Disclaimer: Most of the characters in this story are those from the Fifty Shades Trilogy. They remain the rightful property of E L James. Recognisable brands, places, music or films remain the property of their owners. No copyright infringement is intended.
SuzB - Thank you, my lovely! I'm glad you're enjoying their development. :) I hope you like this chapter! Much Love x
Hello Lovelies,
I hope you all had a great weekend and that your Monday has passed without too much stress! :)
Thank you for the love on the last chapter. It always means so much to see people enjoying the story. I hope you enjoy this chapter too!
Much Love,
Chelsea x
PS: If you've read 'Happiness Doesn't Last For Long' and 'The Good Will Come', you might recognise a certain someone in this chapter... x
I slowly woke from sleep, feeling warm and heavy all over. I was lying on my back, my hands above my head, in a position I never usually sleep in. I've always been a side-sleeper.
I carefully opened my eyes, trying to ready myself for the early morning sun, but I was surprised to find that it was still dark outside. Lifting my head up, I looked at my alarm clock and saw 03:47 staring back at me in bright red digits. It felt like I'd been asleep for hours.
With a sleepy sigh, I glanced down at the mass of flesh covering my body. A grin worked its way over my lips.
Christian's head lay between my breasts, the rest of him cradled in the tangle of my legs and the bedsheets. His chest rose steadily, his breath expelling with a slight sigh. He was still and serene in sleep, like an angel. Unable to resist the urge to stroke his soft, brown-copper curls, I reached down and –
I noticed then that my hands were still bound together. His grey tie clung to my wrists, only slightly looser now than it was when Christian tied me up. We'd both fallen asleep after hours of frenzied, passionate sex. Our night took a sharp turn when Christian found the vibrator he'd given me. He took great pleasure in using it on me… and so did I.
Wanting to undo the tie, I tried to unpick the bow with my teeth, hoping to loosen it a fraction so I could slip my hands through. But it was no use, my fussing had made it worse and tightened the wrap even more.
"Christian?" I whispered his name, careful not to stun him from his dreams. I shifted as I repeated his name.
"Hm…" he moaned, rubbing his cheek into my chest. He ground his body into mine and slowly turned his head up to me. His eyes remained closed. "What?"
"I need you to untie me," I told him, a small laugh brewing in my voice. "You forgot to untie me."
He pushed up onto his elbows and finally opened his eyes, shooting a hazy glance at my lips and then my hands. Concern developed over his face as he realised what I had said.
"Shit," he cursed and clumsily grabbed my wrists, pulling them towards him. He quickly unpicked the tight bow and unravelled the tie, freeing my hands. "I'm sorry. Are you in pain?"
"No," I assured him with a smile. "I'm fine."
He kept hold of my hands, taking a moment to inspect my wrists for grazes or marks. The darkness surrounding us masked whatever was or wasn't there, but Christian still pressed soft kisses over the places where the tie had been fastened.
"I'm sorry," he repeated, smoothing his lips over my palms and then the tips of my fingers. "I didn't realise I'd fallen asleep."
"You look beautiful when you're sleeping," I announced. "Like an angel."
He smiled and dropped his chin back onto my chest.
"Why are you lying on top of me?" I giggled, pushing his hair back with my right hand.
"Your mattress is shit," he grumbled. "But you, you are soft and warm and…"
He trailed off, his attention moving to my breasts. He worked his lips over the slight mounds, kissing my nipples in turn, before gently lowering his head again. Sleep was still trailing beside him, beckoning him to slip back into his peaceful dreams.
"I like sleeping with you," he mumbled. "My Ana…"
I like it when you call me that… I like being your Ana...
After devouring breakfast, I dropped our plates in the sink, clearing up whilst Christian retreated to the bathroom. My omelettes weren't a patch on the ones Mrs Jones makes, but Christian didn't complain. He'd worked up quite the appetite from last night's antics.
I leaned against the counter with my cup of tea. Christian joined me again, picking up his jacket from the armchair and shrugging it on. After we woke up at seven, he made a brief call and then, twenty minutes later, Taylor appeared at my door with a dress bag and a box of shoes. A fresh and clean outfit for the boss. I sensed that Taylor had bought it only a few moments before. The shoes didn't look as if they'd ever been worn and I swear I saw a tag on the shirt.
"You're looking a little flush, Miss Steele," Christian smirked at me. He stepped over to the counter and retrieved his cell phone, shoving it into his inside pocket. "So, what's the plan for tonight? Are you working?"
"No," I shook my head. "The club is closed on Tuesdays, remember. It's stock check and Cal prefers to run that by himself."
Christian rolled his eyes as if he understood what I meant by that. Cal isn't a control freak, not by a long shot, but he doesn't like to rely on anybody. He prefers to get on with things by himself. That way, the mistakes are on him and nobody else. I admired that about him.
"But I do have plans for tonight," I continued. His attention was piqued. "I'm driving to Portland this afternoon. My friend is exhibiting at a gallery. I said I'd go, offer some moral support."
"Since when?" he frowned.
"Since I got the invite?" I frowned back. "The exhibit opens at four and I'm going to dinner afterwards –"
"With your friend?" he interrupted.
"No, with Ray," I shot back. I was on the defensive now. I crossed my arms around my chest. "Ray's going to the show and I said we'd catch up. I haven't seen him in so long."
He relaxed hearing that, but only slightly.
"Ray is good friends with José's dad," I added. "Me and José practically grew up together. He moved when we were seven but we reconnected in college."
Christian nodded along for a moment but then, suddenly, he snapped his head up. His frown returned, deeper this time.
"Wait, what? José? Who the hell is José?"
"Weren't you listening? I literally just told you," I shook my head. "José is my friend. It's his exhibit tonight."
"I didn't know your friend was a man," he flexed his jaw, shifting his balance, his hands moving to his hips.
"Am I not allowed male friends?" I arched my brow. Luckily, for him, he didn't answer that. "Christian, what's the problem here? I'm going to support my friend and see my father. That's it."
He glanced away, disappearing into his thoughts. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?" he finally asked.
"I didn't think it would be a problem."
"It means I won't get to see you tonight," he said. "That's a problem."
"Who says I won't see you? If you'd given me a chance to explain further, you might have learned that I was planning on driving straight to your place tonight."
My voice was sharp and tinged with frustration. It caused Christian to rock on his heels. It was a slight move but I noticed it.
"I was going to crawl into bed with you, cuddle up after the long drive home," I continued. "I'm not so sure now."
His jaw tensed again. He huffed.
"Don't you trust me?" I asked, unable to let the conversation drop. I was like a dog with a bone. I pointed towards my bedroom. "After last night? I trust you to do that to me, but you don't trust me to spend time with my male friend?"
"You're not the problem," he countered immediately, stepping forward. "I don't want you hanging around with other men. I don't want their eyes ogling you, undressing you."
"I'll be with Ray the whole time," I said. "Jesus, I'm only going for Ray! He asked me to go and I want to see him. I wouldn't even go to the damn thing if it wasn't for my dad."
I decided not to reveal the reason behind that comment. I knew it would tip Christian over the edge. But that's beside the point. He can't pick and choose who I see or who I'm friends with. I draw the line at that.
"I'm just thinking of you, Ana," Christian said. He moved around the breakfast bar and came to stand in front of me. His hands hung at his sides, though his fingers twitched in a way that told me he wanted to caress my jaw. "I only –"
"If I was seeing a girl friend tonight, would that still be a problem for you?"
His lips pursed and I knew my answer. I rolled my eyes and shot my head down to the floor. I heard him take a breath but it was silenced by his cell phone, blaring a high-pitched bell noise.
"Damn it," he sighed. "Ana, I don't want to –"
"You're late for work," I spoke over him and his phone. I lifted my head and stared him out. He had a desponded expression on his face. "You're clearly needed," I nodded my head towards his ringing pocket.
"Ana –"
"I think you should probably leave. I don't want to keep you from your meetings," I muttered, leaning back into the counter. "I'll call you later. We can talk about all of this then."
"I don't want to leave you when you're angry," he said. He reached intol his pocket and shut off the call without bothering to look at whose name was on the screen.
"I'm not angry," I shook my head. "I'm annoyed."
"That's just semantics."
I peeled away from the counter and walked over to the door. I opened it and stepped aside. His phone rang again.
"You're needed elsewhere," I muttered. "Like I said, we'll talk about this later. I'll call you."
"Do you mean that?" he asked.
I nodded my head and he sighed once more. He turned and gathered his bag and coat before striding towards me. He stopped on the divide between my apartment and the hallway, twisting to face me.
"I will call you," I promised him.
He didn't say anything. He leaned down and brushed his lips across my cheek and then continued out of the door. I didn't watch him leave, didn't peek down the hall and stare as he disappeared from view. I simply closed the door and shut my eyes. He can dominate me in the bedroom, but I won't let him decide who I'm friends with. Regardless of whether that friend tried to kiss me or not. I don't want to destroy a lifelong friendship because of a drunken kiss or because my boyfriend is pissed off.
I readied myself to leave at noon, hoping that I would beat some of the midday rush and make it into Portland by three. The sooner I get to the gallery and see what José was presenting, the sooner I could leave for dinner with Ray.
I had changed into a pair of navy skinny jeans and a white cold-shoulder blouse. I added my favourite denim jacket over the top and shoved my feet into some black flats. I didn't want to dress-up. I kept my makeup to a minimum too, opting for just some mascara and lip-gloss, my hair tied back in a top knot.
Exiting out of the building, I unlocked Kate's car and walked around to the driver's side. I had just settled into my seat when I felt buzzing in my pocket. I thought about ignoring it, not ready to see Christian's name on the screen. I didn't want to talk to him yet. He needs to know that I have limits and my friends are one of them.
"For god's sake," I grumbled as I delved deep into my pocket and pulled out my iPhone.
But it wasn't Christian's name on the screen. I didn't recognise the number.
"Hello?" I answered.
"Oh hi, I was wondering if I could speak to Miss Anastasia Steele?" A chirpy male voice purred into my ear.
"That's me," I replied.
"Great," he said. I could hear a smile in his velvety voice. "My name's Mark Griffin, I'm calling from Seattle Independent Press. I'm one of the senior editors and I'm calling in regards to the application we received from you."
"Oh, right," I gulped, sitting up in my seat. My heart began thumping in my chest. "I, um…"
"We haven't advertised for a position, but you might be in luck," Mark Griffin answered, as if sensing my hesitancy. "One of our editors has recently been relieved of his position in the company, along with his personal assistant. As you can imagine, we're in a spot of trouble now and we're eager to fill the roles as soon as."
"Okay?"
"Normally we'd advertise and all that nonsense but, if I'm being honest with you, we're kind of desperate," he explained. "We've got a back-log of manuscripts that need sorting and I need someone who knows what they're doing. You're a literature graduate, right?"
"Yes, I am," I nodded, even though he couldn't see me.
"Great, well, why don't you drop by for a chat sometime?" he offered. I heard a rustling of papers on his end of the call. "Can you come in tomorrow?"
"Absolutely! What time is best for you?"
"How about this time, around noon?"
"Perfect," I smiled, resisting the urge to burst into laughter. "That's perfect, Mr Griffin. Thank you so much."
"Less of the Mr Griffin, it makes me feel old," he laughed. "Call me Mark. Now, let me say this, I don't do bribes but if you feel like bringing lunch with you, I love sushi."
"Understood," I giggled. "I'll see you at noon tomorrow. Mark."
"See you then," he replied and then ended the call.
I dropped my phone into my lap and squealed. I drummed my hands on the steering wheel and bounced in my seat.
"Yes!" I threw my head back and let out an enormous sigh. "Finally!"
I stayed still for several moments, enjoying the rush of adrenaline pouring through my body, making every nerve sizzle and pop. Without pausing for thought, I snatched my phone up again and opened a new text message, typing and sending it with shaky fingers.
I just got a call from SIP. I have an interview tomorrow! x
Three bouncing dots appeared on the screen, alerting me that Christian was writing his reply.
Congratulations! I'm happy for you. What time tomorrow? C
12pm. I'm so excited! Did you call them this morning? x
No, I haven't spoken to them since I first emailed. I was planning on calling them later, if they hadn't responded. I'm glad they did.
Thank you – for everything! x
The dots appeared again, flashing for a moment and then disappearing. He was thinking.
Are you still mad at me?
"Oh, Christian…" I sighed, pursing my lips.
No. I am still annoyed, though. You should trust me. x
I do.
It doesn't feel that way. It's your bed I want to climb into, no one else's. Least of all José's! x
I'm sorry. I do trust you, it's other men I don't trust. I don't know this José guy.
I sighed again. Another reply came through.
Are you still going to Portland?
Yes. I'm about to leave now. x
Please drive safely.
I will. I don't want to argue about this, Christian, but I won't let you determine who I can or can't see. x
Is that a hard limit for you?
It's a hard limit for most people. x
Okay. I understand. Sorry.
Stop apologising. It's annoying. x
I smiled at my own comments, repeating back the words he said to me just a few days ago. My phone buzzed with his immediate reply.
Sorry! :-)
I'll text you when I've arrived. x
Thank you. I'll see you later.
I frowned at the screen.
What? No kisses? x
The dots flashed for a few seconds, followed by:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
(SORRY! C x)
In a rare and blessed event, I made it to Portland much quicker than I had anticipated. I don't know if it was a combination of Kate's car being much faster than Wanda, or the fact that I was blasting music so loud that I found it easier to weave in and out of traffic. Either way, I was grateful for the chance to spend extra time with the other special man in my life: Ray Steele.
I went straight to Ray's house and picked him up, before driving us to his favourite diner. I could hardly contain my excitement at seeing him again. I almost cried when I saw him coming out of his front door, his lips parting into a wide grin. He looked healthy and happy, if a little rounder in the stomach area. We sat and drank coffee (tea for me), updating each other things that we'd forgotten to include in our weekly phone calls.
He told me that he's going to take his carpentry more seriously, a potential money-maker to help boost his retirement fund.
I told him that I'm dating someone.
"Oh," his eyes widened as my words registered in his head. "Wow, Annie. I definitely wasn't expecting that."
"I know, neither was I," I had laughed, taking a nervous sip of English Breakfast. "He's really nice. I like him a lot."
"You'll have to introduce us sometime," he'd joked, his dark brows lifting as he spoke. "I'll read him the riot act, the dos and don'ts for dating my little girl."
After finishing our drinks, we decided to head on over to the gallery, just a few blocks away. I vaguely recognised the name of the building, but I couldn't admit to ever having visited it before. Galleries are more my mother's cup of tea. The moderately sized building was already half-full by the time we'd parked the car and stepped inside. Critics and eagle eyes were fawning over canvases and slideshows, a multitude of different images on display. I learned quickly that there were dozens of photographers exhibiting their work, and José's station was nowhere near the front of house.
Ray and I made our way through rows of partition walls, until finally we spotted José standing near his display. He was alone, holding a glass of wine in one hand and his cell phone in the other. He was dressed in tight fitting slacks, a dark blue shirt and a navy blazer. His black hair had been trimmed close to his scalp, but his beard had grown thicker since the last time I'd seen him. It didn't suit him.
"Hey kiddo," Ray greeted him first, calling out as he walked over to my childhood friend. The two exchanged a macho hug. "Bet you must be on cloud nine right about now. This is a great opportunity to showcase your work."
"It sure is," José grinned, shutting down his phone and sliding it into his pocket. "Thanks for coming. I know Dad will be glad you're here."
"Where is the old guy?" Ray asked, glancing around until he spotted his pal.
He made his excuses and bounded off to speak with José senior. The two of them were like young kids, slapping each other's shoulders in greeting. I rolled my eyes at them.
"Do you think they'll ever grow up?" José bumped his shoulder against mine, pulling my attention back his way. "Thanks for coming. I'm really glad you could make it. I wasn't sure if you'd come."
"I wouldn't have missed it for the world," I fibbed, smiling up at him. I caught his eye and immediately deterred mine to the wall ahead of us. "Looks good," I hummed, nodding my head at a photo of a still lake. "How many pictures are you exhibiting?"
"Eighteen," he grinned. He held out his arm, gesturing towards the end of his wall. "Come down here, there's something I want you to see."
I followed him a few steps south, stopping as he came to a grounding halt in front of a collection of black and white photographs. His grin grew wilder and when I frowned, feeling confused, he pointed at the pictures. I followed the line of his finger and suddenly felt a nauseating sensation spread through me.
"Oh my god…" I sighed, my lips and tongue turning to chalk. "José, what the hell…?"
"They're some of my best work," he smiled, bouncing next to me. "I've had a ton of compliments on them already, but I've been looking forward to hearing your thoughts. So, what do you think?"
"I, um…" I gulped, my eyes darting among the photos.
My face was everywhere. Side profile, head on, parts of me zoomed in and so intimately on show. My eyes, my lips…
Oh Jesus, why did he have to include them?
I remember him taking them, he was goofing around, he said he'd deleted them. There were six canvases in total, five small rectangular frames spaced out into a star formation. In the middle of the star was one large picture, dominating the others, the most candid shot of all. He'd taken it from behind, whilst I was curled up on the couch and reading a textbook. My hair was piled on top of my head, leaving my neck exposed. My skin was pure alabaster in the greyscale mix.
"I know I should have asked your permission first," José continued, his voice adopting a more serious tone now. "But everyone who's seen them thinks they're great. I know they're my favourites… Shit, you do hate them?"
Yes!
"No," I whispered. "I just – well, I wish you'd have warned me first."
"I was hoping it would be a nice surprise," he admitted. He took a nervous sip from his wine glass.
"Did you forget that I hate surprises?" I frowned, turning my head towards him. He gave me an apologetic look. I needed to change the subject and rid my eyes of my face. "So, how are things with -?"
"Oh, shit!"
José looked over me, completely distracted. His eyes widened, shock perpetrating through them. He tussled on the spot, trying to get a better angle.
"What are you looking at?" I asked, turning to see if I could grab a look. It was no use, though. I couldn't see anything.
"I didn't think he'd actually turn up," José gasped, a laugh escaping him. He began to leave my side.
"Who?" I wondered, following quickly.
José didn't answer me but he didn't need to. I caught up to him and stepped out of his shadow, and then I saw him.
Christian.
His eyes locked on mine, sharp and eager, as if he'd been searching for me from the moment he entered the room. He was still dressed in the same suit Taylor had brought him earlier, but his dark tie was long gone. His jacket hung open at the front, showing his crisp shirt tucked into his pants, his expensive belt buckle shining.
He stepped forward, his eyes on me but his hand outstretched to José.
"Mr Grey, I can't believe you actually came," José beamed from ear to ear, enthusiastically shaking Christian's hand.
I know I should have kept my distance, but I found myself joining the pair of them, standing at the side of them both. Christian didn't address me, but I could feel his eyes burning a hole into my temple.
I had so many questions…
"Once I heard about the show, I knew I had to come by," Christian told José, offering him a curt smile. "I saw your pictures of the Bailey wedding. I was impressed."
"Thank you. It was a –"
"I wanted to check out your photographs for myself," Christian interrupted. "I'm looking to update my website and I want some landscape shots of my building, that sort of thing. Do you do those sorts of pictures?"
"Oh, yes, of course," José nodded. His throat bobbed with his excitement. "I actually have some landscapes on show already. If you want I can –"
"I'm sure I can find them by myself," Christian cut across him again. He glanced around the room. "Is there a bar here?"
"Yes, it's just through those doors," José pointed to his right, to a pair of swinging doors. "It's an open bar."
"Great, I'll have a glass of Pinot Grigio. Thanks." Christian slapped the top of José's arm and gave him a light shove towards the doors. The move had both me and José aghast.
José turned to me, his jaw still hanging open. "Um, Ana, are you coming with me?" he asked.
He stepped closer to me, his hand snaking around my back. I instantly jerked away.
"I think I'm going to find Ray," I shook my head and put more distance between us. "I'll catch you in a while."
I turned away from both of them and shuffled away, waiting for Christian to follow me. I stood in front of a picture of a red balloon, pretending to admire it. A few seconds later, I felt Christian at my side. My skin prickled.
"How did you find me?" I asked him, keeping my voice low. "Please tell me that you didn't use some wizard, stalkery app to track me down?"
"A wizard, stalkery app? That sounds interesting," he hummed a small laugh. "No, it much simpler than that. I just googled 'José Portland Gallery' and I found out everything from there."
I was relieved to hear that.
"How did José know you were coming?"
"I called the gallery and spoke to him," he revealed. "I made an enquiry about the event. Like I said, I'm looking to update my -"
"Why are you really here?"
"I wanted to see you," he replied after a moment's pause. The tone of his voice made my stomach clench. "After the way we left things this morning, I needed to see you."
"So you're not here to keep an eye on me?" I wondered. "Make sure I don't run off with the first guy who looks at me?"
"Ana," he groaned, setting his fingers on my elbow. "I do trust you and if you think otherwise, then I'm sorry. I just want to keep you safe."
I turned and glanced at his face. He was being sincere, I could see it in his eyes. I heaved a sigh and slid my fingers over his hand, linking my pinkie with his.
"Let's head outside," I jerked my head backwards. "We can't talk in here."
Christian nodded and followed me towards the rear exit. The door led out onto a narrow alleyway, a high brick wall opposite and the street unfolding on our right. I stepped down onto the concrete and turned left, taking us away from the door and into the dark.
"Are you still mad at me?" he asked abruptly.
"You already asked me that," I reminded him.
He frowned and glanced down at his feet.
"You could've changed your mind since then," he muttered. "I know I'm an ass, Ana. I know how it must seem to you, but what I said this morning... it wasn't because I don't trust you. I can't reason with the idea of you cheating."
"I would never do that," I shook my head.
"I know," he nodded. "That never even crossed my mind."
"Then what's the problem?"
His throat bobbed. "I just hate the idea of another man laying his hands on you," he admitted with a shudder. "Even then, when he put his arm around you, I felt like ripping his fucking hand off."
I closed my eyes for a second. Now really wasn't the time to explain the José situation. I didn't want to add more fuel to the fire.
"I don't want to lose you," he continued. He closed the gap between us and raised his hands to my jaw. His fingers glided across my skin, holding me still as he brought his lips to mine. "You're the first good thing that has ever happened to me. I can't lose you now. I need you."
"You're not going to lose me," I whispered, melting into his kiss. "No one is going to take me from you, either."
His kiss started slow and gentle, but quickly gained heat. His hands moved down my body, until they were groping and squeezing my behind. In a swift move, he lifted me off the floor and pushed me back against the wall. I clung my legs around his hips for support, my hands cupping the back of his neck. His tongue was fast and daring, lashing hard against mine.
"I'm sorry I pissed you off," he moaned into my mouth.
I leaned my head back against the wall. "Christian…" I breathed. "I get why you were annoyed, but you can't be like that with me. Our relationship isn't going to work if you want to decide who I can or can't be friends with."
"I know," he nodded and pressed another kiss to my mouth. He lingered, brushing the tip of his nose against mine. "I'm trying… I'm just not used to this."
"We're learning together," I reminded him. "We're both going to make mistakes."
"Do you forgive me?"
A wide smile made its way across my lips, and that was enough reassurance for him. He chuckled a laugh and slowly lowered me back to earth. His hands remained on my hips, his mouth still devouring mine.
"Why didn't you tell me you were coming here?" I asked.
"It was a last minute decision," he explained. "I was looking up the details on my computer when my deputy came to see me. She recognised José's name. It was her wedding he photographed."
"Oh…"
"Ros showed me some pictures on her phone," he added. "They were pretty good and I have been talking about updating my website for a while. She suggested that I call him, but I thought maybe I could kill two birds with one stone if I just came here instead."
"What time did you leave Seattle?"
"Three," he answered.
"Huh? How is that possible?" I frowned. I grabbed his left arm and shoved back his sleeve, checking his watch. It was 4:35pm. "It's a three-hour drive."
"I didn't drive," he smirked at me. "I flew. I brought my helicopter."
"You have a helicopter?" I gasped. "Seriously?"
He nodded.
"You can fly?" I shook my head. He nodded again. "Jesus, I thought I was dating a billionaire, not Superman."
He laughed at that, his chuckle bouncing off the walls.
"I'll fly us back to Seattle tonight, if you like," he said. "I've never taken a girl in Charlie Tango before."
"Charlie Tango?"
"My helicopter," he smirked again. "Her name comes from my initials – CTG, Charlie Tango Golf."
"Charlie Tango for short," I nodded. "Phonetic alphabet… Right, well, as much as I'd love a whirl in Charlie Tango, I drove Kate's car. I can't leave it here and she'd kill me if I let someone else drive it."
I could see that he was about to protest my decision, but he decided against it. He closed his mouth and smiled, nodding his head.
"I'll get the helicopter flown back to Seattle," he agreed. "I'll drive back with you. If that's okay, Miss Steele?"
"It's a great inconvenience but I'm sure I can find room for you," I winked. I rose up onto my toes and stole another kiss from his lips. "I –"
Christian snapped his head back up the alley, just as a creaking sound echoed down to our ears.
"What was that?" I whispered. I followed Christian's eyes and caught sight of the gallery door slowly drawing to a close. "Do you think someone saw us?"
"No," Christian shook his head. "It's too dark down here. But we should head back inside. Your father will be wondering where you've disappeared to."
"I want to introduce you to him," I blurted. Christian rocked on his heels, a dip appearing in his brow. "Ray wants to meet you."
"You told him about us?"
"I told him I'm dating someone," I explained. "He said he'd like to meet the guy I'm seeing. So, what do you say? Do you want to meet him?"
His frown remained for a moment longer, before a smile tripped over his lips. His eyes brightened.
"Of course I'd like to meet him," he nodded.
"Not here, though," I said. "Me and Ray are heading for some dinner soon, to a place called Grain and Gristle. Ray loves their burgers. It's not far from here, just a few blocks away. Why don't you and Taylor meet us there?"
He narrowed his eyes.
"How did you know Taylor is here with me? He didn't come inside the gallery."
"He's your shadow," I laughed. "I think he'd pop an artery if you ever shirked him. There isn't a chance in hell he'd let you fly down here on your own."
"No, he wouldn't," he smiled. He leaned down and kissed me once more. "I'll grab your friend's business card and then I'll leave. Don't keep me waiting."
"There's just one thing," I said. He raised his brow, gesturing for me to go on. "Ray doesn't know that I work in a club. I couldn't bring myself to tell him the truth. He thinks I'm in publishing."
"That's almost true," Christian whispered. His lips curled upwards as he hovered them over mine. "I won't say anything to him. You have my word, baby."
I have your word and you have my heart, I thought to myself as we walked back to the door and stepped inside.
His hand skimmed my arm and then he sauntered away. The way he moved, the way he looked back at me before he disappeared from view, it had me grinning like a lunatic. Why? Because I think I have his heart too.
