Because i made you guys go back and read all the chapters again, and i felt bad about that... I am have a bonus chapter for you guys today... This is a good one, light and funny... I hope you all enjoy it. Please review!
Christian was in his office again, the man never had a moment where he didn't need to work. Sure he made crazy money, but was it all worth it. Here is was ten thirty on a Sunday morning and he was in the midst of a crisis with Taiwan. I could here him on the line with someone named Roz hashing out the details. I felt so lazy, lingering in his kitchen, sipping my tea talking to Gail about recipes and our favorite brand of soy milk.
She was surprised that I was so knowledgeable about cookery in general but I had learned out of necessity. My mother could barely open a can, and I was always a picky eater. If I wanted something I would have to figure out how to make it. After school I would go to the library and spend an hour pouring over cookbooks, making photo copies of recipes. I have them all to this day. It's one of the things I would grab if there was a fire.
I could see Gail's relaxed demeanor change when Christian walked into the room. It was a visible shift, she stopped being a new friend to me and turned back into his faithful employee. For a moment I wondered if she had ever been in that room with him. She was pretty and slender, sweet. I shook my head foolishly at the idea, when did I get so jealous?
I felt his hand on the small of my back as he pressed his lips to my forehead. It was a moment I was not expecting, just as he passed me on the way to the fridge. Like he missed me and needed to touch me before he could do anything else. It sent a pang right to my heart, I fell for him just a little bit more in the quick second.
"Gail, you and Taylor can have the rest of the day off. Sawyer will be driving us today. Ana and I already have dinner plans." She smiled and blushed.
"Thank you Mr. Grey." She wiped off the counter and folded the towel before she left the kitchen. Telling me to have a wonderful day.
"That was very nice of you Mr. Grey."
"Well I am in a very good mood this morning and Gail and Taylor don't get to spend enough time alone." Shock spread though out my body as a smile spread across my face.
"Wait a minute, Taylor and Gail are a couple?" Well that was a piece of news right there.
"For a while now." He took a sip from his bottle and this held it out to me. I scrunched up my nose and he shrugged and took another sip.
"And you allow that?"
"Ana, they are both adults, young, attractive. They work impossible hours for an impossible employer. They are both great at their jobs. They deserve a little distraction. So yes I "allow" it. What do you think I am some kind of control freak?" He was teasing me now, a cocky smile on his face.
"Aren't you?" He thought about it for a moment and opened his mouth to respond when our banter was interrupted by a very loud gregarious voice booming from the living room, calling Christian's name.
"Elliot…Come." Christian grabbed my hand pulling me off the stool into the living room. Elliot and Kate were standing there beaming at one another, her body wrapped around his. She wiggled out of his grasp when she saw me and we embraced, like I haven't seen her in a year.
"Ana! How are you feeling?" She rubbed my shoulders and shot Christian a dirty look.
"Better this morning, Chris over here took very good care of me." Elliot laughed when I called him Chris and Kate smirked knowing he had lied to me about his identity.
"Chris huh?" She crossed her arms against her chest and retreated back to Elliot's side.
"Its nice to see you again Kate, and you too Elliott. Are we ready to go, I made a reservation at Belvita." Kate's eyes grew wide, I knew she had been wanting to go there for brunch for a while. Just getting on the waiting list for a reservation was a year long battle.
"How did you manage that one on such short notice Grey?"
"Wait! Let me guess." I loudly interrupted. "You own the place?" Elliot laughed again, as Christian nodded.
"This one is a firecracker "Chris", and yes he does own it and I built it." Kate turned her head, and just stared at Elliott's profile, gazing in wonderment. She was struck and dazzled, these Grey men had that way.
"I don't own it Elliott, I am an investor. Anyway lets go I am starving." There was something in the way he said it and the look in his eye that made me swoon, just a little bit. I watched him get my coat, his body moving across the room so easily, with such grace and purpose. He was quickly back at my side easing my coat over my shoulders, and then turning me around to button me up. He pulled at my collar and brought my lips to his, just a soft chaste kiss before we made it out the door.
"Jesus "Chris" you got it bad." Elliott teased following us out the door.
"Says the man with a bossy blonde attached to his hip." Christian said under his breath and I couldn't help but laugh.
"Hey watch it Grey!"
"So Ana, tell me how you managed to snag my brother? Many have tried and failed. Up until two days ago I thought he was gay." We sat in the huge rounded booth, while I ate amazing eggs Benedict and a fresh peach belini, Christian's arm loosely tossed around my shoulder, his fingers twirling the ends of my hair. He huffed at Elliott's question and took a long sip from his bloody Mary.
"Well… I ehhh…I don't know… I guess you would have to ask him… Christian tell your brother how little old me managed to snag the likes of big old gay you?" I couldn't contain my sarcasm, nor could Christian contain his delight with my dig at his brothers question. In that moment we were unified in this together. He and I against the world.
"Simple really, Ana is a very convincing transvestite."
He said it deadpan, with out even the hit of a smile on his face until Elliot started to choke on his bloody Mary and Kate and I began to hysterically laugh. She patted him on the back as he tried to recover and breathe easily before he finally conceded.
"Fine, if you don't want to tell me then just say so. I for one am grateful because I got to meet this one over here." He bent his head down and kissed her, really kissed her like they were alone. Not in the middle of a crowded restaurant in broad day light. Christian cleared his throat and the parted, finally. Kate was flushed and speechless, a new combo for her.
"So what do you think mom and dad have to tell us at casa Grey tonight?" Elliott shoveled in a huge bite of his hash and eggs, and then a huge bite of toast He was like an anaconda, with a retractable jaw.
"I really have no clue, they are being cryptic. Mia is coming no?" Mia who was Mia? It dawned on me how little I really knew about this man who knew me so intimately. I could sense he was feeling uncomfortable even discussing his family. I wondered if was in general or in front of me.
"Yeah, she is just as clueless are we are. Well if it all goes to hell Kate, you can distract me from the family drama."
"That I can do." Kate cooed and it dawned on me that Elliott had invited her to dinner tonight to meet his family. It dawned on Christian too, as he removed his arm from its perch on my shoulder and waved the waitress over. An awkward silence tinged the air and suddenly my appetite was gone.
"What can I get for you Mr. Grey?" She was batting her eyelashes and bending over to expose her Grand Canyon of fake cleavage.
"Yes, another round for me and Elliot do you want another bloody Mary?" He nodded yes "Another bloody Mary, and a Mimosa for Kate."
"And you miss?" She looked at me, with this sung look on her face.
"I think one is enough…Don't you Ana?" I nodded unable to speak, feeling a bit like a scolded child. I was feeling out of sorts now, first that Elliott seemed to be more invested in Kate, then Christian was in me simply by inviting her to meet his family after knowing one another for a day and a half. And then this drink ordering thing, I could see the look on Kate's face when answered for me, my cheeks were burning with embarrassment.
"Excuse me I need to go to the ladies room." Christian looked down at me for a moment, realizing that I was upset and trying to hide it.
"Ana…" His voice was low, his brow furrowed.
"You know… that one drink…" I pushed into him with my hip and he finally began to slide over, releasing me from my booth prison.
"You know what Elliott, I have to go too…" She slid out of his grip and was standing next to me in an instant as I made my way to the bathroom quickly.
"Hey hold up a minute. Ana… What's wrong?" I pushed the bathroom door open and leaned against the sink.
"Nothing I just needed a second."
"Ana, you are crying. You are not a crier. What did he do? Did I miss something?" She scooted next to me sitting on the counter top, putting her arm over my shoulder.
"I had sex with him, like many many times." Her eyes widened in complete and utter shock.
"You didn't! Holy shit! I mean you couldn't go the simple route could you, no you had to pick Mr. Megalomaniac to fall in love with." My jaw dropped, I was not in love with him. She was crazy.
"I am not in love with him Kate."
"Yeah you are, you have it bad and so does he. You would not have slept with him otherwise."
She was right, I would never have had sex with him if there weren't feeling there, but was it love. Real love. I was not sure. Love was this abstract concept, something I wasn't even sure existed.
"So I don't understand why the sudden turn around?"
"Well he just makes me feel so stupid some times, I never can get my footing. I mean he didn't tell me who he was right away. I thought he was just Chris… just some guy. Then I come to find out he is Christian Grey!"
"I get it though, It must be hard finding someone who likes you for you. Elliott said that he has never gone after a girl. He was at the club the other night looking for you."
"See now how did he even know I was there in the first place." Her eyes widened, in question. The investigator in her trying to put the pieces together.
"That is a very good question Steele…. But that still does not explain the freak out today…I mean you were all lovey dovey and then bam!"
"He didn't ask me to his parent tonight. Elliott asked you right?"
"Yeah he asked me this morning. But that doesn't mean anything Ana, Elliott and Christian are very very different men."
"They're brothers how different could they be."
"Ana, they are both adopted. So they are not related by blood." Well holy shit, another bomb dropped. There was so much I didn't know, it was like a blaring neon sight. He was adopted, he couldn't be touched, he didn't do relationships… All these red flags and question marks. I had fallen down the Christian Grey rabbit hole and I hadn't even hit the ground yet.
"See this is what I mean I know nothing about him."
"Look I only know because I interviewed the man and spent weeks researching…It's not like Elliott told me his life story in the last twenty four hours."
"But he likes you enough for you to meet his mother, I mean that stands for something." She smiled, wistfully.
"I like him too. I just can't explain how I feel. Its so strange, the moment he touched me on that dance floor."
"You were done I get it… Blood related or not, these Grey men…"
"Have a certain something…Look, he likes you a lot, Elliott even thinks so. Maybe he would have invited you maybe not, but that does not change the fact that he can't take his hands or eyes off of you."
"I know, this is all just so out of my depth."
"It is, you skipped the kiddie pool and jumped right into the deep end… the one full of sharks…"
"Sink or swim…" I wiped at my eyes and turned to look at my self in the mirror. I looked different, deflowered, wearing clothes that I didn't buy for myself. They probably cost more then the entirety of my wardrobe at home. I was at one of the most exclusive places in all of Seattle, I never felt so out of place and out of sorts in all of my life. I finger combed my hair, I quickly braided it. Knowing that's how he liked it, wanting to catch him off guard. I smiled at my little dig and took a deep breath.
"Come on lets get back…
"Everything ok ladies?" Elliott asked with real concern, wrapping his arm around Kate the moment she sat down. Christian slid off the booth, his jaw tight as I slid in not allowing my face to give anything away. I pick up my drink and took the last sip.
"Everything is fine." I smiled at him broadly and went back to my food trying to act as normal as possible. "So Elliott, you really designed this place?" I looked around the huge space, its high curved ceilings covered in what looked like metal, reflecting the light around the room from the huge windows and transoms. There was a large scale stained glass installation wall contrasted the old knotty pine floors and aged metal based tables. It had the detail of a craftsman, but with this really ultra modern aesthetic.
"Yeah, I did. It was a labor of love. I poured over every detail."
"You also went over budget." Christian said almost snidely, his mood had darkened while I was gone. Good so had mine.
"It was so worth it Christian… It's a magical space… Like Frank Lloyd Wright meets Frank Gehry."
"Exactly Ana! Thank you…See she gets it Christian."
"Well if you like this Ana, wait until you see our parents house tonight. Elliott here designed that too." Kate shot me a look, that was half a smile half something else. Sure he was asking me now, after the fact. Now that he was kind of forced into it, I am sure Elliott gave him an earful after we left the table, twisting his arm into bringing me.
"I don't know if I can tonight. I mean I haven't been home for days and I have work tomorrow." His face dropped, it went from cocky to sad in an instant.
"Oh, I see. Well that's fine, you wont be missing much. Just the usual Grey family drama. Right Elliott?" There was a silent pause, as Elliott looked at me and Kate and then Christian.
"Right brother."
We said our goodbyes to Kate and Elliott in the parking garage and Christian and I rode the elevator up in complete silence. I wanted to cry again, but I held back. I would not give him the satisfaction. I just stood there, knotting my fingers, biting my lip. Waiting for the elevator bell to ring. The doors finally opened and I made my way into his apartment, acutely aware that we were very much alone. The place felt different when Gail and Taylor were not there.
I went to the bedroom and started to collect my things, folding them up into one of the shopping bags. I mean it was time to go, I have long overstayed my welcome.
"Ana what are you doing?" He leaned against the door frame, glairing at me.
"Well I am getting my things ready, it's like three. I am sure you have a lot to do before your parents. And I don't have my car here so I need Sawyer to take me home."
"Look I understand if you don't want to meet my family, but you don't have to leave. I wont be gone long."
"I never said I didn't want to meet your family."
"I asked you to come and you said no."
"That's because you were forced into it because Elliott asked Kate."
"That is ridiculous. I told you we had plans tonight…"
"No you didn't."
"Yes I did, I gave Gail the night off because we had dinner plans."
"You never told me those plans included your family…"
"Well I was going to but I didn't want to scare you off, then Elliott has to open his big mouth."
"Well wait then you wanted me to come."
"Yes of course I want you to come as in present tense. And for the record, I don't bring anyone to meet my family, it had never happened so yes this is potentially a big deal."
"Oh, I see."
"Oh, I see… that's all I get? Wait is this why you were upset at brunch because you thought I didn't want you there?"
"Maybe…"
"You are without a doubt the most exasperating women… Ana, how more clear can I be… I…like…you… A LOT! I want to be with you… Now can we please put this insecurity to rest. It is really exhausting."
"Condescending much…" He took two steps towards me, so we were only a few inches apart.
"Look I have work to do, do you want to come and meet my parents or not? Because I am not going to ask you again." I crossed my arms and took a step back, I couldn't hold my own when he was so close.
"You really haven't asked me yet… I mean you alluded, you said I would like the house, you have shamed… But an Ana dear would you please do me the honor of accompanying me to my parents home…. That hasn't happened yet." He gritted his teeth and shook his head before he smiled and scooped me up into his arms.
"Ana my darling dear would you please do me the immense honor of accompanying me to my parents over decorated, over designed home for an over priced meal and the Grey family banter?" I laughed at the inflection in his voice, the look in his eye.
"Sure, sounds like fun." He kissed me, a quick powerful closed mouthed kiss before he released me.
"I have had contract negations that have been less stressful. Why don't to go get ready, there is a dress hanging in my closet for you. I had Taylor pick it up this morning. I have some work to do. I will collect you at five." And just like that I was dismissed again.
