Turning of the Stars Ch. 06

Peter said he'd tried to talk her out of including Anna in the plan. He was convinced they'd have been able to pull it off without the added complication of snatching her from the bookstore and locking her inside, but Celia had been intent on making Grant watch the place burn down with Anna inside, a fact that Grant did not share with Anna when he related the story later.

Don offered to bring Anna home when he left, but she wanted to stay with Grant, who was still waiting to be let inside his club. Eventually they were cleared to go in and look around. The damage was mainly confined to the club side of the building. The dance floor and lighting were a total loss, as were the electronics in the DJ booth. Peter tried to set the pool table on fire, but it just smoldered so there was only minor smoke and water damage in the bar area. Corie was pleased to find that the bar itself was perfectly intact, along with all the alcohol, but couldn't help pointing out that if she'd been trying to burn the place down she'd have just busted all the bottles and tossed a match at them; a statement that earned her an odd look from the fire chief.

Finally, when there was no one left to tell the story to and no more immediate decisions to be made, Grant asked Anna if she was ready to go. Completely exhausted and still in a daze, she agreed. She felt like she didn't quite come back to her senses until they walked through the door of Grant's place blessedly alone.

"Are you hungry?" Grant asked, looking down at her with a concerned expression on his face.

"No."

"You haven't eaten all day, babe."

Anna sighed and pressed her forehead to his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I'm not hungry. I just want to curl up in your big comfy bed; preferably with you in it."

Grant's arms automatically enfolded her and he pressed his cheek against her hair. "You smell like smoke. Why don't you go take a shower while I make you something. Then we'll curl up in bed, I promise."

She nodded against his neck. Now that he mentioned it she noticed the oily smell of gasoline smoke clinging to her skin. She lifted her face for a quick kiss and trudged to the bathroom. Once she was under the hot spray it felt so good she just stood there, letting the warmth soak in. She was startled to awareness when the bathroom door opened and she peeked out the curtain to see Grant undressing.

"I smell like smoke, too," he said with a weak smile.

"I'm sorry. I've been in here forever and I haven't even washed yet."

"That's alright, I don't mind sharing." Grant stepped into the shower with her and she scooted to one side so he could get under the spray. Anna bit her lip at the sight of him leaning back to wet his hair, the water running in rivulets into his face and down his chest, his arms raised to push the hair back from his face. When he looked up and wiped the water from his face their eyes met. Anna smiled and traced one of the streams of water down over his pierced nipple, making him jump.

He gently pulled her hand away from his chest, turning her so she faced away from him and pulling her back under the spray. "Come on, let's get cleaned up."

Anna suppressed a little swell of disappointment and reached for the shampoo, but he snatched the bottle from her hand and squeezed a dollop into his own palm. She turned and shot him an annoyed glare, but he just rolled his eyes and started rubbing the shampoo into her scalp.

"Oh," she said, turning back around. "Okay, that feels good."

"I know."

His fingers worked in little circles all over her head and she just closed her eyes and enjoyed it. Large dollops of foam fell at her feet as he started working the lather down her long hair, then piled it up on top of her head and scrubbed it all together. She shivered a bit and Grant moved, letting the water warm her. He reached up and adjusted the shower head so it hit her hair and she moaned as the soap rinsed away and her hair slipped out of its pile into long wet strands down her back. Grant turned her head gently this way and that to get all the soap out and when he finally let go she felt so relaxed she was slow to open her eyes.

He handed her the bottle of conditioner. "I don't know how to use this stuff, so you'll have to do that part yourself."

She laughed and moved out of his way so he could wash his own hair while she conditioned hers. "Did you buy my shampoo and conditioner on purpose?"

"Yeah." He looked up with one eye squinted to keep dripping lather out. "When you use mine it makes you smell like me. This way, not only do you smell like you're supposed to, my whole shower smells like you."

They traded places and Anna rinsed her hair again while he washed his body. "Weren't you afraid that would make for extra long showers?" She grinned and pulled the soapy washcloth from his hands with little resistance, running it over his chest, down his arms, across the back of his neck, enjoying the slick feeling of the soap on his hard muscles. It didn't escape her notice that his body was responding to her touch and she moved closer, her breasts smushing against him as she reached around to scrub his back.

He put a finger under her chin and lowered his lips to hers, kissing her gently as she made circles over each firm butt cheek. He moaned softly into her mouth and Anna reached down to encircle his hardening shaft with her hand, but he stopped her. Staring into her eyes he shook his head and took the cloth from her, added soap and started washing her body quickly and efficiently.

"What's wrong?" she asked as he pushed her hair over one shoulder and scrubbed her back.

"Nothing."

She looked over her shoulder at him and cocked an eyebrow in disbelief. He stopped washing and wrapped one arm around her waist, pulling her back against him. "I'm sorry. I'm self-flagellating."

Anna couldn't help the little giggle that escaped her. "That's a good word for it."

"Yeah, Corie came up with that one. I'm trying not to, but I can't help feeling responsible. Celia was trying to get back at me-"

"Celia is crazy, Grant."

"I know. And I know I can't always be there to keep you safe, but..." He shrugged, still holding her tight. "I want to take care of you now, since I wasn't there earlier."

Anna turned in his arms so she could look him in the eye. "Look, what happened the last few days... I'm not saying I'm going to just forget it all, I don't think I could if I wanted to. But it's over. I want to put it behind me; behind us. We can't do that if you're falling all over yourself trying to make up for something that wasn't your fault to begin with. Does that make sense?"

"Yeah, it does." He nodded. "Right. No more self-flagellation. If I feel like I need a whipping I'll let you administer it." Anna snorted and looked up to see the little smile on his face. "But you have to promise to forgive me if I get a little bit protective. I'm feeling kind of gun shy. Literally."

"It's a deal." Her smile faded and she wrapped her arms around him again. "I'm so ready to just be with you without all the drama. I'd already made up my mind before all this happened that I was ready for that and now..." She shrugged, unable to sum up in words the feeling of mortality, of the fragility of life, of the need to make the most of every moment that was suddenly so apparent to her. The only words she could come up with were the ones that, until now, she'd had so much trouble saying to him. "I love you. I need you to know that."

"I do know that. And I love you too." He whispered the words and held her so tight all she could do was wrap her arms just as tightly around him. Finally he let her go and she looked up at him. He cleared his throat and gave her a little smile. "Come on, let's get out before we turn pruny."

They finished their shower in what was left of the warm water and got out together. Grant disappeared into the kitchen and Anna headed upstairs to put on some pajamas, her eyes drifting closed the second she laid back on the pillows. She opened them a few minutes later when Grant set a tray loaded with food on the end of the bed. A loud rumble came from her stomach as the smells hit her and she suddenly realized how hungry she really was.

"Wow, this looks amazing. What is that, grilled cheese?" she asked, reaching for a wedge that was particularly oozy with melted cheese.

"It's smoked gouda with granny smith apple slices on buttered rye." Grant let the towel drop from around his hips and pulled a pair of boxers on and Anna tore her eyes away from him to take a bite of the sandwich in her hand.

"Oh my god," Anna moaned around a mouthful of food. "That's the best grilled cheese I've ever had in my life. I don't know how you come up with this stuff."

"Well, that one wasn't my idea. I saw someone do it on a cooking show once. But I'm glad you like it."

"I love it." She scooped a few blueberries out of a bowl with her fingers and looked up at him with a smile. "And you put almonds in the berries. My favorite."

"I know," he said, smiling as he plopped down on the bed next to her, his damp hair sticking out in all directions. Anna held the sandwich out and he took a huge bite, leaning back on the pillows to chew.

"You should just move in with me and be my personal chef. I can pay you in blowjobs."

Grant made an odd noise and sat straight up, his eyes watering as he tried not to cough half-chewed food all over the bed. Anna handed him a glass of water from the tray and tried not to laugh as he took a long sip.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to choke you up."

"I'm alright," he gasped, wiping his eyes with a napkin. "You just caught me off guard." Grant grabbed a sandwich of his own, but just stared at it, picking at a piece of charred cheese with his fingers. "Actually, you kind of read my mind. I was thinking about asking you to move in with me here."

Anna froze mid-chew and stared at him, unsure what to say and unable to speak in any case with a mouth full of food.

"I thought once you go back to school it might make things easier, you know? We'd be able to see each other more often, neither of us would have to live out of an overnight bag, maybe it would help you save some money for school."

Anna gazed at him speculatively as she finished the bite in her mouth. "So you want me to move in because it would be convenient?"

"No, of course not." He shook his head, a slightly sheepish expression on his face. "After what you said in the shower I thought appealing to your reasonable side would be more effective than just telling you that I want you here. Not just so I can look out for you, although that's part of it. I want to make you grilled cheese sandwiches when you're hungry and know you're home safe at night. But I also want to smell your shampoo in my shower and wake up next to you every morning." He lifted his eyes to hers and she melted a bit at what she saw in them; the uncertainty, the need, the love. "You don't have to answer right now. Just think about it, okay?"

"No."

"No?"

"I don't need to think about it. I want those things too."

"Really?" The pleasure that warmed his face sent a thrill to her heart and she felt like something clicked into place. This felt good. It felt right.

"Really. Especially the grilled cheese sandwiches," she said with a teasing grin. "But you have to let me pay rent and help with the bills. I refuse to be your kept woman."

"Does that mean you won't let me buy you a car?"

Anna snorted and rolled her eyes, polishing off the remnants of her sandwich.

"I wasn't kidding. Please, babe, you'd be so much safer-"

"No Grant, I'm not going to let you buy me a car." She shook her head at the sheer ridiculousness of the idea.

"What if I bought myself a car and let you drive the jag?"

"That's the same thing! I don't want-"

"Alright, alright, we'll work something out. I don't want to argue right now. Right now I want you to know how incredibly happy you just made me." The look on his face echoed the truth of his words as he pulled her in for a kiss.

Anna sighed as his lips slid gently over hers, her fingers lacing into his hair as his tongue swirled slowly into her mouth. When he finally pulled away she had to force her eyes open to clear the fog from her brain. "I love you," she whispered, the words still a little unfamiliar on her lips.

"I love you, too." He pressed his lips to hers briefly. "Now hurry up and eat because I don't know how much longer I can control myself."

"We could eat after," she said, licking her lips, her eyes drifting over his bare chest.

"Nope. Food, then sex, then sleep. It's the natural order of things." He took an enormous bite of his sandwich to punctuate his statement.

Anna laughed, but turned back to her food without argument. "You thought I was going to say no, didn't you?"

Grant smiled and shrugged. "I expected to have to do more talking you into it. I was afraid you'd think it was too soon."

"A week ago I might have." She stared down at the berries in her hand as she spoke; trying to take her own advice and not let the events of the last few days throw shadows on this happy moment. "But what would we be waiting for? I want to be with you now and I want to make the most of whatever time we have together."

"Exactly what I was thinking."

They met each other's eyes and smiled, then turned their attention to finishing dinner. Anna downed an entire sandwich and a half and picked all the almonds out of the berries before she finally leaned back and put a hand on her full belly, groaning in satisfaction. Grant moved the tray to the bedside table and sidled up next to her, placing wet kisses down her neck.

"I don't know, Grant. You might have missed your chance. I'm so full now I can hardly move."

Grant nuzzled the side of her breast and chuckled. "We'll see about that." His lips brushed lightly over her nipple, his hot breath seeping through her shirt sending a deliciously warm tingle through her body. When he grazed the hardening nub with his teeth, pulling gently at it, her back arched in pleasure and her hand came up to grasp the back of his head and hold him in place. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

"Arrogant bastard," she murmured, the smile on her face belying her pretended irritation.

"Damn right." He bent his head to her breast again and Anna closed her eyes and tried to lie still just to see if she could.

Grant moved slowly, sliding his hand under her shirt and teasing her with his fingers, eventually slipping her shirt up and over her head so he could taste her skin, savoring every sigh and shiver he pulled from her. As he traveled over her body, his tongue exploring the dips and hollows of her collarbone and neck, she marveled at his ability to make her crave his touch so badly. She tried to be patient, to enjoy the slow build-up, but the need for more was nearly overwhelming. She writhed under him, trying to urge him on or, at the very least, get some kind of stimulation by rubbing herself against his thigh.

"Mm, you're moving again," he whispered against the delicate skin just under her ear. "You keep that up and I might think you want me after all."

"You know I do."

"Tell me."

Anna grasped his face between her hands and looked into his eyes. "I want you." She gasped as his hand slipped into her shorts and stroked her through her panties, his fingers pressing lightly along her slit until the thin cotton was wet through.

"Yeah, you do." He kissed her slowly, his tongue penetrating, delving deep while his fingers continued to tease her with their light touch.

Anna moved against him, her legs parting in a silent invitation. She ran one hand down his body and into his boxers, her hand circling the insistent hardness she found there, her lips curling up at his deep moan. "You want me, too."

"Yeah, I do." His voice was deep and raspy and sent another shiver down her spine. "Since the second I laid eyes on you and it's never let up." Anna moaned as his fingers found their way inside her panties. Her hand tightened around him and she stroked in time with him as he slid his fingers slowly up and down the length of her wet slit, tracing her inner lips and circling her clit.

He dragged himself off her body and slid her shorts down, pulling her panties along with them so she was lying naked before him. His hands ran up the inside of her thighs, spreading her wider and she arched in anticipation, needing to feel him inside her. When he started kissing his way up her leg, she couldn't stop a disappointed little groan from slipping out.

"Patience, love," he murmured against the curls on her mound. Anna wasn't sure if the thrill that ran through her was from the sensation of his lips so close to her aching core or from the endearment that fell from his lips so naturally he didn't even appear to have noticed it.

His tongue was everywhere except where she wanted it to be and he was moving so slow she thought she might actually scream. When the tip of his tongue finally parted her folds and slid slowly upward, flicking hard at her clit, she cried out in ecstasy. And when his lips closed over the swollen nub and started suckling she came almost instantly, her legs tightening around his head, holding him in place until she finally came down on the other side.

Anna found one of his hands and tugged on it trying to pull him up to face her, but apparently he wasn't done yet. His teeth grazed her sensitized clit over and over, slowly increasing pressure until he was biting and tugging it, making her legs tremble. She was so close, right on the edge when he stopped, his hand in hers and his warm breath tickling her tingling flesh the only clues she had that he hadn't just disappeared into thin air.

"Please," she whispered, squeezing his fingers in hers. She felt the bed shift and opened her eyes to see him lean over her, brushing her lips with a light kiss. "Oh no, no, no please don't stop."

His eyes twinkled with amusement and a mischievous grin flitted across his face. "But you sound so sweet when you beg, I can't help teasing you."

Anna opened her mouth to complain, but all that came out was a shallow gasp as she felt the tip of him nudge her and start to slip inside. He moved torturously slow, sliding in a centimeter at a time. She pressed her feet against the backs of his thighs, lifting herself to meet him, aching for that moment his pelvic bone would grind against her clit and she could grab hold of the climax that was so tantalizingly close.

Grant made it clear he had other plans when he started pulling back out just before he made contact. Anna cried out and her hands clamped down on his ass cheeks, her fingers digging in hard as she pulled him back down onto her, into her, filling her completely. She felt the rumbling deep in his chest as he gave in and let her take what she wanted, pressing his hips hard into her as she rocked frantically against him.

"Yes, yes, yes, oh Grant, yes..."

"Mm, then again that sounds pretty sweet, too."

From far away she could her that his voice sounded strained, but she was too far gone to pay attention to what he was saying. The blood was pounding in her ears, her muscles clenched tight all over her body, her hands still clamped on his ass as white hot pleasure flooded through her. Grant started slowly moving in and out, sending pulsing waves of heat through her belly.

"That's it," he whispered. "Come hard for me, babe."

She let out a strangled sob as she finally peaked, her body shaking and breath coming in heaving gasps. Her hands finally released their death grip on his ass and found his face again, pulling him close for a kiss. She slid her tongue into his mouth, moaning against his lips as he met her aggression and returned it.

The kiss gentled as she came down. Her feet rubbed up and down the backs of his legs and her breath slowed while their tongues caressed each other. Anna trailed her fingers along the corded muscles of his back, occasionally using her fingernails just for the pleasure of feeling his muscles jump under her fingertips. He pulled his lips from hers to brush them along her jaw, nudging her head back so he could kiss and suck his way down her neck, his beard alternately tickling and rasping against her skin as he went.