Hello everyone, new story! It starts very cliche, but I do believe as the plot grows you will see that it has it's own spin to it. I hope you enjoy!


Cold Hearted

Her bag was feeling heavy. She was now regretting not bringing her small bag with wheels. Traveling often with her job, she knew better than to pack everything into a shoulder carry-on while walking through the airport. But she had been stubborn and now her shoulder ached.

She checked her watch and saw she still had an hour before her flight back home. Plenty of time to stop at an airport lounge, set down her luggage, and have a quick glass of wine with an appetizer.

While Anna traveled often, this was only her second time in the airport in Edinburg, Scotland. She didn't know the lay out of this airport, like she did in London. She kept a look out for somewhere that looked like it had good food and drinks. Even though she flew often, it still made her nervous. She often needed a glass of wine to take the edge off. You would think after five years in this job she would have gotten over her fears.

Finally, she found a place to sit. It was packed, but there was a spot at the bar. Anna slid into the seat and set her bag at her feet. Her shoulder was grateful for the break. There was an old menu sitting on the bar. She lifted it to see what they had to eat, her stomach was starting to protest from the lack of food. It was sticky and she made a face.

"Ah," a voice said next to her. "The typical sticky menu."

Anna glanced over and saw a man taking a seat. She just gave him a curt nod. Over the years, she got used to random men hitting on her when she was all alone. She tried her best not to give them attention. Sometimes they would even follow her until she got onto the plane, trying to talk with her.

The man, though, didn't say anything else to her. He seemed to realize she didn't want to talk. In a way, it made her more curious about him. It was rare she found a man who respected her boundaries like that when she was out alone by herself.

He was older than her with nice broad shoulders. Bent over, it seemed he was in the middle of reading a file. She tried to peek over his shoulder, but then reminded herself whatever he was reading was none of her business. So she sat back in her chair and waited for the bartender to come over and take her order.

As she waiting on her food and glass of wine, Anna pulled her phone out of her pocket. She needed to check over her emails and make sure she hadn't missed anything important. This job always kept her busy. But she didn't mind. She liked the work.

But she saw her friend, Mary, had texted her and it made her smile.

You'll be back tonight, right?

Yes, why? Anna responded.

I'm nervous about my dress. You'll tell me if they did a decent enough job tailoring it, right?

Of course. Mary, you are going to be a beautiful bride.

I know.

Anna laughed. In just a few short weeks, her friend was getting married. She knew Mary was a mess right now worrying about the final details. Anna just tried to keep her from getting too upset, by trying to remind her that at the end of it all she would be married to Matthew. That seemed to help settle her friend's nerves.

The bartender placed a drink in front of her and Anna realized it was not her wine. She lifted it up and toward the bartender who was walking away.

"Sir, this isn't my…." But he was already all the way at the end of the bar. She frowned.

"I think you have my drink," the man next to her then said. She saw him holding up a red wine in his own hand. She looked back at the glass in front of her that seemed to just be a water.

"Here," Anna handed him the water. He placed the red wine in front of her. "It's busy in here."

"Yeah, flights have been cancelled because of the incoming weather," he said. Anna's face fell.

"What?" Anna quickly pulled up her flight itinerary and saw that her flight had, indeed, been postponed until the next morning. "Shit," she muttered under her breath.

"Sorry, I hate to be the bearer of bad news," the man sympathetically told her.

Anna sighed. She would have to tell Mary that she would not be back that evening.

"It's not your fault. I'm grateful for you letting me know, actually. Now, I can see about getting a room for the evening."

Anna took a sip of her wine. It was not the best wine she had ever had, but it would do. Her food was brought a moment later and it was already cold.

After she was finally able to find a place to book that was over twenty minutes away, because of all the canceled flights, Anna decided it would be best to go ahead and head that way. She could hopefully get better food there.

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

John entered the bedroom at the hotel and sighed. But he wasn't too upset that his flight had been canceled. He really had no desire to get back to Downton quickly.

Shrugging out of his jacket, he hung it up into the closet. Then he rolled his sleeves up to his elbows. He was starving. He hoped the hotel bar had some decent food.

He made sure he had his room key and wallet and made his way to the elevator.

By the time he reached the bar, he immediately recognized her. It was the same woman from the lounge earlier. The two had barely talked, but he remembered her. She was sitting alone at a table with a magazine in her hands. Her blonde locks were pulled into a lose plait down her side.

He stepped into the bar and went to take his own seat at another table. The only one left was next to hers. He hoped she didn't think he was following her.

"It's you," she then said, surprising him. She was smiling, holding up her wine glass.

"I see you had to go as far as I did for a room."

"Yes, everything else was packed," she answered. She sipped on her drink. In front of her sat a plate of food that made John's mouth water.

"Any good?" He asked, pointing to her plate. The woman shrugged her shoulders.

"It's better than whatever that lounge had."

"Yes, I think they were too overwhelmed."

A waitress came by and gave him a menu. He looked through and it and quickly ordered, asking for a beer, as well. John didn't drink much, but every so often he allowed himself a beer.

"Do you think the weather will clear out by the morning?" The woman now asked him. He glanced over toward the window. The rain was pouring like mad and he could hear the thunder in the distance.

"I hope so." Though he really wouldn't mind staying here a few more days.

"Me too. I'm Anna, by the way."

"John," he lifted up his drink to her. As she smiled, he felt a flutter in his chest.

"Well, nice to meet you. I hope you get wherever you're headed safely."

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

Anna wasn't sure how it happened, but she didn't know that she cared. John's lips were attacking her neck and she was tugging him toward the bed. This wasn't like her, but Mary had encouraged her to take chances. Why not?

"Do you have protection?" She asked between breaths. John nodded, searching for something in his pocket. She fell back against the mattress, keeping her hands on his shoulders. Her hand then slid so that it could start to unbutton the top button on John's shirt. It came free and she darted her fingers to brush against the skin there.

She felt completely uninhibited and in a way it scared her. Yet, she didn't allow it to stop her. This was what she wanted. This was what she needed.

-X-X-X-X-X-X-

Morning came quickly. John groaned and tucked his head beneath the pillow, angry at the sunlight coming through the windows. He tried to grab the pillow beside him, when he realized his hand touched another person. He sat up quickly and he remembered that he had spent the night with this woman he met the night before.

He swallowed hard. This was not like him. He did not have one night stands.

Carefully, he turned and then sat up, reaching down for his drawers and jeans on the floor. He slid them up, as he stood. As he was buttoning his pants, Anna woke up. She squinted her eyes against the sun. Then she rubbed her eyes and slowly propped herself up onto her elbow.

"Um," he awkwardly began. "I…."

"You don't have to say anything," she assured him. She sat up and yawned. "It was just one night. You don't owe me anything.'

John's lips twisted to the side. Surely he should offer to take her to breakfast or at least get coffee, right?

"Seriously," Anna added. "We had fun, right?"

"Yes," John agreed. "It was amazing." Blush rose up Anna's neck to her cheeks at that comment. However, she covered it quickly with her shirt.

"I agree." She stood and finished getting dressed. "We'll likely never see one another again. It's probably best to end this now."

"Right," John regretfully replied. He didn't like this part of it all. It didn't feel very gentlemanly, but he should also respect her wishes. "Well, I hope you have a safe flight back."

Anna smiled. She walked over toward him and gave him a chaste kiss on his cheek.

"You too, John. Thank you." Her hand lingered on his jaw for a moment, before she sighed and backed up. "Goodbye."

To be continued...

As always, let me know if you'd like more!