Anastasia

I've snuck into the indoor pool area to use the hot tub by myself and it is so luxurious. The hot tub is large and rectangular, with multiple spots to sit where the jets target different muscle groups. I lay in the deepest one, the jets hitting my neck, back, legs, and even the bottoms of my feet. The only sound that can be heard is the sound of the jets and water bubbling.

Perfection.

I hear the door to the pool area open and my eyes turn to slits as I scowl at the intruder interrupting my me time. Dressed in midnight blue shorts this time, he gives me a shy grin.

"Hi."

"How did you know?"

"Cameras."

I sigh. Duh. "Oh, right. Of course."

"I can go..."

"No, no. Come relax with me. No funny business. I'm just getting the kinks out from last time."

He grins like a Cheshire and slips into the hot tub, leaning back in his own seat across from me.

"Where's the girl?"

"Watching YouTube. I told her she could watch it as long as she wants if she stayed in her room and gave Daddy some alone time."

I gasp and giggle. "You bribed our-" I catch myself, "-your child!"

He gives me a crooked grin. "I'm just rewarding Ellie for good behavior."

I roll my eyes. "Whatever you say, Christian."

"I wanted to talk to you about something that slipped my mind until this week." He's got worry lines between his eyebrows and it instantly makes me nervous.

"Okay... what's that?" Please don't tell me my nannying is done.

"My parents have a Gala every year."

I nod. "I remember. Kate goes with Elliot. Coping Together, right?"

He nods. "Yes, that's right. Being the poster child, I have to go every year and I am expected to bring a date."

My heart beats hard in my chest. Oh my God. Is he really asking me to go? He would be announcing to the world that I'm more than just the nanny! I'd be his friend... or more! I know nothing about this hoytie-toytie gala stuff though. What if I used the wrong fork? I'd be as bad as Julia Roberts in Pretty woman. I picture a snail go flying across the room and, instead of an older gentleman catching it, it pokes someone's eye out.

"I'm going to go with a woman named Lennon."

My heart stops. My breathing stops. I flatline. I swallow hard. "Lennon? That sounds... posh." It sounds like a name someone who came from money would be named. Much more his level. Worth his time. My mouth twists as I try to take in the information.

"I want you to know that I had extended an invite to her before this summer. I didn't know... I don't want to upset you. I'm sorry."

I give him a tight-lipped smile, trying my hardest to act like my heart isn't breaking right in front of him. "Why are you sorry? You can take anyone you want! What does this Lennon do?"

His eyes narrow as he tries to read my face. "She's a neurologist."

I clench my jaw. Of-fucking-course she is. Definitely better suited for him. She definitely wouldn't let a snail go flying across the room.

"Fuck, Ana. I hate this. I hate that I have to do this to you."

What the fuck does that mean? "What?" I let out laugh. He's trying to smooth this over so I don't leave. "Don't worry about me! This is great." Liar.

His eyes bulge. "Really?"

I nod, swallowing back tears. "Of course. She'll be a great date, I'm sure, and all of Seattle will see pictures of you two. It'll help both of your images to be seen together."

"But everyone will think we're dating."

I shrug. "She's a neurologist, Christian! She helps and heals people everyday. Sounds like a perfect match to me."

He chews his lip. "I can't cancel on her now."

"Christian! Stop worrying. Just relax and have fun. You might realize you like her." I see him clench his jaw and my stomach bottoms out. "Ah. You already know you do."

He shrugs. "We dabbled here and there in the past."

"Dabbled as in...?" Please say no.

"Yea." He looks devastated for me and I hate it.

"Stop looking at me like that. People have looked at me like that for seven months! I'm damn sick of it. Don't worry about me. I'm not going to fall apart in front of you or beg you not to go or anything." I sigh, unable to look at him. Instead, I keep an eye on the clock on the wall, watching the seconds hand ticking. "Ellie and I will have fun that night, too. Another movie night." I force a smile at him.

"Er... that's the other thing."

"What's the other thing?"

"Since my whole family comes, we made it a tradition for Ellie to stay at Leila's parents."

My heart is in my stomach. Now, I can't hold my tears at bay. "But... but Leila..."

"Just because Leila doesn't want to see Ellie, doesn't mean her grandparents don't. I can't punish them just because of Leila. They disowned Leila after she signed her rights away. Lydia and Ron are good people."

"I see." I wipe a tear off my cheek and I can feel myself begin to tremble from the news. "I understand."

Christian is going to spend the evening with a woman he'd been fucking before this summer and my Ellie girl is going to his ex's parent's house. Kate will be at the same event and I'll get to lay in bed trying to cry myself to sleep. Cool, Steele.

I'm supposed to be healing from all the trauma and heartbreak from the end of last year and I am angry at myself for feeling like I cracked again. Part of me wants to beg to have Ellie. I want to convince Christian to leave her with me but I know it's not fair to her grandparents or to her. Ellie needs love from everywhere and I hope this extension of her mother will heal some of the pain she experienced from her.

"Ana, you have to understand that I have a responsibility. That's all it is. Why don't you come with all of us to the gala?"

I laugh. "No... no, I don't think so. I would be a disaster there. I'm not used to all that high class shit. I'll stay home and relax."

"But, Anastasia..."

"Just don't. I'm not in the mood to argue. Just let me settle a little. I recieved a lot of information tonight."

He gives me a nod. "I understand."

I find myself super annoyed with the fact that he fucked up my hot tub time. I feel more stressed and uptight than ever. I push myself to my feet, needing to go find some oreos and my bed.

"You don't have to go." Christian is pouting like a little boy and it does nothing for the pain in my chest. It's taking everything in me not to sob right in front of him.

"I do. I'm really tired. I want to have a snack and hit the hay."

Frowning, he reaches over and runs his hands up and down my legs. "Let me walk you."

I actually grin. "No need. I can climb the stairs myself. Enjoy some personal time while Ellie is entertaining herself. You deserve it."

"Jesus Christ, Ana. I just admitted something that is devastating and you are still thinking of me."

I roll my eyes as I climb the stairs out of the hot tub and wrap my towel around me. "Don't worry about me, Grey. I'm perfectly fine." Another lie. He doesn't need to know that. The most important thing is that I keep a cool head so I can keep seeing Ellie. I can't lose this job.

XxXxXx

"Steele!"

"No, Kate! I'm not going!" I guess Christian told Elliot about our talk, because Kate rushed over her on a Saturday morning and woke my ass up to beg me to go to the gala.

"But it'll be fun! The Grey's will be there, my family will be there... I'll be there. Ethan is going alone. You can be his date!"

I wince. "Kate, do you honestly think that's a good idea? I don't want him to get the wrong idea."

"Oh, Ana, he won't! Here, let's ask him!"

"Kate, no! I didn't even say I was going! Turn off the phone! God damn it, Kate!" I rush after her for the phone while she runs around my living area trying to get away.

"Ugh, hello?" Kate stops and looks down at her phone, which she must have on video call. "What do you want?"

"Sorry to wake you, brother. You're alone right?"

I roll my eyes. I don't want to think about him sexing it up. It's weird.

"Yes, Katie, I'm alone. What is it?"

"Weeeellllllllll, I was just calling about the gala. I've found you a date. A strictly platonic, friends only date, but a date. I didn't want to force it on you, so I figured I'd ask first."

"Is she hot?"

Kate turns toward me and gives me a grin. "Smokin."

"She's not a bitch, is she?"

I hold back my laugh as Kate cocks an eyebrow at me, pretending to decide.

"Nah... no, no bitch."

"What does she look like?" I can hear Ethan waking up a bit and he actually sounds interested. It's entertaining.

"Well, she's about 5'3 and has long dark hair and crystal blue eyes and freckles on her nose..."

"Katie. You're explaining Anastasia."

Kate beams at her brother. "Exactly." She plops down on the couch and I make my way over so I can join her.

There is silence from him and I realize he thinks it's a bad idea.

"I thought that she and Elliot's brother hooked up."

I still in my spot, realizing everyone saw our tonsil hockey and me following him out the backdoor like a puppy.

"They did. But he's taking some doctor."

"So the bastard doesn't want to be linked to the nanny."

I shake my head and lean in so he can see me too. He actually looks so handsome with his bedhead and it brings back memories that make my heart ache. "It isn't like that, Ethan. They agreed to go months ago. He can't cancel on her and I wouldn't want him to. I never even said I'd go. Kate is jumping the gun."

"You'd go with me?" Ethan asks.

"As friends, of course. If I was going to go."

"You need to go, Ana! It'll be fun with all of us there!" Kate reiterates.

"Listen, it'd be a waste of a ticket. I don't have money to donate or anything! Surely, someone that can-"

"You shut up. This isn't about money."

I roll my eyes. "It's a charity event, Kate. Of course it is."

"There will be plenty of people donating. I'm sure Grace and Carrick will love you coming to support the charity. Just being there is enough."

"I don't know..."

"If it's about the money for a gown, you don't have to worry about that. I'll-"

"You will not!" I interrupt Ethan.

"You're my date. Let me buy you a dress."

"Just because this is a charity event does not mean I'm okay with being treated like a charity case! I have some money stashed away. I'm getting paid for this job, you know. I just wanted to save it is all." I refuse to dive into the money I'm saving for Mom and Dad, but I have about eleven hundred saved up for my camera. A camera I guess I won't be getting now.

"So you'll be my date?" I look down at his hopeful eyes through the screen and crumble.

"Yes, fine." This is going to be a disaster.

Kate squeals and dances beside me. "I'm so excited! It's dress shopping time!"

We say goodbye to Ethan with a promise to text him about the event. I can't believe I'm going with my ex-boyfriend. Of course, Christian is going with someone he's fucked too, so I shouldn't feel too guilty. He's still not going to like it.

"We're going to the mall, Kate. No high-end stores. I've got eleven hundred and I'm not spending a penny more."

"Ana...!"

"Agree or I'm not going." I give her a strict look and she crumbles.

"Fine."

After I throw on some clothes we head out and catch Christian and Ellie in the pool.

"Nanny Ana! I did a swan dive for Daddy and he said I nailed it!"

A giant grin forms on my face. "That's wonderful, Ellie girl! I knew you'd get it!"

"Where are you ladies running off to?" Christian eyes us.

Kate's face breaks out into a grin and I know she's going to tell him everything. She isn't happy about this situation and I know she wants to make him suffer.

"We're going to find Ana a dress for the ball!"

Christian lights up. "You're going?"

Kate answers for me. "Yes, I've convinced her and even got her a date."

His smile drops. "A date?" He looks at me and I turn my head, unable to look him in the eye.

"Yes, a date. Just so happens my brother needed one too and is more than happy to take her."

"Ethan? You're going with Ethan."

I chance a look at him and see the pain in his face.

"As friends. Nothing more." I tell him, looking into his eyes. I want him to know that I won't be going down that rabbit hole again.

"We'll see!" Kate sing-songs as she yanks me past them by my hand.

"Kate! Don't start." I warn her.

Christian

I can't believe this is fucking happening! I feel like she's punishing me for this. I can't fucking help it! I have a responsibility and I will not shy away from it. No matter how much I want to stomp my way over to the guesthouse and demand she go with me instead.

The Ethan fucker arrived almost an hour ago and has been inside her home ever since. I have been staring out my windows since the blonde bastard disappeared behind her door. Why the fuck does she have her curtains drawn? She probably knows that I'm nosy.

But, fuck, I'm bristling. I don't want him on my property. He's probably staring at her right now, remembering how beautiful she is with no clothes on and how fucking good she tastes. How sexy she sounds when she's almost to her orgasm. The way she begs not to stop...

Rubbing my face roughly, I pace. He needs to go. He needs to exit my fucking property.

Fuck it.

Throwing the door open, I stride straight for them, knocking hard on the door. Looking through the glass panes, I can see them sitting on the couch with some wine in glasses. No straw. For some reason that's a relief.

As she comes to the door, we make eye contact through the glass.

"Christian? What can I do for you?"

"It's past eight."

She looks confused. "Okay?"

"No visitors past eight." I'm making this shit up as I go.

"What? We never agreed to that! That wasn't in the contract." She's scowling at me and I think she's realizing my true intentions.

"I didn't think I would need to, but evidently, I do." I look past her to Ethan. "My house, my rules, Kavanagh."

He stands with his hands up. "No problem." Grabbing his keys off the counter, he makes his way to a shocked Ana, who looks like she can't believe that this is happening right now.

"I'll see you Saturday, beautiful." He presses a kiss to her temple and she actually colors. I give him a scowl as he makes his way past me and out the door.

"You are a real piece of work, you know that?" Her face is now beet red but I know it's from anger now.

I shrug. "I don't like males coming on to my nanny."

She huffs. "He was doing no such thing! We were talking about the gala! He was trying to coach me so I didn't look like a complete idiot!"

I wrap an arm around her and pull her to me. "I'll coach you."

"What if I don't want you to?" Her comment doesn't have much validity because she leans into me.

"Tough shit. It's me or no one."

She rolls her eyes at me and for some reason it causes me to lengthen in my pants. I grunt. I find myself relaxing when I see a hint of smile on her face.

"What color?" I run my knuckles over her cheek."

"Huh?" She's adorably confused.

I grin. "Your dress. What color? What does it look like?"

"Oh." She licks her lips. "It's red."

"Red?" I breathe out, my cock pushing against her stomach. I notice her breathing increase.

She nods. "And lace."

Oh fuck me. I yank her even closer and squeeze her tight in a hug. "God damn it, Anastasia. Do you know how close I am to saying fuck it and take you instead?"

"You can't, Christian. We both have dates." She pulls back enough to look up at me.

"Bullshit. I've taken you from him once, I'll do it again."

She closes her eyes and shakes her head. "It isn't fair to either of them. You'll have fun, Christian. You'll see. You won't even remember I'm there."

"Considering you're at my table, I will."

"What... what do you mean? Our seats are with the Kavanaghs."

I shake my head. "Mia wants to sit with her boyfriend's family. I moved you two to ours." She looks conflicted. "I figured you'd enjoy that. Your seat is next to Kate." And across from me.

"I just... I just wasn't aware... yes, of course. Thank you for thinking of my comfort, Christian." Leaning up, she tries to kiss my cheek but I turn and kiss her lips.

"None of that cheek shit, Ana. I want your lips on mine. Everytime."

Looking down, she sighs. "You should go, Christian."

What? Why does she look so sad all of a sudden? I reach for her face, but she pulls my hands down.

"I just have some things to navigate through tonight. I want some time to think. I'll see you tomorrow morning?" Her hands are still clasping mine between us and she squeezes them lightly. I reciprocate.

"Yes, of course." I did this to her. I caused her to question everything. I know I need to fix all of this, but it'll have to wait til after the gala. She won't take me seriously until Lennon is gone. "Goodnight, Anastasia."

This next weekend can't come soon enough.

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Next: The Gala