Author's Note: Hi everybody. I just wanted to address some of the reviews and suggestions I have gotten. It's really amazing to write something and have people like it. It's also amazing how you guys write reviews suggesting things I already have in the works. I have a general idea where I am going up until Christian's birthday, and I have things that I want and don't want included from the original story. I think you all will like what I have in store! This chapter is light, so enjoy but be prepared because this couple have not finished butting heads yet. Thanks for reading, and as usual: I don't own anything here except the story line.

CH.10

After calming myself down when Christian changed my flight, to first class without my consent, I settle down by my terminal to wait for boarding. I am excited to see my mom, but my confusion over what to do about Christian is overshadowing everything else. I'm trying to think of a way to reach out to Christian; I want to let him know that I still want some relationship with him even if it is only as friends. I don't want him to feel rejected or unwanted. I decide to text him.

You wouldn't happen to know anything about a passing control freak changing people's flight arrangements? Would you? I send him.

I plead the fifth.

Thought you would.

Are you supposed to have your phone on?

Relax. I haven't even boarded yet.

Air safety is nothing to relax about, Anastasia. he insists.

I know they aren't, you just worry too much.

There is no such thing as worrying too much when it comes to you.

awww.

Flattery will get you nowhere when I'm about to fly across the country.

Fine. I'll just be rude to you until I see you. yes?

Sure. Give it a go. I egg him on.

Your butt looks big in those pants.

What? That's the best you've got?

Apparently. Backfired, though. Now I can't stop thinking about your ass.

Its an excellent ass.

Magnificent, even.

I gotta go, plane's boarding. Bye, hubby. xoxo

Fly safe, my wife.

"Annie?" I hear and spin around.

"Mommy?" I start to cry, and embrace my mom.

"Okay, sweet girl. Let's shake a leg. I only get you to myself for a little while, so we must make the most of it. You hungry?"

"Of course. I could eat anything, so how about you pick?"

My mom and I eat a quick lunch, then head to her house. I don't know Bob very well, but he is nice enough. After a few hours of talking, dinner, and more talking, I retire to the guest room. I take a shower, and decide it's as good a time as any to read this contract. I ready a red pen to mark this up. Here goes nothing.

Allotted times. Circle.

His to own, control, etc. Circle.

Discipline me to ensure appreciation. Circle

No permanent marks. hell no, there better not be.

Not to loan me? duh

Submit to sex without hesitation. Circle.

Whipping. Circle.

Flogging. Circle.

Address as Sir or Mr Grey. Circle. Circle.

I continue to mark this page, pausing only when I need to google some terms. An hour later I look down at the contract, covered in red marks. This contract is clear proof that Christian and I can't work, or at least I can not be his submissive. Part of me wants to send Christian a picture of my edited contract, I don't send him one, though. I know if I do he will be calling me to argue each point out, and I'm exhausted. It's been a very long day for me, but I think the most tiring thing was going through the contract. Each section I read had me forced to face how ill-matched Christian and I are. My phone dings on the nightstand: A text from Christian.

Sleep well, Anastasia.

That just makes my heart hurt. I want to be with him, but I don't think I can be.

Mom and I decide to lay out by the pool of the local hotel. We had a very tiring morning: I treated mom to a spa day at the hotel, courtesy of Christian's AmEx. Technically the AmEx is mine, but to make myself feel comfortable I call it Christian's. We soon get very hot, so we head in to the bar, and there we begin to lose track of time. My phone vibrates on the bar top.

Hope you are having fun. x C

Yup. Getting tipsy with my ma. Oops, does that violate some clause you have?Why did you write that?

So you've read the contract. Any thoughts?

Several. Too many to text. I have a fully marked contract.

Are you leaning one way or the other?he pries

Oh, yes. I am.

Do you want to tell me which way you are leaning? I'm not a patient man, and you wouldn't like to make me mad.

I'm not sure I like you at all, anyway.

I don't know why I write that. There should be an app on your phone to stop you from drinking and texting. There is no way I will sign a contract like that, and the fact that Christian wants that has me seriously rethinking everything I know and feel for him. Still, I have no right to talk to him like that. I feel worse about the text when he doesn't respond immediately. A few minutes pass, and my phone buzzes.

How many daiquiris does that one make?

I am about to write something snarky back when I realize what he means, and I snap my head up to examine the room.

"What's wrong, sweetie?" My mom asks, sensing a change in my demeanor.

"It's Christian. He's here." I tell her, and her eyes widen. All of a sudden my body starts to tingle: he's close. I finally see him walking over to us. Boy does he look pissed.

"Hey, baby." he says softly, kissing me. His body is rigid, and his kiss not as warm as usual, but it still make my knees weak. "Mrs Adams, so lovely to meet you." he kisses my mom's cheek.

"Christian, I am so glad you are here!" My mom gushes. "I was just about to go to the little girl's room. I'll be right back, plus I don't think you want to give your wife a proper hello in front of her mother." she exits, promptly after embarrassing me.

"Hi." I say, scared to talk.

"So you don't like me?" he questions sharply.

"I didn't mean that." He raises his eyebrows. " I didn't. That contract pissed me off. Now I'm sitting here, contemplating how I got here, and I've been day drinking with my mom. I got worked up, sue me."

"Have you had anything to eat?" he asks, changing the subject so fast my head spins.

"Mom and I had lunch, we were waiting on dinner until we went home."

"At least you haven't been drinking on an empty stomach."

"Control freak." I whisper, but he hears it.

"Is it a crime to be concerned about my wife's health?" he asks pointedly. Before I can reply, my mom returns.

"So, Christian, I thought you weren't arriving until tomorrow. What made you come early?" Mom interrogates him.

"I had dinner with an old friend last night, and I realized how much I missed Ana. Next thing I know, I'm in the air, on my way to Georgia." He missed me. Is that real, or part of the act?

"Well, I'm so glad you are here. Won't you come join us for dinner?" She asks, and Christian looks at me.

"I would love nothing more. Unfortunately, I have a business meeting scheduled in a few minutes. Regrettably, I must leave you beautiful ladies. You know, Mrs Adams, I really can see where Ana gets her radiance from." he gives her his signature smile, and any disappointment she had disappears.

"Stop." she giggles. Giggles. "Then you must come for dinner tomorrow night."

"Agreed." he allows, then turns to me. "Ana, I'm in room 1702, here at this hotel. Call me if you need anything." he kisses my forehead, and leaves.

"Did I miss something?" Mom asks.

"We are kind of in a disagreement." I admit.

"Can I help at all? What's it about?"

"We are just having a hard time in managing our expectations of one another. We are both hard headed, so that doesn't help anything." I reply.

"You are just going to have to suck up your pride." Mom says. "Now, Bob is on his way to pick me up. You, however, have a date in room 1702." she wiggles her eyebrows at me.

"Mom!" I scold, blushing.

"Get real, Ana. You are married now." She reasons. "Plus, make-up sex makes the fighting worth it." I blush more, if possible. "Now, shoo! Go make things right with your man."

Room 1702. The sign on the door mocks me. It says: "Knock on me. You know you want to. There's only an angry dominant on the other side." I finally get the courage, and knock. Christian opens the door while on his cell phone. He gestures for me to come in.

Christian walks around the room. First, fixing a drink for both of us. Then, he searches his briefcase. All, while talking to Ros. I only hear half of the conversation, but I can't help but be impressed by him; he is so smart. Finally, he hangs up, and sits beside me on the couch, turned to face me.

"Sorry about that." he nods to his cell, which is now on the coffee table. "Duty calls."

"No need to apologize. I am the one who barged in here." I tell him.

"Why are you here?" he asks.

"I wanted to apologize to you again. I'm absolutely overwhelmed in every aspect of my life, and I don't even know which way is up anymore." I admit, tearing up.

Booze + Emotions = Great Idea

"Oh, Ana." Christian pulls me into his arms, and strokes my hair.

That is all it takes for the floodgates to open, and soon I am sobbing. It takes all my brainpower to remember to not touch his chest, but I succeed. I lay my body only where he placed me, except my hands go around his neck. I have to remember his limits because I don't want this to end. He starts to murmur to me that I should "let it out", so I bury my head in his neck and do just that.

I cry myself out, catch my breath, and look up to meet Christian's eyes. He takes one of his hands away from me and pulls a handkerchief out of his pocket. He then proceeds to sop up the remaining tears on my face.

"Do you feel better?" he asks, and I nod. "Do you want to stay?" another nod.

"Do you want to talk about the contract?" I ask him, my voice hoarse.

"Not now. Let's wait until we are back in Seattle. For now, let's enjoy our trip to Georgia. Shall we order room service?" he asks with a smile.

"Only if we can eat it while in bathrobes, and watching a movie." I agree, smiling back.

"Porn?" he asks, and my smile drops. "Gotcha!" he laughs. How dare he? I punch him in the arm. "Stop. That's abuse." he laughs again.

"Yeah, yeah. Just order the food, I'll get the robes." I walk away.

Christian and I eat in our robes, watching TV, like I asked. We joke around, and laugh so much my cheeks start to hurt. I fall asleep at some point, but wake at 2:30 am needing the bathroom. I can't seem to get up because Christian is wrapped around me in bed. I am spooning. For the first time, I am in bed with a man and he's spooning me. My need to pee puts a damper on my excitement. I struggle to escape Christian because every time I move, he grabs me tighter. Finally, I have to wake him.

"Christian?"

"Hmm? What's the matter?" he mumbles.

"I have to pee." I tell him.

"Why do I need to know this?" he asks, his eyes closed.

"You are currently preventing me from getting up." he opens his eyes, and looks at our positioning.

"Oh, sorry." he lets me go immediately, looking embarrassed.

"Hey." I try to get his attention. "When I get back you can continue what you were doing. It's kind of chilly with this central air." I tell him, he gives me a sleepy smile.

When I do climb back in bed, Christian appears to be asleep again. I can't say I'm not disappointed at not getting to finish my cuddle, but it is the middle of the night, and I can't be mad at him for sleeping. I decide to face Christian as I try to fall back to sleep. I look at his face, trying to memorize each line. He looks so relaxed right now, nothing like he does the majority of the time when he is awake. As I ponder this, Christian's eyes open. Uh, oh. Busted. He shuffles closer to me, and puts his arms around my torso, cuddling me. Yes. He doesn't say anything, he just nuzzles the top of my head, and releases a breath, falling back to sleep. I put my arm around his hips, inhale his unique Christian scent, and soon fall asleep as well.