A/N: I knew you guys were gonna like that last chapter! :) Something tells me you're going to enjoy this one too…

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter 14: The Spark

Holy fuck.

There really wasn't much else Ana could think to herself apart from those two words:

Holy fuck.

What the hell had just happened?

Ana eventually was able to collect herself enough to gather up her things and leave the office, though she still felt like she was in a daze. She noticed a few people heading down the hallway toward the elevators, and she idly wondered if any of them happened to be walking by her office window only a few minutes ago. She couldn't bring herself to care about that too much, however, as she was too distracted by the tumult that Christian had created in her mind.

I can't believe he fucking kissed me.

Ana's lips still tingled slightly at the memory, and her skin flushed as she thought about the way Christian had threaded his fingers in her hair and pressed his lips to hers like a man starved. The way he nipped her lower lip before growling deep in his chest, as if he couldn't contain his desire for her for another moment…

Ana felt her heart flip in her chest, though she couldn't help but frown in frustration. Why was Christian doing this to her? She had told him she was attracted to a guy who was strong, confident, and vulnerable, and then he kissed her as if he could be all that for her and more. Was he being serious, or was he just trying to mess with her again?

The man teased and mocked her on a daily basis, and he had even gone out on a date with Kate Kavanaugh just to mess with her. Surely, he wasn't above such petty mind games.

Ana walked outside and hailed a taxi to take her home, and the tumult in her mind seemed to only get worse the further she got away from the office. She was so distracted by her thoughts that she was halfway home before she remembered she was meant to be meeting Boyd in a couple hours for their date.

I can't go out with him now.

She tried to dismiss that thought, however. Of course she could go out with Boyd tonight: they had a date planned, and it's not like she had planned to kiss Christian in their office a half-hour ago. She could go about her night as if it had never happened…

As if Christian hadn't just blown her mind with the best kiss she'd ever had in her life.

Ana closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the taxi headrest, fighting back a groan of frustration. She didn't know what the hell she was going to do.

~/~

As soon as Ana walked inside her apartment, she poured herself a glass of white wine and downed half of it in one gulp. She then refilled her glass before pacing the length of her living room, thinking about what she was going to do.

If she were honest with herself, she didn't want to go out with Boyd tonight – she was hesitant about going on this date even before Christian kissed her, but now she was absolutely dreading it. How could she face Boyd after what had happened? She didn't really want to cancel either, though, since she felt like doing that was just allowing Christian to get in her head… which was undoubtedly the reason why he had kissed her in the first place.

Ana felt herself get more and more frustrated as she continued to pace around her apartment, thinking, and she took another large gulp of wine. Damn Christian – damn him and his stupid, mind-scrambling kiss that had melted her brain and was ruining her dating life.

Ana's phone now buzzed in her hand, and she looked down to see her screen light up with a text:

Boyd: Hey! We still on for drinks tonight? :)

Ana's heart caught in her throat, and a feeling of guilt burned inside her chest as she stared down at his text. Boyd really was a nice guy, and the last thing she wanted to do was disappoint him, but going out with him tonight just wasn't in the cards for her. Not when her mind and emotions were still on Christian and their kiss.

She hesitated only a moment before texting him back:

Ana: Im sorry, but I dont think so. Im gonna have to cancel

Boyd: Oh no thats too bad :( Rain check?

Ana: Youre a nice guy Boyd, and ive really liked getting to know you over the past few days, but right now just isnt a good time for me. Im sorry.

Boyd: Wow. Im sorry too. Ive really liked talking with you Ana, and I'd hoped something could happen between us. If you dont feel the same way though, I understand.

Ana: I appreciate it. Maybe I'll see you around?

Boyd: I hope so. If there's ever another speed dating event nearby that youre going to, let me know :)

Ana: Will do :)

Ana let out a shaky sigh as she slipped her phone in her back pocket; she walked over to her kitchen island, set down her wine glass, and propped her elbows on the counter, burying her face in her hands with a groan. How could she feel both relieved and pissed off at the same time? While she was thankful she wouldn't have to deal with Boyd anymore, now she was all alone in her apartment with nobody to keep her company except her bitter feelings and a few bottles of wine.

Ana picked up her wine glass and gulped down the rest of her wine, finishing it up with a smack of her lips. The sweet, delicious flavor was only accentuated by the fuzzy feeling starting to creep around the edges of her brain.

One more glass wouldn't hurt…

Ana picked up the bottle and poured a decent amount into her glass – she couldn't help but giggle when she finished off the bottle and her glass was over three-quarters of the way full. She made sure every last drop was drained out before setting the empty bottle down; she took a long sip, her mood improving more and more as the alcohol began to flow through her system.

While drinking alone in her apartment wasn't exactly how she had planned to spend her evening, this seemed to be the appropriate thing to do. Her dating life was in shambles, her confused feelings about her coworker made her scatterbrained… and, truthfully, she was still a little turned on by that kiss Christian planted on her earlier.

Damn Christian Grey. Everything wrong in my life right now is his fault, she couldn't help but think spitefully, taking another sip of her wine.

A part of her was still in shock over what he had done – that he had kissed her so thoroughly and then walked away without a second glance. What the hell was he even playing at? Ana pulled out her phone, debating with herself as to whether or not she should call him, demanding an answer, but then realized belatedly that she didn't even have his phone number.

She had his work email, though. And in his email signature he had his work and cell phone numbers…

No, calling him was a bad idea. She had already had at least two glasses of wine on an empty stomach, and she was feeling emotional – drunk dialing in her current state was undeniably a bad idea. But it seemed wrong that Christian could rattle her this much without being aware of what he had done to her.

Maybe I can just text him?

Yeah, that seemed like a better plan. Resolved, Ana opened up her email on her phone, found Christian's number in his signature, and shot him a text:

Ana: You must be feeling pretty good right now.

Smirking down at her phone, she placed it beside her on the couch before reaching for her glass of wine again. She had barely taken a sip before her screen lit up with an incoming text.

Christian: Ana?

Ana: What gave me away? Of course its me.

Christian: So your date's not going so well, huh?

Ana scowled down at her phone before angrily typing back:

Ana: I didn't go on my date, jackass.

There was about a thirty second pause before he responded:

Christian: You didn't?

Ana: No i canceled on him. Which im sure was your plan all along, jerk.

Christian: There was no plan Ana, but I never wanted to upset you. Are you at home right now?

Ana: Well im certainly not on my date, thanks to u

Ana waited for Christian's response, but it never came. With an annoyed huff, she tossed her phone on the couch cushion beside her before picking up her wineglass and taking another sip. It felt good, having given Christian a piece of her mind, so now she could go on with her night without thinking of him again.

Ana turned on her TV and flipped through the channels before she landed on a movie that was playing: Pride & Prejudice starring Keira Knightley and Matthew McFadyen. This had always been one of her favorites, and she hadn't seen it in a long time, so she settled into her couch to watch. She couldn't help but grin at the scene where Elizabeth Bennet took Mr. Darcy to task about his opinions regarding what he deemed to be 'an accomplished woman'.

You tell that jerk, Lizzie.

She was sitting and watching the movie for about an hour before she heard a knock on her door.

Ana frowned, figuring it was probably Joanie coming by to hang out. As much as she loved her friend, it really wouldn't be responsible of her to be wine drunk around an underage girl. "Joanie, is that you?" she shouted from the couch. "Sorry, I can't really hang out tonight."

"It's not Joanie," a distinctly male voice spoke up from behind the door.

Ana froze, immediately recognizing that voice. "Christian?" she asked, feeling her heart thumping in her chest.

"Yeah, it's me," he responded.

Ana slowly stood up and walked over to the door, her fuzzy brain trying to process the fact that Christian was actually here. She stopped in front of her door, though she didn't open it: "How did you get in the building? I didn't buzz you in."

"I assumed you wouldn't, so I buzzed Joanie's apartment," Christian explained. "I figured she remembered me from the last time I was here, and so she let me up. Can you open the door please?"

Ana grimaced, unsure of how she felt about Christian using her neighbor to essentially sneak his way into her apartment building. However, there really wasn't anything she could do about it now. She finally opened the door, seeing Christian standing on her threshold: he had changed out of his work clothes, opting instead for a long-sleeve neavy blue tee with dark wash jeans and trainers. He looked annoyingly handsome in casual-wear, and Ana couldn't help but glower at him.

"What do you want?" she asked petulantly.

Christian gave her a small smile before holding up a takeout bag she hadn't noticed was in his hand. "I wanted to apologize for ruining your date," he said sincerely. "And give you a peace offering."

Ana looked at the bag, noticing from the logo on the side that it was from the cafe next door. Her stomach involuntarily grumbled with hunger, and she wordlessly took the bag from him and walked into her kitchen, opening it. Christian followed her inside, closing the door behind him.

"Chicken salad on a croissant," Ana noted as she looked into the bag's contents, and she glanced back up at Christian. "That's my favorite. Thank you."

Christian shrugged. "I've noticed you usually have grilled chicken for lunch, so I figured you'd also like chicken salad."

Ana felt her heart do a little flip: she hadn't realized Christian noticed those little details about her, and after what happened earlier at the office, she wasn't quite sure what that meant. "So you just decided to swing by my place tonight to apologize and give me food?"

Christian frowned as he gazed at her. "Pretty much. I feel bad about ruining your night, Ana. I obviously upset you, and that wasn't my intention at all."

Ana crossed her arms, looking away. "So then why did you decide to plant one on me when you knew that I had a date with someone else tonight?" she asked, her heart pounding in her throat.

Christian didn't respond right away, and Ana glanced back up at him. He looked agitated as he ran a hand through his hair. "…I wasn't trying to mess with you, if that's what you're thinking," he eventually said. "I don't know why I kissed you."

Ana stared at him, her anger rising. "Seriously? You don't know why you kissed me at our office, where anybody could have seen us, right before I was supposed to leave on a date with someone else?"

Christian looked at her, about a million different emotions crossing over his face as he clearly tried to grapple with the consequences of his actions. "I really am sorry Ana," he said sincerely. "Maybe you and Boyd can still go out tonight? I promise I won't interfere this time."

Ana sighed, uncrossing her arms as a heavy pit seemed to settle in her stomach. "No, it's okay – I never actually wanted to go out with Boyd. I told him I was sorry, but I wasn't ready to go out with anyone at the moment. He was nice about it, at least."

Christian blinked, looking momentarily shocked by her admission. "So, you're not going to see him again? But I thought you liked him."

"He was nice enough, I s'pose, but I didn't think…" she hesitated before shooting Christian a look. "…I didn't think there was a spark. Okay?"

Christian stared at her for a moment before a small smile broke out across his handsome face, and he took a step closer to her. "So, you're not actually upset at me for ruining your date. You're upset that I gave you a spark?"

Ana shot him a glare, her heart pounding angrily in her chest. Why did this asshole have to be right all the time? "Why is it so wrong to you that I'm trying to put myself out there?" she bit out angrily. "That I'm trying to meet a nice guy who won't lie to me about wanting kids, like Jose did? Are you just trying to prove a point, or is this some sort of weird male pissing contest you're looking to have with Boyd? Well, congratulations – you got your way! Boyd's out of the picture. Now can you please just leave me alone and stop messing with my life?"

Ana felt tears fill her eyes during her outburst, and she quickly turned away, moving toward the living room so her back was to Christian. Her throat felt locked up, and she tried to swallow down her emotions as she took a shaky breath.

Christian didn't respond with words, but she heard him approach her. He placed his hand on her arm and turned her around so she faced him, and in a moment he pulled her into his arms. Ana wasn't sure how to respond, but after a few seconds she tentatively hugged him back. She didn't know why he was doing this, but she couldn't bring herself to worry about it as she pressed her face against his chest, feeling the softness of his shirt and inhaling the woodsy scent of his cologne.

God, he smells good.

"Ana, I promise you I'm not trying to mess with your life," he said, his face pressed against the side of her hair. "If anything, you're messing with mine. Since the day that I met you, I haven't been able to get you out of my head, and I can't seem to think straight. My whole world spins and tilts off its axis… and I don't know if I ever want it to go back again." He let out a small chuckle. "It's kind of annoying, to be honest."

Ana felt her heart practically stop in her chest at his admission, and she pulled away slightly so she could look up into his eyes. "What are you saying?" she asked quietly, though a part of her knew exactly what he was saying.

Christian smiled down at her, lifting a hand up to gently tuck a piece of hair behind her ear. "I'm saying that I kissed you tonight because I wanted to, Ana. I always want to kiss you."

Ana's breath hitched, and she tried to ignore the way her heart pounded even harder against her ribcage. "You were jealous?" she asked quietly, almost disbelieving.

"Yes," Christian said without hesitation. "It was driving me insane, knowing that you were going on a date with someone else. I tried to control myself, I really did, but I just couldn't let you leave without showing you what I could offer you instead." He grimaced, looking upset. "I honestly thought you were still going on your date with Boyd tonight, but when you texted and said that you canceled on him, I couldn't get here fast enough."

Ana didn't say anything to that, though the tumult in her mind was at an all-time high. She never wanted Boyd – she knew that from the beginning. But Christian? Could it really have been him all along? The man was so confusing to her: he enjoyed mocking her on a daily basis, but he was also too handsome for his own good. How could something ever work between the two of them?

But she thought about his kiss, and his romantic words to her which made her heart feel like it was enveloped in warm light. There were definitely sparks between them, no doubt about that.

Christian looked into Ana's eyes, as if trying to assess her feelings. "Ana? What are you thinking?"

Ana realized belatedly that Christian was still holding her, and his hands had slid down to her hips as if they always belonged there. "I'm thinking that I want you to kiss me again," she said quietly, staring up into his eyes so he could see her sincerity.

Christian stared down at her for a moment, as if absorbing her words, before a small smile broke out across his face. He leaned forward so the tip of his nose brushed up against hers, and his warm breath fluttered across her skin. "You really want me to kiss you?" he breathed against her, causing Ana to shiver and close her eyes. "…Are you sure?"

He skated his lips across her cheek before brushing them against her lips, light as a feather. "Ana?" he whispered.

He was teasing her, Ana knew, and she had no patience for that. Not when she was so desperate to alleviate these feelings he was arousing in her. In a moment, she had surged forward and pressed her lips to his, practically attacking him with a kiss like how he had done to her earlier.

That'll show him.

Christian didn't seem to mind her attack, however, and he kissed her back with equal fervor. He pulled her body tightly to his, melding them together, and Ana instinctively slid her arms up to wrap around his neck, holding him tight. They were pressed so closely together it was like they were trying to become one person; Ana felt like she was in heaven for the second time tonight, getting lost in a myriad of sensations she never knew existed from a mere kiss. Christian's lips expertly moved against hers, nipping at her lips as if she were the most delicious thing in the world. Ana moaned as his tongue entered her mouth, and she opened her own mouth against his, wishing more than anything she could stay in this state of euphoria forever…

However, just as she thought that, Christian pulled away. She whimpered in protest. "Ana," he breathed, pressing his forehead against hers and letting out a haggard breath. "How much have you had to drink tonight?"

His question felt like a bucket of cold water on Ana's libido. "Not much," she insisted, ignoring Christian's obvious skepticism. "Like, two glasses of wine…"

Christian sighed, and Ana could tell the moment was over between them. He pulled away from her slightly. "I'm not going to take advantage of you if you've been drinking," he said firmly.

"You're not taking advantage of me," Ana insisted, still holding him tightly around the neck. "I promise, Christian. I know exactly what I'm doing."

Christian didn't listen, however, as he gently pulled her arms off his neck and pressed a kiss to her forehead, clearly trying to take the sting out of his rejection. "I'm sorry, Ana. As much as I want to stay here with you, it wouldn't be right. I should go."

Ana felt utterly dejected by his words, and she frowned. "Do you have to?" she asked. Even she could hear the pout in her voice, and Christian smiled down at her.

"I think it would be best," he said, a noticeable tone of regret in his voice. "Be sure to eat the sandwich I brought you, and drink plenty of water. I don't want you to have a hangover tomorrow morning."

Ana huffed. "Don't tell me what to do," she said petulantly. Christian chuckled.

"Fine, ignore me," he smirked, taking her hand and squeezing it gently before turning to leave. "I'll see you tomorrow, Ana."

Ana blinked as she watched him walk over to her door and open it to leave. "No you won't," she pointed out. "We're working from home tomorrow, remember?"

Christian glanced over his shoulder at her. "I know," he grinned. Before Ana could respond, he walked out of her apartment and closed the door behind him with a snap.

A/N: Ooh things are starting to heat up! ;) Finally, I know lol.

Please review! Next chapter, it's a work-from-home day for Ana and Christian.