Reese sat uncomfortably at her desk, her knees pressed tightly together, her mind spinning with a relentless, chaotic energy. She couldn't shake the feeling of vulnerability, of having been exposed in a way she hadn't anticipated. The encounter with Christian Grey had left her raw, unsettled, and simmering with a mix of anger and an undeniable, troubling desire. She had let him get under her skin, and worse, she couldn't deny the part of her that found his attention... appealing. The way he looked at her, the intensity in his gaze—it was intoxicating. But she wasn't about to let herself be drawn into his web. She wasn't going to submit, to become just another conquest.

Her body seemed to meld into the shape of her chair as she focused on finalizing the last details for the auction. The list in front of her had grown steadily, and with Mrs. Lincoln's unexpected, generous contribution, they now had a total of 17 items up for auction. Not bad, she thought, her fingers moving mechanically over the keyboard. At least that was something in her control.

Knock! Knock!

"Come in," Reese called out, her voice steadying, masking the inner turmoil.

Naomi stepped into the room, her presence a burst of familiar energy. She slid into the chair across from Reese, crossing her legs casually. "Hey, how did the showing go?" Naomi asked, leaning forward with interest. "Potential buyer maybe?"

Reese turned in her chair to face her friend, trying to shake off the remnants of her earlier thoughts. "It wasn't really a showing," she replied, forcing a casual tone. "Mr. Grey wanted me to meet someone... an Elena something... Lincoln, yeah, that's it. She donated a trip to the auction."

Naomi's brow furrowed, her curiosity piqued. "Elena Lincoln?" she repeated, her voice rising slightly. "Why does that name sound familiar?"

"Uh, maybe because I just said it," Reese chuckled, trying to keep the conversation light, though her stomach tightened.

"No, no," Naomi insisted, shaking her head. "I'm pretty sure that's the same woman who broke up the Grey's marriage. Scott told me—"

"He didn't cheat on his wife," Reese interrupted sharply, her voice firm, almost too firm. She felt the need to defend Christian, even though she wasn't entirely sure why. "I asked him."

Naomi raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest. "And you really think he would tell you the truth?" she challenged.

Reese hesitated, feeling a flicker of doubt. "I mean, why would he need to lie to me?" she said, her voice softening. "I'm just his broker."

"I don't know," Naomi replied, leaning back in her chair. "Maybe so you wouldn't look at him any differently."

Reese forced a laugh, though it sounded hollow even to her own ears. "I'm looking at him like he's a million-dollar commission," she quipped, trying to mask her uncertainty.

Naomi chuckled, though she kept her eyes fixed on Reese. "True," she agreed, "but I'm just saying, no one likes to think of a confident, successful, incredibly sexy—"

"Ahem," Reese cleared her throat, cutting her off, her cheeks flushing slightly.

"Sorry," Naomi said, snapping back to reality with a grin. "Anyway, no one likes thinking of a person like that as a cheater."

Reese's mind whirled, caught between her friend's words and her own conflicting feelings. "Well, did Scott actually get confirmation that there was infidelity?" she pressed, needing to know more.

"Basically... I mean, he mentioned something about photos," Naomi said, shaking her head. "That's all I would need to hear."

"But Scott never actually said he cheated, right?" Reese countered, clinging to that slim possibility. "I mean, all Christian said was that there were unrealistic expectations that led to the divorce."

Naomi scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Unrealistic expectations," she repeated mockingly. "Yeah, because he probably thought he could cheat on his wife and she would just forgive him with no consequences."

Reese felt her irritation flare. "He didn't cheat, okay?" she snapped, a bit more forcefully than she intended. She was trying to convince herself as much as she was Naomi. Christian had told her about his connection with Elena. It was a strange, uncomfortable relationship, one she didn't fully understand. But from the way Elena had looked at him, the way she spoke about him, it was clear she still harbored feelings. Could it have been more than just a friendship? Was there something more that Christian hadn't told her?

"Calm down, sheesh," Naomi frowned, holding up her hands defensively. "What's with you?"

Reese sighed, feeling the weight of her frustration. "Nothing," she muttered, rubbing her temples. "I'm just stressed about the event Friday night. Sorry."

Naomi's expression softened. "Well, I already have the caterer in place and the live band," she said, standing up and walking over to the window. "Is there anything else we need?"

Reese glanced at the checklist on her desk, her mind racing. "I don't think so," she replied slowly. "You did call the staging company to clear all the furniture out Thursday night, right?"

"Yes," Naomi replied, turning back with a smile. "Only for the first floor, right?"

"Yes," Reese nodded, returning the smile, though it felt strained.

"Okay, so everything is done. Why are you stressing?" Naomi asked, tilting her head.

Reese hesitated. "Because I have yet to find something to wear," she mumbled, a faint blush creeping up her neck.

"Wear that black-strappy dress you have," Naomi suggested, her tone light. "It's nice enough."

Reese shrugged. "Yeah... maybe," she said noncommittally, her thoughts drifting back to Christian, to the way he had looked at her, the way he touched her and completely awaken everything in her body.

Naomi grinned. "I'm thinking about going for a 'bad romance' type outfit," she announced confidently.

Reese raised an eyebrow. "You know this isn't a costume party, right?"

Naomi laughed, a carefree sound that lightened the tension in the room. "That's the same face Scott made when I mentioned it," she said.

Reese couldn't help but chuckle. "Well, that's because it sounds insane," she teased. "If we were doing this event for Halloween, I would say go for it, but because this is just an extension of our workplace... I'd probably opt for something a little more professional."

Naomi sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly. "Yeah, you're right," she admitted, emitting a soft laugh. "It was worth a try. Well, anyway, I'll let you get back to work," she said, heading towards the door.

Reese watched her go, turning back towards her computer as the door clicked shut behind Naomi. She stared at the screen, the list of auction items blurring before her eyes. She tried to focus, to push thoughts of Christian and all the tangled emotions he stirred in her aside. But it was no use. She hated how easily he had gotten under her skin, how he had made her question herself, her desires. How he knew excalty how to make her body ache and now the sound of her moans. She was usually so composed, so in control. But around him, she felt like she was losing her grip, like the ground beneath her was shifting.

Reese sighed, closing her eyes for a moment. She needed to focus, to get her head back in the game. She had worked too hard to let someone like Christian Grey throw her off course. She opened her eyes, her gaze sharpening as she looked at the screen. There was work to be done, and she was damn well going to do it. She had an auction to pull off, and she was going to make sure it was perfect. No distractions, no doubts. She would deal with Christian and all the complications he brought later. Right now, she had a job to do. And she was going to do it with the same determination and focus that had gotten her this far.

Reese took a deep breath, her fingers poised over the keyboard. She could do this. She had to.