AN: Wow! I am so humbled for the kindness and encouragement that you reviewers are sharing. Thank you!

Daytonalay: Thank you for being my first-ever reviewer. I love to see Elliott when he is the silly, life of the party. He plays so well against the mercurial Mr. Grey.

Misssee: Look out for the two battling sides of Ana – sweet and shy versus wanton and empowered. This story will follow along as each side battles for dominance (pun intended).

LiannyW: I think the best Fifty stories are told through lots of character conversations. Chapter 2 will begin to have more character dialogue and interaction.

Chapter 2

The After Party

It doesn't take long for the rest of the party to make it to the outdoor bar to join Christian and I. Luckily, Kate is lost in her own fairy tale of an evening. She gives no indication that she noticed my abrupt exit from the dining room. I would be heartbroken if Kate thought I wasn't happy for her and Elliott. I really am ecstatic that Kat has found her Prince Charming. It's change that has me panicking.

It is not long before our party divides into two distinct groups. The ladies all hover around Kate asking about possible wedding dates and locations. Grace Grey and Kathy Kavanaugh's cups runneth over with ideas for what will be the wedding of the year in Seattle. If ever there was a match to equal Kate and Elliott, it would be their two mothers. These women are well-connected and have spent their adulthoods finely honing their party-hosting abilities. The Kavanaugh-Grey wedding will surely be the event of the year for the who's who of Seattle society.

The men congregate around Elliott. Carrick Grey offers Eamon Kavanaugh a stiff drink. I am sure Mr. Kavanaugh hears the ka-ching of the dollar signs adding up. Kate and her mother have excellent taste. By excellent, I mean expensive taste, very expensive.

"Kate, your ring is gorgeous. Elliott did a great job!"

"Thanks. I think that he had a little help picking it out." Kate winks conspiratorially at Mia.

I have no doubt that Mia pointed her oldest brother Elliott right to Kate's Pinterest page. Kate has been planning her wedding since the beginning of time. If someone needs something done, Mia Grey is the go-to. Mia's two brothers depend on her to assist in the execution of all of their great endeavors.

It was Mia who found her billionaire-brother Christian's famed penthouse in the sky. She oversaw the design team and the subsequent feature in Architectural Digest. When Elliott started Grey Construction, Mia used her Junior League coterie to get the inside details on the plans for new commercial construction in the posh Pike's Place Market district. She was able to get enough info to ensure that Elliott's bids were in line with the developer's vision. Grey Construction soon became the West Coast's leader in green design.

It was also Mia who orchestrated Kate and Elliott's meet-cute at this year's Coping Together ball. Her spidey senses told her that the outspoken, talented, and beautiful Katherine Kavanaugh was just the woman to tame Seattle's biggest playboy. Mia was right. Kate and Elliott met on a Friday night. By that Sunday, Elliott was practically our third roommate in the apartment that Kate and I share.

I push my earlier fears back into the darkest part of my brain where I lock away all of my secrets. Soon, Jose and Frederic are ordering shots all around. I surrender to the merriment. Tonight is about celebrating Kate and Elliott. I will save further anguish and angst for tomorrow.

Just before the party spirals into total drunken debauchery, I feel an electric current run through my lady bits. Christian is back by my side. He places his hand on my lower back creating a zing in my bikini zone. He bends down to speak into my ear over the growing revelry of our party.

"Ana, I'm going to head out. Do you have a ride home?"

"I'm pretty sure that Kate is going to end up spending the night at Elliott's. I can Uber home."

Christian frowns, "Ana, that's not safe. Let my driver take you home. Come on. It's on my way."

I roll my eyes at Christian's concerns over the safety of hailing a rideshare. I notice a flicker of darkness pass across his grey eyes.

"Christian, I Uber every day. It's not a big deal. Ever since Wanda died, it's my modes operandi."

"Wanda died? Thank God! That old VW wasn't fit for the road. Come on, you are riding with me."

As though I had agreed to his offer, Christian presses on my lower back to lead me towards the parking lot. Guess I'm riding home with Mr. Bourbon Neat. I wonder if I can sneak another sniff of his Christian Grey elixir. It is not a cologne or a body wash. What is it that has him smelling like desire and power?

At least I will save the cost of an Uber. Now that I am losing my roomie, I will need to start saving for my own place….and my anxiety over my impending life changes begins to seep back out.

I smile at Taylor as he opens the door to the black Audi SUV. Christian has dispatched Taylor on more than one occasion to pick up Mia, Kate, and I after a late night of clubbing. Mia once told us that Taylor is really Christian's CPO. Ever since Christian made his first billion, Mia says that Christian regularly receives threats to his safety. #billionaireproblems

Christian sits in the back of the SUV with me. We ride in silence until I make a lame attempt with small talk.

"Great party. I can't believe Elliott and Kate are engaged. Wow, that's such a grown-up move," I am beginning to ramble.

Christian smirks, "A grown up move?"

"Yes, you know. Marriage, then babies, then a house in the suburbs. All very grown-up moves."

"Is that what you want, Ms. Steele? Marriage and babies?"

Well son of a biscuit. I feel myself beginning to blush.

"Ehr, I don't know. It all seems pretty romantic. Having someone who loves you and wants to be with you until 'death do us part.' That's pretty powerful stuff. Kate and Elliott are choosing each other of everyone else, people they haven't even met."

"Love is for fools, Ms. Steele. It is simply a misguided delusion used to explain away the chaos that is caused when desire and passion drive a person to lose all control." Christian pauses, running his pointer finger across his bottom lip. "I am curious, Ms. Steele. Do you turn pink all over when you blush?"

Oh, he is good. He's trying to redirect the conversation. Hold on a minute Mr. Billionaire-with-a-Driver-and-a-Fancy-Apartment-in the Sky. I invented the topic diversion technique.

"So, what I am hearing you say is that love is not a feeling. Do you not believe that love can be a choice, Mr. Grey?" My inner goddess is doing cartwheels right now. Never argue love with an English Lit major.

He leans closer to me. He is so close that I can smell his heady elixir. Oh my stars, that scent! He cocks an eyebrow.

"Explain, Ms. Steele."

"Love can be a choice, a choice to have unabashed loyalty and affection for another. The choice to share intimacy within a monogamous agreement." I whisper to this man-god that is so close I can taste the Bourbon on his breath.

Christian's grey eyes bore straight into me. I feel naked and exposed. Strangely, I find this very arousing. Yep, definitely time for a fresh set of panties.

"Interesting. Are you saying love is like a contract?"

"Yep," I pop the 'p' for emphasis and bite my bottom lip.

Suddenly, there is no longer space between us. Christian's lips are on mine. He sucks my lower lip from between my teeth. His hand goes to the back of my neck pulling me closer. With all of his powerful CEO magic, he pulls me until I am sitting astride him. His tongue invades my mouth. Ehr mah gawd, this man tastes even better than he smells. Normally, I would find myself too timid to kiss him back. Thank the stars that my inner goddess pushes me aside and takes the helm.

While I sit there stunned, my inner goddess wraps her arms around Christian's neck and kisses him back so intensely that every single inch of my body is blushing. She is so busy grinding into what can only be described as something very stiff and very large that neither she nor I notice that the SUV has pulled up to the curb in front of my apartment building. It is only when Taylor clears his throat very loudly that my inner goddess and I pull away panting to realize that it is time for Anastasia Steele to exit the vehicle.