Monday morning I swing my feet out the bed disappointed no dreams of that handsome man. I clean up in the bathroom and dress in my uniform. Kate is sat enjoying breakfast leisurely. I rush out the door stealing a piece of Kate's toast on my way out.
I beat the traffic and get into work early which is fine as Rachael has missed her morning shift. So I dive right in picking up the slack. Meeting all my regulars that are in here every day ordering coffee. Some order coffee and pancakes, a few go for the full breakfast to keep them going longer. The shift runs smoothly as I'm working with Julie and Heather. We know each others routines and work like a dance group quickly ducking and turning out the way of each other. I enjoy all my brief and polite conversations with each of the regulars I come across.
I do meet a few new customers, the most noteworthy is a couple from England who are on holiday here. They seem very much in love with each other and their British accent has me enthralled. It's a much different accent from what people believe is British and when I ask them about it, they tell me it's because they come from the north of England. Apparently not everyone from England is from London. The food moves out fast and by lunchtime the diner is only just calming down a little to give us all a breather.
I just grab a drink when I hear Rachael arrive from the back. The water is cool and refreshing on my lips.
I just swallow when Julie steps up. "Ana you got one corner booth."
I put the glass down and stroll over to the last table. My eyes flick over to the music box as Mr, Barnes leans over it picking a tune. Bonnie Tyler is currently playing from it. Total eclipse of the heart. I Bet he will pick Frank Sinatra he always picks Frank. I arrive at the table still looking over at the jukebox.
"How can I serve you?" I ask casually. The chorus blurs from the speakers louder. I turn around to look at the man in the booth. My whole world stops dead.
Oh, shit!
As more of the words spill from the speakers. It's him. Christian Grey is sat there staring up at me with those delicious and deep grey eyes. I think I'm going to faint, All the colour drains from my face and I feel as white as a ghost. At least those have a blanket to hide under I have nothing. Keep it together, Please keep it together. Right at the moment Bonnie Tyler belts out her words throughout the diner. She is singing how I feel about him. The thought stumbles me and I'm standing there slacked jawed, I hope I'm not drooling at him. As Bonnie crooning continues.
The music fades a little softer. I stand there stunned. I can't move as I stare down into his face. He has that smirk on his face. Oh, that hot smirk. My tongue wants to reach out and lick that smirk right from his mouth. I feel a nudge from my inner devil and she is nodding, whispering even do it. I feel so clumsy my hands are dead weights holding my pen and pad, my fingers don't respond and drop my pen. It doesn't even hit the floor and he reaches out catching it.
Wow, his reactions are fast meanwhile I'm still standing there rooted to the spot like an old tree blowing in the wind. His hand holds my pen up to me. His strong hand holding out to me like an invitation. I reach out trying to not let my hand tremble and take my pen. My fingers touch his skin and I feel my skin tingle. Gripping my pen, I pull my hand free and double click my pen clearing my voice to speak. Well, Anastasia Steele, you need to open your mouth and say something my mind shouts out me. My inner angel has woke up finally and whispers into my ear. The words are out before I judge them.
"How can I serve you?" I repeat.
My mind snaps at my inner angel, of all the phases you could have given me you pick that one. My inner angel looking down to the floor in shame. True, It's one of my many sayings to ask a customer their order. His smirk seems to make me think he is thinking something else as his eyes darken.
"How indeed. What's good here?" He asks, his words drip with a dark tone like melted ice cream.
My inner devil is awake and in full blown lust mode. She is jumping up and down screaming at me, I'm good take me! Give me your melted ice cream. I don't even fully understand her, but I feel my blush creeping up.
"It's all good here." I managed to say in barely a whisper.
"I bet. I will have the full breakfast, please. With fresh orange juice. Miss Steele." I nod my head and turn walking away.
I have not even made it back to the counter when the girls rush up to me. Julie, Rachael and Heather surround me.
"Ana that gorgeous hunk of man on the table at the end came in yesterday asking for you," Rachael says as I stand there mouth open. Christian Grey came in yesterday asking for me?
"Ana careful you don't catch flies with your mouth like that," Julie says pushing my jaw shut.
"So spill Ana who is he?" Heather asks her gaze locked on his back.
"Christian Grey." Julie nods to Rachael.
"You knew it didn't you. The famous magician." My mind is still reeling, how do so many people know about him but not me? He is a magician or con man as you like to think. My mind answers my question.
"What did he order?" Rachael asks.
"A full breakfast and fresh orange juice," I say still in shock that he came in looking for me yesterday.
Rachael shouts my order to the kitchen and pours his drink handing me a tray with his drink. Heather turns me round I'm still in shock. My mind somehow caught that the music went lower in volume after I saw him. The jukebox doesn't have a volume control my mind absently thinks. Now I'm back heading towards his table. I focus on the simple task of walking so to not trip. One foot then other foot, one foot then other foot. Then I'm there at his table placing his drink down.
"There you go, Sir," I say trying to sound professional. His eyes are watching my every move. My skin is flushing again. Do I only need to be near him and I blush.
"Please sit with me." I quickly step back.
"I can't I have to work." As soon as the words leave my mouth I feel an arm on my shoulder and turn to see Samantha standing there. "Ana you can take your break now." I go to protest as Samantha turns to face Christian when I see Heather, Julie and Rachael smiling and laughing with their thumbs up behind the counter.
I will murder those girls, nice trick. My inner devil is giving me the thumbs up and thanking the girls for their sheer brilliance of their plan.
I feel trapped now my eyes start drifting over to him and stop at Samantha's face. She is staring at him. At my magic man. She hasn't spoken one word, I'm grateful it's not just me that has that reaction. He smiles at Samantha.
"Thank you. Samantha." Still in a state of full-blown shock from the girls scheming ways I have not moved an inch.
Samantha's gentle hand on my shoulder pushes me down and into the opposite booth seat before I have time to process what just happened. Samantha takes that moment of broken eye contact to rush off.
I'm sitting across from him as he takes a sip of his orange juice. It feels like we are on a date. He is wearing a tight fitting cream colored top. The color makes me think of my dream. My dress would have matched perfectly with that top. The mere thought makes my insides clench up. I have no idea what he is wearing on his lower half, the table blocks my view of him there. I stretch out my legs as my feet feel stiff. My bare ankle touches something most likely the table leg. As I realize someone needs to speak.
"So do you come here often?" God Ana you work here you should know that.
He looks at me with those warm eyes then I see his whole body stiffen. It's the very same moment I work out that my shin isn't brushing against the table leg. It's brushing against him. I squeal out loud and pull my foot back. The feeling was denim on my shin. I brushed against his jeans. I feel like this is going awfully. As my head is down. Risking it I glance through my hair to see he is looking at me with an amused smile on his face.
"Hey, Ana I just thought you might want a drink for your break." Sitting back I see it's Rachael standing there.
In one hand his plate of food in the other a glass of diet coke. I nod mutely. I know what she is up to. She has been sent over to gather information on this good looking man before me. She places my drink down first and sets her eyes on him. For a second, I feel sorry for her as she splutters and stares at him trying to talk.
"Erm here is your erm meal. Mr, Grey." She places it in front of him.
A smile comes to my lips as I realize she forgot to warn me about him and she helped bait this trap. With me as the bait, I might add. She can suffer. I look back at her as she giggles a little. Her uniform is clean and fresh the yellow red and white of our uniforms matches the sign outside. She runs off as I remember my uniform. I'm sitting in it. I have been wearing it all morning. It has honey and red sauce stains on it. At least he can't see it. I feel like a tramp compared to the catwalk model across from me. He has already started in on his meal. I watch with interest as he cuts everything up first before eating any of it.
"No, I don't come here often. This is my second visit. The company is much better this time." I stare at him.
"You had company?" The words trailing out like a desperate plea.
"No, I sat alone." He replies before eating another mouth full of food. I watch the fork in his hand. Can I be on that fork? That would be my inner devil again licking her lips and wanting his mouth.
"Why are you here?" I ask before my brain connects with my mouth. Lucky for me it didn't come out harsh more of a soft almost casual question.
"I was doing a little shopping nearby and thought I would drop in. I also didn't get a chance to give you tickets for my show next week." He reaches into his pocket and pulls out two tickets handing them to me.
"For you and your friend Kate." Kate and James would both love to watch him. James, I think quickly.
"It's a shame you don't have two more," I mutter.
"Why is that? do you want to bring your boyfriends?" I laugh at the comment. I can't help myself and he looks surprised. When I finally get my giggling under control I gaze at him.
"No, I have two friends who would love to come and watch you." It's a little lie.
James would love to, Jose I'm not so sure. He reaches over taking my hand and places the two tickets in my open palm. His own hand covering mine as his eyes close. I can feel that spark again. Does he have electricity running through his body? There is a warmth coming from between our hands as he pulls his away. Sat in my palm there are four tickets for his show.
"How?" He shrugs his shoulders like everyone in the world can do that.
"My secret." He replies and continues to eat.
"You're a riddle, Mr. Grey. Does anyone know the real you?" He beams at me.
"No. I'm a riddle as you put it. I like that better than a con man." I cringe again. Why did I write that stupid statement?
"So Miss Steele what are your interests?" He helps me from my drowning self-wallow.
"I like reading novels, riddles, and swimming." His eyebrow raises up as I say riddles.
A loud noise comes from his pocket and he pulls his phone out quickly reading something. He stands up and pulls out his wallet. Dropping a note on the table he gazes at me.
"It was lovely meeting you again. My number is on the card." I feel a card in my hand how did he? How? It's his card. Only his name and phone number are on it.
"I may have to make this my favourite place to eat." He says flashing me a smile and he walks out.
The note on the table is a one hundred dollar bill. His whole meal doesn't even cost ten dollars. The girls descend on me like a pack of hungry wolves. I watch him leave through the window as the girls ask me a hundred and one questions. My body starts to calm down as if trying to tell me the hidden meaning of my reaction. Fine. I can't fight it anymore yes I like him. I grin like a child as I hold up the tickets and I'm going to get to see him again.
(Well he couldn't stay away from Ana for too long could he? Now another chance to see the man in action and with friends. This should be interesting. We still have a long way to go in this story and I hope you join me for the ride. Leave your reviews and don't forget to follow and favourite this story if you want to read more. Thank you. SJamesW.)