Chapter Two: I want something just like this.
APOV
Ana scowled at her reflection in the mirror. Her damn hair wouldn't behave. Tossing her brush across the sink, she exhaled in defeat. She had no choice but to wrap her hair in a ponytail and hope she looked sophisticated enough.
Today was the day she would finally meet the Most Handsome Man Alive.
Her roommate Katherine Kavanagh had been set to interview him for the school newspaper when she came down with the flu. Ana couldn't believe her luck. Her inner goddess was more than thrilled to seize the chance to become Kate's replacement.
She'd become obsessed with Christian Grey for months since she'd learned about the interview. Kate was going to make a great journalist one day. She was clever, articulate, and quite persuasive. But above all, she was her dearest friend.
"Just press record and take notes. I'll transcribe it all," Kate said, handing over the tape recorder.
Ana tried to suppress her panic. "What if-what if something goes wrong?"
She envisioned her hand shaking and her brain freezing, unable to take a single note.
Kate rolled her eyes. "You better take a chill pill."
Ana practically ran to the medicine cabinet.
"What are you doing?" Kate demanded. "You cannot be late, Steele!"
"Looking for my valerian pills...they help me relax like nothing else."
Kate rolled her eyes. "Geez, I didn't mean it literarily!"
Ana's heart sank, certain that her precious valerian pills had been swallowed by the giant black hole in the universe responsible for doing away with her socks.
"Easy for you to say... how many days you've been in dreamland happily chugging that Nyquil bottle?"
Looking over her shoulder, she quickly spotted the medicine bottle resting beside Kate on the coffee table, a sly smile tugging at her lips.
Hey, I could use some of that.
Next thing, she was grabbing the bottle like a prized possession. She didn't even bother to read the dosage instructions. Filling the plastic cup to the brim, she swallowed the whole thing in one gulp.
"Ana Banana! What have you done?" Kate gasped. "You're gonna be out like a light!"
"Me?" Ana chuckled dismissively. "I'm too keyed up for that."
"Okay, Ms. Insomniac! You're gonna be late. Here, take my car... it's much faster than that thing you drive!" Kate said, dangling the keys.
Ana turned on her heels and caught the keys in midair.
"Good luck, and thank you, Ana!"
" You're welcome," Ana smiled a sly smile. In reality, it should be the other way around. She ought to thank Kate for the chance to meet her secret crush face-to-face.
The roads are clear as Ana sets off on the 140-mile drive.
Kate's sporty Mercedes CLK was fun and zippy, cutting her driving time in half. If only she could trade in her old VW Beetle for this beauty. Sadly, Wanda's trade value was very close to zero.
Relieved to arrive twenty-five minutes early, she parked across the intimidating twenty-story building encased by curved glass and steel.
Walking into the pristine lobby, Ana squared her shoulders and held her head high. No way was she letting grand displays of wealth make her feel small.
"I'm here to see Mr. Grey. I'm Anastasia Steele."
"Yes, you're here for Ms. Kavanaugh," the blonde behind the desk smiled pleasantly. She looked immaculate in a sharp, dark suit, making her feel like Trader Joe's dupe of her favorite Brazilian Bum Bum cream.
Under her long gaze, Ana wished the formal blazer Kate owned was expensive and more stylish. Suddenly, she felt less confident in her favorite skirt and Steve Madden platform heels, which she picked up heavingly discounted at T.J. Maxx.
The receptionist asked her to sign the security log and glanced at her ID. Lastly, she handed her a visitor pass.
The elevator took her to the twentieth floor, where another blonde receptionist directed her to a waiting area with white leather seats.
"Mr. Grey will see you now, Ms. Steele," the blonde said pleasantly, "no need to knock... he's waiting for you," she added when Ana hesitated at the door.
Ana pushed the door open to find herself staring into Christian dark gray eyes, regarding her shrewdly and falling in love with his unruly copper-colored hair.
He towered over her when he stood to shake her hand in his handsome dark grey suit, white shirt, black tie, and dark jeans.
Holy cow, he's actually more stunning in person!
"Miss Kavanaugh, I'm Christian Grey."
An exhilarating shiver ran through her spine as he held her hand for what seemed a bit longer than convention dictated, threatening to leave her forever mute.
"Ah...I'm Anastasia Steele. I'm Kate Kavanaugh's friend. We go to school together at WSU. She's the real journalist."
He cocked his head and prompted her to continue with a nod.
"I'm majoring in education. I hope to be a school teacher one day. Most people are surprised when I tell them."
He arched a brow as if trying to decide what to make of her.
"Please have a seat," he said, motioning to the chair across from his.
Watching him pause before returning to his desk, Ana had the distinct impression she was witnessing a rare moment in the life of a man not used to taking detours.
"They say teaching is a very noble profession indeed."
Aside from being an ego booster, his comment was perfectly designed to get her talking.
"Ever since I can remember, I have enjoyed helping others discover the joy of reading beyond the simple act of deciphering words on a page. I like to take young minds to the next level. My dream is to educate as many lifelong readers as possible, to teach them to grasp what books are qualified to give. Books are so much more than depositories of events and ideas."
He cocked his head to one side, regarding her intently. "I couldn't agree more, Ms. Steele. "The books of Shakespeare are meaningless to the untrained mind."
Feeling a flush to her cheeks, Ana busied herself with retrieving her notebook and tape recorder from her hobo bag.
"I'm assuming Ms. Kavanaugh had some kind of emergency and sent you in her place?"
She looked up briefly.
"Um...yes. I hope she explained what the interview was for..."
Next, she set up the digital recorder on his desk, all fingers and thumbs, dropping it twice. She blinked twice, trying to chase away the sluggishness threatening to overcome her. What the heck is wrong with her?
After what seemed like an eternity, she finally got the thing ready.
Stealing a glance, she realized he'd been watching patiently the entire time, rubbing his chin and suppressing a smile.
"Do you mind if I record you now?"
"After taking so much trouble to set up the recorder, you ask me now?" he asked, amusement etched across his face.
Holy crap, she cursed her Nyquil decision as her eyelids started to grow heavy and her vision blurring.
I can beat this.
Forcing her eyes wide open, she focused on her surroundings.
Apart from the breathtaking paintings on the walls, the rest of the office was cold, clean, and clinical. She wondered how much of the man's personality was reflected in the decor.
"I don't mind you recording," he said after a long silence, and she immediately pushed play.
"This interview will appear in the graduation issue of the student newspaper, correct?"
She blinked again. How clever of him; making sure he got to ask the first question. Who was interviewing whom here?
"Yes," she mumbled. He looked so young, much younger than in those Fortune magazine photographs. She had always assumed he was well into his thirties. But, seeing him face to face, there was no way.
She looked down at her list of questions.
"You are much too young to have amassed such a great empire. To what do you attribute your success?"
"My grandfather taught me investment strategies at a very young age, which is often a matter of being in the right place at the right time. And I suppose I'm a natural visionary, seeing opportunities when others see none. As it turned out, my involvement in Tesla Motors was the best decision I've ever made."
Ana nodded. "I haven't had the privilege to drive a Tesla," she smiled. "However, I must say, they seem to be quite temperamental."
Christian Grey narrowed his gaze. "And what do you mean by that?"
"Mechanical problems," she replied casually, as though there was more to the story, but she was holding back.
He glared at her, and she gave him a half-apologetic shrug.
She blurted out the next question before his glare set her on fire.
"You were adopted. How much do you think that shaped the way you are?"
His glare softened into a mild form of disdain. "I have no way of knowing."
"Do you have any memories of your life before you were adopted?" Ana asked. According to her research, he was only four years old.
That question wasn't in her notes, but she was curious.
"A few."
His curt answer made it clear he wasn't willing to elaborate. So, naturally, she consulted Kate's list.
"Have you had to sacrifice family life for your work?"
"I have a family. A brother, a sister, and two parents. I'm not interested in extending my family beyond that."
"I'm sure that will change soon," she blurted out before she had the chance to censor her words.
His icy glare returned. "Is that a question, Ms. Steele?"
"Hmm...I understand you recently became engaged to Leila Williams...so the natural thing would be for there to be children... sometime in the future."
"A bit of a fortune teller, aren't you?"
"Ah...well, children are a natural consequence...I mean, most married couples reproduce at one time or another," she blabbered, cringing at her choice of words.
He smirked. She was becoming flustered, and he was enjoying it.
Oh, boy. Ana looked down at the list of questions to hide the blush on her cheeks.
"I'm not like most people, Ms. Steele. I'm very singular and driven. I like to remain in control of myself and those around me. Children don't fit into this equation; they're an unpredictable variable," he paused and stared as if appraising her, "besides, those who me well say I don't have a heart."
"And why would they say that?"
"Because they know me well."
Her inner goddess glowed so bright, that she could light up Portland (she had a secret weakness for bad boys.)
She cleared her throat and forced herself to move on.
"Are you looking forward to leaving behind your life as Seattle's greatest womanizer?"
The cold gleam in his eyes made her feel uncomfortable. Damnit! She should have applied a filter before reading the question out loud.
"I apologize," she replied, holding up her notepad.
"These aren't your own questions?
"Er. No, Miss Kavanagh... she supplied the questions."
He cocked his head. "Aren't you colleagues on the student paper?"
"Oh, no, I have nothing to do with the student paper. Kate is my friend, and she happens to be sick today."
"Did you volunteer to do this interview?"
His eyes burnt into hers.
"I was drafted," she lied. In truth, as soon she had learned of Kate's illness, she'd prayed for the chance to do the interview. It had taken self-restraint to downplay her eagerness and wait for Kate to ask her. But of course, she couldn't exactly tell him that...
"Well, that explains a great deal."
His eyes twinkled, hesitant, proving, and yet irrationally captivating, drawing her into a slow dance.
A knock at the door, and the magic suddenly disappeared.
"Mr. Grey, forgive me for interrupting, but your next meeting is in two minutes."
Ana started gathering her things.
"We're not finished here, Andrea," Christian said, his attention shifting to Ana. "Please stay here, I'll be right back."
Andrea hesitated, dumbfounded.
"In the meantime, you can offer Ms. Steele refreshments," he prompted her.
Andrea looked embarrassed.
"Of course, Mr. Grey." She then turned to Ana with a practiced smile. "We have tea, coffee, soda?"
"Tea would be perfect, thanks."
Ana couldn't help but stare at Christian as he exited the room; those jeans looked phenomenal. Wow.
Damnit, he was taken. But there was no harm in looking, was there?
Hers was a harmless crush that wasn't hurting anyone, she decided, as she tucked her belongings away in her handbag.
Andrea came shortly after with the tea wordlessly before exiting. Ana took a sip before her eyelids grew heavy once again.
"Now, where were we?" He said when he returned.
His tone alarmed her enough to snap her eyes wide open.
"Miss Steele?"
What happened?
?
Somehow, she'd fallen asleep on the chair, and now her body lay slumped to one side of his desk.
"Are you okay?" Christian asked concern etched across his face.
The next time she opened her eyes, the change in her surroundings jolted her awake.
How on earth did she get from the chair to this comfy leather couch?
"Ms. Steele? How are you feeling?"
"I...I'm okay," she replied, sitting up a little.
""You are quite the heavy sleeper, aren't you?" He regarded her intently. "I was about to call my doctor..."
"Oh, no. I'm fine, really," she said as if passing out in a stranger's office was nothing out of the ordinary, "how long was I out?"
He shrugged one shoulder. "Hard to say."
Damn, Kate and her NyQuil!
"You're back..I...I thought you had a meeting?"
"It was a short meeting," he said in a tone that suggested that was perhaps a small lie.
His brow furrowed, and she watched the wheels in his head turning. "I think I'll have my doc check you over...just in case."
"No, see..." she paused, taking a deep breath, "I... took a heavy dose of NyQuil before coming here," she chuckled.
Being able to laugh at oneself is a sign of confidence and strength.
"Oh, " he said, moving away from her. "I didn't realize you've brought a virus into my office."
Germaphobe!
"I'm not sick! I just," she chuckled nervously. What could she say that would make her sound like a sensible human being?
His phone rang, and he ignored it, seemingly waiting for her answer.
"Look, I was a bit nervous before this interview...and I thought perhaps a little NyQuil would settle my nerves."
He shook his head as if to say "How foolish," and answered the call on the next ring.
Judging by the tone, it was a business call. Ana didn't pay any attention to the conversation; instead, she allowed herself to study him at leisure.
At one point, he returned to his desk to take some notes. Then, ending the call when she least expected it, he turned and caught her staring at his tight behind.
Ana's cheeks turned all shades of pink.
"I guess I better get going," she said stupidly, as though this was a social call.
"Wait...did I answer all your questions?"
"Yes, I think so," she lied. She needed to get out of this office before she made a fool out of herself once again. She'd truly underestimated the power of cold medicines. On the other hand, she might have just found the cure for her bouts of insomnia.
I still need to tell you about our internship program."
She stood up too fast and stumbled. For a fraction of a second, she worried about where to grab Christian Grey to keep from falling.
Then her boobs hit the wall of his muscled chest. Instinctively, she snatched a handful of his suitcoat ( which, by the way, looked stunning with his jeans). He smoothly caught her upper arms and steadied her against the length of his body.
She stopped breathing. No man should be allowed to be this good-looking.
Their faces were just inches away. Electricity ran through like a runaway train. She stared at his lips. He stared at hers...
Oh, I want something just like this
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo, doo, doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Oh, I want something just like this
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo, doo, doo-doo
And then, feeling his lips graze hers, she inadvertently moaned.
He inhaled sharply in response, his libido responding to her body tightly pressed against his.
WOW.
And then, suddenly, something shifted in his gaze, like a hot air balloon slowly deflating.
Where'd you wanna go?
How much you wanna risk?
I'm not looking for somebody in a fairy tale bliss...
Carefully easing her away from his body, he smiled faintly, holding her at arm's length.
Her inner goddess looks like someone snatched her ice cream.
"You better hold on to my arm," he offered when she attempted to walk away. "For your safety. I wouldn't want you to fall."
How tempting, Ana thought. She would love nothing better than to walk alongside him, his hip brushing against hers as they walked, his scent invading all her senses.
Oh, God. She was in big trouble now.
What had just happened between her and Christian Grey felt so unreal. As though she was the protagonist of a classic romantic novel. Amazingly, their little interaction ticked all the right boxes. Handsome Billionaire takes an unusual interest in a plain-looking girl of modest means, Check. Damsel in distress ( courtesy of Nyquil), makes a fool of herself, check.
Feverishly high Sexual chemistry, check.
Check, check!
Every decent Rom-Com out there has an emotional roadblock thrown in for kicks, like the one starring an idealist pro-bono lawyer paired with a charming/ greedy billionaire who needs to learn a lesson... or two.
Except this wasn't your ordinary Romcom. No. Even though there was a roadblock all right. Unfortunately, it came in the form of another woman.
Fuck!
What on earth had made her indulge in her so-called harmless fantasies about a man promised to another?
Oh, the irony. After a lifetime of condemning Carla for her behavior, she was about to become a junior version of Carla, Montesano's very own professional home wrecker.
It was hard growing up knowing her mother had settled for a life as the other woman. And so, she swore she'd never end up like her, bitterly alone, after spending eight long years dedicated to her lover and nothing to show for it. The best way to ensure she did not repeat the same mistake was to avoid giving up the goodies until she got a ring on her finger.
She gathered herself with a sudden spring, leaping toward the door.
"Wait," he said, an edge to his tone. "Would you like me to show you around?"
"I'm sure you're far too busy, Mr. Grey, and I have a long drive."
"You're driving back to Vancouver?"
He looked out the window, and she followed his gaze. It has begun to rain.
"Well, you should drive carefully," he added, a mix between apprehension and authority.
Christian Grey was concerned for her welfare. Not bad for a supposedly heartless man.
"Of course," she replied, rechecking her bag, making sure she hadn't forgotten anything. Shoot! she sighed, realizing she hadn't taken a single note. Although, right now, that should be the least of her worries.
"On second thought, I don't believe you're in any condition to drive, Ms. Steele."
A/N:
I'm back from a much-needed vacation. I have great plans for this story, so thanks for sticking with me.
If this chapter seemed familiar, it's because it closely followed Chapter One of the trilogy. Stay tuned. Things will start moving in a different direction in the coming chapters.