Author's Note: Sorry, I have had an exceptionally trying and emotional week and I apologise for both the delay in updating and the brevity of this chapter, I hope it tides you over for another week or so while the real life situation calms down enough to allow me to hear the creative chatter of the characters in my brain again.
In the meantime, please have a read and REVIEW the wonderful work of BannersAndMash and contrite-shadow and Sasha-Cameron or any other of my listed favourite authors or stories or disappear into the vortex that is Pinterest, my link is in my profile .
Christian's POV – Saturday 2nd July 2011
I wake wrapped around Ana, her neck on my arm, my face in her hair, my other arm holding her tight against me and my leg over hers. Worried that I may be putting pressure on her still damaged body, I make to move and am greeted with what sounds like an annoyed whimper and then an extra snuggle into my body and I grin into her hair. I love Ana, pure and simple, she's agreed to be my wife and her body is mine in every way now and my heart is hers completely, I couldn't be happier and then I feel her wake.
"Good morning gorgeous fiancée of mine, I love you," I say against her ear and there is the giggle I adore, pure molten chocolate essence for my soul and my smile widens as I untangle myself so that I can manoeuvre and roll over so that I am now in front of her without her moving.
"Wow, that was athletic, magnificent fiancé of mine" she says reaching out with her finger to trace up my chest and tapping on my nose and I pull her in, any space between us being too much and I press into her belly, she allows one hand to wander down and I smile breaking away.
"Baby, are you sore?"
"Deliciously" she says wickedly and then continues, "Well, there's a benefit of the pain killers that I never thought about, I have to take them for the pelvis and seriously, it is no more than a pinch compared to everything else, I will feel nothing in less than 15 minutes." She hesitates like she was about to say something else and I pounce.
"Baby, is the pelvis hurting more than usual?" Her eyes cloud and she looks away and I know she's trying to couch her response in a way that will allow us our fun while acknowledging her pain.
"Baby, look at me," I say and she eventually turns back to me, "We have forever baby, it doesn't matter."
A stubborn pout appears and she says petulantly "But I wanted to do it again… now."
"Well, we shouldn't have done it again after dinner last night should we? Even if eating the chocolate cake off my abs was the ultimate turn on for you," I say chuckling, remembering the antics after dinner last night. Ana's cheeks burn with a rosy hue as she remembers and I know the memory will sustain her for a while. Gail's decadent chocolate cake, chocolate sauce and some strawberries were sinfully employed in making the most of our celebrations, well into the night.
"Anyway, I have plans for the whole weekend and this is day two and it is a busy day so time to have a shower and get dressed, the shower here is pretty basic, I will make sure it is renovated by Elliot when he does the rest of the renovations so just a shower… ok?"
I make sure she isn't too disappointed and like the trouper she is, she just nods and allows me to help her out of bed, well, after a number of attempts of dragging me back down that have us running a bit behind my schedule and my control once again sorely tempted, now that I know what I am missing, it's going to be that much harder when I have to refrain.
I pile the pancakes on Ana's plate and add a couple extra to mine and then say, "Ok, you grab the juice, we're going out to the jetty," and slinging the two thermos' that Gail had prepared earlier over my shoulder, we saunter down to the jetty.
"Oh how peaceful to be able to come down here and just watch the water flowing past." Ana breathes as we reach the jetty and she can see the vista and hear how peaceful it is. As we put everything down she notices the name on the boat, "The Grace.." and she turns to me, her eyes wide, "Is this yours?"
"Soon it will be ours, not mine Baby, but yes, it's mine."
"Oh no, you're going to tell me you can drive… pilot… whatever you do with a boat too, aren't you?" she says with an impish grin.
"Yes, I can…" I say squeezing sleaze into my voice as I swagger towards her, "Are you impressed Baby?"
"Aye, aye Cap'n," she giggles mid salute and I crush her to me.
Finally, I release her and say, "We need to eat fast, Mac will be here soon to help us take it out, it'll just be a quick spin today, so that you can see this beautiful area and be sure about saying yes to buying the house, we might even find something else further along.." and the blush and shake of her head seals that thought.
"My heart is already in this house, Christian, I couldn't consider anything else," and then she looks up at me, "Unless you don't like it."
"Baby, I love it but I don't care where I live as long as it is with you, I'll just have Elliot make it more ecologically sustainable before we move in, is that ok?"
Her enthusiastic nod that has her curls tumbling across her breast, seals it and I know that if Mac doesn't hurry, he will interrupting something more than breakfast as the doe eyes that Ana is training on me will lead to only one thing if we don't move soon.
"Babe, eat up, I want to get you safely on board, in the life jacket so that if you fall overboard," and I can't continue as I shudder to think of anything happening to Ana.
"I'll do whatever you tell me to do so that I am safe," she knows, she just knows as she says this gently, that I can't lose her and I hold her against me for another second just so she knows that I love her for understanding along with everything else.
A perfect morning spent on the boat, a leisurely early lunch on a deserted island, Mac on one side of the island and Ana and I in a secluded cove, Gail's lunch picnic basket filled to the brim with goodies and I'm glad to see the activities of the day mean that Ana is eating heartily. More so as I insist on feeding her so where she would have stopped, she ends up with the last piece of cheese, the last piece of pie, the last piece of chocolate cake which she shares back with me. Oh but how she shares it with me!
Sitting on my torso, leaning back against my bent legs, as I lie on the blanket in the sand, her body is pressed against mine so that I can feel it as she realises how secluded it is and what I have been doing with my hands as the bikini falls away. She giggles and leans forward to place the remaining morsel in my mouth and then uses herself as the chaser as we finish the chocolate cake together, our tongues dancing around until there is nothing left.
Too late she realises my game when I pull her up my chest, lifting her legs over my shoulder and she looks wildly around, "It's ok baby, we are safe in here, no-one can see in and Mac is keeping watch, he can't see," I hasten to add as she starts.
"Now for my real dessert," I say grinning wickedly up at her.
Once she comes back down, we just lay there, revelling in each other, the sounds of water lapping and birds chattering overhead, a perfect afternoon stretching ahead of us after a perfect morning until I say, "I'm sorry babe, let's have a quick dip as we have something important to do now, we have to go back because we need to go call in on Ray, I don't want to ask him on the phone, he needs to see that you are happy so that we have his blessing," Ana nods, if Ray has any reservations, I need to know now so that I can be sure that everything is resolved before we start planning.
Back on the boat, Ana takes the wheel and it allows me to take photos of her standing there, looking so thin and worn but happy, her smile and eyes shining, her hair blowing in the wind, perfection at its very best, I can't wait until she is fully healthy again and reflecting that in her body. She's a natural at the wheel and I can imagine with some extra training, we'll be able to take the boat out by ourselves and the options that will give us, makes me smile.
As we drive out towards Montesano, "You're not worrying that Ray will say no are you?" Ana finally says as she rests her hand on my bouncing knee, calming it instantly, as Taylor represses a smile. Apparently I look nervous, I don't do nervous and scowl at him, to be met by a grin that he doesn't even try to hide.
Well, the idea that Ray may not give his approval isn't sitting well and I am surprised at my nerves, "Baby, every other deal that I've ever brokered doesn't matter, compared with Ray's approval," I say and I see the tears in Ana's eyes and break all my own rules and undo Ana's belt and pull her next to me before strapping her back in but holding her tight, "Baby, you are more important to me than anything else I've ever done, believe me. Do you believe me?" I whisper against her ear and wait, rubbing her back until she nods imperceptibly against my arm.
"Gorgeous girl, let me tell you, I want Ray to say yes and give his blessing but will you still go ahead if he says no?"
"I've already said yes Christian, there's no getting out of it now for you," she says laughing as she rubs my arm, "You're stuck with me now," and leans up so I can capture her mouth with mine and with that, the nerves settle a little.
"Oh Annie, look at you walking by yourself," Ray says with a huge grin and relief in his voice as he launches himself off the porch to reach Ana and support her arm despite his words and she laughs and throws her arms around his neck in welcome.
"Now to get you fit and healthy again, don't you go overdoing it like normal," Ray says with a twinkle in his eye as he holds her and puts his hand out to me, "Good afternoon son, welcome Christian to my humble abode, would you like a beer?" Pleasantries aside, we walk into the kitchen looking out over his view.
"Actually, Ray, we've come for a reason," and I swallow, aware that I am about to possibly upset the one other person that truly loves Ana beyond reason and he looks at me concerned at my serious face.
"Last night I asked Ana if she'd marry me and she said yes. I know I should have asked you first but it was the perfect setting and I couldn't pass it up, so now I am asking if you would give your blessing to our union." I pause, "Sir."
Ray looks slowly between us, Ana nestled in the crook of my arm and back at me and says slowly, "Son, it was always going to be hard to hand Annie over to any man to make sure she is loved and protected as she deserves to be, but you son, are not any man. I have seen how it's Annie's heart that beats in your chest and yours in hers. You have my total blessing but know if you harm her in any way, you will standing in judgement to me as well as any other sanction and I have no qualms about punishing you whether it be within or outside of the law, is that understood?
I don't expect any less of him and nod gravely, I totally understand and he stands and takes hold of my hand and claps me on the shoulder, "Congratulations Son," before gathering Ana into his arms and holding her tight.
"Are you happy?" he asks quietly and when she leans back and smiles at him, the happy tears tumbling down her cheek dashed away as she nods vigorously, he kisses her cheek and says "Just don't lose yourself Annie," he takes a deep breath and then continues "Remember, you will always have me but now you have someone that deserves you."
Ray pauses and then with a hint of a tear in his eye, he hands Ana back to me and I fold my arms around her while leaning against the couch and he says quietly, "Annie was a gift given to me and a more precious gift I could not give you Son, please look after her."
Ana's tears start again and then she suddenly remembers something that makes her smile through the tears, "Daddy, will you walk me down the aisle?"
His eyes shine although his face saddens, "I know I can't give you the wedding you deserve, but it would be such an honour to walk you down the aisle."
Ana throws her arms around him again and he buries his face in her hair and I leave them to walk to the window. Looking out, I spy the most beautiful, ornately carved love seat on the verandah under the vines and when they have settled themselves and Ana comes to me to slip her hand into mine, she looks out too and gasps, "Daddy, I know what you can do for us, that is so much more long lasting and permanent than paying for a wedding that is over and done with in a day and then is just a memory. Please will you carve us a love seat like the one under the vines?"
"I'll get to it straight away," is the warm response from Ray and I see how much alike they are, memories and something useful to hold them in, being more important than anything done for show for others.