Present Day
Christian runs his hands through his hair as he remembers how close he had come five years ago to being unfaithful to Ana. Ana is still the only woman he has ever had any desire to make love to, but that one evening he had let his sexual frustration control his mind as well as his body and had almost given in to temptation for some BDSM and hard fucking with a more than willing woman. He will always be thankful for Ana's timely phone call that evening. Just hearing her voice was enough for sanity to return and enable him to control his body's need for sexual release. That business trip had been the longest he and Ana had ever been apart – even longer than the time she had left him early in their relationship. Although Christian had never been tempted since that almost fateful night in New York, Christian has always ensured to never be apart from Ana for that length of time again.
With his memories of that night five years ago still in his mind, he remembers Taylor calling him back from the door of the club to speak to him about something. Ana's phone call had interrupted them and they never did have their conversation as Taylor claimed he had forgotten what he wanted to say.
"Jason?" Christian asks.
"Yes, Christian?" Taylor asks hesitantly, somewhat surprised that Christian is addressing him by his first name.
"Five years ago when we were in New York to close the Lorenzo deal, you had wanted to speak to me about something in private and we were interrupted by a phone call from Ana. By the time I completed the call, you said you had forgotten what you had wanted to speak to me about. Have you ever remembered? At the time, you seemed most insistent on talking to me."
"Umm…" Taylor says as he is trying to decide how to answer. "Why are you asking about this now?"
"Spit it out Jason. I've never known you to be so undecided about something." Christian says with a smirk. "With various things that have happened during the past couple of days, I've just been reflecting back on that week in New York and I remembered about your urgency that night to speak to me and then suddenly you seemed to have had forgotten what you wanted to speak to me about."
"Permission to speak freely…Christian?" Taylor asks.
"Yes, Jason." Christian responds.
"You remember that you were about to accompany Ms Romano to a certain club?" Jason asks.
"Yes." Christian answers in a grim voice. "I almost fucked up my life that evening by giving into the temptation of Gabriella Romano. I've always been thankful that Ana called just at that moment. And hearing her voice was enough to bring me back to reality."
"The reason I wanted to speak to you in private was that I was going to give you my verbal resignation." Taylor informs Christian as he looks in the rear view mirror to see Christian's reaction. He sees Christian's eyes widen and then the grey eyes look questioningly at Taylor. "I wasn't going to stand by and condone you cheating on Ana. If you went into that club with Ms Romano, I wasn't going to wait around for you, nor help to cover up your actions. But Ana's phone call made you see reason, so I didn't have to give you an ultimatum. Or put my job on the line."
"I'm glad you have my back Jason." Christian says. "And Ana's too." He continues with a smirk. "I don't believe I've ever said this to you, but thank you for being a good friend Jason."
"Thank you Sir." Jason says with a smile.
"We need to never speak of that night again." Christian says.
"What night, Mr. Grey?" Jason says.
"You've earned yourself a pay raise, Taylor." Christian smirks. "And my undying loyalty to you."
"Perfect timing." Ana says as she steps out of her SUV at the front door of their home. She walks over to Christian as he steps out of his SUV. Christian sets his computer bag to the ground and pulls Ana into his arms. Ana's bag drops to the ground as she wraps her arms around Christian's neck to pull his mouth to hers. It is several minutes before they break apart, both gasping for air. Neither were aware of Taylor and Sawyer driving the vehicles away to park in the garage.
"Oh my! Mr. Grey! You take my breath away." Ana says when she gets her breath back. "If this is the greeting I get after you show someone the Red Room of Pain, I think we should open it up as a tourist attraction."
Christian runs his hands over Ana's back and down over her hips to squeeze her ass. "Don't even think it. I don't think a lot of people could handle it. Fuck, even a former man-whore like Elliott was overwhelmed." Christian grins as he adds "And he couldn't believe that shy virginal Ana Steele has eagerly participated in using the room."
"I wished I'd been there to have seen his reaction. I know I was overwhelmed when you first showed me your playroom. But at that point I hadn't even had vanilla sex, let alone any of that kinky fuckery." Ana says. She giggles before adding "But even though I had no experience, I was certainly intrigued and my imagination worked overtime trying to envision how various things were used." Ana's blue eyes meet Christian's grey eyes as she adjusts his grey silk tie. "And wondering when you were going to show me how to use them."
Christian grins his most sexiest grin. "I guess you were just a wanton woman waiting to be unleashed. I'm glad I was the one to unleash you." He winks and adds "And leash you too on occasion."
"If Elliott couldn't envision me in the Red Room of Pain, should I wear my black leather corset the next time we have dinner with Kate and Elliott?" Ana asks cheekily. Christian gives her a quick swat on the ass. "Ouch!"
"Mrs. Grey, you know that corset, or any corset for that matter, is for my eyes only." Christian says.
"Yes Sir." Ana says. "How about now?" Ana whispers seductively. "Oh…I guess not. We've been spotted by the rugrats." She says as she sees the front door is opening and spots a sea of copper and brown hair.
"Daddy!" "Mommy!" the children yell. Christian and Ana both turn and welcome their children with open arms. It is family time now, but they both know that Christian/Ana time will be later after the children are in bed. And neither one of them would want it any other way.
As Christian puts his arm around Ana's to walk into their home, he once again is thankful that he had not given in to the temptation of Gabriella Romano to release his frustration that night five years ago in New York. No doubt Ana would have kicked him out. And rightly so he tells himself. He briefly closes his eyes at the thought that it wouldn't have taken Ana long to find another man. One who was not fifty shades of fucked up and be able to give her everything she deserved.