Hello Lovelies,

Wishing you all a very happy new year's celebrations! I hope 2020 brings us all happiness, good health and plenty of love and kindness. It's been a difficult year for many of us, so fingers crossed better things are on the horizon.

I hope you enjoy this chapter. Since I started writing this story, I have been counting down to this chapter. It was a joy to write.

More coming soon!

Much Love,

Chelsea x

Reds77 – Thank you! I really love the place Ana and Christian are in now. They've reached a great milestone in their lives together, maybe there's a way to commemorate this somehow? I hope you like this chapter! Much Love x

SuzB – Thank you! I'm glad you liked it. Wishing you all the best for the new year! Much Love x

Iamdbomangmail – Thank you! I'm glad you're looking forward to the next part of the story. It's shaping up to be a good one! Much Love x

The working week was long and exhausting, packed with meetings and presentations, the end of July marking an incredibly busy period for SIP. Preparations for Christmas releases were already in full swing, deadlines starting to come out of my ears – as well as steam! There was so much to keep on top with, I had needed to bring work home with me on several nights.

It was the first Friday in August and I was glad to finally see the start of the new month. I hoped August was going to bring quieter, calmer moments into my life.

Christian picked me up from SIP at 5:30pm, determined to drag me from my desk for a much-needed weekend of peace. I breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing him, knowing I was minutes away from kicking off my shoes and slipping into sweats, ready to veg out for the next 48 hours. TV, junk food, the couch in the television room… they were calling my name -

Sadly, Christian had other ideas.

"It's our date night," he reminded me, shaking his head as he pulled me away from the bedroom. He turned me on the spot, spinning me into his waiting arms. "And don't even start grumbling about it. I know you're tired but this was your idea. We made a promise to each other."

I pouted at him.

He was right, of course. It was my idea.

I had been the one to suggest a weekly date night, something to fit into our routine to ensure we make time for us. Time to be a normal couple, to go out for dinner or see a movie. We had agreed that Fridays would be our night. No phones, no distractions. We shook on it and sealed the deal with a kiss.

Promises mean something to us. I didn't have it in me to break this one.

It was his turn to decide what we should do. Last week I had opted for something casual: a cheesy rom-com followed by takeout. He hated the movie but watched it anyway, his arm wrapped around my shoulders the entire time. He groaned as soon as the movie ended and we left the theatre, spending the better part of thirty minutes berating it. He said he would have preferred to stay at home and continuing working our way through the Harry Potter series. He was quite taken with the goings on at Hogwarts.

"Okay," I sighed, sinking into his chest. "Cosy night in?"

"Nope," he smirked. "We're going out."

"Of course we are," I nodded. Why was I expecting anything different? He loves any chance he can get to parade me on his arm. "Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise," he said. He leaned back and looked down at me, his devilish smile making my stomach twitch in anticipation. "I've got everything planned and ready. All you need to do is get dressed."

I frowned.

"How am I supposed to know what to wear if you're not going to tell me where we're going?"

"Wear whatever you want," he shrugged.

"Come on," I protested. "You need to tell me, or at least give me a clue. I can't turn up in jeans and a t-shirt if we're going somewhere nice, can I?"

"Nice is too subtle a word for where we're going," he mused.

"Christian," I huffed his name.

He stared at me, his lips pressed firmly together as his gaze narrowed. He was pondering his next move, assessing how much he can reveal without ruining his surprise.

"All I'll say is you should wear something you feel special in," he replied. "If it makes you feel confident and sexy, that's what you should wear."

"That's it?" I tilted my head. "That's all you're giving me?"

"Take it or leave it, baby," he shrugged again. "If it helps, I'll be wearing a suit."

"You always wear a suit when we go out," I rolled my eyes. "You're hardly ever out of one!"

"The Armani suit," he clarified, leaning in. His breath was warm on my cheek. "Vest. Black tie. Expertly tailored."

I cracked a broad grin.

That's my favourite suit.

It took me a little under an hour to get ready, my hair taking the most time to figure out and tame. I used a curling wand to add some waves, then decided against the look and pulled it back into a bun, leaving a few strands to linger around my face. It wasn't spectacular by any means, but it would do.

On the makeup front, I kept things simple: an extra coat of mascara, a whisper of blush over my cheeks, and a dusky rose lipstick. I matched my lips to my heels, the pink adding a splash of colour to my all-white attire. It had taken just a few minutes to choose my dress, it stood out to me as soon as I began rummaging through my side of the closet. I knew it would complement Christian's suit perfectly.

The cocktail dress fell to my knees, the hem uneven, giving off a floaty feel that was emphasised by its satin fabric. The top was close-fitted, darting seams exaggerating my slight curves. The lower half flared at my hips, the material shimmering as I turned this way and that as I checked myself in the mirror. I normally avoided wearing white, thinking it washes me out and clashes with my already pale skin, but there was an almost pearlescent texture to the dress that seemed to highlight my nature tones, rather than contrast with them.

Mia had slipped this new addition into my closet last week, assuring me it would be ideal for any upcoming occasions or events.

Date night is an occasion, right? Something to celebrate, even if my feet are screaming for a hot bath and a massage.

Grabbing my clutch, I left the bedroom and teetered over to where Christian was standing.

He was propped against the bar, fiddling with his phone. My knees weakened at the sight of him, that suit looking as gorgeous as ever on his lean body.

"Are you ready?" I asked, clearing my throat and finding my voice beneath the hot flush that had come over me.

He raised his head, his brows shooting up his forehead as he met my eye.

His mouth hung open wide.

"What?" I frowned. I peered down at my body. "Do I look okay?"

He peeled himself from the bar and dropped his phone into his jacket pocket, his eyes never leaving mine. He sauntered over, slow and steady, and circled me like prey.

"You look breath-taking," he exhaled. He caught me by the waist and hoisted me into his chest. His lips quickly sealed over mine. "So fucking beautiful."

My stomach fizzed with excitement.

"I'm not overdressed then?"

"No," he shook his head. "What you're wearing is perfect."

He kissed me once more before pulling away and taking another moment to study me from head to toe. He licked his lips and sighed, the sound oozing with pleasure and arousal.

Linking my arm with his, I let him escort me to the elevators.

"You're really not going to tell me where we're going?" I checked.

"Nope," he chuckled. "You can stop pestering because I'm not going to cave. You'll find out when we get there."

It was a short and familiar drive to our destination. I grinned the second I realised where we were heading.

The docks were as still as always, the Sound glistening underneath the amber sunset, rows of boats bobbing gently from side to side.

"You're not disappointed, are you?" Christian asked, a worrisome frown tweaking his brows. He squeezed my hand, nervously. "It's not underwhelming?"

"God no!" I laughed, shaking my head. "This is exactly where I want to be. It's just going to be the two of us?"

"Definitely. I'm not sharing you with anyone else tonight."

His shoulders relaxed and we made our way down the long stretch of deck, approaching his anchored yacht at the far end. The Grace waved serenely, inviting us in with the twinkling lights hanging between the sails.

He stepped on first and quickly turned, hands outstretched.

"Permission to come abroad?" I saluted before placing my palms in his.

"Permission granted," he smirked.

I climbed onto the boat and stood in awe of my surroundings. It was stunning. The epitome of romance.

Red petals were scattered all over the deck, leading over to a thick sapphire blanket that was spread out on the floor, to the left of the navigation station. White velvet cushions kept the blanket in place, though there was only a slight breeze in the air.

There were small vases dotted around on various surfaces, each flickering with a cream tealight candle. Whiffs of jasmine and rose enveloped us.

"I thought we could sail out into the middle of the Sound, drop anchor and then have dinner?" he proposed, walking me over to the blanket. "I've got everything on board."

"Sounds great," I smiled.

"And maybe afterwards we can curl up here and look at the stars?"

My cheeks bunched with another grin.

"We did that on our first date," I muttered, more to myself than to him.

"I know," he nodded.

The memory of that night was etched into my mind.

Everything about that night was dreamlike. It was the night we decided to reach a compromise and try our best to make whatever we had between us work. He wanted his contract. I wanted a relationship. And neither of us wanted to give up our own expectations, but we were open minded enough to explore each other's. Little did we know, just five months later, we would be back here, madly in love and committed to one another.

Life was so different back then.

My life was so different before Christian came along.

"That was my first date ever," he said bluntly. "You were my first."

"I'm glad to hear it," I hummed. I hooked my hands in the bottom of his spine as I hugged him. I reached up and kissed him. "I like the fact I was your first."

"My one and only," he whispered.

Christian wasn't prepared to let me do anything, tonight all on him.

He quickly shifted from captain to chef, hustling into the kitchenette to fix our dinner.

Granted, he hadn't prepared any of it himself - all he had to do was put it in the oven and plate up - but it was a difficult task for him all the same. I stood in the doorway, watching him scurry around, cursing loudly, a deep line creasing his sweaty forehead.

"It'll be ready in about five minutes," he shouted over to me. He dropped a pan on the counter and grumbled. "Maybe ten minutes. I'm not actually sure… For fuck's sake, I'm going to give Mrs Jones a raise. This cooking shit is fucking hard work."

I folded my arms and leaned into the doorway.

"You know, you could always let me help," I said. "Many hands make light work."

"No," he refused. "Absolutely not."

"Why not?"

"Because tonight is about me spoiling you."

"You're always spoiling me."

"And?" He glimpsed over to me, his brow arched. "It's my right, duty and god damned privilege to spoil you. You deserve it."

"So do you," I shot back. "I want to spoil you, too."

"You spoil me simply by loving me. That's more than enough."

I could have dropped to my knees there and then, the muscles in my legs turning to jelly.

He wiped his hands on a towel and ambled over, his hips and shoulders swaying with the ease and fluidity of his movements. He reached into his back pocket and removed his phone.

"There is one thing you can do," he said, his eyes dropping to his phone for a moment. From nowhere, music started playing from the speakers on the wall. "Dance with me?"

"I thought you're busy cooking dinner?"

"It can wait," he shook his head. "Just one song?"

He took me in his hold and led me back onto the deck.

The music was soft at first, so delicate and light it took me a few seconds to figure out what song he had selected. As the realisation hit, shivers trickled over my skin.

Nat King Cole's dulcet tones serenaded the both of us, When I Fall in Love bringing us together into a gentle, soft sway. Not quite a waltz. Just two bodies letting the music pass through them.

"I love this song," Christian whispered in my ear, his hand pressing deep into my back, pulling me closer into his chest. "I hear it and I think of you."

"Same," I mumbled from somewhere behind the lump forming in my throat.

I had chosen this song to play on our first date.

He was busy fixing dinner then too, when he handed me his phone to choose some music to lighten the mood. I had scrolled through the vast collection on his playlist before eventually settling on Nat King Cole. I'd always felt an affinity with his music, his voice touching my soul in ways no other artist ever has.

There was a reason he had chosen this song, this moment, this location for our date.

He wanted me to remember.

Remember where we started and how far we have come.

"I remember," I breathed.

"Remember, what?"

"Everything…"

After dinner we settled down on the blanket, flat on our backs, gazing up at the inky sky. I rested my head against his chest, curling into his side.

"There isn't a single cloud in the sky. It's so beautiful tonight."

"Not as beautiful as you," he murmured. I felt him press a kiss to my temple. I tilted my head up, just in time to catch a kiss on the lips. "You, my darling, are beautiful inside and out."

"You need your eyes testing," I snorted.

"No, I think you do," he protested. "You don't see what I see. You only see the flaws – or rather, the flaws you seem to think exist. You can't see all of the incredible things I see each and every day. Your kindness, your integrity, your determination… It isn't skin deep for me, Ana. It never has been."

My throat closed, becoming dry.

"I'm so lucky to have met you," he continued. "I don't know what or who brought us together that day, but I am grateful all the same. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd ever meet someone who makes me feel the way you do."

"I –"

"I feel alive. For the first time ever, I can actually feel something other than anger and fear."

"Christian…"

"I feel strong because of you. I feel like I can face anything now, regardless of how hard it might be. I don't have to worry about the consequences, don't need to worry about the outcome because one thing is always going to stay the same."

I stared up into his dark eyes, his gaze penetrating deeply into mine.

"You're always going to be there for me. Next to me," he smiled. "I won't lie, I still spend every day worrying that I'm going to lose you somehow, but I'm confident in the knowledge you wouldn't leave me by choice."

"Never," I slowly shook my head.

"I know nothing can tear us apart," he nodded. "We've fought evil and come out the other side happier, stronger, more in-tune than ever. Because we bring out the best in each other."

I silently agreed with him.

"You've brought out the best in me," he grinned. "You have brought light to my darkness. I saw the buoyancy in you the second we met. I saw your goodness, your purity, my redemption… I was attracted to you because I saw hope, but I fell in love with you because of who you are. Because you're my Ana."

He brought his left hand to my cheek and gently stroked the back of his fingers across my burning skin.

"You didn't pretend to be someone you're not," he added. "You didn't put on any airs or graces, you didn't try to impress me. You were just you, right from the very beginning. You were Ana Steele. And that's exactly who you've remained."

He bent down and pecked a kiss to the tip of my nose.

"I know the last few months haven't been easy for us," he noted on a slightly more sombre note. "We've been to hell and back, and I think we'll probably face more challenges in the future. I have no doubt there will be more trouble on the horizon, but I'm not scared. I don't care who or what comes for us. As long as I have you by my side, I know I'll be okay. I know everything will be okay, in the end."

"We're a team," I nodded. "We face shit together."

"Always," he grinned.

Suddenly, he rose to his feet, his spine rigid and his frame tall.

His shoulders lifted with a deep breath and he spun around to stare down at me. With his palms open and facing up to the heavens, I reached up and placed my hands in his and allowed him to lift me to my feet.

I didn't know what was happening but I was happy to go along with it, no questions asked.

"There isn't anyone in the world I'd rather be with," he declared. "No one can make me feel the way you do. With you, I am happy, calmer… safe."

I opened my mouth to speak but he silenced me with a quick shake of his head.

"I want to feel this way forever," he said. He rolled his thumbs over mine. "I want to wake up next to you every morning and hold you while you sleep each night. I want to be the person you turn to when you need advice, support, comfort, or just someone to shout at because something has pissed you off… If you're happy, I'll laugh with you. If you're sad, I'll hold you while you cry. If you fall, I'll catch you."

The back of my eyes stung, my lower lip starting to wobble.

"My whole world starts and ends with you," he shrugged. He gulped hard and sucked in another deep breath. "Ana, I'm already the happiest man in the world, but there is one way you can make me even happier."

"Christian –"

He lowered to one knee, crouching in front of me, his head tilted up. He dropped my hands and reached into his pants pocket, and took out a small red box.

"You own me," he said. "I'm yours. Heart, body, soul – all of it belongs to you. But I'd like to make it official."

He cranked open the box and turned it towards me. A breath caught in my throat.

On a bed of black velvet, a platinum ring sparkled. A perfectly square diamond shone proudly in the centre of the band, hugged on either side by two smaller stones. All three diamonds were immaculate and glistening, the centre gem almost double the size of its sisters.

"Anastasia Steele," Christian breathed, his voice shaking. "Will you marry me?"

My gaze was fixed on the ring, my vision blurring as tears streaked down my face, thick and fast.

I nodded my head, a small giggle erupting from my mouth.

"Is that a yes?" he checked.

"It's a yes," I blurted. "Yes! Yes, I'll marry you."

He quickly pulled the ring from the box and slipped it onto my trembling finger.

"I love you," he sighed, blissfully. He jumped to his feet and hauled me into his chest, lifting me off the floor. "I love you so fucking much."

I pressed my lips to his, my salty tears mixing with the water beginning to escape his own eyes.

He held me in position for the longest time, his arms wrapped around my back, mine draped over his shoulders. Our breaths synced, our kisses rolling into one another. Neither of us were ready to break the moment, instead deciding to soak up every inch of the paradise we had found ourselves in. Time seemed to come to a standstill, just for us.