A/N: Thanks for reading. Enjoy!
"What do you have planned after work?" Kate steps into her heels and glances my way.
"I've got laundry and need to clean out the fridge since someone didn't do it the other day like she promised."
"I'm sorry. I was going to, but I got distracted by that new Real Housewives show." I raise a brow at her admission. "Don't act surprised. You know those shows are my guilty pleasure."
"I'm not shocked at your love for them. I'm just shocked they have a new one. Soon there's going to be a Real Housewives in every major city.", I laugh as I pull my hair back into a low ponytail "Anyway, what do you have planned after work?"
"Julia just signed up to a gym downtown, and since she can have two visitor passes, she wants us to go with her."
"Julia was going to the same gym as us. Why did she decide to sign up to another one?"
"She went Monday and thought she saw Justin there with some more guys, and now she feels like she can't go there out of fear of running into him. She said something about not wanting him to see her while she's all sweaty.", Kate shrugs. She opens her gym bag and thows in a pair of tennis shoes.
"I can't believe she's letting him control her life like. You see that's one reason why I'm not in a hurry to be in a relationship. I couldn't deal with a guy having so much power over me."
"I agree with you on that part, but I don't think you should dismiss the idea of dating. Hell you could even cut the dating part and do the friends with benefits thing."
"I can't do the friends with benefits thing.", I mutter, quickly turning around to face Kate. I grab my coat from the rack by the door. "We're going to be late for work."
"What are you working on?", Julia asks me as she peers over my cubicle.
"I'm working on some graphic ideas for the Donovan account." Samual Donovan owns several car dealerships in and around the Seattle area, and he chose me to work on the advertising for his company. "I need something that's going to pop out to people and make them want to buy a car. I'll find the right mixture eventually."
"Yes you will. Kate said she asked you to come with us to the gym. You're in, right?"
"I'm in.", I sigh.
"Yay. Maybe a good workout will help relieve some of the tension left by Christian Grey."
"I've gone two days without hearing that name. Why must you bring it up?" Although the name Christian Grey hasn't been spoken, I'm guilty of having thought about him. Not only seeing but feeling how his body reacted to me when I saw him Sunday was almost empowering. That feeling also made my own body betray me.
"I like the way his name brings the slightest blush to your face.", she giggles before returning to her own cubicle. I dig into my purse and pull out my compact, checking my reflection to see if she's right, and she is. Just because I find someone attractive doesn't mean crap. I put the compact away and go back to doing as much work as I can before I meet my mom for lunch at Sunfish.
"Did Dad not want to join us?", I ask my mom while our waitress sets our plates in front of us. "Thank you."
"Jimmy Herron invited him to go fishing, and you know how much your dad loves fishing.", she shrugs with a grin. "I sometimes wonder if he loves fishing more than me."
"No way.", I laugh. "Dad worships the ground you walk on." Ray and Carla Steele have a marriage that many would envy. They were childhood friends growing up and became sweethearts in high school. Over the years their love for each other has grown. "I also have it on good authority you feel the same way."
"I do. We can be in a crowded room, yet he'll look at me like I'm the only one there. He makes me feel special and loved every single second of every single day. Everyone should be lucky enough to experience that in their life." Her brow goes up as she stares at me.
"By everyone you mean me. Mom, have you been talking to Kate and Julia?"
"I haven't. Why do you ask?" I feel like I've now opened up a can of worms.
"We went out Saturday night, and this guy was there. He was a good looking guy who flirted with me. He was also arrogant and cocky. I ran into again on Sunday when Julia and I went to the hospital."
"Hospital?", she gasps, dropping her fork.
"Becca, Julia's sister was in a car accident. One of the other girls in the car with her was the guy's sister. He was there and once again flirted with me. Kate and Julia have been trying their best to get me to take a chance and give in to him."
"Well, why don't you? I want you to have the happiness your dad and I have."
"I hope to have that too...eventually. Right now I don't want a boyfriend.", I reply while shuffling my fork through my food.
"You don't have to go out and start picking out china patterns, but one date might not be bad.", she sighs.
"How was lunch with your mom?", Kate asks while meeting me in the hallway outside our office.
"It was good until she jumped on the Ana needs to date bandwagon." I open the door and walk with Kate towards our cubicles. "Where's Julia?" Kate and Julia had lunch together while I was dining with my mom.
"She headed on to her gynecologist appointment after we finished lunch." We arrive at my cubicle where an arrangement of roses awaits. There are eleven red roses and one solitary white one. "There's flowers on your desk."
"I can see that. What I don't know is why.", I murmur.
"And why are all but one red roses.", she says as I reach for the card.
Ana,
In every bunch there's one who stands out, and you are that one.
Christian Grey
His message reminds me of what my mom said about my dad looking at her like she's the only one in the room. At the bottom of the note is his phone number.
"Who are they from?" I hand the card to Kate who squeals. "The guy wants you."
"I'd like to know how he found out where I work."
"Julia, you're the one who wanted us to come with you, but you've barely worked out since we've been here.", Kate groans while she and I use the treadmills. Julia's sitting on a bench with a botle of water.
"I'm pacing myself.", Julia says. "I'm sorry for missing the rest of work. I would've rather been there than at my gynecologist's office."
"It's ok. You didn't miss anything.", I mutter. Kate breaks into a fit of giggles. "I know why you're giggling so you might as well tell Julia."
"Ana got eleven red roses and one white one from none other than Christian Grey. He included a note which in summary read he sees her as the only one.", Kate tells Julia who's grinning like a cheshire cat. The flowers and accompanying note were a nice touch, but I'm still not convinced Christian Grey is a guy I should go out with.
"Swoon.", Julia says, placing her hand on her heart.
"I'm still puzzled how he found out where I work." I press stop on my machine and notice Julia's doing everything she can to avoid eye contact. The dots start connecting. "Julia, you wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?" A petite, brown haired young woman walks over and takes the treadmill I just vacated.
"I didn't give him your number. I did give him your last name."
"They're almost one and the same.", I hiss. "A guy that wealthy can probably get any information at the snap of a finger. Why would you do such a thing?"
"I thought I was doing a good deed."
"He could be so unhinged that he's going to break into my apartment and steal my panties."
"I think he wants to rip your panties off you, not steal them.", Kate giggles until I scowl at her. "Don't get too upset with Julia. Christian Grey could be your soulmate." The woman stops her treadmill and blows out a breath.
"I'm sorry for barging in on your conversation, but did you say Christian Grey?", the woman asks.
"Yeah. Have you heard of him?"
"You could say that. One of my friends had a little thing with him, and according to her that wasn't the only little thing if you know what I mean. She said she felt like she was playing a game of Where's Waldo."
"Really? He seems like a guy who's well endowed.", Julia comments. I want to tell her that she's right. I've had my hand on the part in question, and it definitely wasn't little. The mere thought of it sends a warmth through my body. Maybe this woman's friend was bitter and lied.
"She also said he wasn't a good lover." She steps off the treadmill and grabs her bag from the floor. "I've got to go, but it was nice chatting with you."
"Yeah. You too..um...", I stammer.
"Leila.", she answers before strutting away.
Once I'm home, I change into my pajamas and go into my bedroom to work some more on the graphics for work. I sit on the bed and let my eyes drift to the roses which are placed on my dresser. I could've thrown them away, but something kept me from doing so. I even kept the card. The nice thing to do would be call him to thank him for the roses. A thank you doesn't mean I'm giving in.
"I might as well.", I say to myself as I get up and get the card. I pick up my phone and dial the number. It rings several times, and I'm about to hang up when I hear his voice.
"Did you get my flowers?", he asks without even saying hello.
"I did, and they're lovely. Thank you."
"You're welcome. I thought about sending an ordinary dozen, but there's nothing ordinary about you."
"Since you already knew it was me, I'm assuming you know my number along with where I work.", I say, settling back on the bed.
"You're correct.", he laughs. "I promise I'm not a stalker. I'm only a man who wants to get to know you better."
"Maybe I don't want to get to know you better.", I say playfully.
"That's not true. Your words may say that, but the tone of those words tells me otherwise. You're just as intrigued by me as I am by you." I lay back on my pillow and sigh. "Am I keeping you?"
"No. I was just doing some things for work."
"Where are you doing this work?", he asks.
"On my bed.", I reply. Silence. "You there?"
"I'm here. I was just picturing you on your bed. Actually, I was picturing me on your bed with you. The vision makes me hard." I feel my panties dampen. "I'm sorry for being so blunt, but I want you so fucking bad."
"People in hell want ice water, but there's nothing you can do about that."
"There's that mouth I like so much. Well, I'm not going to keep you, but don't brush me off so fast. Goodnight."
"Night."