Chapter 3

The apartment was more than beautiful. It was a two bedroom apartment with floor to ceiling windows in every room. The kitchen was right off the foyer that led into a small breakfast room. The formal dining room was a raised area right off the living room. There was also a home office that was already outfitted with floor to ceiling built-in bookcases filled with first edition classic books. As like Grey House it was painfully white with no color.

"If I accept this apartment, can I redecorate? I happen to like colors and I like to have my own personal tastes incorporated into where I live." She walked around the living room. Yes, the room would use some life in it. She knew the color she wanted, a honey gold color. It reminded her of a sunset she once witnessed while in Italy.

"Of course, Miss Steele, it will be your apartment." Christian watched her closely. She seemed to belong in this building. "Would you like to see the Master bedroom and bath?" She only nodded and followed him down the hall pass the guest bathroom and the two other bedrooms which also had en suites. "This is the Master Bedroom. As you can see it is most spacious with a walk-in closet with built-ins. I can guess that you would like to redecorate this room also…since you like color." His voice was teasing and his gray eyes sparkled. "Of course, I will have the furnishings removed and put in storage."

She once again nodded and went to inspect the closet which was more than magnificent. It was well lit and had every storage compartment that a woman could need. It even had a makeup table and a chaise lounge that sat in the middle of the room. "I rather like the chaise lounge." She commented as she sat on it and ran her over the dark red silk upholstery. "This can stay if I decided to take the apartment." Her long legs were swung over and placed on the cushions. She leaned against the built it pillow with her arm dramatically flung over her head like a 1940's movie siren. She had to laugh. "I feel like Joan Crawford."

Christian had to laugh as he appreciated those finely shaped long legs clad in silk. He felt his groin tighten. Damn, he would have a freaking hard-on constantly with this woman around, and he couldn't fuck her…she worked for him! "The bath is through that door but there is also an entrance from the bedroom." He cleared his throat. "It's mostly Italian marble in shades of …"

"Blue?" She finished for him. "It seems you like blue, white and I also see a lot of gray." She stood to her full height of five foot nine inches with her shoes on.

"Fifty shades of gray, Miss Steele. I like the play on my last name." He joked.

She only "hmmm'd" at his lost comment and went to the bathroom through the closet entrance. The bath was bigger than her first apartment that she had in Seattle while going to college at UW. There was a huge whirlpool bathtub that could probably fit five people, and then there was a wet room that was encased in clear glass where several showerheads were placed for a showering event. She guessed another five people could shower together. Whoever designed this apartment must have a thing for communal bathing! She did notice that this room did have a comforting feel to it like a spa with a soft muted blue on the walls to the blue veins that ran through the gray Italian marble on the double vanity. The toilet was tucked away into a generous alcove for privacy. All the cabinets were a light oak and with a semi-gloss varnish. This room was made for relaxation. "This bath alone is a good reason to take your offer, Mr. Grey." She offered her hand. "I will take the apartment, but I do ask that you take my rent out of my pay."

"It's part of your pay, Miss Steele." He replied not wanting to hear it.

"Mr. Grey, for my own protection, I want to pay rent and I want a renter's agreement contract. If for some reason that you no longer wish or want my services, I do not want to be thrown out of my apartment with no options."

"I would never do something like that." Christian hotly said, appalled that she would think so low of him.

"In the heat of any argument, Mr. Grey, such things can happen. I suspect you and I will butt heads because we are strong-willed, opinionated, and stubborn people. This is for my own protection."

"Agreed. You can have your contract. You are really good at negotiating; maybe I should hire you as a VP instead of my PA." His eyes were once again sparkling. For some reason, this woman made him happy even though she did challenge him and won her argument. She didn't use tears or pouts, but words of common sense and reason. This was not a submissive woman and for the first time in his life, he actually liked this in a woman. Usually ball-breaking women turned him off and he didn't have a thing to do with them. This was one reason why he broke off his long-running six year sexual relationship with Elena Lincoln. Her dominant personality no longer held any charm for him and to tell the truth, the sex was boring with her. He shook the memories of that woman from his mind, and looked at his wrist-watch. It was nearly four in the after-noon. "I have to get back to the office. You can arrange to have a moving company to pack and transport your belongings to Escala and of course, please use your expense account. This is still a business transaction. I will have legal have your lease agreement on your desk by morning for your signature. Of course, you are free to spend the night, if you wish…it is now your apartment."

"I have a few changes I would like to make before I move in, so I will stay at my apartment for now. Besides, I will have to get out of my lease with the landlord." She walked before him out of the bath into the bedroom. She took the time to stop and admire the view from the windows. She already decided to buy that huge King-sized four poster bed that she had seen at a furniture store and she would place it right in the middle of the room in front of this window so she could admire the view from her pillows. "I will take care of having a moving company clear out this apartment except for the chaise lounge and of course the books in the study."

"Of course. You do whatever you wish to make this your own." He motioned her through the door back into the hallway. "Besides your living areas, there is a small area pass the kitchen for live-in domestic help if you wish to have that or it can be used for another guest room area."

"I don't need domestic help. I am more than capable of cleaning and cooking for myself."

"Escala also has a gym, swimming pool, and a small spa for the residents. There is also a restaurant and bar on the Main level."

"Yes, I know. I have lived in Seattle for a few years and know about Escala. Just never thought I would be living here." She said as they walked through the living room into the foyer. "I will need to know the security codes for the parking garage and which parking space is mine."

"I will get them for you when we get back to the office." He opened the door for her and let her step into the hallway. "There are only two apartments on this floor, GEH also owns the other one, but it's not as nice as this one, and my brother, Elliot lives there, when he is town."

"Elliot Grey, the owner of Grey Construction, Inc." She said showing that she did some research on his family. "And, your sister, Mia…does she live in this building also?"

"No, Miss Steele, my sister lives with our parents in Bellevue when she isn't living in France." He said just a bit perturbed that she knew about his family.

"Don't get snarky, Mr. Grey, you did your research on me and my family…it was only fair that I did the same thing." She said with an even toned voice. She just wished that she had seen a better photograph of him so that she would have known that he was the "hottie" from the coffee-shop, but then again, she was more interested in his information then what he looked like. She did not want a repeat performance of the Jack Hyde debacle at SIP, so she skipped any photographs and went straight to the information about himself, the corporation, and if he had an arrest record. Actually, since there was no mention of any women in his life, she was coming to the conclusion that Mr. Christian Grey was a homosexual. She actually felt safe with him sexually because he didn't flirt with her or try to touch her even though they had been alone for some time, but there was still the worry about physical abuse since he was clearly a man that worked out and one could tell he was strong. She was still concerned about his horrible temper and the fact that he threw things like a child having a temper tantrum. She couldn't comprehend a CEO of a billion dollar corporation acting so childish. She would just do her job to the best of her ability and keep a safe distance from him and his temper. After all, she was hired to manage his office and assist him with his job, but she was not his "whipping boy" and she would not stand for any kind of abuse.

"Thank you for this lovely apartment. I am sure that I will be most happy here." She walked into the elevator. She took a glance at her own wrist watch. "I need to get back to GEH and get my car. I have a dinner date with my Father this evening."

"Yes, your father, Raymond Steele, ex-Marine Captain, highly decorated, honorable discharge, and now is a police detective with the Sherriff's Department." He smiled down at her as the elevator started its slow decent through the floors. "Yes, I did my homework also."

"That is good, so you know that my Father is very protective of me since I am his only child." Her words were softly spoken but there was a hint of warning to them, "don't screw with Captain Steele's daughter or be screwed royally!" She was smiling back up at him. Her charm was incredible and Christian had to fight from leaning over and kissing her sweet full lips. He bit the inside of his lip so the pain would over-ride the desire that was building up inside his body. "Mr. Grey, I do have one last question, and it is very personal, so please do not be offended, and of course you can refuse to answer." She took a deep breath and asked the question boldly that everyone asked, including his family. "Are you gay?"