Chapter 7: Hearts and Flowers
Author's note On another hand, you can just stop reading all together. (sorry for my harshness) There are many better stories, like Fifty shades of crossfire and Fifty Shades Meander.
To all those haters out there who say I'm stringing them on and all... Just wanted to clarify that this is going to be a long series. Unless nobody wants to see how Christian tries to win her back?
Ethan stumbles to my side, bending down with the cheekiest smile I had ever seen on a man. "Have you heard of the placebo effect?"
Raising my eyebrows, I shot him an incredulous look. " Yes, I have."
I had once read an entire manuscript revolving around the placebo effect. It was literally and dully titled " The Placebo Effect". That manuscript went straight to the 'No' pile.
"Good." He hands me some milk in a wine glass.
I throw him a confused look and he care freely tossed his her back in a rumbling laughter, " We didn't have wine but it'll make you feel better if you think it is."
Taking it, I returned the smile and sapped at the warm milk. My Mom's words returned to my head : Drinking warm milk before bed is sure to chase the nightmares away.
I suppose Ethan was not all wrong. Good. I'll need it tonight. Besides, my relationship with Christian was still pending, probably too broken to ever be fixed.
After retreating back to Steve's, Ethan's friend, apartment, I had licked my wounds. Ethan had graciously given me the room and half the day to commit myself to solitude.
At first, I had been reeling with anger. How could he have done such a thing with Leila? I got angrier and angrier as I envisioned the two of them together... Christian touching and pleasuring her just as he always did to me.
But then, when my anger died down,
Finally, I had stepped out of the room and into a circle formed by Ethan, Elliott, Kate, Mia and a man who I supposed was Steve. They were all nestled into the various couches forming a half loop around the television.
I thanked Ethan once again and sank down beside Mia on the largest furniture. In response to my arrival, Steve, a clean shaved man, turned the television off. Once again, I felt like a deer caught in headlights.
"Ana." Mia crooned, reaching for me and hugging tightly. Without so much as a thought, I returned the gesture and leaned into her. "Sorry for Christian's behavior."
What was I supposed to say? 'No problem, he's forgiven"?
Even with someone as persuasive as Mia, I doubt I would get over it that quickly. Maybe, not at all.
All eyes were trained on me, all so similar and yet so different. Mia's eyes were filled with understanding and love. I looked at Elliott and found a pinch of annoyance along side worry. Surprisingly, Kate was sitting across Elliott and not on him. But the fierce tightness in her eyes did not come as a shock to anyone. Then there was Ethan, his eyes saturated with a protectiveness I had seen in action.
My eyes flickered to the clean-shaven man with the cropped short hair. His jaw was chiseled, but amongst the assembly of gorgeous men and women gathered here today, he appeared pretty blend to me. Just to clarify, I gently whispered his name. "Steve?"
He gave me a curt nod and a toothy grin. Seems like birds of the same feather really did flock together. "Anastasia Steele, I gather?"
I flushed. Surely they had been talking about me all day. How else would his eyes be so full of admiration and... What was that? Surprise?
"Thanks for letting me stay." I offered him the sweetest smile I could muster.
Both his palms came up and shook from side to side. "No problem at all, take as long as you need." Before I could input more courtesy, he snapped his fingers as if remembering something. "And thanks for the coffee yesterday morning."
Steve's emerald green fell on his coffee maker and shrugged, "Never knew it could make such good coffee. You have to tell me your secret soon."
"Definitely!" I grinned at him, pride surging through me at his compliment.
" Speaking of apartments," Elliott was serious and he sat up straight to address me. "I was hoping you could come stay at one of our spares."
"Our?" Kate hissed, clearly disagreeing with this suggestion. "Christian's you mean?"
I grimaced at the name. Mia soothingly stroke my back, as if trying to rub the goosebumps away. I sighed and cuddled back into her, grateful for her presence.
"Kate..." Elliott's voice was low and annoyed. Ah, so that's where the annoyance in his eyes sourced from.
Katherine Kavanagh.
Here I was thinking that Kate and Elliott were getting along more than fine!
It's your fault, selfish. My inner goddess rolled her eyes at me, all sweaty from her workout.
"You can't expect Ana to agree to that." Kate snapped. "She should stay here."
To everyone's amazement, Steve nodded and added, " I agree."
Elliott's killer gaze shot daggers at him from across the room. Kate suffocated Elliott with hers and Ethan's eyes gave her a harsh warning.
Even though they were physically conversing, I was pretty sure that a silent discussion was going on with their eyes. To watch was pretty amusing and I let out an uncontrollable giggle.
All their stares refocused on me, questioning my sanity. "You guys are funny." I whined in defense.
As if catching the joke, Mia caught on and burst into uncontrollable giggles herself. "Oh I'm glad you're feeling better, Ana!"
I nodded at her and gave her a genuine smile. Then, I faced the others and tried my best to convince them. "I really am."
Nobody but I knew that I had spent the past few hours debating against my inner goddess. She was a feisty one, but she sure knew how to knock some sense in me. Of course Christian had cheated on me and that would call on some resentment within me, but he had a fairly good reason for doing it. Even though misguided to a wide extent, it did show how much I had impacted him. Didn't it?
Maybe I was losing it or maybe I was just desperate to keep him in my life, but I had emerged from that room ready to try my best to work things out. But Kate was somewhat correct, I was not at all willing to do it right away.
Steve chuckled. "The little lady laughs." And I can't determine if he was referring to me or Mia. "Looks like we all worried for nothing, she'll live."
And then, I knew he was referring to me.
Somehow, even though I barely knew the man, Steve seemed to lighten the mood. Hm. Just like Ethan. I glanced at Ethan and he threw me a reassuring beam, as if he was telling me that the war was over and I was a soldier that had survived.
"Ana," Elliott's tone was still grave, cutting through the light atmosphere like a knife. "You can't stay here."
"Why not?" I groaned. Steve was a hospitable young man I would not mind getting to know better.
Hesitation wrecked Elliott's face as he thought it over, then he sighed." He thinks you're sleeping with Ethan."
At the tone of his voice, I knew exactly who the 'he' referred to. My inner goddess saluted me for maintaining composure at the indirect address.
"And I've said it many times," Playful Ethan was back, "We did."
He was the one to accuse me? My inner goddess growled. Christian was turning the tables with no proof at all. No way was I entertaining his childish wants and desires.
Kate reached over and smacked Ethan, "You honestly took advantage of her?!"
Ethan pursed his lips at the accusation, then directed the attention to me. "Would you consider that... Taking advantage of?" Innocence coloured his eyes.
Giving it a once over, I decided to play along. "Of course not," I shrugged, " I'd say I was pretty willing."
"Yeah." Ethan winked at me, encouraging me to continue.
I gave Kate a little wink too, "He's pretty good in bed." And for the first time, I watched her flush. Steve hi-fived Ethan on the sidelines.
"You trying to get back at him?!" Elliott let out a deep growl.
"Oh, no no." I shook my head just as Ethan did. "It just... Happened."
"Oh hell." Elliott blustered, "What do I tell Christian?"
Ethan crossed his legs casually, emphasizing on the word "Everything."
Interrupting the moment, there was a chime by the door. At 11 PM in the night, who could it be? Steve leapt to his feet, "My turn to get it."
Steve strode over to the answering machine. Picking it up, he made a nasty face at whatever was said. "Leave it by the door, thanks." Then he turned back to us and returned to his seat.
"What type?" Mia questioned.
"Sunflowers!" Steve blustered. "Keep this up and I'm going into the flower business!"
There was a round of chuckles and giggles. Yes, Steve and Ethan definitely ran in the same circles. Their personalities overlapped so tightly.
"What?" I quietly asked Mia.
Without so much as turning, Mia let her eyes linger around Ethan. "Christian sends flowers by the hour."
"Half-hours!" Elliott corrected, defensive for Christian.
Flowers? Sunflowers?
Oh come on, my inner goddess was in her floral dress, you love flowers!
Yes, I did. Christian was definitely playing the right cards. Almost instantly, I sat up and looked around the apartment eagerly. They were no where in sight, which explained why my nose failed to pick up their delicious scent as well.
Noticing my behavior, Ethan's voice disrupted my search. "They're downstairs," Taking to his feet, he offered a hand to me. "I'll take you."
" Don't look all gloomy, Steele." Kate thundered, her hands resting in between her palms.
" How can I not?" I whined, crossing my legs on the grand couch in Elliott's spare apartment.
" At least he's fighting for you." Kate pointed out.
Since when was she on Christian's team? My subconscious smacked her lips.
Christian had spent the past week sending me all sorts of apologies.