Hello everybody! I'm baaack! I'm so sorry for being gone for so long, I had forgotten my email and password (I'm such a mess) and tried to set up another account but that one wouldn't work! Luckily today I found my notepad and ta-da! I had written this info down! :)

I know I left the other story hanging, but I'm working on it! In the meanwhile, here's a new story that I hope you'll enjoy!

I just want to clarify something, these first few chapters are going to be rather harmless, but around the third or fourth chapter we're going to go full-on smut and I'm talking about REALLY graphic lemons that will probably be in each chapter or so. If you are not a fan of sex… well, I'm not sure why you're reading fanfic of an erotic novel but just a heads up, this is going to be full of it.

Also, probably as you read you'll have some questions about a certain character, just stick to the end and it'll be answered! I wanted to make a fun and sexy fanfic between or two lovable characters Ana and Christian, this is just an AU that I came up with!

And lastly, this first chapter was beta-read by BooksBeLyf, thank you so much for all your support!

"I don't think this is a good idea." I said looking uncomfortably at my reflection in the mirror. Kate was doing wonders with my hair, pinning it up in the right places and letting artfully crafted curls hang loose at the side of my face. My make-up was light, red lips, a touch of blush and winged eye-liner since the silver mask sitting at the table would cover up most of my features anyway.

I looked pretty, not even I could deny it. But it wasn't how I looked what put me on edge. Neither was the tight blue dress that showed way too much cleavage and legs. No, it was where I was going and what I was planning to do that made me regret this whole thing.

I was going to learn how to seduce.

You might find this idea silly, or you might be thinking (like I did myself earlier that week) that learning how to seduce someone would actually come in handy. That's because you don't know me. If you had ever gotten to meet me, Anastasia Rose Steele, twenty-two, clunky, pale, scared-of-her-own-shadow-me you would be laughing in my face.

That was the reason why it took me so long to bring up the subject with my best friend and apartment roommate, Kate Kavanagh. I could just imagine her face; scrunching up in concentration, trying hard not to laugh but failing miserably and bursting out in laughter right in front me while I died of embarrassment. I couldn't even talk to people at work, but actually seducing someone? To their face? Not possible.

It took me about two days to finally gather up the courage to ask for her help, and to Kate's credit (and my absolute delight) she merely lifted a perfectly stylized blond eyebrow before she jumped off her chair and claimed:

"LET'S DO THIS SHIT."

I should probably clarify that Kate it's pretty much the most awesome person to have ever been born, and I shouldn't have even thought for a second that she would laugh at me. God knows she has helped me through some of my worst moments, but that's the difference between the two of us. While Kate has no problem in jumping in on any crazy plan (to be fair they are mostly of her own making) I'm the sort of person who is afraid of speaking up at work or ask a stranger for directions.

Basically anything that requires me interacting with people. The idea of learning how to approach someone with the intention of seduction? Terrifies the shit out of me.

To be fair, it's not as if this came out of nowhere. I didn't wake up one day and thought "Man, wouldn't it be great if I could learn how to seduce people instead of, you know learning not be terrified when someone makes eye contact with me?" and Kate knew that too, she was no fool and she knew exactly why I wanted to do this.

It was because of Jack Hyde, college classmate and current co-worker. Funny, outgoing, and overall amazing were the things that had made of Jack my biggest crush during the last two years of college. We had a few classes together, and even though I was too shy to do anything but squirm when he looked at me, he always smiled and waved when he saw me on campus, as if we were the bests of friends. Sure, he did that with everybody, but that's the most amazing thing about Jack, he is friends with pretty much everyone he meets.

I got a job at Naima, a publishing house five months after graduating (and after a few petty jobs that I wish I could forget) and now I work as a proof-reader, which means I read manuscripts after they have been edited, revised and all to make sure everything it's perfect. It's not my dream job since I wish I could be a full-time editor, but it's a way of getting there. And three weeks after I started working there, Jack started too as an assistant for the main editor Jacqueline D'Anvers, and it was as if we were back in college but better, because now we got to talk during breaks and I got to know even more about him, like that he's from Chicago and misses his family (he has three brothers, four sisters and a multitude of cousins and nephews) that he sees during the holidays. He lives in an rented place with two other guys who never clean after themselves and leave all the dirty work to him, and he has a girlfriend Jessica who works at a coffee shop while studying in her last year of chemical engineering.

No, you did not read that wrong. Jack has a girlfriend.

I know what you're thinking, this asshole is planning to seduce a guy with a girlfriend?! But that's not a problem at all, you see, by the time I actually get good at seducing people, they'll surely have broken up by then. Also, I'll probably be eighty-two, living with seven cats, and practicing my seduction skills on the mailman the only human who will be, against his will, forced to approach my house.

Kate says I'm being a pessimist, but I'd like to think I'm being realistic. When the mere thought of talking to someone makes you want to crawl under your bed and never leave your house again, I might as well just give up entirely.

"For the love of God!" Kate raised her hands in frustration and dropped the brush she was now using on my eyes, trying to apply a shimmery shade on my eyelids.

"Just stop with that, this it's not a mistake. You're going to do great, any guy at the party will be lucky to have you."

"Yeah," I buffed, trying very hard not to bite my nails, a nervous habit. "Because they'd be paid to be with me." Just the thought made me blush furiously in shame. "And even then I'm pretty sure I should be paying them."

After I had told Kate what I wanted to do we had come up with a plan. Actually she had but I agreed to it, so we'll call it a team work. Basically she was going to take me to a masquerade party where escorts, guys and girls, would be there to accompany the rich and powerful and… do more than that. It was pretty much a sex game for rich, with nice dresses and tuxes.

The thing about Kate is, not only is she beautiful charismatic and successful in her career as a reporter, but she also has money. Family money, which meant she was used to this sort of weird things from rich people because she was rich.

"Do you want to just quit?" She asked, kneeling in front of me still in her lacy underwear, her eyes warm and honest. "We can do it some other way, it doesn't have to be an escort. I just thought that you'd be better off without the pressure."

I shook my head and smiled. Coming to my senses. Kate was right, we had gone over this idea over and over in our heads and if I wanted to loosen up I'd need experience, and with an escort it would be easier for me because I wouldn't have the added pressure of getting to know the guy, ask him out and all of that. He would be like my tutor. My personal sex teacher, which honestly just sounds like a really crappy porno.

"I'm fine." I told her, holding her hands. "I'm just nervous that's all of this… it's really new for me." Kate stood up and squeezed my shoulders.

"I know, but it's going to be so much fun! I promise." Brush in hand she went back to business, and I hoped to God she was right.

An hour and a half later we were entering a grand two story house just outside of DC, and I had never been more terrified in my entire life. The neighborhood was as elegant as you could expect from people who were throwing fancy parties with escorts; there were huge houses surrounded by beautiful and colorful gardens, everything protected by gates all around the properties. We had arrived on a limo, the only way to go apparently considering all the fancy limousines that were parking and dropping off couples and singles alike, all with their masks in place.

Kate and I stepped out of ours, don't even ask me how she knew how to find a limo, and into the house. Both of us were wearing short dresses, Kate's was red and tight to her body like a second skin, embroidered with glimmer on the hem and crawling up to her waist like shimmery waves. Her mask was simple but regal, just a touch of golden that covered her eyes up to her nose. Next to her my tight blue gown looked silly, like I was trying to hard.

Right as we walked through the doors I linked my arm with Kate's, feeling better once her slender arm was locked with mine. It felt normal, as if we were walking down the street like any normal friends and not getting into a weird orgy. My heart was beating wildly, and I was afraid I would get lost in them sea of people.

The party was not what I imagined. It was mostly civilized people doing conversation in fancy masks and drinking bubbling champagne. It all felt too… normal. Was I the only one who felt out of place here? For some strange reason, I think I would have felt better about it if they had been more obvious about it. Instead they acted as if it were the most normal thing in the world; these were people so used to the games they could feel comfortable here. Was I the only one scared out of her mind here?

In an attempt to calm my nerves, I let my eyes wander from the fancy party guests, to the beautiful, classic mansion in front of us.

The house was stunning. If it had seemed impressive when we were arriving with the limousine, it looked completely stunning right in front of us.

The large and lush garden led to a stone path, which in turn led to the front stairs at the house, huge mahogany doors were wide open, revealing a large room with an enormous staircase at the center divided in two branches which led up to the second floor.

"This place is huge." I whispered towards Kate who had stopped right beside me to let me admire the mansion.

"Well, you know what they say." She squeezed my arm and we walked inside. "Small man, huge ego."

As soon as we were inside, a waiter in black trousers and a white shirt diligently handed us each a glass of champagne and went on his way, moving through the crowd of silks and lace along with at least another dozen of waiters.

I took a sip of my drink, and fidgeted with the stem of the glass, looking nervously around and feeling incredibly out of place. According to Kate, the whole "escort" business was very civilized, just like a business transaction. You go there, talk with people, find an escort and then go to one of the many rooms in the place. It had sounded good at first, at least it was something I could handle instead of trying to find a guy and ask him to teach me how to seduce, but now with the crowd of rich and powerful in front of us who were more than used to this whole thing it made me nervous.

I was about to mutter "I don't think this is a good idea." For the one hundred time but bit my lip. I wanted to do this, and I was not about to back down.

At least not just yet.

"What do we do now?" Kate and I kept walking through the house, the rest of the people chatting and laughing as if this were just an ordinary day. I began to grow anxious when I realized everybody wore masks, and there was no way of identifying anybody besides for their gowns. I honestly had no idea of who were the escorts and who the clients. When I told Kate this, she laughed.

"That's the fun, hon. You don't know." We had stopped in front of a large painting, and I was thankful because had I kept walking I might just get to the doors and walk out, never to go back.

"But if you don't know then how... What if you confuse someone of being an escort, won't they be mad?"

"Mad? Ana they are paying for them! Besides, all escorts are young and pretty, if you confused a client for an escort they would be flattered."

I nodded but wasn't so sure about that. This entire thing was just so strange to me, people paying for escort to entertain their guests! It was crazy, some people hired dancers or bartenders for some amusement, the ones throwing this party got people to fuck their guests… it seemed insane to me.

"Ana?" My head snapped up to Kate, who even with the mask on I could tell she was looking at me funny. Crap, she had been talking to me and I hadn't paid any attention.

"Sorry. What were you saying?"

"I said that it might be better if you go and "scout the perimeter" on your own."

My cheeks reddened both from fear and a little shame. I looked around trying to see if she had already found someone.

"Sorry, you found an escort?" I asked mostly curious, I could understand why she would want me out of the picture if she had someone in mind.

"What? No! I would never ditch you hon, I just thought you might feel better doing this alone. You know, privacy." She knew me so well. I nodded and thanked her before I started walking around the house, not really sure of what to do.

Kate went to a group of people talking and quickly got into their conversation, her social skills were amazing.

As I walked aimlessly through the beautiful mansion, I began to pretend like I wasn't at a sex party at all. Instead I convinced myself I was simply at a museum, looking at the paintings and artworks. There were no couples (or groups) discreetly walking into a room and closing the door. That's right, nobody was having sex here. Especially not me.

I'm ashamed to say I did this for about half an hour, mostly because in the few times I did gathered the courage to go and find someone, I found a couple of interested eyes looking in my direction and I felt myself coward and walk away.

After a few more minutes I had lost Kate completely to the sea of people, and I began to panic a little. What if I couldn't find her? Until it hit me I had my dammed phone in my purse, so I could call her.

So stupid.

Relaxed, I began to walk around again, at some point without even noticing it, I forgot about my plan of finding an escort and just decided to admire the beautiful house; it's polished white floors, the beautiful upward ceiling filled with painted glass windows that let in the light in different shades of colors. I began to get comfortable in the place, and not even the rooms located at the halls with the people coming and going could disturb me.

Seeing how nobody was paying any attention to me now, I slipped through one hall and into the house. I figured it wouldn't be frowned upon, considering how there were so many people slipping off to find the rooms marked with a silver ribbon, but then again I wasn't escaping with some dude, rather snooping around in the house of a very rich family.

But when else would I have the chance to be in a place like this?

I walked across a wide hallway covered with a long carpet until it led me up the stairs. Instead of going up, I kept walking through the rooms and running away every time I heard a moan or scream. Not ready for that yet.

I let minutes pass away as I strolled through the place, but when I couldn't stay in the safety of the lonely hallways anymore I turned around to go back to the party. Ready to tell Kate what a coward I was and that I wanted to go home.

Instead, I smack into someone. A broad chest in a tux was right in front of me, and I had the grace of reacting fast enough not to spill my champagne all over him.

"Excuse me." I muttered, embarrassed and I looked up to see an escort smiling down at me.

A very hot escort. Embarrassed, I stifled another apology when I noticed that my hand was still placed on his hard chest, and quickly it took it away.

I knew he was an escort because, well, he was gorgeous. Dressed in a black tux that fit him wonderfully, you could see exactly how well toned he was; a broad chest leading to a narrow waist and long legs. And that face, even with that mask on half of his face, you could see his full lips, straight nose and bright gray eyes. This is the sort of person I would hire to entertain my guest if I had as much money as the hosts… and were as extravagant as them.

"Oh no, please. I ran into you." He apologized and smiled again. It looked so easy, to give that smile that would make any person smile back. Oh yeah, this guy had to make millions. "I honestly thought there was no one around here. You know, the bedrooms are down that hall." His slender finger pointed to his back and I could feel myself blush. Either because he was suggesting I was looking for that or because I was caught doing something I shouldn't, like lurking around, I didn't know.

"Yes well I was just…" I struggled to find the words and when I saw the corner of his mouth lift in amusement I decided to blurt it out. "I was just looking for some time alone. This isn't my kind of party." I figured as him being an escort that he had to deal with a few nervous clients and my awkwardness wouldn't surprise him... I was certainly hoping he wouldn't just laugh at my face.

To my immense relief he nodded and smiled warmly at me.

"I get it, I can't say I haven't had fun at these things…" he trailed off, a hand ruffling through his hair and to my surprise I didn't blush or felt embarrassed. He had a way of making you feel at ease. "But lately I can't say that I have."

I couldn't help myself. Damn him and his easy way of talking. "Then why are you here?" It didn't seem right that he had to work at this if he doesn't like it. Hell, nobody should.

He seemed to think for a moment and then, in some unspoken agreement, we both started walking in the direction back to the party. I wasn't nervous anymore, not when I was talking with him now.

"I've made business with the hosts from time to time and they invited me to come. It seemed rude not to." That was a surprise, although I guessed it explained why he had to come. You wouldn't want former clients to speak ill of you. For a moment I wondered how many people had been clients of his, and how much he earned from this. But of course that asking that was terribly rude.

"Why are you here, if this is not your kind of party?" He asked, he seemed honestly curious. We were getting closer to the doors with the silver ribbons, and I out of instinct drew closer to him as if that could somehow avoid myself the awkwardness of hearing the people inside.

"Well, I actually asked my friend to bring me here because I wanted to try it out-" I tried my best not to let myself blush and I think I did a pretty good job. "But now that I'm here…" God, how could I explain it? That the silly and shy girl who couldn't do so much as speak up for herself had thought it would be a good idea to come to this place?

"It wasn't what you hoped it would be?" He supplied when I ran out of words.

"More like I wasn't who I was hoping I could be." I admitted and the truth stung. I had come here all confident, so sure I could make it and had ended up hiding outside the party. How lame was that?

"Now I don't think that's true." He said as we stopped right at the edge of the party. There were people going about and I could see the hall clearly, but nobody was close enough to hear or see us unless they were looking directly at us. It was as if we were still in our comfortable bubble.

"You came here, and you are talking with me just as easily."

"Well yes, but we are talking not… you know, in one of those rooms." I glanced at the wooden doors behind us.

His smirk turned devious.

"Would you like to be?"

"What?! I- just, I mean…" I babbled. But he just laughed, enjoying to making me nervous, apparently.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to take you behind those doors. I was just curious."

Curious my ass, I had never been approached by a guy who so easily asked me if I wanted to fuck. But still, the idea that he might even be considering it. I had to admit that he was good looking and better, he was so easy going that it was really fun to talk with him, even about something that made me uncomfortable. So I was curious enough to put a hold on my insecurity and ask.

"Would you really do that? I mean-" I was sure he could hear my heart trying to beat its way out my chest, but I ignored it and concentrated on getting the words out. "If I said yes, would you really do that?" it was stupid. He was an escort, this is what he was here to do even if he didn't want to. "I mean, would you like it?" Now I felt stupid.

But to my surprise, a more genuine smile settled on his face.

"For you? Yes"

Wow, what a player! I believed him for a moment that it was not some escort-seduction tactic thing.

I was about to respond with a smart comment when a hand grasped his shoulder and made him turn around.

"Christian! Here you are…" The man started to drag him away for conversation and he gave me an apologetic smile as he went. I wasn't sure if I should stay waiting for him when suddenly Kate was beside me.

"Ana!" She gasped. "Here you are!" Then she looked at the hall splaying behind us and smiled. "Did you-?"

"No," I cut her off. "I was just trying to escape the party." I admitted, ashamed.

She smiled kindly at that, I guess she knew it wouldn't be easy for me.

"To be fair to myself," I began searching in the direction Christian had gone. I couldn't find him in between all the people. "I actually managed to talk to someone. And he was hot."

"Great!" Kate said excitedly. "What happened?"

"Well someone took him away to talk… and I'm a coward, so there is that."

"Maybe we can find him."

And we tried, but even though Kate and I searched the entire party, we couldn't find him.

He was gone.

What did you guys think? Any comments?

Don't worry about Jack guys! He's there to cause some drama, but I'll stick true to what I said in the summary, this is a HEA story with no cheating. I just love the idea of love finding you in the most unsuspected places, and Ana is so focused on Jack that Christian will take her by surprise!