A/N: I've got one more scene for Chapter 32 of my nanny fic and then I will update it as well.

Many of you asked about how their relationship came about in this fic, so the next couple will show a little of that. :)

Christian watched his newest employee, Anastasia Steele, struggle at the front desk outside his office. She was hired to assist his PA, Andrea, but she seemed to be making it harder on Andrea instead. She looked overwhelmed and out of sorts most of the week and he could tell that she was more out of her comfort zone than she probably realized she'd be. When he'd talk to her, she'd blush and start to stammer which would have been adorable if it wasn't for Andrea, who was exasperated by the situation.

"The girl can't complete anything!" Andrea complained to him. "She's intimidated by everyone! Even me! Hell, you've been nicer to her than I've seen you with anyone and she can't even get two words out without stuttering like an idiot! She's not right for the job, Christian. She's too shy. We need someone with a backbone!"

His eyes left the front desk, where he'd still been staring and he looked at his PA for the first time since she started bitching. She was sitting in front of his desk, her usually sleek, perfect bun shoved up in a mess. Looking her over, he frowned. Andrea was struggling and he wasn't about to let a little thing like Anastasia cause him to lose the best PA he ever had.

"I see that you're overwhelmed. How about I increase your pay 10k for the inconvenience and you send Ms. Steele in to see me."

Andrea's shoulders relaxed when she let out a long sigh. "Yes, thank you."

He gave her a nod. "Put the job opening back up on Indeed, but wait until tomorrow."

Standing, Andrea smiled. "That's great. Thank you, Christian. I'll send her in." She left his office, shutting the door behind her. He took a deep breath and cleared his throat, fighting to get comfortable and find his calm. There was something about Anastasia that spoke to him and he didn't know where this was going to go. Suddenly, he felt too hot.

Standing, he slipped his dress coat off and unbuttoned his sleeves, rolling them up his forearms before yanking his tie loose and unbuttoning the top button of his shirt.

He breathed a sigh of relief when he sat back down. He hated feeling stifled and the release from feeling constricted made him more composed. More confident.

There was a soft knock on his door before Anastasia stuck her head in.

"S-Sir?" She stammered. He frowned. He hated how unsure she sounded. At his frown, he saw her tear up and he stood quickly, trying to right the situation.

"Come in, Anastasia. Have a seat." He gestured toward the chairs on the opposite side of his large desk.

"I-I-" Resolved, she sighed and slipped into his office, shutting the door behind her. Instead of sitting, though, she stood, wringing her hands. "Mr. Grey... I know I'm not good enough to work here, but-"

"Excuse me?" His voice was sharp and made her wince. He didn't like the self-deprication.

"I'm not stupid, sir." She added, beginning to pace. "I know I'm not a good fit, but I need the money so bad! I just want to be able to afford school so I can work somewhere small and do what I love! I'm not meant for all of this high-end, intimidating dog-eat-dog business stuff. I just lost a job and an apartment I love and my old boss keeps calling, begging me to see him and my last boyfriend was so intimidating and mean that I feel like I can't even function on my own half the time! If he wasn't calling me fat, he was calling me stupid or worthless or-" She stopped herself, shaking her head. "Anyway, I tried to go to a therapist about it, but they just threw pills at me and all they did was make me tired and so I stopped taking them and my life is falling apart and I know it is none of your business and you probably don't care, but I don't know what to do! I know Andrea hates me and I can't stay here... but isn't there like a mailroom or something you can put me in? Cut my pay and let me hide out in the basement or something sorting it?" She knew she sounded so ridiculous begging, but she was desperate. He was always nice to her and she hoped he had a little bit more nice left in him for her.

Christian let her vent and watched her pace back and forth while he sat patiently. When she went quiet, he ran a thumb over his bottom lip and pointed to the chair.

"Sit."

Anastasia immediately obeyed.

"Good girl."

She gave him a soft smile, pink tingeing her cheeks before she looked back down at her hands.

Letting out a deep sigh, he took a few moments to get his thoughts together. It was obvious she was spiraling and that she had a hard life recently. He didn't know why, but he needed to make it better. It had been such a long time... three years in fact... since he felt the need to take care of a woman and he wasn't going to let her slip through his fingers.

"Anastasia, where is your family?"

"My family? Why?"

"Just answer the question."

Chewing her lip, she shrugged. "My mom is in Georgia on husband number four and my dad, well my stepdad who I call dad, lives in Montesano."

"No siblings or grandparents?"

She shakes her head.

"You're out here alone with no support system. It sounds like the only support system you had was abusive. Your ex, I mean."

With her eyes still on her hands, she shrugged, her hand coming up to wipe at her face. He realized she had upset herself to tears and he quickly offered her a handkerchief. Her eyes landed on the white cloth with his initials embroidered on it.

"Take it."

Reaching out, she took it from him, being careful not to touch him, but he grasped her hand with his, running his thumb over the soft skin on the back of her hand just for a second before letting it go.

Her eyes are wide, surprised by the action, but she sniffled and thanked him.

"You're welcome."

"So, I guess I should go get my handbag, huh?" She ran the handkerchief through her fingers, surprised by the softness of it.

"I haven't dismissed you, yet."

"You haven't?" She looked up at him through her wet eyelashes and his chest constricted.

"No, Anastasia. You'll know when I've dismissed you. There won't be any doubt."

"Oh."

"You're right about your job here. You aren't right for it." Her head ducked a little more, embarrassed even more hearing it from him. "But, that doesn't mean I don't have anything to offer you."

"Oh?" Her voice raised an octave and it made him smile.

"What if there was a way I could help you with your anxiety, give you a place to stay, and have your schooling paid for?"

She snorted. "We aren't living in LaLaLand, Mr. Grey."

"No, but you are sitting across from a very powerful man that has the capability to give you all three."

She chewed her lip for a moment and he gave her time to mull it over. When her eyes met his, he tried to give her an encouraging smile.

"I want to offer you something I haven't offered anyone in a long, long time. It's a little selfish of me, but I assure you that this decision is 100% yours."

"What do you mean, sir?"

His jaw clenched at the name, but he swallowed hard, pushing the thoughts away. "I want to make it clear that as of right now, you don't work for me. My offer isn't a job... it's an opportunity. You're off my payroll. What I'm going to offer you would be considered dangerous waters in regards to the HR department and I want you to know that. That doesn't mean I would ever threaten you or hurt you. It's just an opportunity I'm willing to give you. I need to know if you are still interested or if you'd rather walk away."

"I-" She cleared her throat. What'd she have to lose? She could at least hear him out. Plus, she was intrigued. "I'd like to hear more."

He gave her a nod. "Let's go sit on the couch, Ms. Steele. This desk is too stuffy for my liking."

She gave him a smile and a nod in return, the action hitting him straight in the chest. She was so god-damn beautiful. Once they settled into the leather couch with two bottles of water, he turned toward her, curling a leg under himself so he could lean against the armrest.

He pressed his lips together, trying to figure out how to explain everything. "I am risking a lot by even offering this, Anastasia. I want you to understand how big of a risk this is for me, so that you can see how vulnerable I am being right now. It shows that I am a safe person and I would never hurt you."

She shook her head. "Why do you keep saying that? Are you a sadist or something?"

He chuckled. "No, not like that. Do you know a lot about that kind of thing?"

She colored and looked down at her hands. "Er- No. Not really. A little. I don't know. I've read things."

Nodding, he took a sip of his water. "Have you ever heard of DD/LG?"

Her eyes widened. "You mean like diaper wearing, pacifier sucking-"

He shook his head. "No. Nothing that extreme. Just..." He ran his hand through his hair. "Taking care of you enough for you to know that you're safe and secure in an environment where you can get into a headspace to go back to the basics. I'll take care of your mind and body, allowing you to heal from whatever fucker hurt you in the past. You'll let me hold you, take care of you, make the decisions for you and you'll live with me, go back to school, and take care of yourself mentally. We'll find you a good therapist that will actually help and if they do think you need some medication, they'll walk you through it until they find the right fit for you."

She chewed her lip while she played with his handkerchief. Her head was swimming with the information and she had a hard time wrapping her head around it.

Seeing her mind reeling, he allowed her time to process the information, but kept a close eye on her. He didn't want to overwhelm her into a panic attack.

"When you say body... do you mean sex?" The flush on her face was so deep, that it extended down past the neckline of her dress. He found it fucking adorable.

Leaning, he reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear before holding her cheek and was surprised when she turned her head and nuzzled into his hand. He had to swallow back tears at the motion. She was already seeking comfort from him and it about broke him. It took everything in him not to give in to his urge to pull her into his lap and lavish her with praises and kind words while he stroked her hair. He just wanted her to he a happy kitten who radiated warmth and happiness.

Shaking it off, he cleared his throat and dropped his hand. "Not necessarily. I can take care of you without that part. You're in charge here, Anastasia."

"I think... I mean if we... If I agree... I would need to be more comfortable before any of that would happen. I've only been with one person. I'm not that experienced with it and I-"

"Hey..." His tone was soft. "That's absolutely fine. If you decide you want this. If, at some point, you decide sex is on the table, I promise you that you don't have to worry about anything. I'll take the lead. It's my responsibility in all this. I take away all of your worries and give you all the affection you want, leaving you to live and breathe easy, focusing on yourself and your schooling. The most you'll have to worry about is studying for your midterms."

"And what if I do something you don't like?"

He cocked an eyebrow. "Then there will be punishments."

"What kind?"

"We'll talk about what you're comfortable with if you decide you want this, but off the top of my head there's spanking, being put in the corner, going to bed without dessert, taking a hobby away or... if sex is involved, edging and denied orgasms."

"Edging?"

He licked his dry lips. This girl would be the death of him. He threatened his dick to stay calm before answering. "I'll bring you to the brink of orgasm over and over, but won't let you come. You'll be turned on, throbbing and super sensitive, but you won't find relief."

Her nose crinkled. "That doesn't sound fun." She had been left orgasmless by Jose on multiple occasions, but she was always able to finish herself off after. She had a feeling masturbation wouldn't be allowed after punishments.

He snorted. "That's why it's left for punishments."

"If I agree... will there be other girls?"

He shook his head quickly. "Absolutely not. You'll get all of my attention. It's just you and me. I won't have any other fuckers touch you either."

She let out a relieved sigh. "Okay." Her eyebrows raised. "How many times have you done this?"

"Three women. The first two only lasted about six months a piece, but it was still when my company was new and I couldn't give them the attention they deserved. The third was five years ago and we were together for two years. It was a hard break up and I haven't found another woman I've wanted to take care of until now. The second I saw you I had this strong urge to protect you."

"Oh, wow." She wrung the handkerchief in her hands. "And when would all this start?"

He lifted his hands. "Whenever you want it to start."

"Okay." She let out a deep sigh, releasing the heaviness from her chest. "Can I go home and think about it? Research a little on it before I agree?"

He nodded. "Yes, of course. Where is home right now?" He hoped she had somewhere safe.

"With my friend, Kate. She was nice enough to let me stay with her until I got my first couple of paychecks."

"You're safe there? Warm and full? Do you want me to send some groceries for you?"

Anastasia giggled. "I'm perfectly fine. Kate is the daughter of Eamon Kavanagh."

"Ah, Kavanagh Media."

She nodded. "Yes. He's paying for the apartment until she finds a job. We're safe and have plenty of food."

"That's a relief, Anastasia." Reaching into his back pocket, he pulled a business card out of his wallet and handed it to her. "This has my cell on it. Contact me when you've made your decision. Until then, if you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask."

She gave him a grin and then another giggle. "You're going to worry until I contact you, aren't you?"

"Yes." He answered honestly. There was no reason to lie. Honesty was a must in this kind of relationship.

Surprising herself and him, she pushed herself up on her knees and hugged him around his neck. "Thank you, Mr. Grey."

His arms wrapped around her, squeezing her close. She fit so damn perfectly in his arms that it ached when she pulled away.

"You're more than welcome, Anastasia. I hope to hear from you soon, but take your time. I don't want you to have any regrets."