I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO MY NEW FOLLOWERS THIS WEEK.
IF YOU EVER HAVE AN IDEA OR AN OPINION FOR THE STORY, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK AND/OR COMMENT. I DO GET IDEAS FROM YOUR COMMENTS ALL THE TIME. I WILL NEVER BE OFFENDED BY YOUR COMMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS.
ONE REVIEWER, WHO WAS A GUEST, ASKED ME WHICH CELEBRITIES I THOUGHT COULD PLAY LINDA AND CHRISTIAN. I PUT UP SOME PICTURES ON MY PINTEREST PAGE OF WHAT I HAVE PICTURED FOR MY CHARACTERS.
PLEASE KEEP REVIEWING. I GET MOTIVATION FROM THEM AND I LOVE HEARING WHAT YOU THINK.
NOW, CHAPTER 37
Christian is slowly running his hand up and down my back after making love to me. I have missed him so much while I've been gone. I know it's only been five days since we last saw each other, but I have felt this emptiness inside me. I have fallen so hard for him that it scares me that something will come along and take it all away.
"You're awfully quiet, Linda. What are you thinking about?" Christian asks while I turn over on my stomach to look at him. God, he's gorgeous and he's all mine.
"Just how much I love you and how much I've missed you. I meant what I said as well: I don't want to ever be away from you for this long ever again," I say as I trace his cheek and mouth with my finger. He grabs my finger and bites it gently. I laugh.
"Me either. The penthouse has been empty and lonely without you. My mother called before I left Seattle and said to tell you hello and she missed you as well. I can't imagine why." I backhand him and he laughs, and then flips me over on my back and is now hovering over me, holding my hands above my head. I'm trying to get out of his strong grip but the more I fight, the tighter he holds.
"Now that I have you where I want you, would you like to explain to me why you thought it would be safe to go off on your own? I've told you that being with me puts you in just as much danger as I am. You're an easy target. When Taylor told me what happened while we were on the jet flying here, I was so worried about you and angry that I wasn't able to be with you and protect you. Please don't ever put yourself in that kind of danger anymore."
"But Jason doesn't have anything to do with you. I had no idea that he was even back in town. I just needed to be alone for a little while. I'm sorry." I put my hand on his cheek and he leans into it.
"Okay. You're forgiven, just don't do it again." Christian gives me a quick kiss. He seems calmer. Now to get Luke off the hook.
"Please don't blame Luke for this. It isn't his fault." Christian walks away from me while running his hands through his hair.
"He knows not to let you out of his sight; he should have been with you. He should have never let you go alone!" Christian is on the verge of losing it.
"But,…"
"ENOUGH! I don't want to hear anymore. Luke is lucky I'm not firing his ass over this! You of all people should know better. What if that car hadn't of driven by, what do you think that mother fucker would have done to you?! " I've never seen Christian this angry. I get out of bed and put my shorts and tank top back on and head off to the bathroom and close the door. After a few minutes, I come out and Christian has finished getting dressed. I start to walk past him and go downstairs when he gently reaches out for my hand and stops me. He pulls me into a tight hug.
"Look, I'm sorry I yelled at you, but Luke knows he fucked up. I was so scared when Taylor told me what happened to you. Being on the plane and not able to do anything about it was driving me crazy. If I had been here, you for sure would not have left this house by yourself. Just please promise me you won't go off on your own anymore."
"That's what I have the problem with. I have told you that I need my privacy sometimes. I don't want to be hovered over and smothered. I have always been safe here and didn't think anything of it. Now that I know that Jason is lurking around town I won't be going anywhere by myself while I'm here. I have never seen him that angry. The look he had in his eyes was pure evil. I told Luke something earlier that made him angry at me and I can only imagine how you will react to this, but here goes. This wasn't the first time Jason has hit me. In school, he was insanely jealous that I had other guys for friends and he actually forbid me to talk to any other guy besides him. Of course that did sit well with me and we argued back and forth about it until he hit me. I couldn't believe he had turned into such an angry and violent person, but I was young and in love and thought it was my fault. I stayed with him for another month until we broke up."
"Did you ever tell anyone what he did? You don't just go around hitting and beating women," Christian says and I raise an eyebrow at him.
"Yes, yes, I know. The irony isn't lost on me. What I used to do was different. I was with like-minded women and it was consensual. You don't hit women with your fist is what I meant to say." Christian gets crazy when he feels he isn't in control of a situation. I know he felt out of control after Taylor told him what happened.
Christian takes my hands and holds them up to his lips to kiss. Christian suddenly looks down as something has caught his eye. I see Maggie has come out from under the bed. She is sitting in front of Christian looking at him with her head cocked to one side checking him out.
"What's that?" Christian points.
"A dog. You know, has four legs and barks." Christian rolls his eyes at me.
"Really, Linda. I had no idea you could be so sarcastic." I giggle.
"This is Maggie, my dog. Remember, I told you about her. Christian bends down to get a closer look at my silver Toy Poodle. Maggie backs away from him a little and sits back down, still staring at him trying to figure out who the hell he is. I have to giggle. This scene is quite funny. Christian and my dog: staring at each other. I reach down and pick her up.
"You can pet her, just go slow. She is just super protective of me."
"I think I will just look and not touch. I'm kind of attached to all of my fingers and I don't want to lose any." I laugh and shake my head. If I didn't know better, I would swear he was scared of her.
"Did you have any pets while growing up?" Christian shakes his head. I put Maggie down on the bed and she finds a comfortable spot and lies down.
"No, Mom and Dad didn't want anything with four legs. Mia had fish when she was little, but they all died a few days after she got them. Mia didn't realize that she had to feed them. She actually thought that our housekeeper would fix their meals," he laughs while remembering something funny about that experience.
"Before I forget, I got a call this afternoon from one of my band mates. It seems our presence has been requested to perform tomorrow night. I was hesitant at first but he talked me into it. It's 9:00 pm at the Blue Rose. I hadn't expected you coming to Oklahoma when I agreed to do it. Now I'd really like to get out of it."
"Why? I heard you sing a little on the radio when I was listening to your interview. You have an awesome voice, Linda. Just because I'm here don't change your plans. I'd really like to hear you. That way, I can tell people that I sleep with a rock star." I roll my eyes at him. He narrows his and is staring at me. Uh-oh. Christian walks towards me and is looking right through me.
"You know how I feel about eye rollers. I may have to punish you for it." My stomach muscles tighten at the thought as well as other muscles.
"We'll see about that. Let's go back downstairs. I'm thirsty and I need to let Maggie out." Christian nods and we head downstairs. I actually feel comfortable having him here with me in my home, but I also feel a little guilty. I know it's silly but I don't want to disrespect Steve's memory. Once we are downstairs, we find Luke and Taylor talking in the kitchen as they are fixing themselves a snack. Luke tells me that he talked to Taylor about security for tomorrow night.
"Taylor called the manager of the Blue Rose a while ago and they will have their security available but Taylor wants to bring in a few more just to be safe." Christian speaks up.
"Bring in as many as you think necessary. I want her safe if that fucker Jason Morgan should show up. I'd actually like for him to show his face so I can rearrange it for him." Jason would be an idiot to show up. Christian would kill him with one punch.
"Let's not talk about him. I'm going out to the backyard with Maggie. I'll be back in just a little bit." I put Maggie down and she runs to the back door and we go outside. I half expected someone to come with me, but all three stay inside and talk. I pull out one of the lawn chairs and sit down. I'm actually by myself for a little while.
CHRISTIAN POV
Now's the time to have that heart to heart talk with Luke. Taylor steps back but remains in the kitchen.
"Luke, Mrs. Morrison wants to take the blame for what happened to her. She really defended you to me upstairs a little while ago. But you knew better than to let her go somewhere without protection. I don't care if she felt safe or not, she isn't to go anywhere by herself, do I make myself clear? You ought to thank your lucky stars that you're not out of a job right now. Mrs. Morrison saved your ass. But one more fuck up and it's adios. Do you understand?" Linda should have been in here to hear me. She would be proud that I didn't scream or bite his head off any worse than I did. God, have I changed that much?
"Yes, sir. I understand and thank you. It won't happen again."
"Damn right it won't." I feel my cell vibrate. I pull it out of my pocket and it's an e-mail from Welch. He has sent me the more detailed background check on Morgan, as well as a current address for him. I'm reading it over when I stop at the section of Arrests.
"It seems our little friend Morgan was arrested last year for assault and battery against a 22 year old female, but he was never formally charged because the girl recanted her story. He obviously has a violent past. There is even a picture attached." I open up the attachment and I cringe. This poor girl's face is all black and blue. Two black eyes, bruises and cuts on her face, a busted lip, as well as a fractured jaw.
"Look at this, Luke. This could have easily happened to Mrs. Morrison. Thank God it didn't go any further than it did. She was lucky, very lucky." Luke and Taylor study the picture and they both wince. Luke looks like he is about to throw up.
Linda comes back inside with Maggie trailing behind her. I'll have to admit she is kind of a cute dog. I also realize that I have not heard her bark. That's the best kind of dog to have: seen and not heard.
"Come here. I want to show you something. I got a more detailed background check on Morgan and this is what came back." I show her what the background check said and then showed her the picture. Her eyes go wide.
"I know this girl. She is the daughter of someone we went to school with. She is more than half his age. I guess he wanted to prove that he still had the ability to charm the pants off of someone. I feel so bad for her." Linda looks at the picture a while longer then hands it back to me.
"See, this is the reason you can't ever be by yourself again. I don't want this happening to you. I'd die if anyone hurt you like this. I still have half a notion to hunt Morgan down and give him a taste of his own medicine."
"Leave it alone, Christian. He isn't worth the time. I haven't shown you the house yet. Want a tour?" Linda holds her hand out to me and I take it. This is her distraction technique. I know she doesn't want to talk about what happened anymore. After showing me around the house, we are back in the living room.
"I'm going to go in the office and look over some music for tomorrow night and make up a set list. I shouldn't be more than an hour," Linda says.
"Alright. I can unpack and irritate Luke and Taylor while you work." I give her a quick kiss and she turns and heads toward the office. I noticed the framed music by the door. He wrote their wedding march? How can I compete with that in the romance department? I've going to have to learn how to do hearts and flowers.
I start to go upstairs when I notice Maggie is trying to follow me. She stops, sits down and cocks her head to the side looking at me.
"Come on." I walk up a few steps when I look back and she is still sitting at the bottom of the stairs. What the hell? I go back down and she turns away from me and looks over her shoulder at me with the look like "You're supposed to know what to do". What the hell is she doing? Good grief. I bend down and pick her up and look at her. She doesn't weigh anything at all. She wanted me to pick her up. Con artist.
"Look Miss Maggie, we might as well get to know each other since I'm going to be around." She is starting to shake in my arms. I put her down and she immediately goes to a door that is shut and sits in front of it and scratches at it. We walked past this room earlier but Linda didn't tell me what it was. I try the door knob and it turns and I open the door. Maggie runs in and immediately jumps up on the bed and lies down. I know what room this is now. As I'm looking around, I notice all of the pictures. Linda has hardly changed. Looking at some of the pictures closer, you can tell she and Steve did a lot together and were in love. This really doesn't feel right being in here without Linda. I need to get the little flea bag and leave.
"Come on dog. We need to get out of here," I call out to Maggie and she sits back up and turns her back to me again. This dog is too smart for her own good. I'm on to her little game. When she wants to be picked up, she spins around on her butt and has her back to you. She definitely has her owner wrapped around her little paw. I guess you can add me to the list as well. I pick her up and we head back to the guest bedroom.
After unpacking, I scoop up little miss con artist and go back downstairs. I saw something earlier on my tour that I want to look at closer: the grand piano in the living room. I sit down on the bench and open the keyboard lid. It's a Kurtzmann. This thing is incredibly old. It has to be at least from the early 1920's. I play a few notes and inspect it closer. Cosmetically, it is in rough shape, but it plays and sounds great. I press the soft pedal and start to play Mozart's Sonata in A Major. The action is really good for such an old piano and it's definitely in tune. Taylor and Luke walk in and they are looking at me funny. What the fuck did I do now?
"Why are the two of you looking at me like that? You've heard me play piano before."
"Sir, forgive me, it's just that what we are used to hearing you play is sad and mournful, sometimes throat-slitting. We thought Mrs. Morrison was playing because she always plays happy music," Taylor says with a smirk on his face.
"For your information, I don't always play throat-slitting music, as you have called it. I am capable of playing much more than what you have always heard me play. I stick to what I like and what I know." I roll my eyes at the two of them and they shake their heads. I guess I'm predictable.
LINDA POV
I'm sitting here at the desk looking over the list of songs we have performed before and I'm not feeling any of them. I think it's time I came up with a new list. I pull out my Ipod, put the earbuds in and search for some new material. I think a little mix of Motley Crue, Carrie Underwood, Adam Lambert, Jennifer Lopez, and The Band Perry ought to give the right amount of entertainment. I really wish now I would have said no to singing tomorrow night, or I could have said find someone else to sing and you guys go on without me. But I've made my bed, now I must lay in it.
I look at the list one more time and I'm satisfied. All of a sudden, I hear the piano playing. I know that piece. It's Mozart's Sonata in A Major. I guess Christian decided to sit down and try out our piano. A friend of ours told us about a church that was closing and that they had this really old grand piano for sale. We drove over and took a look at it. It's a 1928 Kurtzmann. It's the smallest grand piano there is. It was obviously treated like a furniture piece since it has a few faint glass rings and some scratches, but it plays very well. We got the thing for $500 and we moved it ourselves. It was a gift from me to Steve as a housewarming present.
It really is nice that Christian is here. I honestly had no idea he was even planning on coming to Oklahoma after his business was finished in Chicago. I never did ask him how the acquisition went. I guess my obvious sign would have been him being in a foul mood. How did I get so lucky to meet a guy like Christian? I've never been one to believe in fate, but I often think I was meant to meet him for a reason. Even with his intense mood swings, his brooding and his temper, he really is a sweet and gentle man. He doesn't like for people to see that side of him too often because he thinks people will see him as being weak, when that is so far from the truth.
I wrap up my set list and e-mail it to Bill for his approval. If he doesn't like it, tough shit. He is the one that wanted this gig and he will just have to put up with what I want to sing. I walk out of the office and head towards the living room. What I see makes me giggle and smile.
CHRISTIAN POV
After playing the piano, I look down and Maggie is sitting next to the bench staring at me again with her head leaning sideways.
"Alright dog. What's your deal? Why do you keep looking at me like I'm a freak or something? You're really creeping me out." I stand and go in the kitchen to open a bottle of wine and guess who is on my heels again? I look up and see Linda standing near the piano trying to look contrite, but failing.
"Are you laughing at me, Mrs. Morrison? This dog, if you can call it that, has been following me all over the fucking house staring at me." Linda walks towards me biting her lip trying very hard not to laugh at me.
"Christian, she doesn't have a clue who you are. She is just trying to figure you out. But in all honesty, I think she is looking and staring at you trying to find her daddy somewhere in that persona of yours. Take it as a compliment. You have been able to pick her up and pet her from the start. It usually takes her a while to feel comfortable around strangers."
"I'm a grown man for fuck's sake and I'm creeped out by her sitting and staring at me." I walk back into the living room with two glasses of wine and motion for Linda to join me on the couch. Just before Linda makes it to the couch, that little shit runs ahead of her, jumps up on the couch and sits down next to me. Linda sits down on the other end of the couch. Now I have to fight for the affection of my woman with this little bitch of a dog. Linda cracks up laughing again. I just stare at her and raise an eyebrow.
"I'm glad you find this amusing, Mrs. Morrison. How the hell do I get rid of her? Lock her in a room? Put her in the basement?" Those remarks won't win me any points. Hell, I may be the one in the doghouse. If there is one, I'm sure it's never been used by this little four legged beast.
"No, she won't be locked up anywhere. She just wants to be with us. Here, let me move her to the other side of me then we can have some time to ourselves. Get used to it while we are here. Wherever I go, she is right with me."
We are turned to each other on the couch and drinking our wine. We are just staring at each other in silence, wondering what the other is thinking. I put my glass down on the coffee table and take Linda's wine glass from her and put it down next to mine. I pull her close to me and put a hand on her cheek, stroking it with my thumb. As I look into those amazing emerald green eyes, I get lost in thought. I want to talk to her about going away with me. We haven't gone anywhere together for any length of time, other than Aspen, and I'm actually a little nervous about asking her. Oh for fuck's sake. I'm a grown man.
"Linda, you are one amazing person. With everything you have had thrown at you these past few months, it's a miracle you are holding it together as well as you are. With the concert two weeks from this weekend and then the start of school after that, I'd like to take you somewhere so you can relax and unwind. We could leave next Saturday and come back that following Tuesday or Wednesday. I'm not going to tell you where we are going, so don't even bother asking. I want it to be a surprise. How does that sound to you?"
"That sounds like a perfect idea, thank you. We haven't had much time together lately, I know. It's kind of exciting not knowing where you are taking me, but if I don't know where we will be going, how will I know what to pack?"
"I will have Mrs. Jones pack for you. You won't have to do anything but get on the jet with me." I'm rewarded with her beautiful smile and one of her hands is stroking my face. I love her touch. It means so much to me. I lean down to give her a soft kiss on those kissable lips and immediately the kiss deepens. I gently push her down on the couch and I'm immediately on top of her, my lips never leaving hers. Her hands are gently rubbing my back over my shirt. I still tense up but not near as much as I used to.
"Let's go upstairs and continue this, shall we?" I stand and offer Linda my hands to help her up from the couch. I pull her to me to get a better look at her face. If I ever see that man, I will seriously kill that son of a bitch for putting his hands on her. I gently rub her face again where the bruises are.
"Please promise me that you will always be careful when we are apart. Let Luke do his job that he is paid to do. I dread even thinking about what happened to you today. You know how crazy my life is and how many people get pissed off at me. People know how important you are to me and will try to use you to get to me, but I won't let that happen. Just please be careful, okay?" I'm holding Linda's face in both of my hands while I'm staring into her eyes.
"I promise to be good. I almost forgot to ask you: how did the acquisition go in Chicago? Were there any problems?"
"At first they wanted to back out of the deal, but I politely reminded them that they couldn't go back on their word and we closed the deal. This plant can now start manufacturing parts for the shipyard in Seattle. It was vital that I get that plant and to get the next phase going of owning my own shipping company. It's a win-win for everyone," I smile thinking about how many people I can put to work on this project and also knowing that other jobs are secure."
"You are one amazing man, Christian Grey. You single handily want to rule the world, don't you?" That statement makes me laugh.
"Beats me being a tyrant, doesn't it?" I know, I know. The irony isn't lost on me.
"Yes, it does. Now, let's go upstairs. I thought you wanted to continue what we started down here? I know I do."
"You don't have to ask me twice." I laugh and pick Linda up and throw her over my shoulder again and head up the stairs. Maggie sprints to the stairs and stops in front of me.
"Maggie, I'm going to go violate your mother now. Is that okay with you?" That dog is actually listening to me. She leans her head sideways and her ears are standing straight up.
"Put me down and I will carry her up." I reluctantly put Linda down and she picks up the little rug rat and carries her up the stairs and puts her down at the top. Maggie quickly runs toward the bedroom.
"I think she likes you," Linda turns to me to say.
"Well the jury is still out if I like her. But she really isn't a bad dog. She obviously loves you a lot because she hasn't stopped following you around since I've been here. Why doesn't she like to walk up stairs by herself? I think she's just using you so you will pick her up. She obviously has you wrapped around her little paw." That dog is obsessed with Linda. I can't say anything: I am too.
"I don't have a clue why she is scared of stairs. She will go up one or two steps but if there are a whole bunch of steps, she freezes. My guess is she had a bad experience with some stairs at one time or another and is just scared of them."
"Ok, enough talk about the dog. It's time for us." I grab Linda again and put her over my shoulder and head off to the bedroom. I slide her down the front of my body slowly until her feet are back on the floor. We have a lot of time to make up for and I intend to get started right now. When we finally make it to the bedroom, I quickly shut the door and pull Linda into my arms and kiss her hard and passionately. She makes quick work of unbuttoning my shirt and tosses it on the floor. All of a sudden I feel her lips on my chest, kissing me up to my neck and back. This feels amazing and intense. We are soon lost in each other for the rest of the night.
LINDA POV
The next morning I wake up with Christian wrapped all around me. His large, muscular arm is draped across my chest, one of his legs is over my legs and his nose is buried in my hair. I wiggle slowly and gently out of his grasp and put on my clothes so I can take Maggie outside to do her morning business. I make my way downstairs and find Taylor in the kitchen making his morning pot of coffee.
"Good morning, Taylor. I hope you slept well," I say as he turns around and smiles.
"Good morning, Mrs. Morrison. I slept just fine thank you. This is such a nice and quiet neighborhood around here." I nod.
"It is very peaceful here. I miss it here, but I love Seattle as well. Is Luke up yet?" I ask as I am looking around.
"I don't think so. I heard him a couple of hours ago while he was on his morning rounds."
"I wanted to ask you about security for tonight. How many extra do you think you will need to have on hand? You don't think Jason would be stupid enough to try and show his face, do you?" World War III would break out if he did.
"I think we will only need 3 more. It's not that big of a place and doesn't warrant a large number of extra personnel. You know Jason better than all of us put together. Do you think he would be foolish enough to show his face? I would hope he doesn't for his sake. Mr. Grey will kill him if he sees him. By the way, how are you feeling today? Your face doesn't look too bad. I can still tell it's you," Taylor says and laughs. I roll my eyes and laugh.
"I'm glad you can tell. I don't know what's going on in Jason's mind and I really don't want to know. He is not the same man I knew all those years ago. He is much darker and angrier now. I'm not scared of him, but I just don't want to be put in the same situation again if possible. With you guys around, I know I will be safe. But I will tell you a secret. I would so like to give him a taste of his own medicine if I ever see him again."
"Let's hope you don't ever see him again." I nod and turn towards the door.
I open the back door and walk out to the backyard with Maggie so she can make her morning rounds. I pull up one of the lawn chairs and sit down. I miss being able to sit outside under a tree taking in the sounds of nature. I miss hearing the birds sing and watching butterflies fly by. They are just little things, but they matter. I have always enjoyed the simple, quiet life of Oklahoma and since moving to Seattle my life is anything but simple and quiet. Nothing about being with Christian Grey is simple and quiet.
Maggie takes care of her business and comes to me and curls up by my feet. All of a sudden someone covers my eyes and starts kissing my neck. I start softly laughing.
"I do hope that is you, Christian. It would be awkward if it was Taylor or Sawyer."
"Gosh, even in the early morning hours you are mouthy. There better not be anybody else kissing on your body. It's reserved for me and me only. Got that?" Christian asks as he goes back to kissing my neck and nibbles on my ear.
"Yes, sir. Got it. Are you ready for breakfast? I'm hungry."
"Are you sure I can't talk you into something else? I was thinking of having you for breakfast."
"Sorry to disappoint, but I really am hungry. What may I fix for you?"
"Anything is fine. I'm not picky." I look back at him and raise an eyebrow and chuckle.
"You are the pickiest person I have ever met. Don't even let on that you aren't. Your nose will grow."
"I know of something else that is growing right now." I roll my eyes and shake my head.
"The answer is still no. There is plenty of time for that later. Come on in and I will get breakfast started." Once back inside I head to the kitchen and start fixing breakfast. I've never cooked for three hungry men before. I know they eat Gail out of house and home.
Once breakfast is out of the way, I look at my cell phone and see that I have a missed call from Julie. It seems that my Saturday has just gotten a little busier. I have a photo shoot at 11:00 am for an article that Urban Tulsa Weekly wants to do on me and Julie has arranged for it to be at Woodward Park, which is near the house. Just what I need: more publicity. The interview is right after the shoot. The Tulsa World also wants to do a story on me as well. That interview is at 2:30 pm and Julie had it arranged to be here at the house. Good. I won't have to travel far for either. I also have a sound and stage check at 4:00 pm at the Blue Rose. I'm getting a headache thinking about all of this.
I called Susan and asked her to come over and help me pick out something to wear for the photo shoot as well as for tonight. I look out the front door and see her walking across the street towards my house with garment bags draped over her arms. She has a lot of cool clothes and we borrow from each other all the time. I open the door and let Susan in.
"I can't wait to see what is in these bags. I pulled some stuff I already had and surely we can put something together. Come on upstairs." Susan follows me and I know she is expecting to go to the guest bedroom but I surprise her when I open the door to the master bedroom and we go inside.
"You're alright being in this room, Linda?"
"I'm perfectly at peace, Susan. Coming back here has done me a world of good, well except for the Jason fiasco. But I really am at peace, Susan, for the first time in a very long time." Susan puts the bags down on the bed with my other things and gives me a hug.
"I knew you would pull it together sooner or later. But I think your mood can also be attributed to Christian being here. He is gorgeous! So did you guys do a lot of reconnecting last night?" I blush when she asks.
"By the way your face is 10 shades of red, I'd say yes, you did. I can tell he is really good to you." I nod.
"He is and I couldn't be any happier than I am right now. I could stand around all day talking about Christian, but let's put something together for this shoot and for tonight."
After 30 minutes, we have put together 2 outfits that will either get me in trouble with Christian or will get me in bed this evening with Christian. For the photo shoot, we decided on my Kara Lacks Black Tailcoat, Leather Leggings and Susan's contribution was her Aphrodite Black Leather Bustier. I also have my black Michael Kors Knee High Biker Boots.
"I better not look like a middle aged ho in the pictures, Susan."
"You won't, I promise. Put it on. Let's see what you look like!" Susan seems a little too eager today to play dress up with me, but I'll go along with it. I go into the bathroom and put everything on. When I look in the mirror, I don't recognize the person looking back at me. I'm not sure about this. I start to walk out and I see that Christian is in the room talking with Susan. When they see me, Susan immediately smiles and jumps up and down and Christian's eyes are open wide. Susan is the first to speak.
"You look HOT! We can straighten your hair a little more and add just a little eye liner and you will be good to go. Damn, you look good!" I roll my eyes. I still haven't heard a word out of Christian. He is still staring. He slowly walks over to me and twirls his finger, telling me to turn around for him. I turn completely around and I'm facing him again. Christian leans into me and whispers in my ear so Susan can't hear him.
"I so want to take you back to our room and fuck you senseless right now. You look so hot." Christian kisses my cheek and stands back to look at me again. Now I feel like I'm 50 shades of red.
"You don't think it's too much?" Christian shakes his head.
"No, not at all. I mean, you have all of the good parts covered. I don't want anyone else to see what belongs to me. You really do look good." No, of course not. We wouldn't want anyone to see anything.
"So what will you wear tonight? I think you should wear this as well." Christian says. I trust his judgment. He always dresses like he has stepped out of a high fashion magazine.
"Susan is letting me borrow her River Road Biker Jacket for tonight." I point to it on the bed and Christian nods his approval. He looks at his watch and says we need to get over to the park for the photo shoot.
"Christian, it's only 10:45 am. We are only 3 blocks away."
"I know, but Taylor and Luke need to do a sweep of the park before the shoot. That way we know you will be safe." It's still in the back of my mind that they all think Jason might pop up somewhere. He's not that stupid. I just nod in agreement and we all make our way downstairs. Taylor is the first to see me when I make my way down the stairs. He just smiles and nods his head. Luke on the other hand looks shocked that I would even wear anything like this. I just roll my eyes and walk out the front door and climb into the SUV. Susan is going with us as well and is sitting in between Christian and myself.
We arrive at the park and I see my other three partners-in-crime: Bill Sanders, Brad Johnson and Michael Hale. Luke opens my door and I step out and Bill is the first one to greet me. He gives me a bear hug and lifts me off of the ground. I see Christian isn't happy about that. Brad and Michael hug me as well.
"Christian, I'd like you to meet my friends." I introduce them to Christian and they all shake hands.
"It's nice to meet you, Christian. I know I can speak for the other guys when I say that we are glad Linda has someone taking care of her and is looking out for her. We were worried about her moving so far away. Thank you," Bill says while shaking Christian's hand again.
"Don't worry. I fully intend to take care of her." I'm standing back listening to Christian talk to the guys and watching Taylor and Luke do a security sweep of the area. After 10 minutes, they walk back over to Christian and let him know that everything is secure and no sign of Jason Morgan.
After 30 minutes, the photo shoot is over. We were photographed every which way: standing, kneeling, close-ups, individually, and full body shots. The photographer said he would send me a CD of the pictures tomorrow before we leave. Michael, the drummer, walks over to me and gives me another hug. He and Steve were best friends when they were in Junior High. I went to a different Junior High.
"How are you, really, Linda. I mean, on the outside, you look fantastic, but I feel like you are putting up a big front. Coming back here must be hard for you."
"It was at first, but it has gotten much easier. What helped a lot was Christian surprising me yesterday. I had no idea he was coming. He has been my rock."
"So is it serious between the two of you? I see the way he looks at you. He can't take his eyes off of you. Can't say that I blame him! You look good." I smack him on the arm. He is happily married and has a 7 year old daughter.
"Thanks. I love him and he loves me. I mean, we have only known each other since May. I'm not looking to get married anytime soon, if that is what you are hinting at. The subject has never come up. Does that answer your question?" Michael laughs and nods.
"Are you ready for the big concert in two weeks?" Michael asks.
"I think so. I've been on this press tour and it has taken away some of my practice time, but I'm ready for it to be over. I know I'm going to get more emotional and nervous the closer it gets to the concert. I just keep wishing Steve could be here." Michael pulls me in for another hug and I can feel him shaking. I pull away and he has a few tears around his eyes. He quickly wipes them away.
"We all miss Steve, Linda. He was our biggest fan and your groupie." I laugh at the groupie comment because it was true. All four of us talk a little while longer while waiting for the reporter from Urban Tulsa Weekly to arrive. When she finally arrives, she walks us up to a picnic table to have the interview. Christian, Taylor and Luke watch from a distance. She asked whose idea it was to form the band, how many concerts have we done, and how we have stayed friends for all these years. She asks a few more questions then wraps up the interview.
"You guys are welcome to come back to the house. I thought I'd make my famous Chicken Tacos for lunch." Bill said they would love to but they are going to start moving equipment to the Blue Rose.
"Okay. Your loss. I will see you guys this afternoon at 4:00 pm." They head back to their cars and take off. I walk back down to Christian who pulls me in for a kiss. His lips are so soft and strong.
"How did the interview go?" I nod.
"It was good. She said the story will be run this week and that a copy would be sent to me. She asked a ton of questions. Hopefully it will be a good article."
"Since you are the subject matter, it will be a good article. Don't worry about it. Have I told you lately that I love you?" I giggle thinking about a song with the same title.
"Quoting songs now, Mr. Grey? I didn't think that was your style."
"Rod Stewart doesn't have anything on me. Come on. Let's get back to the house." Christian takes my hand and we walk back to the SUV. Just as we get inside, I look up and see in the distance a car that looks eerily similar to Jason's. I see someone sitting inside but I can't make out the face. I'm either paranoid or my eye sight is going bad. Either way, I keep quiet on the ride back to the house.
"I'm going to run up and peel myself out of these clothes and then I will make us some lunch. How do Chicken Tacos sound? I'm famous for them." Eight hungry eyes in unison look at me. Susan tells the guys that they really are good and they will not be disappointed.
I come back down from changing clothes and motion for Susan to join me in the kitchen. We are getting things ready to fix lunch when I quietly tell her what or who I thought I saw.
"Did you tell Christian? If it was him, he is definitely stalking you. I'm sure he is still pissed about being kicked in the nuts."
"No, I didn't say anything because I'm not entirely sure it was him. I mean, it looked like his old Camaro from a distance. It was probably just my imagination. Let's just forget about it and finish fixing lunch."
"Okay. But I still think you should at least tell Christian what you thought you saw." I look at Susan and quietly tell her to drop it. Christian wanders into the kitchen and wraps his arms around my waist as I'm cutting up the chicken.
"I rather like you barefoot and in the kitchen," Christian says while kissing my neck and playing with my ear.
"Quit. That tickles. I'm trying to concentrate here and you're a distraction." Christian laughs.
"I've never been told I'm a distraction before. That's a first. Alright, I'll leave you alone, for now." Christian swats me on the backside, making me jump, then walks out of the kitchen. Susan joins me at the counter again cutting up the tomatoes, onions, and shredding the lettuce.
"By the look in Christian's eyes and yours, you guys are madly in love with each other. I was watching him while we were at the photo shoot and he couldn't take his eyes off of you, not even for a second. You two are definitely made for each other. I'm so happy for you," Susan says.
"So you approve?" Susan smiles and nods.
"Thanks. I really am happy. I still can't believe that in two weeks I will be living out a life-long dream."
"Me either. What if after the concert you get an offer to play professionally. Will you take it or will you still teach preschool?"
"I don't know. I haven't really thought about it much. I was asked that question recently in an interview and I said I wasn't sure, but if the right offer came along, I would definitely consider it. We'll just have to wait and see." We finish the prep work for the tacos and I put the chicken and seasonings in the skillet. 15 minutes later we are all sitting at the dining room table eating lunch. Christian takes a bite and smiles.
"Damn woman, these are really good. You really are a good cook. I think you should teach Gail how to make these." Coming from him, that is a compliment.
Later in the day, the Tulsa World reporter comes by the house to interview me. He wanted to do a story on how Steve and I met, our lives together, the accident and my move to Seattle. It was a little difficult to get through at times, but all in all, it will be a really nice story. He also took some pictures of me with my clarinet, sitting at the piano, and one with me sitting in a chair looking out the window to use in the article as well. He says the article will run in tomorrow's paper.
We leave the house at 3:30 pm and drive to the Blue Rose for the sound and stage check. Bill, Michael and Brad already have their gear set up and are ready to go. I'm really nervous. We haven't performed in front of a crowd for almost a year but what has me nervous is singing in front of Christian. I know it's stupid to feel this way but I just don't want to disappoint him.
This sound check is going to be very important because The Blue Rose was recently renovated and Bill is worried that the acoustics may be different from the last time we played here. The venue is a little larger than the old one and we will need to adjust for the added audience. This is all so technical and frankly very boring to me, but I have to be professional and go with the flow. So I pull on my big girl pants and cooperate.
"Ok, Linda. We now need to set your vocal levels. Pick a song that you won't be performing tonight that shows your highs and lows of your range as well as varied dynamics," Chris, our technician shouts from the back of the venue. Christian, Taylor and Luke are back there as well. I know which song to sing to give Chris what he needs. Bill and I a few years ago put together a list of the songs we like to sing and numbered them. Lower numbered songs were the ones we loved and the higher numbered songs were the ones we still liked, but didn't perform much.
"Ok, Chris. I'm going with number 8 on our list." I see him smile and nod. I can see Christian trying to look over Chris's shoulder at the list, but isn't having any luck. I start to sing Adam Lambert's "Underneath".
Strip away the flesh and bone
Look beyond the lies you've known
Everybody wants to talk about a freak
No one wants to dig that deep
Let me take you underneath.
Chris has adjusted the lights inside and it is dimly lit. It's always hard when you are on stage and you can't see the audience very well.
Baby, better watch your step
Never mind what's on the left
You're gonna see things you might not wanna see
It's still not that easy for me underneath
The chorus has a really powerful message.
A red river of screams
Underneath
Tears in my eyes
Underneath
Stars in my black and blue sky
And underneath
Under my skin
Underneath, the depths of my sin
Look at me
Now do you see?
I can just make out the faces Christian, Taylor and Luke in the back. This is a side of me that they have never seen, or frankly, heard before. I guess it's good for a girl to have some secrets kept until she is ready to reveal them. Christian's expression is a little hard to read. He just looks frozen.
Welcome to my world of truth
I don't wanna hide any part of me from you
I'm standing here with no apologies
Such a beautiful release
You inside of me.
Christian has now walked away from the back of the room and is leaning against the wall. The song is building more at this point and I can really stretch my vocal chords.
A red river of screams
Underneath
Tears in my eyes
Underneath
Stars in my black and blue sky
And underneath
Under my skin
Underneath, the depths of my sin
Look at me
Now do you see?
Underneath, underneath, underneath...
Underneath, Underneath
When I first heard this song, for some reason it spoke to me in a way no other song has done. It's just a powerful message that builds and builds and at the end it just fades away slowly. It really reminds me of making love.
Welcome to my world of truth
A red river of screams
Underneath
Tears in my eyes
Underneath
Stars in my black and blue sky
And underneath
Under my skin
Underneath, the depths of my sin
Look at me
Now do you see?
Underneath, underneath, underneath
Look at me
Do you see?
Yeah yeah yeah yeah!
When the song is over, Chris flashes me his smile of approval and claps, as well as everyone else.
"We got it, Linda. That was the absolute fucking best you have ever sounded. Where did all of that energy and power come from? You dug down deep, girl. Good job. That's a wrap. See you all back here at 8:15 pm." I know where it all came from and I know he is here in spirit.
Christian has made his way up to the stage, walking slowly, and stops right in front of me. Without saying a word, he takes my head in his hands and kisses me right in front of everyone. This is not just any kiss. This is the Christian Grey special "I-Must-Have-You-Right-Now-Kiss." When he breaks the kiss, he has left me breathless. I finally regain my composure and speak.
"I take it you liked the song? Are you surprised that you have seen another side of me that you didn't know about?"
"I'm not surprised at anything you do, Linda. You took my breath away with that song. You got me right here." Christian takes my hand and puts it over his heart that is practically jumping out of his chest.
"Thanks. I dug down deep for that one. I was really nervous letting you hear me sing. I just wanted to please you and make you proud of me."
"Baby, I'm so fucking proud of you. I want to show you off to anybody and everybody that you are MINE." He kisses me again and then we start hearing throat-clearing behind us. Christian breaks the kiss then puts his forehead on mine.
"Get a room you guys. Geez." Michael says and everyone starts laughing. I just look at him and shake my head. Michael walks over and gives me a big hug and whispers in my ear: "I know where all of that power and energy came from. He's here with us and he is so proud of you." I look up at Michael, smile, and nod my head in agreement.
Christian takes my hand and we walk off stage and meet Taylor and Luke who are walking towards us. Both Taylor and Luke are smiling.
"You are unbelievable, Mrs. Morrison. That was really good," Taylor says. Luke nods in agreement.
"Thanks. That means a lot to me. I think I'm ready to head back to the house to rest up for this evening. Let's go." Taylor and Luke lead us to the exit, but not before Chris walks up and hands me an envelope.
"Someone dropped this off for you earlier. Sorry. I forgot to give it to you when you got here." I take it from him and look at it. My name is hand-written on the outside. I open it up and read the note inside and I immediately feel sick. Christian notices my reaction and takes the note from me.
"FUCKING SON OF A BITCH! I'm going to kill him!" Taylor and Luke take the note from him and look at it. It's from Jason. It says: "You looked really good in all black earlier today. You will look better naked in my bed. See you soon, my love. J"
I knew that had to be him when I saw a car like his driving through the park during and after the photo shoot. I know for a fact now that he is delusional and has completely lost his mind.
"How did you get this letter?" Christian is asking Chris.
"Someone came in earlier today and gave it to one of the waitresses. They were told to make sure it was given to Linda in front of, and I quote, "The Three Stooges".
"Who is this waitress? I want to talk to her. Is she still here?" Taylor steps in to ask. Chris says she is still here and takes us to her. Luke looks like he is ready to kill someone. All of us follow Taylor to find this waitress. Chris points to a brunette standing at the bar.
"Excuse me. But what can you tell us about the person that gave you this note earlier today? What did they look like?" The waitress proceeds to tell us that it was a man, mid to late 40's, and was tall and blonde. She just described Jason. Taylor thanks her and we head out to the SUV to go back home. Christian is on the phone, talking very loudly.
"Welch. I want you to try and access the traffic cameras here in Tulsa and track the movement of Jason Morgan. You already have his tag number and the make and model of car he drives. Let me know what you find ASAP." Christian ends the call.
"Can Welch really do that? That sounds illegal to me." Christian nods.
"Look, let's just ignore him. He only did that to rile you up and he succeeded. He won't be stupid enough to show his face anywhere we are. He has to know he will get his ass handed to him if he does. Just drop it, for me. Please? I just want to enjoy what time we have left here."
"Linda, I can't let this go. He hit you for fucks sake. He put his hands on someone that I love and no one gets away with that." Christian strokes my face and is looking deep into my eyes.
"Then let's just call the police and let them handle it. Yes he hit me and he should be dealt with for that, but he didn't do anything illegal with the letter. It was just an attempt to upset us." When we arrived back at the house, Taylor called the police and they said they will send someone out to take my statement. 45 minutes later the police have come and gone and I have filed charges against Jason for Assault and Battery. They also informed us that the girl he assaulted last month has come forward and has filed charges as well. I hope I got through to Christian that I don't want him to go after Jason.
After resting for an hour and Christian taking us out to dinner at The Wild Fork in Utica Square, we make our way back to The Blue Rose. Christian invited Susan to come along with us to dinner and she is going to help me get dressed. When we get to The Blue Rose at 8:15, the parking lot is already full. "You've got to be kidding me" is what is going through my mind at the moment. But when we get inside, I realize that this isn't the typical crowd. Taylor informs me that the owner has closed the place to the public tonight and only family and close friends have been invited. That settles me down because that minimizes the chances of Jason showing up and making a scene. I breathe easier at that thought.
9:00 pm rolls around and the show is about start. We are going to open with The Band Perry's "Done". The stage is dark and we are standing there waiting. With one hit on the cymbal, Bill, Brad and I jump off of the drum platform and the lights come on and we start the song. It's a great song with a driving beat. You can really move around a lot with the song and have fun with it. Seeing all of our friends and some family members in the audience, I realize I have missed this. It feels surreal being up on stage after being away from it for so long. Everyone is having a great time clapping, jumping and singing along. I can just make Christian in the back at the sound board with Chris. Taylor is on one side of the stage and Luke is on the other. I notice they are scanning the crowd constantly. When we have finished the first song, Bill takes over as the emcee tonight.
"I'd like to take a second and welcome back to Tulsa a close and dear friend of mine. I think you know her. Please welcome back, Linda Morrison." He then points to me. I'm so going to kill him for that, but I know he is just doing it out of love. The rest of our set included Motley Crue's "Dr. Feelgood", Carrie Underwood's "Blown Away" and "Flat on the Floor", Adam Lambert's "If I Had You" and at the last minute we decided to add Jennifer Lopez's "On the Floor". When we did "On the Floor", I was sure Christian would blow a gasket because of some of the dance moves. I could see him really watching me and his face didn't show much. No smile, no scowl, just nothing. He was just watching, but I'm sure I'll hear about it later.
After the show was over and I had a chance to sit down and drink a couple of bottles of water, some of my close friends came up to welcome me back, congratulate me, and or give their condolences about Steve. Luke makes his way to the stage to watch the crowd but he also whispers to me "great job". We smile and wink at each other as I go back talking to my friends. When the crowd has thinned, Christian, Susan, and Taylor join Luke by the stage. Of course some of my friends want to meet Christian. I know which ones to introduce him to and which ones to keep him away from.
I feel a big weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I have been worried about this concert since yesterday but it turned out really well. Also, we didn't have any sighting of Jason. That was the biggest relief of all. I was worried he would try to invite himself along with someone and get in, but security had his picture and was on the lookout for him. After telling Bill, Michael and Brad goodbye, Christian leads me over to the SUV and ushers me inside and immediately locks the doors.
"What are you doing? Where are the others?" I ask Christian looking at him and noticing that certain look in his eye. No, not here.
"I couldn't wait until we got home to do this," he grabs me, pushes me to the window inside the SUV and kisses me hard and possessive like. My hands are in his hair, grabbing him and pulling him to me and our tongues are doing their usual dance in our mouths. He quickly unzips my jacket and has his hands on each side of my breasts, running his hands up and down. I quickly break the kiss.
"Christian. What's gotten into you? We can't do this here. Wait until we get back to the house."
"Baby, I can't help myself. You were awesome tonight and looked so damn hot up on stage. Just feel what you do to me." He takes my hand and places it on his hard erection.
"I'm glad I have that effect on you, but let's wait until we get home. Unlock the doors so everyone can get in," I ask and Christian sighing in frustration has me giggling. He reluctantly opens the doors and Taylor and Luke get up front and Susan is sitting in the back with us. Naturally she leans forward to get my attention and winks at me. I roll my eyes and sit back. The look that Christian is giving me could start a fire. I mouth "behave" to him and smile. He leans over and whispers in my ear, "When we get home, you're getting fucked in the bed, fucked standing up, and any other way I can think of. I want you so bad, baby." Of course what he said went straight to my groin.
When we arrive back at the house, I hug Susan bye and tell her to come over tomorrow afternoon so we can visit some more before I head back to the west coast. Once Susan is gone, I ask Luke if he wouldn't mind taking Maggie out before turning in and he nods. Christian then picks me up and throws me over his shoulder again and we head upstairs.
Once we are in the bedroom, Christian's mouth is immediately on mine, kissing me with intensity. He is unzipping my jacket slowly, slides it off of my shoulders and tosses it on the chair. He then has me sit down on the bed and he removes my boots and starts rubbing my feet. His hands are so strong and this feels so good that I don't want him to stop, but I know he has other plans. He has me stand again and slowly unzips my leather pants and pushes them down and helps me step out of them. Now all I'm left wearing is the leather bustier and my black lace underwear. A sexy smile forms around Christian's kissable mouth.
He quickly unbuttons his shirt and throws it on the floor. He kicks his shoes off then removes his socks. I then help him with his pants and push them down. He bends down to remove them and throws them over with his shirt on the floor. He puts a hand behind my neck and pulls me to him, claiming my mouth once again. He then slowly and methodically unzips my bustier and tosses it to the floor all the while still kissing me. I help divulge him of his boxer briefs and in turn he removes my panties and we stand before each other completely naked.
"First position is here," he says while pushing me to the wall. He picks me up and holds me against the wall.
"Wrap your legs around me baby and hang on tight. This will be hard and quick," Christian says just before he slams into me all at once. Oh my God. It's so deep this way. His rhythm is fast and punishing.
"Look at me. Look at my eyes. I want to see you. I want to watch you come," he says while breathing hard and fast, never letting up on the punishing rhythm he has set. I have no idea how long we have been at this pace, but I suddenly feel my muscles starting to tighten around Christian. I know I'm close.
"Christian….I think….I'm…." is all I get out before I can feel my body begin to shake and finally find my release. Christian keeps on for another few minutes before I see his face tighten and his eyes close tightly as I feel his release inside me. I'm already exhausted, but I know he still has other plans.
"Christian, that was…wow. I haven't come that hard before, ever. Words can't describe it," I say as I'm still trying to catch my breath. Christian looks pretty pleased with himself. His lips find mine again and he is kissing me with passion and determination.
"That was pretty spectacular. God, woman. What you do to me." Christian rests his forehead on mine as he is trying to regain his normal breathing. When we both have regained our composure, Christian then carries me over to the bed and places me on it and lays down beside me, touching my face with the back of his hand.
"Linda, I don't tell you enough how thankful I am to have you in my life. I couldn't love you any more than I do at this moment. You have brought such joy, passion, excitement, and most of all, love to my life. I'm so proud of your accomplishments and what you will be accomplishing in two weeks. I'm going to be the happiest person alive at that concert knowing that you are mine. I'm so proud to be able to tell people that we are a couple. You make me a better person. Without you, I would still be an angry control freak of a man who pisses people off," Christian then kisses me again with everything he has. He rolls me on my back and is on top of me, his hands are holding my head in place as he continues kissing me for what seems to be forever.
"Next position is right here," Christian says and he is soon entering me and moving slowly." He is setting a slow pace and I think he is sticking to it.
"Christian, please, faster," I say in a pleading voice.
"Oh, no, baby. This time will be slow. I need this slow. I want to feel your warmth. I love being inside you." The feeling is unbelievable. Christian really knows how to make love and how to make me feel loved.
The rest of the night is spectacular and Christian is soon asleep draped over me. I kiss him and whisper in his ear:
"I love you so very much. Good night baby."
A/N Don't forget to visit my Pinterest page! www dot pinterest dot com/ladymartin1965
Until next time!