A/N: Thanks for reading. Enjoy!
"Why do I always get lame fortunes?", Audrey mutters as she tosses the paper from her fortune cookie on to our table in Jade Garden. Kate picks up the paper and begins laughing at the words. "See. It's lame."
"Eh, it could be worse.", Kate says.
"Now I'm curious." Kate hands the fortune to me, and I can't help but laugh at the quote, "Your fortune is in another cookie." Audrey grabs the fortune from my hand and tears it into pieces. "Audrey, I once got a fortune that said, "The weather will be nice today." It was raining cats and dogs in that very moment."
"They're just a waste of paper.", she sighs before standing up. "I'm going to the restroom. Are you guys going to be ready when I get back?"
"I don't want to go back to work, but I guess we might as well.", Kate says with a pout. She then stands up. "I'll go with you. Ana, do you need to go?"
"No. I'll stay here and wait." They nod and walk to the back of the restaurant where the restrooms are located. I almost forgot that Christian wanted me to call him while I was on my lunch break. I pull my phone from my purse and hit the speed dial.
"Hi.", he answers. "How was your lunch?"
"It was good. Have you had lunch yet?", I ask while noticing a tall, burly guy at the front of the restaurant. The hostess is handing him a to-go order, but he keeps looking at me.
"I had a turkey sandwich in between conference calls. I've got a call to Tokyo this evening at five, but it shouldn't last too long. How does dinner and a movie at my place sound?"
"Like the perfect way to end the week. I would say that I'll pack a bag, but I've already got clothes in the closet space someone has graciously given me." The spot in my closet I made for Christian's clothes is nothing compared to the space I have in his closet. Of course his closet is over twice the size of mine. "Is there a certain movie you'd like to watch?"
"I don't have a preference so why don't you pick?", he asks as Kate and Audrey come back to the table.
"Are you sure you want me to pick? I might choose a romantic comedy.", I tease.
"If that's what you want to watch, I'll be fine with it. Most of my attention will be on the woman cuddled up next to me anyway." A smile splashes across my face knowing that I'm going to be that woman cuddling with him. "Baby, I've got a meeting to get to, but I'll see you tonight."
"Ok. Have fun ruling the world. I love you."
"I love you too." Both Kate and Audrey jokingly do finger gags after I end the call. I lean back in my chair to see if the mystery guy is still around, but there's no sight of him.
"Looking for someone?", Audrey asks.
"No." I shake my head and try to brush off my uneasy feeling. "Are we ready?"
"Fingers crossed the rest of the work day flies by so we can get the weekend started."
The last hour of work is the worst. The entire office is acting like kids waiting on the final bell before the beginning of summer break. Daniel has went to the break room at least three times for water. Kate's tapping her heels against the linoleum while I'm attempting to do some research.
"I think Olivia's moved the time back on the clock.", Audrey murmurs. "It's been four forty-five for the last fifteen minutes which means that it's actually five."
"How would that explain the time everyone has on their phones, watches, or computers?", Olivia asks, strolling to the middle of the office. "I don't have special powers so it's not possible. I may regret doing this, but I'm going to allow everyone to leave early." Instead of bolting for the doo, everyone remains seated at their desks. "What are you wanting for?"
"I think everyone is leery of your intentions.", Daniel replies. "Are you letting us leave early now but planning for us to stay late another day?"
"There is no ulterior motive. By the time you finish questioning me, it's going to be five. Go. Get out of here." Kate grabs her bag and leaps from her chair. I turn my computer off and place my feet on to the floor.
"See you next week Olivia.", I tell her.
"Have a good weekend.", she says.
While I stayed at Escala last night, Kate stayed at Elliot's, therefore we came to work in separate vehicles. She has her head down, reading a text as we step out of the elevator and on to the first floor. I don't have to ask who sent it. The glimmer in her green eyes tell me it's from Elliot. Just as we're about to step outside, I'm taken back when Rachel saunters into the building. Kate snaps out of her daze and looks up to find Rachel and I staring each other down.
"They just let anyone in the building, don't they?", Kate mutters.
"Hi Kate. Ana, hello.", Rachel sneers, waving a stack of folders. "Mr. McGregor had some files that needed to be sent over, and I volunteered to bring them over since I was caught up on my work."
"How kind of you.", I sarcastically say. "If you'll excuse us, we've got things to do and people to see."
"Would one of those people be Christian Grey?" Christian told me last night that he was going to find out who leaked my name to the Seattle Nooz, but Rachel is one of the suspects in my book. This might be a chance for me to find out. My scowl vanishes as I turn to Kate with a smile.
"Kate, why don't you go ahead? I've got a few things to discuss with Rachel." Kate appears to be unsure about leaving me alone with Rachel. "It'll be fine. Really." Rachel nods her head and grins.
"Uh, ok. I guess I'll see you at home. Rachel, I would say that it's been nice seeing you but why lie. Bye Ana." I wave at her as she pushes through the double glass doors Once she's gone, Rachel's grin is as well.
"I bet you would have rather it been Bryant bringing the files instead of me."
"Why do you keep on with the ridiculous assumption that I'm still hung up on Bryant? Are you seriously that insecure in your relationship?"
"Why would I be? Bryant has what he needs in me." She purses her lips and flips her hair back.
"Which is why he's constantly getting in my business. Don't you think it's odd that a guy who is supposedly so into you is making excuses to see me? The entire ad deal with your work could have been handled by someone else, but Bryant just happened to be the one assigned to it."
"Because he's the best.", she shrugs. "In everything."
"Oh not in everything. Trust me.", I counter, referring to the sexual high Christian brings me to time and time again. "I'm very much in love with Christian." She appears to be in complete shock by my statement. "Why did your jaw just hit the floor?"
"The two of you looked very cozy in those photos on the Nooz site, but I had no idea things were that serious. I honestly thought he was just a rebound from Bryant."
"I assure you my relationship with him isn't a rebound. It's the real thing. While we're on the subject of the photos, do you know anything about how my name became public knowledge in the last article the site published?"
"No.", she snaps, letting what I asked sink in. "Are you accusing me of giving them your name? Please. Why would I do such a thing?"
"To get the press on my case and cause trouble."
"I saw the first article which didn't have your identity, but I didn't tell them your name." As she takes a step closer to me, I see someone in the corner of my eye. Standing next to the elevator with his eyes on me is the same guy from the restaurant. His eyes dart to Rachel who is now almost nose to nose with me. "It's the truth, whether you believe me or not. As long as you stay away from Bryant, I could care less about your life." She could be lying, but my gut is telling me that she's telling the truth. Maybe it was Elena or Bryant. "I'd better get these files upstairs. Bryant's taking me out to dinner." I step back and motion for her to go.
"I would say it's been nice seeing you, but who am I kidding.", I smirk. She sighs and sways her hips as she goes to the elevator. The mystery guy has sat down on the brown leather sofa by the window. He's holding a magazine which is only being used a prop to hide his spying. I decide that I'm not going to allow his act to continue. Taking a deep breath, I stomp towards the sofa. "Ahem." He slowly lowers the magazine. "Who are you?"
"Uh...excuse me?", he asks.
"You heard me. You were watching me in Jade Garden earlier, and you were doing the same thing a few minutes ago. So, why are you interested in me?"
"It's not what you're probably thinking."
"Why don't you answer my question then?"
"My name is Luke Sawyer, and I'm your security." Christian said he was going to hire a security detail for me, but I didn't think he had already done so without telling me. "Mr. Grey wanted me to keep a low profile, but when I saw the other woman..."
"Rachel.", I reply.
"When I saw her step closer to you, I wanted to make sure that she wasn't going to try something. It's my job to make sure you're safe at all times. Ms. Steele, for what it's worth, Mr. Grey was planning to introduce me to you this evening." I should be upset that Christian wasn't truthful, but his heart was in the right place.
"Well, I suppose it doesn't matter now that we've met. Luke Sawyer, it's nice to meet you."
"It's nice to meet you as well Ms. Steele. Were you on your way home for the day?", he asks as he stands.
"I was. You were going to follow me, weren't you?"
"At a reasonable distance."
"Fine. Let's go."
"Fuck.", Christian murmurs while laying our take out on the coffee table. "We didn't get any marinara sauce for the cheese sticks." I settle next to him on the sofa and kiss his cheek.
"It's ok. I don't have to have it for my cheese sticks."
"Ana, marinara sauce is the must have companion to cheese sticks. I'm going to run to the store for some. Be right back." He stands up, but I pull him back down on to the sofa. "I won't be gone long."
"Do you have ranch dressing?"
"Yeah. Why?" Releasing his hand, I dash into the kitchen and find the ranch dressing in the fridge. When I return to the living room, he's studying me. I take the top off the bottle and pour some of the dressing on to his plate. "I'm supposed to dip the cheese stick in this?"
"Or sit there and look at it.", I tease.
"What am I going to do with you and that smart mouth?", he laughs. "Here goes nothing." He dips the end of one his cheese sticks into the dressing and slowly brings it to his mouth but stops. "If I can sick from this, you're going to be my nurse."
"Mmm, although I like the thought of being a naughty nurse, I promise you won't get sick." He bites into the cheese stick and begins chewing in silence. "What's the verdict?"
"I'm in love with you even more. Baby, this is so good. How did I not know about the whole cheese stick/ranch dressing concept before? Thank you."
"My pleasure. I had two interesting conversations today.", I say after taking a bite of my pepperoni pizza. "One was with Rachel. She showed up at the office with some files. We had a little discussion."
"Did she accuse you of wanting Bryant back?", he asks.
"As usual, yes. I keep telling her and him that nothing is there. I'm with you. We're in love and just want to be left alone. I ended up asking her if she had anything to do with my name being leaked, but she adamantly denied having any involvement. Call me crazy, but I think she was telling the truth."
"She was.", he sighs. "I was going to hold off on telling you until after dinner, but I might as well do it now. I contacted the guy who wrote the second article, Neil Yates. I more or less threatened to sue him and the site if he didn't give me the name of his source. He hesitated at first but finally gave in and told me that it was a guy. He said the bastard wanted to remain anonymous."
"Bryant.", I hiss. "No other guy would have motive."
"I agree. I'll deal with Bryant."
"Christian, I don't want you getting yourself into trouble because of him. He's not worth it."
"I won't touch him. I simply want to tell him that he needs to stay away."
"I'm sure Luke Sawyer will make sure Bryant doesn't come near me." Christian almost gets choked on his pizza. "Oh, right, my other conversation was with my new security guard. Even though I met him after kicking in the nuts for following me, he seems nice."
"You what?", he asks in disbelief. "You kicked him?"
"No. I'm kidding. I did confront him for what I thought was stalking. He ended up telling me that you hired him. Why didn't you tell me?"
"I was going to, but I wanted him to watch after you today without you noticing. When the time came to tell you, you would see how he had stayed out sight."
"Instead I felt kind of creeped out. It would have been better if I had known ahead of time. On the way home from work, he stayed a few feet from me and then stayed in his vehicle while I went inside my apartment to change. I think he's going to do a good job."
"He's better because he's guarding the most precious thing in my life. What movie are we watching?"
"Dirty Dancing.", I giggle as he slaps his palm across his forehead. "Not a fan?"
"Mia used to watch that constantly when she was younger. I even caught her dancing with a mop once."
"My favorite part is when Baby and Johnny lip synch to "Love is Strange". How do you call you loverboy? Come here loverboy!" Christian shifts closer to me on the sofa.
"And if he doesn't answer?", Christian says the words to the song with a laugh. "It was hard not to remember some of it."
"I say oh loverboy."
"And if he still doesn't answer?"
"I simply say baby, oohh baby. My sweet baby, you're the one.", I whisper against his lips.