SEPTEMBER 11TH 2011
I look out the window and see a very sheepish looking Jason Taylor. I can take a guess and say my mom has dragged the entire family to Escala. The least she could have done is given us an hour to settle in. "Taylor."
"Mr. Grey, Ana how was your trip?"
"Good Jason, very relaxing," Ana says smiling.
"Oh Taylor, if you are going to have someone follow us when we don't want it, you might want to get someone a little more… stealthy."
"You were meant to spot him," he says smugly.
"He wasn't the man you had watching us." Oh, he's good.
"Slick Jason, very slick," Ana says smiling.
"So what are we getting back to?" Christian asked.
"Sorry Sir I tried to tell them to come back in a few hours, but they wouldn't hear of it."
"It's okay Taylor, with my mom leading the charge you didn't really stand a chance." He chuckles. "You want to have a little fun," I ask mischievously.
We walk into the apartment, and they indeed are all here, and in the family room. Mom's eyes fly straight to Ana's hand, and she visibly deflates, my dad rubs her back. Mia, Kate, Elliot and Ethan are wondering why my mom dragged them here. Mia quickly gets over that and trains her deadly glare on us. "Mia can we get changed before you unleash your wrath on us." I'm trying not to laugh; it certainly won't help my case.
"Okay, now I feel bad," Ana says the minute I close the bedroom door behind us. She puts her ring back on, my dick twitches at the sight. We get changed and head back out.
"Christian can I talk to you pri…" She stops short when she clocks the ring.
"That was mean." My dad says laughing.
"You asked for it," I tell my mom, who is already crying.
"Oh my god, you are engaged." That's Mia, and then all hell breaks loose.
"We finally settle in the great room. "Okay, I can forgive you ditching your birthday party," Mia says happily. "But you are having an engagement party."
"Oh yes, that's a lovely idea." My mom adds.
Ana and I expected this, so we are prepared. "Just let us know when and where and we will show."
"We promise," Ana adds.
"So this is why you dragged us all here?" Elliot asks my mom. "Nice one bro, really nice."
"I can't believe you let me believe you did not ask Ana."
"After the number of times, you almost let the cat out the bag. It was the least you deserved." I say beaming at her. "And what made you think I asked anyway."
"Well when Mia couldn't get hold of you, I just had a feeling you taken Ana away for the weekend and really hoped you will ask. Frankly, you've taken long enough." She had to get that in.
ELLIOT
It took him almost four years to do something about his feelings for Ana. Actually, he did nothing, she did, but less than five months to ask the girl to marry him.
I remember Thanksgiving last year when he couldn't take his eyes off her. That still didn't start the alarm bells ringing, it wasn't until Mia called Ana about setting her up on a date, that's when I saw it, the raging jealousy, the clenched fist, and death glare leveled at the heaven... he was most likely thinking about strangling Mia. Later I found out Mia was trying to force the issue. He tried to deny it at first but collapsed on his bed and confessed all.
"It's been building for some time E." He sighed. "Every time I think I've got the courage to ask her out, the moment I start to talk… I just lose it." My God, he's got it bad.
"What's stopping you?"
"I'm afraid she will say no."
"You wouldn't know until you ask and for what it's worth, she will say yes." He was so blinded by fear; he didn't see just how in love she was with him. For a time I feared Ana was in it alone, that night I couldn't stop smiling.
Christian and Ana sitting in a tree K.I.S.S.I.N.G. I sing to myself and can't help laughing.
KATE
"What are you laughing at?"
"Just thinking of Christian and Ana took them long enough." I nod.
I have to admit for over a year all I saw was a great friendship. Then Ana confided in me. "Where is Christian?"
"In the shower." She looked sad. "I've fallen for my best friend." Shit.
"Oh, Ana."
"The timing couldn't be worse, I've got the next three years here, while GEH takes up all his time. Even if he felt the same, this will not work."
"He will make time for you if he knew."
"I can't, I don't think we will make it if we started something now."
"Your time will come, believe that Steele."
"I do Kate, that what's gets me through the day." It soon became glaringly obvious that he felt the same. All Ana said was, how cute Ethan was. I've never seen anyone look so murderous, I feared for Ethan that night.
That night Ana couldn't stop smiling, she knew Christian felt the same.
MIA
I knew it was going to happen at some point, but I didn't think it would be so soon, even though I had my suspicions, I mean it took them years to get together, and then wham engaged.
When Sean, Mike's best friend told me that Ana had broken up with Mike because she loved someone else, I never thought it was my brother. "What, Christian." I was trying to get my head around what I just heard. She nodded biting her lip.
"I'm just as shocked as you are, I never saw it coming."
"So are you going to tell him?"
"No, no way. I moving to Portland in a couple of months and he's got GEH."
"Well, I for one think you will make a beautiful couple." Boy, was I right or was I right.
It was evident at Thanksgiving my brother had it bad for Ana and wasn't doing anything about it, he needed a little push, so at dinner I mentioned setting Ana up on a date. If looks could kill, I would have been dust in seconds.
Lately, Christian looked too happy, he had a spring in his step, well he's had one since he and Ana starting dating but this was even bigger. Add to the fact that my mom had been acting weird for a while. It was also easy to put Ray's demeanor down to his relationship with Abigail, but I knew something was going on. When I couldn't get hold of them this weekend, I knew it was happening. Someone also had their favorite park closed off, and I heard rumors a tent and lighting had being setup, mom only confirmed my suspicions by dragging us to Escala with no real reason.
When they walked in I was sure my brother had chickened out, but no, they were just messing with mom.
I can't wait to break the news to Lily, I'd call her, but I want to see the look on her face. Her drooling over Christian gets on my last nerve. When I first met her, she was so lovely but recently I have come to believe she was only using me to get closer to Christian. God knows it's not the first time it's happened. The worse was Ana she'd become friends with… God, I hate her, she dropped Ana with no real reason. Christian and Ana were devastated, Christian because he'd encouraged the friendship, can't really blame him, she was 17 and loved classic British literature, and her little brother went to school with Ana. When you are 11 and someone you consider a friend ditches with no real reason you are bound to take it hard.
This is not the time to be thinking about sad shit, I've got an engagement party to plan and followed by a wedding, knowing Christian we won't have much time to plan.
JANUARY 15TH 2000
"No, no way, absolutely not, never going to happen, ever."
"Why not?" That sounded like a definite no to me, but clearly, Mia's selective deafness has kicked in.
"Because I'm clumsy."
"No, you are not."
"Dad," Ana says like hat's going to end the argument.
"It's true, she was, not so much since she started self-defense lessons, it has improved her balance considerably."
"See, so wearing high heels will help improve your balance even more." She really should consider becoming a lawyer. She can argue a corpse to life.
"You just said two words that would put the fear of God in anyone with balance issues. High and heel. Not happening."
"We'll see."
"Mia have you considered becoming a lawyer." Grandpa Trevelyan asks.
"No, too boring."
"Thanks." Both dad and grandpa say at the same time.
"Grandpa, you are a different lawyer to dad," Mia asks.
"Yes, Carrick is a defense lawyer, I'm a corporate lawyer."
"Corporate lawyer?" Ana inquires.
"Yes, working for a legal department of a company. You advise the company on their legal right and duties, and ensure the legality of transactions."
"Right," Ana says, clearly all that was over her head.
"So your job is making sure everything is done correctly during a purchase, say like when Pfizer bought Warner-Lambert for 90 billion dollars," I ask.
"What?" Both Ana and Mia shout at the same time.
"Yeah, I remember because dad and Ray were talking about it."
"Yeah we heard rumors but nothing concrete."
"You can make a lot of money knowing about these things," I mumble.
"So you mean Grandpa can tell Ray and Carrick about it," Mia adds.
"NO." They all say at the same time.
"That is insider trading because I have information the public doesn't have I'm not allowed to make money or give anybody else the information to do the same."
"So that's insider trading, you are on the inside." Well, that sucks.
"That's what you do, you do the…"
"Legal," I say.
"Work for this stuff."
"Yes, it's called Mergers and Acquisition, M&A for short. It's buying, selling, joining or breaking up companies." Grandpa goes on explaining about his job, Mia and Ana have long lost interest and gone to do…whatever. I, on the other hand, can't seem to get enough, who knew the world of suits and ties could be so much fun.
"The Parker Shipping Company just bought a ship repair company. Can you tell me what they gain by doing that." I don't have to think about this.
"All their repairs will now happen in-house; they don't have to rely on an outside company to do it. It makes them more efficient, they can guarantee when a ship will be back in service, and they save money."
"Couldn't have put it better myself," Grandpa says beaming at me. "You may just have found your calling." I find myself agreeing.
"If I study business, will that be enough to get me into…"
"Add politics as a minor, you will be surprised at the amount of political hoo-ha that goes on behind the scenes." I nod.
On the trip back from my grandparents I found myself feeling somewhat secure about my future, professionally my life looks to be going somewhere, personally, well that was still up in the air.
The next few weeks I found myself reading more about the world of Mergers and Acquisition, I spent time with grandpa at his office, I wasn't allowed in any meeting due to confidentiality, but it was still very interesting to see what went on in the vast offices of the corporate world. I liked the idea of communication and technology; the world was certainly relying on more and more on fast, efficient ways of communication and technology was something we are always looking to advance. And who knows when I had that down I could always look into publishing for my 10-year-old Angel, well mostly a troublesome angel but one none the less.
SEPTEMBER 12TH 2011
I feel a kick to my leg, and I wake up to find it's still dark and decide to snuggle further into Ana and catch a few more hours sleep, I briefly glance at the alarm clock and notice it's 10:49. "Fuck, fuck, fuck." Of course, it's dark, the curtains are drawn.
"What, where is the fire?"
"I'm late; seriously late I've ready missed two meeting."
"Oh, okay." With that, she turns over to sleep.
"Don't you have to work?" She doesn't respond, and I don't have time to ponder why she's not making any effort to get up. I forgot to switch my phone back on and forgot to set the alarm; I should have kicked everyone out earlier. I can't believe I overslept. After the quickest shower in history, I finally switch my phone on and see a couple of messages from Andrea. Oh thank fuck for that woman, she canceled everything today when by nine I hadn't upturned, and she couldn't get hold of me.
I'm in the kitchen having a very late breakfast when Ana finally decides to join the land of the living. "What happened to been late this morning."
"Andrea cleared my schedule." She nods. "And what about you."
"When I realized the family wasn't leaving anytime soon, I sent Hannah an email letting her know I wasn't coming in. Some of us think ahead." She sounds smug as fuck.
"Any breakfast left for me?"
"Yeah, Gail left yours in the warmer." She's soon stuffing her face, couldn't care less about the shit I often hear women complain about, then again she's so tiny, always have been. I never have to worry about her wasting food; I've always loved that about her.
"What is the plan to announce our engagement?"
"I was thinking about that, you know that reporter Law."
"Yeah."
"I was checking out his website, it's very good. Guy actually reports the news. I was thinking we let him break the news."
"Okay, you let me know when you do." I spent the rest of the day catching up on some work and getting ahead of others.
"I'm going to bed." She says walking in.
"I should be done soon." She yawns stretching out her body. I notice she's got nothing and I mean nothing under my t-shirt. She walks around my desk and kisses me good night. Knowing what I know I deepen the kiss, biting her lower lip. She straddles me, and I can feel her heat through my pajama bottoms. I quickly pull my dick out and rub her clit. I feel her juices coating my dick, and I quickly bury my dick in her.
"Oh fuck baby, you feel so good." I moan thrusting into her. She whimpers into my neck meeting me thrust for thrust. "That's it… fuck me, fuck me hard." She brings herself down hard on his shaft over and over again. I wrap my hands around her; I lay her on my desk, grip her hips and thrust home.
"Chris…I'm cum...I'm cuming."
"That's it, cum for me." She clenches around me and detonates around me; I continue to thrust prolonging her orgasm as I gloriously follow.
"Next time when I'm going to bed I will just send you a text," she says laughing. "Fuck Christian, that was soo good."
"You can't come in here without panties and don't expect to get fucked. I can barely keep it together when you are fully dressed."
"Got it, wear panties at all time," she says making me chuckle. I get rid of the pajama bottoms around my ankles and carry her to my couch; I sit down with her straddling me. "Ride me," I growl.
ANA
The next day we announced our engagement simultaneously on GEH's and Matt Laws website. As we expected the press were camped outside Escala and GEH, what more did they want? If we haven't said anything a week after the announcement, it means we have nothing more to add. I got fed up with them and found myself talking to them one Friday afternoon. "We've already announced our engagement, why are you still around?"
"When is the wedding?" One reporter shouts.
"You don't really expect an answer, do you?"
"Well no." One says.
"Again, why are you still here?" I stand waiting, while they look at each other. "Unfuckingbelievable," I say walking away. On the way back to GEH I find their number had thinned quite a bit. I wasn't naive enough to think I'd found the cure to getting rid of unwanted press. It was a one-time thing, and I just got lucky.
"Hey, baby, you look busy. Missing Hannah already."
"She knew what I wanted before I wanted it; I finally understand all the years you complained about your assistants." He chuckles.
"How long is she gone for?"
"Two weeks." He grimaces. "I'm not going to survive at this rate, and it's only a couple of days
"Come on, there's not much you can do today lets get you home." My day does get worse when we get to the car, and I see Taylor putting his go bag in the car.
"You are going away."
"I'm sorry baby, it can't be helped. I should be back on Tuesday. I will bring you back some Belgium Chocolate." We say our goodbye playing a little tongue hockey. I'm not happy with this happening less than two weeks after we get engaged, but it is what it is.
Sawyer drops me off at home. It's quite nice to have the apartment to myself, Kate is out with Elliot, Sawyer decides a couple of hours at the gun range is in order, but I miss Christian already. I'm making a cup of tea when I hear a noise; I wait for a few seconds and just when I think it's my imagination, he walks in holding a gun.