Author's Note: I think by the end of this chapter, you'll have a bit of confidence in me when I say, "more to come soon!" Sorry for the hiatus but hopefully it was worth the wait.
Chapter 21: The Laying-Out of Cards
Before too long I hear a quiet knock at the door. Oh god, oh god, oh god!
I look back at Christian in horror. He's still inside of me for Christ's sake!
"Ana, your dad asked me to…"
Kate opens the door.
Frozen like deer facing an oncoming Dodge Caravan, Christian and I move not an inch. I'm completely bent over, clutching the desk, skirt hitched up to my waist, be-heeled feet spread wide, and Christian is holding my hips so tightly his knuckles are surely white.
Kate blushes a horrendous shade of violet and slams the door shut as she quickly exits the room.
"Sorry! Oh my god sorry!" she shouts from outside the door.
It takes me a moment to regain control of my brain. Christian gently extricates himself from me. He tosses the condom and zips his fly before smoothing my skirt down and helping me to stand up. He indicates the desk and I sit gently on the edge. Slowly, he walks over to the door and opens it.
Kate is standing there, her face in her hands, still blushing.
"I believe you had a message," Christian says nonchalantly.
Kate keeps her eyes covered as she says quietly, "Ray was heading out. He said these kinds of froo-froo events aren't his thing so he'll talk to you later in the week." There's a long pause.
"Thanks, Kate," I reply, equally as quiet.
Another pause.
"God I'm so sorry!" she bellows.
Christian kindly puts a hand on her back and ushers her inside the classroom, closing the door. "Why don't you sit down for a second, Miss Kavanagh?"
She sits in one of the student chairs. It's one of those amphitheater-style classrooms with the armrest that folds to form a writing surface. She's on the aisle so hers is left-handed.
"Miss Kavanagh, please uncover your face, we're all adults here," Christian says in a soft voice.
Kate lowers her hands finally and I can see the pink is making her face glow slightly. I've never seen her so embarrassed. Hell, I'm not sure I've ever seen her embarrassed.
"I believe you already knew that Miss Steele and I have become," he pauses to find the right phrasing, "intimate?"
She nods.
"Perhaps you'd surmised that we've been," he pauses again, "a bit rougher than the norm?"
Her eyes flick to mine for a moment then back to Christian. She nods again.
"Were you aware of," another pause. I'm starting to think these are more calculated than I'd originally assumed. "Our contract?"
I see something like recognition on Kate's face, but there's surprise there too. And maybe anger.
"Contract?"
I panic for a moment. Is Christian going to tell her everything? Because I don't actually think Kate will be understanding and cool with all of it. In fact she'd probably kidnap me and take me to Belize before letting me see Christian again.
But I watch tension release from Christian's shoulders as he says, "Yes, a non-disclosure agreement. It's fairly standard for anyone in the public eye. I don't want a jilted lover to one day blab to the tabloids about how I like to, uh…" This time the pause does not feel planned, but exposed.
I chime in, relieving him the responsibility, "How he likes to fuck."
Both Kate's and Christian's eyes swing towards me at the profanity.
"Thank you, Anastasia," Christian smolders. There's a glint in his eye that might mean he's as turned on as I am. Every time he uses my first name I feel an intense swirling sensation in the pit of my stomach. It only lasts a moment but I feel a bit like I'm going to fall over. I file "dirty talk" away in the back of my mind for future use.
I pull my eyes away from his and realize that Kate has the same look.
After a moment, Christian turns back to Kate. "I'd really appreciate if you signed one as well. I think it will just put everyone at ease."
Kate bristles. "It's not like I'd print it in a newspaper. Ana is half of this story and she's my best friend."
He doesn't look up from his phone. "I'm not worried you'll put something in an article, Miss Kavanagh."
I pipe in, "Then what…"
"If I'm not mistaken, you are dating my brother, are you not, Miss Kavanagh?"
She shifts in her seat. "I don't know that I'd call it 'dating'," she sighs. "As Ana so eloquently put it, we fuck."
"Yes, well, I would really be uncomfortable with him knowing…" He trails off.
"That the two of you…?" She sounds incredulous, surprised. "It's not really a shocking revelation. You just introduced yourself as Ana's boyfriend to her dad. It's sort of assumed that you two… fuck."
She gives me a knowing stare. It says I know what you did and It turns me on.
Christian takes a deep breath and closes his eyes.
"Really it's the specific nature of my relationship with Ana that's private and confidential. You have first-hand knowledge now, but you're bound to find out more. I'd also like Ana to feel comfortable discussing some specifics with you as I know you two are," he pauses to look up at Kate meaningfully. "Close."
I can feel the color covering my cheeks instantaneously.
Christian looks at me for a moment, stowing his cell phone. He stands and walks over to me, sitting beside me on the desk and putting a hand on my knee. He slowly circles his thumb on the inner edge of my kneecap and my breathing hitches.
"Am I to understand you don't have a meaningful emotional attachment to my brother, Miss Kavanagh?" he asks, his voice taking on a darker quality.
She's finally starting to relax. I watch as the confidence returns to her movements, to her voice. I wonder if it's the prospect of an argument that's done it. "I like him well enough if that's what you mean. But we're not exclusive if that's what you mean. Up until today, I didn't know you two were exclusive." It sounds like an excuse. She looks at me on that. Am I in trouble with her? Is she mad at me that I didn't mention that Christian and I were exclusive? Only…
"But we're not," I say matter-of-factly. Christian and Kate both stare at me, surprised. Christian growls quietly.
I look at Christian. We're so close I can smell his natural cologne: sex and freshly pressed linen and man and just a little bit of sweat. "Well, are we?" I whisper to him. Recognition slides across his face.
He leans forward, his lips grazing my ear. "I suppose you're right," he breathes. His hand on my knee creeps up my thigh as he tenderly kisses me behind the ear. His face is just starting to stubble and I can feel the gentle scratchiness of his chin against my neck.
I let out a gentle sigh, closing my eyes, but the moment is over quickly.
Christian sits back up.
"That's right, Ana has just reminded me of an agreement we have. I stand corrected," and he does, in fact, stand up.
"Miss Kavanagh, I'll have some papers messengered to your apartment. Please consider signing them. That will make all this," he gestures vaguely with his hand. "Sit far more comfortably with me."
"I'll consider it," she says.
The two of them are talking around the subject of me and Kate as though the other doesn't know about it.
"Well, I'll let you ladies get back to your adoring fans. I believe you have some celebratory lunches to attend this afternoon. Will you both join me for dinner?"
Kate smiles at me. "We'll consider it," she purrs.
Is she flirting with Christian? In front of me? Is it because she knows we're not exclusive? Is it to make me jealous? Is it to turn me on? Because that last one is definitely working against my better judgement.
Christian gives a light "harumph" and turns his back on her, standing just to the side of me, his left hand on the desk and his right hand back on my thigh, squeezing lightly. He leans in close. "I'd like you to persuade her to sign the NDA before dinner," he whispers.
He slides his hand slowly up my thigh. I'm absolutely certain he's aware that Kate can see everything. "Seduce her if you must, but be prepared to give me the full details at dinner."
His hand continues its climb, lifting my skirt, daring me to protest. "If I hear that she has touched what is mine," he growls.
Now his hand has reached the center of me and he's pumping, leisurely and gracefully, in and out with two of his fingers. His stare is so intense that I look away and find my gaze held by Kate's. She looks…there's no other word for it: hungry. My heavy breath catches. "I will be displeased." He stands back up slowly and brings his hand to his mouth, licking his fingers clean. "With you both," he says finally.
Is that a threat? He wouldn't spank Kate, would he? God, would Kate punch him in the mouth if he tried?
I straighten my skirt a bit, still breathless, but now that his touch isn't distracting me, I'm hyperaware of Kate's eyes.
He takes on an entirely new persona, smiling broadly as he leans in and plants a chaste peck on my lips. "Well, bye ladies. Hopefully I'll see you for dinner? Wear something to dance in. I'll pick you up around 8," he says cheerily (well, cheerily for Christian), heading for the door. He stops with the door open and turns back.
"Oh, and Katie?"
She perks and pulls her eyes away from mine. "Hm?"
His lids half-closed, his voice dripping sex, he says, "I know I said this before, but well done on the waxing. I wanted to thank you again for that. It is a lovely treat."
I hear the soft click of the door. Kate and I are alone once more.
Author's Afterword: Yes, I know, no orgasms this chapter! Well, it can't ALL be orgasms. We need to LEAD UP to SOMETHING! And... this nicely sets us up for later [evil smile]. I should have another chapter up within the week hopefully.
