Cold
It had been a cold day; whatever one dressed in the coldness seemed to seep in in any case. Anne had been tending to her estate affairs all day, and despite wearing a much too thin coat, which she had found out the hard way, she had popped in at Crow Nest to sit with Ann for a bit during the late afternoon. It was pit dark outside, and the snow was blowing up into a storm, a mild blizzard. Anne glanced out the window with a concerned look, thinking she better get out and scurry home if she didn’t want to end up in a ditch – freezing to death. The fireplace they were sat in front of, was however much more inviting than the outside, but Anne had promised she wouldn’t be later than ten and she would soon forsake that promise if she didn’t leave in a moment or so.
“I really can’t stay a moment longer.” Anne said regrettably, she did want to stay, both in-front of the warmth of that fire, and she did want to sleep with her arms around Ann rather than leave but, she had promised her aunt, and Marian had heard her, so...
“But… it’s so cold outside?” Ann mumbled looking at her a bit doe-eyed, she didn’t want Anne to go out in the storm that was picking up.
“Ah, I’ve got to go. I…” Anne smiled a half-smile; she could barely look into those precious blue eyes that looked the way a puppy might eye its mistress. She would give her the world if she caved in and looked properly. That woman had a hold on her that even Anne sometimes feared.
“But Anne… it’s freezing out there?” Ann continued; she wasn’t going to give in this time.
Anne stood up from the chair she had been sat in, touching Ann’s cheek with her hand, beaming,
“This evening has been lovely…”
“Oh, I was so happy to see your face – I’d been hoping you’d drop in all day!” Ann said in such a sweet voice that Anne almost sank down in her seat again. This woman was too good, too kind for this world. She didn’t deserve all the terrible things that had befallen her. Ann sneaked her hand in hers to force her to stay and her blue gleaming eyes shot up to meet Anne’s dark ones, and Ann’s mouth opened as she frowned,
“Anne! Your hands are like ice! - Come sit – I’ll warm them up for you.”
Anne chuckled at the blonde, her heart beating a bit faster in her chest – yes, she very much felt the danger of falling madly in love with Ann Walker.
“I fear my aunt will start to worry if I do not make it home soon.” Anne spoke softly, disappointing the blonde but feeling it deeply herself. How she wanted to stay.
“What’s the hurry!?” Ann asked her, still holding her hands in hers,
“Ah, Ann, my father will be up until I come back.” Anne tried smiling apologetic, stroking Ann’s knuckles with her thumbs, and Ann chewed her own lip seemingly in thought, glancing up at the tall woman in-front of her,
“It’s… the fire is roaring – you’d be much warmer here.”
“I really better scurry, Ann.”
“Anne, please don’t hurry!” Ann begged, squeezing her hands in hers, trying to tug them a little to persuade the brunette to give her a kiss.
“Maybe just a few moments more.” Anne mumbled as she leant down to graze Ann’s lips with hers, kissing her soft and sweet but Ann soon demanded more than just sweet kisses from her. Anne chuckled against her pink lips, sinking down to her knees to be able to reach better and to spare her back. Ann’s hands ran from her cheeks to her hair, and Anne felt all toasty and warm, be it from the fire behind her back or from the feelings arising in her from kissing the woman in front of her. When Ann’s hands began to trail down, Anne stopped her hands with her own, and ended their kissing, smiling at the expression on Ann’s face. She looked drunk on passion.
“Ann, I’d better go before the neighbours start to imagine things about us.” Anne told her, pressing a chaste kiss to her lips, Ann pouted as Anne’s lips left hers,
“But it’s bad out there! They wouldn’t think anything…” Ann trailed off as she brushed her fingers against Anne’s cheeks, lifting her lips to meet hers again, Anne groaned, her resolve breaking with every second of that kiss,
“What are you doing to me!?” Anne mumbled more to herself than to Ann, but the blonde smirked pleased,
“There are no kisses to be had out there…”
Ann kissed her again, and Anne pulled away, supporting herself with her hands, on Ann’s arms, she bowed her head down, shaking it slowly,
“I wish I knew how to break this spell!”
Ann chuckled quietly, lifting Anne’s eyes to hers with a finger under her chin. Anne could drown in Ann’s eyes. Ann gently ran her fingers over her cheek again, and then proceeded to say, in a dreamy sort of voice;
“Your eyes are so beautiful tonight, with the light reflected in them... They look like deep pools of rich chocolate.”
Anne averted her eyes, for fear of giving in, chuckling as she stood up to her full height again, placing the top hat that had been next to her chair over her head. Ann stood up from her chair and onto her toes to reach the brunette’s lips again – she was bound to kiss them sore if she continued that way, not that Anne really minded. The kiss was a drug to Anne that melted her resolve to leave and Ann smiled at her before pushing the top hat off her head,
“I’ll take that – your hair looks so lush!”
Anne laughed out loud this time, shaking her head at Ann - this woman was full of surprises it seemed, and clearly, she must suffer under the delusion that she was the most exquisite thing, Anne thought to herself.
“I ought to get home before they send someone out looking for me!” Anne protested, but found herself being pushed down on the chair again by Ann who apparently was frightfully strong when she had put her mind to something. If Anne had been surprised by Ann’s behaviour for the past twenty minutes or so – she was astonished when the blonde sank down on her knee,
“Mind if I move in closer?” Ann quirked an eyebrow at her, and Anne found herself swallowing hard, how was she supposed to leave this woman!? – It didn’t make sense, Anne thought for a weak second as she rubbed her hands against Ann’s thighs, ‘At least I will tell them I tried’. It was frightfully cold outside wasn’t it? Ann kissed her softly, a bit careful – maybe she was beginning to think she had overstepped the mark? Anne reluctantly ended a second kiss,
“I really can’t stay!”
‘Believe you me, I want to’ Anne thought bitterly, as she stared into the disappointed blue eyes belonging to Ann.
“But, Anne, it’s so cold outside! – Hadn’t you rather stay here?” Ann tempted her and, Anne much as she wanted, laughed strained,
“Oh, I… I simply must go, Ann!”
“But your coat – it’s much too thin!” Ann persisted, she wasn’t going to give in, and what more – she wasn’t moving from Anne’s knee.
“I can’t.”
“Are you sure? – It’s cold!”
“I… this has all been very nice… and warm, but…” Anne was interrupted, by Ann’s pleading voice,
“Look out the window, at that storm! You shouldn’t go out. It’s dangerous!”
“Marian will be suspicious…” Anne shrugged her shoulder lightly, but Ann didn’t seem too concerned about Marian for her eyes were eying Anne’s lips intently,
“Christ, your lips look delicious!”
Anne almost blushed at that, Miss Walker was, and had become great at the kissing, and then to be wanted too… Anne closed her eyes – no she would persevere.
“She will be waiting at the door to yell at me for coming home this late…”
Ann seemed to ignore her because she took Anne’s lips between hers, and kissed her slow and hard, Anne suppressed a moan, and Ann pulled back, smirking at her,
“Your lips are delicious…”
“Ah, hah, my aunt, Ann – I promised her! - And besides Mrs. Priestley will no doubt find out I stayed and… her mind is vicious…”
Ann gave her a serious look, because even though she wanted badly for Anne to stay for other reasons too, she was worried about the weather outside.
“There is a literal blizzard outside, Anne!”
“Yes, but it’s fine! I’ve got to get home.” Anne told her firmly, and Ann crossed her arms, displeased with her,
“Anne, you’ll freeze out there!”
“If you would lend me a coat or something, a cloak perhaps?” Anne retorted and Ann seemed aggravated with her,
“It’s up to your knees out there!”
“You’ve really been grand, tonight, but don’t you see?” Anne spoke softly, touching Ann’s cheek with her now warm hand, Ann placed her hand over the hand that rested on her cheek, and closed her eyes, leaning into it,
“How can you do this thing to me?!”
“Well, there’s bound to be talk tomorrow… and you know what they say about me!” Anne pressed, her voice shaking a bit,
“Think of my lifelong sorrow then!” Ann threw at her and Anne looked confused, raising an eyebrow,
“At least there will be plenty implied…and what do you mean your lifelong sorrow!?”
“You know? If you caught pneumonia and died!?” Ann looked worriedly at her, and Anne’s heart throbbed for the woman – she was too sweet.
“I’ve…”
“Anne, please don’t leave me alone!” Ann begged, and Anne made a fatal mistake – she looked directly into the pools of blue that were brimming with tears, and her heart stopped for a second,
“Fine…” Anne mumbled before kissing her tenderly, and Ann laughed gaily,
“That took a lot of convincing!”
“Hm, but you will face them and tell them the truth – that you forced me to stay!”
“I’ll tell them I abducted you against your will and that you are now in my… eh, hands?” Ann threw her a cheeky smile and then they both laughed.
“Now, let me warm you up sufficiently, Miss Walker.” Anne told her grinning, and Ann blushed,
“That is all I hoped for this evening!”
Anne was delighted to hear it, and she made a mental note to remember this behaviour of Ann’s – she who would be so on the amoroso at night would blush and deny the same in the morning. Ann really was a perfect lady… as long as no one got her under the sheets…