A big thank you to you, my reader, for waiting patiently for the updates. I hope this longer chapter will make up for the delay.
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CMA: OTB recognizes that the written matter published on this work, with any inference to, Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed, belongs to the true owner being E L James and such 'fan fiction' material is considered 'not for-profit' thus, constitutes fair use, and that no copyright infringement was/is intended. Anastasia, Christian and Sawyer are her characters, but I have tweaked the characterizations to suit MY story. Almost all OOCs are mine and based on friends from real life, with a few exceptions of friends from FB. I have, however, changed a few names keeping their privacy in mind. They know who they are in the story. I have their permission to use them as my muse. If anyone knowing them objects... take it up with them dude
Chapter 35.
Christian's POV
"Oh my God, Anastasia, you are the best. Thank you. Thank you thank you thank you." Yes! She agreed to stay back. I'm the luckiest person today. She didn't run. She opened herself to me and made herself vulnerable. Given her history, this is a BIG accomplishment both for her as well as for me. I could very well be doing a victory dance here.
Wait a minute; she's clicking my pictures? What the...!
"Anastasia, what are you doing?"
"Taking your picture, what did you think I was doing?"
"Yes, I can see you're taking my picture. I want to know why?" I ask smirking, one hand on the staircase leading up to our rooms, the other on my butt. I'm sure my eyebrows are shooting to my hairline since she reaches up smoothing a hand over them gently.
"Don't be obtuse Grey. You looked so young and…. yourself. It's not often that a girl gets to see this side of you. It's worth more than it's weight in gold."
"Oh really? My digital picture is worth 'more than it's weight in gold'?" I ask, emphasizing the words digital picture and then making quotation marks in the air. She stares at my face, realizes what she just said and we both burst out laughing and it feels cathartic to see Annie like this. She looks so beautiful laughing.
Gotta make the girl laugh more often Grey. A man who can make her girl laugh is the man who can keep his girl.
She looks amazingly pretty. Her chest rises and falls as she laughs, her hair all over her face. I take a strand and tuck it behind her ear to be able to see her face better. She just holds my hand and leans onto it. Such a small gesture and it goes straight to my heart. We both keep looking at each other and there is a bit of awkwardness in the air.
"Ummm…. so, would you like something comfy to sleep in?" I ask, trying to break the silence.
"No, thank you. I think I'll be fine."
"Oh, did you carry something along?" maybe she intended to stay over all along.
"Not really…" she blushes a wonderful shade of pink that makes her look so radiant. This woman needs no makeup to look beautiful.
"Ookaay" I reply, uncertain what to make of her statement.
"If it's alright, I'll simply lock the door and sleep."
Lock the door? What the fuck is this about?
"Anastasia, I need you to be comfortable and if locking the door is what you need to do, then so be it, but I'm curious to know… what do your clothes have to do with…" Oh shit! Of course. She's going to sleep without night clothes. Without any clothes on you mean. My dick stands to attention at the mere thought of her, naked, a door away from my room.
"Oh Anastasia… I so didn't need that image in my head. Now there is no way in hell I could sleep. Not that it was going to be easy before, but now..." I take a deep breath. No need to tell her all this and have her running out of the door.
"Well, it's way past midnight. If not sleep, what would you rather do?" she asks
She's not running away, you lucky bastard.
"What would you like to do?" I ask her, turning her question right back at her.
"I think you should get some sleep. You can show me some of your aero-yoga in the morning."
"I look forward to it." Though I also looked forward to spending some more time with you, preferably dug deep inside of you.
"Good Night, Christian." She says, stepping on the staircase and turning to wish me.
"Good night, Anastasia." I watch her sexy as sway up the staircase as I follow a couple of steps behind. She pauses outside her bedroom door, one hand on the doorframe, and turns towards me. I stop in front of her, bend down and give her a chaste kiss. "Good night, beautiful. If you need anything, you know where to find me. Or just call on my cell. Sleep well and dream of me."
"Thank you Christian. I'll see you in the morning."
I'd love to chat more with her but she needs her beauty sleep. Besides, I don't have the heart to tell her I'll be going away for a week, though it seems to bother me more than it'll probably bother her.
I spend the night turning and tossing in the bed. Knowing that she's just a door away from me is not helping the matters. To make it worse, I now have a visual of her naked in the bed. Those curves, that slender waist the swell of her boobs…. It's running in my head on a loop. Finally, I get up and step into the shower. With her next door, I don't want to use my hands to relieve myself, so I opt for a cold shower. Given the temperature outside, the water's pretty cold. I use the shower down there for a good minute before the damn thing shrinks.
Maybe going away for a week won't be such a bad thing. Oh this is nothing in comparison to the torment I'll face being away from her. I must tell her about the trip in the morning. If those fuckers at Shanghai didn't fuck up, I wouldn't need to fly out like this. I do need to rethink this whole aspect of purchasing from China. The cost of me travelling to Shanghai pretty much offsets the low cost advantage of productions. Not to mention the time and effort I need to put in. This is definitely the last time I'll deal with them.
I wonder why we chose to work with them to begin with. Wasn't the Purchase Manager supposed to look into it? I'll have to keep an eye on him if this is the kind of deals he's getting us. He might have taken a 'fee' to put this supplier over other, more deserving ones. In which case, he might be draining GEH funds.
There have been a few instances in the past where his performance wasn't quite up to the mark. I pull out his background report from the cloud system. It's a very regular kind of report which shows him as having worked for two other organizations in the past. Other than a speeding ticket and an incident of infraction at college, there isn't anything to show red flags. My instinct tells me there is something fishy here. I know the power of gut feelings, so I decide to dig deeper.
Perhaps I should have Welch's team do a more detailed search. I look at the clock. It's 3.30 am. I don't think Welch will appreciate me calling him at this hour. So I simply email him to get me a detailed report on the Purchase Manager. I give him a week's time for the same. By the time I come back from the trip, I want the report to tell me what is up with this guy.
Dont forget to ask for a detailed report on Thomas White. I send another email to Welch asking him for a report on Thomas White, sharing the basic information about him.
I put my laptop away, set the alarm for 5 a.m. and close my eyes. I don't really expect to sleep, but I should give my spine some rest if I'm going to show her my aero yoga moves. 'The air yoga thingy' as she called it. The thought brings a smile to my face and I know it's all thanks to her. I begin planning the routines I want to show her. I'll start with a few simple moves and then do the tougher ones to impress her. God knows she's tough to impress.
APOV
After seeing Christian off at the door, I messaged Sawyer to meet me outside Christian's house at 7 am. I undressed and tucked myself into the comfortable warmer on the bed. However, sleep was elusive and after tossing and turning for a while, I think about to the various things he has done for me. He's been playing my knight in shining armor, whether I wanted it or not. From finding my mom to the massage last night, all his actions have been selfless. I remember DJ telling me he's a selfless man and all his philanthropic work is unsung.
As I think of the conversation, my mind goes back to my meeting with BAND. I need to find out more about Bryce Clopard. Just thinking about him has my blood boiling. I want to find him and put him back in the Chamber. I imagine all the vile things I could do to him. I'll put him on my St. Andrew's cross and whip him. No that'll be too easy. He'll probably enjoy it. Caning, flogging, wax play sound just easy for him. Mistress Queen would have done all that and more to him. What I truly need to do to him is to use a hot fire-poker on his genitals. Yes. That's what I'll do to him.
The beeping of an alarm pulls me back to this world and I realise my breaths are shallow. I take a few deep breaths and calm down. I don't want Christian to know all my thoughts. I don't need him to find out how violent I plan to be when I lay my hands on Bryce Clopard. And I will find him, no matter what or how long it takes.
Once my breath is closer to normal, I dress myself in the clothes I wore. If I had known I'd be staying over, I'd have brought some toiletries and a fresh pair of clothes. Thank God Christian told you to bring the right 'inner wear' both for the massage and for later.
Few minutes later, there's a knock on my door and Christian is standing there in all his hotness, holding a toothbrush and paste in his hand. "I thought you might not have these" he says handing me the things as I peruse his body. Only he could look this hot in yoga pants and a wife-beater.
"Thank you. I'll see you in a few minutes?" I don't want morning breath to be the reason he runs away from me, though after all that I've put him through, I doubt that it would.
"Sure thing. Gail will be here shortly. Anything in particular that you'd like for breakfast?"
"Anything vegetarian is fine."
"Cool. I'll let her know. Meet me in the meditation room?"
I nod and watch his sexy ass walk down the stairs. He goes down a few step, turns and winks. I swear my heart skipped a beat.
I quickly finish my hygiene routine and rush down the stairs. As I move towards the meditation room, I slow down. I don't him to find out how eager I am to see him flex those muscles. I hear soft music coming from the room and I know he's ready.
I step into the room and see him testing the knots on a white silk hammock tied to a pair of rings at the ceiling. There's a yoga mat laid under the hammock. He indicates for me to come into the room and take the seat on the now familiar mattress.
As I do, he steps towards the hammock, holds the two parts of the hammock and entangles himself in them around the shoulder. He stretches himself backwards and forwards, trusting the hammock to support him. He lowers himself on the floor and untangles his foot. I think he'll do some push-ups. Instead, he puts a foot in the seat of the hammock and then another while supporting himself on his arms. He then gracefully raises his ass up in the air forming a neat reverse V with his arms and legs supporting the apex of the V formed by his butt.
He smoothly raises then lowers himself, then raises again and claps once quickly. Then he untangles his feet from seat of the hammock and then stands up elegantly, only to sit into the hammock where he spreads the cloth to cover himself completely. I can't see him but his structure is clearly visible through the cloth clinging to his body. He shrinks himself like a baby in the womb, then stretches his body out from either side of the hammock like he were lying on a swing. While his feet touch the floor on one side, he touches the tips of his fingers to the floor on the other side, while lying on his back, face up.
So far his movements have been calm and serene. As the music picks up pace, he goes on to perform various stunts. He's like a child on a swing, except that he's also the big boy who does cartwheels and other stunts. He does this all using the cloth of the hammock.
He tangles himself on the cloth using his leg, and is off the floor by over 6 feet. He does a perfect split while upside down, his legs entangled neatly in the cloth. Then he simply untangles one leg and it gives the illusion that he's dropping down. My heart skips a beat as I worry about him getting hurt but he smoothly lands on his two feet, looks at me and gives me a wink, assuring me that he's unhurt. I rush to hug and stop myself at the last moment as I realise what a disaster I could have caused. He closes the small distance and we're so close that not a breeze could pass between us. He holds my hands and pushes them behind my back as he holds me.
His first hug… Before TheBitch can complete her thought, his lips are on mine, asking, begging for an opening that I happily offer. His tongue explores my mouth as if it's treasure hunting. He nips my tongue as it begins to explore his mouth. The tongue dance continues for a while before he pulls back for air. He looks into my eyes and I know he's worried if I might run. I've made up my mind to be all in on this relationship and I tell him as much. He kisses me again, hard. However, this kiss was more of a thank you than sensuous kiss.
The rumble from stomach spoils the romantic mood as Christian looks at me and frowns. "Breakfast time. Come," he says as he leads me towards the breakfast bar near the kitchen.
"Gail, meet Ms. Anastasia Steele. Mrs. Gail Taylor, the lady who keeps this house from falling apart and the best chef you could find. She's the one who keeps me from ever going hungry."
Is the Mrs. Taylor a coincidence or is she Jason Taylor's wife. Does it matter?
"Thank you for the wonderful dinner last night Mrs. Taylor. There are few people who could come up with such a fantastic spread given the constraint of keeping it vegetarian." I see this short but curvaceous lady blush. They say great things come in small packages and based on what Christian has told me about her, it must be true. Besides, her food was truly delicious.
"You're most welcome Ms. Steele. Please have a seat. I've got a few choices in canned juices and fresh orange juice. The pancakes are eggless. There's cornflakes, muesli, oats, Chocos and rice flakes. I could also offer you toast with some homemade peach & apricot jam. There's also..."
"Sorry to interrupt you Mrs. Taylor, but that's already a load of stuff. I think I'll just have some orange juice and eggless pancakes with honey, if you have that. And then some coffee, if you don't mind."
She smiles at me politely and steps away to pour a pancake and make me some juice. I notice she didn't ask Christian for what he'd like. He's sitting next to me, wiping away his neck and arms using a towel Mrs. Taylor handed him. He looks at me, staring at him, raises a single brow and asks, "See something you like?"
"Just some hunk-a-do who can make the most complicated things look as simple as a child's play," I say in a nonchalant voice.
He smirks, shakes his head then gets up to grab a glass of water. I'm happy to see that he doesn't expect Mrs. Taylor to serve him water. He does leave the glass on the countertop instead of putting it away. He dumps the napkin on a chair nearby. I guess one would have to grant him some liberties.
Christian tells me more about aero yoga and it's benefits as we eat and while I'd like to be able to do those things as gracefully as he does, I know it has taken him years of practice to achieve this level of smoothness.
"There's something that I've been meaning to tell you, but the timing never seemed right."
Oh?
"It's nothing serious. Just that I'll have to go to Shanghai tomorrow and I won't be around for a session this weekend." He sounds so apologetic about it. I'm grateful it's nothing more serious. While I'm disappointed about losing out a session with him, I understand that work comes first. He's worked really hard and me being in his life shouldn't mean he drops everything else.
"That's alright, Christian. Work comes first. I just hope it's nothing too serious. If there's anything I can do to help, you know you can ask, right?"
"Yes, thank you. Just one of the hiccups in business, but it does need to be addressed. And thanks for your offer. Maybe next time I can find an excuse to take you along," he says, his grin back on his face.
"So, when will you be back?"
"I anticipate it to take a week. I'll try and wrap this up sooner but I can't be certain."
Good. That also gives me a week to find and deal with Bryce Clopard.
"Cool. Email me your itinerary once you know and I'll pick you up."
"You mean you'll be there at the airport when I land?" his face lights up and I realize he's still uncertain about our relation. I lean in to his ear and whisper, "We'll talk everyday. Maybe have some phone sex if you have time and then, when you come back, I'll show you how much I missed you. How does that sound?" I know very well how it sounds to him by the tent in his pants that he discreetly tries to hide.
"You're a wicked wicked person. Did you know that? How am I supposed to go to work with words like those in my head, much less away for a week to the other part of the world?"
"Well, look at the bright side. You know you have something to come back to. That should cheer you up if you ever feel down."
"Good to see you looking at the bright side of things," he says sarcastically. I laugh and shake my head. He takes my hand in his. They feel so petite compared to his.
"Meet me again in the evening?" he asks in a voice clearly hopeful, his face suggesting he's scared of being hopeful. I didn't want to impose, but I was secretly hoping he'd ask.
"Sure. Should I pick you up from your office at 7?"
"I'll be done by 6, but if you need time, I could pick you up later."
"I'd heard you work late hours. Besides, you have a business trip to make. Don't you need to prepare or something?"
"Anastasia, it's those incompetent buggers who need to prepare for the ire that's going to fall on them. Besides I have a 15-hour flight ahead of me. That's ample time to prepare."
"I think I should be done by six too, but I want to drive Teal. How about I pick you up and Taylor and Sawyer can follow in your car."
"Yeah, that sounds fine. Not many men out there who can claim to be driven about by a chauffeur as pretty as you." I'm happy to see him in a playful mood.
"I'm happy to be of service, Sir. Now, with your permission, I'd like to leave so that I can wrap up my work and be back in time."
"Take care." I notice Sawyer standing next to my car by the driver door
"Don't worry." I wave Christian goodbye as I step towards my side and take the keys from Sawyer. Last evening, when I gave him the keys, I had no idea what I was stepping in for. This has been a life changing night and I'm grateful.
Sawyer joins me on the passenger side and I notice a frown on Christian's face in my rear view mirror. Hmmm... The evening is going to be interesting.
A/N2: Pics on www dot pinterestdotcom/overthebrink/anas-shades/ You know the gig - delete the spaces and replace dot with .