Christian

It's the time of year again. Fucking Christmas.

The stores are crowded with holiday shoppers. Greedy fucking bastards. What, is this the only time of year they actually give a fuck about each other enough to buy them something? Luckily I don't have to deal with the fight of finding a parking space, even if it is a 2 mile hiking trip away from the store, I have staff to take care of all that shit. Gail or Andrea usually does all my shopping, holiday or other wise. I don't even know what the fuck my family receives from me as a gift until they open it on Christmas. And even then, sometimes I'm not there to see it. I usually get a call or text saying thank you for whatever it was. With Gail and Andrea's help, I can avoid the holiday shopping madness. But one thing I can't avoid; the traffic, even with Taylor driving. It's a mad house, grid lock, stand still, you name it. Everyone rushing all at once, not just rush hour.

Every year it's the same shit. And I'm sick of it. If only I didn't have to work, I would take a vacation every year in December just to avoid this mess. I guess, being the CEO, I can, but I choose to be an active part of my company. Going away for the holidays would be more of a headache with conference calls and Skype sessions, along with endless emails. It's better for me to be here in Seattle and to work. If I had it my way, everyone who worked for me would work on Christmas day.

Luckily for them, so I'm not seen as an asshole who doesn't give a shit about his employees, I give all my employees Christmas day off, but nothing before or after because I need them to work. That's what I pay them for, after all. Hey, I maybe an asshole, but it was my idea to give all GEH employees a holiday turkey or ham, depending on their preference. If it's one thing I despise, it's going hungry.

And that's another thing... two words; Family. Dinner.

My parents have us all over on Christmas Eve for dinner and we are supposed to stay overnight to wake up on Christmas morning as a family. I usually leave after dinner, though. I wonder if they plan on keeping that tradition in the future by inviting Elliot and Mia's families once they get married and have a litter of kids running around, or if we'll be off the hook by then. Surely they wont keep that tradition if it's only me coming. Hopefully.

It's bad enough my mother invites us all over throughout the year like we aren't busy with our own lives now that we're grown, but to do it on holidays when we could be working is just wrong. I only stay for dinner, none of that after dinner shit like games and eggnog, or whatever other holiday shit they do to celebrate Christmas. My excuse to leave is always work, but I can't even play the my boss is an asshole card because I am that asshole. I mean boss. I am the boss.

I sound like the fucking Grinch. I must stop Christmas from coming, but how? And maybe I am. But one thing is for sure, my heart wont grow like his. I don't have one. Word around the office is that my nick name is Ebenezer Scrooge this time of year. Any other day, I'm just a monster they scurry from. If only they knew how true that nick name really is.

"Mr. Grey," Andrea's voice comes through the air from my two-way intercom. "Your mother is on line 1."

Speak of the angel. Grace. My mother. The woman who saved me.

I don't respond to Andrea, I just pick up the phone. I already know why she's calling.

"Hello, mother."

"Merry Christmas, Christian!" She cheers brightly on the other end. I can just see her standing in the kitchen with her apron on and baking all kinds of holiday treats with flour in her hair and the kitchen a disaster. She always manages to somehow clean the kitchen back to its original glory, though I have no idea how.

I'm tempted to reply with 'bah humbug, but I hold back and wish her the same.

"I called your cell but it went right to voice mail so I called GEH. What are you still doing at the office, dear, I thought you were on your way over by now. Your brother and sister are already here."

"I just have a few last minute things to take care of before I leave."

"Don't forget, this year you promised to stay overnight. I have your old room all ready for you."

"What?" When did I promise this? I was hoping to leave right after dinner.

"Don't you remember? You couldn't make it to the last few family dinners due to work so you promised me you'd stay over on Christmas."

"Of course." FUCK! "I'll be there as soon as I can, mother."

"I can't wait." She gushes.

After ending the call I send an email to Gail to pack me an overnight bag. This weekend is going to be the worse.

I decide to accept my fate and just get it over with. Instead of waiting until the least possible second, I gather my belongings now.

As I walk out of my office, I stop at Andrea's desk to grab my cell. I gave it to her when I went into my last meeting of the day to charge and forgot all about it until my mother mentioned trying to call me on it.

"Go home, Andrea." I tell her, sounding like I care while I send Taylor a message to get the SUV. "Enjoy the holiday with your family."

"Thank you, Mr. Grey."

While I'm checking my missed calls and messages on my cell, my phone vibrates in my hand. It's my parents number but I just spoke to my mother. Maybe she forgot something.

"Grey." I answer.

"Bro!" Elliot replies in a hushed whisper.

"What is it, Elliot?"

"Hey, mom said you're still at the office. Is that true?"

"Yes, but I'm leaving now."

"Dude, you have to stop and grab us some beer. There's nothing here but that fruity shit and wine. Dad wont even let me bust out his stash."

"I'm not stopping at any store, on Christmas eve of all nights, are you crazy."

"Come on, man! Please."

"I'm fine with the wine. If you want beer, go get it yourself."

"I can't. Mom has come up with the perfect plan of keeping us captive. Once you arrive, she takes your phone and your keys. She's bound to keep us all here until she says so. I had to sneak the house phone just to make this call to you. We're stranded here once we arrive. If I had known this was the plan, I would've invited a honey or two."

"Yeah, because bringing more than one side chick home for the holidays would work out well for you."

"Shut up, just because you don't ever bring anyone home."

"If I did, it wouldn't be some bimbo I just met."

"Oh, don't you worry about that, mom has you covered."

"What are you going on about?"

"Oh, nothing. Just that mom has a little surprise waiting for you when you get here."

"Like what?"

"Bring beer and I'll tell ya."

It's probably nothing, Elliot is a jokester, but I hate to say he has me intrigued. What could he possibly be implying? Mom, of all people, has me covered on side chicks? That doesn't even make any sense.

He remains quiet as I consider my options.

I don't want to go to the fucking store, especially on Christmas fucking Eve. I could wait in the car while Taylor runs to the liquor store. But then I'd have to wait and I'm not very patient, I don't do waiting. What the fuck would I do while Taylor was in the store for an hour just to grab a case of beer for my brother. I could go through my emails... Nah, my emails are my excuse to go to bed early.

"You can have Taylor take you anywhere you want once I arrive." I compromise.

"Deal." He quickly agrees. "Mom invited a chick over for you. She thought it would be nice if we all had dates this year and well, since you don't date, she invited a chick for you."

"What? I just got off the phone with her, she didn't mention anything about this, you're lying."

"Wait til you come, you'll see I'm not."

"Why wouldn't she tell me?"

"Because she knew you'd blow a gasket and you wouldn't come. After you arrive, she takes everyone's keys so you can't leave. I think she added the no cell phones so you can't call Taylor to pick you up. She probably thinks you wont freak if you find out here in front of company, rather than before you arrive."

"You better not be lying Elliot." If he is, he's good at it.

"I'm not." He insists. "Too bad you can't find someone to bring, huh."

"I'm not coming." I growl, not wanting to go, now more than ever.

"You can't back out, mom would be heartbroken."

Instead of saying anything more, I hang up my cell.

"FUCK!" I roar while punching the call button for the elevator.

He's right, if I don't come now it will break our mother's heart. Now, not only do I have to endure this overnight Christmas shit, but I have to endure it with some chick trying to hang on my dick just because my mother invited her for me. If only there was a way to get my family off my back about me not dating. I even contemplate telling them I'm gay but then they would try to hook me up with men instead and that is something I don't want to deal with. Gay men are almost worse than horny women.

This is just fucking great! Merry fucking Christmas to me!

Now I think I will stop at the liquor store before I go, because the only way I can survive this night is if I am drunk. Shit faced drunk. I know my limits when it comes to alcohol, and I haven't been drunk since I was a teenager, but this evening I am going to be wasted. Perhaps then dealing with my family and this chick will be tolerable.

Riding the elevator to the main floor, I pace the cart and try to think of how I can get out of this. But I'm coming up empty. The only thing I can think of is the alcohol, lots and lots of alcohol.

When the elevator arrives and the doors open, I step off and enter the lobby that looks more like a ghost town now that most of my employees have gone home to their families. The only thing I see is the sole receptionist at the main desk and the huge ass Christmas tree covered in white lights near the window. The usual hustle and bustle of every day business is no longer seen.

I make it two steps away from the elevator before I trip over something in the middle of the floor and land on my ass.

WHAT IN THE FUCK?!

"Oh my goodness," I hear a girl shriek. "Mr. Grey!"

I'm laying flat on my back in the middle of the floor near the elevators when she rushes to me.

I'm about to fire her, but when I see who it is I'm stopped in my tracks. Her bright blue eyes are just as beautiful as I remembered.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Grey, are you alright?"

Anastasia Steele. She interviewed me for the newspaper nearly 7 months ago for her roommate. She's exactly my type, petite, brunette, submissive, and I felt a strong connection with her. But I left her alone because she was too innocent for the type of relationship I wanted. I couldn't bring her, someone so sweet and full of light into my dark world. But that never stopped the attraction or my being interested in her.

I basically stalked her at her work and bought a few items just so I could see her again. That lead to the photoshoot. I wanted to ask her out for coffee but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I've never asked a girl out before and I didn't want her to think that's what I wanted. Hearts and flowers. I looked pissed in those photos because I was fighting an internal battle with myself, and losing. I wanted her but I knew I shouldn't.

Later I found out what publishing house hired her, then I bought that company and moved it to Grey House so I could be close to her like the creepy bastard that I am. I even made sure she wasn't the assistant to Jack Hyde, who on paper was suspicious enough to fire. But since then, I haven't really seen her around. She's never too far from my mind, though.

"What happened?" I hear myself ask.

"I forgot my coat upstairs," She explains. "I was waiting for the elevator to arrive when I dropped the manuscripts I'm going to read later tonight. You- um. I tripped you. It was an accident, I promise. I'm so sorry, sir."

Does she really have to refer to me as that? During the interview she was all, yes, sir, no, sir. And it turned me the fuck on much like it is now. I would love to be her Sir. Especially since we are still on the floor, with me laying on my back and her kneeling next to me making sure I'm okay. I was more asking what happened to her, what happened to us, but I guess she thought I was asking why I fell.

"I'm sorry." She keeps apologizing as she helps me up so we're no longer talking on the floor.

"It was my fault." I find myself saying, "I should've been looking where I was going and paying more attention to my surroundings."

I help her pick up the manuscripts she dropped that she is planning on reading ton... Wait.

She's reading them tonight? As in Christmas Eve? She's alone? She has to be if she's going to read manuscripts, right?

Suddenly I have an idea that would help us both.

"What are your plans for tonight?"