A/N: OMG! I am amazed at the reactions about this story and I thank each and every one of you who has taken the time to read, reply, favorite, and follow. I am humbled by all the excitement over my little story. Again, thank you for your support.
As always, I do not own the FSoG Characters. They are property of the great E.L. James, my hero. They are only attending sessions in my playroom.
Chapter 4:
Seattle was decorated for Christmas and Ana was enjoying this first Christmas with her daughter. She took Staci to the Festival of Lights at the Seattle Children's Museum at the Seattle Center. All the lights and the music mesmerized Staci. Ana was just a giddy as her daughter. The holiday spirit was renewed within her as she saw Christmas through the innocent eyes of her daughter. The music was happy and Staci was trying to dance which Ana found so adorable. She used her phone to record this impromptu dance. When Staci was done Ana picked her up and kissed her. Their laughter rung out over the festivities as they danced together.
Grey eyes were watching Ana and her daughter. Christian wondered where the father was. Did he abandon them? He saw the resemblance between the two and his heart raced when he saw Ana pick up the little girl, hug her, and then cover her with kisses. This Mom adores her child. He knew that the little girl was well-cared for. Staci was wearing a cute little Christmas dress in deep red that brought out the deep browns of her shoulder-length wavy hair and a pair of heavy pine-green tights with a pair of dark brown boots. He found himself smiling when they began to dance together to the Christmas music. He envied the little girl because she could tolerate someone touching her. He never let anyone touch him, not even his beloved Mother, Grace. He loved his family, but he always felt left out because he could not participate in such interactions. He never placed the star on top of the tree as a child because he could not tolerate to have anyone touch him. He never wrestled on the family room floor as his siblings did with their parents. He stood on the sidelines and watched. He moved closer to observe Ana and the little girl. For some reason he was drawn to them both. He knew that Ana could never be his Submissive, but he could not stop thinking about her. For the first time in his life, he longed for something that he could not have. It pissed him off! She had no right to barge into his life and make him want her! He took a couple of deep breaths and walked away leaving the loving mother and child in peace. He turned back to see his older brother with the ball-buster meeting with Ana. The usual kisses and hugs are passed along and Elliot swung the little girl up into his arms. Dad did say that Elliot and Ana were friends. Once again, he was standing on the outside looking in and wishing. "Fuck." He growled to himself. He should have just stayed home drinking since he could not motivate himself to find another Sub or go to the clubs. He turned and left the Seattle Center wishing he was normal for once in his life.
Christmas festivities kept Ana busy with her daughter. They enjoyed the Annual Gingerbread Village at the Sheraton Seattle Hotel and the Pacific Place Winter Wonderland that enthralled Staci especially when the fake but magical snowfall began at six o'clock. Once again, grey eyes watched them as they enjoyed their holiday festivities. Christian found himself living through Ana and Staci as they laughed together and shared hugs and kisses. He longed to join them and to participate but he couldn't make himself move. He stood, watched, and wished.
Ana felt uneasy as she danced with her daughter in the snowfall. She looked around to see other families enjoying their family time. She remembered that she experienced a same feeling the other day when she was at Starbucks getting tea and once again, when she went to a deli for lunch. She tried to remember if she saw anything that could explain these feelings. Was there a person present at all these times that could be here now? Did she have a stalker and if she did, why? Her eyes scanned the crowds carefully, and then she saw him. Christian Grey. The moment their eyes met, she felt her skin begin to tingle. She turned her back on him wondering if he was following her. He had to be, why would he be at the Pacific Place Winter Wonderland? He didn't have any children or nieces and nephews to escort here. Ana quickly picked up Staci and they quickly made their way to Ana's car.
When Ana returning home she made certain she wasn't followed. She knew she was probably being paranoid, but she would not compromise Staci's safety. After settling in for the evening, Ana sat down at her computer to read her personal e-mail. She laughed aloud when she read the jokes that Kate had sent, but lost her joy when she saw an email from a Christian Grey. She almost deleted it, but her curiosity got the best of her.
To: Anastasia Steele
Subject: I didn't mean….
From: Christian Grey
Friday, December 8, 2011-7:46pm
Message:
…to frighten you. I know that you saw me at the Pacific Place Winter Wonderland. Your daughter is very beautiful, just like you. Again, if I frightened you, I do apologize.
Christian Grey
Christian Grey, CEO, Grey Holding Enterprises, Inc.
She stared at the email. How did he get her personal email address? She only gave it out to certain friends and family. Not even her mother had it. She almost deleted it but once again, her curiosity got the best of her.
To: Christian Grey
Subject: Re: I didn't mean …
From: Anastasia Steele
Friday, December 8,2011-7:51pm
Message:
You did not frighten us; it was time for us to leave. How did you get my personal email address?
Ana Steele
To: Anastasia Steele
Subject: Re: Re: I didn't mean…
From: Christian Grey
Friday, December 8, 2011- 7:59pm
Message:
Miss Steele,
I am a man of many resources and talents. An email address is not hard to obtain. Why do you drink tea at a coffee house?
Christian Grey
Christian Grey, CEO, Grey Holdings Enterprises, Inc.
After she read his last email Ana shut down the email program. "How does he know…unless he's the one following me?" She said aloud. She stared at the computer screen that was running through photos of Staci that was her screensaver. She was tempted to click back into her email program and send him one scathing letter about her right to privacy and his bad manners; however, she knew it would make no difference to a man like Christian Grey. "Just leave it alone, Ana. He's not worth losing your temper." She took a few deep cleansing breaths to calm her nerves.
Christian's POV:
I wait for almost twenty minutes waiting for a reply from the lovely Miss Steele, but to my great disappointment, there is no reply. I sit back in my office chair and consider this woman who has captured my attention. I find that I am obsessed with Anastasia. I have followed her for the last week. I have watched her when she goes out for lunch at a deli or the few times, she had a lunch meeting at The Mile High Club with my father. I also watched her when she went for a cup of afternoon tea with a few ladies from the law office. I had to laugh because she drank tea in a Starbucks. I was mesmerized watching her dunk her tea bag into the hot water and then fish it out quickly. I noticed that she asked for Twinings English Breakfast Tea and I made sure that it was on my housekeeper's grocery list. Just in case I ever got the beautiful Miss Steele into my apartment. I know it is a long shot that she would ever agree to be my Submissive, but I have to hold on to a sliver of hope or else I will go mad. She's a woman, and I am very good at charming women to my will. The problem that I see is that she is a mother. She can't be away from her child for a full weekend and I would not let her. There has to a compromise that can be made that will get me what I want and I want her. I want Anastasia Steele in my bed, in my playroom, and in my life. Fuck me…am I wanting more? Where did that come from? I do not engage in relationships. I fuck. I fuck hard. I fuck only contractual Subs that agree to my terms and are damn happy to get the chance to be my sextoy.
I start to laugh at myself. Elena Lincoln would slap the shit out of me if she heard the crap running around in my head. I am lusting after a "vanilla" and I want her in my bed. Elena knows that none of my Subs were allowed in my bedroom. They are regulated to the playroom, their Sub room, the kitchen, and once in awhile the TV room, that is if they please me. The rest of my apartment is off limits to them. A few Subs found themselves dismissed because they got snoopy. Leila Williams, the second to last Sub was captured on CCTV searching through my home office. When I confronted her she went hysterical yelling that she loved me and she had to be sure that I was being faithful during our contract. The crazy bitch got the boot that night along with her belongings. She kept returning and Taylor, my Head of Security escorted her out of the building then changed all the codes on my private elevator and all entrances.
Maybe that's why I am getting bored with Subs. There's no challenge anymore. They come in with their hard and soft limits and there is no discovery. I fuck them and fuck them and then fuck them again. They fix my meals and we fuck so more. I barely talk to them. I never take them out unless it's for a beauty treatment that I want them to have. I control their very existence even when they are not at my apartment. I tell them how much to sleep, when and what to eat, what clothes to wear, what car to drive and when they can drive, and I assign a "keeper" to make sure that they are doing what they should be doing. Of course, I tell the Subs this is for their security since they are important to me, but fuck…I just want to know that they are following my rules and if they are not, I punish them.
I click off my computer since I have sat here for almost an hour waiting for her reply. How am I going to get that woman under my control? I guess I should ask myself if I should. She is a mother and her child needs her. I cannot in good conscience take a mother from her child. I would never do that. I know how horrible life is when a child is left to tend for itself. I was that child. My mother neglected me leaving me hungry, cold, and feeling unloved. Because of that bitch, I suffered abuse at the hands of her pimp. She only cared about her next high. I would not wish that shit on anyone, especially an innocent child. Maybe I should forget about Anastasia Steele. She will not have time for me. But, damn she is so beautiful. Her body is perfection. I fall asleep every night thinking about those big blue eyes staring up at me while I fill her sweet little cunt with my cock. My imagination runs wild playing out different sexual scenes in the playroom and I wake up in the morning dreaming that I am holding her close next to me in my bed. What is my subconscious trying to tell me? Could it be that I am a normal man with normal needs? Fuck no, Elena made sure that I would never be normal. I'm not cut out for home and hearth. I don't have a place in my life for hearts and flowers. I don't even have a heart. Fuck. Fuck. Double Fuck! I want Anastasia Steele and I will have her anyway I can have her.
Ana's POV:
Ever since I saw Christian Grey at the Winter Wonderland and then received his email where he basically told me that he has been following me I am a paranoid mess. I keep looking over my shoulder. I can guess he already knows where I live, but I do not want to be taken by surprise. I don't think Christian Grey would actually attack me, but I have to be truthful, I do not know that man except what I have read in a PI report and Amanda's papers. Of course, knowing that he is what he is and that he could be the biological father of my daughter, I do not want any contact with him. I do not want to meet him, to speak to him, and I do not want him stalking me. But, how do I stop him? I feel that I am trapped because I cannot give a reason for my dislike of this man without disclosing what I do know about him. I cannot do that because that throws Amanda and Staci under the proverbial bus and I have to protect Amanda's memory and I have to protect Staci. She can never know that Christian could be her father and how she was conceived. It would be too painful to know that one was conceived during a BDSM sex scene.
I check on my child one last time on my cell phone before I make my way through the garage and into the elevator. I know it's going to be a long day. I have three meetings with clients to prepare them for their trial dates and I have two contracts to work through. I would rather be home with Staci reading her a book or sitting around the Christmas tree and watching the twinkling lights. I get my messages from Danya and she is irritating me with her goofy smile.
"What is it?"
"Nothing, Miss Steele." She said with an annoying giggle.
I just roll my eyes and go to my office. I walk in to find bouquets of different colored roses all over my office. The smell is overwhelming. "Holy shit! Danya, get in here!" I bellow. She runs into the office. "What is this?"
"They were delivered this morning." She said as she folded her hands in front of her body. She nodded toward the arrangement on my desk. "There is a card."
I sigh. This is the last thing I need. I like flowers, don't get me wrong, but this is overkill. I can barely walk into my own office. "Call housekeeping, maintenance, or whoever to take these damn things out of here." I make it to my desk and grab the card.
A beautiful woman should have beautiful flowers.
I am sorry if I frightened you Friday. It was not my intention.
Christian Grey
Fuck! Who is this guy? Why is he sending me flowers? And, who in the hell sends so many arrangements? I crumble up the card and throw it in the trashcan. I don't have time for this nonsense. I have a meeting to go to in less than ten minutes. "Danya, when I get back, I want all these cleared out and do something about that smell."
"It is a little overbearing." She said as her nose crinkled up.
"You think?" I switch on my computer and fire up my company email account.
To: Christian Grey
Subject: Unwanted Attention
From: Anastasia Steele
Monday, December 11, 2011-8:34 AM
Message:
Leave me alone.
Anastasia Steele
Anastasia Steele, Attorney, Grey and Associates
She didn't wait for a response. She found the files that she needed and made her way to the conference room for her meeting.
Two hours later, Ana is sitting at her desk reading briefs. She is grateful that the smell has dissipated. She clicked on her email program to send out memos to Carrick and the other Senior Associates about her last few cases. She notices an email from Christian.
To: Anastasia Steele
Subject: Re: Unwanted Attention
From: Christian Grey
Monday, December 11, 2011-8:43AM
Message:
Dear Anastasia,
I am very sorry if my attempt at an apology has upset you. However, it is good form to be appreciative when someone extends his or her apologies. I am sorry for the other night. I do hope that you will forgive me.
If you have time, I would like to take you out for dinner some night this week. You name the date and time.
Christian Grey
Christian Grey, CEO, Grey Holdings Enterprises, Inc.
Ana stares at his words. She has only met him once and he is asking her out. She sighed heavily.
To: Christian Grey
Subject: No!
From: Anastasia Steele
Monday, December 11, 2011-11:00 AM
Message:
No, thank you.
Anastasia Steele
Anastasia Steele, Attorney, Grey and Associates
Christian cursed aloud when he read her reply. She was denying him. No one said no to Christian Grey! He reread her short reply. She said no. He picked up his phone tapped out her office number.
"Ana Steele." Her soft voice said.
"I do not like to be told no, Miss Steele." He growled. "Now, tell me what evening do you want to go out?"
"Mr. Grey, I said no. I have a very full week ahead of me and I have plans with my daughter." She was about to hang up when he whispered her name. "What?"
"Why don't you like me?" He said sounding like a hurt little boy.
"Mr. Grey, thank you for the flowers, however, I cannot go out with you."
"Why?"
"Goodbye, Mr. Grey."
Christian heard the click and he saw red. She hung up on him. Didn't she know who he was? Did she not have a concept of his importance and power? He could crush her if he had the mind to do so. He finally switched off his phone. He couldn't believe that she said no. Most women would kill to have him ask them out, especially his former Subs. He was at a lost. "She said no." He mumbled to himself. "She fucking said no."