CHAPTER 4

Christian Pov

She cleared her throat and said, "Wow, ok, I… umm… think you're very attractive and can't figure out what this electrical charge that emits everytime we touch is, especially when we are in close proximity to one another. Honestly, I have very firm doubts about having a relationship with you right off the bat on a new job. What if it goes wrong, how do we undo it and go back to coworkers? I couldn't say no to your dinner offer because I really do want to know you better and hope we can start out slow and easy as friends. I've never been in a dating relationship before. It would be my first, honestly." What does she mean first?

Right at that moment the waiter brings our entrees. When he leaves I start to ask her what she means, when Elena walks up to the table. The last fucking person I want to see.

Elena says, "Christian darling, I thought that was you. Who is your little friend? I didn't think you would take them out in public? You didn't tell me you were contracting again on your own? Haven't I taught you anything?" Elena eyes her like a submissive piece of meat, fresh from the butcher.

I am pissed while grinding my teeth and say, "Be quiet, Elena." I paused, glaring at her and her big mouth. "This is my new CFO executive, Anastasia Steele. This is a friend of my mothers and owner of the Esclava Salon chain, Mrs Elena Lincoln." God I wish she would not have been here and would have just shut the fuck up.

Elena snidely said, "My aren't you awfully young to be in an executive position with not enough time to gain experience for such a large prestigious company? Really, Christian, hiring such an inexperienced little girl in the top of your company, what were you thinking and what will people think?"

I stood up and said deathly quiet, "Elena! What the hell has gotten into you? You are not in a position to tell me who I can and cannot hire in my own company. You're being extremely rude and I want you to leave now!" Elena didn't budge.

Anastasia cleared her throat and wiped her mouth. She said, "Mrs Lincoln, I have worked hard enough and achieved more than enough education and skills to do the job accurately and efficiently to deal with the finances of every company under the GEH umbrella, including yours. You best have your business affairs in order as of next week, if I were you. You have served no point in talking down to me in a snide and condescending way. You may be my elder, but I will never be your stepping stone or door mat to wipe your shoes on. I will cancel my appointment at your little salon tomorrow and take my business elsewhere to the Four Seasons Salon and Spa or elsewhere. I have enough money on my own to afford to pay without your services discount. I have zero tolerance or time for fools, blatant arrogance and ill mannered people." Elena was taken aback by her candor and started sputtering and trying to back track.

She pulled herself together and said, "Christian are you going to let her talk to me this way? I am your friend and I helped you get where you are today. I am your mother's best friend also. Do something!" Good God, I never realized she was such a fucking bitch. She thinks she is better than anyone else including me and is throwing around her influence like I'm a puppet and she holds the strings. WTF is wrong with me why haven't I listened to Flynn about all the times he told me this?

I turned to Elena and quietly said, "You asked for it. Get the fuck out of my restraunt. I'm sick and tired of you throwing that in my face. You've received initially 10 times back your investment and then some for me backing you salons. I don't care what you think or say anymore. I'm giving you two minutes to remove yourself from the premises or I will have you removed while you make a fool of yourself to the tabloids. It's your decision starting now." I looked at my watch.

Elena glared at Christian then me and said, "This isn't over, boy. You can't get away with treating me like this." Then she turned to Anastasia pointing with her blood red pointy nails and said, "You better leave my business alone little girl, or you'll rue the day crossing me." She turned on her heels and left out the door of the restaurant.

Ana Pov

Christian sat back down. He was so aggravated and boiling pissed. I reached my hand across the table and took his fist and wrapped my hand around it until he would relax it and said, "What a bitch. You did good though. I'm proud of how you handled things. Don't worry, seriously, if she gives you any trouble I'll just spring a surprise audit on her business for the past however many years she's been with you. I'll then shut down all locations, that is, until they have been evaluated and audited completely." His hand opened up and I started rubbing lightly on his pulse point. He started heartily laughing. We started eating our entrees.

Christian said, "Before hurricane Elena,I was going to ask you what you meant by it would be your first relationship?" He cut into his filet mignon.

I cut into my sea bass and said, "I had a military strict father and I was in constant information cramming mode. I never took the time with boys because my education was more essential to me and my father. I was lost when Ray died a couple years ago. I have no family left worth mentioning and just lost my two so-called friends a month ago. Nobody ever interested me, well until I ran literally into you." I blushed. He just kept looking at me. He turned over my hand in his, and was rubbing lightly in circles on my knuckles. I didn't realize we were still holding hands until that moment.

He looked down and said, "I haven't had a girlfriend, like dating and so forth. I won't explain why here, but if you let me take you to my penthouse, I will tell you why tomorrow night if you have dinner with me again there." This must be either bad or complicated not to be discussed in public.

I said, "Ok, we can wait for your explanation at a later time. Would you like to try my sea bass?" He smiled and nodded and he let go of my hand. I took a nice bite on my fork and fed it to him. He moaned. It was so sexy even when he swallowed it. Wet panty alert.

He licked his lips and said, "They have very good chefs here. Let me give you a bite. The filet mignon is cooked perfectly." He held out a bite for me and it was extremely tasty. I moaned in return. Yummy. He had his mouth half open and licked his bottom lip during my bite. His eyes became so dark. I think it's what arousal and desire looks like on his face. I've never seen it as dark like this though. He stared at me. He swallowed hard, because his Adam's apple moved.

He said quietly, "I promise, I won't touch you without your permission. Anything is off the table until you know all I have to tell you before." We finished eating and he put his hand out for me to take and we walked out of the restaurant to the elevator. The ride down the elevator was as tense as it was going up. It felt good to hit the fresh air outside and inhale a couple times. The car was pulled up by the valet. He gave me his hand and helped me into the passenger side.

We drove through town and he pulled up to The Olivian and walked me to the front door. We stepped inside the vestibule and he asked if he could give me a kiss goodbye. My panties needed serious changing from this evening after being around this man. I said, "Yes, of course you may." I almost swooned in the lobby from the passionate mouth that man possesses. He grinned in a sly way and said, "See you in the morning, beautiful. Sweet dreams." He reluctantly let me go slowly squeezing my hand until my fingertips he let go. He winked and turned to leave and get in his car. He drove away.

I turned and went up to my apartment and stripped. As I showered, I thought about how overwhelming and sexy Christian Grey was with his long strong fingers. I thought of how they felt touching me while his lips consumed mine. I wondered, while getting my chores done and laying out my clothes for the morning, how his unusual gray eyes reflect different shades depending on what his emotional state is. What does a walking enigma of a sex god want with a Marine brat like me? I may never figure this out. I exhaled while laying in bed and shut the light off. I was looking at the city lights outside of my bedroom window until sleep finally came.

—--

The next morning I ate breakfast and got dressed in a red Micheal Kors fit-and-flare 1/2 sleeve dress and a Gucci gold GG wide black belt with my trusty Christian Louboutin black high heels. I pulled my hair up in a high ponytail, wore my 1 1/2 ct diamond earrings with smokey eye and light makeup. I headed to Neiman Marcus and asked to see a top private shopper on staff. They introduced me to Carolyn Acton. I asked if she could help me pick out three corporate suits, three or four office wear dresses, a few coordinating separates, with shoes, belts and purses to blend with. I also needed a few cocktail dresses and lingerie too. While she looked for outfits, I went across the mall entrance to Victoria Secret. When I came back, I found more Agent Provocateur lingerie items too.

When all was said and done, I put a substantial dent in my bank account of about $72,572.48 and before I got to the door as the young man was carrying most of my purchases, I spied a black Christian Louboutin Leather Tote Bag for my laptop and files for work, I would be getting setup with tomorrow. I purchased it and left with the guy in tow to my R8's trunk. I stuffed my trunk and gave the guy a nice tip for his help and got in.

I was hungry for lunch and went to La Pichet on 1st Avenue for lunch. It's a small French bar/cafe with indoor and outdoor seating. I found it while jogging one morning. The weather was nice for now so I wanted to take advantage of it.

I pulled just down from the cafe and walked down a store to the front and just my luck there was a small wrought iron little table for two available with a little umbrella blocking the sun. I sat down and put my sunglasses on my head. The waitress approached with a menu and table settings. She said, "Welcome to La Pichet, would you like a beverage?"

I smiled at her and said, "Yes, please. I would like a glass of your best red wine please and a glass of ice water?" She nodded, smiled and left. I peruse the menu and decided on the Salade verte: Bibb lettuce salad with mustard and hazelnut vinaigrette, and the Sandwich en baguette: Paris ham and gruyere cheese. The waitress came back with my wine and water, so I placed my order.

I was relaxing sipping my wine with my legs crossed and a man sat down across from me in a black Armani suit with expensive Italian sunglasses. He put his sunglasses on his head and said in his Italian accent, "May I join you for lunch? A beautiful woman, such as yourself, should never dine alone?"

I really hate men who think they are God's gift to women and are rude. If he wanted to be proper about it he would have stayed standing until I answered not plop his butt in the seat. I said, "Actually, first thing, it is very rude to assume I would say yes and you seated yourself anyway showing no manners. Second, you think so much of yourself, yet demonstrate no respect for me by doing so. Third, your mother should have been teaching you these things after diapers. Fourth, I am relatively a very nice person but you ticked me off with your rudeness. So no, I would not want your company for lunch." I sipped my wine and put it down. He had his mouth hanging open a few seconds later he stood up, put his sunglasses back on, buttoned his jacket and walked down the street. He was handsome but not as handsome as my Christian Grey.

The waitress came with my food and said, "Where did your handsome guest leave too?" She laid it out nicely.

I smiled at her and said, "I didn't know him and arrogant rude men piss me off." The girl giggled.

She said, "Good for you. They piss me off too."

I smiled and said, "Thank you, could I get another glass of wine too, please?"

She said, "Sure." She left to get it and I prepared my salad and cut my baguette sandwich into smaller sections to handle easier. Lunch was good and eating al fresco was a delight.

I was walking to my car and was window shopping, so I went down a few doors further looking at the candy shop storefront. I went in and smelled the most wonderful smells but mostly something buttery and nutty wafted in from the back. The cashier looked up and smiled. I said sniffing, "What is that heavenly smell from back there?"

She said, "A fresh batch of homemade pralines. We make fresh batches of them on Thursday."

I said, "Oh please can I get some? It smells so lovely."

The girl laughed and said, "Ok, everyone loves them. The candy here is my New Orleans great grandmother's recipes. I'll be right back and see if there is a tray available." She came back with a huge tray of them. I bought five pounds and bagged them in half pound sizes. I bought two pounds of milk chocolate covered hazelnut almond pistachio brittle split in half pound bags. A pound of each truffles put in half pound bags:

Turtle(caramel dipped in milk chocolate, rolled in pecans) ,

Oreo(vanilla dipped in milk chocolate, rolled in chocolate cookie dust),

Maple Walnut(maple sugar dipped in milk chocolate, rolled in chopped walnuts)

Coconut Coffee Pecan(chocolate ganache mixed with coffee and pecans rolled in coconut)

Chocolate Macadamia Toffee(a macadamia nut dipped in milk chocolate rolled in crushed toffee)

Smores(a marshmallow dipped in milk chocolate, rolled in graham cracker crumbs)

After buying thirteen pounds of candy in twenty six bags, I was done. I labeled them with a sharpie while she split up and bagged them all. She sold me some nice small gift bags and small boxes for them too with tissue paper and bows. I carried about three full bags out of the store and took her card.