A/N: Thanks for reading. Enjoy!
"Would it be ok if Elliot stops by for a bit?", Kate asks while I'm lounging on the sofa following our shopping trip. I lower the volume on the tv and turn around with a nod.
"Kate, you don't have to ask for my permission."
"I know, but today was going to be just us, and I don't want you to think I'm passing you over for him. He just texted me and said that he was around the corner grabbing some food so I thought why not invite him over for a while."
"The two of us have already spent half the day together so if you want Elliot to come over, he can." She runs around the sofa and pulls me into a hug just as there's a knock at the door. "Thank you, thank you, thank you."
"Stop thanking me and get the door.", I giggle.
After turning the tv off, I uncurl my legs and stand up while she greets Elliot at the door. Elliot's arms go around Kate's waist as I see that he's not alone. Standing behind him is Christian, my sexting cohort. I'm still in utter shock that I sexted him especially since I told him just last night that I wanted to take things slow. Nothing says going slow like getting him off!
"Christian, hi. Ana, look who's here.", Kate says with a sly grin. I think I've been played. He moves past her while Kate and Elliot look on at the two of us.
"Hey."
"Hi. How have you been?", I ask.
"I've been great. I was sitting at home worn out from my workout when Elliot called and asked me to join him for lunch." With his back to Kate and Elliot, he licks his lips.
"You're right babe. The chemistry between them is intense.", Elliot chuckles as he and Kate move away from the door. "Ana, I hope my brother treated well on your date last night."
"He was the perfect gentleman."
"Ana, Elliot wants to show me where he's building a new real estate developement. Would you and Christian like to go?", Kate asks.
"I've got some chores to do around here so I'm going to pass."
"And I've already seen the site.", Christian shrugs. "I'll wait here and keep Ana company while the two of you are gone."
"Ok. I'm going to grab my jacket.", Kate smiles on her way to her bedroom with me right behind her. She picks her jacket from her bedroom closet and does a once over in the mirror. "Before you get mad, I knew that Christian was with Elliot, but I didn't think it was big deal. You're happy to see him, right?"
"Yes, but you still should have told me."
"I'm sorry. Elliot and I won't be gone long." I follow her back into the living room where Christian and Elliot are talking. "All set."
Once we're alone, Christian remains standing by the wall while I sit down on the sofa and turn the tv back on. I fumble through the channels until I stop on The Notebook, the movie that I lied to Kate about watching the night he came over for dinner. The irony of the situation sends me into a fit of giggles.
"Are you ok?", Christian asks as he rushes to the spot next to me.
"I'm fine.", I laugh. "It's The Notebook."
"I've never seen the movie, but from what I've heard it's supposed to be a tear jerker so why are you laughing?"
"It's a long story. About what happened earlier today..."
"Whatever do you mean Miss Steele?"
"You know exactly what I mean."
"Ah, the sexting.", he grins, running his hand over his jaw. "I have to say that it was very unexpected."
"Unexpected is right. I have no idea what got into me."
"Could it have been thinking about who you wanted to get in you." I grab one of the light blue throw pillows from the end of the sofa to playfully hit him, but I accidentally smack him right in the nose. "Fuck."
"Oh my god. I'm so sorry. I only meant to barely touch you." He's holding on to his nose with wide eyes. "Let me see."
"Why so you can hit me again?", he jokes while I scoot to the opposite end of the sofa. He reaches over and pulls me into his lap, kissing the top of my head. "Baby, I'm just messing with you." My hand moves upwards to his chest, but he quickly pushes it away. "Please don't touch me there. You can touch me anywhere else but not there."
"Why?"
"To repeat your earlier words, it's a long story. While you know a lot more about me than many people, there's still some things that I can't go into right now. I'm not saying that I won't tell you at some point."
"I understand.", I murmur. "Back to the sexting topic, I still want to hold off a bit until we actually have sex. I get that it sounds ridiculous considering what I was doing while in the restroom at Glo's Cafe."
"And what I was doing as well.", he smirks. I press my thighs close together as the vision of him stroking himself pops in my mind.
"You're distracting me. I've never done anything like that before, but you make me feel a way that I've never felt. I feel alive. There's this rush of exhilaration throughout my mind and body. It's amazing and scary at the same time."
"You just described the exact way I feel with you." I tilt my head and see his lips moving down to mine. The following kiss is full of lust and fire. I shift so I'm straddling him as our bodies grind against each other. "I like our way of taking things slow."
"Just because we don't have sex doesn't mean we can't make out.", I whisper against his lips.
"We're back.", Kate says as she starts opening the door. I jump from Christian's lap so fast that I fall into the floor. He reaches down and pulls me up before she and Elliot see us.
"Back so soon?"
"I told you we wouldn't be gone long. Are we interrupting something? Because we can leave the two of you alone if you'd like."
"You're not interrupting at all.", Christian sighs.
"I would have kept Kate out longer, but I forgot that Dad wants me to swing by with the plans for the new sunroom.", Elliot tells Christian. "I could leave you here and pick you up on my way back."
"Eh, it's fine. I'll go with you." He turns to me and smiles. "It was nice seeing you."
"Ditto."
"Check it out.", Kate nods at the office door where Audrey and Daniel are arriving side by side. Although they're not holding hands, their fingertips are brushing against each other. "Audrey texted me yesterday afternoon and said they went out Saturday night, and from the looks of it, things went well." I simply smile and nod, choosing not to bring up the conversation that I had with Daniel.
"Good morning.", Audrey sings. "How were your weekends?"
"Obviously not as good as yours."
"Mine was pretty great."
"Mine was as well.", Daniel adds with a shy smile. He and Audrey look at each other simultaneously and begin blushing. "I'm going to check my emails, but I'll see you guys at the staff meeting."
"K.", Audrey grins.
"Is it a coincidence that the two of you arrived at the same time?", Kate asks.
"If you must know, we met for breakfast, and then I followed him here in my car. I realize in the past that I've acted kind of flaky when it came to dating, but I want things to be different with Daniel. The two of us already have this bond from our friendship, and we can only build on it. Does that make sense?"
"Perfect sense.", I say as Audrey and Kate trade grins with one another. "Kate told you about my date, didn't she?"
"She might have told me that you went out with Christian Grey on Saturday night, but that's all she told me. I was waiting for you to tell me the rest." I roll my eyes and move past the two of them to go to my desk. After placing my purse in one of the drawers, I turn and see Audrey tapping her foot.
"Are you sure that the two of you weren't separated at birth?"
"Please, Kate only wishes she had a sister as good looking as me. Stop avoiding the subject and dish. Is he a gentle kisser or is he rough?" Divulging that sort of information is better than telling them about the sexting which took place yesterday.
"Both.", I answer. "Now that is the only info you're getting." She pouts and stomps back to her desk while Olivia steps out of her office.
"All right boys and girls, gather for the staff meeting." The entire room groans as they stagger to the conference room. Only Olivia has a smile on her face as she stands by the door and greets everyone. Audrey and Daniel sit next to each other at the end of the long table while Kate and I take a seat across from them. Everyone always tries to avoid sitting at the front of the table.
"Oh man. I knew I should have held off on getting that coffee.", Cory Harris, one of the magazine's photographers murmurs when he sees the only available seat is next to Olivia.
"Good morning to you too Cory.", Olivia says with a smile. "Why is it that everyone wants to be as far away from me as possible? I'm nice to all of you." Daniel clears his throat and raises his hand. "Yes Daniel?"
"You're a wonderful boss. It's just no one likes your staff meetings. Uh, why don't I clarify myself. No one like meetings period, especially Monday morning meetings. Everyone is still tired from the weekend.", he shrugs.
"I guess that makes me feel a little better. Now that we've established that it's Monday and no one wants to be here, let's get started so we can hurry up and get to work. Kate, is the art festival article going to be ready for me by tomorrow?"
"I need to do some finishing touches on it, but it'll be on your desk by the end of the day tomorrow.", Kate answers.
"Music to my ears. Daniel, have you lined up any restaurants to review this week?"
"I've got my eye on a few, but I don't have anything in concrete yet. I will, however, do my best to have a list to you by tomorrow morning."
"Ana, there's going to be a book fair downtown next weekend that I thought you might like to cover since you're the resident literature lover."
"I'd like that. Thank you."
"I think that basically is all I need to discuss with you all today." Everyone stands from the seats and starts towards the door. "Wait! There is one more pressing bit of news that I need to discuss with you all."
"We're all getting raises.", Daniel jokes.
"Ha ha. No. We're getting a new coffee machine."
"That's why you wanted us to stay? How is that important?"
"It's not. I was simply trying to prolong the meeting.", Olivia replies with an evil laugh. "Now that I've tortured you, you may go." She stands and watches as Daniel practically knocks Cory out of the way. "Maybe it wouldn't be so boring if I had a dry erase board."
"Vodka would be a great addition.", Kate says.
"I'm going down the street to grab some lunch. Who wants to go?", Audrey asks when noon arrives.
"Me.", Daniel answers. "I'll go with you."
"Ana, Kate, do the two of you want to go?"
"Thanks for the offer, but I've already scheduled plans.", I reply. Before Christian left yesterday, we made lunch plans for today.
"I'm going to grab something from the vending machine and finish up my article.", Kate adds.
"You can join us if you'd like.", I tell her.
"I know, but I'm going to pass so I can get this turned in."
"Since when do you make your job a priority?", a voice from the doorway asks. When Kate and I turn, we see Ethan standing with a grin. Like his sister, he has blonde hair and looks like he's stepped off a runway.
"What are you doing here? I didn't think you were going to be here for another few weeks." He shrugs his shoulders and moves towards us as Kate gets up to hug him. "Don't get me wrong, it's good to see you, but I'm surprised to see you."
"After our phone conversation Saturday night, I made a last minute decision to move my visit up. I should have called, but I wanted to surprise you. Does the offer to crash at your place still stand?"
"Of course it does. I talked it over with Ana who's fine with it." Ethan releases her and steps back with his eyes on me.
"You look different."
"I'm still the same girl.", I insist.
"Don't listen to her. She's finally moving on from Lord Douche.", Kate mutters.
"About freaking time. I don't know what you ever saw in the guy."
"I've been asking myself that very question for a while now."
"Forget about that bastard for now and give me a hug." He brings his arms around me in a tight hug. Over my shoulder, I see Kate's eyes move to the door.
"Am I interrupting?", Christian asks. His eyes are dark with what appears to be anger.
"Christian, hey. You're not interrupting at all.", I say while moving from Ethan. "This is Ethan, Kate's brother." Ethan holds his hand out to Christian who takes a few seconds before finally shaking it. "Ethan Kavanagh, this is Christian Grey."
"Nice to meet you Christian.", Ethan says.
"Likewise."
"I've changed my mind and decided to get some lunch. Ethan, why don't we go to that pizza place you love?", Kate asks. I can see that she's trying to help make things less awkward.
"Pizza would be great. Ana, I'll see you at the apartment later. Christian, again it was nice to meet you."
"What did he mean when he said that he'd see you at the apartment?", Christian asks once we're alone.
"Ethan's going to stay with us for a few days while he's in town."
"He can't stay with his parents?"
"I'm sure he could, but his relationship with his parents hasn't always been the best in the world. He usually stays with Kate when he's here. Why?" I grab my purse and lead him out of the office and into the hallway.
"I'm not a body language expert, but that hug looked more than friendly, at least on his end of it."
"I've known Ethan as long as I've known Kate so he's like a brother to me. Never have I thought of him in a different way."
"Just because you haven't thought of him as more than friends doesn't mean he doesn't think of you as more. The guy was practically drooling over you." I stand on my toes and place a kiss on his lips. "I don't share.", he reminds me.
"I'm fully aware of that Mr. Grey. The only guy who I have eyes for is you. Now let's go to lunch."
"Only if we can make out some afterwards.", he says as his voice lightens. I push the elevator button and kiss him one more time.
"That's a given."