The Port Charles Drive-in, Port Charles
Valentin Cassadine was not, by nature, a patient man.
Driven, calculating, strategic? Yes. But patience, along with many other conventional virtues, was not a natural part of his moral makeup. His desire for action made him intrepid, with a mind formed to keep secrets and bend men to his will—and a face that hid much and revealed little. In fact, there was only one thing he had the patience for:
Revenge.
Yes. He had a genius for turning even a virtue into a vice, like some foolish modern-day Edmond Dantès.
For years his thoughts of revenge had satisfied him; the formulation of his plans and gaining the means to execute them, the pitting of strength and craft against strength and craft, the tireless struggle, knowing that one day his enemies would be sorry they had crossed him. Drunk on his need for vengeance, he had even created an enemy in his mind where there was none. He'd made an enemy of her.
And yet somehow, due to either luck or providence combined with her own expansive capacity for forgiveness, Anna Devane was sitting next to him on a movie date, one hand entwined in his while the other was concerned with the bucket of popcorn he had brought to her. He looked these facts unflinchingly in the face until he had grown used to them. Despite his best efforts to sever himself from her with his stupidity, the old bond held. So now, rectifying the past was his goal. His office in life was to be her friend, humble and unexpectant; to be at hand if she should need him for, even so, trifling a service as procuring fake buttered popcorn; never to presume, always to be there for her. And so he was relearning patience as a virtue it was meant to be this time. She was the embodiment of better things, things he had once known and loved and forgotten when he was a younger man. Perhaps there were lines on his face now, a thread or two of silver in her soft brown hair, but those splendid intelligent dark eyes were unchanged, and her soul looked out through them. And she was worth being patient for.
Valentin tried to concentrate on the movie, but he couldn't seem to. He was far too distracted by Anna. Her dark hair curled around her jawline and hung over her shapely shoulders, and she delicately placed piece after piece of popcorn to her lips and chewed carefully as he tried not to lick his lips looking at her mouth. She was watching the movie, but her lips were turned up in a wry smile as if she knew he was staring at her. He was content just to look at her as she watched the movie. Her eyes alight and her smile dreamy. But occasionally, he saw a flicker of pain mirrored in her dark irises as she watched, a slight shift in her posture as if she was looking internally as well as externally. He wondered what ghosts of missions passed were invading her thoughts. The glint of tears hovered for a moment, but her hand swiped them away with her hand before they had a chance to fall. Tough as nails but her heart on her sleeve. That's who she was and has always been. He decided to try and restart the conversation to distract her from her own thoughts.
"Have you ever been to Casablanca?" Valentin asked casually, testing the waters.
"Yes, I have," she said primly.
"On a mission?" he asked curiously.
"No. I was there during a more…unsavory part of my life. Someone needed my appraisal skills. It paid well."
She said no more and kept her eyes focused on the flickering light of the screen watching with intensity. He realized his question hit a nerve. Her walls were coming up again, and it dawned on him that his question probably did seem like another bout of fishing from her angle. He didn't want her to close herself off. Not now, not now that she was willing to spend her time on him.
She continued to watch the movie while fiddling with the ends of her hair, tucking a loose strand behind her ear. Valentin's eyes followed the movement as an odd look fluttered over his face, and she noticed. She found herself questioning the look.
"What?"
He shook his head and mumbled, "Sorry, I, uh, got a bit distracted."
"You'll have wasted your money on tickets if you don't watch." she chuckled.
"I was just admiring you, darling."
She didn't reply and instead ducked her head with a smile. He swore she blushed, and he was pleased with his luck.
"I really do love this movie," she sighed, returning her attention to the screen. "Ilsa and Rick, they were not afraid of losing each other again; the connection is already forged, you know, even in a repetitious cycle of war and aggression or their own frustration, they couldn't deny it. They were apart, but they continued to live," she propped her chin on the window frame, staring either at the movie or at her and his reflection in the windshield, "Just like you did."
Her words took him by surprise. He almost responded but decided against it, just to spare his concentration for her, for the smiling woman staring at him with a pair of luminous soft eyes. They exchanged glances just to throw voiceless acknowledgment to each other, to say silently that sometimes moments only need eyes, not words. She closed the distance to caress his jaw.
"You fell, you dissolved, but you are still alive and determined to live everything again even though you once lost it all. I admire that, Valentin. I really do. I hope you know that."
Valentin felt a tug on his heartstrings as he looked at her soft, low-curved smile, with one hand caressing the silky crown of her head. He looked at her for a few long moments, and she caught his hand just to hold it inside hers, running her thumb over his knuckles as if carving a message there- everything is okay, we're here together.
He brought her hand to his lips and paid her the homage she was owed. A bewitching light was casting shadows on her. Her profile, elegant posture, and the curve of her neck were accented in the low light. Their eyes met, lingering on each other, small smiles exchanged. She leaned towards him, yielding ever so slightly, prompting him to follow her lead. Only inches of open-air and a bucket of popcorn separated them.
"Are you hungry?" she asked.
"Not for popcorn," he said in a low voice, whispered into the shell of her ear. His warm breath tickled the sensitive skin of her neck and threatened to melt her down into nothing.
"Caviar then?" she teased, her own voice sounding husky to her ears.
"No. That's not what I'm hungry for." He looked at her with a ravenous look in his eyes, a soft smile playing about the corners of his mouth that made her heart flutter. The smile left her lips when his intense gaze captured hers, and she inhaled sharply. A dark ember burned in his eyes and made her shiver deliciously.
His keen eyes noticed. "Are you cold? I have a blanket in the back."
"Actually, I could use more room. It feels a little crowded right now."
Anna looked at him with a wicked glint in her eye. She scanned the cars around them through the windows and, observing no one, quickly lifted herself up and smoothly slipped into the vehicle's back seat. Anna scooted over to the far side and patted the seat next to her invitingly. A faint smile bloomed at the corner of her lips.
Valentin looked at her, mouth agape, his brain almost short-circuited at the realization of what she was intending. He had expected their pace to remain slow, knowing he had a lot to make up for. All his high-minded thoughts on the virtues of patience went out the window at the sight of Anna backed up against the door of the car, her eyes heavy-lidded, as she waited in breathless anticipation for him to join her. She did not have to wait long. Soon he was seated beside her, and she was pinned against the car door by his strong arms as he claimed her lips. He drew a moan from her as she responded in kind, gripping his shoulders as she tasted his mouth.
"It's been a long time since either of us has been um...romantic. Unless you've been kissing another woman behind my back while you were away convalescing."
"Wha- what would make you say that?"
"I'm just trying to find a reason why you stayed away; maybe a secret paramour was the reason." she teased.
Valentin worked to quell the panic rising, hoping she would see his flush as a sign of her effect on him rather than hitting too close to the truth of his ruse in Tahiti. He internally cursed all the Cassadines, living and dead, for good measure. He hoped that one day he would be able to share his predicament with her, but at the moment, the best way to conceal deception was, as always, to cover with the absolute truth.
"You are the only person I want to be with, Anna. No one else has my attention like you do."
"Show me." she purred.
Something akin to a boyish flush passed over his face. Anna's smile widened; she liked that look on him. Her head moved from side to side as she savored his flustered appearance, enjoying her upper hand.
Valentin's usually well-ordered mind was reeling. He wants her, has wanted her; everything wasn't ruined because he neglected her. He opened his mouth to tell her how lucky a man he was, but the words never made it out when she kissed him hard. Her ferocity caught him by surprise, but he recovered quickly, his hands coming to her neck, one threading through her hair as he pulled her even closer. She reveled in it, in the desire he poured into their kisses. It's been ages since he kissed her like this, Not since New Year's Eve, which felt like a lifetime ago when things were just starting to heat up, then interrupted. She loved that she could draw this reaction from him, and the sounds he made only spur her on. There was a heated thrum between her legs that she ignored as she licked and sucked at his neck, getting reacquainted, relishing the novelty of his body covering hers. The pressure was pleasant, and she wondered when his touch became so familiar to her. The rest of the world fell away. It was only them; time was slowing down.
His mind was on one thing only, pleasing her. He kissed her languidly; then, his hand slid up her thigh under the fabric of her pencil skirt. Fortunately, the black fabric had more give than the snug fit over her curves belied. He pushed it up to her hips as he felt the smooth skin of her legs' which parted as his hands moved upward. She twitched with anticipation as his hand squeezed her flesh, moving closer to where she needed it. Soon he found his mark, rubbing her through her the lace he found there. She moaned at the sensation, and he too when his fingers traced over the damp fabric. He adjusted his position in the cramped space and placed a kiss on the inside of her knee.
"May I?" he asked his finger hooking into the waistband of french lace. He sought permission and held his breath, waiting for her answer.
"Valentin?" she panted, his name a question, echoing his. This wasn't just about her. Did he want to continue? Anna bit her lip; she didn't want to say anything she would regret. Her relationship with Valentin had always been complex, and every day since they had put their rivalry behind them, a new layer was added.
"Without a doubt, Anna," He spoke softly, a small smile pulled at the corner of his mouth. He pressed a kiss to Anna's upper thigh and felt rather self-satisfied as her muscles clenched at the contact. He did this a few times, just to draw things out. Just to make sure Anna felt the anticipation too.
"Yes,"
He smiled, staring down at her in wonder as his hand trailed back up her thigh, his fingertips dragging in a way that made her twitch. It feels good, more so when he adds his nails in, a gentle scrape she felt in her core. Her senses were in overdrive, and even these faint, teasing touches felt amazing. She wasn't going to take long; all of the anticipation and how long it's been were working to his advantage, making her hypersensitive and on edge. She hadn't had an orgasm in a year that wasn't her taking matters into her own hands, and she needed it now. She was throbbing with need, and Valentin was taking his sweet time bestowing relief. He'd only given her a little attention, but it was enough to have her breath racing, muscles tightening and pleasure blooming.
When his mouth finally settled where she needed it, her moan was loud and overeager, her back arching and gasping for him not to stop. He did stop for a moment, and she squirmed in frustration at him, but it was only so he could sink his fingers inside her, and it felt so good. Those fingers moved and pressed until she gasped, "There," when he hit that spot with pleasure radiating from deep inside her. She's missed this; it felt amazing. How did she go so long without feeling this incredible feeling? His fingers stretched her deliciously as he continued to curl into that spot, his palm grinding against her, the delightful friction a perfect counterpoint to the slow, deep pressure he was creating inside her.
She was enjoying him thoroughly, panting, and gasping, letting out little sounds of appreciation of her own. Her one hand tangled in his hair. Valentin was nothing if not meticulous, and he put all his focus into his efforts. As his hands moved to her hips and mouth got to work she let out a guttural sound that made him ache. This was just for her, but now his own need for her was getting the better of him.
They made eye contact for a second, she was watching him, but he'd been focused on his task. Now that she met his eyes, he saw the lust in them, her fighting to keep them open as the pleasure waved through her. He kept looking. Anna was so close to coming, and Valentin knew it. He felt the involuntary twitch of her thigh muscles and the way her hands tightened in his hair. He could hear the tone of her moaning change. She was close, so close, already, hips bucking, thighs trembling in reaction to the intense sensation. The feelings started to boil over, and then she was hit with an influx of pleasure so sharp her whole body jerked, and Valentin had to bring his other hand to hold her down to him. She cried out. "Valentin!" as she's consumed by wave after wave of exquisite heat. The sensation radiates out, most intense in her center, but flowing down her legs and up her spine, making her shiver. It was extraordinary, the feeling of release powerful and all-consuming. She barely heard Valentin's heated, "Yes, Anna, let go," too glad he wasn't stopping as her orgasm spun out.
"Was that good, darling?" he asked, and all she could do was nod. It was long, intense, and so needed. And she's not done. She needed to feel him inside her, to be joined with him in that way. It was fully dark outside. The last bit of light had disappeared at some point during the Notorious or when she was too lost in pleasure to notice. But she noticed now, and it was good because she needed him inside her and didn't want to wait a moment— she also didn't want to get caught, so the darkness was the perfect cover. The windows were entirely fogged over for good measure.
She was still breathing hard as she righted herself back in her seat. He reached for her in an uncoordinated attempt to pull her into his arms. She scooted closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder, her hand coming around to rest on his chest. She could feel his racing heart under her palm.
She took a second to bask in the afterglow, trading lazy kisses with him, then moved down his neck. She sucked at a spot that made him groan and brought her hand down to stroke his neck until her fingers reached the buttons of his shirt while her mouth was still busy at his neck, delighting in the way she made him feel. She settled on his lap, her skirt bunched up and her knees on either side of his thighs, kissing him fiercely while grinding on top of him. This position was nice, though, as Valentin looked at her in reverence. The grinding friction felt so good; it made him mad with desire.
"Yeah, like that," he moaned, his hand gripping her hips more tightly between hot kisses.
Valentin shifted to shed himself of his jacket while she worked frantically at his shirt buttons. Her heart pounded, and her adrenaline was so high that it was interfering with her fine motor skills. Soon the jacket was off. She undid each button and planted a kiss on his lips for each one that came free as she made progress. Her hands fell to the hem of his shirt, and she tugged it free, spreading the fabric apart with her hands. She ran her fingers over his chest and down to where a small scar marred the smoothness of his skin. Her fingers traced the edges of it carefully. She wondered how many more she would find if she had the opportunity to look. They both carried the scars of their past on their bodies and their souls. She looked at him with apologies in her eyes, and Valentin couldn't have that, so he pulled her close once more and kissed her deeply.
He then followed her lead and reached underneath the silk of her blouse, and the palm of his hand trailed up from the small of her back to her bra, unclasping it with ease. It was dark, only the hard light from the large movie scene filtered through fogged glass lighting their bodies, and it was hard to see his arms and shoulders and, well, everything else, but the two things that were visible was his flashing grin and the glint in his eyes, laced with lust and unabashed happiness. Both of their breaths had gone ragged again, but she was addicted to the way he looked at her. She wanted to draw this out, even though they were both desperate for more. His hands roamed her body, palming her breasts, feeling down her back, grasping her ass. Every touch felt incredible; she wanted him so much, but the wanting was so welcome that she almost didn't want to let it go. But she couldn't wait any longer.
They had already waited long enough.
Her hands moved to his belt buckle, and she could feel him straining against the fabric of his pants. Valentin almost stopped breathing altogether, knowing her intentions. This is how he's dreamed of having her; hot and grasping and drunk on her own power over him. The belt was pulled free in moments, and her hands were on his fly.
TAP TAP TAP
A flashlight shone into the car, blinding them briefly. Anna froze, and then she scrambled off of Valentin and started trying to make herself decent, which wasn't the easiest task.
There was another round of TAP TAP TAPPING, and then the mysterious person announced themselves.
"Uh, excuse me. I'm Officer Cabrera from the PCPD. I'm here because the theater wanted me to remind some patrons that this is a family establishment, and uh...if you aren't going to watch the movie, maybe it's time to move along?"
"What should we do?" Valentin whispered
"Well, he hasn't asked up to exit the vehicle, so don't do anything stupid."
"Well, we have to say something…"
"Shhhhhhhhhhhh! I'll handle it," she hissed under her breath.
"Yes, we understand," Anna said loudly so he could hear.
"And I want to remind you that per the New York Penal Law Section 245.01, indecent exposure does carry a fine of $250."
"Thank you, officer!"
"Alright, consider this a warning."
"Absolutely, officer."
The light retreated, and they both let out a deep sigh of relief.
"Thank God. The last thing I needed was to be hauled into the PCPD for acting like a teenager at a drive-in by a rookie cop. Mac and Jordan would never let me live it down."
"I guess the moment's passed now anyway."
"Yeah, I suppose it is. But that means you will have to take me out another time so we can find the moment again."
"You know that wouldn't have happened If you weren't so loud," he said
"Well, that wouldn't have happened if you weren't so skilled…" she retorted, then stopped when she saw a smug smile on his face. "Don't let that go to your head."
Soon they were occupied with collecting and re-donning only the clothing that was necessary to keep them from being arrested for indecent exposure on the drive home. Once halfway decent, they clumsily climbed back into the front seats. Valentin started the engine and turned toward her with a smirk. Anna looked at him through narrowed eyes but couldn't be mad at his self-satisfaction. He was skilled.
She started to laugh as she adjusted her clothing, which was infectious. Soon they were both in stitches as cars drove by them on the way out. Eventually, they regained their composure and left the drive-in. She loved the deep sound of his laughter. They laughed, joked, and flirted shamelessly as he drove her home. She looked free, unfettered, and he wanted her to stay that way. He dropped her off on her doorstep and kissed her lightly. She didn't invite him in and he didn't ask to stay. The heat of the moment had passed and he knew that it wasn't time yet.
"So Anna Devane, I'll be seeing you again soon?"
"Unless there is somewhere else you want to be?"
There was a shadow of challenge in her eyes, and he could read the subtext of her question. Was he telling her the truth about wanting to be with her? He did not mean only tonight, not when it comes to her. It is not a brief moment of passion he is after.
"The best things are worth being patient for. I am in no rush, darling," he said with a smile.
Now that she has opened the door to his attentions, he thought of the world ahead. A world filled with frustration and complications and a thousand difficulties as it always was but different now she was willing to give him a chance to make it all up to her. And he would.
It was worth all the wait.
