APOV

In my life I have never taken anything my mother told me as truth. But today, I found out that she was right about one thing. Men are babies when they're sick. Holy crap are they babies.

After falling asleep an hour into the first 'Lord of the Rings', Christian slept for close to two hours, waking only long enough to beg me for sex, eat some vanilla pudding I made for him and take two more Advil's.

Lying in bed all day holds little appeal for me but in this case, it's the only place I want to be. Even snotty, whiney and feverish this guy is hot. His red tipped nose and flushed cheeks add to his overall features instead of detract from them and getting to sit here and stare at him for hours on end is definitely a Saturday well spent.

"Hi." He stretches and groans, reaching for me and pulling me across him so that my butt is in the air and my hair hangs over the side of the bed. "Mmm. When do I get this?" He grabs a cheek and shakes, eliciting another groan from him and a giggle from me.

"Later. Right now you need to eat something. I made a vegetable soup for you, you up to trying it?"

"Are you going to spoon feed it to me?" I deliberate for a few seconds and stand, clapping my hands together once.

"I will." His eyes light up but when I bring the bowl to him and go to feed him he laughs and takes the spoon. "I said I'd feed you!"

"I was kidding! Did you ever see 'A Bronx Tale'? In the beginning when they're talking about how to find out if a woman is a good woman or not?" I've seen the movie but I have no recollection of the scene. "No? OK, that's our next movie then." After a few spoonful's he pauses. "You're a good woman." He eats his lunch and I'm thrilled when he asks for more.

His phone is between his crossed legs and I point my chin at it. "Don't work today, Christian."

"I'm not." He says with his mouthful. "Andrea sent me a Google alert about you. You're in the papers again for drinking while pregnant." His eyes roll but he watches me carefully for a reaction I'm careful not to give.

"Well, we made the decision to not say anything so we should ignore this too, right?"

"Ana, I'm leaving it up to you. Welch will hunt down the fucker who sold the photos and deal with them accordingly. I'm fine with no statement but I'm not ok with people getting away with blatant lies."

"Was Devin in the pictures?" He looks at me with confusion and shrugs. "Blue hair, black guy, body painted almost gold with body glitter?"

"Is that what that shit was on the towels?" I can only laugh and go check and sure enough, the bath towel hung on the rack has streaks of gold on it.

"Why were you close enough to get his lotion all over you?" Do not roll your eyes, Ana.

"We were dancing. It was hot." And that's all I'm going to give him because jealousy over Devin is completely not worth the argument. "Can I see the pictures?" He pulls them up and I flip through them until I see one of me, sandwiched between Devin and Casey with the bottle of Belvedere in my hand. "He's going to shit himself when he sees this. Do they mention his name?"

Christian leans over and scrutinizes the picture, eyebrows raised, spoon in mid-air. "They're awfully close to you, baby."

"They were making out right over my head. Trust me, I was just the pole they were using for balance." I'm shocked that he's not going nuclear on me right now. I don't know if it's his illness, the cozy atmosphere of the bedroom or if he's actually making strides over his jealousy but he says nothing more about it and leans back to eat.

"Do you care at all about what they're saying? About you drinking and being pregnant?"

"I'm choosing not to. We can only live our truth, Christian. I cannot always worry about what some dipshit I'll never meet thinks about me or my life. I'm going to forward this to Devin." I am bothered by the headline. I'm not a mom but I don't like the insinuation that I'd be a bad mother. It hits a bit too close to home but there is no way I'm telling Christian. I need to learn to toughen my skin up and he's got enough to worry about right now. Plus, there's no telling what he'd do to the schmuck who took these if he knew it had upset me.

Devin texts back instantly. -Girl, you think I didn't set up an alert, like, yesterday? I'm at Kinko's right now printing this shit out!-

"Your mom called while you were sleeping. Actually, you had a ton of calls but I answered it when I saw it was her, I hope you don't mind." I wait, anxious before he answers me.

With a casual roll of his neck he asks, "The rest were probably just the office. What did she say?"

"You've got strep. She wants me to take some preventative antibiotics but I'd rather wait."

"Do what she says, Ana, we've got Liberia later this week." I squeal and throw myself over him to sit on the bed, legs tucked underneath and fire off questions that I've been storing up in my head.

"How long is the flight? Do we stay in a hotel there or someone's house? Is Jamodo married? What will you be doing all day? Will be we going to any refugee camps?"

"Whoa, whoa. You're as bad as my mom. Christ. The flight from Sea-Tac is 17 hours but we'll stop to refuel in DC." His eyebrows shoot up and down. "Don't think I've forgotten about those mirrors either." He points to his groin where the silk duvet is now a pop tent. "We stay in the Cape Hotel. It's the nicest one in the city and the view is spectacular but it's not a place I'd normally stay at. What else was there?"

"Jamodo."

"He's not married but he was. His wife was killed by rebels a long time ago as was his only son. He was three at the time." My hand covers my heart in horror. "It's why creating jobs is so important to him. He feels that if there was money to be made, stability to hold onto, that rebels wouldn't even exist."

"Does he ever talk about them?"

"No. And I never ask."

"As to what I'll be doing while we're there. I'll be at headquarters with Jamodo most of the first few days working together. I'm having some issues with two particular transportation routes and we need to come up with a resolution as soon as possible. I also want to review the books and talk to him, see if there are any areas we could expound on to create more revenue for the workers and ultimately hire more people."

"I'm also meeting with the Prince of Sweden, Carl Philip. He's expressed interest in partnering up and he's got the cash to back it so I want to meet with him, show him around and then get what he's willing to give. Our last night there we'll be having dinner with him and the President, who happens to be a woman, and hopefully creating a new partnership. Believe it or not, Liberia is one of the more stable countries in the area so using it as a hub is prudent. Ideally, I'd like to get easier access into the other eight countries we're distributing to." His hand scratches at his chin, the stubble there making a sound that gives me chills in a good way.

"As to the refugee camps, I don't know, Ana. They're brutal and once you see some of that stuff, you can't unsee it."

"You've gone to them before?"

"Multiple times. You feel…helpless. Like all the shit you're doing means nothing but then you see some kid eating rice and you have to remind yourself that he wouldn't even have that if you weren't buying it for him."

"I'd like to go if we can fit it in. I know we're not there long but maybe if we have some time we can go." I can see the hesitation on his face plain as day but he relents and puts the ball in my court.

"Monrovia is one of the better places to live in Liberia and it's still riddled with crime and poverty. If you think you can handle a refugee camp after a few days there, we'll go. But I need you to be honest with me."

"Alright, I can do that, thank you."

"You'll also have an enormous amount of security. Sawyer, Ryan, Reynolds and Taylor or course. I've got to get another female CPO on you for the trip as well as here at home. It's not even up for discussion, Liberia can be a dangerous place and the rebels there have little to lose. Do not fight me on this, you will not win."

"I won't fight you on it but what about taking Prescott off of suspension?" He rolls his eyes, I hold up my hand, he smiles and rolls them again. "Don't make me paddle that behind of yours, Grey."

"I'd love to see you try." He reaches for my breast but I back away with a scowl. "As to Prescott, she fucked up. She's lucky all I did was suspend her."

"She did not fuck up, Christian. Halen came over to say hi as did other people. She had no way of knowing that he was on a 'list'." I make air quotes but he doesn't relent and just eats his soup, staring at my face until I continue. "I mean, for Christ's sake I'm working for the guy now. Don't you think you were a little quick to freak on her?"

He sucks in a long breath through his nose and thinks.

"Maybe. I hadn't thought about that."

"I'm comfortable with her, she's been kind to me without crossing any lines and I trust her."

"I'll talk to Taylor about it. I'm not making any promises but you make a good argument. Damn, I should have offered you a job before taking you to bed." The spoon hits the bottom of the empty bowl and he puts it on the night table, stretching out, arms high above his head. Holy hotness.

"Sawyer stayed out last night."

"How do you know?" he grins and stretches again, reaching for the ice water on the night table.

"I know everything. It's kind of my shtick." I have to laugh. "So did he go back to Heather's?"

"Are you really gossiping about this? And how the heck should I know?" He reaches across the bed to my phone and hands it to me.

"Text her and ask her."

"Would you care?"

"I told you I wouldn't. But Taylor does need to know where he is since he shut his fucking phone off. That shit I can't tolerate and normally I'd rip his ass apart but I don't even want to talk right now let alone yell."

"OK you big baby, let me get you a fudge pop and we'll watch the movie but I am not asking Heather if she did the nasty last night with anyone let alone a guy I have to look at." But of course I do and by the time I get back in bed she reply's with a 'we're back in business!'.

"Told you. Tell her to tell him to put his phone on."

"No way! I'm not playing middle man here. I happen to like Sawyer and we're not leaving this bed today. There is no reason he shouldn't have a real day off."

"Another point well made. A day in bed with you. A guy could get used to this." He stutters and coughs. "Me, not a guy. Me. I could get used to this. You'd better not be in bed with another guy."

Halfway through 'A Bronx Tale' Christian's phone dings and he reads the email alert sent from Barney and then tosses the phone onto the bed in irritation.

"What is it?"

"Nothing." My fingers untangle from his and I sit on my heels.

"Christian? You think I believe that? Your entire demeanor just changed, what's wrong?" He continues to hesitate until I kiss his nose and remind him about our honesty policy.

"The website. Barney set up a filter so that anytime your name or the number 16 was entered, we'd be directed to the post. A few of the other women are in the chat area wondering when you were going to post. They've also left you welcome messages." He spits the last part out and rolls his eyes again. Oh. Welcome messages.

"Should I post? Or have Barney do it? To avoid any suspicion?" He gives me a look as if I were an idiot and then fires a response back to Barney that I choose to not ask him about.

"No. And about that honesty agreement. I'm on board with it but there are going to be certain things I will choose to keep from you." Is he freaking kidding me? "I get hundreds of threats a month, hundreds. You're getting a few a week now too. Do you really need to know about all of them? Do I? No. That's why I hired Welch and his team. If there is a viable threat that you being aware of will help keep you safer, then you'll know about it. But if I informed you every time your name came up with a threat attached to it, it would just be foolish."

I'd argue but my experience on Thursday afternoon at the store and the rabid crowd last night is proof enough that I really am at risk on my own anymore. It wasn't security that I ever really had the issue with anyway; it was the secrecy and the invasion of my life that I found so unsettling. But if I know he's selective about what I know for a good reason, I can give him this.

"I'm alright with that so long as you keep me in the loop on as much as possible. I hate feeling like there's this entire part of my life I'm unaware of." He coughs, his entire body folding in on itself and his face grimaces with pain. "Let's not talk now, let's just sit and enjoy the movie. You fall asleep if you need to, I'll read, whatever. Just stop coughing, it's killing me to watch you hurt."

His face breaks out in a grin and he lies back down, arms outstretched to envelope me. "Now you know how it felt to take care of you after Hyde. This is nothing compared to knowing that the woman you love is in pain because a man, a poor excuse of a human being, hit her."

When the movie is over he stands and stretches, wincing with each movement.

"I'm going to take a shower. Care to join me?" It's easy to say no until he starts to strip, tossing the thin white t-shirt into the hamper in the closet leaving him in just those damn pajama pants that hang off his hips. The site of him shirtless gets me all hot and bothered and he knows it too because he turns and flexes his abs, showcasing that ridiculously sexy V that leads to the…impressive tent he's already pitching.

It's sexy as hell until he flexes a bit too hard and breaks out in a sheen of sweat and a coughing fit.

"I need to call your mom and figure out tomorrow. Do you think you can entertain Ray while I'm at Pilates? Or should I call out again?" His eyes snap to mine and he pauses, thumbs in the waistband of his pants. Take it off…

"No, that's great. I can take him out for a beer or something. I want to talk to him about some business anyway." Before I can ask what business he turns and bends, showcasing his perfect ass with its perfect indents on the side and its perfect tiny dimples right above the cheeks and whips the pj's off. Hot damn and yes, Sir!

I debate following him but then he shuts the door so I give him his privacy and leave the room, calling Grace on my cell and finalizing plans for us to come over at 7.

"Mia, Ethan, Elliot and Kate will be here too if that's alright with you."

"Oh fine, thank you. Can I bring anything? Dessert?"

"Just yourself and my son. And your dad of course! What, Carrick? Oh, sure. Ana does Ray like a particular drink or cigar?"

"No cigars but he does like a good scotch. He usually just drinks whatever's on sale."

"OK sweetie, we'll see you at 7. Take good care of my baby!"

There are a million things I could make for dinner but since he's feeling sick and he needs softer foods I opt to reheat the mac and cheese and judging by his reaction, it was a good choice.

"Wine?" I laugh and hand him an unsweetened iced tea loaded with ice.

"No. Wine, Advil and penicillin? Something tells me that's a bad combo." He thinks about it and shrugs, the slight movement obviously not comfortable. Once dinner is over I clear everything away and hand him more Advil and a fudge pop. He's had 12 over the course of the day but I can't say no when he gives me the puppy dog eyes and the bottom lip pout. When I pull out the checkers board he laughs openly.

"Checkers?"

"You made fun of me playing them with Jose."

"I remember. That's when I thought he was after you. I want to be black." I roll my eyes and he growls. "Speaking of Jose, he's coming over in the morning to hang up the pictures I bought and then we're heading over to GEH to hang some there." My mouth hangs open which has to be unattractive because he takes one finger and pushes it shut.

"You're hanging them at your office? Are you insane?"

"If hanging pictures of the love of your life in your office is insane, then I guess I am. Your move." I reach for a red piece and he clucks. "Not sure I'd move that one." Oh this is going to be a long game.

"What about brunch? If you're up for it of course."

"Jose and Rachel are coming. He's bringing her so I invited them to Americana's afterwards." He takes my piece off the board and gives me a 'told you so' look. When I move my next piece he clucks again. "You sure you want to do that?"

Four games and four losses later I pack the board up and hand him the next dose of his medicine. It's early but I have plans…

It's easy to convince him to get ready for bed. Despite lying in bed all day he's tired so once we've brushed our teeth I'm not surprised when he lies back down and closes his eyes. On my way back to the bed he catches my stare and sits up.

"What?" Without a word I place the lotion on the night table and reach for his shirt.

"I want to give you a massage." His face freezes and his body goes tense.

"I…I've never…shit, Ana. You touching me is one thing but a massage…I don't know if I can." Slowly I lift the shirt over his head and then take my own t-shirt off, unhooking my bra and tossing it on the floor before peeling my panties off.

"You can. Now turn over and let me take care of you."

"But then I can't see you and you're naked and about to rub lotion everywhere…"

"I promise you'll see me later. Now turn over and trust me." When he shifts I pull his boxer briefs off and add them to the pile on the floor, pushing the comforter down so that it only covers his feet. When I sit on his butt he groans and reaches back to touch my legs.

"I can feel your pussy. You're wet. I like that." I wiggle a bit and he groans again, trying to turn over but I stop him and run my fingernails up and down his back until his fingers uncurl from my legs and he sighs. The lotion warms in my hand and I lean down to smear it over his broad shoulders, watching as each muscle glides under my hands.

"You are so beautiful, Christian." When I lean in to his ear and whisper, kissing the back of his neck he moans and totally lets go, melting into the mattress and relaxing under my hands. "Seeing you like this, naked and strong, brings me such pleasure."

"Ana, if you keep kissing me like that and talking like that, I'm going to turn over and impale you." I lick the shell of his other ear one last time and sit up, digging my thumbs and fingers into the knotted muscles until they begin to loosen. My massage with Henrika in Aspen taught me how connecting this can be and I want to connect with him on every level so I pour my heart into it, rubbing, pulling, kneading and rolling until the rest of the world seems like a million miles away.

With greedy fingers I trace over the division of his back muscles, appreciating how defined and solid he is beneath my hands. With long fluid strokes I brush down the length of his arms, tangling in his fingers and rubbing the palms of his hands until he moans and turns his face.

"So good." His voice is hoarse, tired but filled with lust too. There's a wet spot on his butt where I've been sitting but I'm not embarrassed by it. Instead I scoot down and run my tongue over it, eliciting a huge groan from the man laid out for me. "Holy shit, so hot." My teeth gently sink into each cheek, a satisfied smile playing across my mouth. I have wanted to bite his ass since I first saw it.

When I massage his thighs I avoid touching him between his legs until I'm finished and then reach up and ever so gently scrape my fingernails over his balls before cupping them in my hand.

"Ana…" he moans and I kiss both of his shoulders, gently tugging and tickling him until his hips begin pushing against the mattress.

"Turn over, baby." I don't need to ask twice. When he settles down he's long, hard and heavy, the heat of his erection calling to my hands. But I have other plans first. When I reach for the lotion he groans again and then gasps when I straddle him, backwards, and start to rub his calves and thighs again. He's got a good view from here. My self-consciousness threatens to take over a few times but I push it back down and remind myself how much he wants me.

"Killing me. You're killing me." His hands are resting on my hips, his legs tensing as he tries, unsuccessfully, to push me onto his cock. "Please, baby, I'm dying." I chuckle and turn, rubbing him between the parted lips of my sex with a gasp and a shudder. His jaw tenses and his head falls back until I rub lotion over the front of his chest and down his arms over and over again.

When he's good and lotioned up I lean forward and tenderly suck on his neck just under his chin while I rub my chest over his. I can feel him pulsing beneath me, his heartbeat wild and hard against mine. When I lift myself up and sit, still with him wedged beneath me he opens his eyes in expectation. With two hands I rub the lotion over my stomach, down over my thighs and back up to my breasts, pulling my nipples and moaning with each tug.

"Please, baby. If I don't get inside you right now I might die." I feel the same way. With one last glide of his shaft against me I reach down and slowly sink down onto him, the fullness of his possession complete and total. "Fuuuuck." He hisses, eyes closed, head back again. Slowly, so slowly it kills me I stroke him with my inner muscles, sliding up until he's barely inside only to slide back down just as slowly.

"Killing me, killing me…" his whisper turns me on but it's his big strong hands on my waist that makes me wetter than I've ever been. When he opens his eyes they burn with unbridled desire, the devotion and lust enough to make me gasp and clench. His fingers dig harder and he thrusts upwards, forcing me to quicken my pace. "I can't hold out much longer." His eyes never leave mine. "Put your hands on the headboard."

He can only thrust shallowly like this but his mouth doesn't care. With a growl he sucks a nipple between his lips and bites, not hard but enough for a rush of pain mixed with pleasure to shoot through me. When I can't take anymore and I need more I push back and sit up, my legs tensing and relaxing as I rise and fall on him. He grunts softly with each downward stroke. The sound makes my breasts ache.

Without warning he reaches down and grabs each ankle, bringing them up so that my legs are spread wide with my feet on each side of his torso under his arms.

"I want to see you. I want to watch you fuck me." Holy shit. I feel so exposed like this…so…wantsome. His grunts are coming faster now as he fights the pleasure I know is building in his body just like it is mine. "I need you to come, Ana. I can't…fuck I'm gonna come." His thumb shoots between my sex and with one flick I fall apart, crying out and flooding him.

His pumps are as furious as mine and still his eyes remain trained on my spread legs until they roll back in his head. He groans when he comes this time, the low masculine baritone setting off another spasm that makes me clench tighter. "Fuck!" he says again and slams upwards one last time before collapsing under me, arms limp by his side, face covered in sweat.

I think he's asleep until I go to move and his arms lift up enough to hold me there. "Just one more minute." The words melt me and I hover over him until his breaths are slow and even. When I go to move again, he doesn't protest because he's asleep.

CPOV

Waking from whatever dream I was in is painful. My muscles are still sore but my cock is sticking to my leg and I don't know it until I roll over to look for Ana. My startled yelp wakes her.

"Sorry, my cock was stuck to my leg." She laughs, half asleep and gorgeous as fuck.

"I was going to wash you off but I didn't want to wake you. Sorry. How do you feel?"

"Better actually. Still tired though." She half sits to look at the alarm clock, the blanket falling past her breasts which I reach for on instinct.

"It's only three in the morning, you're in luck. I'll get you some Nyquil and you can go back to sleep." I have never been so medicated in my life but I take the green nastiness and tip it back, rolling back onto my side and pulling her soft warmth against me. Sick or not, this is heaven on earth.

Muffled laughter wakes me this time and I sit up straight, my back and shoulders screaming out in protest. I hear the distinct lilt of Rachel's speech and whip my head to look at the clock. Nine am! Shit! I shower as quickly as I can and get dressed, heading out to the kitchen where Jose and Ana are huddled over a photo album while Rachel waits for the tea kettle.

I open my mouth to tell him to get the fuck away from her but nothing comes out when I see Ana, in a short navy and white striped dress bent over the table. I'm most definitely feeling better because I need to leave the room and get rid of this hard on before Jose turns around.

"Good morning." All heads turn to me but I look only at Ana and walk to her, pulling her to me and away from Jose. I don't care what she thinks, all men are into her.

"Good morning. How are you feeling today?" She feels so good in my arms, pliable and delicate.

"Much better. Still have a headache but other than that, I feel alright."

"Good! Your mom called earlier to check in, do me a favor and call her back to let her know while I make you another smoothie to hold you over until brunch."

"I love brunch, it's my favorite meal. It's a shame you can't find any good blood puddings over here though." Rachel clucks her tongue and hands Jose a coffee after we shake hands.

"What are you looking at?" Jose picks up the album and hands it to me, still chuckling and shaking his head.

"I found this in a box of Kate's when we settled her into Elliot's the other day. Check out Kate as a red head." He and Ana start laughing again and I'm lost until I look down and see Kate with red hair. As in, Ronald McDonald red hair. I join in with them and take a picture of it with my phone for prosperity.

"What in the fuck happened? Has Elliot seen this?"

"Devin." Ana says. "Devin happened. She mentioned wanting to get a bit of red put in her hair as a highlight color but her dad had cut her credit cards off because she was pulling C's. So Devin had this amazing idea to use Kool-Aid because he'd read about it in a beauty magazine. So they went out and bought a package of cherry Kool-Aid, made a paste and wrapped her hair in saran wrap. This was the result."

"Oh my god!" Rachel leans over and bursts into laughter right along with us. "She let you take a picture?"

"Not exactly. Devin snuck one once he peeled himself off the floor. He almost pissed himself when she got out of the shower. She's just now able to look at this and laugh. Shit, it took almost three weeks to wash out." Jose is gasping for breath, leaning on Ana's shoulder to hold himself up and unbelievably, I'm not angry. But he still needs to get the fuck off of her.

"So, where are we putting these?" Ana and Rachel stay in the kitchen to chat leaving me alone with Jose. He doesn't make me uncomfortable, quite the opposite is true actually. I make him nervous. Good. I want him and every other fucker out there to be afraid of me.

"On the opposing wall there. I want to be able to sit at my desk here and at GEH and see her." Jose nods once and measures, removing the few framed awards I have hung already and arranging the three pictures I've chosen for this office. The most intimate two will go in the playroom and our bedroom but in here I want to see her in full character. Contemplative, sarcastic and shy.

I watch him as I lean against my desk, ankles crossed as I evaluate his intention, if any, with my girlfriend. I know what she says and I know what I've seen of their relationship but I just can't, for the life of me, comprehend a man not wanting to fuck her.

"So, you and Ana living together. That was quick." This fucker is not even trying to have this conversation with me.

"Excuse me?"

"Ana. She's a practical girl so she must really love you to make such a big decision so quickly." He puts the hammer down and checks the leveler on the middle portrait. "I've never seen her so happy. It's like she's lit up from the inside. I mean, she wasn't ever depressed or anything but it's as if you brought her to life." I expected judgment and scorn, not kindness. Unless I'm speaking with Elliot, I don't really know how to navigate a normal conversation with a guy outside of business.

"Thanks. I…guess when you know, you know so it doesn't really matter how long we've been together." He scoffs and levels the first picture, frowning at an imperfection I can't see.

"That's true. Rachel and me? Didn't see that one coming but after two beers, I was hooked. Her job sucks big time though. She's always in danger, always undercover acting like a prostitute, literally, and always involved with the dirtiest of the dirty." I could never handle Ana doing the kind of work that Rachel does. In some bizarre way I admire Jose for being able to deal with it. Admire? Jose?

"How are you going to handle that when her sabbatical ends?" He shrugs and reaches for the last of the frames.

"She'll be on desk duty for a few more months. They break up the undercover work, it's too intense to always be living like that plus she needs to give people time to forget her face. She loves it though, I can see her itching to get back to it. My little vigilante." Pictures hung he gathers the supplies and motions for me to lead him to the bedroom.

"As to how I'll handle it when she does go back, fuck. It may kill me but I'll have to trust her to be faithful and to stay safe. We've been discussing living arrangements ourselves, actually. She in Europe and me in Seattle is not going to work so depending on where she lands, I may have to follow."

"What about your job?" He grins and shrugs again.

"I can take pictures anywhere and with the cash I'll make from the commission at GEH, I'm good to go for a while. Four years of paying for college myself has taught me how to live large on next to nothing."

Shit. I can't help it. I like the guy. Fuck me sideways, I think I have a friend.

APOV

I'm in awe as is Elliot. Across the table from us are Christian and Jose, talking about pictures and floors and lighting with an animation I rarely see. Jose cracks some joke about Daniel Egge, the maintenence head they met with at GEH this morning and Christian laughs, actually laughs at the joke. Told by Jose.

"What the hell is going on over there?" There's a hint of jealousy in Elliot's voice. He just got his brother to open up a bit, I'm sure feeling like he's doing it with someone else is a bit unsettling. Kate answers quickly, picking up on the undertone of his question immediately.

"Jose was hired by Christian to take, print, frame and hang 24 pictures for the GEH building. One for each floor as you get off the elevator bank and then three for the lobby downstairs. It's a huge deal for him, this could really elevate him in his career."

Elliot gives a humph and orders another mimosa, keeping his eyes on the conversation across the table until Kate leans in and whispers in his ear. The corner of his mouth shoots up and he gets a sloe-eyed grin going.

"Hell yea we can do that again, Katie girl." He looks at his watch and yawns. "How's about you meet me in our bedroom in an hour?" And Elliot is back to being himself. "So, Ana, you ready to have a meet and greet with the parents?"

Rachel swings around and looks at me with glee. "Really? Wow, that's a big step."

"I know. I'm ready for it! Ray is awesome and so are Grace and Carrick, I'm sure it'll be fine."

"What about your mum?" Kate rolls her eyes and swallows her French toast.

"She's a bitch to the nth degree. And she's no mother." She points her syrupy fork at me and winks. Nobody knows about her arrest, I've asked Christian not to say anything. I'm embarrassed. My mom is a criminal now.

"Rachel are you ready to go back to work or are you going to retire here in Seattle now?" Elliot glances at me without saying a word, accurately reading my feelings on talking about my mom. If Kate doesn't marry him, she's a fool.

"Oh, I'm bored as hell to be honest. To go from constant action and adrenaline to nothing is quite the adjustment. If I hadn't found Jose here, I'd have landed in Tunisia or some far away place just for the excitement of it."

"What about your partner?"

"Wendy? She's here as well. Found herself a police officer within a day of being in Seattle. I don't think they're anything more than a passing fancy but she sure is into the fancy of it! I've hardly spoken to her."

"A cop, huh? Can't stay away from law enforcement I guess." She laughs, a beautiful sound with her lilt and waves her hand.

"Eh, once a justice warrior always a justice warrior. He works in the Sexual and Child Abuse Department and she's actually been able to help him a bit because of her job so it's been good for her. They can relate to each other in a way few people can which is great because she's not one to share her feelings very easily so a lot of what you think you see with her is a front. He gets that and let's her be instead of constantly prodding her to 'tell him what's wrong'."

My phone rings then and I get giddy at the picture that comes up. Ray and Christian holding a string of trout between them in wader pants. Cutest thing ever.

"Hi dad!"

"Hey, baby girl. I'll be out of here by two it looks like. Should I just come right to the apartment?" Christian nods and then shoots Elliot a look that could kill.

"Yes, we'll be there. I'll tell the doorman you're coming and I'll text you the elevator code to the penthouse."

The Grey boys are still in some sort of stare down until Christian looks at me and smiles.

"Elliot, the last time we saw you, you were bidding on a building downtown. How did that all end up?" Elliot smirks and tips his drink at Christian who smirks right back before taking a bite of his hash browns. God bless her, Rachel just waits patiently for him to answer her.

"I won, of course. Or, I should say, we won." He waves his fork between himself and Christian.

"The building you were bidding against Ms. Lincoln on? Is that the one she's asking about?" Elliot nods and continues to eat. "Ugh. I still think she's a creep. Nobody slinks around like she does without having a big ass secret to hide. I was so glad when you closed on the building, I just wish I could have seen her botoxed face." Kate gives a little shiver and then finishes off her Bloody Mary. I do the same for no other reason than to keep my mouth shut.

"Joint investment. Christian's a silent partner. My plan is to flip the building, add on four new apartments, create six new studios and then sell the shit out of them. Once they're all rented, I plan to dump the building and use the profit to do the same to the building next door. I'm telling you, that entire area of Seattle is untapped money begging to be fucked."

In the car I broach the subject carefully. Anytime Elena's name is mentioned Christian gets all riled up and it takes longer and longer to calm him down.

"You and Elliot are in business together now?" His fingers make lazy circles on my ankle which is laid across his lap and he focuses on watching the skin turn white underneath where he presses before it turns back to its normal…white. I desperately need a tan.

"Your skin is hypnotizing. So smooth and flawless. You're a photographers dream." Without looking up he clears his throat. "Not that I'd allow that of course, this," his hand slides under my skirt to my hip, "is all mine."

"Yes, all yours. Now, you and Elliot?"

"There was no way in fuck I was going to let Elena get something Elliot wanted. I'd have paid five times as much just to screw her over. I'm just the money, he'll do all the work."

"Have you worked with him before?" He squints at me in the sun and slides his hand back down.

"Sure. How do you think he started and built Grey Construction into one of the largest firms in Washington by the time he was 28?"

"I'd never thought about it. How has it worked, being in business with your brother?"

"The guy is top notch with his work and he demands perfection from his guys. His work is always done on time, within budget and he always checks it over himself. Dealing with him in a professional environment is strangely easy. You'd be surprised at how serious he can be when he needs to be."

"You think highly of him." He grins and looks out the window.

"I do."

At home he's uncharacteristically nervous, opening and shutting the refrigerator, flipping through the stack of newspapers without reading any of them and helping me fold my laundry.

"You really should let Gail do this." I shrug.

"I'm sure one day I'll get there but I'm just not comfortable with it yet."

"I like these." He says, waving a tiny pair of red satin thongs around. Once the clothes are put away he stands at the wall of windows in the bedroom, hand tucked in to his cargo shorts and taps his foot on the floor in rapid succession.

"You're making me anxious, what's going on?"

"Nothing. I hate waiting." For Ray?

"He'll be here soon. Why don't you…go play piano for a bit?"

"You coming?"

"Sure."

He sits himself down and breathes deeply three times in a row before gesturing for me to sit next to him. "The last time we did this, I took your virginity." His eyebrows rise up and down. "Best night of my entire fucking life."

And that's how Ray found us an hour later, sitting next to each other, sipping cranberry spritzers on a sunny Sunday afternoon while the love of my life played me song after song after song.

After the men shake hands Christian takes Ray's overnight bag and puts it in his room before finding us in the library.

"I thought you guys could play pool for a bit while I got dressed for Pilates. A warning though, Ray'll tell you he's not that good, but he's been playing since he was a teenager."

"You flatter me, Annie." He points at Christian. "But she's right. I will kick your ass." Christian laughs and chalks his cue stick, calling for Ray to break. Ray easily wins the first game and the second but something switches in Christian's demeanor after that second loss. My man does not like being number two.

When I come back from changing he swings me around and sneaks an ass grab when Ray begins to set the table up for another game.

"You missed it, baby. I won!" Over my shoulder Ray rolls his eyes and I smile. My men.

CPOV

I am a bundle of fucking nerves once we drop Ana off at Pilates. I'd rather sit and talk with that Jared freak about hemp and granola than ask her dad to marry her. Holy fuck I should have thought this through more, I have no idea what to say to him.

"You up for a beer while we wait? There's a bar around the corner."

"Sounds good. Beer on a Sunday afternoon." Taylor does a quick sweep and to his credit Ray says nothing while he patiently waits to sit. Our table is pretty secluded which is a good and a bad thing. When you're about to ask a man to marry his daughter, you want to have a few witnesses if he kills you.

"So you and Annie, living together. I'm not sure how I feel about that. Logistically I get it. Economically, for her, I get it. But that's a big step, a prelude if you will." He lets it hang there, opening the door for me to come in and ask him to crucify me. Here goes nothing.

"I'm glad we have this time alone to talk actually, Ray. I know it's soon and I know she's your little girl but I love that woman with everything I have and I want to marry her one day." He starts to talk and thinks better of it, instead sitting back to sip his beer.

"Not tomorrow or next week but one day soon, I want to ask her to be my wife and I want to have your blessing before I do it. It's important to Ana and it's important to me that you're on board with our relationship." I have never, ever, in my life, groveled at the foot of another man but here I am, prostrate and begging. The enormity of this moment hits me like a ton of bricks.

"She's only 22, Christian and your life, well your life is a huge adjustment for someone so young. For anyone, really. It's a lot to take on and I know that Annie's struggled with some of the more intrusive aspects of it. Those paparazzi or whatever you call those fuckers, they've really done a number on her head and I don't like it at all." My heart and stomach plummet to the floor. He's going to say no. He sips again, a sly smile playing on his face.

"That being said, Annie's no ordinary 22 year old. I've never met anyone quite like her and I've certainly never come across a woman so young who has such maturity and such a strong sense of self. I trust her to know what she's doing and I trust that she knows what she wants. I can tell you right now that she's not ready to get engaged but she's not far from it. I've never seen her so animated or so happy and I know it's because of you."

"You've kept her safe and you've proven time and again to me and to her that she's a priority. A father couldn't ask for more than the safety and happiness of his baby girl and you give that to her." In my throat is that now familiar ball of emotion and no matter how often I swallow, it only gets larger.

"Now, formalities out of the way, let's get down to business. You're very wealthy, you travel often and not to sound gay or anything, but you're a good looking guy. If you ever, and I mean ever hurt her by being unfaithful, I will kill you myself and nobody will ever find you." We both grin and chink our beer bottles together.

"Understood, Sir. I could never hurt her or dishonor her like that. If I was responsible for her pain in any way, it would destroy me. I'm just not that kind of man." He smiles that sly little smile again. He's enjoying this. I'll let him have his fun so long as at the end of this conversation he gives me his blessing.

"I know you aren't or I'd have never have let you get this far. That girl is my world, Christian and she always will be. Her children will be the light of my life, her joy my joy, her sorrow my sorrow. It boils down to one thing. Do I trust you?" He sits back, holds his hand out and shakes mine.

"And I do. I trust you with the single most important thing in the world and that's my baby. Be good to her and you have my total support and blessing." Inside the stitching of my heart begins again. This man trusts me and finds me worthy enough to marry his daughter.

"I won't let you down, sir." He leans back and finishes his beer.

"I know you won't."

"Welcome, welcome, come in! Ray, it's so nice to meet you, what a fine young woman you've raised." My dad is uncharacteristically happy and ushers us into the living room to offer us each a scotch. My mom clucks around like a chicken, ensuring that the conversation rolls along smoothly and it does until Elliot and Kate show up.

"Ray! So good to see you!" He gives Kate a hug and shakes Elliot's hand, immediately falling into a conversation about the construction business. My father takes the opportunity to stand next to me and watch. Ana is in the kitchen with my mom so I'm not at all surprised when he nudges my arm and juts his chin towards Ray.

"How'd it go? When I had to ask Grandpa Trevelyan I thought I was going to throw up the entire time. He made me sit throughout the entire dinner and dessert before he shook my hand and told me to go for it."

"I guess mom talked to you?" He smiles but doesn't look my way.

"Before she had left the parking lot she called me. I can't even begin to tell you how happy we are for you, son. I'll save the blubbering for the wedding but that girl, you can't do any better than her." He turns and meets me, eye to eye. "And she can't do any better than you. You're perfect for each other."

"It went well." I want to say more but I can't. He grins and claps a hand to my shoulder.

"I knew it would."

And then he walks away and greets Ethan with a stern handshake and a tumbler of scotch. When we sit for dinner a little while later I look around the table at the people sitting with me. My parents, my siblings, their significant others which I have no doubt will be around forever, Ray and Ana. My family. This is my family and I will work as hard as I have to to be well for them and for me.

I shock the hell out of myself when I notice that there wouldn't be any room for kids at the table and mentally rearrange so that we could fit in another chair or two. What in the fuck?

Afterwards the men retire to my dad's study where we light up cigars and despite Ana telling my mom Ray doesn't smoke, he does.

"Guilty habit." He says and shrugs when she walks in to check up on us. Elliot is off in the corner, looking at a picture of my grandfather on the golf course from this summer.

"Asshole. Next time I tell you something in confidence, don't go glaring at me over the fucking table so that Ana asks me what's going on with you and I." He snickers and holds his hand up.

"Sorry. I'm just happy for you, man. Did you ask him?" My hand runs through my hair as a smile pulls at my mouth.

"Yeah. He said yes." Elliot gives me a satisfied nod.

"Did he give you the whole, 'if you hurt my daughter' speech?" I have to laugh. Elliot is Elliot is Elliot.

"Yup. Got a little scared too."

"Well, do yourself a favor and keep that threat to yourself. If Welch goes and has Ray arrested or beat up, something tells me Ana's going to get hella pissed off." His feet shuffle and then he pulls at his own hair, shoving his hands in his pockets when he's finished. "I might need to know what you said, you know, to Ray. I'm thinking in Barbados I'll be speaking to Mr. Kavanagh."

"Wow, El, really?"

"I've been thinking about it for some time but she's the one, man. I love that girl with all my heart. It's like nobody even existed before her. I won't ask until after you've asked Ana. I mean, I haven't even started looking at rings so I'm not there yet but she avoids her dad like the plague so I want to jump on this opportunity."

"You ask her when you want to, not because you're waiting on me. I'm happy for you, I am. Go see my guy at Cartier; I'll have Andrea send you his contact information in the morning."

"Did you hear me, Christian?" My dad's voice cuts through our bonding moment, thank fuck, and effectively kills the mood. Again, thank fuck. I can only do emotions for so long each day.

"What?"

"The SEC and the FBI are going to arrest Lawrence James tomorrow. You can expect a knock on your door by mid-afternoon I bet." He's a bit tipsy but happy as a clam, sitting next to Ray on the leather couch. I'm making him happy. Imagine that.

"What's your advice then?" I don't usually talk about business in front of anyone but family but after today, Ray is family.

"Nothing, you've done all you can do. They'll want to see your auditor's files, obviously. Depending on the validity of the firm you hired, they'll either hire another auditor or they'll accept what you give them. It's doubtful your name will show up in the newspapers until you press charges against Ms. Perkins and even then, you'll be a victim." He leans back and runs his hands over his head. "Dodged that one, son. I did not see her stealing from you coming but it's the best case scenario. Funny how things work out."

Back at Escala Ana makes coffee and lights the fireplace. No matter how warm it is outside, she always wants that thing on. When I build her a house on the Sound, they'll be a fireplace in every room.

"Ray, could I talk to you for a minute in my office?" Ana smiles at us and waves us away as she cuts some apples and cheese up and plates it next to a few biscotti.

"I'd like to hire that guy of yours again. I need to have direct contact with him this time though, it's not a project I feel comfortable getting you involved in."

"Is it illegal? Because he won't even consider it if it is."

"Not yet but I'm willing to do almost anything to get a woman from my past put in prison. I don't know what that may entail later but for now, it's mostly on the up and up." His eyes slit and his arms cross in front of his chest.

"An ex-girlfriend?" I scoff and walk behind my desk.

"Most definitely not. I don't care what his price is and I don't want to know his name. He'll be in direct contact with Andrew Welch, my head of security and will occasionally need to check in with Taylor. Outside of that, you don't need to tell him anything else."

Ray rocks back on his heels and walks to the bar where he pours himself a sniffer of brandy after waiting for my approval. Without a word he hands a glass to me.

"Will Ana be in any danger?"

"No. I'd never put her in harm's way. You have my word." The question pisses me off.

"Is this woman a danger to Ana?" Shit. He will go postal if I tell him that she's already been a mental danger.

"Not in the physical sense, I don't think so. Though she's just crazy enough that I'm not comfortable speaking on her mental well-being so I don't know where the line is drawn for her." Ray thins his lips and nods once.

"I'll have him call Welch first thing in the morning. Now, if you've got the ring, I'd like to see it."

"I do have the ring, it's in a safe in this very room but I want Anastasia to be the first person that sees it. I don't mean to offend but…" He holds up his hand.

"Makes perfect sense. Speaking of Annie, let's go sing Christmas carols by the fire or whatever the hell she's got planned for the night. A fire in August. You know she'd make me light our fireplace throughout the year too? She'd grab her dolls or her books and sit in front of it drinking her apple juice for hours." He shakes his head and chuckles. "I love that kid."

"I know. She is pretty damn special." And soon she'll be my wife.