God he felt nervous. Who would have thought that someone with his personality and demeaner would have sweaty palms at something as simple as this. He felt like a... teenager! He chuckled inwardly at the thought.

"Where are we going?" her voice drifted into the silence of the car.

"Our appointment time got changed so I decided to meet up with this guy before that so we had the evening free."

Anna simply nodded in response. His sideways glance caught it as she turned to watch the traffic around them. Traffic that became somewhat subdued as they got closer to their destination. Eventually they turned into a street and Anna squealed as she saw the ocean between the trees.

"Damon, when we look for a house can we look for one near the beach?"

"Where ever you want Beany." He smirked to himself as he considered that he already had and bought it thinking of her.

Finally they drove through gates that were at least six foot high and the entry to a garden that was kept immacuately. The driveway although not that long was bordered by trees that hid the house so that leaving them gave full impact as the house emerged.

"WOW!"

Anna's eyes were bulging as Damon pulled up outside the front door. Smiling he got out and met her as he stepped out of the car with awe in her eyes. He knew he'd done the right thing.

"This place is amazing!" Anna exclaimed.

He held his hand out with a smile "Come."

Together they walked up the six steps that led to a double front entry.

"We have to wait here."

Anna wasn't really listening as she replied with a simple "OK". She turned to look around and found herself falling in love with the simple but elegant set up of the garden and house.

"He's late" Damon grumbled as he looked at his watch... five forty-five. Not good enough.

Suddenly they heard running footsteps as they came around the side of the house.

"Mr Price..."

Who the hell was that? Damon looked at the younger man he wasn't expecting to see. He expected a balding man in his fifties not this guy who wouldn't be a day over twenty five.

As the man came closer Damon pulled Anna's hand to bring her closer to his side as the mans eyes ran an appreciative look over his wife.

"Mr Bennet apologises sir. He had a family emergency at the last minute but he let me know exactly what you wanted and I can assure you that everything's done just as you instructed. I'm Kaiden Phillips."

The younger man took a breath and waited.

Damon begrudgingly let the timing slide but couldn't, wouldn't let thw man get away with the way he looked at Anna.

"My wife" he emphasised while putting his arm around Anna's waist "and I appreciate what you've done but I'm sure you have somewhere else you need to go sobwe won't keep you."

Kaiden read the warning Damon was giving him loud and clear. He reached out his hand and handed something to Damon who immediately thanked him and said goodbye.

Anna watched the young man with interest as he obviously felt inferior to Damon and left with a quick goodbye to them both.

Damon couldn't help himself. He grabbed Anna in a bone crushing hug and kiss her mouth possessively.

"I can't handle other men looking at you. I can't handle you looking at other men. You belong to me Beany and I don't take to kindly to you..."

Anna placed her mouth softly on his cutting him off.

"You have nothing to worry about."

"I better not!" he growled. His inner dom coming out.

Anna shook her head.

"So we've seen Kaiden..."

"Don't say his name" Damon groaned as he dropped his head to her shoulder kissing her lightly earning him a soft groan.

He smiled and raised his head.

"Welcome home."

Anna looked and felt stunned "What?"

Damon took a step away from her "Happy birthday Beany."

He held out his hand and she slowly raised hers to meet it. Damon opened his and she felt something cold touch her palm. Looking to their hands she gasped as Damon removed his to reveal a key.

"Welcome home Beany."

Slowly the words sunk into her mind amd she finally registered what he meant.

"Mine?" she whispered.

Damon nodded with a nervous smile.

"Mine?" she asked again with more conviction.

Again he nodded.

Anna squealed and started jumping up and down. Then she raced to the door and with the key half falling out of the lock she raced back to Damon and threw her arms around him.

"Thank you! Thank you!" She kissed him quickly on the mouth "THANK YOU!"

Again she was gone. Fixing the key she turned it and opened the door racing in before she stopped.

"Wow. This is... this is amazing!"

"A little bare at the moment but I wanted to let you decorate it yourself... just no fluro colours."

"Oh come on Damon. Live a little. Can't you see this room in a lime green?"

Damon looked at her in horror before looking around the room. This room that was their future loungeroom in lime green?

"Hell no!"

Anna laughed at his discomfort and he realised that she was teasing him.

Teasing him!

"Are you making fun of me Mrs Price?"

He walked towards her with a cheeky smirk.

Anna giggled and took a few steps back before turning and running down the hallway.

"I wouldn't dare Mr Price!"

Damon's loud laughter followed her as the emptiness of the house allowed it to echo freely through out the house.

Anna took the opportunity to investigate the rest of the house and in each room she was thrilled over and over again. Damon quietly followed leaning against doorways as he watched the happiness shine from her face. She eventually made her way into what was to be their room, the master bedroom.

"It's huge!"

Damon chuckled at his thought regarding the innuendo she didn't realise she'd made.

"I have something to show you."

He walked to the windows that lined one full wall of the room and hit the button to open the curtains.

Anna's eyes bulged as she saw the view.

"The ocean" she whispered witb tears forming in her eyes.

Damon held his hand out and she went to him quite readily.

"Thank you so much..."

Damon wiped the lonely tear that fell from her cheek.

"Hush... you deserve it."

"This is too much. This must have cost you a fortune."

"Not quite" he replied with a smile.

Anna looked at him curiously.

"You're really rich aren't you." Her words said more as a statement than a question.

He shrugged his shoulders "we don't have to worry about anything."

"Oh my god... we have a pool!"

Damon chuckled " You can't always swim in the ocean."

He turned her towards a small cottage "That's a small guest house for when we get over run by family. It's already been decorated so we can live there while work gets done in the house."

"Holy shit!"

Damon frowned a playful frown "language young lady!" he tapped her mouth " Would you like to see it?"

Anna nodded quickly and started to pull on his hand to drag him out of the room.

Leaving the house by the kitchen door Anna slowed down oohing and aahing at everything she saw. Damon felt his heart swell in complete adoration of his beautiful wife.

"Come on. Let's look at our new temporary home."

They stopped at the door and he took a bundle of keys from his pocket.

"What? If you had them then why...."

Damon gave a nervous smile

"Uh... memorable moment?"

Anna grinned at him as he quickly turned and opened the door. He saw that everything was in place and with a dramatic wave of his hand he said

"Welcome home."

Anna stepped around him to enter the room and stopped. She gasped as she saw the picnic that had been set up near the large windows looking out at the view.

She wanted to cry.

Damon looked concerned as he watched the expression on her face go from glowing to one of misery.

"Anna? Beany? What's wrong?"

He thought there was something wrong with the house and quickly scanned the room to see if he could spot the problem. He drew her into his arms and held her to his chest as she sobbed uncontrollably.

"Please Beany... talk to me..."

She couldn't talk. The lump in her throat refused to go down as her tears spilled freely.

"It's over" she whispered.

"What?" Damon was stunned... did she? No, surely not! He wouldn't allow it!

She pulled away from his tightening arms.

"It's over Damon. It's done. Finished."

"What the hell are you talking about Anna?" he growled the words out as he felt his world shattering.

"All this Damon... it's.... it's almost too perfect."

"What?" Damon stood looking at her confused with clenched fists.

"I'm ready to move on."

***************

THERE WILL BE FOUR PARTS TO THIS CHAPTER!!!! THINGS SORTA TOOK A SWING AWAY FROM MY ORIGINAL PLAN!