Later that night Diana and Michael would be attending a parents’ meeting to discuss how much a pain in the arse their high maintenance and highly strung children really were. They were the ones that were required to calm down their children. Be their shoulder to cry on, their punching bag, and their greatest supporter. They were the ones who had to pick them up when their mission to succeed didn’t quite reach their sky high expectations. But when their children succeeded, they got swept along with the fun and excitement. Anna was still struggling to fight off the jetlag so retreated to bed early. By barely nine o’clock Anna was curled up in her warm, lumpy hotel bed, snoring softly.

A knock at the window just after eleven woke her with a start. Anna lay in bed listening to the incessant knocking, too scared to move. She remembered the note she’d received, the phone calls that James had gotten, and the letters that had come. Anna debated calling hotel security but decided that it was just her imagination playing tricks on her. It took her a moment and a deep breath before she was calm enough to remember that she wasn’t in Australia anymore. Surely whoever the psycho was that was tormenting them wouldn’t have followed her this far from home. Would they? Anna’s next terrifying thought turned to the reporters surrounding the hotel, waiting for anything that they could use to turn into salacious gossip. Trembling, Anna dragged herself from the warmth and comfort of her bed.

Anna considered the possibility of it being some nosy reporter, poised at the window, ready to snap a picture of Anna looking less than her best. She giggled at the image that filled her mind–the front page of the morning paper featuring her wearing her favourite flannelette polka-dotted pyjamas, her hair out of control, her face covered by a veil of exhaustion. If she opened the window, they would be shocked by the view.

Anna knew she was more than likely over-reacting, but curiosity was killing her. Slowly she stalked over to the window and drew back the curtains. James. Smiling, he looked perfect. He was soaked from the rain that had been bucketing down for the past couple of hours. Anna just grinned like the cat that caught the canary before stepping back, giving him room to climb through.

“What the hell are you doing here? It’s the middle of the night! Some girls need their beauty sleep,” Anna scolded as she tried to swallow the smile consuming her. But it didn’t last long. She quickly realised she wasn’t awake enough to pull off cranky.

“Can’t a guy do something nice for the woman he loves?” James laughed, sweeping Anna into his arms.

“A guy can—you, on the other hand…” she trailed off as she squirmed against his grasp. Anna was more than wide awake now. The surprise of James’s unexpected appearance and the shiver that radiated through her body caused by his damp clothes had woken her completely.

“Here I was thinking that you’d be happy to see me, but what do I get? I get a very tired and cranky fiancée who doesn’t want me. Fine then! I’ll head back and leave you alone so you can get some sleep.” James spun on his heel dramatically and headed for the window.

“Well…since you’re already here. I guess…you should at least stay. I mean at least until the rain eases. I mean…I don’t want you getting sick,” Anna conceded, grabbing him by the arm and dragging him deeper into the room.

“See, I knew that you’d come around!” Anna was already pulling at his wet shirt, determined to get it off his perfectly chiselled body. “This was more than I was counting on…” James laughed huskily. “But I’m definitely not complaining.”

“I could always stop,” Anna suggested, as she slipped his shirt from his shoulders and watched it pool at his feet.

James suddenly remembered himself and backed away from her. It caused James physical pain to see the rejection flood Anna’s beautiful face. “When can we get married? I don’t think I can restrain myself much longer.” James smiled, looking into Anna’s face with hooded, lust-filled eyes as he adjusted himself indiscreetly.

Anna couldn’t swallow her wicked grin. “Tomorrow, if you want.” Anna’s hands were moving with such lightning speed James could barely keep up. “Wait! I have a brilliant idea!” Anna whispered before nibbling on James’s earlobe.

James and Anna had been together for more than two years and sharing a bed for over six months, but for the first time she felt the uncontrollable urge to push for more. Morals be damned! If they weren’t married soon it would become impossible to resist. Anna knew from the desire that burned in his eyes that James was struggling too. For the first time James and Anna were fighting their greatest desires and most powerful urges. Their passion and hunger for each other was more intense than ever. Controlling themselves was like trying to control the tides.

James looked at Anna with wanting eyes. “I should go,” he mumbled, running his hands roughly through his hair.

Anna knew he was trying to do the right thing, trying to be a gentleman. But she didn’t want him to leave. When they were together she felt an odd sense of calm consume her. But as much as she wanted him, Anna knew that if he didn’t leave in the next few minutes all her values and morals would evaporate instantly. When it came to James, she was powerless. But guilt beat out desire as she placed her hand in the centre of James’s perfectly exposed chest and pushed him towards the window. Stepping onto the balcony with rain trickling down his face, Anna kissed him with everything that she was. “I love you. And I will see you at the pool tomorrow.”

“Promise?” James’s eyes lit up with hope.

“Promise. And if you’re a really good boy, I might even have a surprise for you once you finish competition. But only if you behave.” With chaste kiss and a playful smack on his butt, he was gone. He left just as quickly as he had arrived.

Anna stumbled back into bed, but couldn’t sleep. She spent over an hour tossing and turning. It was as if that visit from James had awoken part of her she never knew existed. Anna gave up trying to sleep and dived straight into a cold shower. Standing under the frigid water, Anna filled her hair with the apple-scented shampoo. She was trying anything to calm her hormones and get her mind off James. Anna was singing and dancing, as if she was a child. Anna didn’t feel the chill until she emerged from the shower and her toes hit the cold tiles. Perched on the side of the bathtub, wrapped in only a towel, she looked at her body, wondering what exactly it was that captured James’s attention. She looked down, examining her nakedness, and was consumed with embarrassment. She’d never considered herself to be ugly but she never thought of herself as worthy either. But sitting there exposed, she realised the complete ugliness that was her body. It wasn’t just ugly though, repulsive and vile were a more accurate description. Anna just couldn’t understand how James could possibly be interested, never mind aroused. Anna found some dry pyjamas and rushed to dress, desperate to hide.

After pouring herself a cup of herbal tea, Anna climbed into the old, rustic coloured armchair in the middle of the room. It was nearly three-thirty in the morning but there was no point bothering to go back to bed; she knew she wouldn’t sleep. Not with that many thoughts buzzing around inside of her head. She snuggled down into the comfort of the armchair with her book. Flicking through the pages absentmindedly, Anna soon realised it was no use. Nothing could distract her thoughts of James. There was no denying it. She was obsessed.

***

James

James was just as awake as Anna. He spent the night tossing and turning, trying to justify going to Anna’s hotel and why he had let things go as far as they did. The rules Anna and James had enforced onto their relationship had been crystal clear right from the start. The problem was now the lines were blurry. James knew and understood Anna’s moral code and it was one of the things that he most admired about her. The way she stuck to her guns and refused to yield, no matter how much she wanted to. James admired her strength and determination and had followed suit without hesitation, although admittedly in the last few weeks it was becoming harder and harder to stay committed.