APOV
Today is our last day of swim training, I am both sad and relieved.
"Come on Ana, focus!" Christian shouts.
"I am focused, stop being so mean!" I spit back. "Stop shouting at me!"
Christian has been very short with me today. It hurts. This is our last session together and he's ruining it!
"I'm not shouting!"
"Yes Christian, you are."
"Well, I wouldn't be shouting if you were paying attention now come on! Focus! I want you to swim a double lap, then I want you to tread water, let's go!"
Why is he like this? What did I do?
"No!" I finally shout back at him. "You know what Christian? I'm done! I don't need this, I think we both know that I'm ready! I'm fine and I don't need this attitude from you!" I swim back to the dock and jump up.
Screw him and his attitude.
CPOV
Nice job shit for brains!
Damn! What the hell am I thinking? I'm so sad, hurt and angry that this will be our last swim session and I'm taking it out on my Firecracker. That's the last thing I wanted to do!
I see her at the dock, she's done. I can tell. She's just dipping her feet in the water and her body is perfect, I see the water beading down her sexy curves. How I would love to run my tongue up and down her body.
I approach the dock and jump up sitting next to her.
"I'm sorry Ana. I didn't mean to be so short with you. I'm...well, this is our last day together and...you know, I'm going to miss you Ana."
"Christian, you will still see me. We row together, we practice together, we compete together." She says softly, did I hear her voice crack?
"That's not what I mean and you know it Firecracker."
"I know Christian, I'm just trying to make this...easier on us that's all."
Whoa what? Did she say 'easier on us?'
"Is this going to be difficult for you as well sweetheart?" God, listen to me. I'm fucking pathetic!
Come on baby, show me something, anything! Please!
"Well, I wouldn't be honest with myself if I didn't say that I'm going to miss our swim sessions as well. I'm also going to miss having dinner with you and I'm really going to miss riding on the back of that motorcycle of yours."
Fucking great!
She'll miss swimming, she'll miss food and she'll miss my ride! So much for having women falling at your feet Grey. Ana is most definitely one of a kind! She is not one to be easily caught in my sexual web.
"Fuck Ana! What about me? You'll miss swimming, dinners and my bike? What the fuck? Won't you miss me? I'm going to fucking miss you so much Ana. I never knew I had a heart until I met you and now my heart is fucking breaking dammit!"
Oh Christ! What the hell is wrong with me? I hate this shit! No one is supposed to know what I'm thinking or feeling, yet here I am, spilling my guts all over the floor! Carefull where you walk Ana, don't slip on my intestines that have been spilt all over!
I'm going to have to figure out a way to keep my shit together! I need control! I'm hopeless, fucking hopeless!
"I'll...I'll miss you too Christian but..."
"Yeah, yeah, I know, I know."
"Christian, are you ok?"
"I'm fine Ana, I'm just trying to find the right words to say how I feel and sometimes..."
This is hopeless. I want her so bad!
APOV
Christian runs his fingers through his hair and I'm taken in by his profile, he is so beautiful. I remember the feeling of running my fingers through his soft silky hair. It felt so good. Easy Steele, remember Noah!
We've both been quiet for far too long, I need to break this uncomfortable silence now!
"Christian, what kind of motorcycle do you have? It's really nice but I didn't see any type of brand name. I mean, not that I know anything about motorcycles and such but you know. Is it a Harley? That's the only type I've ever heard of."
Christian suddenly turns to me and his face lights up. Yes! I guess I asked the right question. Two points for me!
"Do you really like it Ana?" Christian morphs right before my eyes, he's seven years old and it's adorable.
"Of course Christian, it's an amazing ride. So pretty and powerful!" I say with intensity.
Christian makes a funny face, "Pretty isn't exactly what I was going for when I built my ride sweetheart but powerful was, so you're forgiven." He says with a chuckle and a smile.
"Whoa, wait a minute. Did you say that you 'built' your motorcycle Christian?" I say with amazement.
"Yes, of course I did. My parents would never allow be to purchase one so I built my own."
"Wow Christian, I'm...that's just...wow!" I'm blown away.
Christian beams at me, he's happy that I'm so impressed. I can tell. I'm getting better at reading him. I like that.
"It's nice to know that I can impress you...so much so that I leave you speechless."
"It's just so..I'm in awe of you Christian. Are you a mechanic or something? Do you know people who build motorcycles? I...this is just so cool. Is your father a mechanic?"
Christian snorts, "My father, a mechanic? Not hardly."
"What do you your parents do for a living? I'm curious." I ask realizing I know very little about him.
"My father is a lawyer and my mother is a Doctor. A pediatrician to be exact. She's the one that..."
Christian stops, he was going to open up and he stopped.
Damn!
"She's the one that what Christian? Please tell me."
He's silent...
"Ok, well. Do you have any brothers or sisters? Can you answer that for me?"
"I have an older brother named Elliot and a little sister named Mia. We were all adopted. Grace, my mother had medical issues and she could not have children of her own so Carrick, my father and Grace adopted us."
"I miss my parents Christian, you're so lucky." I'm feeling sad and I don't want our last day together to end like this.
He's still thinking about what he almost shared with me, I need to lighten the mood once more.
"Tell me more about your ride. How did you do it?" I ask.
Christian's face lights up once again, "Well, I just made up my mind that I wanted a motorcycle. I was fifteen years old and I decided if my parents weren't going to allow me to have one, then I would build my own. So that's what I did."
"So you just 'decided' (I use air quotes) to build a motorcycle? Just like that? How does that work Christian? I don't get it?" I ask enthralled with what he might say.
"It's the strangest thing Firecracker. Ever since I was a child I've always been fascinated with how things work. You know, what makes them tick so to speak."
"Wow! That's pretty cool Christian."
"My sister Mia didn't think so when I decided that I wanted to know how her dolls spoke by pulling string or pressing a button. I dismantled a good amount of her dolls. She came home from school and went crying to Grace."
Oh my God, Christian is sharing a family story and he's laughing about it! This is great! I love it.
"Go on, what happened?"
"Well, Grace and Carrick were mortified. They thought I was being 'sick', you know, like I was mutilating the doll. They took me to a shrink, the first of many and they come to find out that I was merely working on the mechanics of the doll."
"Wow Christian, that's great! Did Mia forgive you?" I ask.
"Eventually. Grace convinced her the 'Dr. Christian' was going to take her dolls to surgery and make them better, so that's what I did. I took them apart and put them back together again. I've always been that way."
"Christian, you're a genius! You know that don't you? Your skills, the way your mind works it's...it's unbelievable! You're going to go far in this world 'Sir!' I can already see it!" I say as I nudge him.
CPOV
For whatever reason, when Ana say's 'I'm going to go far in this world' I believe her and it only makes me that much more determined to prove that she is correct in her assumption. I will never go back to being poor, I will never go back to that life, the one that left me starving as a child. Never!
I get lost in my thoughts of anger, hopelessness and determination. Ana calls me out of my thoughts. I must have a look on my face that gives me away.
Dammit!
I need to work on my impassive look. I will need it when I become a rich and powerful person.
No one will know what I'm thinking, they will always be guessing, never being able to read me, never being able to understand what I have planned. I will always be one step ahead of everyone! Never showing weakness, never showing emotion, always on top of my game.
Yes!
That will be my plan!
"Christian, you wanna know a secret?" Ana asks as she jumps back in the water and I quickly follow.
"I want to know everything that you're willing to share with me Ana, don't you know that by now?"
Fuck me!
There I go again, opening up to the Firecracker, showing my emotion and my weakness. Well, only to her and to no one else!
"When you're rowing, you're hanging at the catch." She says in a way that only a cox or a rower would understand.
"I do not!" I shout back.
"Oh yes you do. I guess it's that mind of yours. It's good when it comes to taking things apart and putting them back together, but it sucks when it comes to rowing."
"What? I don't think so Firecracker!"
"Come on!" She smiles at me, "I'll race ya!"
And with her words we swim as fast as we can! I catch up at the halfway point and easily beat her to the dock!
"Now," I say, "About me hanging at the catch..."
"You do Christian, I can see the look on your face. Your mind is thinking, you need to shut that part of your brain down when you row."
I close my eyes and picture myself on the 8-boat...
She's right! I do over think when I'm rowing. I think about my stroke, my feathering technique, my foot position...I'm shooting on all pistons! I've never had anyone critique my rowing skills as am the best rower out there.
I do recall Angie, er I mean Coach Bowness saying something similar to what Ana said, but me being the complete asshole, knowing that I was and am the best, didn't feel that I needed any type of advice.
That thought of course was blown out of the water when I decided to go out and scull one night. I saw Coach Angie in a scull and she was a complete bad ass in the water! I remember someone mentioning that she won the silver in the women's quad at the World championships.
"Fine, you are correct. I do tend to over think things. So I hang at the catch?"
"Yes, just let go Christian. Let it happen naturally. You can lead anyone with your skills, don't you see that?"
I close my eyes and her words reverberate in my mind...Just let go Christian. Let it happen naturally. You can lead anyone with your skills, don't you see that?
The only problem with her words are that I don't think of rowing, I think of fucking Ana! Damn this girl! Everything she says and does takes me back to sex!
"Christian, are you ok? What are you thinking?" The Firecracker asks.
I open my eyes and I'm filled with lust. I take in Ana looking so beautiful and wet and I know she has an idea of where my fucked up mind has gone because she's blushing all over. I decide to go for it.
"Oh sweetheart, do you really want to know what I'm thinking at this very moment?" I purr.
"Uh, on second thought...no. Let's swim!"
We swim a few more laps and I know our time is almost over. As we swim towards the dock I can see someone there, waiting for us.
Ugh, it's bitchy Bree.
Ana and I reach the dock and Bree says, "So here you are and how convenient that I've located you both...together. Isn't that lovely?" Bree's voice drips with sarcasm.
"What is it Bree? What the hell do you want?" I spit.
"Easy there tiger, Team Captain Tik wanted to me remind everyone that we're having a karaoke party tonight. Relax your loins Grey!"
And with those words, Bree leaves in a huff.
I shout out to her, "Stop calling me Tiger, it's Christian or Mr. Grey to you!"
Ana hops on the dock, "I guess our training time is over, Mr. Grey."
"Whoa, I'm Christian to you sweetheart, never Mr. Grey. Although 'Sir' sounded pretty hot coming out of that sweet mouth of yours."
"Christian, did you and Bree...well, are you and her...oh God. Never mind. It's none of business."
Christ, I'm an open book with this woman! She can see right through me! Damn she's good!
"Ana, it was one time. It's my biggest regret, she wants something more from me, I can't give her what I am not capable of giving."
"What does she want?"
"More. A relationship, something I'm not capable of. I'm fucked up Ana but as much as I know that, I want more with you, not with her, never with anyone else, ever."
"Christian, please stop. Don't say that."
"Fuck, I know, I know. You and the Golden Boy." I say with frustration.
"Wait, what? The Golden Boy?" Ana giggles.
"Yes, he's perfect for you. Golden blonde hair, always happy, good-looking. Yes, I'm secure enough in my manhood that I can appreciate the fact that he is good-looking I suppose. If you like that type."
"I...I love that type Christian."
"Fuck! I know!" I shout and Ana flinches.
Nice job Grey, you scared the shit out of her.
"Well, I better go. I'll see you tonight?" Ana asks and it sounds like she's wishing I would go to the get together this tonight.
Not bloody likely!
"I can't go Ana. It would be torture for me. Seeing you there, happy, talking with everyone, all those fuckers wanting to be near you. I would want all your attention. I couldn't share you with anyone. I'd want you all to myself. It would drive me nuts because all I'd want to do is take you in my arms and..."
Shit! Shut it Grey! You're so fucking whipped!
"Well then," Ana says as she stands up. "I guess I'll see you when you when I see you huh?"
Fuck that sounds awful.
"Yes, I suppose so. Ana?"
"Yes?"
"Do you think I can have a hug? I won't try anything, I promise." I hold up my 'Scouts Honor' salute, not that I've ever been a fucking Boy Scout! Far fucking from it in every way. I would have been kicked out for trying to fuck all the girl scout leaders!
"Yes, I suppose a hug would be ok." Ana says as she approaches me and I brace myself.
I need to see if what happened in this week with her breaching my no-go zone was just a fluke or if I can really tolerate her touch. This will be different. I know full well that she will be touching me where no one has touched me before.
I open my arms and she walks into them, she nuzzles her face in my chest and I feel it...the warmth shoots through my body and I fucking love it. She feels great, I lower my head and inhale her seductive scent. I feel myself getting hard and Ana starts to squirm as she quickly backs away from me.
"I'll see you later Christian." Ana says in a soft somewhat despondent sounding voice.
"Ana, good-bye."
Neither Christian nor Ana had been aware that they were being watched. Someone witnessed their intimate moment. It seemed innocent enough but there was something there and the spectator needed to know exactly what it was...
A/N
Thanks to everyone for all the lovely reviews, I really do try to respond to them but I'm sure you'd much prefer that I write my story in order to not keep you waiting for the next update. I've been on a roll lately as you can tell.
I'm still working on my first story (Meet At Graduation) as I need it to come to a close, I just haven't found my mojo for it.
In the meantime...
Keep Reading, Keep Reviewing and Keep Smiling!
Rosie :D