My first fifty shades fic! ahhh. i'm excited about this one the most. Chapters will get longer xoxo

DISCLAIMER: ALL BELONGS TO E.L JAMES.

oo

Chapter 1: Mr Grey


My skin was soft and warm. My hair felt like silk; I had brushed it one hundred times. I counted. My hand hurt and my fingers were trembling as I did up the buttons on my oversized blouse. It was way too big for me and my skirt was borrowed from my best friend. I couldn't afford anything new right now. I didn't really have any money.

"Stop sweating this Ana, you're going to do great" Katherine Kavanagh, said best friend and roomie said to me as she flopped down on my bed giving me moral support.

I shook my head fiercely and fingered the hem of my shirt again. "I can't do this," I finally resigned, sinking to the floor and laying down on the soft brown ugly carpet.

Kate sighed and stood up, prying my arms away from my face and holding out her hand for me to stand up.

"Ana, if you don't do this then you have to go home" she said seriously with her usual clippy no nonsense brazen tone. I mumbled something incoherently and stood reluctantly, smoothing out my black knee length A-line skirt.

"More makeup?" I asked her, glancing over myself in my bedroom mirror once more.

"No, you don't want to look slutty. You look fine. You need to go."

I turned around and almost glared at her. She had no idea what this was like; she had no clue what it was like to be in my shoes for a day. I loved her dearly but everything was handed to her on a nice expensive silver platter. I had to work for everything and I was really really scared about doing this. She had no idea.

"I'm sorry," she relented when she saw how serious I was being. This meant everything to me. If I failed this…I didn't even want to think about what that would mean to me. I really didn't want to go back home. My life, well technically my wellbeing, pride and livelihood depended on me acing this perfectly.

"Really Ana, you look amazing and I know you'll do just fine." She stood up and hugged me firmly. I found myself hugging her back and exhaling for the first time this morning. She retreated and went to grab my purse for me, thrusting it into the palm of my hands. "Sell yourself Ana and just remember, he'll be lucky to have you not the other way around." She was so confident with her shining eyes and excited expression that I couldn't help but be too. That was until I pulled up into the front of the building.

oo

I'd walked past the huge glossy Grey Enterprise Holding's building many times but I'd never actually been inside. It was everything I would have imagined it to be and more. Shiny sleek surfaces, expensive marble floors, and sterile clean white walls. The building wasn't the only thing that looked haunting and sterile – the workers themselves were fashioned that way too. Sleek and sophisticated blondes, white shirts and crisp grey skirts with heels; they looked like they'd been moulded into the building themselves. The men were the same. They all wore that plastic smile and shiny hair pulled back into tight buns and I'd never felt more out of place in my life. I stood out a mile with my loose ponytail, too big blouse and black skirt. I fumbled my way to the blonde at the reception area and she pursed her lips, frowning at me for a second. I knew I was probably being a little paranoid but I felt as if all eyes were on me and everybody was whispering their disapproval. I shouldn't have come. I didn't belong in a place like this with these kind of people. I should have looked somewhere else. I shook my head knowing fully well that I'd already tried that route. This was the last resort; the last hope and I could not afford to lose this. The woman looked at me expectantly raising an eyebrow clearly waiting for me to say something.

"Oh, I'm sorry." I flushed, completely embarrassed for zoning out. This was not off to a great start. Get it together Ana I chanted to myself. I shook my head and cleared my throat before speaking again.

"I'm here for the interview with Mr Grey."

"An interview for which particular job Ma'am?" she asked brusquely. She looked bored. Her voice sounded tired and impatient and I wondered if she actually liked working here with her fancy clothes. Probably not.

"Um, the temporary housekeeper position?" I asked it more like a question than a statement and she frowned at me for the second time.

"Name?"

"Anastasia Steele"

"Hold on a moment Miss Steele."

She went to her computer, no doubt typing my name into the system to check I had actually applied. I knew I had. Kate helped me and we checked several times. She'd even made me apply twice just in case it was overlooked and I wasn't called in for an interview. I thought it was a little over the top but Kate insisted that there were going to be hundreds of women applying for this new position. She herself was head over heels for the CEO enigmatic billionaire Christian Grey. He was totally hot and gorgeous and every woman was going to jump at this opportunity. Kate's words, not mine. I'd seen a few pictures of him in the newspapers and on websites but nothing to make me swoon. I wasn't here for the allure of the handsome mysterious stranger or a chance to pry into his private affairs. I was here because I desperately needed money and I'd exhausted all other options. They didn't pay enough and most were part time. I just wanted to get through the summer and I had no ulterior motives. The blonde came back promptly and picked up a phone speaking quickly before putting it back down. She motioned for somebody to come over and another blonde quickly came bouncing looking slightly flustered.

"Olivia, please take Miss Steele up to Mr Grey's office. Thank you."

Olivia smiled at me and she seemed a little nicer and less intimidating then the reception woman. She walked in front of me and I followed wordlessly, feeling my heart pound. In the elevator she turned to face me.

"You're lucky you were one of the ones picked for interviews. We had many applications."

I didn't really know what to say to that so I just smiled awkwardly. Truth be told, I'm not sure why I was picked either. Then again, I did have the help of Kate and she did rather make me sound quite excellent. What a huge contrast to the actual me. When we were out of the elevator Olivia told me to wait outside for a moment while she went through another door. I stood, waiting as instructed with my hands nervously trembling and my eyes trying to look anywhere but forward. Be confident, be confident Ana my subconscious screamed at me but I was in no fit state to listen to her right now. I was really, truly, scared. When Olivia came back I breathed in deeply.

"Mr Grey will see you now."

She looked at me expectantly when I didn't move straight away and she held the door open for me. I brushed past her quickly into the room and then I heard it shut behind me and she was gone. I glanced around the room briefly. It was white, silver and shiny just like the rest of the building. It was also hugely vast and the big glass walls replacing what would be regular walls gave an impressive view of the city. Mr Grey certainly did have his tastes and preferences. Extravagant. Not me.

"Miss Steele, please take a seat," I heard a voice say. I looked toward the front of the room where Mr Grey was leaning against a bar by the window, his fingers tapping the glass. I'd seen pictures of him of course but nothing prepared me for seeing him in the flesh. He was, well – beautiful for lack of a better world. Tall, lean and well defined in a white shirt, grey silk tie and jacket. His light copper – bronze hair was tousled and his jaw was set in a rigid way. I flushed as he raised his eyebrow at me and scurried to sit down in the seat opposite the Grande desk. He didn't say anything for a few moments; he just continued to look at me. He was very intimidating and I tore myself away from his unrelenting gaze, finding great interest in a set of pencils lying on the desk. After a few moments he sat on the desk opposite me. Not the chair, the desk. He was looking down at me and his gray eyes bore an unreadable expression. He cleared his throat before he picked up a few papers and began to speak again.

"Anastasia Steele" he said. I didn't know if it was a statement or a question so I just looked at him blankly. His lips set in a tight line and he glanced down at the paper again.

"You're here to fill my temporary housekeeper position?" he asked

"Yes, Mr Grey" I said formally. I was surprised and extremely glad that my voice hadn't betrayed me. Yet. I sounded confident. I looked up at him and his eyes considered me for a moment, just looking but not saying anything. I started to feel a little intimidated by his beauty.

"Tell me, why would you like this job?"

I had a thousand different answers, all written out for me by Kate but the way he was looking so intently at me somehow called out the truth.

"I need the money. I don't want to go home and I really need this job for the summer. It's temporary so it's just perfect for me."

He raised his eyebrow slightly and looked at the papers for the third time. Jeez, what was with him and those papers?

"You're studying English literature at WSU?"

"Yes Mr Grey."

He put the papers down and shifted slightly on the desk so that now he was facing me fully.

"And which author was it who persuaded you to pursue a career in literature?"

I hesitated and looked up at him with confused eyes.

"Mr Grey is this question part of the interview?" I asked

His full lips turned up in a half smile and he shook his head.

"No, Anastasia. It's not."

"Oh, well…um." I looked down and bit my lip wondering why he was asking me this question if it wasn't part of the interview. I didn't want to annoy him or offend though so I mumbled "Hardy."

'Hardy? Not Bronte or Austen?'

"I like those too" I mumbled, not wishing to go on in detail about my passion for Tess. I didn't want to bore him and I knew I could get quite involved in discussions about my favourite literature piece. When I looked up at him he was almost smiling and I got the distinct feeling that I was somehow amusing him. I'm not sure why. Maybe he was laughing at me. It was probably my clothes or something. I wasn't as immaculate as these blondes and I felt self-conscious now. Maybe I should just leave. Going home wouldn't be so bad, I could help my dad and Marilyn with the new baby that was due…

"Ana, on Sunday I will pick you up and we'll go to my house. Mrs Jones will show you the ropes and you can start officially on Monday."

I looked up from my peeling nail polish and almost gasped and did a double take. What?

"I…you're hiring me?" I asked, startled.

"You did want the job didn't you?" he asked wryly

"Yes, of course." I flushed. "I just didn't expect…" I trailed off still in shock.

"Anastasia you really should have more confidence in yourself."

I grimaced. I didn't really know what to say to that. Olivia came in and told Mr Grey it was time for his meeting and I got up, straightening out my skirt and feeling giddy and on cloud nine despite my confusion. I got the job!

"Thank you so much" I blurted, allowing the corners of my lips to turn up into a smile.

"I'll see you on Sunday Miss Steele."