APOV

On the way home Kate tells me all about her time in Aspen with Elliot. I don't even get a chance to tell her what's been happening with Christian. She probably thinks I've spent the whole time she's been away reading. I giggle. Defiantly NOT reading. We get home and she follows me to my room continuing, going on and on about Aspen and Elliot. I'm excited about going to spend time with Christian, so I'm packing while she continues to talk. She stops mid-sentence when she notices what I'm doing.

"What are you doing? Where are you going? Are you going to Ray's? Ana, I just got home. I missed you. I thought we'd have a girls weekend."

"No. I'm not going to Ray's and I missed you too. Can we do the girls day another time?"

"Sure. I can just go over Elliot's. But if you're not going to Ray's, why are you packing."

Time to shock Kate.

"I'm staying with Christian." I try to say calmly and bite my lip to prevent my wide smile.

"What?! Christian Grey?"

"Yes. He and I are... I'm-We are trying for more."

"Oh my god! Ana. Why didn't you tell me?!"

I laugh. "When? You was going on and on about Aspen this and Elliot that. Would you of liked me to interrupt?"

"Yes!" I laugh. "When did this happen? What happened to just friends? Why didn't you call me? Ana!" She grabs my shoulders and shakes me. "ANA! This is big!"

"I didn't call you because you were enjoying Aspen with Elliot. It could wait. And as for when, um, Thursday night." I blush giving myself away.

"OH MY GOD! Anastasia Steele, did you? I mean, oh my god, did you?!"

I blush even more. "If you are asking if we had sex." I blush even more. "Yes."

And 3-2-1.

"Aaahhhhh!" Kate screams. "Oh my god, Ana! How was it? Did you like it? Was he gentle? Did you com-"

"Kate! Enough." She looks at me waiting for answers barely containing her excitement. I give in. "It was incredible, Kate. Yes, of course, I liked it. He was very..." thinking of my first time, our first time. "...sweet and um... Yes."

"Oh, Ana. I'm so happy for you! I can't believe it. Ana's finally learned to love."

"Love? Who said anything about love?" I know I didn't.

"It's all over your face when you talk about him. That dreamy look in your eyes. You've got it bad Ana." She smiles.

"No way, Kate." That's not possible. I've been there, done that, not doing it again.

"Ana don't you want to be someone's one and only?"

"Of course, I did. I wanted to be someone's Ana. Someone's world. I wanted to be apart of a love story that never has an end. That's what every girl wants, isn't it? To be someone's everything. To find her Prince Charming."

"Sometimes you have to kiss a lot of frogs to find your Prince. In your case you kissed a dragon but maybe Christian can be your Charming. Trust me, it's worth it. It'll be okay." She smiles. "Ana is in love." Kate sings out and walks out before I can say anything.

Great. Just great! I know I said it wouldn't be love but I've finally found a man I can trust. I feel safe with him. I've never felt this way before, never knew it could mean this much. Could my heart still love?

I see the white rose he gave me in the corner of my room. It's not as beautiful anymore but it still has life. I pick it up out of the water. I smell it, smiling, thinking of how he makes me feel. My heart races. Is this love?

Kate talks to Elliot after leaving my room and apparently he's at Christian's. They want to have dinner with us at Christian's place. Since Elliot is already at Christian's, Kate is going to ride with me. Christian insists I ride with Sawyer so he can make sure I arrive safely to his place. I tried telling him I could drive my car and I didn't see how safe Sawyer could keep me if he got one over by a girl. Christian says my car is a hazard and Sawyer was taken by surprise but insists I couldn't take Sawyer one on one. He says Sawyer is a professional and he trusts him to take care of me. Hmmp. I let him know Jose fixed my car but he wouldn't listen. He wanted me 'safe'. So I agreed. I let Sawyer drive us.

Kate and I walk out and Sawyer has the door to the SUV open, waiting for us. He takes my bag, putting it in.

"Thank you." I say getting in.

Kate being in journalist mode starts quizzing Sawyer. He doesn't seem very talkative but answers her questions anyway. I think he's just trying to make me comfortable.

"So what happened to your face?"

"I caught Ms. Steele off guard."

She looks at me shocked. "You did that to him, Ana?"

"Yeah. And I feel really, really bad. Christian had him following me and forgot to mention it. So I kind of took him down. Sorry again, Sawyer."

"No apology necessary. It was my fault, ma'am."

"Okay, if you want this to work. You're really going to have to call me Ana. Miss Steele is fine too. If that makes you comfortable to be formal. We can agree on that. Just please, do not call me 'ma'am'. It feels really weird having someone older than me calling me ma'am."

"Yes, Ms. Steele." See, compromise.

"Wow, Ana! It's been awhile since Ray gave us a lesson and you take down this guy your first time using self defense. We really need to get Ray to give us another lesson."

"It may have been awhile for you but Ray gives me a lesson every time I visit. He's determined." Kate gives me a knowing smile.

We get to Escala and Sawyer tries to take my bag up but I insist I carry my own bag. Sawyer takes a service elevator while Kate and I take the main elevator. I put in the code Christian sent to me and up we go. The doors open revealing the beautiful great room.

"Wow, Ana."

"I know. The view is a amazing from up here."

Christian and Elliot come in from the kitchen. Kate sees Elliot and runs over to him. You would think they haven't seen each other in days but the two literally just got back from a week alone in Aspen. Christian comes over to me.

"Hey, baby." He kisses me softly on my lips.

"Hey." I smile at him.

"Dinner's ready and waiting."

"Okay. I just have to put my bag away."

He furrows his brow. "Why didn't Sawyer take it for you?"

"Because it's my bag, not Sawyers. Your room?"

"Of course."

I go to his room with him following. I put my bag down and turn around. He pulls my into his safe embrace.

"I'm glad your here."

"Me too. I like being in your arms."

"Mmmmm..." We kiss and it quickly turns passionate.

We're interrupted by someone pounding on his bedroom door.

"No fucking around! I'm hungry! Let's eat!" I giggle.

"How he talked me into this, I have no idea."

I giggle and we walk out to eat.

After dinner, we're all talking. Kate is in awe of Christian's penthouse.

"Kate he has a library." I tell her excitedly still unbelieving it. "You have to see it! Christian can I show Kate your library?"

"Of course." I jump up excited and we all walk to the library.

"Only you Ana, would get excited about a bunch of books."

"They're amazing!" Christian is smiling at me holding my hand.

"You mean the balls room?" What is Elliot talking about?

"Balls room? It's a book room."

"Elliot calls it the 'balls room' because of the billiard table in there." Men.

Once in the library Elliot suggest we play a friendly game. "Guys against girls?" He says.

Kate is having other ideas. "No way. It's couple against couple." She gives me a look and I roll my eyes.

"Alright. Lets make it interesting. Strip pool." Elliot suggests.

"No fucking way!" Christian growls out.

"Why not? I've already seen your girl. Although, you did cover her pretty fast so I didn't get a good enough look."

"What?!" Oh did I forget to mention that to Kate?

"Didn't I tell you Katie. Sweet little Ana and my dear brother here had a little office fun. However, they forgot one little thing. Nothing too important. Just to lock the fucking door. Ana was totally naked with her hands behind her back, probably jacking him off." He chuckles as I blush.

"Ana you minx!"

"Let's play." I say getting them off the subject. "Losers make desert!"

Christian and Elliot are very good. Luckily, José taught me how to play. Kate, not so much. Christian and I are obviously in the lead but then I think maybe we shouldn't win. Remembering both Kate and Elliot's kitchen skills.

I whisper to Christian. "Christian. Let's lose."

"What? Why?" He asks, like that's absurd.

"Because if we win. They lose. And they are going to make our desert."

"Alright. But they'll suspect if we just start missing every shot."

"Not if we play it off. Distract each other."

"What are you to whispering about?"

"About what desert we want." I tell Kate.

Elliot says. "The game's not over yet. I'm not going down without a fight."

It's my turn. I purposely bend in front of Christian, brushing my ass against his crotch. I hear him growl but he doesn't do anything else. So I give my ass a little shake, rubbing on him. And just when I go to take my shot, he does exactly what I planned on him doing. He smacks my ass.

"Ha ha. You fucked up her shot, Bro! Way to go!" Elliot sinks his shot and I give Christian a wink.

When it's Christian's turn, he's across the table from me so I bend showing my cleavage. This distracts him. He was concentrating. But then his eyes go straight to my tits and he barely taps the ball.

Elliot is laughing at Christian. "Bro, you need to concentrate."

Christian and I continue to distract one another and finally Kate and Elliot win. Elliot is gloating thinking he's the champ because he basically won alone, since Kate was no help. We all walk to the kitchen. Kate, Elliot and even Christian sit at the breakfast bar while I walk around it to get started on desert.

"What are you doing Christian? We have to make desert."

"It was your idea to lose."

"What? Aw man! Did you guys throw the game? I really thought I was the master."

Christian stands and clasps Elliot's back. "You may be my big brother. But I am the master." Elliot and even I laugh but Kate looks on confused.

"Come on, Christian. If you help me I'll let you choose what we make."

"Chocolate cake?" I giggle. He looks like a little boy excited about chocolate cake.

"Sure."

Christian helps me with measuring and adding the ingredients needed to make a homemade chocolate cake. It was fun. I'm starting the icing when Kate says she's getting tired and wants to go. So her and Elliot leave before the cake finished. Christian sees them out. When comes back to me, he wraps his arms around me. He dips his finger in the bowl.

"Mmmmm." He moans, I squirm getting wet hearing him. "It tastes good. But not as good as you. I want to taste you, Anastasia." I'm panting.

He turns me around and picks me up. He carries me, walking around the breakfast bar. He sets me on the counter while he sits on the chair. I'm sitting on the counter with my hands on his shoulder looking around.

"Christian. Are we alone?" I don't want to get caught like we did with Elliot.

"Yes. My staff are on their side of the apartment. Let's get you out of these jeans." He reaches for my button.

~BEEP, BEEP. BEEP, BEEP. BEEP, BEEP.~

The timer for the cake goes off.

Christian huffs disappointed. I giggle. I jump down, off the counter. And take the cake out, putting it on the counter to cool.

"I guess we have to frost it now huh?" He asks with a sexy pout

"Actually. It needs to cool. So we have time to fool around." I say biting my lip.

He growls picking me up, throwing me over his shoulder. He slaps my ass on the way to his bedroom. I giggle.

We get lost in each other again and again for hours.

What was I thinking trying to keep Christian away and at a distance? I feel like he's healing my heart. I... I think I... Oh my god! My heart races.