skirt; pale-gray silk shirt; and high-heeled black pumps, all care of my new wardrobe. I

brush my hair and carefully put it up, then wander out to the great room, not really knowing

what to expect. How am I going to get to work?

Christian is sipping coffee at the breakfast bar. Mrs. Jones is in the kitchen making

pancakes and bacon.

“You look lovely,” Christian murmurs. Wrapping an arm around me, he kisses me un-

der my ear. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Mrs. Jones’s smile. I flush.

“Good morning, Miss Steele,” she says as she places pancakes and bacon in front of

me. “Oh, thank you. Good morning,” I mumble. Jeez—I could get used to this.

“Mr. Grey says you’d like to take lunch with you to work. What would you like to eat?”

I glance at Christian, who is trying very hard not to smirk. I narrow my eyes at him.

“A sandwich . . . salad. I really don’t mind.” I beam at Mrs. Jones.

“I’ll rustle up a packed lunch for you, ma’am.”

“Please, Mrs. Jones, call me Ana.”

“Ana.” She smiles and turns to make me tea.

Wow . . . this is so cool.

I turn and cock my head at Christian, challenging him—go on, accuse me of flirting

with Mrs. Jones.

“I have to go, baby. Taylor will come back and drop you at work with Sawyer.”

“Only to the door.”

“Yes. Only to the door.” Christian rolls his eyes. “Be careful, though.”

I glance around and spy Taylor standing in the entranceway. Christian stands and kisses

me, grasping my chin.

“Laters, baby.”

“Have a good day at the office, dear,” I call after him. He turns and flashes me his beau-

tiful smile then he’s gone. Mrs. Jones hands me a cup of tea, and suddenly I feel awkward

with just the two of us here.

“How long have you worked for Christian?” I ask, thinking I ought to make some kind

of conversation.

“Four years or so,” she says pleasantly, as she sets about making my packed lunch.

“You know, I can do that,” I mutter, embarrassed that she should be doing this for me.

“You eat your breakfast, Ana. This is what I do. I enjoy it. It’s nice to look after some-

one other than Mr. Taylor and Mr. Grey.” She smiles very sweetly at me.

My cheeks pink with pleasure, and I want to bombard this woman with questions. She

must know so much about Fifty, and although her manner is warm and friendly, it’s also

very professional. I know I’ll only embarrass both of us if I start quizzing her, so I finish

my breakfast in a reasonably comfortable silence, punctuated only by her questions on my

food preferences for lunch.

Twenty-five minutes later Sawyer appears at the entrance to the great room. I have

brushed my teeth, and I’m waiting to go. Clutching my brown paper lunch bag—I can’t

even remember my mom doing this for me—Sawyer and I head to the first floor via the

elevator. He’s very taciturn, too, giving nothing away. Taylor is waiting in the Audi, and I

climb into the rear passenger seat when Sawyer opens the door.

“Good morning, Taylor,” I say brightly.

“Miss Steele.” He smiles.

“Taylor, I’m sorry about yesterday and my inappropriate remarks. I hope I didn’t get

you into trouble.”

Taylor frowns in bemusement at me from the rearview mirror as he pulls out into the

Seattle traffic.

“Miss Steele, I’m rarely in trouble,” he says reassuringly.

Oh good. Maybe Christian didn’t tell him off. Just me, then,I think sourly.

“I’m glad to hear it, Taylor.” I smile.

Jack gazes at me, assessing my appearance, as I make my way to my desk.

“Morning, Ana. Good weekend?”

“Yes, thanks. You?”

“It was good. Get settled in—I have work for you to do.”

I nod and sit down at my computer. It seems like years since I was at work. I switch

on my computer and fire up my e-mail program—and of course there’s an e-mail from

Christian.

From:Christian Grey

Subject:Boss

Date:June 13, 2011 08:24

To:Anastasia Steele

Good morning, Miss Steele

I just wanted to say thank you for a wonderful weekend in spite of all the drama.

I hope you never leave, ever.

And just to remind you that the news of SIP is embargoed for four weeks.

Delete this e-mail as soon as you’ve read it.

Yours

Christian Grey,

CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings Inc. & Your boss’s boss’s boss.

Hope I never leave? Does he want me to move in? Holy Moses . . . I barely know the man.

I press delete.

From:Anastasia Steele

Subject:Bossy

Date:June 13, 2011: 09:03

To:Christian Grey

Dear Mr. Grey

Are you asking me to move in with you? And of course, I remembered that the evidence

of your epic stalking capabilities is embargoed for another four weeks. Do I make a check

out to Coping Together and send to your dad? Please don’t delete this e-mail. Please

respond to it.

ILY xxx

Anastasia Steele

Assistant to Jack Hyde, Commissioning Editor, SIP

“Ana!” Jack makes me jump.

“Yes,” I flush, and Jack frowns at me.

“Everything okay?”

“Sure.” I scramble up and take my notebook into his office.

“Good. As you probably remember, I’m going to that Commissioning Fiction Sympo-

sium in New York on Thursday. I have tickets and reservations, but I’d like you to come

with me.”

“To New York?”

“Yes. We’ll need to go Wednesday and stay overnight. I think you’ll find it a very edu-

cational experience.” His eyes darken as he says this, but his smile is polite. “Would you

make the necessary travel arrangements? And book an additional room at the hotel where I

am staying? I think Sabrina, my previous PA, left all the details handy somewhere.”

“Okay.” I smile wanly at Jack.

Crap. I wander back to my desk. This is not going to go down well with Fifty—but the

fact is, I want to go. It sounds like a real opportunity, and I’m sure I can keep Jack at arm’s

length if that’s his ulterior motive. Back at my desk there’s a response from Christian.

From:Christian Grey

Subject:Me, Bossy?

Date:June 13, 2011 09:07

To:Anastasia Steele

Yes. Please.

Christian Grey,

CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings Inc.

Jeez . . . he does want me to move in. Oh, Christian—it’s too soon. I put my head in my

hands to try and recover my wits. This is all I need after my extraordinary weekend. I

haven’t had a moment to myself to think through and understand all that I have experienced

and discovered these last two days.

From:Anastasia Steele

Subject:Flynnisms

Date:June 13, 2011: 09:20

To:Christian Grey

Christian

What happened to walking before we run?

Can we talk about this tonight, please?

I’ve been asked to go to a conference in New York on Thursday.

It means an overnight stay on Wednesday.

Just thought you should know.

A x

Anastasia Steele

Assistant to Jack Hyde, Commissioning Editor, SIP

From:Christian Grey

Subject:WHAT?

Date:June 13, 2011 09:21

To:Anastasia Steele

Yes. Let’s talk this evening.