Chapter fourteen
They take Christian's car to Kate and Elliot' s house, he has no problem dropping them off at Ana's after brunch. Christian had been concerned that Sara might suspect something if they came in the same car, but Ana reassured him that it would be fine.
While in the car, Ana sits in the passenger seat with one foot under her thigh, so she can turn and watch Christian as he drives. She rests both hands in his lap, and were it possible she would put the rest of herself in his lap too. She's aching to be close to him. Very soon this perfect bubble will be invaded by relatives and kids and questions and looks, and Ana wants to make the most of it.
Her heart swells as she watches him concentrate on his driving, sometimes frowning, at the impertinence of other drivers presumably, and then grinning whenever he looks her way. Right now this feels like the perfect way to fall in love; they already know each other as intimately as anyone can, but it's still so new and amazingly exciting. Old and new love at the same time.
Christian has changed his shirt since last night. It turned out he had an overnight bag in the trunk of his car, but he hadn't wanted to push his luck by bringing it in at first. Probably wise.
Now he's wearing the same hot jeans, but with a white linen shirt, untucked, sleeves rolled up and showing off tanned, muscular arms. He didn't shave this morning; he wasn't going in to work today after all, and the slight shadow on his chin is very sexy.
This gorgeous man wants her. She almost starts giggling at the thought, suddenly feeling like a fifteen year-old girl thinking of how envious her girlfriends will be of her new boyfriend.
She leans on the head-rest and is just enjoying her view, when Christian gives her quick glance, expression unreadable.
"What?" she says, smiling at him.
"I had a thought …," Christian says slowly. "If you don't have any plans for today, and if you don't think it's too much too soon, maybe I could take you and Sara for dinner at the Space needle?" He glances at her again, almost apprehensively. "Unless you think it's stupid and then we could go somewhere else, anywhere you want. I know Jamie and Ella like to go there."
Ana's amazed. Christian sounds almost insecure, and she's guessing that's because Sara's involved. It's unusual but very endearing.
She thinks about it. Sara likes Christian and Ana is sure she wouldn't mind spending the day with him. Is it taking things too fast? How does one even know? Also, like Christian said; today they all have the day off, and it could be weeks before the three of them get to do something together, and Ana really wants Sara and him to get to know each other.
That settles it.
She's been silent a while and Christian is starting to look worried. It's tempting to keep him hanging a while longer, but she takes pity on him.
"As you've probably gathered from my long silence I've been thinking about it," she says with a frown and hesitates for a moment. Christian's fingers are apprehensively drumming on the steering wheel.
Then she blasts a big smile. "I think it's a lovely idea, and I'm confident Sara will too."
Christian exhales and slaps her thigh. "That was torture," he exclaims accusingly. But she can see a small smile playing on his lips. He starts up his IPhone lodged on the dashboard and calls his assistant asking him, him?, to make reservations at the restaurant.
When he hangs up Ana asks if there won't be a problem getting a table the same day, since it's a school holiday and all, but Christian just raises an eyebrow at her, eyes saying: Seriously? I'm Christian Grey, remember?
Ana shrugs and smiles, marvelling at how different their worlds are. Something that might worry her if she would let it. But she's not, at least not today.
When they come up the drive at Elliot and Kate's house, they see Sara sitting on the porch waiting. First Ana's worried something has happened, but Sara's face lights up when she sees her mother. Ana gets out of the car to catch a running Sara and gets a tight hug.
"Hey sweetie, what are you doing out here?"
Sara shrugs. "I knew you were coming at ten. I just wanted to greet you." She looks at Christian. "Hi."
"Hi, Sara." Christian looks amused. "So; I heard you're mom was coming here too this morning and I asked if she wanted a ride. Hope you don't mind me giving you a ride home later. Did you have a good time yesterday, at the farm?"
"Yees!" Sara gets an excited expression on her cute face, brown eyes sparkling. She grabs Christians arm and pulls him towards the house. Apparently Jamie took pictures of the lambs yesterday with his phone and Christian has to see them right this moment. Sara doesn't have a phone because her mom thinks she's not old enough, but she is. Does Christian think she's too little to have phone?
They disappear into the house, leaving Ana standing by the car; she hasn't even shut the car door yet. Her heart swells when she hears Sara chattering away with Christian and she let's herself enjoy the moment. There's a tiny voice in head trying to cut through her current bliss with some kind of warning. And for sure, her relationship with Grey was never uncomplicated. But that was so long ago and they're both so much more mature now. And since leaving his dom days behind him, surely Christian won't have psycho-exes with guns lurking. As long as any complications only involve the two of them she thinks she can manage.
So, time to face Kate. When she enters the hallway she finds the house empty, everyone is in the backyard where Kate and Elliot have set up a nice, simple brunch.
When Ana steps out on the patio she can't see Christian, but from the look on Kate's face she realizes he's just come up behind her. Hand in hand with Sara. Meaning the three of them stand in front of the patio door looking like a nice little family-entity.
Elliot sees them, lets out a surprised whoop and comes over to hug them all. Either he's completely oblivious to his wife's reaction or he ignores her. Ana thinks the latter. It's definitely one of Elliot's strengths; pretending like nothing.
Kate's disapproval reads all over her face, but Ana chooses to ignore her too, as does Christian, each of them kissing Kate's cheek and thanking her for the invitiation. Their obvious complete lack of shame forces Kate to go along with it eventually and enjoy herself. Ana knows Kate will be calling her to the kitchen at some point. Soon enough, lemonade pitchers have to be refilled and Kate asks Ana for help in the kitchen.
She gets up and rolls her eyes at Christian who gives her a commiserating look.
When she enters the kitchen Kate is standing by the counter, arms crossed.
"Don't deny it; it's all over you two. I knew he wouldn't be able to take it easy," she says with frown. "You're a widow, with a child, for God's sake. You're going to end up getting hurt again. You always do with Grey. And this time you're not alone, you have Sara to think about too."
Ana had anticipated what Kate would say and thought she'd be able to handle it without a problem, but she finds herself getting furious at her friend for talking to her like she's a child. While fighting to calm down before she opens her mouth, Ana just glares at Kate.
She takes a deep breath: "Let me make a few things clear; why would I deny anything? I've never lied to you, ever. Also, I invited him over, not that it's any of you business."
"When it comes to Sara I am perfectly capable of making my own decisions on how to protect her, I think I've done a good job so far. We willbe taking things at the pace I decide best.
Kate looks surprised and maybe slightly offended. That should piss Ana off even more, but instead she sinks into a chair, suddenly tired.
"I know you want to protect me, Kate, and I do appreciate it. But saying I always end up hurt with Christian is not true; he didn't hurt me, I hurt him. And I've never stopped loving him, Kate. I think you know that."
Now Ana has tears in her eyes and naturally Kate melts and sits down opposite her by the kitchen table, taking Ana's hands in her own.
"I can't explain why it's like this, but spending the last twenty-four hours with Christian has felt like coming home. He knows me in ways that Thomas never could, no matter how sweet and loving he was."
Kate curbs her usual need to voice opinions about everything and just lets Ana talk. And it seems she needs to.
"Some part of me could probably feel guilty for getting another chance with Christian because Thomas died, but at the same time his death showed me that anything can happen at any point and if you want something, or if you have the chance to do something, it's fucking stupid to wait." Ana looks almost defiantly at Kate, but Kate in turn now has a look of compassion on her face.
Ana looks down at her hands, tucked in Kate's grasp. "And I know now that it's entirely possible to love two men, although differently," she says quietly.
"Ana, I'm sorry," Kate says softly. "I don't know why you evoke in people this need to protect you. When you're always the strongest one, it turns out." She shakes her head and then smiles. That's Kate shaking off the small skirmish they just had, and Ana knows it's a sign to move on. She doesn't mind, she's never been one to hold grudges.
Kate smirks at her and gets up to collect the pitchers. "Well, sweetie, you certainly look well-loved. Whatever Christian has been doing to you since last night, it's put some colour on your cheeks."
When they return to the table Christian looks at her, eyebrows raised. Ana smiles reassuringly. She knows Kate will be on their side now, in that as long as nothing hitches, she'll be silent.
Christian is in an excellent mood and he and Elliot are reminiscing highlights of their childhood, something that Ana knows is extremely rare for Christian. Obviously most anecdotes involve fishing, something Christian and his brother still love to do. Despite being very different, Ana thinks they look very close. Maybe Christian has been letting his family in more. It certainly should be easier now that he doesn't have an entire lifestyle to hide.
Often Christian turns his head slightly too look at her. They're eight feet apart, but his gaze makes her feel like she's still in that bubble with just the two of them. They hold each other's eyes for a moment, and it's almost as good as touching. But Ana's longing to feel him for real; she hasn't for hours and there's no telling when they'll be able to next. Christian being like drug to her system, she remembers that. The constant need to be physically connected to him in some way, even if it was just their fingertips or even big toes grazing. This time around seems to be no different.
When Elliot and Kate refuse help clearing the table Ana and Christian finally end up alone for the first time since they arrived. The kids are inside playing Xbox so Ana moves her seat closer to Christian's, kicks off her right sandal and plants her naked foot in his lap, making sure her bold move is concealed by the garden table.
Christian gets a look of horror on his face, his eyes darting around the garden to make sure nobody's watching.
"Ana …," he says slowly, "is this a good idea? The kids could come back at any moment."
"Then I'll remove my foot," she sulks, disappointed in his reaction.
Christian grabs her foot and starts running his thumb lightly up and down her instep, making her shiver.
"Not just yet, Miss Steele." Christian is amused and now he's actually making matters worse instead of better. "You put your foot here, now you have to face the consequences," he teases.
He runs his fingers up her bare calf making her long for them to continue up under her summer dress, but they don't. Instead Christian pats her foot tenderly and lets it down gently on the decking.
"You should put you sandal back on, Anastasia, or you might step on something and hurt your foot." Ana kicks his leg, making him wince. Instead of scolding her, he flashes a big smile. "It takes a lot of self-control to not jump you when I know that you want me to. I see it in every glance you give me. But I so much want to do this the right way with your daughter. Getting caught sneaking a snuggle wouldn't be the right way."
Ana laughs. "I mean, you're right of course, you wonderful man, but sneaking a snuggle?
Christian shrugs. "Yep."
The day is lovely and so they end up spending most of it in the garden. When it's finally time to leave it's already late afternoon and Sara's tired, so Christian and Ana decide on a rain check for the Space needle, without mentioning anything to Sara.
In the car back to Ana and Sara's house they don't talk much, listening to the radio. Sara sings along with the songs she knows, which is most of them. She sings in the unabashed manner of a eight-year old; enjoying it, not aware that she'll soon enough be deemed either good or bad at it, by herself as much as others. Ana loves these moments.
When Christian pulls over in front of their house, Sara insists he should come in for dinner. "Mom is a really good cook; everybody says so." Both Ana and Christian make vague objections but since, when it comes down to it, neither wants the day to end yet, Sara gets her way. Especially when she offers to help.
It's funny, but Ana gets a feeling that Sara is trying to impress Christian. Why would she want that?
A/N
I want to apologize for taking so long with this chapter. But with kitchen renovations and the flu going on I just have't had the energy. I hope you have patience in me.
Thank you so much all of you who take the time to read my story, and to those of you who review me. I thrive on your comments./Niftynickis