Sweetie, Let me Give You The Daddy (FSOG) Chapter 20: Fiery Lily, Topaz, Fireball, a fifty shades trilogy fanfic

My dear little broccolis💚💚💚

💚Sweetie, Let Me Give You The Daddy💚

"The best investment I ever made, was when I lost fifty million dollars and met the love of my life as a result of that."

‼️Rated M - {Out Of Characters/All Human/Alternate Universe}‼️

‼️Romance/Angst/Drama/Lemons‼️

‼️AS/CG/The Greys/The Steeles/José Rodriguez/Grace Grey‼️

💚Now, in case it wasn't clear, this will be a Christian POV story. and I know you will want Ana's PoV, but it will just be Christian.

💚 READ & REVIEW, DON'T BE A SILENT READER 💚

Chapter 20: Fiery Lily, Topaz, Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey(10,3K)

So, this title is due to Thanksgiving. All related. Of sorts. Fiery Lilies are often used in floral arrangement for that period of time. Topaz is an orange gemstone and we associate that colour for this holiday. And the whiskey is because of the cinnamon, which is often added in the sweet recipes of Thanksgiving.

Christian was in a terrible mood. It had been ten days since they came back to the US and it seemed that things were going from terrible to atrocious. Ros had to let Theo go, as he just couldn't pick up his tasks, though she had been far more lenient than Christian would have ever been. She found the young man a spot in the company, with fewer responsibilities. Christian would have probably just sacked him.

He did have someone in mind to replace the impractical graduate, someone to whom he owed a favour, but the person was still too young. Now, Ros was doing the work on her own, and so he doubled his trips to Seattle, though he tried to keep them as short as possible.

There was also the board, whose members were getting on his nerves and making him regret ever having thought of bringing on those useless, bloodsucking parasites. Ever since he had given them a bit more control, he had to run everything that was related to GEH by them, and he couldn't stand it anymore.

He had to admit that Jamie was helping with that, though it didn't mean that Christian had to like it. Jamie seemed to be ever so present in his life now. He wished that the man would just be as inefficient as Theo, so he would have a good excuse to fire him, without getting on Ana's bad side.

But Jamie was … perfect. And even worse, he was a perfect human being. Even though both he and Christian were working around the clock, Jamie still managed to spend some alone time with Ana. Daily. Ana had gotten back to her habit of running (and Christian had insisted that Swayer run with her, especially since she ran way before sunrise), and of course, Jamie jogged with her every morning. Of course, he did.

Never had Christian regretted giving his word about something. But he wished he hadn't promised Ana to be supportive about this and by her side. Because now, he couldn't even rant to her about his frustrations over Jamie. He was sure that his feelings towards Ana were way more than brotherly.

Jamie's ears always perked up when someone would talk about Ana, and when he would see Ana, his eyes were always on her. And…Christian simply didn't like the amount of attention the man gave Ana and the way she seemed to appreciate every single moment he was spending with her small family. Especially given the fact that they shared a past that bonded them in a way Christian would never be able to understand or relate to.

And of course, as if Ana wasn't enough, Grace loved her "Uncle" Jamie. She even adored him. And Ana didn't bicker when he would bring their daughter little sweets and treats. Though at least, Grace made a point of keeping her bedtime routine for Christian. Of course, since his workload had almost doubled since their return to the US, Christian had missed every single night of it, but Ana always patiently called him, so he could wish Grace goodnight.

Though now, his bedtime calls had been shortened so Grace could call Jin in Hong Kong. By the time they left Macau, Jin was supposed to go back to his parents in Hong Kong, and the two kids had decided that they needed to stay in contact.

Of course, because of the time difference, it was hard, but they would Skype each other almost every night, though Grace didn't share with her father what she would talk daily about with Jin. Not that Christian really cared. They could talk about the best way to eat broccoli for all he cared. Not only was Grace quickly improving her Cantonese (which was a bit of a downer since Christian spoke Mandarin), but most importantly, she had a friend.

Sure, Jin was a bit older than her and lived across the globe, but it seemed that neither kid minded either of those snags. They didn't even seem to mind the gender difference. Ana told him that either she or Jin's mother usually had to cut their Skype conversations short, but just like Christian, she was happy that Grace had made a friend.

And a small ray of sun, Ana even said that she wouldn't mind going back to Asia as a family and trying some more extreme sports with Christian. When Christian had spent half a day with the girls, per Grace's request, Ana had taken him to the Macau Tower, so they could partake in the highest bungee jump in the world.

Grace had stayed with Jamie and the Chos, enjoying ice cream at the foot of the building and watching her parents jump, and Ana had had a huge grin for the rest of the day. Of course, Ana being Ana had to twist it, saying it was a thank you for the apartment in London, and he couldn't hide the fact that he had absolutely loved it.

But of course, because there was no sun without a cloud glooming somewhere, this had been captured by paparazzi. He couldn't do much about that, especially since the magazines always took care of hiding Grace's face. But they had snapped pictures of the girls both in London and Macau, though Jamie had also starred in the London pictures since Christian didn't go out with the girls.

Ana had assured Christian that she didn't mind and that it was to be expected, but it annoyed him, nonetheless. He was in such a bad mood that the smallest things brought his anger out.

He usually came home far past midnight, and Ana always waited for him, even if it was to simply kiss him goodnight before she would crash in bed. And of course, that was just another frustration. Living with a woman as sexy as Ana, whom he loved, nonetheless, and not being able to make love to her was just...irritating.

She had called Jose to look after Grace and give them some grownup time, but that did not go as planned. It was just an awful ten days.

"So… I had to reschedule Jose for some other time," Ana told him as she put in front of him a plate of steamed veggies with rice and salmon.

It was shortly after midnight, and she sat next to him, though he could tell that she was tired. Her laptop and papers were splattered in front of her, but she had stopped working when he came in. He did try to convince her to use his office, but she had refused, claiming that she didn't mind working in the kitchen. But that was ridiculous to Christian, and he made sure to tell Andrea to contact a contractor so Ana would have her own office in Seattle.

He took the wedge of lemon and squeezed the juice on the salmon, his eyes solely on Ana as he asked, "Why?"

He had been looking forward to Saturday night all week long, and now, Ana was postponing it. She shrugged, gathering her papers as she explained with an annoyed pout, "My monthly friend decided to crash the party early this month."

Christian repressed a sigh of annoyance. Of all the rotten luck. But then again, this was not something new to him…"I don't mind."

She stopped her motions and looked deep in his eyes, clearly surprised by his statement. "Well, I do."

"But isn't sex supposed to help with the pain and all?" He countered because though Ana always did her best to hide it in the past, he knew that her period cramps could be quite hard on her.

"I don't know. I've never tried," she shrugged, and he briefly kissed her cheek,

"There's always a first time for everything."

She wrinkled her nose and shook her head, "I don't want to try. I mean…I really appreciate that you're so open about it and that you're not being like most men would be in this situation. 'Ew gross, don't talk about periods'. But…it's not for me. I guess I'm the one who's grossed out."

She shivered slightly, and Christian replayed the conversation they just had, seeing how he might have come off as pushy. He shook his head and lovingly kissed her neck before returning to his food. "I'm sorry babe. I didn't mean to sound like a horndog, and I'm not here to pressure you into it. I just…well, you know where I stand if you want to try."

She grinned, getting up with all her papers and her laptop. She kissed his lips, before frowning slightly and wiping the corner of his mouth before she teased, "No pressure felt. But you are a horndog, just the way I like it."

Christian was fully aware that the only reason he was so open, as she pointed out, was because of his mother. Grace Grey had made a point in raising both her boys so that periods, and the female body in general, would never be taboo. She was often considered as progressive amongst her group of friends, but Christian had always been grateful for it.

He never had to feel awkward when his girlfriends of the past had their periods, and though it never occurred, he knew that he wouldn't feel ashamed to go buy tampons. In fact, it was one of the things his mother made both Elliott and he do when they were teens.

Though he knew he would never have to worry about it with Ana. Ana was just like his Mom, progressive. New Age as some people would say. She was into diva cups. He had seen the thing in their bathroom, and to Christian, this seemed…well, more uncomfortable than a tampon (which already looked unpleasant), but Ana never complained about it.

But the day that followed their conversation, Christian applied everything he had seen his father do for his mother. He had Andrea send chocolate to Ana, as well as scented candles, and some bath salts. When he came back that night, he warmed up a heat pouch and gave it to her as she was already in bed, so grateful for his thoughtfulness.

.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.

As the day dragged on, Christian's mood worsened. He had meeting after meeting, until lunchtime around 2 pm. Andrea informed him of a meeting over lunch that he had arranged months ago, with AS Holdings. He couldn't remember setting up the meeting or even ever meeting anyone from that company, but he usually didn't pay attention to small companies that didn't spike his interest. He assumed that they were coming to him for a pitch, so he would consider investing in them.

He was hoping to let Jamie handle this meeting on his own, just so he could close his eyes and pretend he was listening to whatever AS Holdings had to say, but Jamie finally made his first mistake.

"I'll see you after lunch," He said, gathering his papers. Christian eyed him before reminding him, "It's a lunch meeting. Andrea will get us food."

"I just have somewhere to be. I can't postpone it."

Christian stared at the man as he took his papers and left, and though he was annoyed, a part of him rejoiced. After all, if Jamie was slacking, Ana couldn't fault Christian for sacking him. If she wanted to keep personal and professional as separate as possible, she couldn't ask him to keep Jamie if Jamie wasn't doing his job.

But instead of lifting his bad mood, it just added fuel to the fire because that meant he would have to give all his attention to the meeting. With an annoyed sigh, Christian gathered his papers, surprised that Andrea didn't give him a folder with all he needed to know about AS Holdings. He never asked her to do that, but she always did; no matter the company, big or small, new or old, she would have a folder ready for him to refresh his memory.

This was yet another thing to be angry about. He just couldn't wait for the day to be over; he would go to the gym in his building and let off some steam there.

He heard the door open and close, and he looked up with half a mind to let the AS Holdings representative know that it wasn't the best day for them to meet, but he was met with Ana smiling brightly at him. He smiled back, before grimacing and getting up to at least give her a kiss as he explained,

"Hey, babe. If you've come to kidnap me for lunch, it's not a good day. I am swamped. I have this meeting coming up, soon."

"I know," she said simply, removing her warm coat and revealing…nothing but lingerie and stockings.

Christian stared, remembering very clearly that Ana wore a pencil skirt with a matching jacket to work in the morning. He knew that very well because it was his favourite skirt, the one that embraced all the curves of her ass perfectly. But he was clearly not displeased by this change of wardrobe.

"Ana Steele Holdings needs to discuss a merger with GEH."

He swallowed thickly, not capable of looking away from her, and loving where this conversation was going. If he was honest with himself, this had been a fantasy of his for quite a while. To take Ana in his office, on top of the world.

"How long is this meeting going to last?" He asked after clearing his throat.

"Half an hour," she said with a smirk, putting her coat down. She made a move to remove her heels, but he stopped her, shaking his head before going back to his desk.

He checked the time: 2:05 pm, and he buzzed Andrea, his eyes still on Ana as she moved closer to him.

"Andrea?"

"Yes, Mr Grey?" She answered, and just by the tone of her voice, he knew she was in on it. In fact, he wondered if Ana had also told Jamie and that was why the man left so abruptly. After all, it didn't fit his work ethic to bail last second.

"When is my next meeting?"

"Quarter past three."

"Good. Make sure that it stays that way. No one comes up."

"Yes, Mr Grey."

"And Andrea … go take a break."

Christian didn't even care about the knowing tone of his PA, his senses all focused on Ana. She was at his eye level, hands wrapped around his neck, but what she said did not match the mood she had set.

"You should really give Andrea a nice fat raise."

"I'm not going to talk about my PA when you're dressed like that. I don't give a shit about her right now."

She rolled her eyes and he removed his jacket. He then took her face in his hands, his eyes flickering to her hair, and she removed the sticks that were holding it together.

"You're incredible, you know that," he said before kissing her.

She did not hold back, colliding her body against his and grinding against him as she opened her mouth. Christian slipped his tongue between her lips, battling for power, his hand fisted in the mane of her hair whilst her own hand was busy undoing his buckle.

His hands moved to her bra, all lace supporting her generous cleavage, and he frowned when he felt something that wasn't her soft skin or the lacy lingerie. He broke the kiss and saw that she had stuck a condom in her bra on the right side.

She smirked, and swiftly got on her knees, pulling his boxers and trousers down in one swift motion. He did not even try to hold back the groan of pleasure when she took him in her mouth, jerking his head back as he gripped his desk with one hand, and tangled the fingers of his other hand in her hair.

He loved it when Ana sucked on him. It was…always such a pleasure. To be buried deep in her mouth, to see her bob up and down, and choke occasionally because he was far from small, to feel her moan on his cock, showing that she liked it just as much. And most of all, to see the love shine in her eyes.

He leaned against his desk, slightly putting pressure on her head to ask to take over, and when she let him, he took control of the rhythm, making him moan and pant and curse as she brought him more and more pleasure.

Brusquely, he stopped her and yanked her up, kissing her savagely as his brain thought of how he would take her. He had fantasised so many times about that moment that he knew he wouldn't be able to get it all at once.

He glanced at the desk, the most obvious position and Ana smirked at him, reading him as if he was an open book. "Admit it, you've already thought of fucking me on that desk."

On…under…against…"You have no idea. But today…I want to fuck you with a view."

This calmed Ana's ardour. She glanced at the bay window. There was no chance that anyone would see them, they were on the top floor, and the windows were tinted, because of the sun.

He kissed her neck, playing with her clit (which was oh-so-wet) as he pitched his idea."No one will see you, babe. I'd never take that risk."

"You sure? It's not cleaning day or something?" She insisted, moaning under his ministrations.

He chuckled, nibbling her earlobe as he reminded her, "Yes, I'm sure. I'd never risk anyone seeing you like that. I'm far too selfish. I just want to fuck my beautiful girl with a beautiful view."

Ana straightened up, looking deep in his eyes, before she walked to the bay window, still glancing around to make sure, and she leaned in, putting her hands on the window. Christian grinned, rolling the condom on before he went to her, and flipped her, making her jump in his arms as he impaled himself in her.

"Though your ass is a marvellous sight, your face is far much more beautiful to me."

"Christian…" She gasped, all her limbs wrapped around him. He pounded her into the window and when he thrust a bit harder, touching her G-spot, she closed her eyes to enjoy the pleasure.

"Look at me, babe," He grunted. "Look at me as I make you mine."

"Yes. I'm yours."

This set him wild. It was the first time she was saying so whilst being intimate, and if he had ever thought of making it sweeter, it was far gone. He was just an animal, claiming the love of his life.

"Say it again."

"I'm yours, Christian. Only yours!" She squeaked before crashing her lips onto his, her inner walls clamping him so much that he couldn't doubt her orgasm coming up.

He redoubled his efforts and she gasped again, feeling her climax coming. "Christian…"

"Yes, babe. Let it come to you."

She shook her head, trying to hold it off, which only made him try even harder, "Christian…please…I want you…"

"I'm here, babe."

"Come with me."

And he did. Pinning her against the glass window so hard that he feared for a moment it would not hold. He came with her as hard as he ever did, grunting his orgasm in her hair.

It took him quite a while to recover, and even longer to come back to Earth. It was only when Ana moved uncomfortably in his arms that he stepped away, taking her with him as his skin stuck slightly to the window due to the sweat.

Still, as soon as they were both on their feet, he kissed her sweetly and with love. "What time do you have to be back at work?" He asked, wondering if they could go for round two on his desk.

"3 pm." He glanced at his watch and grimaced when he saw that he only had fifteen minutes. He would love to make a run for it, but Ana was too pragmatic. She would argue that she needed to get dressed and to drive back to her office.

"Some other time," he whispered, mostly to himself, but the grin she gave him told him that she quite agreed with that idea. He traced her face, and lightly said, "I have a shower if you want."

"Of course you do." She rolled her eyes, but still followed him to the bathroom attached to his office.

Their shower was swift since they didn't have much time, but as the water hit his skin, he found himself wondering why Ana and he never shared a shower at home. Even if they didn't have sex, it was still a moment when they could be together, in their own bubble without being someone's boss or parent.

He vowed to himself that he would pitch the idea to Ana, though he knew exactly how to angle it. Living with Ana daily allowed him to notice one thing he never noticed about her before, she was eco-friendly. She composted, recycled, she banned plastic bags as much as she could, she only bought organic food and she tried to be as sustainable as possible. She was one step away from being a veggie, he could put his hand to the test.

"I was serious about Andrea. She should really get a raise," she called out as they were patting themselves dry. Ana looked at herself in the mirror, probably inspecting any hickey he could have left.

He kissed her shoulder and walked back to his office with only his towel around him. He grabbed her lingerie and gave it to her as he argued, "She's just doing her job, babe."

"And a job well done doesn't deserve a raise?" She challenged, putting her clothes on.

"No. It deserves good pay, which she already has."

"Are you really going to be stingy? Mr I-buy-£-35-million-apartments-on-a-whim?"

He chuckled, buttoning his shirt. "You're never going to let that go, are you?"

"Nope. Especially when you argue about giving a raise to someone who deserves it. Just the fact that she works for you makes her entitled to it. Admit it, any other PA, and you'd be a mess. And… life would be much harder for all of us."

Christian watched as Ana rearranged her hair the same way it had been when she came in, and he had to admit, any other PA wouldn't do. Andrea was at his disposal, wherever he was in the world, and she always anticipated his needs. He never told her about the bedtime schedules, but she did it. He never told her about the reminder folder for a meeting, but she did it. And he had dragged her across the country.

"You're right, babe."

She smiled brightly, kissing him, though she warned, "Don't be a Scrooge. Give her a real raise, and a big fat bonus as well. Andrea makes me sleep safe and sound."

This certainly made him think about it. Though he didn't like the idea that Ana thought he was stingy, he liked it even less than this was how he projected himself. He always thought of himself as generous, and since he knew he paid Andrea more than what the average PA got, he hadn't put any more thought into it.

But more than that, Andrea seemed to be a security blanket to Ana. Ana knew that Christian wouldn't forget about the girls as long as Andrea was around, and though it was sad to admit, it was true.

Ana walked back into his office, and Christian looked at her ass swaying, frowning when she picked up her coat and tote bag. Now that his lust was gone, his brain was working again.

"Did you…you were in a suit this morning…"

She smirked, before taking said suit from her bag. He sighed, realising that he had been ridiculous. No matter how gorgeous she was, Ana had never been the kind of girl to expose more skin than necessary. Even in Vegas, she had kept it lowkey, even though it was expected in Sin City to wear very little.

"Somehow, I felt that I would get a better reaction from you if my coat opened to lingerie, rather than a suit."

"Somehow, I think you're right. Speaking of…that's new."

She grinned. "You like it?" Of course, as she was saying so, she was wiggling into her clothes. That didn't stop him from growling,

"Do I have to show you again how much I liked it?"

She gave him that happy smile he had always loved, that smile that made him feel like he was the king of the world, that smile he would fight to the death to keep on her lips, and lightly said,

"Next time, we should shop together."

"So you can buy the whole store?" She rolled her eyes and since she was all dressed, he walked to her, taking her coat and bag in his hands as he walked her out of his office.

"No. I promise I'll behave. I just know what I'd like to see on you."

She thought about it as he called for the elevator, and his heart was beating with the hope that, for once, Ana would be reasonable and let him spoil her. But then she countered, "You know what, I think I like the idea of surprising you way too much to pass it on."

"I can't argue with that."

.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.

The following Thursday was Thanksgiving, but Christian had to wake up early and go to the office for the morning. Despite the bank holiday, other countries were still running normally. He had promised (and even pinky-swore) to Grace that he would be back in time for food, and then she had reasoned that, since he didn't know how to cook, it was a good thing he wouldn't be around.

So, he woke up at 5:30 am, and as per usual, the bed next to him was empty. He took a quick shower, wondering how Ana could wake up so early when she waited for him every night until ungodly hours. He had tried to tell her that she didn't need to (though he really appreciated it), but she had argued that it was just selfish of her. She just wanted her goodnight kiss, like Grace had her goodnight call.

Ten minutes after he woke up, he went to the kitchen, thinking of skipping breakfast since it was Thanksgiving, but the normal kitchen had disappeared and been replaced by gargantuan proportions of food. His hands hung loose, forgetting about his tie, and he found Ana kneading some dough.

"Did I miss something? Are we inviting the whole country?"

Ana smiled sheepishly, wiping her hand to walk to him and fix his tie as she admitted, "I might have gone overboard."

"Might?"

There was something in the oven, and it seemed that Ana had two pies (pecan and sweet potato) ready to be cooked. She had already made cookies, cornbread and mashed potatoes as well as gravy. But there was also all the food waiting to be cooked, the green beans, the potatoes, the sweet potatoes, the Brussel sprouts, the corn, etc…And five empty pitchers ready to be filled.

"Ana …" He started, his mind going to the argument they had the previous Sunday on how Thanksgiving dinner should be handled.

"Okay, we're off for a couple of hours. Is there anything you want whilst we're out?" Ana asked, making Christian snap his head up and look at the time.

He had gone to work in his office when Grace went to nap, and he clearly didn't see the time pass as it was already four. The two girls were already dressed to go out, in trench coats and matching berets, making them look like French girls…or the idea people had of French girls because no matter how many times Christian had gone to France, he had never seen people wearing berets there.

"Where are you going?" He asked with a frown. He had no idea that they had planned to visit anyone, and he deeply hoped that Jamie wasn't in those impromptu plans. He didn't want to be the overbearing ass preventing the girls from living their lives, but he could always suck it up and go with them if Jamie was yet again going to intervene in their family time.

"To the farmer's market and the greengrocer. You know, for next week." Grace grinned brightly as her mother explained, and Christian smiled at them.

Ana had reminded him that Thanksgiving was coming and asked him again if it was still okay for Mia to come with her kids. He had rolled his eyes and simply told her to let the maid know that there would be more mouths to feed. Ana always seemed to forget that they had a maid.

He had had to remind her that…whatever her name was, was paid to look after their flat. So, they had compromised that Ana would still cook because she liked it, and the maid would take care of the rest, and come when no one was home. It wasn't much of a compromise, because Christian loved Ana's cooking.

He deeply breathed in, already reaching for his phone for Taylor to go with them. She couldn't argue this time, she didn't know how to drive, and they would need a car.

"Babe …"

She seemed to read his mind, because she reassured him, "Taylor is coming with us. He's waiting downstairs. And we're taking that us…we're taking the Range. We should be back in two to three hours."

"Do you want us to bring you peanut butter cookies, daddy?" Grace asked with a mix of cheek and sweetness.

If there was one thing Ana indulged their daughter in, it was always a treat when they would shop. But this time, Grace was ready to give up her sweet to make her father happy, and though she was obviously teasing his love of anything peanut related, he was touched by her gesture.

"No, it's okay, sweetie. I like your Mom's better."

Grace eagerly agreed, and Ana brushed it off, ready to usher them out. Christian held his hand up and retrieved from his wallet a black card that he had made for her. It wasn't the first time he was trying to give it to her, but both in London and Macau, she had turned him down.

Ana glanced at the card, before crouching, fussing over Grace as she told her, "Honey, why don't you go check if Gus and Peanut have enough water?"

She obviously didn't want to start anything in front of Grace, and Grace looked suspiciously at both her parents before leaving them alone. As soon as she was out of ear range, Ana said, "I'm not taking the card, Christian."

"I told you I would provide, Ana. You could refuse it when we were abroad, but this is one of the things you agreed I would do." This time, he was sure he would have the last word.

"And I appreciate all that you do for us. But I can pay for the food occasionally, can't I?"

"Except it's not 'once in a while'. It's all the time. Even though we have a maid who's paid to do our shopping. At least let me pay for Thanksgiving."

"I would rather not."

"Why not? Who cares who pays? In the end, it's for all of us."

"Exactly, who cares?" She triumphantly retorted and he ground his teeth together. Why did she always have to make everything difficult?

"You're with me now, Ana. You're going to have to learn to accept my money at some point. Why can't you be reasonable for once, and just take the damn card?"

She looked at him deeply and let out a heavy sigh before walking to him and finally taking the card. But before she could go away, he grabbed her hand, and asserted how he had been fooled at his own game,

"You're not going to use it, are you?"

"I took it," she deflected. He sighed and got up, his hand still on hers.

"Were you always so annoyingly stubborn with..." He didn't like thinking of her past boyfriends, and even less bringing them up in conversation, but it was becoming quite annoying and his ego was getting more and more wounded. "… With everyone who wants to take care of you?"

"It's part of my charm," she pipped with a wicked smile. He glowered at her.

"I'm starting to take it personally."

This made her put her hand on his face with worry. She soothingly caressed his face as she assured him, "No, it has nothing to do with you. I've just always been self-reliant. But I do have to admit that when your boyfriend gives you a £35 million apartment as a gift, it does make you feel…"

She looked for the right word, but Christian didn't need a concrete word to understand what she meant. He made her feel cheap as if he was buying her affection. So, he kissed her and made sure that she understood. "I don't want you to feel anything close to that. Ever."

"I know you don't. I really do. And that's why I don't get angry with you. I know you're generous, and you just want to take care of us, it's the way you show people how much you care. But…

Try to put yourself in my shoes sometimes. I've never depended on anyone before. Least of all, financially. And now, I live at your expense. You can't expect me to be okay and cheery about it in barely a month. I need time."

Christian looked back at the food, snapping back into the present and decided to not start another argument about money. He would give her time…at least a little.

So, he kissed her forehead and directed the conversation toward another topic, just as important:

"Did you even sleep?"

She sheepishly shook her head and kissed him before going back to her dough, cutting it into equal pieces. She had a huge grin on her lips, and Christian had to admit that he had never seen her so euphoric.

"Are you sure you don't want the maid to help?"

"Claudine. Her name is Claudine," she chastised him, and he muttered a "whatever" under his breath.

They were not staying, so he didn't see the need to learn the maid's name. He poured himself some coffee as Ana was moulding her dough into something that looked like snakes and when she felt his gaze insistent on her, she admitted,

"This isn't only Grace's first Thanksgiving. It will be mine too."

Christian frowned. Ana had only lived in the UK for three years, but she grew up in the US. He had always assumed that she was not into the whole celebration because Ana was big on social justice and Thanksgiving was only a happy celebration on one end of the spectrum.

Ana focused on her dough again, and she used a fork, turning all the little pieces she had made from the snake into gnocchi. "It's just that…as a kid, I never had any. I was always at the orphanage, and all we had for Thanksgiving was an extra piece of candy. And then, as an adult…well I wasn't that close with the in-laws when I had a boyfriend, or I was working."

Christian recalled that out of the two years they spent together, he did make her work for one Thanksgiving, but she didn't seem to mind. But then again, Ana was a big family girl, and he had no doubt that she liked the idea of Thanksgiving because it meant spending time with family.

"Well, in that case, what would make it perfect?"

"It already is," she smiled, though Christian saw a brief hesitation. He walked to her, hugging her from behind so he wouldn't bother her cooking and he kissed her temple, insisting,

"Tell me, babe."

"It's ridiculous, really."

"Just tell me."

"Well … it's a cliché. But … I'd love it if you could buy the cranberry sauce before coming back home. You know, in movies it's always the thing people buy last second."

Christian, laughed, kissing her neck. Of all the things she could ask for, she asked for something as simple as a can of red berries. She laughed with him, though it seemed impossible to turn her lips down on this day, for she was smiling so much.

"You're so easy to please."

"Not really. I have a very specific brand in mind."

He shook his head and kissed her neck once again. She leaned her head against his, before suddenly remembering something, "By the way, I know you have to go to work and all, but you better not be late. Grace has no idea that you know of your family coming, and she's planning this big surprise for you."

"Oh."

"You better act surprised. Only Oscar-worthy performances welcome today," she threatened, with her fork covered in flour. Christian raised his hands in peace, laughing with her and returned to his coffee, asking,

"So? Who else is coming?" He did tell her to invite whomever, but he couldn't remember who exactly would be at the party.

"Well, your family, obviously. Julian might bring a friend, but your brother seemed quite opposed to the idea. Mia is coming with her boys. Her husband and his kids had to stay behind, unfortunately. He couldn't get out of work for both of the days, and the kid's grandparents are not comfortable letting them go without their father.

Andrew is coming as well; he is quite curious what the fuss is all about. I offered to Ray and Carla, but they had already made plans. But Elena and her husband are going to stop by for coffee. And of course, Jamie will be coming with you, after work."

Christian sipped on his coffee, refusing to react in any way. Of course, Jamie was coming. "How about Jose and Karl?" He questioned, surprised that they hadn't been the first people mentioned.

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, they're a given, obviously. Also, I forgot, Jack might drop by as well."

This made his coffee go down the wrong pipe, and he coughed out the liquid, asking in a hiss, "As in Hyde?"

"Yes," she said simply, with a small on her face as she gave him a napkin. Christian wiped his mouth, glaring at her as he prodded for some explanation. Hyde had no business coming to his place for a family celebration.

"Doesn't he have a house? And doesn't he live in LA? What is he doing here? Wasn't he already here two weeks ago?"

Hyde had come to visit Christian's girls just when Christian hadn't been home, obviously. It seemed that the comedian didn't understand that Ana was not single and that he needed another punch in the face as a reminder.

"Well, he has an audition here for a potential movie. Something serious he said. I hope he gets the part, though they're the ones who called him, so it shouldn't be a problem. But I told him that he was more than welcome to join us afterwards if it doesn't drag too long. I don't want him to spend Thanksgiving on his own, you know."

Christian glared at his coffee, not pleased at all. Hyde had always been touchy-feely with Ana. Every time he had gone to pick her up at her soup kitchen, Hyde had been there, his hands all over her. Not to mention the countless times she went to see him perform his comedy, or whatever it was.

"Christian … Jack is just a friend, you know that, right?"

"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled, turning so she wouldn't see his anger.

She walked to him, and placed herself in his arms, as she repeated, "He's just a friend. Nothing ever happened between us that could warrant — "

"Nothing? For a friend, he did seem to always have his paws on you quite a lot, you know. Last time I checked, that doesn't scream 'just friends'."

"And last time I checked, you punched him in the nose for no reason. I think you should apologise to him for that."

"Yeah, right." There was no way in hell he would ever apologise to fucking Hyde.

"Christian … Jack is just a friend. He doesn't see me that way, and more importantly, I don't feel anything for him, anything remotely close to what I feel for you."

"Then why was it okay for him to hug you all the time, and it isn't okay for me to do so? Why every time I kiss or embrace you in front of someone, you tense?"

"I don't…tense."

"Yes, you do. And because of that, Grace thinks that kissing is only for married people."

Ana rolled her eyes, a teasing smile spreading her lips. "Well, that settles it for when she'll be older. You won't have to worry until she gets married."

Christian surrendered, hating to think that in a few years, he would have to be one of those dads. But he didn't let Ana deter him from the conversation. "Why can't I have the same treatment as Hyde? Or Andrew? Why am I not deserving of your public displays of affection?"

"It's not the same, Christian. Why do you compare with people who don't even rank in the same category as you?"

"How about Jose and Jamie?" He had kept them separate on purpose. "Andrew and Hyde are certainly not your 'brothers'."

He watched Ana frown, though it didn't seem that it was to hide her emotions, but rather that she was trying to see them clearly. Then she looked down, seemingly confused and distressed,

"I…I don't know, Christian. I just feel that…we are together, and it's nobody's business but ours. When you touch me, it's…something intimate, it's like a secret between you and me, and it should stay just like that. It's…private. What we feel for each other should be just for us. But…

I know how you feel. I know that you're more tactile, that you're a hands-on guy. I didn't realise I was giving off such a bad vibe. I'm trying to brush it off, but I'm obviously failing."

Christian swallowed with difficulty, feeling that he had once again pushed Ana too abruptly, and he lifted her chin up. There was a hint of sadness in her eyes, and he immediately regretted coming on so strong. This was the last thing he wanted, to make her sad, especially on a day that seemed so important for her.

"I'm sorry, babe. I got carried away. I…I guess I'm just jealous of the littlest things. I'm just so happy to be with you that I want the world to see it, I want the world to see that you're the best thing that has ever happened to me. I'm sorry."

She shook her head, her smile back on her lips. "No. I understand where you're coming from. As I said, I'll make an effort, just be patient with me."

.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.

When Christian got home later that day, he was greeted by a squealing Grace who jumped in his arms. He picked her up, ignoring Jamie behind him (this was the best course of action) and Grace gleefully kissed his cheek as he took in the wonderful smell of food. Just by the scent, he could tell that Ana had surpassed herself.

Grace asked for the floor and took her father's hand in hers. "You have to close your eyes, now, daddy."

"Why? I need my eyes to see all the food I'm about to eat."

"It's a surprise." She waited for him to close his eyes, and when he did, he let her guide him through the apartment, though she was a terrible guide. After she bumped him once against a small table, it seemed that Jamie (of all people) helped him avoid several injuries.

He could hear his parents talk, as well as other people, but when he opened his eyes, he still feigned surprise, exaggerating everything to make sure Grace got the effect she wanted. And it appeared to have worked for she looked quite pleased with herself.

Everyone but the Lincolns and Hyde were there, and for the first time, the living room seemed a bit crowded. He stayed with the guests for a bit as Grace introduced her Uncle Jamie to everyone, and after five minutes, he joined Ana in the kitchen, though Elliott was hot on his heels.

"Dude, how can you be such a shark in business and poker, and terrible at faking surprise? I've seen more convincing porn."

Christian rolled his eyes as Ana snickered with his brother. He walked to her and produced the cranberry sauce. Though he could have had someone buy it for him, he went to the supermarket himself, well actually two supermarkets, because the first one didn't have the brand she wanted, and bought the jar himself.

Ana smiled brightly, and after briefly hesitating, she pecked his lips. But since Christian had always been greedy when it came to Ana, he stopped her from stepping away and turned the sweet peck into a full makeout session.

Thankfully, Elliott didn't comment on it but started a conversation on how he didn't like the budding relationship between their father and little Grace. Carrick had brought a chess game, and since they had arrived early in the day, he had played with her, which resulted in a lot of teasing toward Christian and Elliott from Carrick's part.

"So now, not only does Dad have the girl he always wanted to spoil," - he waited for Ana's reaction, a crooked smile on his lips. She simply rolled her eyes, busy heating up one of the jars of cranberry sauce - "But he also has the player he always wanted. Can't you tell your kid that chess is bad or something?"

Christian laughed, washing his hands, and when he asked Ana if she needed help (though he had no idea what he could do to help) she just told him to gather everyone in the living room. He kissed her cheek, noticing in a corner of his brain that the two redheads were wearing the same black and white checkered dress as well the same side braid.

Elliott followed him to the living room, asking about their recent trip abroad, but they both stopped talking when they saw the amount of food on the table. The only free space was in the middle, probably for the turkey, and once the shock wore off, Elliott bumped his shoulder on Christian's.

"Well, Ana doesn't do things half-assed. Is she this thorough in every aspect of your life?"

Though he wanted to glare at his brother, he couldn't help but be smug about it, because when it came to their intimacy, Ana was a giver as much as she was a receiver.

People came to sit in the dining room, all astonished by the food, but he noticed the same expression that Jamie, Mia and Jose had on their faces. He had seen it on Ana's face as well, and so he assumed that it was something that he would never be able to understand, let alone relate to.

It was a strange mix of nostalgia, fulfilment and sadness, but under a happy smile. He guessed that it was something that only someone who didn't grow up with a loving family had. When he tried to sit Grace down, she disappeared and came back a minute later carefully holding a plate with the cranberry sauces. Christian took it from her hands, but he was pretty sure that this exact picture had been part of Ana's perfect fantasy. In fact, he was glad for all the snaps he could hear, because he was too busy being marvelled to take any picture.

And finally, Ana came with the turkey, and everyone applauded at the beast. Christian wondered how it had even fit in the oven, not that he actually cared. Ana's smile was just ecstatic, and when she presented him the knife to carve into the humongous turkey, he wrapped his hand around her waist, kissing her temple whilst Grace was standing up on her chair, trying to sneak a caramelised onion.

And he could never thank Jose enough for capturing that magical moment.

.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.

The day had gone by too fast for Christian's taste. He barely felt that he had gotten home before people were already leaving. Mia was the first to go. She had an early flight, and she wanted her children to be rested so they recover and be ready for their annual family reunion.

It was at that moment that Ana said that it was way past Grace's bedtime, though Grace didn't argue much, yawning her way to her bathroom. Christian helped her get ready for bed, making sure she brushed her teeth and washed her face.

She yawned again, and asked her father, "Can we call Jin? I want to tell him about the chess game Pops got me."

"Of course, sweetie. Just rinse your mouth first."

He brushed her hair, the only thing he could do to her hair without feeling like an oaf and when he directed her to her room, she asked,

"Can I sleep with Mama and you? It's a special day."

Christian smiled and picked her up, before taking her to the master bedroom, thinking that he ought to really learn to say no to his daughter. Grace excitedly spoke with her friend from abroad for ten minutes, learning a few more words, before she crashed on his pillow.

He kissed her forehead and went back to the living room, where the Lincolns, who had dropped by for coffee and the snacks of the evening, left as well, Hyde shortly after them (Christian did not apologise in the slightest). Andrew left with Jamie, though Ana had proposed the two of them stay on the couch, as she was worried about their alcohol intake (Carrick had made some mean cocktails).

Jose and Karl were the last to go since the Greys were staying in the penthouse's guest room. Christian had teased Grace earlier, telling her that his apartment wasn't too big after all since now her whole family could stay with her. Though the person who was most excited about that was Jason, who had already planned to make pancakes with his little cousin in the morning.

Christian spent most of the evening with his brother, realising that he had barely been in touch since Ana came back in his life. He promised Elliott that he would try harder once they moved to Seattle, and Elliott promised that he wouldn't let him off the hook.

Shortly after midnight, they all dispersed to their rooms, though as soon as Ana saw Grace in their bed, she said pragmatically, "I'll sleep in her bed."

"No! No, I'll put her to her bed. You just stay here," Christian quickly uttered, taking Grace in his arms and walking to her bedroom. After all, Grace did tell him that it was customary for her mother to put her back in her bed.

The little girl sleepily snuggled in his arms, mumbling in her slumber, just like her mother did, and he tucked her in before going back to his room. Ana was in the bathroom removing her makeup, and he simply brushed his teeth and slipped in his pyjamas before going to bed, feeling the exhaustion of the day catching up to him.

No matter how much he had enjoyed the company, he wasn't like Ana. He was used to solitude and confinement, and it was exhausting to entertain people. He laid in bed, checking his emails on his phone and typing a list of things Andrea needed to fit in his agenda for the upcoming week when he heard a thud coming from the bathroom.

"Babe?"

"I'm okay. Just dropped my brush."

He briefly glanced at the door, waiting for her to come out safe and sound, but when she just remained hidden there, he put his phone aside and got up to check on her. Just to put his mind at ease.

"Babe?" He repeated, popping his head in the bathroom, and she scowled at him. Though he couldn't blame her. It was obvious that she had wanted to surprise him, and he had just ruined the whole effect. She was wearing a red silk babydoll that outlined her breasts with fine black lace.

He cleared his throat, a goofy smile on his lips, though it was his turn to scowl when he saw that she was in the process of putting a long robe over it. "I wouldn't even dream about it," he told her in a low whisper, before walking to her and kissing her, his hands going to her body, loving the way her skin felt under the soft fabric.

His hands fell on her ass, and it took him a few seconds of groping to realise that she wasn't wearing any underwear. He groaned, breaking their kiss, and assessed, "That's cruel."

"I can go back to my old — "

"No! I'll behave. I just … you look tantalising, you know that."

"You're not so bad yourself," she dismissed, her hands beneath his shirt, touching his muscles. Though it was something increasingly difficult to juggle with family life, Christian tried to hit the gym at least three times a week. He usually went after work, though he always took the time to drop by the apartment first, so Ana wouldn't wait for him to go to bed.

He took a deep breath, and kissed her forehead before saying, "Let's get to bed before I find myself stealing your virtue."

"You can't steal what doesn't exist," Ana laughed, though she followed him to bed.

They both slipped under the covers, and Christian reached to switch off the light, only noticing then that there was a small wrapped package on his nightstand. He took it in his hand, looking at Ana with curiousness, and she just shrugged.

"I've been told that it's good form to give your significant other something once in a while."

He chuckled, though he noticed her blush, which always made him smug. Ana was always so composed herself that anything that made her blush made him feel giddy. Still, he didn't take the package in his hand, and he sat up on the bed, pointing out,

"So, we're allowed to exchange gifts, now? Without any ranting of sorts?"

"Well…I already got mine. So now, it's time for yours."

"I don't recall getting you anything. And don't you dare mention London. You can't use that card at every turn."

Ana moved so she could sit on his lap, though she seemed to think that there is some sort of irony to what he said. She pecked his lips, putting her arms behind his neck, and he tried very hard to not think about how she was not wearing any underwear.

"You gave me today," she said in a loving whisper, her lips tugging up at the recollection of the day. "You could have gone to your office after lunch, but you stayed and socialised, even with Jack. Because you knew I wanted that special Thanksgiving for Grace and me. So…thank you Christian, for making my day wonderful."

He looked in her deep blue eyes, and clashed his lips against hers, his hands tracing the lines of her babydoll. He was only seconds from forgetting all about their daughter, his family, and the rest of the world when he regained control of himself.

He cleared his throat, breaking their kiss but keeping her steady on his lap, and he kissed her shoulder as his hand caressed her side. "This is nice," he commented as the fabric moved against his skin.

"I love" - kiss - "the way" - kiss - "it feels" - kiss - "on your soft" - kiss "delicious" - kiss - "sweet" - kiss - "skin" - kiss.

He sucked on the sensitive spot of her neck, though his mind was still rather clear on the overall situation. "Still, I can't help but notice the unfairness of it all. You get to buy me things, lingerie, presents, anytime you want, and all I get is you complaining when I try to do the same."

Ana giggled, and she promised, "When I buy you a £35 million apartment, I swear I will let you do aaaaaaaaaaall the complaining you want."

She pecked his lips, happy with her quip, but Christian knew it was a moot point to argue. He could buy her toilet paper and she would argue. After all, this had been one of their first debates, whether she should accept the Cartier bracelet that he had gotten her.

She smiled and reached to switch off the light from his side, and when she rolled on the side with a small yawn, Christian thought of striking the iron whilst it was still hot. She was in a festive mood due both to the Thanksgiving bliss and his Dad's killer cocktails.

"Talking of presents," he said, spooning against her and resuming the kisses on her shoulder. "Christmas is coming up, and I would like to make sure you get something you like this year. The two Christmases we spent together shall not be remembered for my gifts to you. So...what shall I get you?"

"I don't think I want anything, to be fair; Karl asked me the same question, and I have no idea."

"Anything, babe. A car?" Kiss. "Jewellery?" Kiss. "An island?" He added with a teasing smile.

This ought to make her laugh, and she slightly turned her head so she could see his silhouette as she points out, "The thing is, you are actually serious."

He didn't respond, because he would get her an island if that's what she wanted. "Anything babe. Anything you want. Just think about it, okay?"

"Okay. I'll let you know as soon as anything comes to mind," she promised. He grinned to himself, holding her tighter to him and feeling like a kid.

"Now, if it makes it easier for you, I know what I want for Christmas," he said, his heart rate suddenly accelerating. Maybe Ana would rather have the surprise of him proposing, but he didn't want her to feel the pressure of having to say yes because he would propose in front of his family. If she knew beforehand, she could turn him down with no pressure and no humiliation for him. But … if she said yes, it would be the best Christmas of his life.

But of course, Ana had to shatter down all his expectations, proudly saying in a singsong "Naha. I already have your Christmas present."

"What is it?" He asked, like a kid.

"It's a surprise. You have to behave and wait to get it on December 25th."

"Tell me," he insisted, and when she refused, he tickled her, making her burst into silent laughter. "Tell me," he repeated, increasing his torture, but all she said between two giggling fits was,

"Please, please Christian, stop it. I can't breathe."

Christian stopped, lifting his body so he would slightly hover over her. He could discern the contour of her face with the faint light of electronics charging, and he smiled at her with love.

"I'm such a lucky bastard."

❌PLEASE DO NOT COPY, DOWNLOAD OR SHARE THIS ANYWHERE OTHER THAN HERE❌

.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.

💚Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed💚

💚 So much fluff, I'm going to cry, haha.

💚 So, it's another big chapter. And I cut a scene to put it as a flashback at a later date. But I really enjoyed writing this cute, sweet, and adorable chapter. For the new readers, enjoy, for the veterans, ENJOY because you know, haha.

💚Now question time,

1. Okay, lots of things happened. Let's get the naughty out of the way. What did you think of the meeting with CF Holdings?

2. What did you think of the thanksgiving? Of Ana's feelings and anticipations about it?

3. And about Andrea. Are you team Christian or team Ana?

4. And what about Grace? She clearly doesn't know how to surprise people, haha. And she's playing chess now … and still getting chummy with Jin …

5. And Christian clearly has his mind on proposing, NOT EVEN TWO MONTHS AFTER THEY STARTED DATING! Haha. How do you think he will propose, and what do you think Ana's answer will be?

6. As per usual, what was your favourite part? Mine was the picture. Usually, when I write, I feel the writing, more than see it, if that makes sense. But that happy picture, it is branded in my brain. If I could draw, I definitely would draw it!

7. And what do you think will happen next?

💚 E L James owns the names of the characters from the Fifty Shades franchise, Everything else is mine (including the mistakes and grammar errors).

Love, Mina 💚💚💚