be reassuring. "It's okay, really. I'm still on the pill. My body tends to go a bit haywire if I stop taking it too soon."
She had wondered whether she should chance it; after all, it had been a while for her too, even though she'd finished with Jeremy relatively recently. Now she thought it was just as well that she had left it.
John breathed out in relief. "Not that I…"
"I know," Anna interrupted. "But even with everything, I don't think it's the time for that."
God, any other man would run a mile with what she'd implied in the lightest way, but he only nodded, half-smiling at her in the hallway.
"So long as you don't regret it later."
His self-deprecation came up from under the surface, and it saddened Anna, as well as being a little bit endearing. She fixed him with a deep look before she reached forward to capture his lips sweetly once more, running a hand over the curve of his jaw, a couple of fingers brushing against his throat. She heard him make a groan, muffled against their kiss.
"I think that tells you that I don't, and I won't."
They stayed rooted to the spot, him stooping to drop a kiss on her forehead and then holding her to him, warm against his embrace. His arms circled around her, and Anna sighed happily. She could stay exactly this way forever; it seemed far too soon to break the spell, though she knew nothing could really suspend it.
She shifted her arms against his chest, and he reached to stroke down her sides to her waist at the movement.
"Can't you stay?" she said, knowing that her voice sounded pleading.
"I wish I could," he sighed, looking at the curve of her neck and her collarbone that was partly hidden by the collar of his shirt before gazing back deep into her eyes. "You have no idea how much. Especially with you in that."
Anna laughed. "Now you know how I feel when I'm looking at you."
He leaned forward to kiss her lightly, and then grazed the tip of her nose.
"If only it wasn't a work day."
She gazed at the clock on the wall behind them. "You're not late, are you?"
"No, but I suppose I'd better get a move on if I don't want to be."
One of his arms remained firm about her, while the other came up, cupping her face in his hand. Anna revelled in his touch.
"You don't seem to be making an effort," she teased him.
John sighed heavily. "That's because you have a hold on me. You should know very well that I can't resist you."
She grinned wickedly, thinking she might get to have her way. "Well, you do run the place. I'm sure they wouldn't notice."
He smirked, catching her off-guard with a deep kiss. His arms relinquished her before his lips did.
"And now I do have to go."
Anna pouted, grasping a spindle in the absence of having him to hold onto. John chortled at her look and then moved back towards her while he put on his coat, fixing the collar.
"How are you fixed? Do you need to be anywhere?" he asked her.
"It's okay. I'm not in the café until this afternoon, and there's not really anything I can do at the restaurant."
"Well, I'm not going to kick you out," he said with a smile in his voice. She shifted on her feet, watching him tip a little jar upside down and then resting the silver key in his palm. "Take all the time you need, have a shower, fix yourself up."
Anna smirked as he handed her the key. "Why, Mr Bates, a key already? That's very forward of you." She laughed as he smiled widely back at her, and then suddenly reddened.
"What's wrong?"
She chuckled, a little embarrassed to think about it. He wasn't the only one who had neglected to think about all the consequences.
"I'll have to go back wearing that dress," she said, a bit bashful. "I hadn't really bargained on giving everyone a fashion parade. It's a good job I brought the coat."
John couldn't stifle his laugher.
"If anyone can pull that off, then it's you," he exclaimed, watching her shake her head. "I can order you a cab?"
"No, I'll do it. You've done enough already." She hadn't understood until she saw him raise his eyebrows and then burst into giggles for what seemed like the thousandth time that morning.
"There's breakfast in the kitchen, tons of it. I'm sorry I couldn't cook you anything."
"Another time," she whispered, loving the look that lit up his face.
"Can I see you tonight?" he ventured, lingering by where she stood. "We can go and see a film, do dinner or drinks…whatever you fancy."
Anna smiled wide at the suggestion, stepping forward and grasping onto the lapels of his jacket lightly. "That suits me. We'll find something to do."
They both had to laugh; it seemed everything she said now had a double meaning.
"Good," he purred, covering his hands over hers and leaning to give her a last kiss, deliberately slow. She sighed as his lips left hers. He smiled, heading to the door.
"Until tonight. Take care."
As she watched him go, as the door clicked shut, Anna looked to the ceiling with a smile on her face, feeling like his arms were still wrapped tight around her with his shirt draped over her body. She bit on the corner of her lip. Even this morning, he had given her a lot to remember.
She spent the remainder of the morning occupying her own wonderful little world, revelling in it, hardly able to believe all that had happened. Every now and then she would catch herself with the secret smile fixed to her face and found she couldn't get rid of all the traces, not when certain thoughts occurred to her in any instant, regardless of whether she was alone or not. She was keeping count of how many times they had kissed, going back again when she lost the number. She was interrupted by the memory of his lips trailing down over her body, so vivid that she could nearly feel their caress again, through all of her clothes. She thought of his fingers, careful and considerate, never giving up their pursuit, touching her so intimately and amazingly…her whole body contracted just at the thought and she suddenly felt incredibly hot, standing in the cool air.
Everything was so fantastic to her that she couldn't even be troubled by having to work the notoriously taxing lunch shift in the café that afternoon. If anything, she got through all the orders far more efficiently, served the barrage of customers with a beaming smile. Having done all she needed to with still an hour of her shift to go, she found herself in the back room, washing plates and cups and making some little preparations to the cakes that were to be put out for the evening. She hummed along happily to the low volume of the radio that was playing in the background, shaken out of her daze when the door swung open with a crash and a heavy sigh punctuated the air.
Ivy appeared, clutching a coffee cup that had hardly been touched, her face flushed and her eyes blinking furiously, looking as if she were about to burst into tears at any second. Anna had to wonder what the matter was; the young girl was usually so bubbly and bright, she'd never seen her quite this perturbed before.
"Nightmare customer?" Anna frowned, drying off and replacing a plate in a pile with the others.
Ivy undid and hurled off her apron in a sudden fit, and sighed.
"The customer from hell," she replied heavily. "This is the fourth time she's sent this order back. Complained that there was too much cream, then not enough, then that the colour wasn't right!" Her voice rose in indignation. "I mean, it's a bloody cappuccino, not a work of art!"
Anna exhaled, folding the tea towel and placing it down on the counter. She was sure she had never heard Ivy react in such a way, she was such a sweet-natured thing. The girl's cheeks were glowing red and she was panting furiously.
"Come on, you catch yourself for ten minutes." She put her hand on Ivy's shoulder, taking the cup from her hands and guiding her to sit down. "I'll go and deal with it."
Ivy's eyes looked up wide at her. "Oh Anna, thank you. I think I'd end up doing something I regret if I had to go back out. Or otherwise ensure that we needed to order a load more crockery."
"Surely not you," Anna smiled reassuringly, patting her hand against the girl's shoulder briefly. "Let's see if I can fare any better. I'll tell you the tale if I live to do so."
She took her apron from where it was hanging by the door, pinning it on as she went through and around out into the front of the shop. Though a part of her expected that Ivy may have been overreacting just slightly, being young and rather naïve, she tensed up a little, bracing herself for whatever onslaught might be to come. Reaching into the pocket, she brought out and clutched the notepad and pencil as if they were armoury.
They nearly clattered to the floor when she saw the blaze of auburn hair, the ivory legs placed in skyscraper heels that were crossed, pointing accusingly towards her.
A smirk rose up on the woman's face, her red fingernails ceasing to drum on the table top when she saw Anna.
"Well, well, look who we have here. I believe we've met before?" Her American accent drawled.
Yes, I believe we have, when you were shagging my absolute bastard of a fiancé.
"Anna, isn't it?" Claudia's words had the perfect semblance of nonchalance, or perhaps it wasn't a façade. Anna wouldn't have been surprised if she really was that self-absorbed.
"It is."
She stayed unmoved, staring ahead as Claudia's gaze studied her up and down, lingering upon her white apron. Anna crossed her hands in front of her, defiantly, refusing to show herself shrinking despite the way she felt scrutinised.
"So, this is what you're doing now. A waitress." She spat the words from her heavily lipsticked mouth, her lips quirking upwards when she met Anna's eyes again. She knew very well that's what she was doing now, Anna thought. It seemed a very big coincidence for her to be here at all. "Quite the fall from grace."
Her insides, that had been so calm and blissful all day, were bubbling with buried rage.
"Not at all," she replied coolly. "It's a perfectly good profession. I think people underestimate how tough it is." Especially when we have to put up with nosy, unreasonable bitches like you.
Claudia bit on her lip, stifling a cackle. "Well, whatever. I just hope that you're more competent than that silly little girl. I mean, how hard is it to get a cappuccino right? It is the only thing she does all day, after all."
She unclipped her compact mirror in her hands and applied even more lipstick. Not that any amount could remove her ugliness, Anna pondered. She had to wonder just what her motive was for turning up here. Paranoia? Some kind of revenge? She couldn't have possibly imagined that she might be jealous of her, surely? She really couldn't care less about Jeremy, or what they were doing together. For a good while now, she had forgotten all about the whole sorry thing. She tried desperately to fill her mind with what had been rushing through it all day long, to calm herself, to remind herself that she had something so much better now. Had someone so much better. Half of her hoped that John would walk through the door at that very second and the other half panicked profusely in case he did just that.
"But, I'm sure you'll have no trouble," Claudia pouted at herself in the little mirror before turning her scowling eyes back towards Anna. "You are much older. A little too old to really carry being a cute waitress off, but you do what you have to do, right?"
The cheek of it. She was surely older than her; if she was younger, she wasn't wearing very well at all.
Anna shook her head to clear it of the unpleasant thoughts that were increasing there. There was a prolonged silence and she decided to just come out and say it.
"Look," she began, keeping her voice steady and low, "if this is about Jeremy, then you have nothing to worry about from me, I can assure you. You are welcome to him."
A screech of a laugh came from Claudia, and several other people in the café turned to look at them. Anna felt mortified, wanting to keep the encounter discreet, but this was the last thing on Claudia's mind.
"Oh, honey. I'm not worried, not at all." She curled a hand in her hair, running a heel up the side of her opposite leg. "We are very happy. Very happy indeed. You know, he's having a lot more fun now that he hasn't got other commitments to bring him down."
She trailed a shiny red nail over the surface of the table, and Anna swallowed hard.
"Good for him. And you."
"Yes." She purred, elongating the word as she raised her almost black eyes to meet Anna's once more. "It's very good indeed."
The lull returned, tension thick in the air. Anna sighed loudly, jabbing her pencil into the paper, tapping her foot as Claudia took her time, fiddling with her hair. Finally she spoke again.
"I was just looking for a new coffee shop, that's all," she said apparently innocently. "Now that I'm living in this area. And I think I've found it." She smiled, not exactly sweetly, at Anna, who felt her heart start to constrict in her chest. She didn't know quite what to do, her pencil having slipped from the pad, her mouth refusing to speak.
In the next moment, Claudia unfurled her legs, pinned her bag to her shoulder and stood up, her eyes fixed firm on Anna as she did so.
"I think I'll skip the order for today. I know what I need to know. But don't worry, I'll be back." Anna found that she was still a little bit dumbfounded as Claudia placed a few coins down on the table, clattering loudly. "A little something for your service. You might want to see if you can reserve that table for me." She smirked a wicked grin from beneath all of her lipstick before tossing her hair over her shoulders. "You have a nice day, now."
The customers at the furthest side of the café turned to glare at Anna's ashen face as the bell echoed around the walls. Well, she was having the nicest day up until minutes ago. Now with a cloud hanging over her, she wasn't sure how she'd be able to get it back to how it was.
Sitting on the edge of the sofa, Anna scraped the heels of her boots against the carpet, ran her hands over her jeans and pouted in deep thought. As she had got home and got ready she didn't have the chance to ruminate about the events of the afternoon, but now they had come back with a vengeance. She just couldn't get her head around why Claudia had turned up there. What was even more puzzling was why it was bugging her so much. After all, the woman had done her the biggest favour of her life, allowing her to ditch Jeremy once and for all. She wouldn't have exactly got down on her knees and kissed the toes of her stilettos, but she was grateful, in a strange way. Still, it didn't make looking at her smug face any easier, and it was the thought of seeing it every day that had really struck fear into her. She had made it quite clear that she intended to be a regular customer. Perhaps she was toying with her on purpose, prolonging the humiliation in payback. But whatever she had in mind, Anna knew she didn't want and indeed couldn't deal with the constant reminders. Not now. Her head spun with it all and dread gnawed uncomfortably at her, even though she had already acted out the decision which meant she had no reason to worry. Only now, she began to worry that had been too hasty and quite ridiculous indeed. All because for some unfathomable reason, she was afraid. Of Claudia, not that much. Of Jeremy, hardly. Maybe she was most afraid of herself, of everything unravelling around her once more. She hadn't been so happy in ages. But fate had a habit of playing out cruel twists.
She wouldn't lose him, surely. You never know what's waiting around the corner…
It took the bell to ring twice before she heard it and she shook herself, smoothing her fingers over her black shirt.
He gave her a warm smile that almost melted away all of her anxieties and she did her best to return it, keeping it there as he gave her a kiss on the cheek. She thought she was doing a rather good job, still smiling as she invited him in, but her eyes didn't fool him.
"Oh, John," she sighed before he could ask what the matter was. "I think I've done something rather silly."
"I should have known you'd come to think that eventually."
His voice was light, teasing and self-deprecating, and Anna gave a little smile that was more genuine whilst shaking her head at him.
"This afternoon, I quit the café." Stating it aloud made it all real and she felt so very foolish. She succeeded in holding herself together but still welcomed his hand coming to rest on her arm. "Something happened…it was stupid, really, nothing that even mattered. But it just made something snap. At least it felt like that then, but now, I'm not sure."
He circled his other arm softly around her waist, guiding her closer to where he stood, giving a shrug of his shoulders.
"When you know something's not right, you know." To Anna, his was the voice of all experience. She glanced up and saw him flashing her a smirk. "I think you need to trust your instincts more."
Well, they hadn't failed her so far, that was true.
His face softened as she looked deeper into it, her arm curling easily about him.
"It's not the end of the world, is it?" he uttered.
She huffed a little, placing her other hand against his chest.
"I suppose not. But the timing's not great. I mean, the restaurant launch is in a few days. Once that's done, I really will be at a loose end."
Her fingers fiddled with the edge of his jacket and she stepped forward, pressing her forehead lightly to the warmth of his upper body. His hands drifted over her back and the cool silkiness of her shirt. Anna was astounded at how easy this all felt, how comforting.
"I promise, as long as I'm here, you'll never be at a loose end. Even if it means me giving up my job and making it my profession to occupy you."
Her face still buried against him, Anna's nose jabbed at his chest as she started to giggle, at first lightly but then with increasing force. John started, bringing his hands up to cup the sides of her face.
"What's got into you?" he enquired, beginning to chuckle himself at her sudden amusement.
"You do realise how that sounded?" She lifted her head to look at him with impish eyes, a smirk curling her lips.
John shook his head and chortled. "Now, don't blame me for the places your mind goes."
Her cheeks became a little pink underneath her thin layer of blusher. She closed her eyes as he dropped a kiss against her hair, smiling when he lingered to press his nose to the strands, inhaling lightly.
"And that's starting now." He braced his hands against her arms, giving her a gentle shake. "We're going to have a great time tonight, forget all about work and everything else."
Anna gazed up at him, her face scrunched up. He looked so excited and boyish, and she didn't want to dampen his enthusiasm.
"Would you mind if we stayed in tonight?" she ventured. "I'm not really in the mood to be out. Gwen's out for the night, so it would still just be the two of us. If that's okay with you."
He gave her an equally hearty grin and she felt relieved. She should have known he'd be fine with whatever she wanted to do.
"A night in sounds good to me."
His voice was low in her ear, his breath tickling her as he pulled her close for a moment, leaving a kiss tingling upon her. She smiled at the sensation, clasping his hands before she began to walk towards the living room.
"I'll see what films I can dig out that we'll both like."
"I'm sure I'll be fine with whatever you choose." He winked at her as he headed into the kitchen in search of provisions.
Her smile was real now, and stayed so for the whole evening as they sat, sunk against the sofa, eyes upon the screen, every so often glancing away to look at each other. John's arm came tighter around her and she snuggled up further, curling her legs up onto the seat and pillowing her head against his broad chest. Everything that was remotely troublesome ebbed away from her, obscured and overcome by this moment. Even if she couldn't be completely sure that she wasn't wrong about her rather impulsive choice, somehow it didn't matter. Not when this part of her life felt so very right, and of that she was most definitely certain. Anna smiled as John's fingers moved just perceptibly against her, as she felt his heart thud at their closeness and the tension of the drama that was playing out on the screen.
She had him, and that meant there was no need to be afraid.