It was official; I was on cloud nine - Christian Grey had asked for my number. Of course, he got it, and with a sly smile, he had started the elevator once more, keeping his cool as I scrambled out on to the fourth floor, my head swimming in my disbelief. Sure, Danielle had told me that he had been asking about me, and that he was interested in me, but it could have been a joke. For all I knew, she wanted me to make a pass at him so she could laugh at my awkwardness and enjoy the show as a confused Christian told me he wasn't interested, or available. He left me on the fourth floor with a single vow to call soon. And then, he was gone.

I was absolutely useless for the rest of the afternoon. All I could do was stare out the window by my desk and replay the moment in my mind. It took maybe an hour before Danielle realized that I wasn't going to be any help to her and let me leave. I was walking out of the building when my phone rang. I looked at the screen, puzzled. I didn't recognize the number, which could only mean one thing. But would he really call so soon? I answered the number, curious to find out.

"Hello?"

"Good afternoon, Miss Steele."

So maybe he would call so soon. "Christian, hi." I replied, trying to hide how flustered I felt.

"Now that I know how to reach you outside of work, I was hoping to find out if you might be free tonight."

Tonight? He seemed to enjoy moving fast. I hoped it wasn't a sign of things to come...and yet… "I actually just left the office. Did you have something in mind?"

"As a matter of fact, I do." The low rumble of his voice was so deep, so inviting; I shivered slightly at the infatuation it made me feel. "Would you care to meet me for dinner? I thought you might like to enjoy a meal that you don't have to grab on the go in a paper bag."

"That sounds nice." I replied, trying not to squeak as I answered. Dinner, with Christian Grey. Just a few days ago, I didn't think I would ever see him again, and now, we were going on a date. "Where do you want to meet?"

"At the Space Needle." he said confidently, "Let's say, 7:30?"

The Space Needle? That was a tourist spot. I was a little surprised that he didn't have a hidden nook in mind, but I was anything but interested in picking on his choice in venue; or choosing a new one. "Sounds good," I replied, "I'll see you then." Hanging up, I smiled and did a little spin in the middle of the sidewalk before I began my trip home.

When I got home, Kate didn't even have a chance to ask how my day was. One look at my face had her scrambling to tell me what happened to me while I was gone, and before she could even start, I started for her.

"You won't believe it, Kate - he's been asking about me, and he asked me for my number, and he just called me and asked me out! Tonight!" I knew I sounded ridiculous, but I didn't care. I was gushing. I was excited. I was giddy.

"Ana, that's incredible!" Kate exclaimed. "I knew something good would happen! Now, you need something to wear…"

I hesitated. "Kate, I have clothes…" I stammered, knowing what Katherine Kavanaugh meant when she said I needed something to wear.

Kate took one look at me in my paisley blouse and blue pencil skirt, my hair pulled in a loose ponytail. Shaking her head, she grabbed my hand and dragged me off to her room. "Not good enough." she simply said, and I knew I was in trouble.

A closet explosion and the magical appearance of a makeup salon later resulted in a stunning woman staring at me in shock as I stood before Kate's full length mirror. This was not the Ana I saw on a daily basis; this was a sexy, sophisticated Anastasia Steele. Her hair was partially pinned back to keep it out of her face, but left loose to fall over her shoulders and down her back in soft waves. She wore a passionate rose petal pink on her lips, which was subtle enough to almost look natural. While the Ana I knew and embraced barely wore any makeup, Anastasia had gone through the gauntlet of foundation, lipstick, eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara; the works, and yet, everything blended in so nicely that it looked as though Anastasia woke up every morning, looking exactly like this. She was elegant, she was lovely, and the only part of her I recognized was the nervous twinkle in her eyes as she stared back at me. Everything came together with the main piece of Kate's work - the soft pink dress that seemed to wrap around my shoulders, down my waist, and hug the top of my hips before gently falling in folds just above my knees. It was a perfect dress; something that I wouldn't mind wearing again, but something that I would have talked myself out of buying had I seen it on my own.

"Ana, you look amazing." Kate breathed. "You're going to knock him out the moment he sees you."

"Do I want to do that?" I asked, not sure if I wanted to be so incredibly different from who I am.

"Yes," Kate insisted, "You do."

I looked back at my reflection once more. "I don't know if this is right." I said quietly, my resolve faltering as I smoothed my skirt; an impossible task.

"If what's right?" Kate asked.

"Getting all dressed up like this." I admitted, " I mean, what if he likes me like this, but then he doesn't like me when I'm being plain old Ana?"

Kate gave me a look that told me she thought I was being ridiculous. "You are anything but plain, Ana." she insisted. "All I did was help highlight what was already there. Now...go knock him dead."

I smiled and hugged my friend. "Thank you." I said, feeling nervous, but relieved. I hoped that tonight would be as incredible as I'd dreamt it would.

I took a cab to the Space Needle, considering Kate and I lived at least fifteen minutes away by car, and the heels she loaned me to go with the dress would have been unforgiving if I had chosen to walk. Grasping at my clutch, I took a shaky breath before I walked in to the main lobby on the ground floor. The elevator would be able to take me straight up to the restaurant. To be completely honest, I had never been to the Space Needle before, despite my time in Seattle, and I secretly hoped that the restaurant didn't constantly spin as some of the stories I had heard promised. I could hear my heart beating in my ears as the elevator rose. I began counting backward from 3 as I drew close to my destination.

3...Was he already there, waiting for me?

2...What would he think when he saw me come in?

1...How will the night end?

The elevators stopped, and the doors opened. I looked up and saw that Christian Grey was on the other side, waiting patiently for me to meet him. I held my breath for an extra second as I waited for him to see me. Almost immediately, he turned and saw me, and I could have sworn he held his breath for a moment, too. His eyes held me once again, intensely, and I felt another shiver run through me as his eyes pierced my own. He was a sight to behold; dressed in a light grey suit, white collar shirt, and a silk grey necktie. Even his shoes seemed to shine bright and black in the light of the restaurant; almost otherworldly, as though he had come from another universe, being too perfect to come from this crazy, messed up planet. His copper hair was perfectly mussed, and I wondered if it always stayed that way. It tempted me to run my fingers through it. As I stepped off of the elevator, I caught the faint scent of his cologne, and as ridiculous as it may seem, the scent made me want to swoon. I bit my lip as I fought to regain my bearings. Once again, he seemed to notice; but only briefly.

"Anastasia, you are a sight to behold." he said softly, holding out his hand. Blushing, I placed my hand in his, and he surprised me by lifting it up and kissing the back of it ever so slightly. It was so old fashioned that I hadn't anticipated it, and I felt like I had ignited in flames. Spontaneous combustion, I think it's called. My brain could barely compute anything other than Christian at that point.

"Shall we?" he asked, and I nodded, following him to an empty table by the window. He helped me with my chair before sitting down himself, and I couldn't help but marvel at what a gentleman he was already. It was so...different from what little I knew.

"I hope you like the view." he said, looking briefly out the window to the Seattle skyline before turning his attention back to me. "I didn't think to ask you if you had a problem with heights; I'm sorry if you do. We can always move if you're uncomfortable…"

"No, this is nice." I replied honestly, briefly glancing out at the horizon in appreciation. "Heights don't bother me as long as I'm not falling from them."

Christian chuckled. "I don't honestly know of too many people who would want to fall from here." he admitted, "But there are bound to be a few."

The waiter approached us and smiled politely. "Good evening," he said, "Might I start you two off with something to drink?"

"We would like to see your wine list, please." Christian replied, without hesitation.

"I would just like a water, thank you." I answered, not wanting to give the waiter a chance to ask for my ID. I hadn't quite reached my 21st birthday yet, and was not interested in an embarrassing moment on my first date.

Christian looked at me with curiousity as I placed my drink order, and was quiet until the waiter left to gather our requests. "Water?" he asked, "You don't drink?"

"I'm only 20." I replied quietly, feeling somewhat abashed.

"Shit." he cursed softly, "I'm sorry - I didn't know."

His sincerity only raised my curiosity. "How old did you think I was?" I asked, unable to fathom the possibility that I could even appear older than I was.

"A couple of years older, maybe." he replied, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know - it never crossed my mind."

I sat back and thought on what he said for a moment, surprised. I thought I always looked younger than I actually was; a notion that was all too often reinforced by total strangers on an almost daily basis. My coworkers would constantly tease me for being a 'babyface', and any time a story began with, 'When I was a kid', I would somehow find myself mentioned as the joke of the story, because I was 'too young' to tell a story that began that way. Despite this, Christian Grey thought that I was older than 20. I could barely believe it, even though I had heard it for myself, and I saw the sincerity in his face. It was refreshing; another change from what I was used to, and I felt my spirits rise even higher.

"It's okay," I replied earnestly, "It's an honest mistake."

Christian was quiet for a moment, as though he might be cursing himself a final time before moving on. "When is your birthday?" he asked.

"In September." I replied, "When is yours?"

"June…" he replied, pensively. "I'll be 27 this year."

No wonder he seemed to be beating himself up for his faux pas. He was six years older than I, and we were still young enough for it to be a bit of a difference. In all honesty, I felt ashamed for thinking he was younger; knowing how frustrating it could be to have everyone around you think you're younger than you are. And here I was, projecting the same idea on Christian. I wondered if he was often mistaken for being younger as well. I was determined, though - I wasn't concerned with the age difference. I wanted; no, I craved to be near him. I was drawn to him, and I wanted to know more.

"Well," I said, changing the subject, "What do you want to try for dinner?"

The food turned out to be great, though I didn't think too much about my meal as I was more focused on my conversation with Christian. We talked about so much over dinner; where I came from, my mother and the husbands, my step father, Ray, who was the closest thing to a father I had ever had, college, and my aspiration to become a writer. He seemed absorbed by everything I said, and after a while, I stopped talking, and sipped my water instead.

"What's wrong?" he asked, noticing my sudden silence.

"It's just that I've been talking about myself so much that you haven't had a chance to tell me anything about yourself." I said, embarrassed that he let me ramble on for so long.

He chuckled softly. "I like listening to you talk." he said, "Besides, you don't want to hear about my life. It's actually pretty dull."

I could feel the intensity of my stare as I gazed at him. "Somehow, I doubt that." I said sincerely.

The crooked smile that I had already come to adore crossed his face, and he seemed to study me carefully, as though he wasn't sure if he believed me. "Well," he said, "If you really want to hear about my boring life, let me take care of the check first, and we can go searching for a change of scenery."

I smiled at the idea. It was getting a little tiring sitting in the restaurant when we had already finished eating. "Sounds great." I said.

Soon, the tab was paid, and we began to leave the restaurant. Christian hesitated for a moment, smiling at me. "Did you mean what you said at the beginning of dinner?" he asked.

I could tell this was leading somewhere. "About what?" I asked.

"When you said you aren't afraid of heights." he replied, "Save, of course, for if you're falling from them."

"Yes," I told him. "Why do you ask?"

His crooked smile was so endearing, and it captivated me more than I ever thought it could. His eyes shone as though he had a secret to tell. "Because there's one more thing we need to see before we leave." he said, offering me his hand once again. Without hesitation, I took it, and he lead me to the elevator.

Instead of going down to the ground floor, we rode up briefly, and the doors soon opened to welcome us to the observation deck. Christian stepped out, then stopped and waited for me to join him. I walked out of the elevator, and across the deck to the edge, taking in the view from even higher than before. The sight was breathtaking. I could see everything from the waterfront to the lights and clusters of buildings in the city. Suddenly, I couldn't understand why I hadn't come here before. I'd lived in Seattle for two years, and not once did I even consider visiting this landmark.

"It's something else, isn't it?" Christian said behind me, and I was so mesmerized that I didn't even feel nervous. I simply nodded, taking it all in. Everything was so beautiful from here; especially in the sparkle of the twilight.

" I can't believe I've never come here before." I said, in awe.

"You sound like a busy woman." he replied thoughtfully, standing beside me. He looked out at the horizon as I had, taking in the scenery as something old and familiar; comforting. It seemed like he felt at home where I felt like I was in heaven. "I'm sure if you had more free time, you would have found your way here eventually."

"Maybe…" I replied, equally pensive. I let silence take over for one last moment before I turned to him and smiled. "Thank you for asking me to meet you here. It's been...really nice."

Grey eyes met blue, and both of our gazes locked together. I wasn't sure about Christian, but I knew that my mind suddenly began to race a million miles a minute. He was mere inches away from me, and the night had been going so well. Was he going to try to kiss me? Did I want him to? I honestly wasn't sure. Part of me wasn't ready to move so fast, but another part of me wanted to test the waters; to see what it would be like to have his lips against mine. The notion sent a small shiver down my spine; involuntarily making me shiver outwardly.

Christian frowned, and took off his jacket. Without a word, he placed his jacket on my shoulders, pulling it around me to envelop me. He must have thought I had shivered because I was cold. I blushed at the gesture as well as the realization that he noticed the shiver, and tentatively I grasped the opening of his jacket; holding it shut. It smelled of his cologne and was warm on my shoulders; warm from his own body heat. It made me think of his arms enveloping me instead of the jacket; warming me in his embrace, burying my face in his neck and taking in his scent…

"You look like you're a million miles away, Anastasia."

Christian's voice broke me from my trance, and I blushed once more as I internally cursed myself for getting lost in my thoughts. I offered a weak smile as I tried to erase the thoughts from my mind.

"Sorry," I replied nervously, "I just...have had a very interesting day."

Once again, his crooked smile took over his face. "I hope interesting means good." he replied, holding out his hand once more.

The glimpse of innocence I caught in his demeanor gave me a new sense of confidence, and I took his hand, smiling. "Good would be an understatement." I answered, letting him lead me back to the elevator.

As we rode down to the ground floor, I realized that he had promised to tell me more about himself after dinner, but he hadn't told me anything personal while we stood on the observation deck. I looked over at him, eyebrow raised. "You never told me anything about yourself," I reminded him, "And you promised."

"I never promised, Anastasia." he replied casually, smirking at me. "Besides, what will we talk about on our next adventure if we tell each other everything on the first date?"

His mention of a second date brought the color back to my cheeks as it proved that, not only did he enjoy himself as much as I had, but he wanted to see me again - me! I thanked the stars for my good luck, looking away and biting my lip as I began to imagine when and where we would share another night together.

"Don't do that…" he said suddenly, his voice low, almost in warning.

The change in his tone caught me unawares, and I felt my heart pitter patter at the intensity it made me feel. The low octave of his voice wasn't the only thing that grabbed me; it was the way he spoke, as though there was something forbidden about the moment. My body stirred as though an electrical charge was building inside me, and I felt an urge to toy with him and challenge his order. But we were only on our first date...and he hadn't even kissed me. The last thing I wanted to do was scare him away. So instead, I released my bite, and gasped softly; hoping he didn't hear.

The elevator finally stopped, and the doors opened, allowing us to leave the Space Needle. As I stepped out into the sidewalk, the fresh air hit me, and I felt grateful that Christian had loaned me his jacket. I would have started shivering the moment we stepped outside if he hadn't. The night was over, though, and it was time to go home. I took a deep breath, masking the fact that I was inhaling his scent from his jacket one last time.

"I want to thank you again for a wonderful evening, Christian." I said quietly, looking up at him with elation, disappointment, and hope. The night had been amazing, but unfortunately, it couldn't last forever. I just hoped that he meant what he said about asking me out again, so that we could share another evening just like this one.

"The pleasure was all mine, Anastasia." he replied softly, his smile a gentle, intimate response. I felt my heart flutter once more as I wondered if he would try to kiss me now. I hesitated for a moment, turning into a statue as I waited for him to make a move.

"Do you need a ride home?" he asked, studying me as though he was trying to determine whether or not I had driven myself to our date.

"I can hail a cab." I replied casually, feeling mildly confused at the change in mood. He was beginning to seem more polite than enamored; something that should have helped me relax, but instead confused and frustrated me.

"I can give you a ride home if you like." he offered, putting his hands in his pockets. He seemed to be distancing himself now, and it only frustrated me more.

"I wouldn't want to impose." I replied simply, removing his jacket from my shoulders. I felt a twinge of pain as I handed it back to him reluctantly, as though it had become a part of me in that short time. "Thank you for loaning me your jacket."

"Are you sure you don't need a ride?" he asked, looking confused by my return of his jacket. He made no move to take it back just yet, more concerned about my decision as to whether or not I would allow him to drive me home.

His concern made me second guess my assumption that he was becoming distant. Part of me felt that I should take a cab home anyway, but I didn't want to say good night, and though I would have to eventually, taking him up on his offer would allow me to prolong the farewell for a little while longer. "If it isn't out of the way…" I replied slowly, not wanting to seem overly eager.

A smile flashed on his face, and I forgot why I ever thought he was becoming distant. "Of course not." he replied, offering his hand yet again. "This way, Miss Steele."

The drive was fifteen minutes long according to the clock, but it felt more like fifteen seconds when we reached my apartment. I looked out my window sadly, and glanced upward to my apartment window. The light shone from the windowpane, and I knew Kate was waiting for me to come in and tell her how my date went. I definitely had good things to tell her, but I knew that she would pester me about whether or not Christian kissed me goodnight. Butterflies began dancing in my stomach as I realized this would really be goodnight, and that there was a good chance I would be facing that moment, ready or not.

"Thank you for bringing me home, Christian." I said quietly, smiling thoughtfully. "And for everything else. Tonight was absolutely wonderful."

"It was my pleasure, Anastasia." he replied, just as quietly. I had begun to notice that, when Christian spoke softly, his voice rumbled, and it gave me chills. I could imagine him whispering in my ear; his voice rumbling through me as he spoke to me alone, so intimately...I fought back the thought with the promise that I would indulge myself later if I was so inclined.

"Please," I insisted, "It's Ana. Just Ana." While I liked the way my full name rolled off his tongue, it was awkward to have him calling me Anastasia when no one else did.

Something I said seemed to make him shift in his seat. He drew a sharp breath, and for a moment, I wondered if I had said something wrong, but then he smiled. "I like Anastasia." he said firmly, adding more softly, "But I will try my best. Goodnight, Miss Steele."

A faint smirk played on my lips as I got the impression that he had just politely declined my request. "Goodnight, Mr. Grey." I replied, reaching for the door handle. I froze when I felt his hand fall over mine, grasping it and drawing it toward him. I refused to resist whatever he may do next; nerves be damned. I waited to see if he would draw the rest of me any closer, but he didn't. Instead, he planted a long, gentle kiss on the back of my hand, his brilliant, grey eyes watching me as he did so. I felt my heart quicken, my cheeks flush pink, and my breathing hitch as surprise overwhelmed me.

"Until we meet again." he said in his low rumble, smiling his crooked smile, making me waver. I found myself considering taking charge of the situation and kissing him myself. Instead, I smiled and nodded, wordlessly opening the door and leaving his car. I walked to the front door and turned to see that he was waiting for me to go inside. I waved slightly, still smiling, and he waved back, still waiting for me to go in. I opened the door and stepped inside, watching him leave soon afterward.

When I got to my apartment, I didn't even have a chance to look for my keys before Kate swung the door open eagerly, excitement flushing her face.

"Ana!" she exclaimed, "Come in, hurry; I want to know how your night went! Look at you, you're blushing - what happened? Did he kiss you? Did you kiss him? How was dinner? Did you check out the observation deck before you left? I saw he brought you home - what did you two talk about?"

"Let me take these shoes off and sit down!" I laughed, kicking off Kate's heels and padding my way to the sofa, sinking in its softness. "Dinner was really nice. And the view was incredible. I can't believe I've never taken the time to see the Space Needle before - it was pretty amazing!"

"Ana Steele, are you dancing around the subject?" Kate implied accusingly, crossing her arms. "I've been to the Space Needle before, and I'm not really interested in talking about it right now. I want to know how your date went! How was Christian? Was he a gentleman? Did he tell you more about himself? Did he kiss you? Damn it, woman, I need answers!"

"No…" I replied, pensive once again. "He didn't kiss me."

Kate sat back, looking at me in shock and disappointment. "He didn't kiss you?!" she echoed, sounding more upset than I did. "What the hell is his problem?!"

"I don't think it was a problem, Kate." I said. "I'm actually a bit grateful that he didn't. Everything was so perfect already…"

"You mean to tell me that you aren't even a little upset that he didn't kiss you goodnight?" Kate asked skeptically, raising her eyebrow.

I hesitated slightly, but only for a moment as I didn't have to think about my answer. "Honestly...I sort of wish he had."

I tossed and turned for at least an hour that night, unable to fall asleep. Our first date replayed in my mind over and over, highlighting the way Christian looked at me when I first arrived at the restaurant, the way I opened up to him over dinner, the amazement I felt as I gazed out into the horizon, the nervous feeling I felt the two times I thought he might kiss me, his strange reaction in the car when I asked him to call me Ana; but, most of all, in the elevator, when he told me not to bite my lip. Something about the way he said it had ignited my senses, awoke my intrigue, and enticed me to dare him to show me why he wanted me to stop. His words kept echoing in my mind….

"Don't do that…"

Another small shiver ran through me as I heard the tone in his voice, my memory serving me perfectly. The look in his eyes seemed to match the huskiness of his voice...revisiting the moment made me realize something that I wasn't exactly sure I could accept or even yet believe - I'd been enticing to him.

Christian Grey had been trying to resist me.

Author's Note: This is the first time I've ended a chapter with one of these in years! Thanks for all of the likes, follows, and reviews so far! I've enjoyed being able to update on a daily basis so far! Unfortunately, I won't be able to update for the next few days, thanks to my schedule, but I fully intend to update every evening that I don't have to be away from home...as long as I can keep my inspiration going, of course. I am writing ahead of the current chapter count, so depending on how much I get done today, I might post another chapter before our three day hiatus. Cross your fingers, and I'll see you in Chapter Five! Thanks for the support!

WordsInStitches