Shoutout to paleseptember10 for pre-reading, and helping me with the names.

It's the end of the year—allow me to be a little cliché and unrealistic.

No beta, so all mistakes are mine.

All I Ask

"Lie on your back, Anastasia."

"Are you going to tie me up?" She asked with a nervous giggle as she complied. Her eyes darted to the sheet pushed to the side of the bed and debated about using it to cover her nakedness.

It wasn't the first time that she'd been nude in front of people but every time she was stripped of her clothes in front of him, she felt shy. It was a different type of feeling altogether compared to the ones she had before the cameras. He made her feel desired rather than what she convinced herself that people found her desirable.

"You won't let me," he shrugged.

"Maybe you'll get lucky tonight," she smiled coyly as her hand automatically reached for the sheet.

"Don't you even dare," he growled. His hand yanked away the cover aggressively and settled between her opened legs, spreading it even wider.

Her eyes trailed from his face down his birthday suit until it landed on the rod standing proudly in between his thighs.

"Are you hungry?" His eyes hooded, and she nodded at that heavily laced innuendo.

"Always for you," she licked her lips just to bring the point home.

He stared at her with an unreadable expression, and when he didn't move, she raised an arm and reached for his penis. But, he caught her wrist just before her fingertip could brush over his throbbing head.

"Not today, sweetheart."

She pouted, but she was more giddy about his rare use of terms of endearment rather than disappointed that he had rejected her advance.

"Can I please take pictures of you?" He asked, almost pleaded. That look in his eyes as he begged for the third time this week almost made her lose her resolve and give in, but she stood her ground.

They had taken plenty of selfies together when they goofed around with clothes on, but there was no way she'd let him take a picture of her naked just like he didn't want her to capture him on film vulnerable and without a shred of clothing.

"Not unless you're staying for the rest of the school year," she shook her head and gave him the same answer she's been giving him since he first brought it up a few days ago.

"I'll let you take photos of me," he bargained, relenting on one of her conditions when she first turned him down.

She shook her head and shone him with a secretive smile. He narrowed his eyes at her as if he could see it in her eyes that she had some alternate agenda that had everything to do with him, but he didn't ask.

"Time is running out, Christian." Her soft whisper brought him out of his deep thoughts as he turned his heated gaze on her. She was flying to New York for Christmas, and he was going back to Seattle. They thought they could leave on the same day but she had to leave a day early because she had to attend a promotional event for her Christmas film.

He bent forward and firmly pressed his lips to hers, but he didn't open his mouth or deepen it as if he was trying to figure something out.

"It's only been three weeks and I already can't get enough of you," he sighed, resting his forehead gently against hers as he gazed into her eyes.

His eyes were conflicted as he battled with his emotions but hers reflected all that she was feeling, and there were three little words that were just on the tip of her tongue ready to slip out at any given moment, but she bit her inner cheeks and refrained.

"I think we can count on both hands how many times we've actually seen each other in flesh since we got to know each other after Thanksgiving," she reminded him. It was the exact opposite of what she was trying to convey but she didn't know what else to say.

"I know, and I wish we had more time."

"Let's fall in love for the night…" she hummed out softly, a smile breaking through her face the moment a look of recognition flashed across his eyes.

"And forget in the mornin'." He caught on instantly and eagerly followed her down the memory lane of how they first started their no strings attached relationship.

She grinned, it was the song they danced to and goofed around afterwards, intoxicated, at the wedding of a mutual friend the weekend after Thanksgiving. He took over and sang the song softly against her lips. She giggled when his lips ghosted over hers and barely touched her skin as he picked up the beat.

"I want you, riding shotgun
I knew when I got one right."

She beamed at him, recalling exactly what they did in her hotel room when all the guests were busy fawning over the bride and groom that they honestly couldn't care less about. He was there because his family was invited, and she was there fulfilling a favor of a friend to make an appearance, since she had already offered her congratulations in person before the big day.

It was the first night that he truly discovered just who she was to the public, and why her solo appearance was so important to be caught on camera.

"Kiss me, Christian," she whispered as his words morphed into tunes vibrating in the back of his throat as his lips closed on hers.

He reached a hand down in between them to feel her entrance as he positioned his head, softly brushing over her wetness and soaking up that delicate sensation of when they touch. He closed his eyes briefly to absorb all the pleasure but they snapped open when she let out a whimper as he pushed through her lips, and deeper into her heat.

"Look at me, Christian," she requested. "Let me see you."

His hands went in search of hers and laced their fingers together next to her head. Despite her best effort to lighten their mood by recalling their first time, this time was still very different. The mood wasn't lifted, and their dynamic was exactly what she was trying to avoid.

Her legs tightened around his torso as his hips rocked into hers in a slow but rhythmic pace that somehow meshed perfectly with the beat of her heart. Where she'd usually moan his name, this time she could only gaze into his eyes and breath in his scent with each push and pull.

"Touch me," she breathed out, interrupting their breathing that was almost in sync with one another. "I will keep my hand around your neck, I promise."

There was a brief moment of hesitation before he released her hands and ran them down the side of her body, accentuating the feminine curve at her waist and finally resting on her juicy ass cheek that he loved to grab during rough sex.

"Faster, Christian."

"Not today," he shook his head with her nipple in his mouth. "I need it slow to remember every inch of you."

She let out an involuntary sob but was thankfully covered up by a moan that slipped out of her when he hit a sensitive spot inside her. She mewled softly into his mouth as she brought his head up by his hair, kissing him fervently, desperately trying to convey her feelings that words couldn't describe for him through her actions; hoping that he'd understand, and one day might reciprocate.

It was seriously unfair for him to be this perfect. He was gorgeous from head to toe, and every inch of him was appreciated by her, cigarette scars or not. She couldn't help but feel like he had ruined her for good; because even though she could have the opportunity to meet every single Hollywood star that was every girl's wet dream, she still felt like no one compared to this regular boy from a prestigious upper class household in Seattle.

"I- I…" she choked out but the words got stuck in her throat along with the ball of emotion that was lodged there since his hands roamed her body, caressing her skin and cherishing her soul like no one had before. "I'm going to cum, Christian."

"Come for me, Ana."

He picked up his pace, just a fraction quicker but it was the look in his eyes that pushed her over the edge and into pure ecstasy as her back arched into his body, and her hands gripped his hair tightly as she absorbed all the pleasure as it washed over her.

She squeezed her sex around him, a move that she had once used to make her partner climax so they could pull out but this time it was uncontrollable. She could feel her pussy quivering around him as he pulsed against her walls, and she knew that even if she didn't want to grip him so tightly, he'd still be on the verge of orgasming.

"Come for me, Christian. Give it to me, baby," she whispered in his ear, and gently nibbled his earlobe.

Her arms cradled his head and let it rest on her chest in between her mounds as he let out a sharp breath, and she could feel him shooting his seed up deep into her womb.

"I'm going to miss this body so much, Anastasia."

She smiled sadly, and luckily his eyes were closed so he couldn't see the tear that slipped out from the corner of her eyes as they landed on the bedding.

"Christian," she whispered, she couldn't find her voice.

She knew that if she opened her vocal chords, it wouldn't be words that came out of her, it would be strangled sobs as she blubbered through her tears trying to make him understand just how hard she had fallen for him. She didn't want the dam to burst, not in front of him, and especially not when she knew that he had developed a soft spot for her even though he didn't return her feelings or affection.

Her hands smoothed over his hair and massaged his scalp just the way he had grown to love.

"You can't say things like this to me and not expect me to catch a feeling," she confessed, and that was the closest she could muster to a full on confession.

"I know," he sighed. His face shifted so that he could look up at her through his lashes as his chin rested on her sternum. "I just don't know what to say anymore because I won't be coming back and you won't be staying put even if I do."

"I know…" she sighed. She tucked her chin in and watched her hand run down his face, committing each pore and facial hair into memory. "My schedule won't give me much time to myself in addition to the work from school, and I'll be travelling a lot with my next project, if I landed the role."

"You will get it, I know you will."

She smiled at him lovingly, he didn't know her works—heck, he didn't even know that she was one of the female leads of a famous period sitcom from a few years ago when she just turned fifteen, and a fashion spokesperson until his family freaked out on her at that wedding. He only knew that she was quite the comedian but he had no idea that she was a star.

"Thank you," she brushed her thumb beneath his eye as if to wipe away a lone tear. "I'm sure you'll accomplish a great deal. I have so much faith in you, and I know that you'll succeed in anything once you put your heart into it."

"Not that many people believe in me."

"I do, and most importantly, you do. That's all that matters," she bopped him on the nose and giggled when he opened his mouth and bit the tip of her finger, catching her by surprise.

He sat up, letting her hands fall to her side as he pulled out of her. He paused for a moment to watch as the mixture of their arousal leaked out of her, it was a mesmerizing sight and one that he wished he could document forever.

With one last kiss on her stomach, he retreated to the bathroom to grab her towel so he could clean them up. It was something that he insisted on doing each time after their tryst, no matter how long or short it had been. And just because she liked the feeling of being taken care of by him, only him, she got over her initial embarrassment and allowed him to wipe her clean.

"I'm sorry I can't drive you to the airport."

"Ana, you driving me to the airport defeats the whole purpose of us sneaking around for the entire duration of our relationship. We both agreed to keep this a secret and between us, so as inviting as that sounds, don't be apologetic and don't feel bad. It was the deal."

"I know, I hope you don't feel like I'm ashamed of you because I refused to be seen with you in public, or even in front of our friends for that matter—if we could avoid it."

"You're a celebrity whether you admit it or not, Ana, I get it. Besides, I have my own reasons for not wanting to let anyone in on our little bubble, and I've told you that."

She nodded, recalling the very long conversation in this very apartment of hers in Cambridge once they returned from Thanksgiving holiday and before they made it a routine to meet up whenever both of them were available.

"Are you going to go back to her?" She asked, referring to the part where he dished out the long-winded history between him and the woman, Elena, that was loaning him the startup capital. "Is she still going to train you?"

"I'd like her to train me if it doesn't require either of us to get naked."

"Do you think she's going to add some ridiculous clause demanding that you comply with whatever it is so you can have your $100 grand?"

"I already got the money. It's sitting in my account now, she wired it over last night."

"Oh!" She picked up her discarded top to toss it over her braless body and picked up her leggings pulling over her bare ass to distract herself. When he told her about that particular history with the woman, she had promised him to keep his secret and vowed that she wouldn't judge him, so she had been sticking by her words despite somewhere deeper in her mind telling her that what he had been through could be traumatizing and illegal.

She had been supportive in ways that he would accept, and since he promised to keep her identity a secret, she wouldn't even think of selling him out. Betraying him wasn't an option that ever crossed her mind no matter how much the recount had bothered and disturbed her.

"I told her that she can still train me, but honestly, now that I got the money, I don't think I need to try to keep her on her good side anymore."

She wanted to tell him that perhaps he might be rushing into this business thing, but he told her that he saw a huge opportunity to swoop in and make a truck load at the moment, and as someone who was studying similar courses as him, she understood the importance of seizing every chance they could get and taking advantage to the best of their ability. In the end, she chalked it up as her disappointment in him leaving.

She was going to miss him terribly, not just his body and what he could do to hers, but she would miss everything about him.

"So, you're going back to the lifestyle, then?" She asked, curiously since their physical relationship had ended, and she was interested in what his next step would be.

"I'd like to," he answered truthfully, suiting himself up and getting ready to sneak out of her apartment with the help of her security. They couldn't be seen together, and they couldn't risk it happening so the only times that he had stayed over was when she had no plan to leave the apartment for the entire day.

"What if she doesn't want to train you because you're not willing to take off your clothes? Or you won't fulfill some other demands from her?"

"Why are you asking?" He countered, not that he was feeling affronted or that he had to defend himself but he couldn't imagine being with any woman other than her at the moment when she was sitting right under his nose.

There was still a hue of blush lingering on her cheeks from their romp earlier, and she couldn't look more beautiful sitting in the middle of her king size bed with the sheets around her all wrinkled and ruffled. More evidence of their earlier acts.

"I'm curious," she shrugged. "You've told me more than once that she's been asking what you've been up to lately as your training halted since you've been back to Harvard after Thanksgiving."

"I told her whatever she wanted to hear, most of them false but it was enough to get her off of my back and for her to give me the money."

"Have you thought about starting your business anywhere else other than Seattle?"

"I've thought about San Francisco."

"So, the West Coast then?"

"Basically," he shrugged, picking up the last bit of items from her nightstand and shoving them into his pockets. "Will you let me know if you're ever in the area?"

"In Seattle?"

He nodded, standing adjacent to the bed towering over her. His hand reached for her face yearning for her soft skin before he could even register the movement. She leaned into his touch and his heart soared at the utter bliss on her face. He took pride in how much he affected her and her body, he could see the changes in her whenever he was near; he could feel her.

He wasn't sure if it could happen in a BDSM relationship, but something told him that he wouldn't be getting an answer to that question from Elena. Though, he was still determined to learn what he could from her, because everyone would need to start somewhere.

"Ana?" He called her name gently to get her attention.

She bit her lips as her mind went to mush, melting under his touch. Her hand wrapped around his and brought his palm to her lips as she gave him a feathery peck with her eyes locked to his all the while.

"I have a confession to make," she breathed out shakily as nerves caught up on her. "You need to know this before you leave, and we'll see how long we can keep in contact, or if you'll still want to…"

"You're rambling, baby," he climbed onto the bed with one knee, his face just stopping an inch before hers. His thumb freed her lip from her teeth and gave her a scorching kiss. "I doubt I'd stop any communication with you."

"I'm falling in love with you, Christian."

He gasped as his entire body froze at the simple statement. She had said it in such a small voice that he knew that he'd never hear it had he not been staring at her mouth as they moved.

"I know that this isn't what you're expecting, and this also isn't what I thought would happen. I don't want to burden you with anything, but I just wanted you to know that I… I have feelings for you, and I'd never ask you to do anything other than to acknowledge it. I know you probably don't return these sentiments, and I'm not expecting you to. I'm not expecting anything from you, I just want to let you know this before you go because I know that I'd regret not ever saying it to you if we don't get a chance to run into one another again."

He stared at her, wide eyed and hesitant. His heart beat wildly against his ribcage.

"I left a present for you in your carry on bag. It's for you, only you."

She untangled her legs and got onto her knees forcing him to straighten up, so she was now eye leveled with him. She inched closer to the edge and threw her arms around his neck before burying her face in the crook of his neck.

"I'll miss you, Christian."

He hugged her back. "Ditto, but I do have to go… I am so sorry, Ana."

"Don't be," she pulled away slightly, her fingers toying with a few strands of hair at the nape of his neck. "I don't want you to think about what I said. I just wanted you to know, not stress you out. You need to focus on your future, and before you go…" she hopped off the bed and reached into her nightstand drawer and took out a small gift box and handed it to him.

"I thought you already left it in my carry on?"

"This is for your family," she informed him. "Open the lid."

He did, and he shook his head in amazement. He didn't know what he had done to deserve her and her unrequited love, but he appreciated it nonetheless.

"What's with the fountain pen?"

"That's for you. You had a thing for these pens, so I made one for you," she shrugged as if it was nothing. "The rest are my autographs that your family asked for but never received. I thought it'd be nice for them to have one from their favorite film."

"That's really thoughtful of you, Ana." He was utterly speechless, and he could only stare at her with a wide open mouth.

She beamed at his reception.

"Now go, you have a meeting remember? And I need to get ready to leave for the airport," she patted his arm as if they were now back to old friends.

"Thank you, Ana. I'll never forget anything that we've done together."

"Then, that's all I ask for."

He turned back and pulled her in for another hug before reaching for the door handle.

"Check your purse when you're on your plane," he mumbled in her ear, almost bashfully before giving her a coy grin and completely releasing her.

"Good luck in everything you do!"

"You too, Ana. Godspeed." With one last kiss on her lips, he exited the scene.

She watched as he disappeared around the curve and toward the elevator, holding her breath and only releasing it when she was sure that he was no longer in the hearing range before she let the first tear fall from her eye-socket.

Leaning against the now closed door, she heaved out a heavy sigh but she wasn't given time to reminisce every detail of him or analyze every conversation they had because Luke, her bodyguard, showed up with her bags not a minute later ushering her out of the doorway, following the exact footsteps down the hallway and into quite possibly the same elevator that he had just taken to descend to the garage.

…

The moment her feet stepped into the cabin of the plane, her memories flew way back to how they coincidentally found themselves on the same plane flying back to Seattle for Thanksgiving as well as the major, high-profile wedding that would be taking place.

"Tell me about this project that you're working on, Christian," she bit her lip to stop the blush that was creeping up on her cheeks. She couldn't take the silence any longer.

He was working on his computer and try as she might, she just couldn't relax around him. Her body would flame up every time he was around and she knew that Luke had been taking great pleasure in teasing her given that no one had ever affected her like Christian did, and throughout her career, she had met many people.

There was no way she could sleep, and Sawyer couldn't talk to her or else the lady next to him would be offering him a mile high membership by the third sentence.

So, she bit the bullet and decided to just fuck it all and try to strike a conversation with this mysterious guy that she wanted to familiarize herself with.

"It's not a project."

"It's a business plan," she corrected herself, recalling the many brief dialogue they had exchanged, and the explanation that Ros had given her about what they were up to.

"I'm trying to start my own business."

"After you graduate?"

"My plan is to drop out and get the ball rolling the moment I get my hands on the funds."

"Oh, wow," she blinked. "So, what are you doing with the plan right now? You said that no one is willing to fund you."

"It hasn't been sitting there if that's what you're wondering," he gave her a pointed glare as if she had offended him somehow. "Ros and I have been reaching out to many investment firms and have presented our plans to many people, but so far we were all shot down. I've also been looking into firms that are on the verge of failing, and are ripe for takeover."

"Is M&A where you're headed?" She deduced correctly, and the slight widening of his eyes was enough to tell him that she indeed had impressed him with her smartness.

"Yes, but apparently in this day and age, people won't take you seriously unless you're old enough to go bald or you at least have a master's degree in Business Administration."

She snorted at that ridiculous notion but she knew that it was the reality.

"If you can't get the funds and no one's taking you seriously, are you going to get your MBA?"

"Business schools are stupid," he rolled his eyes. "What they teach is just common sense, what people need to understand better is economics and the financial aspect. Business is just a blanket term."

"Makes sense," she shrugged in agreement. She didn't know much about business schools or the degrees that were associated, mostly because she thought it was such a popular course and too competitive.

The entertainment industry was competitive enough for her, she didn't need to be competing at something else, especially when the courses held little interest to her.

"Well, asking as an underclassman—or freshman to be precise, since you're only a sophomore…" she rambled, and averted her gaze from his when he stowed his notes and paid attention to her. "Which professors would you recommend if I'm going to be majoring in the same thing as you?"

"What major do you have in mind?" He still asked even though she just said that they'd be majoring in the same course. He wasn't sure if she was aware that he double majored.

"Accounting Finance and Economics."

"Double major?"

"Will it be too much to take on?"

"It is a lot of content," he admitted.

"You managed okay?"

"Yes but I want to get it over with, so I also took extra credits."

"Oh," she gasped in surprise. It was no wonder he said he didn't really have a social life. "You'd be able to graduate in two years at this rate," she joked.

"It's not fast enough for me," he sighed, obviously not taking it as a joke.

"If you have the money, when would you drop out?"

"If I have the start-up, then you wouldn't even have met me."

"What do your parents say?" She asked, genuinely curious.

"They want me to at least finish my undergrad before I even consider starting my own company."

"You don't have access to your trust fund?" She asked, assuming that a rich boy like him would have one of those.

"No," he shook his head, and she breathed out in relief that her assumption about his family's wealth was spot on. "I need to be 21, and all the usual shit."

"What? You have to be married with a set of twins on the way, too?" She deadpanned at his exaggeration.

He spluttered out a laugh despite his attempt to keep a straight face, and she cracked a smile, finally relaxing a tad bit. She felt Sawyer nudge her on the side lightly but his eyes remained closed.

She did a fist bump mentally, patting herself on the back for making this man chuckle since she met him. Sure was a sight to behold and remember.

"No, not the white picket fence. That ordeal is just too much," he snorted with an eye roll at the sound of it, and Anastasia could see how far fetched it was at the moment since they were barely 20. "I don't even want to finish this year," he threw his head back and let out an audible sigh.

He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply before rolling his head to the side to watch her as she had been quiet.

"Are you coming back in the New Year then?" She blurted out the first question that she could think of just to keep the conversation going.

"Most likely," his lips pressed into a thin line but she knew that attitude was toward his parents. "It's not that I don't like it here, I just think that I'd be accomplishing much more if I used the time for exams here for my plans."

"Are you finding it too easy here?" She shifted to her side with a leg on her seat so she could face him better as she leaned her cheek against the headrest. It was a six-hour flight, and most of the passengers were sleeping so it was the perfect time for her to ask him questions.

Even if they only ended up as friends, she'd feel honored to have known him past sheer acquaintance.

"I wouldn't be so confident and say that I'd be nailing the exams and getting A's all the way, but I want more applicable knowledge. What they're teaching is hypothetical, and the real world isn't like that."

"I'm sure you can accomplish a lot," she said confidently.

He grimaced, and her smile only widened at that sour face.

"I'm confident in your ability."

"How can you be sure? You don't even know me."

"Prove that I'm right then," she challenged him softly. "You'll get your capital, Christian. They'll give it to you eventually once they see how talented and ambitious you are."

"Yeah, that will be years later, and I can't wait that long. You can't start a business just about any time, you need to find the right opportunity to cut in and if you do it well, you're going to make a lot; if you played your cards wrong, you're fucked. Utterly and totally fucked."

"I'm not trying to defend them, nor am I taking sides, but do you think your parents will be more comfortable entrusting you with a large sum of money once you get your degree? I think it's not that they don't believe in you or trust your ability to achieve anything, but maybe a certificate from a college is a physical proof that they need to convince themselves that you really are what you say you are."

"That's just them not trusting me and not believing me. Why would they need someone else to convince them that if they actually have any faith in me?" He huffed, and she chuckled at his impassioned convictions.

Personally, she thought he was rushing things a little, but she could feel that for someone in his position who believed that success was within reach would want everyone around him to cooperate and show an ounce of support.

It wasn't him being arrogant or cocky, she genuinely believed that he could see an opportunity that many others missed, and when someone was at that stage, it would be impossible to tell them to take a breath and think again.

At the same time, she wanted to suggest that maybe he should take a step back and take it one step at a time just to make sure that it was a steady growth.

Though, she couldn't say much since she was thrusted into stardom overnight.

"I don't mean to sound like I'm stalking, because I swear, I'm not," she started again. As she paused to gauge his reaction, Sawyer cleared his throat from her side to cover up his laugh. She kicked him in the shin with her heel pretending to make it look like a muscle twitch. "But, I'm assuming your family is also invited to Ethan's wedding? They've practically invited the entire Seattle."

"Yeah, we're invited. Can't get away from that. Are you going?"

"I'll be there," she nodded, a small smile playing on her lips as she imagined him in a tux and idly wondered if he would want to hangout with her at the wedding. "I've known Ethan since I was a kid."

"That wedding is going to be the biggest of the century at this rate," he jested.

"My sentiments exactly," she giggled lightly. "I had no idea he had in him to celebrate such an intimate thing so publicly."

"Between you and me, I think this has more to do with his father than him and his bride."

"Of course," she rolled her eyes. It was no secret that businessmen used virtually every event to conjure partnerships. "Who are you going with?"

"Probably my sister," he shrugged. He hadn't even thought about it, much less worry over whether he should bring a plus one. "You?" He lifted his head from the backrest and shifted his body mimicking her move.

"I don't know," she shrugged a shoulder and pursed her lip.

"What do you mean you don't know," he chuckled. "I mean his sister is your best friend right?"

"Well, she's probably going to take her co-star," she blurted out, immediately afterward, her eyes grew wide in alarm.

"I know who you are, Anastasia," he chuckled humorously at her expression. "I promise I won't ever call the paps on you. Cross my heart," he drew a cross before his chest.

She giggled at his antics, and her inside clenched when he said her full name. She really needed to drop more hints to see if he was interested in her, because she, for one, could not wait for him to make a decision about her.

"I don't have a date," she looked down and played with the armrest in between them. "You can go with me if you want to," she giggled at his face. "I'm joking," she laughed as his breath hitched.

Her hand reached out to touch his. It was such a natural gesture but when he flinched at her contact, she hesitated and was suddenly acutely aware of what she was doing.

"No, I'll take you," he chirped. His fingers brushed over hers and pulled hers into a tight grasp without glancing down at their adjoining hands even once.

"I was seriously joking, Christian."

He smirked, lifting the armrest between them and inched closer to her as if he was going to tell her a secret. Her head gravitated toward his automatically.

"It'd make my siblings extremely jealous to have you on my arm," he lowered his voice.

She grinned. She knew he wasn't trying to seduce her, but she damn if she wasn't turned on by that low sexy voice.

"You just want to parade me around, huh? Who said they won't call the paps on me a few seconds ago?" She teased back, and he laughed.

"I promised to not call the paps but I never promised you to not call my siblings, and trust me," he leaned even closer, too close that she could smell his scent, and it was hitting her straight in between her thighs. "They're worse than the paparazzi."

She giggled as he winked at her playfully, and had to cover her mouth with her hand so she wouldn't be too loud.

Don't snort, Ana. Don't snort.

She repeated that mantra in her head, but it still happened, and when she looked up to meet his mirthful gaze, she lost it. Extracting her hand from his hold, she covered her face with both and fell onto his arm, her hair spreading all over his shoulder and front.

He tensed up but relaxed quickly when he noticed that she wasn't going to move to touch him.

"I'm sorry," she giggled, lifting her face back up that was now all flushed and hot.

He was still grinning cheekily at her, trying to stifle the laugh. The amusement in his eyes told her everything she needed to know.

"You can laugh at me," she hid her face into the seat, thoroughly embarrassed. "Oh god, I can't believe I snorted."

"And now you're crying," he reached up and wiped a tear from under her eyes.

"Shit," she giggled, her shoulders shaking. "Is my makeup still intact?" She brushed the back of her finger up her lashes and wiped the pad of her thumb over the corner of her eyes.

"You're good, don't stress."

Despite his assurance, she still used her phone to double check. He watched and pressed the volume key on the side taking a selfie for her with her eyes enlarged taking up half the screen, and her other one fluttering on the side.

"Christian!" She protested, swatting his hand away but that only encouraged him.

"Can I get a picture of you?" He lifted his own phone after a few futile attempts to catch her with an ugly expression.

"What? Why?"

"To brag to my siblings."

"Jeez, you're such a girl."

"Wait until you meet my sister at the wedding."

"Are you seriously going as my plus one?" She asked, disbelief clear in her voice.

He nodded but said nothing, he was too focused on taking close ups of her face. She made a bunch of faces at his camera and leaned super close to the lens.

He laughed as her face got too close that one couldn't even distinguish what it was from the frame.

"Come on, Ana," he pouted. "I need a proper one."

"Google it," she retorted.

"I'm a huge fan, Ana, can I get your autograph?"

"Go away," she smacked his thigh protesting when he leaned forward, invading her personal space once again.

He laughed along with her until they received several glares and complaints around them.

"Take a nap," she patted him on the hand as her other clutched her phone tightly in her hand.

He narrowed his eyes at her playfully. "What do you have in mind?"

"Go to sleep, Christian," she tried again, this time saying the words much more sweetly.

"You staring at me like you've got some evil plans aren't helping."

"Okay, I'll take a nap with you then." She scooted closer to him and laid her head on his shoulder.

"Give me your phone," he requested, the arm under her reached out but she grabbed with hers and pushed it back down, settling in between them. He didn't protest verbally, but his other hand went for the phone.

"You took pictures of me, I wanna take some of yours, too," she finally relented and confessed.

"Only if you're in it with me."

She lifted a brow at his obvious flirting. If she wasn't sure that he was interested in her, she most definitely knew that he was flirting even if he had no other intention.

"Keep your paws to yourself," she nudged his hand away from her phone as she snapped a picture of them with her head resting on his shoulder and their arms intertwined.

He couldn't help but point his middle finger at the camera, and she lifted her other hand to do the same only to have him grab it the last minute. The selfie captured just the moment he snatched her hand, with her giggling in the background.

"Hey!" She protested in a whisper, mindful of the passengers around her, as well as to not draw more attention to her just in case someone recognized her.

She took one last picture with their intertwined hands covering her mouth as she secretly planted a kiss on the back of his hand while they both looked into each other's eyes in the camera.

…

She took her seat next to the window with Sawyer flanking her, and she placed her carry-on bag in her lap, refusing to let go until she opened his gift despite Sawyer's protests.

Once the flight was cruising in altitude, she unzipped her handbag and took out the small envelope that was sticking out.

Her name was written in a carefully crafted calligraphy that she could only deduce was Christian's. She had no idea what to expect but if her gasp was anything to go by, then he had most definitely left a long-lasting impression. Especially when Luke nearly had to leapt forward so it wouldn't fall out of her grasp.

Snatched in between fingers, she found herself gazing into his vividly bright orbs as they looked into the camera with that sensual hood that had her lusting after him thirstily as if she'd never had a taste in her life before.

The only item of clothing he had on was a Santa hat and a pair of low-hung jeans, and he was leaning against a white wall with his thumbs suspended from his waistband, pulling the belt even lower. The pants also weren't buttoned, revealing just a hint of his pubic area as if the bulge wasn't suggestive enough.

She smiled at the memory that was still fresh in her mind as the pad of her fingers brushed over his abs in the photo. There was nothing written on the front but there were a few once she flipped it over.

Merry Christmas, Anastasia. I hope this fulfills part of your fantasy to photograph me.

"Merry Christmas to me, indeed."

Leave a review and come hang out with me on Facebook: Saph's Ivory Tower (hyperlink in bio)

Same time, same place, see you tomorrow.

X

Saph T