Stolen Fates - Anna

First Date

"So no more problems last night," Charlie asked as they drove, pulling Anna's attention from the passing scenery outside the passenger side window.

They'd been driving for a few minutes in silence, only the low volume of the local radio station filling the quiet confines of the car. She gave a gentle shake of her head to his question. After stepping into her apartment last night, she'd showered and fallen fast asleep. It was the most peaceful night of sleep she'd had in months. No constant buzzing of her phone alerting her to Chase's messages and missed calls.

"Good," he breathed on a small sigh and reached across the center console to gently take her hand in his and interlock their fingers. Drawing their linked hands to him, he placed a soft kiss on her knuckles. "If he shows up again, I want you to let me know," he spoke seriously, but still close to her hand and his breath danced across her skin. "Speaking of," he began but stopped short, releasing her hand from his. Lifting from his seat slightly, he pulled his phone from his back pocket and unlocked the screen. A few swipes later, he held the phone out toward her with an almost embarrassed smile on his lips.

Anna took the phone from him and looked down at the screen before a small laugh escaped her. "I didn't even think about it last night," she said through her laugh upon seeing the New Contact screen. She quickly keyed her name and phone number into the contact details and pressed the screen to save the information. Taking note of the photo option, she opened the camera on his phone and put on her best pout, held the phone out and heard the camera shutter click when she pressed the button. She pressed save again before closing out of the screen. She placed her elbow on the center console and leaned her chin on the heel of her hand as she looked at him, holding the phone out for him to take.

Charlie glanced back and forth between Anna and the road before them as she entered her number into his phone and had to grin a little to himself at the picture she took. "Thank you," he said as he took the phone back and lifted from his seat once more to return it to his back pocket.

Lifting her chin from her hand, it was Anna that reached and took Charlie's hand back in hers, linking their fingers once more. When his thumb stroked the side of her index finger, she felt a fluttering in her belly and her heart began to race. It wasn't an unpleasant feeling but it wasn't something she'd felt before. It wasn't the quintessential butterflies that she'd experienced a few times in her past. This was different but she couldn't exactly explain why.

"Everything alright," Charlie questioned with a slightly concerned tone and gave her hand a slight squeeze to draw her attention. Her eyes had become a bit unfocused for a moment like she'd been stuck on a thought and couldn't quite figure it out. "Anna," he said in that same concerned tone when she didn't respond to his question.

Hearing her name, Anna turned her head toward Charlie and after a second or two, she nodded her head and laughed softly. "Yeah...Sorry, I was in my own little world there for a sec," she replied with a soft smile and another laugh.

He gave her hand another gentle squeeze and drew their hands up to his face, kissing her knuckles again with a relieved breath and a smile. "We're here," Charlie informed her with excitement in his voice.

Anna looked out the window with a childish grin as Charlie navigated the car into the first available parking spot he could find. When he'd asked her to lunch, she had assumed they'd go to a diner or restaurant, nothing too special. She hadn't expected this at all.

The pier was lined with carnival games, food stalls and even a few small kiddie rides. What really drew Anna's eyes though, was the giant ferris wheel that cast its shadow from the far end of the wooden boardwalk.

She hadn't even realized that Charlie had stepped out of the car and was now holding her door open, his hand extended down to her. With a small giggle, she unlatched her seat belt and grasped his hand, letting herself be pulled from the car. He shut the door once she was out and pressed the lock button on the key fob, the short chirp confirming the action.

"You look happy," Charlie said with a pleased smile and placed his hands on the sides of her waist as she stood facing him.

"Ecstatic," Anna confirmed with a grin and loosely looped her arms around his neck. Her grin only grew when Charlie leaned down just enough to place a kiss on her forehead.

"Good. You should always look this happy," he replied in earnest, his lips brushing against her skin with his words before leaning away and drawing her arms down from around his neck. He linked their fingers and started them walking into the flow of the other people. "So, first, food. I did promise lunch, after all," Charlie stated with a lift of a brow and the corner of his lips pulling up into a half-smile.

"Well," Anna began with a slight skip in her step and they moved through the crowd. "I'm thinking nachos and maybe some cotton candy," she continued, swinging their hands as they walked and grinning like a small child.

"Perfect," he said with a small laugh and a grin of his own. He spotted a food stall with a banner displaying nachos and shifted their steps in that direction and joined the short line. "Loaded or just cheese," he asked while scanning the menu board and looked down when he heard her scoff beside him.

"Who eats nachos with just cheese? That's not even nachos. That's just tortilla chips and cheese," she rambled for a moment before catching herself and looked up at Charlie with a cheeky smile coloring her features.

He laughed lightly and shook his head, moving forward to the stall window. "Two loaded nachos and two lemon shake-ups," he said and released her hand to pull his wallet from his back pocket. He removed the bills and paid the total, handing Anna the drinks while he carried their food to a nearby picnic table.

While they ate, the conversation flowed smoothly between them but they didn't discuss anything of real consequence. Anna's school schedule, upcoming finals and working at the bar were a few topics. Charlie informed her that he wasn't actually a frat boy like she'd thought. In fact, he had graduated from college the previous year with a degree in business. Now, he worked with with his father at their construction business. He discovered that Anna was 21, in her last year of college and studied music. When she'd graduated high school and started college, she'd wanted to be a music teacher. Now, she didn't know what she wanted to do when she graduated college.

Finished with their food, Charlie threw the trash in a bin and looked to Anna for some direction on what she'd like to do next. She didn't hesitate as she grabbed his hand and all but dragged him in the direction of the ferris wheel.

"It isn't going anywhere, baby. You don't have to run," Charlie said through a laugh as he tried to slow down their momentum through the crowd. It was a useless notion though and Anna just laughed, pulling him along.

They joined the queue of others waiting and Charlie wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and let his chin rest on top of her head, smiling and simply content. Anna let her arms rest against his, lacing their fingers and relaxed back against his chest, leaning her head back on his shoulder. He moved his head to the side of hers as she reclined and brushed his nose against the shell of her ear, inhaling her lavender scent deeply. He placed a soft kiss to the sensitive skin just below her ear and then lightly nipped at the lobe while squeezing her hands gently with his.

Anna returned the squeeze with her own hands and bit down on her lower lip lightly. The line moved forward and they moved as one to close the small gap before coming to a halt once more. She released his right hand to reach up and steal the black ball cap from his head. Laughing at his shocked reaction, she held the bill of the cap between her teeth while she undid the messy bun of her hair and instead, secured it in a long ponytail. She placed the stolen hat on her head and pulled her hair through the back. She returned to leaning her back against his chest while wearing a cheshire grin on her face.

"It looks better on you anyway," Charlie muttered into her ear with a laugh and ran his hand through his hair, letting it fall where it pleased. He replaced his chin on her shoulder and let his fingers trail lightly against the small sliver of ivory skin exposed by her shirt, smirking when he felt her shiver slightly against him. Turning his head, he placed feather-light kisses slowly along her neck back up to her ear. He took the lobe gently between his teeth and pulled gently. He could just make out the small moan she tried to suppress and pulled her more snugly against him.

Anna reached her right arm to the back of his neck and ran her fingers through the length of his hair. Charlie took the opportunity to lay his palm against the skin of her stomach as her shirt rode up higher. His fingers sent energy charged bolts shooting through her as they traced over her belly and she bit her lower lip again. She felt his thumb pull at her lower lip, releasing it from between her teeth. "Please stop doing that," he breathed against her ear and she turned her head to look over her shoulder at him. "Please," he began but paused to clear his throat and kissed the tip of her nose since it was now in easy reach. "I'm barely controlling myself as it is," he finally continued and she had to admit she felt disappointed when he moved his hands back to the sides of her waist and directed her to move forward as the line moved again.

He could read the change to her mood on her face and, now at the front of the line and waiting, he spun her around slowly to face him. "Baby, look at me," he said and waited for her to lift her eyes to his. Once she'd complied, he placed a finger under her chin and pressed his forehead to hers. "You have no idea how badly I want you right now," he whispered to her and brushed his nose against hers. "Now just isn't the time or place," he said and moved his hand to brush his fingers against her cheek.

Anna nodded her head just slightly and smiled reassuringly. "I get it," she said on a breathy sigh before her smile brightened with her next statement. "Later," she promised with a flirtatious laugh and a gentle bite to her lower lip. Before he could respond or even react, the ride attendant had motioned them forward and they climbed into the seat of the ferris wheel car.