CHAPTER 3

He said, "Hello, Anastasia. How are you?"

Ana said, "Hi, Christian. I'm good just got in my condo downtown here and I'm putting my food away in the refrigerator as we speak. I brought in a big cooler so I can eat or cook here. Do you want me to cook you dinner and bring it all over for two ready made?"

Christian was smiling from ear to ear. He said, "You're spoiling me. What's on the menu tonight?"

Ana said, "Well, Red Wine Braised Beef Tips with steamed asparagus over wild rice and a butter lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, kalamata olive side salad with fresh lemon dijon dressing. I'm even going to bake up some of my melt in your mouth famous chocolate butter cookies. I usually make about six dozen because I like keeping them around for a little while."

Christian moaned over the phone. He said, "That all sounds so good. I must give you one word of warning. I'm a big choco-holic. It's not even funny how seriously I take my chocolate addiction."

She said, "So I better double all my chocolate recipes from now on, huh?"

He moaned, "Oh, yes please. I will do anything if they taste as good as they sound."

Ana giggled and said, "Uh… you're not going to let me out of your apartment if it's like that. I might be kidnapped and chained to your kitchen stove then. I'll make sure to bring you half of what I make then. My father always made me make him twelve dozen cookies when I came home for the holidays and that doesn't include the two dozen he scarfed down while I was making them."

Christian begged and said, "Please, please bring some. They will make me feel better."

Ana said, "I will then. You have to let me go home though and not be enslaved cooking forever. I have a life living outside my cooking skills. The only thing better is my ultimate chocolate cake. It has six kinds of chocolate in it to put it together."

Christian said, "I want one of those too. You missed my birthday. Can I have a, 'make up for missing my birthday cake' cake?"

Ana giggled, teased and said, "I don't know about that….. You may want to marry me if I made you that one. No chocolate cake compares to my top secret ultimate chocolate cake. But… I did save your life and now I have to take care of you according to an old proverb." Christian did a fist air pump and almost dropped the phone. He was grinning.

Ana said, "I could make one for you over the weekend. Is that good?"

Christian excited like a little kid said, "Oh that would be perfect, thank you, thank you." Ana laughed.

She said, "Ok, I'll see you tonight around six ok?"

He said, "Yes, that will be fine. Let me text you the gate code and the elevator code. I live in Escala on 4th Avenue and Virginia Street."

Ana said, "Oh, you're so close to where I live. I didn't realize that you were three blocks away from me. Where in the building do you live?"

Christian said, "The penthouse on the 30th floor."

Ana said, "I'll be there then let me get baking for us."

Christian said, "Thank you, Anastasia. I'll text you my codes."

Ana said, "Ok, bye Christian."

He said, "Bye for now, beautiful." He hung up and texted her the codes.

Ana looked at the phone and thought, 'Did he just call me beautiful? He's the one that's beautiful. I'm just me.' She started getting everything going for the cookie ingredients that she had bought at the store and brought with her. She was glad she had a double oven set up in her condo. It would make this easier to bake and quicker.

Four and a half hours later, the fourteen dozen cookies were cooled and eight dozen got packaged up. Her six dozen were in her container on the counter. She got dressed in a teal blue three quarter sleeve long button up dress with the buttons unbuttoned up to three inches above her knees and had on her black suede lace up wide high heel boots that came to the knee. She had her hair in a messy braid over her shoulder. She had on light makeup and smokey eyes with eyeliner. The red wine beef tips with whole sauteed mini portobello mushrooms, the wild rice, and the asparagus, the butter lettuce, tomatoes avocado, kalamata olives and the lemon dijon dressing were packaged up in different containers to heat up when she got there and put on plates and bowls. She packed it all up in two reusable shopping bags. She grabbed her purse and keys. She got everything packed in the car and drove off to Escala.

When she arrived she punched in the code and parked in visitors parking. She got out and went up to the elevator and pushed the button.

A man got on the elevator with her and he said, "Where are you going? That smells delicious. Is that from a restaurant? Let me carry that for you to the apartment you headed to."

Ana said, "It's not necessary. I'm going to the penthouse." She would not punch the code in until this guy left.

He said a bit miffed, "Oh I see now, you're going to see Christian Grey. Well, have a good evening. " He got off the elevator on the 15th floor. Ana thought, 'What a jerk.' She punched in the code and went up.

When the doors opened it was a severely white, glass and brass open floor plan. She looked around at the high vaulted ceilings, the corkscrew round staircase, the full glass window walls, the black grand piano and the kitchen off to the left she went towards the kitchen. She sat the bags down on the counter top. She saw Christian in a pair of black silk pajama pants and a white tshirt on a crutch coming her way. She hurried over to him.

Ana said, "Christian! You didn't have to get up and come in here. You should have stayed in your room resting your leg." He dropped his crutch looking at her in awe. His mouth hung open. She was even more beautiful than he remembered in the accident. She put her hand cupping his face. He leaned his face into it, closing his eyes.

She asked concerned, "Are you alright, Christian? Let me get your crutch." She knelt down and came up with his crutch. He had a vision of her in a submissive pose seeing her bend down like that. She put his crutch under his arm and smiled the most beautiful smile at him. He just stood there staring at her.

She said, "Come, honey, sit down and let me get you comfortable." He followed her in a daze. He thought, 'Did she just call me honey? It's so sweet.' He sat down on the couch and looked up at her. She knelt down in front of him and cupped his face again with both hands looking in his eyes. He had forgotten how good her touch felt on his skin.

She said, "I'm glad to see the little lacerations are healing up so well." She slowly came up and kissed his lips lightly like a soft butterfly. He knew he was a goner. He wanted this woman more than he ever wanted anyone. He thought she was magical and cast some kind of spell on him. She smiled at him and he smiled back at her and put his hand on the side of her neck threading his finger into the nape of the back of her head. He caressed her cheek with his thumb. He got lost looking in her eyes. She leaned into his hand, closing her eyes. He leaned in and took her lips in a pleasurable sultry slow kiss. She opened her mouth and he touched her sweet tasting tongue. He never kissed his submissives because it was too personal, but was a 'I'm in heaven kissing an angel right now' kiss. All he knew was he wished time would freeze this moment. It was the sweetest mouth he ever tasted in his whole life. He increased pressure and it became a passionate possessive kiss. He broke the kiss and looked into her eyes. He saw something for a fleeting moment and it was gone. She shut down whatever it was.

She backed away, stood up and she turned away from him, but he grabbed her hand. She said, "You need to eat Christian like me."

He said softly, "What is it, Anastasia? Why are you ready to run away?"

She was still looking away. She said in a whisper, "You don't want me. I'm no good to you."

She turned back and looked him directly in the eyes and continued, "I feel like you want to possess me. I can't let you do that. I sense it. Call it gut instinct. You want full control of me. I'm not that kind of woman. I will never be a woman to demean myself to that. You want me to lose my will to you. I will just be your friend." He dropped her hand and hung his head.

He thought, 'How the hell could she know or sense that in me from a kiss? Is it that telling or obvious? She senses how fucked up I am. Of course she does. What the hell are you trying to do with an angel? You don't deserve her. You're not good enough for a woman like her. Stick with your own kind. How did she know?'

He said, "Anastasia, I don't know what to say. I'm sorry."

She smiled and said, "It's ok. I'm still your friend. Let's… just eat. If you eat all your food you get cookies." She sang the last teasing. He looked up into her eyes and smiled at her tease.

He said, "Ok. I'll do anything for your cookies." Ana giggled.

She said, "You want to eat right here? You can get on that end of the couch and put your leg up?" She helped him get organized with pillows and a throw. She went into the kitchen and got out two plates, two bowls, silverware and napkins. They were cloth.

She set up the coffee table and said, "What do you want to drink? A glass of red wine would be best. Are you on pain pills?"

Christian said, "They gave me some but I just use them to go to sleep."

Ana smiled and said, "Ok, I'll get us a glass. Is there any kind you are particularly fond of? I noticed you have a wine cellar."

He said, "Cabernet Sauvignon is fine." She went and got two glasses and a corkscrew to open the bottle with. She poured them each a glass and sat the bottle on the coffee table with the cork in it. She started preparing dinner and the salads. When she was finished, she found a tray and took dinner over and sat it down in front of him. He was impressed. It was better than most restaurants would serve and the way she put it together was ideal. He loved the flavor of everything. He didn't even talk much the whole time, while the flavors lasted. He was just loving having her near him. It was marvelous. He enjoyed the flavor of the red wine sauce.

The elevator dinged and in walked Elena. Christian cringed inside. He knew she came over to try to seduce him and from the look in her eyes, she was shocked to see somebody already here. It also looked like she was nude under that red trench coat.

Elena snobbily and condescendingly said, "What do we have here? I thought you would be alone, Christian darling. Who's your little friend?"

Christian said, "Why didn't you call before coming over? We are in the middle of eating dinner. This is Anastasia Steele. She's the one who saved my life when I crashed behind her house in Montesano. She cooked and brought over dinner for me."

Elena was looking Anastasia up and down. She said, "Oh, the little country girl, Grace told me about. You must be far from home, little girl."

Ana said, "Not really my condo is three blocks away. I was only on my property in Montesano for about a week total. Luckily, I was there on my first day when the accident occurred to be able to help."

Elena said nastily, "Yes, luckily. Christian didn't you just give the little girl some money for her help and send her on her way? That's what most wealthy people would do so they don't get hangers on."

He said, "She doesn't need my money, Elena. She is my friend and I would like for you to leave and call next time you think you may stop by instead of intruding." Elena's face got angry.

Elena snarled said, "Who do you think you are, boy? You wouldn't be where you are right now if it wasn't for me. I saved you from going down the wrong path in life and now you owe me more respect than that."

He said, "I owe you nothing. I gave you ten times and more back for the hundred thousand you gave me. I helped you get your chain of salons up and running. I support you as a 60% partner in your businesses financially. I don't owe you anything in this life anymore so stop flinging that in my face! I'm tired of you acting like you own me! You do not! Now leave before I have you removed."

Elena said, "You'll be sorry you ever treated me this way. I came over to make you feel better and give you release. I was being thoughtful. Spending time with this bumpkin isn't going to get you anything or any stress release like I can."

He said, "Elena get out! Taylor!" The man Taylor appeared. "Get her out of the penthouse and change the codes."

Taylor went after Elena ready to toss her ass into the elevator. She was shuffling and running in six inch heels towards the elevator yelling, "I'm going to make you sorry for this, Christian! I own your ass! You'll see!" The doors closed. The penthouse got quiet

Ana looked over at Christian and he was having a meltdown. She stood up and sat between his legs that were spread. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and put her hand in his hair not touching his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. He rested his head on her shoulder as she relaxed him with the way she was rubbing his scalp. she started rocking him gently. His stress and anger was melting away. She made him feel better instantly in her arms and with her touching his body. He never felt so comfortable with anyone in his whole life until she touched him for the first time. She was so lovely in every way.

After a little bit, she whispered, "Christian, do you feel better, honey?" He loved how she called him honey.

He kissed her cheek and smiled at her. She said, "Good, let's finish eating and I'll give you your cookies for dessert." He grinned at her and lightly kissed her lips. She smiled at him and released him. She caressed his cheek. She got up and sat in her spot and started eating her salad. He resumed eating too. He was wondering if he could have a vanilla relationship with her. He didn't know how to go about it but he wondered if he could try. He would just do everything opposite to what Elena ever told him and see what happens.

After they ate Ana cleaned up the dishes and put them in the dishwasher. She brought over her one reusable shopping bag and sat down next to him and took a sip of her wine and so did he looking at her. She pulled a large cardboard white cake box tied with twine in a bow. She untied it and looked at him. She opened the box to eight dozen chocolate butter cookies. Christian reached in and took a perfect little round cookie with chocolate fudge piped into the middle. He bit it and savored the flavor with his eyes rolling to the back of his head. It actually dissolved, melting into his mouth. He knew he never had a cookie like these before. They were so rich.

Ana said grinning, "So you don't like them and I have to take them back home?"

Christian said all seriously with a cookie in his mouth, "No! Mine!" He grabbed the cookies in the box and held them away from her. She started laughing at him.

Ana said, "Ok, ok. Can I have one?" He looked at her like she was an alien with two heads.

She kept laughing at him and said, "You better give me one if you want me to make you more and that chocolate cake for this weekend." He acted all hurt and put the box back on the table like he was being knuckled under. She giggled at him.

She picked out a cookie and said, "I told you they are addictive like chocolate crack. Wait until you taste that cake. It's to die for. It's a piece of chocolate heavenly nirvana. I worked hard to get these recipes perfected on my daddy and myself. I tweaked and fine tuned them over the years. I was cooking at five years old with my daddy. My mother wouldn't cook so we would take over the kitchen. He showed me how to clean as I cooked so it wasn't such a huge mess. It was my first lesson. He was my best friend, my hero, my daddy and my teacher all rolled into a wonderful human being." He was envious to love someone like that. So completely. She had one hundred percent faith in him. He could hear it in her words.

Ana nudged him in his shoulder and said, "This is fun for me sharing my cooking and baking with you. Your good company. When old lady's aren't trying to get in your pants unannounced."

Christian soberly said, "I'm sorry about all that. I just wanted us to have a quiet evening together and have some good food and conversation. I really like you Anastasia."

Ana looked at him and said, "I really like you too a lot. Every time I touch you I get an electric shock. It doesn't hurt but it seems to draw me to you."

He said, "I really want to have a relationship with you, but I have to tell you about me and I'm afraid you won't like me anymore afterwards."

Ana said, "Why don't you let me be the judge of that for myself, ok?" He nodded. She continued, "We all have things in our past that we aren't proud of, afraid of, want to forget or are avoiding. Besides, we don't have to talk about anything tonight anyway. Let's just be two friends that like one another."

He smiled and said, "Ok, I can do that."

The rest of the evening went just fine. She made Christian get in bed with his box of cookies on the table next to him. She gave him his pain pill, kissed him good night and left for the night. She drove back to her condo and got undressed and took a shower before going to bed.