Chapter 23: At Long last

Author's Note!

Thanks for waiting patiently for this update. I'll probably start updating weekly, on Fridays, and possibly, if I have the time, in the middle of the week as well. This week has been… sigh, and I lost my math lecture book. So yup. Here you go. Do review, I love your suggestions!

I walked into Christian's office like I had played a naughty prank on a teacher and had been sent to the principle. With my head hanging low, I avoided his eyes as I stepped into his office. I knew he was siting at his table with his arms folded.

My heart was racing. With what I had done... Especially with Sawyer and then what Sawyer had said... Oh my. I barely knew what to expect from Christian.

"Close the door, Anastasia." Christian commanded.

He had used my full name! That was not a good sign. Without once looking up, I kicked the door close and it slammed audibly. There was a painful silence as I stood by the door and he sat in his seat watching me. I wondered if he was about to punish me.

"Anastasia." He said and I almost jumped. "Why are you standing so far away? You know I like you close."

Very slowly, I made my way towards him. Step by step until I was right at the chairs in front of his table. "Take a seat, Ms Steele." His voice was even, but I knew better than to let my guard down. I sat down with an oomph and straightened up, however, still cleaning the floor with my gaze.

"I have a few pressing matters I would like to address," he started, tapping his fingers against the wooden table. "Starting with the most... Recent."

Hell. He's going to start with Sawyer! I squeezed my eyes shut. "Look at me when I'm talking to you, Anastasia." He scolded and I quickly met his eyes, they were blazing grey like they had been ignited. My heart thumped noisily as he licked his lips. "So, since when have you been on a first name basis with" and with great emphasis he said "Sawyer."

Under his scrutiny, I could barely concentrate. I watched as his gaze caressed my face and then slide down to my neck, seducing my chest and then dropping to my cleavage. I flushed red and leaned back into the seat, trying to put some distance between us. In response, Christian folded his arms upon the table and leaned in closer to me. "Ana?" I crossed my legs and remembered to breathe.

"Um." I tried to think. "Not very long..."

It was clearly not the answer he was looking for. "Define it."

"This morning?" My voice flew up a few octaves and I quickly cleared my throat.

Christian gave me a nod, "Would you like to tell me what's going on between the two of you?"

"No!" I said a little too fast and a little too loud.

That seemed to get Christian even more interested. "I think yes."

I swallowed and shifted my eyes down to his chest, I watched them rise and fall. "Ana?" He called my name once more and our eyes locked. His beautiful lips moved, "What have you been up to with Sawyer?"

My brain must have shut down and logic must have vacated my body, because I blustered a, "WE DIDN'T KISS."

Christian arched an eyebrow, "Oh?" He said sarcastically. "You didn't?"

I nodded furiously, urging him to believe me before this turns into a brutal murder. My murder. My inner goddess put on her gloves in anticipation of a CSI crime scene that had my name all over it. Either that or Sawyer was about to bear the brunt of it.

"So." He tapped his fingers once more, getting increasingly frustrated by the second. "You. Kissed. Sawyer."

"I said we didn't!"

"But you did." Christian stated.

"But I said we didn't!" I was close to exasperation.

Christian folded his arms crossly, eyebrows knitted in anger. "Come. Here. Anastasia." He commanded with much authority that I would never had dared to argue. Obediently, I abandoned my seat and walked over so I was standing barely a few feet from the fire himself. His scorching gaze caught mine and I looked away.

"It was just an accidental brush of the lips." I squeaked.

"Show me." Christian beckoned, his gesture still guarded against me. Clearly, he was not taking this well. How had I let Sawyer and I cross such boundaries? Had I only imagined his lingering touch and caress?

I was flustered. "We were coming down the stairs and I was in his arms, so it was coincidence that as I looked up at him, he looked down at the same moment." I tried to explain myself, "And then our lips brushed."

That only seemed to make Christian angrier. "I said SHOW me, Ana."

At least he was calling me by my first name. I closed the distance between us a little more and pressed my hands into the arm rests of his chair. Christian still had his arms over his chest. Gently, I recreated the accidental kiss and merely scraped Christian's lips. "There." His touch was like a spark, igniting all desires within me, it sent a wave of pleasure through my system.

Suddenly, his lips closed over mine and his arms fastened around me, locking my jaw in place. Christian intruded into my mouth empowered by rage, claiming every inch of me once more. The feeling sang to my inner thighs, calling for it to awaken for its master.

When he finally broke away, we were both panting. His eyes were filled with pride and a sense of fierceness. "Mine." He reminded me as he dropped his hands from my jaw.

"Yours." I repeated after him, my body quaking in desire for his touch.

He nodded at me. "Then there was the part where you called me a dick."

"A...dick?" Hell. When did I say that?"

"Yes, Ana, you did."

"I'm sorry?"

"Don't be." He said, which gave me a spark of hope that he was going to let me off the hook. However, the searing anger on his face put it out immediately. "You'll be sorry for enjoying Ethan's little spanking." There it was, that main thing that was making Christian furious.

The very fact that I had allowed another man to pleasure-hurt me in such a manner, his manner, that really pushed him over the edge. "You run when I hit you," Christian's eyes tightened at the memory, "but you... Giggle when he does?" Jealousy burned bright in his beautiful grey and I knew how precious my laughter was to him.

"Ana, if he hurt you..." His eyes flashed to mine. "Did he hurt you?"

I shook my head, the stinging on my ass had barely been there. Ethan had just been teasing around, smacking me as hard as he would on my arm when he was being funny. Besides, I had Christian's spanking to compare. "Not like you do."

Christian's eyes turned into slits as the words left my mouth thoughtlessly. I had to attempt to do damage control. " Christian, you know I didn't mean it that way."

Once again, his petulant child nature showed itself. "Do I?"

Bravely, I leaned in closer to him to climb onto his lap. Coiling my arms around him, I snuggled into him. "Why did you do it, Ana?" He asked, kissing my forehead lovingly.

"You and Kate were humping..." I whined a little, "I just w-"

"To lash out?" Christian tried to fill in the blanks for me. "Is this what everything is about? You're still making me pay for... THAT?"

I pushed myself off his chest to stop him from talking. "NO!" I insisted, "I was just being a little playful."

"A little?" He was mocking me. I refused to reply, pursing my lips. Christian cracked a tiny yet sincere smile, "Oh Ana, you're the only one I'd ever want to grind."

I flushed at his words and looked away, which he rewarded with one of his specialty chuckles. "I'd say you're the only one I'd allow to spank me, but I don't want to be... Punished."

He sighed, his fingers capturing the tip of my chin as he lured my gaze back to meet his. "I really want to spank you right now Ana, after what nonsense you dared to pull today."

I knitted my fingers together nervously, "I'm sorry, Christian."

"Ana, I love you." My heart stopped. "And the idea of you with anybody else slaughters me."

"Same goes to you." I whispered at him, loving the way his eyes smoldered as I did. "I love you."

He smiled at me and pressed his lips against mine. "Anastasia Steele, because I can't have you running around kissing-"

"Accidentally kissing!"

He corrected with much sarcasm, "Accidentally kissing anybody or getting spanked by random males, I need you to be mine."

I was confused. "I'm already yours."

"Not officially." He said and I cocked my head to one side. "Anastasia Rose Steele, will you marry me?"

My throat constricted and I could not breathe, let alone talk. There he goes again, asking me to marry him.

What are you waiting for? My inner goddess growled at me. He's all you want in life!

"This is my third time asking, Anastasia." Christian tried to conceal his annoyance, then shrugged good-naturedly, "Another first."

"What Christian Grey wants, what Christian Grey gets." Both my inner goddess and I said together.

He chuckled and then nodded. "So, are you going to deny my nature?"

Pulling on my playful nature to get me out of this one, I hit my lip and peeked at him through my lashes. "Can't exactly spoil you, can I?"

He caught on immediately. "I think you most certainly can, Ana."

No way was I going to give in that easily, "But Sawyer and I.."

He silenced me with his death glare.

Not yet. "And Ethan and I..." Christian clenched his jaw and shook his head disapprovingly at me.

"And Jose is still an option th-" Before I could say anymore, Christian brought his lips to mine and swallowed my words. Hard. All of a sudden, he was everywhere all at once. I thought his hands were against my jaw but then he had another pair to clutch me to his chest with. His kisses fluttered off my lips and down my neck, making sure to caress every spot before moving on.

Then, his hand grabbed one of my ankles and threw them to the other side of his body so that my groin was against his. Christian's hold of me slipped lower and unexpectedly, he thrust himself up into me while harshly pushing me downward. The friction was incredible and I let out a groan of pleasure, "I'm jealous." I told him as he did it again.

"Why?" He mumbled against my skin, his fingers slipping under my skirt.

"Kate got to grind you." I whined, recalling the awful memory.

He chuckled and resumed his kissing, blatantly ignoring me. I was then distracted by the movement at my underwear, cool fingers pushing them to the side as they traced my outer lips. "Christian." I panted, pulling my face to his once more.

Christian was not a patient man. He grunted and I heard his zipper go. Before I could protest, he entered me, we both sighed in longing and pleasure. "Kate will never get to do this." With an arrogant grin, his hands found the sides of my waist and he lifted me up slightly before letting gravity slam me down.

I moaned. Christian did it again and again, repeatedly, his member hit my hilt over and over. I was lost in ecstasy as I gave myself over to him, letting him take control of this one. The more Christian bounced, the closer I could feel myself sprinting towards the finish line. My insides began to quiver and Christian's moaning was too erotic for me to bare. With one last thrust, we both came. He emptied himself in me and I let the exhaustion land me against his chest.

He was breathing hard. "I know why you've been acting all flirty and stuff."

What a thing to say at this time. "Why?" As his neck was just a few fingertips away from my lips, I contemplated giving him another love bite with such a tempting opportunity hanging over head.

"By calculating your period," he started, "This week you're supposed to be f***ing horny."

I leaned back to glare at him, to which he smirked at and looked down at where we were still joined. "I have to stop depriving you, Ms Steele, or you'll go after another man."

Blushing, I quickly turned away. "That's not true."

"So you're saying no to sex every few hours?" He taunted, calling my bluff.

"Depends."

Christian raised an eyebrow in question, "Depends on what?"

"On whom with." I stated, trying my best to sound neutral and as convincing as possible.

Christian gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes. "You're the only woman who would ever talk about having sex with someone else when he's still in you."

The colour rose in my cheeks once again and I stared at him in shock. "Can I come off you now?"

He gave me a secret smile and nodded, his hands finding my waist once more and then lifting me off him. I sighed in relief at the feeling, the ache in my inner thighs evident as I stood on my own two feet. Christian zipped himself up as I repositioned my underwear. Christian was so big and whenever he pulled out of me, there was always that feeling of sudden emptiness.

"What are you thinking of?"

I shook my head then shrugged.

"Good, I want to show you something." He said with a boyish grin, like a magician with a trick up his sleeve.

Treating him suspiciously, I narrowed my eyes and took a step of caution away. "What is it?"

He stood and took my hand in his, leading me out of the office. "If it's your new set of whips or canes or... Floggers, I'm not interested."

Without even answering me, he reached for the office lights and flicked them off. What was he up to? I firmed my grip on his hand and he opened the door. I gasped at the sight before us. The entire apartment was in pitch black, except for the glowing candle lights that littered every inch of the floor. The aroma of rosé petals seduced my senses as they were every where, the most beautiful sight I had ever seen.

"Christian." I smiled, he stepped behind me and put his hands on my hip, his nose breathing me in at the nape of my neck. "When?"

"Gail, Taylor and Sawyer did while I... Distracted you."

Distracting me? I blushed harder at the realization that this was Christian's intention all along, I had just assisted him in distracting me by creating problems that were worth mentioning. "Walk." He whispered, and my eyes caught sight of the path lined out by the candles and petals, that would evidently lead me to our bedroom.

Taking my first few steps, Christian and I moved as one towards our bedroom. The bedroom was equally dressed up and romantic, the bed had the shape of a heart made from rosé petals awaiting our arrival. I observed in awe as I remained rooted in my position.

"Ana," Christian called. I turned to find him down on one knee. I felt my eyes begin to water as I understood why he was doing this. He fished out a delicate red box and held it in his right hand, gingerly, he opened it.

Nestled in the expensive satin material was a simple silver banded, diamond-studded, diamond-brimmed ring. There was barely any silver on it, it was glistening in the candle-light, throwing little sparkles. "Wow." I said, which Christian rewarded with a satisfied grin.

"Ana, you're my more. You're all there is to me and you make me whole. I can see myself spending the rest of my life with you and I cannot see myself living without you. You're my purpose in life, my beginning and my end, you fill me where I am flawed." By then, the tears were streaming down my face. My heart was singing for Christian, trying to sway my brain that this was the man for me. "Anastasia Rose Steele, will you be my wife?"

My inner goddess was silent and my heart would not give up. It pounded actively against my chest, as if throwing a tantrum at my brain's disapproval. Thankfully, my head clicked in acknowledgement of all he's done for me. "Yes, I will." I barely choked out, the tears suffocating me.

Christian heaved a visible sigh of relief and he gave me the sweetest smile I had ever seen. Without wasting anymore time, he picked the ring from it's nest and placed it on my finger. The moment the cool metal touched my skin, my tears heightened and I began heaving, Christian finished the job and leaped to his feet.

"Ana." Christian's voice calmed all storms in me, "I will be faithful to you for the rest of our lives," and he sealed his promise with a kiss.