We pull up outside Escala and anxiety blooms in my chest. How the hell am I supposed to tell Christian about New York?
"Everything alright?", he asks once we enter the elevator.
"Of course", I say, hoping I sound convincing.
"Just remember what I said about communication."
"You're one to talk", I retort, arching a brow to emphasize my point. Before he can say anything, the elevator doors open and I step into the foyer.
"I'll be in my office. Make yourself at home", he remarks as he offers to take my coat for me.
"Thank you, Sir", I remark and he looks surprised but amused by my comment.
"Maybe we should visit the Red Room sooner than I thought", he says suddenly but before I can respond, he hangs up our coats and heads for his office. Rolling my eyes, knowing he won't see, I step into the great room and take in the view.
"Miss Steele", someone addresses me and I look to see Mrs. Jones walking towards me with a warm smile on her face.
"Hi, Gail", I reply.
"I wasn't expecting Mr. Grey to come home with company. Can I get you anything?"
"Oh no, it's fine. I can handle myself."
"As you wish, Miss Steele."
"Can't you just call me Ana?"
"Well, Mr. Grey likes being called...Mr. Grey, so that would be a little odd."
"Well, I'm not Mr. Grey. I'm sure he won't mind."
"Of course Miss...Ana", she says and I smile.
"Um, Gail can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Um, is the door to the Play Room unlocked?", I ask aloud, surprised by my question.
"Oh, um, it should be. Were you and Mr. Grey planning on using it?"
"Um, not really but I was just curious is all", I respond, blushing.
"You don't have to be shy around me, Ana. I've been working for Mr. Grey for a while so I know what his tastes are like. You don't have to be embarrassed", she says warmly and I smile shyly in return, secretly hoping it's not awkward as well.
"Well, I have some things to do but if you need me, I'll be in the kitchen", she interjects and after a final nod, she departs and heads that way. Checking Christian's office, I make my way upstairs and stand outside the Red Room. I turn the handle and after checking over my shoulder, make my way inside. The room looks pretty much the same since I was last here, but I quickly notice that all the belts and canes are no longer on the wall. I then remember what happened the last time I was here.
"You need to get your shit together, Grey. I'm not the one you want."
I shudder at the memory. If I had known we'd be incompatible, we wouldn't have made it this far.
Yeah, keep telling yourself that.
Shaking my head at the memory, I walk further in the room and take in the view. Apart from what happened last time, I had fun in here, and, I'm assuming, Christian did too. I blush as I remember my first times in here and how I reacted when I saw it for the first time. Being here now, it feels too surreal.
I walk over to some small chests on some dressers and open one to find some...things fitted inside. I pull out what looks like a clothespin and shudder when I think about what it's for. I open another drawer and find a wheel-like item and on impulse run it over my hand. It tickles and I giggle at the feel before putting it back inside. I open a few more drawers but feel as if someone's watching me, and I turn around to see Christian standing in the doorway watching me intently. I gasp once I see him. I thought I was alone.
"Um, I didn't hear you come in", I stutter and he smirks at my reaction. Shit, how does he do that?
"I figured that. Mrs. Jones told me where you were."
"Um, do you want me to leave?", I ask and he frowns at my comment. Oh?
"I would prefer you didn't", he says softly and slowly walks over to me and take the item from my hand.
"Remember when you asked what butt plugs were?", he asks, holding up the item to indicate what it is.
"You have a very vivid memory, Mr. Grey", I say quietly.
"Only when it comes to you, Miss Steele", he smiles and puts the plug back in its drawer.
"Pull out something else", he orders and it takes me a moment to process what he's said.
"From the drawer", he clarifies and I blush in response. I open another drawer and pull out a clamp of some kind.
"Those are nipple clamps", he states and motions for me to hold out my hand. I do as I'm told and he puts the clamp on my index finger, before gently tightening it, causing me to gasp.
"It's even more intense when you take them off", he says but before I can respond, he gently yanks it off my finger.
"Ow", I say in an attempt to scold him and he just smirks in response. I walk over to a glass cabinet and notice a bar of some kind inside with cuffs on the ends. I open the doors and pull it out, holding it in my hands as I try to process what it is.
"What's this?", I ask and Christian steps further to close off the space.
"It's a spreader bar. You asked about them before."
"What does it do?", I ask but Christian seems hesitant to answer.
"What's wrong?", I ask when he leaves me in silence. After taking a deep breath, he finally responds.
"I think this is enough show-and-tell."
"Why?"
"Ana, the last time you were in here, you left and I didn't see you for two weeks."
"Christian, I told you that was different."
"But you saw another side of me...and you left. I'm just not ready to have you in here again."
"Christian...", I start but can't think of what to say. I stare down at the bar in my hands and after a moment, gaze up at Christian.
"Could you still show me how this works?", I ask boldly and he looks at me as if I've grown an extra head.
"Ana, I told you not in here."
"I didn't say in here. Maybe in your room?" Once I ask this, he still looks stunned. Finally, he looks at me with inspiration and takes the spreader from my hands.
"Alright. Not in here", he says simply but before I can respond, he bends down and lifts me over his shoulder before walking to the door and heading outside. He closes the door behind him and heads downstairs, and I bounce on his shoulder as we walk down the hallway. Mrs. Jones looks up from the kitchen and I suddenly feel embarrassed at what she's witnessing.
"Mrs. Jones", Christian states in her direction before heading towards his bedroom and closing the door. He slides me down his length but before I can react, he leans down and kisses me tenderly, catching me by surprise. When he pulls away, he motions for me to stand by the bed and I do so without hesitation. When I glance up at him, he has that look in his eyes and my breath hitches at the sight. He walks over until he's standing in front of me, determination and lust clear in his eyes. He drops the bar on the floor before directing his attention back to me.
"Remember your safe word?", he inquires and after a moment, I slowly nod in response.
"Tell me your safe word", he orders gently and I'm panting hard at his request.
"Red", I whisper and he smiles at my answer. Before I can react, he gently pushes me on the bed so that I'm spread out underneath him, before he reaches for my jeans and panties and tugs them down my legs. He tosses them on the floor and I watch mesmerized as he starts to unbutton his shirt and slides it off his shoulders. He picks up the bar and gently spreads my legs, before attaching the left cuff on my left ankle and securing it tightly. He does the same for my other ankle and unhooks something on the bar but before I can ponder it any further, he then lifts the spreader and stretches it out. I gasp at the sudden movement and he slowly lowers it down the bed. He looks me up and down and crawls up the bed, softly kissing me as he does.
I moan at the touch and writhe underneath him, hoping to spread my legs but they're firmly in place. Christian kisses my neck and cheek and finally, his lips find mine and he kisses me deeply. When he pulls away, we're both breathing hard.
"You're mine", he whispers and I can't help my smile.
"I'm yours", I reply and he smiles in return. He then starts kissing down my body again and when he reaches the apex of my thighs, he starts circling his tongue directly over my clitoris. My body bucks at the sensation as he swirls his tongue around, and I soon feel my orgasm building. I feel my legs stiffen and I silently curse him because I can't stretch them out. Finally, my orgasm rips through me and I scream an incomprehensible version of his name. He suddenly stands off the bed and raises the bar again.
"You okay?", he breathes.
"Yeah", I reply and with that, he flips me over and pulls me back on all fours. I giggle at the movement and hear a familiar sound as he lowers his pants and unhurriedly slides into me. I gasp at the feel and soon, he works up a steady pace and I match his movements, trying to take as much of him as I can.
"Fuck, Ana", he hisses through his teeth and ultimately, he calls out my name as we both come hard. He lies on top of me and his weight feels comforting. He kisses my shoulder before gently sliding out of me and undoing the bar. He rubs my ankles to bring them back to life and then lies on the bed beside me, propping his head in his hand and gazing at me warily.
"You okay?", he pants.
"That was really nice", I joke and he chuckles at my comment.
"You're very persistent, Miss Steele."
"As are you, Mr. Grey."
"I told you these were fun. Did you enjoy it?"
"You should know me better by now", I scold as I arch my brow as well.
"Stubborn woman", he says and leans forward to kiss me quickly.
"Are you hungry?"
"Always, Mr. Grey."
"Good. I'll meet you in the kitchen. Leave the bar. I'll take it back when we're done."
"Okay", I smile sweetly and kiss him again. He smiles shyly at my gesture and quickly stands off the bed, adjusting his pants and picking up his shirt. I stare at him and take in the view.
"Enjoying the view?", he asks once he notices me gawking at him.
"Always", I reply.
"You're an impossible woman, Miss Steele", he says simply and kisses me again. He then picks up my panties and just when I think he's going to hand them to me, he instead stuffs them inside his pocket and exits the room. I gape at his actions and roll my eyes once he's gone.
Bastard.
I head for the bathroom and check myself in the mirror and once I look presentable, I follow him out of the room.
We're having steak with green vegetables and some kind of red wine, and memories from earlier start circling my mind.
"Are you ever gonna tell me what your boss said?", Christian inquires as he takes a sip of wine. Here goes...
"He wants me to go to New York", I blurt out loud and it looks as if Christian just choked on his food.
"When?", he finally asks.
"This Friday. He wants me to go with him to a book expo for the weekend."
"Alone?"
"Christian, it's not like that. I'm only gonna be gone for a few days." He sighs heavily and I briefly wonder what he's thinking.
"Ana, you know he's had assistants for no more than three weeks. They all quit without any notice at all." What?
"You don't think I can handle him?"
"That's not it."
"That's what it feels like."
"Ana, I know full well that you can handle anything."
"But you don't trust me."
"Of course I trust you. But I don't trust him."
"Christian, I don't think of him like that. He's my boss, nothing more."
"Then what about his assistants?"
"What about them?"
"Why do you think none of them lasted for very long?"
"I don't know but why should it matter? Jack's a good boss and I wanna do this with him. Besides, it's not like I haven't been to New York before", I say in an attempt to lighten the mood, but Christian frowns as he takes another bite of his steak.
"Christian?", I ask when he doesn't reply and ultimately, he meets my gaze.
"You don't have to worry about me. Jack hasn't tried anything and I'm doing really well. Why can't you trust me to take care of myself?"
"Ana, it's not that. I have a bad feeling about him and I don't wanna see you getting hurt."
"Why would he hurt me? He hasn't done anything wrong." As I say this, I remember Jack's comment about why I didn't know about New York.
"What is it?", Christian asks once he notices my expression.
"Nobody told me about needing to go to New York, and Jack thought it had something to do with you." I notice Christian clench his jaw at my comment before picking up his wine and taking another sip.
"Why didn't anyone tell you?"
"I don't know, but Jack was pretty upset when I told him no-one informed me."
"And you still think you can handle being alone with him?"
"Christian, it was last minute. I didn't like what he said but why should that be an issue?"
"I just think that if you're gonna go to New York, you shouldn't go with Hyde. I could take you since I have a place there and you can do the expo another time."
"Christian, I can't do that. This is something I wanna do." After taking a deep breath, he finally responds.
"Then let me take you instead." What?
"What do you mean?"
"Let me take you to New York. Then I can keep an eye on you in case Jack gets out of line."
"Christian, you don't have to do that."
"Ana, I trust you, but there's something about Hyde that makes me feel uncomfortable. Now, I don't know what it is but just to be safe, I would like to take you myself just to make sure you're safe." Holy cow, is he being serious? I glance at him to see if he means it.
"Are you sure?", I ask finally.
"Yes. It's like you said, it's not like you haven't been there before", he smirks and I remember what happened the last time we were in New York.
"Okay", I remark.
"Okay?"
"Yeah. I mean, of course I would rather see New York with you."
"Good", he says as if pleased by my answer. "I hate it when we fight." I can't fight my laugh at his comment.
"That wasn't a fight. That was a conversation. You know, it's when one person talks and the other one listens and you resolve an issue."
"That's how it works."
"It's crazy, isn't it?", I tease and roll my eyes as I take a sip of wine.
"I can tell when you roll your eyes at me."
"That doesn't surprise me, Mr. Grey", I joke and continue eating my food.
Holy shit, he's taking me to New York.