panting, wanting. He grabs my hips, pushing me against the wall again, and kisses me at

the apex of my thighs. Grabbing my upper thighs, he forces my legs apart. I groan loudly,

feeling his tongue circling my clitoris. Oh my.Tipping my head back involuntarily, I moan

as my fingers find their way into this hair.

His tongue is relentless, strong and insistent, laving me – swirling round and round,

again and again – non-stop. It’s exquisite, the intensity of feeling – it’s almost painful. My

body starts to quicken, and he releases me. What? No!My breathing is ragged as I pant,

gazing at him with delicious anticipation. He grabs my face with both hands, holding me

firmly, and he kisses me hard, thrusting his tongue into my mouth so I can taste my arousal.

Unzipping his fly, he frees himself, grabs the backs of my thighs, and lifts me.

“Wrap your legs around me, baby,” he commands, his voice urgent, strained.

I do as I’m told and wrap my arms around his neck, and he moves quickly and sharply,

filling me. Ah!He gasps, and I groan. Holding my behind, his fingers digging into my soft

flesh, he begins to move, slowly at first – a steady even tempo… but as his control unravels,

he speeds up… faster, and faster. Ahhh!I tip my head back and concentrate on the invad-

ing, punishing, heavenly sensation… pushing me, pushing me… onward, higher, up… and

when I can take no more, I explode around him, spiraling into an intense, all-consuming

orgasm. He lets go with a deep growl, and he buries his head in my neck as he buries him-

self inside me, groaning loudly and incoherently as he finds his release.

His breathing is erratic, but he kisses me tenderly, not moving, still inside me, and I

blink, unseeing into his eyes. As he comes into focus, he gently pulls out of me, holding

me steady while I place my feet on the floor. The bathroom is now cloudy with steam…

and hot. I feel overdressed.

“You seem pleased to see me,” I murmur with a shy smile.

His lips quirk up.

“Yes, Miss Steele, I think my pleasure is pretty self-evident. Come – let me get you

in the shower.”

He undoes the next three buttons of his shirt, removes the cufflinks, tugs it over his

head, and discards it on the floor. Removing his suit pants and boxer briefs, he kicks them

to one side. He begins to undo the buttons on my blouse while I watch him, yearning to

reach out and stroke his chest, but I contain myself.

“How was your journey?” he asks mildly. He seems so much calmer now, his appre-

hension gone, dissolved by sexual congress.

“Fine, thank you,” I murmur, still breathless. “Thanks once again for first class. It

really is a much nicer way to travel.” I smile shyly at him. “I have some news,” I add

nervously.

“Oh?” he looks down at me as he undoes the last button, slips my blouse down my

arms, and throws it on top of his discarded clothes.

“I have a job.”

He stills, then smiles at me, his eyes warm and soft.

“Congratulations, Miss Steele. Now will you tell me where?” he teases.

“You don’t know?”

He shakes his head, frowning slightly.

“Why would I know?”

“With your stalking capabilities, I thought you might have… ” I trail off as his face

falls.“Anastasia, I wouldn’t dream of interfering in your career, unless you ask me to, of

course.” He looks wounded.

“So you have no idea which company?”

“No. I know there are four publishing companies in Seattle – so I am assuming it’s one

of them.”

“SIP”

“Oh, the small one, good. Well done.” He leans forward and kisses my forehead.

“Clever girl. When do you start?”

“Monday.”

“That soon, eh? I’d better take advantage of you while I still can. Turn round.”

I am thrown by his casual command, but do as I’m bid, and he undoes my bra and

unzips my skirt. He pushes my skirt down, cupping my behind as he does, and kissing my

shoulder. He leans against, me and his nose nuzzles my hair, inhaling deeply. He squeezes

my buttocks.

“You intoxicate me, Miss Steele, and you calm me. Such a heady combination.” He

kisses my hair. Grabbing my hand, he tugs me into the shower.

“Ow,” I squeal. The water is practically scalding. Christian grins down at me as the

water cascades over him.

“It’s only a little hot water.”

And actually he’s right. It feels heavenly, washing off the sticky Georgia morning and

the stickiness from our lovemaking.

“Turn round,” he orders, and I comply, turning to face the wall. “I want to wash you,”

he murmurs and reaches for the body wash. He squirts a little into his hand.

“I have something else to tell you,” I murmur as his hands start on my shoulders.

“Oh, yes?” he asks mildly.

I steel myself with a deep breath.

“My friend José’s photography show is opening Thursday in Portland.”

He stills, his hands hovering over my breasts. I have emphasized the word ‘friend.’

“Yes, what about it?” he asks sternly.

“I said I would go. Do you want to come with me?”

After what feels like a monumental amount of time, he slowly starts washing me again.

“What time?”

“The opening is at 7:30 p.m.”

He kisses my ear.

“Okay.”

Inside my subconscious relaxes and then collapses, slumped into an old battered arm-

chair.“Were you nervous about asking me?”

“Yes. How can you tell?”

“Anastasia, your whole body’s just relaxed,” he says dryly.

“Well, you just seem to be um… on the jealous side.”

“Yes, I am,” he says darkly. “And you’d do well to remember that. But thank you for

asking. We’ll take Charlie Tango.”

Oh, the helicopter of course, silly me. More flying… cool! I grin.

“Can I wash you?” I ask.

“I don’t think so,” he murmurs, and he kisses me gently on my neck to take the sting

out of his refusal. I pout at the wall as he caresses my back with soap.

“Will you ever let me touch you?” I ask boldly.

He stills again, his hand on my behind.

“Put your hands on the wall Anastasia. I’m going to take you again,” he murmurs in

my ear as he grabs my hips, and I know that the discussion is over.

Later we are seated at the breakfast bar, dressed in bathrobes, having consumed Mrs.

Jones’s rather excellent pasta alle vongole.

“More wine?” Christian asks, gray eyes glowing.

“A small glass, please.” The Sancerre is crisp and delicious. Christian pours one for me

and one for himself.

“How’s the um… situation that bought you to Seattle?” I ask tentatively.

He frowns.

“Out of hand,” he murmurs bitterly. “But nothing for you to worry about, Anastasia. I

have plans for you this evening.”

“Oh?”

“Yes. I want you ready and waiting in my playroom in fifteen minutes.” He stands

and gazes down at me.

“You can get ready in your room. Incidentally, the walk-in closet is now full of clothes

for you. I don’t want any arguments about them.” He narrows his eyes, daring me to say

something. When I don’t, he stalks off to his study.

Me! Argue?With you, Fifty Shades? It’s more than my backside’s worth. I sit on

the bar stool, momentarily stupefied, trying to assimilate this morsel of information. He’s

bought me clothes. I roll my eyes in an exaggerated fashion knowing full well he can’t see

me. Car, phone, computer… clothes, it’ll be a damn condo next, and then I really will be

his mistress.

Ho!My subconscious has her snarky face on. I ignore her and make my way upstairs

toward myroom so, it is still mine… why? I thought he’d agreed to let me sleep with him.

I suppose he’s not used to sharing his personal space, but then, neither am I. I console my-