AN: Here is a VERY short little one shot that I ended up righting by accident. While penning Chapter 8 for Fifty Shades of Change, this little idea popped into my head. I hope that you enjoy it.
Thank You
Monday, at work I receive an orchid in a square glass pot. The handwritten enclosure reads:
Ana, You shared your delicate flower with me. Now I share this flower with you.-CTG
I blush out of complete embarrassment. Did he really send me a "congratulations on losing your virginity" orchid? I refuse to let Hannah and Margaret read the card or tell them who sent the flower. Every time the plant catches my eye from the window sill, I find myself daydreaming about the gorgeous smelling sex-god and our weekend sexy-time.
Before bed on Monday night, I send Christian a thank you text for the orchid.
-I'm glad you liked it. -C
-The thought was sweet. My co-workers are dying to know who sent it to me. -A
-You didn't let them read the card? -C
-Bahaha! No, I did not tell them the delivery was from the dude who de-flowered me this weekend. None. Of. Their. Business! BTW, I see what you did there with the flower pun in the card. -A
-Did you find the note clever or corny? Tell the truth, Anastasia. – C
-100% corny…but I kind of liked it anyways. I have never received flowers at work before. It was a nice touch. -A
-I'm glad that we could share another of your firsts together. ?. -C
-A winky face? Really, Mr. Grey?...I must bid you fair well. My bed is calling for me. -A
-Lucky bed. Good night, Anastasia. Dream of me. -C
On Thursday, I receive another delivery at work. This time, it is fresh cherries dipped in chocolate. The card reads:
Ana, These cherries take second place to the one you shared with me. -CTG
Again, I sit alone at my desk, blushing while I make haste with hiding the enclosure card.
-Really? Chocolate covered cherries? Stop with the "I took your virginity" gifts already! This is embarrassing. -A
-Embarrassing? I was shooting for cute. -C
-You missed. You landed on glib and insensitive. . -A
When Christian does not reply to my last text, I find my annoyance growing. I can't necessarily put my finger on why this punny gift is rubbing me the wrong way. I'm all for a good joke, but this feels too…something. By the end of the day, I am stomping around the office, huffing and looking for small children to scare.
At the end of the day, I exit the front doors to head for the bus stop. I do a double take when I am greeted by one very gorgeous billionaire standing next to his blacked-out SUV. All thoughts of the chocolate-covered-cherry debacle leave my mind. Christian looks stunning in a dark grey suit with a woolen top coat. He walks over to me with an oversized umbrella and offers me his elbow.
"I thought that you could use a ride home in this rainy weather, Ms. Steele."
"It's Seattle. Every day is rainy," I shrug.
"Well then maybe I'll have to plan on picking you up more often."
When I giggle, Christian's worried face relaxes a bit.
"Oh, Anastasia, what can I do to earn your forgiveness? I am so sorry for sending you the cherries today. In retrospect, it was a cavalier and thoughtless thing for me to do." Yes, cavalier is the way the cherries came across to me today. How very astute, Mr. Grey.
He raises my hand to his lips and kisses it while flashing the saddest pair of puppy dog eyes. I giggle, again.
"Your giggle is music to my ears. Say that you forgive me."
I try to give him some side eye, but my blush and another giggle betray me.
"Let me take you to dinner and atone for my transgressions, Anastasia."
Without waiting for my reply, Christian bellows, "Taylor, make haste to the Goldfinch Tavern." My ill mood is left in the rear view mirror.
Once at the restaurant, we are seated nearly as fast as the hostess manages to eye fuck my billionaire. Really, Restaurant Barbie? I'm standing right here. Christian ignores the twit and puts his hand on my lower back as we make our way to a great table.
My annoyance returns when our waitress repeats the hostess's eye fuckery. Does this happen everywhere Christian goes? To soothe what must be the beginning of a psychotic episode of Ana-gets-PMS, I order myself a $59 glass of champagne. Why? Because, who doesn't want to taste such ridiculous decadence?
Our starters arrive without having given our order. Christian offers me an oyster on the half shell. Before I can tip it into my mouth, I notice something sparkling from inside the shell. On closer inspection, I find a narrow gold band holding a perfectly round purple stone. Christian slips it from the shell onto my right ring finger.
"Anastasia, I sincerely regret sending you such trivial gifts this week. Instead of sending you flowers and candy, I should have been lavishing you with gold and gems." Swoon.
Christian offers me another oyster shell. This one contains a similar ring with a vivid azure stone. Christian slides the second ring on the same finger as the first. He raises my hand to kiss it. Reaching for a third oyster shell, Christian takes yet another gold ring and slips the citrine adorned band adjacent to the first two rings. Again, he kisses my hand. I look down to discover the three rings sit flush together to create a lovely setting for the purple, turquoise, and yellow stones.
"Like these rings come together, I, too, am better when paired with you, Anastasia. The moment I realized how thoughtless my gifts were, I went in search of these baubles. While I could never top the gift that you gave me this weekend, I would like to spend countless hours and vast amounts of money trying." Holy Fuckity Fuck! Christian Grey is getting lucky tonight.
Possessing his magical sex-pertise powers of mind reading, Christian leans close and whispers in my ear, "Let's get out of here."
Without eating or paying, he stands and offers me his hand. I chug my $59 glass champagne without tasting it and let him lead me to the door. Was coming to this restaurant all an elaborate ruse to give me jewelry? Not that there is anything wrong with that…
Taylor drives us back to Escala where Christian spends hours showing me how very thankful he is to be with me. For just a skinny minute, I believe that today Mr. Love-Is-For-Fools may be experiencing the chaos that occurs when passion overtakes sensibility. I will have to keep my eye on this little situation that is brewing right here.
When I wake up in the morning, I find Christian still sound asleep. He rests on his back with my head on his right shoulder as my body curls into his right side. His left hand holds my right hand, still wearing the rings, open flat against his bare chest. Through my palm I feel the steady beat of his heart.