APOV
Waking up in Christian's arms was an experience I am never likely to expect, I felt the weight of his arms and legs crossing over my body. I smiled as he twitched slightly in his sleep, a small wordless grumble could faintly be heard.
Reaching out towards him I moved part of his unruly hair away from his face, enjoying the soft smile on his lips. We bared our souls to one another last night… He didn't run, I didn't run… I lifted Christian's body off of mine while I slowly wormed my way out of bed, slowly making my way towards the bathroom to relieve myself.
"Ana?" I heard him calling.
"In the bathroom, I'll be right out." His sigh of relief made me smirk, I hurried up and went back into the bedroom flopping myself down on the bed. He pulled me into his chest.
"Thank you, Anastasia."
"For what?"
"Not running…"
"We all have issues Christian, yours are… Unusual that's for certain, but if you say you're changing then I believe you."
"You know" he smirked "most women would have run from the hills if their prospective partner said they'd like to go to a psych appointment before dating them."
I shrugged my shoulders and nuzzled into his chest, I felt him flinch before sighing again. "Somehow I felt it was your way of trying to show me beyond reasonable doubt you're changing."
"It was more, I didn't want to grow attached to you and Jasmine, playing the role of boyfriend, partner or anything else you'd allow me to… Only for you to find out and take it all from me again." He tightened his grip. "I don't think I could have handled that level of rejection or abandonment."
I looked up, saw the haunted look in his eyes before kissing him. "Now we know each other's deep secrets, maybe you can take me out on a proper date now?" He chuckled.
"Is that so?"
"Yes…"
"Very well." He pulled away from me, held my hands and kept eye contact with me. "Would you Anastasia Steele, do me the tremendous honour of going on a date with me?" I blushed at his words.
"Indeed Mr. Grey, I will agree to such a proposition." The way his lips crashed to mine, we remained in bed until we were forced to leave.
CPOV
Making love to Anastasia this morning was by far the best thing to have happened in my life to date, watching her shyly get dressed before I smacked her ass playfully was endearing.
I dropped her off out the front of her building, we kissed in the backseat of the car. Both acting like horny teenagers, when she left my sight, her hair looked thoroughly messed up, flushed skin and her lips were plump if not slightly red.
I felt proud to make this woman appear as if she'd just gotten the fuck of her life, and from what she was moaning last night I assumed I did.
Taylor was smirking at me when I watched her walk away from me, her hips moved seductively as she moved. "Grey House." Taylor parked the car in the designated CEO spot and together we rode up the elevator to reception, the blonde at the front began to fan as she saw me walking towards her, I ignored her panting desperation choosing to instead walk past her without a second glance.
I raised an eyebrow towards Taylor when I heard a chortle, the silent question What's so funny? Remained unanswered. I continued to look at my blackberry as I answered several e-mails on my way to the office. "Taylor, I want Anastasia and Jasmine to have access to my floor at all times." He nodded.
"Understood."
Ros was waiting in my office as I got out the elevator, Andrea came forward and gave me my morning messages before retreating back to her desk. I thanked her, and made my way in.
"Ros, what do I owe this lovely pleasure to?" I walked past her to my desk and booted up my laptop.
"Grey, I heard you had a woman here yesterday?" Most people ran away from me or cowered at my feet, and instead I have to have my second in the company be a female version of my brother.
"I did, I'm sorry you missed her." I grinned at her.
"Like fuck you are Grey. Gwen will be devastated I didn't get to see her."
"That's just too bad, isn't it?" I ignored her pouting looks.
"You're a selfish fucker Grey."
"Oh, and don't I know it."
"Well, if you're going to keep all the fun gossip for yourself, I might as well get down to business." She rolled her eyes, sat in the chair opposite my desk and began to tell me all the fun news that happened after I left yesterday.
"Fuck, they really need me to go? I just fucking went last month!" I growled.
"I don't know what to tell you, they can't get the fucking thing set up. You're the one who wanted to set up a shipping yard in Thailand." Ross growled.
I turned my glare to the woman before me, "I am not going to Thailand anytime soon."
"Gwen is harping on about me working too much, she's talking about kids Grey. I can't leave her at the moment." But I have my own girls to worry about…
"How long would they need me there?"
"If you're in your usual bitchy mood? About a week I would guess."
"A fucking week!" I ran my hands through my hair, before buzzing Andrea. "Set up a conference meeting with the company in Thailand now. I don't give a shit what time it is over there, either they get on the conference in an hour, or they can kiss my money goodbye."
I didn't wait for a response, I turned to Ros and scowled. "What other fuck ups happened?"
It turns out when I don't go to work to baby sit grown fucking adults, they manage to fuck up in great numbers. HR was having issues with Olivia claiming unfair dismissal, other was under investigation for harassment. There had been issues across every department causing my cheerful mood from this morning to sour.
Ros went into the conference room to set it up, so I took the time to give Anastasia a call.
"Hello?"
"Anastasia?"
"Christian." Her voice was soothing my irritated soul. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, I just needed to hear your voice." She chuckled softly.
"How is work?"
"People fuck up when I'm not here, I'm just trying to fix it. They need me in Thailand apparently."
"Oh… When would you leave?"
"Probably tonight I can't fix it in the next hour." I heard her sigh.
"I guess it can't be helped, you have an empire to run after all."
"LUKE I AM YOUR FATHER!" I heard Jasmine screaming in the background, causing us both to laugh.
"She's a huge Star Wars fan, she's just run in."
"You're a literary nerd, she's just the regular type huh?" I heard Ana's beautiful laugh.
"I guess so, hold on baby." I heard the phone moving around before I heard a very heavy breath.
"Luke…" deep breath "I am your father."
"Nooooooo." I Yelled into the phone causing Jasmine to burst into a fit of giggles bringing a large grin to my face. Her happiness was contagious even through the phone.
"Jesus! What did you do?" Ana was laughing.
"I just yelled no…"
"Like from the movie?"
"Yeah, she got it."
"Oh god, she doesn't even sit through the movies Ethan Kate's brother just keeps going through these same scenes over and over… She loves them."
"I miss you baby."
"I miss you too Christian. If you do have to leave tonight, come over first, okay?"
"Okay baby." Andrea came into the office to signal it was time to begin the meeting. "Bye Ana."
"Bye Christian." We both hung up and with that final goodbye I left my office to go into the conference room. We spent the next hour arguing back and forth about the prospects of me going to Thailand, arguing about the fuckers not doing their jobs properly. By the end of the meeting, I was beyond frustrated.
"I don't want to go." I pouted.
"I went last time, it's your turn Christian." I scowled at her.
"Fine!" I snapped; Ros grinned at me.
"it's better to come to terms with it Christian, I'll tell Andrea to organise it."
I spent the rest of the dark barking orders at everyone around me, snapping at stupid questions that I felt beyond pissed at this turn of events.
I heard knocking at the door and snapped. "WHAT?"
"Sir. Miss Steele is coming up." Andrea whispered.
"What? God, why?" Before I knew what was happening Ana had come into my office with jasmine in tow, I knew I looked a right mess my long sleeves had been rolled up my arms, my jacket hung over the back of the couch. I stood from my chair when I saw her come in.
Jasmine ran up to me with her arms extended, I caught her as she launched herself into my arms and returned the hug she gave me, I held out my other hand to pull Ana in for an embrace.
"What are you doing here?"
"Well, we heard you were in a cranky mood since you found out about Thailand. Someone and I'm not saying who, thought you might chill out a bit if I came around." Ana smiled brilliantly; I rolled my eyes knowing exactly who called.
"Oh Christian, sorry to interrupt." Ros came into my office, I gave her the look of seriously, that's not going to work. "Is this the lovely Anastasia?"
Ana raised an eyebrow towards me before turning to Ros, shaking her hand and introducing herself and Jasmine. After a few minutes of idle chit chat I gave Ros a look which clearly screamed get out. She subtly flipped me off before sauntering out.
"She's a character that's for certain." Ana giggled.
"That she is, she's brilliant at her job though. Don't tell her I told you that." I winked.
Having both the girls in my presence I did find that I calmed down drastically, every question was no longer stupid and a waste of my time, because it meant I got to stay around them that much longer.
"Why are you going to Thailand anyway?"
"We're setting up a shipping yard to help us with transporting things around the world, we're currently investing a huge portion of the business into sustainable energy and communication technology."
"So, you keep it there as another port to cut down on costs or something?"
"Something like that."
"Make sense… Not." She smirked. "Well now you seem to be so much calmer Mr. Grey, we might get out of your hair." We both looked to Jasmine who was once again creating a pile of drawings around my office, they had stick figure people holding hands.
"Jasmine, baby it's time to go."
"I don't wanna go!" Jasmine began to get upset; I saw her face begin to go red before the tantrum began to hit. She screamed at Ana that she wasn't finished colouring, that she didn't want to go.
Ana gave me a look which screamed stay out of it while I watched the normally jovial Ana turn into a protective mother and then serious mother. Her back straightened as she knelt to become eye level with Jasmine.
"This is your only warning Jasmine; you need to pack your things away and thank Christian for allowing you to play in his office. If you don't, I will be placing you in a time out." Ana stood, walked away from Jasmine who began to glare at her.
I saw the thoughts going through her mind, she looked to me, and I tried to look anywhere else in my office but at her. When an agonising minute passed and Jasmine had yet to move or stop colouring in Ana went back over to her, picked her up placed her on the couch and calmly explained that she was in a time out for the next 4 minutes because of not listening.
I scream I heard from that little girl mouth nearly shattered the glass, or at least I will swear that it nearly did. Every time Jasmine got up off the couch Ana went over, picked her up sat her back down again, before repeating it. Never saying a word.
Andrea came into the office because she heard the screaming and gave me a sympathetic look before retreating again. I remained standing at my desk unsure of what to do, who do I support? She looked so upset, so hurt at what Ana was doing.
Don't intervene Grey. That momma bear will kill you in a second. Sound advice.
It had been close to fifteen minutes before Jasmine finally sat in the chair for her full four minutes. Watching Ana calmly explain why she was in time out and asking for an apology and hugging her girl in her arms was something amazing.
Jasmine immediately went over to her drawings and packed it up in the box Ana brought with her before Jasmine came over to me with a new drawing. When I saw it there was a tall male stick figure holding the hands of a female child and a tall female. I realised that they were us. I hugged her tightly and thanked her for her present.
"Do you want to see something special?" I whispered loudly. She nodded her head but wiped her nose on her sleeve, I held her hand and walked behind my desk, opened a drawer which showed the first picture she ever gave me. She hugged me again and helped me place the new drawing in the same place.
Andrea distracted Jasmine for a moment while I hugged Ana into me, kissing her with every ounce of respect and passion I had in my body for this woman. The moan was enough to sate my inner demon that she was content in this relationship for the moment.
We whispered our sweet farewells before I hugged them both again and watched them leave through the elevator with Taylor in tow. No doubt he went to pick them up for me, under Ros's direct command. I turned to my second in command who was currently slack jawed staring at me.
"Who would have thunk the first girl to fuck your brains out would one have a kid, but two make you as whipped as whipped cream." We all laughed at the ridiculous comment.
"Fucking hell Ros, where do you come up with this shit?"
"Don't know, Gwen says I talk out my ass most days."
"Is she wrong?"
"Fuck no." We parted ways whilst I began to pack my laptop and iPad ready for tonight's flight.
Andrea gave me my itinerary for the flight to Thailand, Taylor was coming with me, sitting beside me in first class so I don't get stuck talking to some moron who will talk my ear off. I began to miss both the girls the moment they disappeared from my view, but I was determined to get through the week with as little difficulty as possible.
My phone pinged with a text message from Anastasia, I quickly opened it to see both my girls dressed as chefs. Jasmine had a big poufy pink chef's hat on with an apron that said I'm too cute to handle where Ana's was purple and said Kiss the chef. I saved it to my phone ensuring the background was her.
Jasmine says she wants a picture back. -A The emoji attached was of the face looking to the ceiling, sneaky little Steele.
I sent a picture back, only I had my ruggedly handsome smirk on full display for her. If I was there, I would kiss the Chef. -C
Tease. XX -A
You know it, Miss Steele. Weird question, do you have a passport? -C
We aren't going to Thailand Christian, don't even think about it. -A Spoilsport.
Your loss. Just thinking of us, on a beach… -C
Making sandcastles with the cute monster? Sounds soooo romantic. -A
It could be… With Taylor as a babysitter. He's used to dangerous goods. -C
We'll miss you Christian, fly safe, ok? No flirting with the flight attendants! -A
Yes Ma'am, only flirt with Chefs in purple hats. Got it. ;) -C
That is more like it. -A
I looked at the picture again, they both looked so happy, Jasmine had her dimple on full display. This week was going to be absolute hell. She may have joked about flirting with the flight attendants but since she came into my life all I have thought about was her, no woman will ever capture me like she has.
Oookay, I know the last chapter was a lot of information. I'm aware in the books they release the information slowly and it's a huge section of the angst between Ana and Christian.
The reason why Christian in my story organizes this because he knows if even TRIED to keep it from her, and it came out and in anyway and even slightly negatively impacted Jasmine. Ana would leave in a heart beat.
He could not in anyway become a part of that child's life constantly thinking that she was going to leave in a moments notice. If it happened it would be him experiencing every moment of the abandonment he faced as a child, to be completely powerless, helpless... Something he has been trying to avoid since his childhood.
SO naturally, the controlling man he is, he controlled how it came out, and controlled the outcome to be better in his favor, because if she knows about it and doesn't run for the hills it allows him to actually establish a relationship with her based on mutual respect, trust and understanding of each of their faults.
A relationship built on a connection of those principles is going to be good, both begin to understand that events that happened in the past cannot be changed, but they can begin to change with each other, not because they have to but because they want to experience a side of the world they thought was unobtainable.
So Christian is going head first in this relationship, falling with every aspect of his being on display knowing that the woman beside him will love, care and cherish him just as he will do the same.
HOPE THAT CLEARS IT UP. :)