For a second Christian ignored the question while staring at the view. He had specific instructions as to how he wanted the room as it was their last night in Paris. The balcony doors were open, the only light in the room came from a few strategically placed candles, the lit fireplace and the city of Paris. The Eiffel Tower loomed in the background. This was not the place or the moment to be talking about his birthday.
"June 18th." He answered reluctantly.
"That's less than two weeks away." She responded as she finished her dessert.
"I'm not all that interested in my birthday." Christian grabbed her fingers playing with them the minute she was done with her meal.
"What do I even get you that you don't already have?" She lamented. "I'm really going to have to be inventive." She added. He stared down at her fingers and in a moment of bravery or stupidity he blurted out the answer.
"You could always agree to marry me." Ana laughed thinking he was joking, but one look at him and her laughter ended abruptly.
"You are serious, aren't you?" He nodded as his mouth felt too dry to answer verbally. The moment he had pocketed the engagement ring as they left New York he knew he wasn't going to give her the six months he had initially told himself he would give her to settle into life in New York.
"I have it all because of you." He got on his knees then. "I had a company. I had a family I kept at a distance. I had a couple of people who considered me a friend, but I didn't really see it. What do you give me that I don't already have? I have it all because of you. What I want… no, what I need, only you can give. I need to spend the rest of my life with you. I need to be your husband. I need to be the father of your children. I need you in my life, Anastasia Rose Steele. Will you have me?" He could feel his heart threatening to beat out of his chest.
She wanted to ask him if he was sure. She wanted to ask him if he truly wanted to marry his first girlfriend. She wanted to ask if he was sure he wasn't too young to get married. She also asked herself those same questions, but then she understood need far outweighed want. What he needed outweighed want he wanted. She also realized she needed what he needed. "I need to marry you. I you need to be my husband. I need you to be the father to our children. I need you in my life, Christian Trevelyan Grey. So yes, I will have you." The relief he felt made him light-headed.
"Oh, thank God." He pulled her to him and hugged her a little too tight.
"Christian." She groaned.
"Sorry." He muttered sheepishly. "Just a little relieved. Who am I kidding? A lot relieved." He blew out a breath.
"Did you think I would say no?" she looked at him incredulously.
"I wasn't sure. I thought maybe you'd think it was too soon." He admitted.
"I just wanted to be sure you were sure." She answered.
"I am sure, I have never been so sure of anything in my life. Ana, the truth is… you opened my eyes to the reality of my life. For the longest time, I wasn't even sure of Mia and my grandparents. You opened my eyes to them. There was so much I didn't understand until you came along." She kissed him then, her tongue dueling with his as she grabbed at his clothes, impatient to get them off. She needed to feel his skin on hers. She needed him so much right then and there, only action could show just how much.
Feeling her eagerness to get close to him, he ripped his shirt off. His belt and trousers followed swiftly. He pulled her dress over her head, her panties and bra followed. His eyes fell on the fireplace and without a word picked her up and moved them to the soft rug in front of it.
There was a time in his life he thought sex, dominating sex was the only way to function. When that fell apart he avoided sex altogether, he never once thought there was a middle ground, one he could have. Ana had completely turned his life around, and in ways he didn't think possible. Now sex for him didn't have any negative connotations. It was a beautiful thing, it wasn't the be all and end all of their relationship, it was a wonderful experience that affirmed their need and love for each other.
As Ana's body moved on top of his, as her breathing became loud, as her nails sunk into his skin. He couldn't help the tears that run down the side of his face. As if knowing how he felt she leaned up and kissed his closed eyes. "Look at me." She whimpered. His eyes snapped opened. They stared into each other's eyes as her body undulated on top of his. All he saw was her love for him, and it was all he needed at that moment. The feel of her would never get old, her labored breaths every time she was close to her orgasm would forever be music to his eyes. The light sheen of sweat on her skin was something he looked forward to kissing, licking. He sucked on her skin feeling the slight saltiness of it on his tongue. Nothing ever tasted so good.
He grabbed her ass cheeks thrusting upwards as he felt his release creeping up on him. "Christian." She moaned as she was close to cuming. "Oh… god… Christian." She cried as she finally fell over the edge. He kept thrusting into her prolonging her orgasm until he followed with a groan.
"There is nothing sexier than the way you say my name when you cum," He murmured running his finger up and down her spine.
"I love the feel of your finger on my spine. You do that every time after we have sex." He thought about it and realized it was true. They lay there in front of the fireplace talking about nothing and everything. He started playing with her fingers and then bolted up startling her. "I will be right back." Seconds later he was back and kneeled in front of her. He took the ring out of the box and without a word slid it onto her finger.
"It's beautiful." She whispered.
"Glad you like it, it's my grandmothers."
"I love it. I thought it looked familiar." She was still staring at the ring on her finger. "It fits perfectly." She said in awe.
"Yeah, I actually checked to see if it will fit and was surprised to find that it was damn right perfect." He chuckled thinking back to the time he had found the ring was a perfect fit. He only tried it while she was asleep, and remembered how nervous he was as he slid the ring onto her finger praying she wouldn't wake up. He'd gone philosophical about what it all meant. Theo had shut down his musing with 'boy, its just luck that it fit without needing to be resized.'
"I kept thinking you were going to wake up and find me putting a ring on your finger." He chuckled.
"What would you have done if I had woken up?"
"I would have asked. I mean it's a shitty way to ask, but the element of surprise was gone so what would have been the point in waiting." He shrugged, his fingers his still trailing the length of her spine.
"Wish we had a few more days here," Ana murmured.
"I thought you were eager to join the workforce." He teased.
"Oh crap, I forgot to tell you. I got a job." He stared at her in surprise. "From the look on your face, I take it, it had nothing to do with you."
He shook his head. "No, I don't know anyone in publishing. Which house is it?"
"Mason Publishing." He shook his head. "Yeah, I got an email two days ago offering me an assistant's position to Stella Mason."
"Since you are saying you've got a job, it's safe to say you accepted their offer." Christian looked at her with a smile.
"Faster than you can blink." She giggled.
"Why did you think it had something to do with me?"
"Well, apparently they received a couple of papers I wrote from Theodore Trevelyan and thought they'd be fools not to snatch me up," Ana said with a shrug.
"What papers… and when was this." The surprises kept coming.
"My Bronte paper and my presentation on the turn of the century female authors. It was just after they moved to Westchester. I remember he offered to proofread my Bronte paper for me turns out he made copies and sent it to David Mason."
"That's the old man for you. He kept that one quiet." Christian chuckled.
"Best part…" she looked up with a mischievous smile. "I will be working just two buildings away from yours."
"That is indeed the best part. I will certainly be taking my lunch breaks more often."
…
"What happened to giving her six months after she graduates before asking?" Theo teased as they headed for the marina. They hadn't seen Christian since he and Ana got back from Paris.
"It was the setting, the question about my birthday and my trademark kneejerk reaction." He shrugged. "Okay, and I just couldn't wait, that ring was taunting me."
"Yes, blame the ring for your lack of patience." Adele teased. The two had managed to keep their engagement to themselves for all of two days before Christian broke down and called his grandparents to tell them. Mia, who was with their grandparents at the time had reacted as expected, nearly bursting their eardrums with her excitement. That meant Ana had to call her parents and tell them. She was surprised to learn Christian had already asked Ray for his blessing. Though it wasn't planned, Christian had hoped he would have a moment in Paris where the conditions would be perfect for proposing. The night he proposed was their last in Paris, by that point he had funnily enough given up asking. Who would have thought talking about his birthday would lead to him proposing. He was in something of a mood that day because he hadn't had a chance to ask and was getting irritated by the birthday question. Things happen when you least expect it, the old man told him. In the end, that night had proofed perfect for popping the question.
"When he asked for my blessing after Annie's graduation I knew the boy wasn't going to wait," Ray admitted.
"When is the wedding?" Carla asked the question on everyone's lips.
"We haven't really thought about it." Ana murmured absentmindedly.
"Maybe you haven't, but I assure you, my dear brother has." Mia quipped earning a glare from Christian.
"Christian," Ana looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
"I thought a quiet ceremony on a beach somewhere tropical would be ideal. Wedding, honeymoon wrapped up in one." He shrugged as if it wasn't that big of a deal.
"You really have thought about it." Theo teased.
"I think that it would be easier than having one in New York. You invite one person another would expect an invite before you know it all of Manhattan is at our wedding and we truly only know ten people." Christian moaned.
"Tropical island with family and friends it is." Ana's words made Christian smile.
"So I invite Ros and Gwen, Anders and Marisa… that's it for me." Christian said.
"I'm inviting Kate and José. He can also double as our cameraman." Ana had to admit she loved the idea of a small wedding. She and Christian had attended one in May with four hundred other people. The bride knew no one, and the groom had invited mostly business acquaintances. Even Christian admitted he had only agreed to go because he could network.
What about the date?" Carla asked eagerly for a wedding soon.
"There is no rush," Ray grumbled earning a chuckle from Ana as they pulled into the marina.
"Wow," Mia exclaimed as they walked up to Christian's new yacht. It was an M-class hundred and fifteen feet yacht built by Princess.
"Wow, indeed." Ray murmured. Just as Carla had predicted Ray had flown down the minute Christian mentioned taking his yacht out for the weekend. The weather was going to be lovely that weekend, and it was a perfect time for a bit of fishing.
"Welcome onboard the Annie-Rose." He said with a wide grin as he took the cover off to reveal the name that was 3D printed with backlighting on the yacht.
"I am seriously going to develop a complex if you keep naming everything after me," Ana teased.
"At least it's a positive one." He quipped.
"I don't know… I could start thinking I'm better than everyone else." She retorted.
"Like I said, at least it's positive." That made her chuckle.
"Everyone, this is Captain Edwin Ramsey and his first mate Julian Guest." The Captain and first mate received a smattering of hellos.
"My and Ana's cabin is on the main deck. The rest is on the lower deck. The back three cabins are for the staff. You guys can have the rest. Julian will show you the way."
"Sir, shall I put your bags in your cabin?" Ramsey asked.
"Yes, thank you, Ramsey." He said absentmindedly as he stared at Ana who was looking out at the Hudson. "It's a beautiful day to be out." She murmured when she felt him behind her.
"It is." He stepped closer his body flash against hers.
"Sir, we are ready to depart when you are," Ramsey said interrupting their moment.
"We are ready to depart." Christian waved him on. "Come on baby lets check out the bridge."
"So it's actually called the bridge," Ana chuckled.
"Yes, why?"
"It's called the bridge on Star Trek… I didn't realize the terms were from actual sea fairing ships." She explained.
"It's pretty much the same terms, Bridge, engine room, cabins." He said with a shrug.
"Except, we don't have any photon torpedos." She teased.
"Now that you mention it, I think I should get the guys in the R&D department look into it." He retorted making her throw her head back in laughter.
"That wouldn't surprise me." She said still laughing.
…
"Ana, how is the world of publishing?" Theo asked.
"It's everything I hoped it would be." She gushed. "My boss, Stella, she is the best. She doesn't have me fetching coffee and just writing rejection letters. We spent hours going through manuscripts discussing them. She even encourages me to disagree with her, which I find I do on occasion." She giggled.
"So you prefer the small publishing house." Ray enquired.
"Yeah, I have a real opportunity to grow, and there is room for promotion." Ana pulled her wide brim hat over her eyes and relaxed. Christian planted himself next to her and turned on his side staring at her.
"Yes, Mr. Grey, what can I do for you?" Ana asked her eyes still under the hat.
"Nothing, just relaxing next to my fiancée." He smiled wide for no reason other than she was his fiancée.
Ana finally moved her hat back and looked at him. "It's your birthday tomorrow, we both know Mia is not going to let the day pass without acknowledging it," Ana warned.
"I know." He sighed.
"Why don't we do as planned, enjoy the day and in the evening we have a nice family dinner and toast your birthday."
"Okay, that doesn't sound too painful." He admitted.
"Of course, can't have my fiancé feeling any pain." She quipped. "Now, go away… go fish or something." She waved him away. He chuckled and left her to it, not before planting a kiss on her.
…
"Coming to bed?" Ana wrapped her arms around him.
"In a minute."
"Okay." She decided to leave him to his thoughts.
"Stay with me." She kept her arms around him.
"I will never leave." She whispered kissing the back of his neck.
"Would you object to my wanting to get married soon?"
How soon." She asked after a beat.
"The minute you can get a week off work. Mia is taking a six-week summer session, but she should be free from mid-July till the beginning of September." With his back still to her, she couldn't see him, but his shoulders were around his ears, and that said it all. He expected the worst.
"I will ask Stella." He blew out a breath so large she felt it. The tension in his body dissipated like the clouds on a sunny day.
"Or… we can take a weekend at the Hamptons and get married there..."
"Then take our honeymoon later," Ana added.
"I don't want to rush you… so if you feel I'm rushing…" She stopped him with a finger to his lips.
"If I felt rushed you would know. I love you, and I want to marry you. Don't get me wrong… love isn't the only thing that makes a marriage work…" She finally let him go so she could turn him around and look at him. "We don't have to worry about money, we trust each other, we talk… even though you can be something of a bonehead when it comes to communication, but you've learned your lesson." She raised an eyebrow at him.
"I totally have." He tried to tamper his smile, but it still escaped as the corners of his mouth twitched.
"Good." She giggled. "What I was trying to say… I don't feel rushed in the least bit. We have what it takes to make a marriage work."
"Our sex life is pretty awesome too…. You forgot sex." He added earning a punch to the bicep.
"Ouch." He moaned in a rather unconvincing tone. "Is there anything I can bribe Stella with?"
"Christian, I am close to kicking you in the balls. The only reason I haven't kneed you in the balls is that I am quite fond of them and I want to play with them tonight. Let's go."
"This is what our marriage will be like? You bossing me around."
"Yep, and we both know you love it." He chuckled and dutifully followed.
AN: Thanks for all your messages. Though I was in two minds about the implant, I did get a new one. It's been closely monitored to see how it fairs. Thanks again. CJ.