THREE
Brenda didn't tell anyone about the "job" offer.
She couldn't if she wanted to, because she signed that N.D.A.
When Kristina asked her about it, she just lied, and said that she decided not to go.
She just wanted to pretend like it never happened and move on with her life.
It was easy, because he hadn't been in the restaurant in over a week.
Brenda still needed to solve her money issues, so she decided to pick up an extra day at the restaurant.
She was determined to get her own place, because she was sick of that motel.
One night after leaving work, she found herself googling what is a submissive and dominant relationship.
She clicked on the first link and started reading…..
Two weeks have passed and Brenda felt lonelier than ever.
She missed her old life.
She missed Sonny.
She had Kristina, but she had a new boyfriend, and he took up a lot of her time.
So, if she wasn't at work, it was just her and her thoughts.
Brenda decided to join a gym. She started working out everyday, something she never did.
She was being asked out all of the time but she didn't want to date anyone.
So, she turned down every man that tried to get close…
It had been a month since she had seen Mr. Grey.
Then one day she looked up and there he was, sitting at a table.
It wasn't in her section.
It was in one of her co-workers, Daniel's section.
He didn't even look at her.
He was doing what he normally did.
He was reading something.
She tried to just ignore him and concentrate on her customers, which she did, but she knew he was there.
It was crazy, because she could feel him.
He didn't come in until late and was one of the last to leave.
He was still there when her final customer left.
She closed out and was preparing to leave, but for some reason she walked over to his table and sat down.
He didn't look up. "Come to my house tonight."
He pulled out a card and slid it across the table.
She got up and left…
Brenda went home to shower and change.
She threw on a tank and a pair of jeans.
She had no idea what she was doing.
She needed to tell someone where she was going, so she picked up the phone, and called Kristina.
"Kristina, don't tell a soul ok?"
"Did he ask you out?"
"Sort of. Look, I'm just going to see what he is all about."
"You know he's gay. Maybe he just wants a friend? He seemed to like you. He was always requesting to sit in your section."
"Yeah, maybe so."
"Call me when you get back home."
"I will."
Brenda disconnected the call.
An hour later, she was pulling into the parking garage of his building.
He sent her a code to get in.
She was given another code to get into the building.
She was instructed to take the elevator all the way up to the top floor.
She stepped off the elevator and right into his penthouse.
She had been in a penthouse before but nothing like this.
It was sick.
Was she in the right one?
And then he appeared.
He was wearing a pair of jeans, t-shirt, and no shoes.
He looked amazing as usual.
"Welcome."
She looked around. "This is all yours?"
He nodded. "All mine."
"It's so nice."
"Thank you. You can come in."
She realized she was standing by the elevator.
She walked towards him, still looking around.
It looked like something out of a movie.
"Come on, I'll give you a tour."
She apologized, "I'm sorry, it's just really nice."
"Don't apologize. Come on."
He took her around the huge penthouse.
"How many square feet is this?"
"Around eight thousand."
"And you live here alone?"
"No, Taylor, my driver lives here, as well as Miss Jones, my housekeeper."
She nodded.
He ended up showing her the majority of the penthouse.
It was so beautiful.
It looked like a museum.
They settled in the entertainment room.
He asked if she wanted something to drink.
She declined.
He grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge, located behind the bar.
They sat down on the huge sectional.
He turned to her. "Miss Barrett-"
She interrupted. "Call me Brenda…please."
"Ok, I'm curious, why are you here?"
"Because you told me to come to your house."
He smiled. "Why did you come?"
"Curiosity I guess?"
"Brenda, I'm very straightforward. I don't believe in beating around the bush. I want you. I don't want to date you. I'm not going to send flowers and candy. I don't do that shit. I don't want to see where this is going to go."
"In other words, friends with benefits."
He replied. "We aren't friends yet."
"Yeah, we're not. I don't even know you, which is crazy, but I am sitting on your sofa."
"I'm not a murderer or rapist."
She watched him closely. "How do I know that?"
"You are alive."
She laughed.
He continued. "And I would prefer it if everything was consensual."
Her smile faded. "To be honest, I don't know what I am doing. I have never done anything like this."
"Come to a stranger's house?"
"Yeah, that too."
"Brenda, you haven't done anything yet."
"What will you do to me?"
"Anything that you are ok with."
She continued to question him. "It's not gross is it?"
"Define gross."
"Urination and-"
"No, I'm not into that. No blood either. If you decide to do this you would have a safety word. A word you use when you want to stop."
"Would I ever need to use that?"
"I guess if it's something you don't like."
She sighed and shook her head. "I can't believe I'm considering this."
"I want you to think long and hard about it. I don't want you to feel guilty or anything. I want you to know what you are doing and be ok with it. Maybe we should spend more time together, so we'll get comfortable with each other?"
"I thought you said you didn't date."
"We wouldn't be dating. We wouldn't be holding hands."
She laughed. "Someone must have really broken your heart."
He shook his head. "No. There has never been anyone."
"You just have arrangements?"
"Yes, and then we go our separate ways."
She was finding that hard to believe. "You've never fallen for anyone?"
"No. I'm not that type of guy."
"Would we still be able to see other people?"
"No. I believe in safety. We both would have to be tested because I don't like condoms. We would use them in the beginning, until we make sure we are fine."
"I have always used condoms."
"You have never gone without?"
She shook her head. "Never."
She thought about Stone.
She continued. "I just always wanted to be safe."
"I'm clean. I don't have anything. I haven't been with anyone in over six months."
"Longer for me. I…never mind."
"That's good. If you decide to do this, we will get tested as soon as possible. Brenda, if you decide you want to explore other sexual relationships, you would have to tell me before doing anything. Again, safety is everything."
She nodded. "I agree. What if we aren't sexually compatible?"
He smiled. "We'll make it work."
"How often would we do this? Would I be on call?"
He grinned. "No, just on the weekends. Starting Friday, ending Sunday."
"I work some weekends."
"You won't need to work if you decide to do this."
"No, I would still work."
"Brenda, I would want you to be available those days. You will not need that job anymore. Money would no longer be an issue."
"How much money are we talking about?"
"You would be comfortable. Extremely comfortable. I would also get you a new wardrobe, car, and a place to live. All of these things would be yours. Meaning they would be in your name. The car…house or condo…whatever."
"What if I did it long enough to get the car and house and quit?"
"Stipulations are in place. You wouldn't be able to do that. After a certain amount of time, as agreed upon by the both of us, you would be able to keep those items. If I decide to end it, they are yours, it doesn't matter how much time has passed."
She took a deep breath and blew it out. "I didn't think you even noticed me at the casting call."
"I noticed you. It's hard not to. You are beautiful, Brenda. I'm sure you know that."
"You are handsome, Mr. Grey, I'm sure you know that."
He smiled and shrugged. "Can you get off this weekend? I want to take you away, so that we can get to know each other. I guess to see how we interact. You can tell your friends you are going with me, I don't care. I'm not trying to kidnap you. I have a company to get back to."
She laughed. "This is so crazy."
"Nope, not at all."
"I can't believe I'm considering this. But...you know what? OK."
His eyes lit up.
She held up her hand. "Hold up, I haven't decided yet on the main thing…just the away part."
"I know what you meant…"
Brenda had no problem finding people to work her shifts.
They were happy to help, because she had stepped in to help so many of them in the past.
She met him at the airport on Friday and they boarded his private jet to New Orleans.
She had never been to New Orleans before.
She was thinking they were going to New York or something, but he had other plans.
He said he liked New Orleans.
The music was great and the food was better.
Brenda couldn't believe she was going away with this man she hardly knew.
She had never done anything like this.
Apparently he had, he was so relaxed.
She was a little uptight.
He must have sensed it. "Relax, Brenda. It will be fine."
"I'm fine."
"No, you're not."
She smiled. "Ok, I'm not. I'm nervous."
"Don't be. I'm not going to touch you."
Brenda and Christian were not alone on the plane.
Taylor was also there.
Brenda learned that in addition to being his driver, Taylor was his security among other things.
She wondered why he needed security?
She also wondered how much he was worth?
Between the penthouse and this plane, he had to be swimming in cash….
They made it to New Orleans a few hours later and went straight to the hotel.
They had to hurry and get dressed, because they had dinner reservations.
They were staying at a five star hotel, which didn't surprise her.
They were staying in the Presidential suite.
Taylor was staying next door.
The room they were staying in had two bedrooms.
As soon as they arrived, she went into her room and got settled.
She then showered and got dressed.
She decided on a soft makeup look, nothing too heavy.
She put on a simple black short dress, sheer black hosiery, black heels, and loosely curled her hair.
She decided to pull it up, because it looked more sophisticated.
She finished it off with a pair of diamond studded earrings.
She was pleased when she looked in the mirror.
As soon as she finished there was a knock at the door.
She opened it.
Christian eyes roamed over her. "You look nice."
He actually thought she looked more than nice.
She looked stunning.
She smiled. "Thanks. I don't think I have ever seen you look bad. I'm ready, GQ."
He laughed.
He could tell she was starting to relax around him.
He had been to the restaurant, where she worked, enough times to see how she interacted with her customers and coworkers, he pretty much knew she was a chill person.
He never would have thought a woman this beautiful could have an even better personality.
When he saw her walk through those doors at that casting call, he knew he wanted her.
It was the reason he left so quickly.
He followed her.
He pretended to be reading something on his phone but he was trying to figure out what to say to her.
He decided to just get her information from the casting call and find out more about her.
Taylor found out she worked at one of the restaurants he used to frequent, so he started dining there again.
After observing and listening to her interactions, he knew he found his next submissive.
He just had to convince her of that…..
They went to one of the best restaurants in the country, not just New Orleans.
He said it was really hard to get that reservation.
She believed him.
It was a really nice restaurant.
She asked him to order for her.
He chose perfectly the last time and he didn't disappoint this time either.
They are eating.
She looked across the table at him. "How old are you?"
"I'm twenty six."
"You look younger but act older. You don't act like you are in your mid twenties."
"I get that a lot."
She laughed. "I'm told I act younger."
"Do you?"
She couldn't lie. "If I have to be honest, yes. I can really be bratty at times. I'm working on it though. You seem so together."
"I'm not together. I have my own shit. I love control too much."
She nodded. "That's apparent."
"Not just sexually."
"That's crazy, because I don't like to be told what to do. Do you still want me?"
He glared at her. "Yes."
The look in his eyes made her feel uncomfortable and not in a bad way.
He was extremely sexy.
She looked down at her plate, hoping she wasn't blushing.
She looked back up and those gray eyes were still watching her.
She decided to keep the conversation going. "I bet you were a star student in high school."
He shook his head. "Nope, actually it was the opposite. I got into a lot of trouble."
"What changed?"
"I learned discipline."
She reflected on her own high school experience. "I was not the ideal student either. I never went to college or anything."
"You just wanted to model?"
"Not really, it happened by chance."
"I'm not shocked. You really should go to New York, you could make it in the beauty industry."
"Maybe in the future?"
"You don't have to move there. You should just start going to castings."
"Yeah, maybe."
Brenda looked around the restaurant.
There were so many couples there.
She instantly thought about Sonny and how romantic it would have been if he was there with her, but he was married, and she was here with a man who wanted to dominate her.
She giggled.
Christian questioned her. "What is so funny?"
She shook her head. "Nothing."
After dinner he took her to a jazz club.
They had drinks, listened to a live band, and continued to get to know each other better.
She learned that he was adopted and so were his other siblings.
He was close to his family.
He learned about her family too.
She wasn't close to any of them.
Her mother was crazy and her sister hated her because of how she was conceived.
Her mother was the other woman.
He didn't say a word, he just listened….
It was late when they got back to the hotel.
Brenda was a little nervous because she had a little too much to drink.
What if he tried something?
To be honest, she probably wouldn't have stopped him.
It had been a long time since she'd been with a man, but he didn't try anything.
They made it back to their hotel room, said their goodnights, and retired into their own rooms.
She didn't see him until the next morning when he woke her up to go work out.
The hotel had a gym and they were the only three people using it.
That third person was Taylor.
They worked out hard.
Brenda tried to keep up, but after an hour she threw in the towel and decided to just watch them for the last hour.
After working out they showered and he ordered breakfast.
After breakfast, they got dressed and he took her out to see New Orleans.
The more time they spent together, the more she learned about him.
He cursed a lot but he was really smart.
He was well versed in a lot of things, but he wasn't a show off.
And she really liked him.
He was easy to be around.
They were walking past a fortune teller shop, when she talked him into going in.
Well, she grabbed his hand and pulled him inside.
It was her first time touching him.
He didn't really believe in it, but if she wanted to do it, he could sit through it.
The shop looked really spooky and cluttered.
The psychic kept flipping over cards and asking them questions.
She said that they both need to let go of their pasts. She also said that something really beautiful will develop out of something casual.
She also asked if they were married.
Brenda looked at him and laughed. "No."
The psychic did not laugh.
It started to feel weird, so they got out of there.
They spent the day just walking the streets, enjoying the music, and hitting up various bars, as well as any other shops that interested them.
Brenda was really having a good time.
He really knew how to have fun.
They even danced in the street a few times.
A good time was had.
It's later on that night, they have just returned from dinner and strolling through Bourbon Street.
She was really tired.
As soon as they returned, she went straight to her room.
It's later and she has showered and is in bed.
She had to make a decision, was she really going to do this?
Was she really considering taking money for sex?
Would she feel dirty afterwards?
Would she hate herself?
She was not going to hate herself last night, when she was willing to do it for free.
He was probably terrible in bed.
He probably had a small penis and couldn't last more than a couple of minutes.
She giggled.
He was so hot though.
So hot she would probably have an orgasm just looking at him.
At that moment, for some reason she started thinking about Sonny.
She wondered what he would think if he knew what she was considering.
He would probably call her a whore.
He had before.
But who cares what he thought?
He was married and she was sure he had no problem sleeping with frog faced Lily.
She was going to do it.
If she hated it she would just never do it again….