A/N: Thanks for reading. Enjoy!

"How has work been?", Christian asks while we're sitting on the sofa following our enlightening heart to heart. His hand slowly eases towards mine as if he's testing the waters to see if it's ok. I answer him by circling my fingers around his.

"I've been getting ready for tomorrow's book fair so that's been keeping me busy.", I answer. Since we're now being completely honest with each other, I know that I need to tell him about Bryant handling the advertising deal. "The magazine decided to hire an advertising firm to bring more readers."

"That sounds like a great move on the magazine's part. Just think of how many more people will get to read your work." I should be excited to hear that but I'm not. "You don't look like you're too thrilled with their plan. Why is that?"

"McGregor Advertising who they hired enlisted...Bryant to manage things."

"Bryant, as in your ex Bryant?", he mutters.

"Unfortunately the one and only. I was hoping that they would have someone else, but I saw him at the office where he gave me the news. My boss Olivia is going to make sure that he stays away from me, but if he does come around, I can handle him."

"I have no doubt that you can, but the guy has no right to interfere in your life. He ruined the best thing he had going for him, and if I was a betting man, I'd say that he regrets it."

"Too bad, so sad.", I playfully pout while rubbing my eyes. "I don't want to talk about him or anything else negative. Have you had dinner?"

"No. My appetite has been nonexistent these past two days."

"Mine hasn't been too great either, but I'm kind of hungry. Why don't I cook us something?"

"Ana, you don't have to go the trouble. We can go out to dinner." I lean over and place a small kiss on his cheek before standing up.

"I'd like to cook for you." He follows me into the kitchen and watches as I open the fridge in search of something to cook. "How does breakfast for dinner sound?"

"Breakfast for dinner?", he asks in disbelief.

"You've never had breakfast for dinner?"

"No. I mean I have, but it's been a long time. When my mom would go on medical conferences, my dad would take us to IHOP where we would have pancakes or omelets for dinner. It's been a long time."

"You're in luck because I happen to be a pro at cooking pancakes. My dad used to love having pancakes for dinner so I would cook." I reach into the cabinet and start grabbing the ingredients for our meal as he stands back and watches me.

"What can I do to help?", he asks.

"Nothing. Just take a seat and relax." He debates for a few seconds before finally sitting down in the chair closest to the kitchen counter.

"So, where are Kate and Ethan tonight?"

"They're having dinner with their parents.", I reply, placing the skillet on top of the stove.

"I'm still pissed off at myself for making Ethan come out.", he sighs. "He seems like a really nice guy and a loyal friend."

"He is.", I say. "He's one of the most unselfish people that I know, always putting others before himself. "And even though he's not happy with you at the moment, I think he'll come around as will Kate."

"I hope so because I don't want all of us to get along."

Cooking the food, I feel his eyes burning on me. When I turn around, he directs his attention elsewhere, but he's not fooling me. The room feels warm and not from the heat from the stove. Things are starting to get better.

"Enjoying the view?", I ask, looking over my shoulder fast enough to catch him glaring at me. His eyes are filled with mischief as he pushes his chair back and moves behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. His lips find their way just below my right ear.

"I've missed putting my lips on you.", he whispers while moving his kisses down my neck.

"I've missed your lips." I place the spatula in my hand down and spin around into his arms. "Hi."

"Hi." My heart feels like it might jump out of my chest as our lips careen together. His hands move down my side and towards my ass, pressing me against his erection. We continue this until I come back down to reality.

"I have missed you, but we should stop before things get out of control.", I tell him. "Is that ok?"

"It's more than ok. I still intend to make our first time special for both of us since it'll be my first time making love. In the past, I've only fucked..hard. I've never had the desire to want more."

"What changed things?" His hand grazes my face softly while I await his response.

"You."

"How was it?", I ask anxiously after dinner. Christian picks up his napkin and wipes the corner of his mouth and nods.

"Miss Steele. that was the best dinner or should I say breakfast that I've had in a long time. The cooks at IHOP have nothing on you.", he laughs. "Did you mother teach you how to cook?"

"Some. It wasn't until after she and my dad divorced that I started cooking more. I suppose your cooking skills are either limited or non-existant.", I tease.

"I can make a sandwich which you're probably thinking is no big deal, but my club sandwich is pretty spectacular."

"Mmm. You may have to make me one some time."

"It would be my pleasure. Since you cooked, I'll clean up." Before he stands up, I reach across the table and place my hand on his arm.

"We can do it together." I keep my hand in place and lean over the table to kiss him, but in doing so, the hem of my shirt lands in my plate and in the syrup. "Damn it.", I mutter, looking down at the spot. "I'm going to grab another shirt first." He stands up with me and smiles as I hurry to my bedroom. After taking off my shirt and throwing into the dirty clothes hamper, I put on a simple gray tee and rejoin him in the kitchen where he's already removed the dishes from the table.

"That was fast."

"I basically picked up the first shirt that I saw."

"It looks good on you, but then again everything does.", he says with his trademark boyish grin.

"Smooth Grey. You didn't have to start cleaning up without me. I was only gone a few minutes."

"Eh. I might not be very good with most kitchen chores, but I'm pretty good at clearing the table. I also have some more shocking news for you. I can load dishes in the dishwasher.", he teases. "And I can do it without breaking a single dish. Watch and prepare to have your mind blown."

I step back and wave for him to proceed with loading the dishes in the dishwasher. He picks up the first plate, waves it proudly, and then places it on the dishwasher rack. I can't hold my laughter as he bows.

"Bravo.", I clap. "I'm very impressed."

"I need alcohol STAT!", Kate yells from the living room. Christian's face drops as I hear him take a deep breath. His eyes shift around the room like he's looking for an escape route. "Ana, where are..." She stops herself when she sees him standing beside me.

"I'll get the glasses.", Ethan sighs while coming into the room. "And we have company. Hello Christian."

"Hi.", Christian stammers. "Kate, hello." Kate doesn't say anything to his greeting.

"Christian stopped by so we could talk.", I tell the Kavanagh siblings.

"How'd that go for you?", Kate asks.

"It went well. Even though we both have some learning to do, we're willing to give things another go. I know the other night won't be forgotten, but I hope we can all move past it.", I reply, alternating my eyes at the three of them. "All of you mean a lot to me."

"Ethan, I'm sorry for the trouble that I caused you. I'd like for us to at least be civil.", Christian says.

"I'd like that too especially since Ana's a part of both of our lives."

"I can see that you're every bit the good guy and friend Ana described you as being." The two of them shake hands as Kate remains silent. "Kate."

"I guess you want the two of you to be pals too.", Kate says sarcastically. "I didn't have a problem with you until you hurt two of the most important people in my life. I'll defend them until the end, but I'll also support them when needed. Ana has been happier than I've seen in a long time, and you're responsible for that. Be good to her, and I won't use my martial arts training on you."

"Martial arts training? What the fuck? When did that happen?", a confused Ethan asks. Christian relaxes and snakes his arm around my waist. "Kate and I were going to have some drinks. Do you two want to join us?" Ethan's smiling, but I'm wondering how dinner with his parents went. Did it end so bad that he wants to drink away his sorrows?

"Thank you for the offer, but I need to finish looking over some contracts that I've been neglecting. Again, thank you for giving me a second chance, all of you.", Christian says before facing me. "Walk me out?" I nod and follow him to the door where he kisses me.

"Hopefully you'll be able to sleep better tonight."

"I'm sure that I will." He motions to the magazine cover which is laying on top of the coffee table. "What do you plan on doing with that?"

"I'm thinking of getting a frame for it.", I shrug. "Who knows, maybe I'll put it on my bedside table so I can look at before going to sleep at night."

"It'll be like sleeping with me.", he says with a smirk. "Would you like to do something tomorrow evening after you get back from the book fair?"

"I'd like that very much. I'll call you so we can set a time. Goodnight Mr. Grey."

"Goodnight."

"Question, why are the two of you getting ready to drink?", I ask once I'm back in the kitchen. Ethan pours a glass of orange juice and then adds a lot of vodka to the beverage. "That bad, huh?"

"Actually, it went better than I could have ever imagined. Ana, we sat down with our parents tonight and had the heart to heart to end all heart to hearts. It felt like we had stepped into some alternate universe.", Ethan replies. "My parents found out things. Kate and I found out things. It was a very good night."

"In honor of that very good night, we're celebrating.", Kate giggles. "Here's your glass." She slides a glass of orange juice over to me, but I look at it with skepticism. "We know that you have an early day tomorrow so it's only orange juice."

"I knew your parents would be supportive of you."

"My dad told us about his father putting pressure on him to be the best in everything. Failure wasn't an option in my grandfather's eyes, and with that being all my dad knew, he thought that's how he should treat me and Kate. He's noticed how we often walk on eggshells around him. He tried telling himself that putting pressure on us was the best thing, but he knew deep down that it wasn't. When I sat down and looked him straight in the face and told him that I'm gay, something shifted in him. He and my mom sat there and listened to how I've been living with this secret in an attempt to please them."

"Dad said that he could tell when Ethan brought a girl around that he didn't have a genuine connection with them, but he brushed it off.", Kate adds. "I was so proud of how strong he was when he talked to them."

"It was scary, but once I had the words out, I felt better. "Be your own person.", is what my dad told me afterwards. As long as we're happy, that's all that matters."

"Ethan, I'm sp happy for you. Do you feel better now about seeing Max?", I ask.

"Yes. I called him as soon as we left our parents'. I wasn't sure if he was going to answer, but when he did...oh my god. Hearing his voice for the first time in forever was amazing. Although I was worried that he didn't want to give me the time of day, he agreed to meet me tomorrow afternoon for lunch. My anxiety over telling my parents about being gay has been replaced by the anxiety of seeing him, but it's a good anxiety."

"Like I told you with your parents, it's going to be fine." Kate's sitting at the table in what seems to be a daydream. "What are you thinking about or do I not want to know?"

"I was just thinking about how happy I am for you guys." Ethan raises his glass, hinting for me and Kate to do the same.

"To friendship and love, two of the best damn things in the world."