You Took My Breath Away

His angry gaze sliced her heart wide open. The last time he had looked at her that way was when he discovered her betrayal. She knew his eyes possessed his emotions even when he could not manage them verbally. So why did she see pure madness in that penetrating glare? Why did he look as if she had just stabbed him in the heart once again? And why was she more concerned with her ex-husband's reaction then giving Finn an answer?

She twisted her hair around her finger as she tried to steady her breathing. Her throat felt so dry that she was not entirely sure that she could put two words together but she knew she had to try. Finn was waiting for her answer.

"Anna," he questions.

She wants to tell him that she is not ready for this step but she does not know how to do that without totally crushing him. Why did he have to make her feel trapped? If he had asked her in the privacy of their home than she could have explained it to him. She resented him for making her feel as if she had no other option.

He reads the uncertainty in her eyes as a rejection and starts to walk away. Should she go after him? Should she tell him she would marry him to save face and hope that she will grow to be happy about it?

Suddenly Robert is at her side and he is pulling her away from the crowd. He is angry. She knows he is angry. Why does that bother so much?

"Is this really what you want Annie," he demands? "Don't you dare say yes to him unless you are one hundred percent sure that he is the one you want to spend your life with."

"Why are you looking at me like that? What did I do to make you so damn angry Robert?"

"Maybe I don't like to see you act like Finn's lap dog."

"That's not fair."

"Isn't it? Did you or did you not just tell me that you did not want to get married again?"

"I didn't know he was going to propose to me."

"No, you thought I was."

She recognizes the hurt in his eyes and takes a step forward. She hated that she was the cause of any more pain for him. "Robert, I'm sorry. "

"What are you sorry for? That you could ever think, I am the type of person who would propose to you while you are shacking up with another man…or maybe you are just sorry because what you really meant to say is it is just me that you don't want to marry again."

"Robert, that's not…"

"Then what is it Annie…please…tell me what I have to do to get you to look at me like that again? Do I have to beg?"

"Oh Robert…"

"Don't…Don't say it like that okay. I know you are with Finn. I also know that he is not the only one who is interested in you. Tell me you do not feel it Luv."

He puts his arms around her waist and tugs her against him. She can feel his arousal pressing against her stomach even before he claims her mouth. Why does he have to taste as good as she remembers? Why does his touch still make her shiver?

"Robert," she whispers hoarsely.

He puts his head against her forehead as he brushes the stray hair back from her face. "Maybe I don't deserve another chance with you but I could not live with myself if I did not at least try. I accepted that when I came back to you it was too late to try again but I never once stopped loving you. You were what kept me alive during those years when I could not get to you…and maybe you hate me for making those choices but…"

"Robert, I don't hate you. I never could. I know that you paid such a high price for our family. I am so sorry that I never thanked you for that. I would never want you to feel ashamed for anything you did. If it were me, then you know I would have made the same sacrifice."

"Then why can't you give me one more chance to love you right? You took my breath away Annie. You still do. Tell me you don't ever wonder what would have happened if we had not been in that boat explosion."

"Maybe I do. It does not change anything Robert. We cannot go back and fix everything that happened."

"We cannot change our past no. We can, however, change our future."

He brushes his lips across her fallen tears before taking her mouth into his again. "I love you Annie. I always have and I always will. I am not asking for guarantees. I am just asking for a chance. Think about it okay. Just please…please do not say yes to Finn. It is not what you want. We both know it. Hell, I think even Finn knows it."

He turns to leave when Anna stops him. "You are not entirely wrong Robert. I do think about you. Way more then I should. You make me crazy on a good day."

"But…"

"I don't know if I could stand to lose you again.

"You are never going to lose me again Annie."

"But what happens if we don't last."

"What happens if we do? You are already thinking of reasons this could go wrong but what if this time, despite all that, we chose the one reason why we will make it."

"Which is?"

"We love each other Annie. We made so many mistakes because of that in the past but maybe we had to go through all that in order to realize that we can survive anything if we choose to. I choose YOU Annie. Today, Tomorrow, and forever. As long as we never lose sight of that, we can get through anything."

"You promise?"

"I promise. Do you still need time to decide?"

"Get over here you."

She wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him tenderly. "I am not sure of a lot of things in life anymore but the one thing I have always been sure of is you. I do love you Robert. I have tried not to but I do. I always have and I always will. "

"Finally you admit it."

He pulls her into his arms and kisses her deeply. "When can I take you home," he asks.

"Robert Scorpio, what kind of woman do you think I am? I am not having sex with you until you take me on a real date. "

"And until then?"

She laughs as she kisses him again, letting her hand run down the side of his pants. "Oh I see the problem. You might have to use your hand until then…unless of course…"

"Oh God, Annie…"

Her fingers were working his shaft through his pants and she smiled at him, biting her bottom lip.

"Settle down Scorpio. All good things come to those who wait."

"All I have to do is think about you and I'm aroused. You have magic in those fingers."

"And don't you forget it. "

"Anna…"

"I'll come by after I end things with Finn. Then you can ask me out. Or, you know…I can stay in and we can fool around for a while…"

"But you just said…"

"I said no sex…I didn't say we couldn't do other things for a while."

"You little Minx. I do love you, my Annie."

"I love you too Bobby. So Much."

She gives him one more kiss and he watches her walk away. He wonders if she even knows how incredibly sexy she is. The way his body reacts to her is unlike any other feeling he has ever had before.

That is my woman, he thinks. I will never let her get away again.

THE END