At exactly 5 o'clock, Taylor and I were parked outside of Seattle Precision awaiting Ana's departure from the building. The entire drive was spent on the phone with Elliot as I tried to explain away my relationship with Ana. I knew he would have questions after dinner last night, but I hoped he would wait until we were together again to begin the brotherly inquisition. He was excited. Giving me his opinion on how sweet he thought Ana was, and that if her dessert was anything like the rest of her.

After convincing him that yes Ana is lovely, but we are just friends, he said his goodbyes with a promise to leave it alone until I was ready to talk about it. He has always treated me as if I were still his kid brother.

Moments later, Ana appears. She is carrying her purse and a large briefcase in her hand, and she's using her knee to support the weight of it. I can tell she is looking around for me, not recognizing me in the SUV. Taylor makes to get out and help her, but I tell him to stay put. I would rather do it myself.

I jog up to where she's standing at the door and grab her briefcase. "This is bigger than you are," I complain and put my hand on the small of her back. Gently guiding her in the direction of the vehicle. I open that back-passenger door for her, and she giggles, "are you going to be my chauffeur – oh! Hey, there!" She startles, noticing Taylor in the driver's seat.

"Ana, this is Jason Taylor. He is head of my security team. He has been with me for 5 years."

Taylor catches Ana's eye in the rear-view mirror, and nods. A polite "ma'am" is spoken, and nothing more.

However, from what I know of Ana, she isn't one for a short greeting. As I am making my way over to my side of the car, I can already see Ana leaning up into the front seat.

"Well, it's nice to meet you! I saw you last night, but we didn't come and say hey to you. We were being rude. I'm sorry about that." She says in a sweet, slow voice.

"That is quite alright, ma'am." Jason was trying to keep it short, assumingly for my sake.

"Well, it was rude no matter. Were you in the military, Jason?" She asks.

"Yes, ma'am."

Ana nods her head and smiles, "you ain't going to believe me but I can tell just by the way you're sitting. My daddy was a marine." I was about to tell Ana to sit back, and let Jason get us out of here. But she smiles such a sweet, heartbreaking smile when she speaks of her father that instead, I just run my hand along her back and encourage her to continue.

"He was at Desert Storm. He left the gulf and met my momma the same year! Which branch did you serve in?"

Taylor makes eye contact with me in the mirror, and I nod.

"I served in the Navy, Miss Steele. I was deployed into Kuwait in 1990."

"Goodness," Ana said. "Thank you for your service." She stared at Taylor until he made eye contact with her, then she smiled. I do not believe Jason has been thanked very often for his service, as he does not seem to know what to make of Ana doing so.

Or perhaps he is just as enamored with her as the rest of us.

Finally, Ana leans back into her seat and after a gentle nudge from me to do so, puts her seatbelt on. "We're going to your house?" She asks.

"We are going to my apartment, yes. We'll have dinner there if that's alright with you."

Ana nods her head and adjusts her purse to where it is sitting beneath her feet. "Are you going to cook for me?"

"I don't believe you would appreciate it if I were to try and cook something for us," I say. "My housekeeper will have made dinner."

Ana looks up at me for a moment and places her hands in her lap. Suddenly, she is quiet.

After a moment of leaving her to her thoughts, I lean over and grab her hand. "What are you thinking so hard about?"

She plays with my fingers for a moment, and then sighs. "I'm thinking that you and I have very different lives."

"Because I didn't cook dinner? I can't boil water, sweetheart" I reply, jokingly. Hoping to alleviate her sudden nerves.

She shook her head and turned toward me in the seat. "Because you have a man that drives you around, and a housekeeper that… keeps your house. And then there is me. The schoolteacher. Until I got this job, I was living off dry noodle packets." She laughs.

That is upsetting to hear. The fact that she is comparing our lives, and the fact that there was a time she was struggling for food.

"Is it such a bad thing that we are so different? I think the two of us have found enough similarities between us to last a lifetime. Isn't the difference a bit refreshing? You are alright now as far as money goes, right? You have groceries and everything you need?" This is not my business but if the conversation I am planning to have with her after dinner goes well, it will be soon.

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm fortunate to work where I do. Some teachers…" she trails off for a moment. "Well, I knew the job didn't pay much when I went to school for it. But I make more than enough to get by. You on the other hand. Christian, you are way out of my league. I almost think that you would not even look twice at me if it weren't for all those similarities you've mentioned."

"Anastasia, we will turn around right now. I can call and order us a pizza, and we will go to your apartment. Taylor can get out and walk, and I will drive us. Is that what you want?"

For the second time, Ana reaches across the cab and taps me on the chest with the back of her hand. "Don't be sarcastic. I'm just saying." She rolls her eyes.

"The next time you roll your eyes at me, I am going to spank you."

She wasn't prepared for that. Ana looks quickly to the front seat, checking to see if Taylor has heard my threats. Ever the professional, he remains focused on the road. Her face gets red, and she squirms in her seat.

"That shut you up, didn't it?" I not only have to get the final word; I like to get the word directly after that as well.

We step off the elevator at Escala and are met with the smell of Italian spices. I lead an overwhelmed Ana in through the kitchen and down to the dining room. It seems Gail has prepared our table and left for the afternoon. I walk Ana around to her place setting and pull the chair out for her. She makes no move to sit down.

"I need to wash my hands." She says quietly and holds her hands up as if she needs to prove to me, she has them.

"Sit down, I'll show you." She sits and I reach over her for her wash linen box. I place the small tablet into the water and allow the soap to expand it. Once it becomes a towelette, she gets the picture and reaches for it to wash her hands. "Fancy," she says sarcastically.

I lean in close to her ear and let her feel my breath for a moment. "I didn't see it, but I am almost certain you've just rolled your eyes."

After a shiver, she giggles, and I kiss her ear.

Who am I? A man that would kiss a girl's ear is foreign to me. In the short time I have spent with Ana, I have frightened myself a multitude of times with how different it feels. I suppose it would be easier if I had no attachment to her at all. However, I am finding it to be a need of mine to touch her. Kiss her. Make her smile. It's as unnerving as it is exciting.

As we eat, Ana tells me about her day. She asks about mine, and we make easy small talk. I have never talked to anyone like I've spoken to Ana in the past two days. I tell her all the useless facts about my day, and she listens intently, hanging on to every word. It makes me feel important. In a way I have never felt before. 'Christian Grey' is an especially important man, but this new man. Ana's Christian. He is important in a completely new, and different way.

Once Ana seems like she is finished eating, I pull Ana into the living room, and onto the couch. I decide to open the floor for our discussion.

"I was hoping… that tonight we could discuss a few things." Her smile falters and she sit up straighter in her seat.

"I know we spoke at lunch about what you wanted from this. And I have truly mulled over it this afternoon, and I believe I've come up with a proposition I would like to present to you."

"Ok."

I had hoped to get a feel for what she was thinking by her response, but short and sweet seemed to be all I would receive.

"I can understand your need for… more. And I would like to be that for you. I will say that I have no idea where to begin. I am not a hearts and flowers kind of man. However, if you are willing to try, then so am I. From what I understand, you do enjoy a lot of aspects of BDSM?" I stop speaking and wait for her reply.

She nods her head, shyly.

"Alright. I would hope that should that change; you would make me aware of that?"

She nods again.

"Good. Then I would like to propose that we engage in a bit of your 'more', and a bit of the proclivities that I am used to."

"So, you want to be my boyfriend, but you want to do some kinky fuckery?"

"Not exactly," I reply holding my hand up to stop Ana's confusions. "I don't do the boyfriend thing, Ana. But yes, I would like a lot of… kinky fuckery with you."

Ana shifted in her seat and crossed her legs. Her eyes narrowed and she lowered her head. "So, you just want to be my friend with benefits?" she asks with a laugh. "Does that mean you won't get mad when I find me a husband and have to call it quits with you?"

Now she is just riling me up. I don't know exactly how deeply Ana can see through me just yet, but she has to know by now that the idea of another man even looking at her sends me reeling.

"This would be strictly monogamous. I would expect that on both ends, Anastasia," I say sternly.

I am trying to hold her gaze. Trying to make her see just how serious I am about this.

"You don't want anyone to know we are doing this, do you?" she asks, her smile getting a slight sad tinge to it.

"Precisely. I don't want to put any type of label to this. There is no sense in flaunting what goes on between the two of us. Especially with the position the both of us are in."

At this, Ana's smile fades completely.

"Are you embarrassed to be seeing me? Is that what it is? I just don't understand."

I'm not explaining myself well. I'm causing her to jump to conclusions, it's making me a nervous wreck.

"No, that isn't… I'm not. I would never be embarrassed to be seen with you. I introduced you to my family!"

I put my hand on her thigh, attempting to get her to look up at me.

"Ana. I am wary of publicly being seen together, right now. And it has nothing to do with being embarrassed of you. On the contrary, I am proud you are giving me the time of day all things considered. But that's the catch. All things considered; I think we need to be cautious about who we allow into our circle, right now. At least until I know what I am going to do about Elena and Linc."

At that, Ana's head shot up.

"What you're going to do about Elena and Linc? What are you going to do?"

I could tell by that quick response that Ana needed to be left out of the planning of all of this. She seemed panicky and suddenly stiff.

"I'm not sure. But I don't want you to be worried about it."

"It involves me. I'd like to know." She says slowly.

"Ana, I am in business with Elena. At the very least, I would like to move somethings around and get my name away from her's. I do not feel like that would be professionally possible if she were to be aware that we are seeing each other. Ultimately, I want to make sure that you are safe. I didn't tell you this to make you worry, or make you think I'm going to do anything."

Ana shook her head and leaned back against the couch. She seemed to exhale the panic that had been all over her face.

"I just don't want you to do anything you would regret. The way you said that. What you were going to 'do with Elena and Linc', I don't know. Maybe I've watched too many murder mysteries." She laughs.

I laugh, as well. Hoping to ease her tension. She doesn't have to know how close she is to the truth.

"For that reason, however. I don't think we need to share ourselves with anyone other than my family. And your family, I suppose."

"Oh, no. Momma can't keep a secret to save her life. Just your family is fine."

"Well alright, that can be your choice." I say calling an end to the discussion. "Now," I get down to the brass tacks of what I have brought her here to talk about. "I would like to go over the contract I used with my submissives. You will notice I have scratched out a multitude of the appendices as I have either made the decision that they would not apply to us, or I predicted you would not be interested."

I reach for the contract I have laid out on the side table and place it into Ana's hands. I am so nervous that I have missed something that will have her running for the hills when she reads it.

This part of Ana is still such a mystery to me. I don't know what she has experiences with Linc. I don't know what she has experienced since Linc. I am terrified that I am laying a document in her hands that will take what little bit of innocence she has left and shred it to pieces.

Ana begins to scan the document making indiscernible faces as she reads. Finally, after she has read through the entire thing, she speaks.

"I'm not ok with you keeping track or when and how I eat or sleep. Or workout, for that matter."

There is a constant string of the phrase "pick your battles" running through my head, so I try.

"Alright. Well. I will tell you that food is a big problem for me, or rather the lack thereof. I won't have you skipping meals or picking at your food. As far as sleeping and exercise, I will try to stay out of your decisions on that."

Ana looks at me and tilts her head as if she were trying to read sloppy handwriting. Once she is satisfied with whatever she sees, she continues.

"You have crossed most of these out, Christian." She looks up from the paper once more. "If hardly any of this applies to us then what should?"

"That's an incredibly good question. What should?" I am deciding to take her lead.

Ana leans back into her seat and pulls her legs up and underneath her. "I don't really think we should have rules." She shrugs. "Normal relationships don't have rules, Christian. If we are agreeing to be normal other than being publicly normal, and the only difference is what we do in the bedroom. Why do we need rules? So what if we play games a bit outside of the bedroom? That's what makes it fun. We don't need rules for that. It doesn't have to be a switch we flick on and off, it can just be… us."

She speaks so simply. So matter of fact, that I almost believe her. If I weren't so uncomfortable.

"Honestly," she continues. "We aren't going to find out what we should do, until we are doing it. I've had relationships that involved a little play here and there. It seems like you're interested in doing a bit more than a 'little', but… me too. There's nothing wrong with us figuring it out as we go. Can you just trust that you might enjoy having a connection with someone that might involve what you're used to, but isn't built on what you're used to? Can you just trust me?"

Can I just trust her? I want to.

"As long as you don't keep talking about your relationships." I deadpan. She laughs, but I'm serious. I don't want to hear that shit.

"As for this list," she points to the list of activity preferences. "I'm fine with all of it."

My jaw has just come unhinged, I'm almost certain. Shy little Ana Steele appears to know her way around the playroom. That or she's too shy to have any questions.

She takes in my expression and backtracks, "I mean. I'm not too keen on any type of fisting, but if that is a staple for you then I guess I can try not to… rip in half."

At that, I throw my head back onto the couch and laugh. This girl couldn't shock me more if she tried.

"No, I don't believe we will be doing any type of fisting judging by the size of you."

Ana picks up the contract once more and shimmies her way over to me. She cuddles into my side and holds the paper out for the both of us to peruse.

This feels so normal. To have her here under my arm. Feeling her warmth. I lean down and kiss the top of her head. If she feels it, she doesn't make a comment.

"I am not… the biggest fan of anal. I will just be honest with you." She said quietly.

"And why is that?"

"Because it hurts?" She said with a childish 'duh' expression.

"If it hurts beyond trying it the first time Ana, someone is doing something wrong." She obviously was not with the cream of the crop with it comes to her other 'relationships'.

"Well I mean I was thirteen, so."

Shit.

After my initial shock, I snake my arm around her and pull her completely into my lap. I don't know what I'm doing, but I know I need to take away the pain I have caused from my callous remarks.

It has not escaped me that Ana was two years younger than I had been when Linc first laid his eyes on her. Unfortunately, it also does not escape me that Ana turned thirteen the same year I would have been nineteen. The first year I began to deny Elena. I get sick at the idea that as soon as I left the playroom, Ana walked into it.

"Eric and I did it a handful of times. But, I mean… it really did hurt." She says it as if she is trying to convince me.

Of course, it did. She was a child. And he was a disgusting, perverse grown man. Of course, it hurt.

"I haven't really done it since. I'm sure if you knew what you were doing, I'd probably enjoy it. I don't know. Can we just come back to that one?" She asks.

"Of course, we can." I whisper. Kissing her head once more.

"I mean, I guess our limits match up pretty well. I don't like the idea of being gagged. Mouth restraints are fine, I just don't want to be put into a position where I couldn't safeword, and then be punished once you realize I should have safeworded and didn't"

I shake my head and try not to get terribly fired up at the idea that this would have once happened to her for her to have a fear of it. I know where she's going with this.

"No. That will not ever be a circumstance. I am a firm believer in trust, and If I am trusting you to safeword when you aren't comfortable, then I won't ever put you in a position to where you cannot do so."

Ana stares at me for a moment, and then back down at the contract. "We aren't signing anything, right?" She asks.

Then, for good measure. And to reassure her once more, I snatch the paper from her hand and rip it in half.