Christian Grey

CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings Inc.

I roll my eyes at his bossiness, but his last line makes me smile. I head for the bathroom,

wondering if Elliot made it back last night and trying hard to rein in my nerves.

I can drive the Audi in high-heels! At 12:55 p.m. precisely, I pull into the garage at

Escala and park in bay five. How many bays does he own? The Audi SUV is there, the

R8, and two smaller Audi SUVs… hmm.I check my seldom-worn mascara in the light up

vanity mirror on my sunshield. Didn’t have one of these in the Beetle.

Go girl!My inner goddess has her pom poms in hand - she’s in cheerleading mode.

In the infinity mirrors of the elevator, I check out my plum dress, well – Kate’s plum dress.

The last time I wore this, he wanted to peel it off me. My body clenches at the thought.

Oh my, the feeling is just exquisite, and I catch my breath. I’m wearing the underwear that

Taylor bought for me. I flush at the thought of his buzz-cut roaming the aisles of Agent

Provocateur or wherever he bought it. The doors open, and I’m facing the foyer of apart-

ment number one.

Taylor stands at the double doors as I step out of the elevator.

“Good afternoon, Miss Steele,” he says.

“Oh please call me, Ana.”

“Ana,” he smiles.

“Mr. Grey is expecting you.”

I bet he is.

Christian is seated on his living room couch reading the Sunday papers. He glances up

as Taylor directs me into the living area. The room is exactly as I remember it – it’s been

a whole week since I’ve been here – but it feels so much longer. Christian looks cool and

calm – actually, he looks heavenly. He’s in a loose white linen shirt and jeans, no shoes or

socks. His hair is tousled and unkempt, and his gray eyes twinkle wickedly at me. He is

jaw-droppingly handsome. He rises and strolls towards me, an amused appraising smile

on his beautiful sculptured lips.

I stand immobilized at the entrance of the room, paralyzed by his beauty and the sweet

anticipation of what’s to come. The familiar charge between us is there, sparking slowly

in my belly, drawing me to him.

“Hmm… that dress,” he murmurs approvingly as he gazes down at me. “Welcome

back, Miss Steele,” he whispers, and clasping my chin, he leans down and proffers a gentle

light kiss on my lips. The touch of his lips to mine reverberates throughout my body. My

breath hitches.

“Hi,” I whisper as I flush.

“You’re on time. I like punctual. Come.” He takes my hand and leads me to the

couch. “I wanted to show you something,” he says as we sit. He hands me the Seattle

Times. On page eight, there’s a photograph of the two of us together at the graduation

ceremony. Holy crap.I’m in the paper. I check the caption.

Christian Grey and friend at the graduation ceremony at WSU Vancouver.

I laugh.

“So I’m your ‘friend’ now.”

“So it would appear. And it’s in the newspaper, so it must be true.” He smirks.

Sitting beside me, his whole body is turned toward me, one of his legs tucked under the

other. Reaching over, he tucks my hair behind my ear with his long index finger. My body

comes alive at his touch, waiting and needful.

“So, Anastasia, you have a much better idea of what I’m about since you were last

here.”

“Yes.” Where’s he going with this?

“And yet you’ve returned.”

I nod shyly, and his gray eyes blaze. He shakes his head slightly as if he’s struggling

with the idea.

“Have you eaten?” he asks out of the blue.

Shit.

“No.”

“Are you hungry?” He’s really trying not to look annoyed.

“Not for food,” I whisper, and his nostrils flare slightly in reaction.

He leans forward and whispers in my ear.

“You are as eager as ever, Miss Steele, and just to let you into a little secret, so am I.

But Dr. Greene is due here shortly.” He sits up. “I wish you’d eat,” he scolds me mildly.

My heated blood cools. Holy cow – the doctor. I’d forgotten.

“What can you tell me about Dr. Greene?” I ask to distract us both.

“She’s the best Ob/Gyn in Seattle. What more can I say?” He shrugs.

“I thought I was seeing your doctor, and don’t tell me you’re really a woman, because

I won’t believe you.”

He gives me a don’t-be-ridiculous look.

“I think it’s more appropriate that you see a specialist. Don’t you?” he says mildly.

I nod. Holy Moses, if she’s the best Ob/Gyn, he’s scheduled her to see me on a Sunday

– at lunchtime! I cannot begin to imagine how much that costs. Christian frowns suddenly

as if recalling something unpleasant.

“Anastasia, my mother would like you to come to dinner this evening. I believe Elliot

is asking Kate too. I don’t know how you feel about that. It will be odd for me to introduce

you to my family.”

Odd? Why?

“Are you ashamed of me?” I can’t keep the wounded hurt out of my voice.

“Of course not.” He rolls his eyes at me.

“Why is it odd?”

“Because I’ve never done it before.”

“Why are you allowed to roll your eyes, and I’m not?”

He blinks at me.

“I wasn’t aware that I was.”

“Neither am I usually,” I snap at him.

Christian glares at me, speechless. Taylor appears at the doorway.

“Dr. Greene is here, Sir.”

“Show her up to Miss Steele’s room.”

Miss Steele’s room!

“Ready for some contraception?” he asks as he stands and holds out his hand to me.

“You’re not going to come as well are you?” I gasp, shocked.

He laughs.

“I’d pay very good money to watch, believe me, Anastasia, but I don’t think the good

doctor would approve.”

I take his hand, and he pulls me up into his arms and kisses me deeply. I clutch on

to his arms, taken by surprise. His hand is in my hair holding my head, and he pulls me

against him, his forehead against mine.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” he whispers. “I can’t wait to get you naked.”

Dr. Greene is tall, blond, and immaculate, dressed in a royal blue suit. I’m reminded of the

women who work in Christian’s office. She’s like an identikit model – another Stepford

blonde. Her long hair is swept up in an elegant chignon. She must be in her early forties.

“Mr. Grey.” She shakes Christian’s outstretched hand.

“Thank you for coming at such short notice,” Christian says.

“Thank you for making it worth my while, Mr. Grey. Miss Steele.” She smiles, her

eyes cool and assessing.

We shake hands, and I know she’s one of those women who doesn’t tolerate fools

gladly. Like Kate. I like her immediately. She gives Christian a pointed stare, and after an

awkward beat, he takes his cue.

“I’ll be downstairs,” he mutters, and he leaves what will be my bedroom.

“Well Miss Steele. Mr. Grey is paying me a small fortune to attend to you. What can

I do for you?”

After a thorough examination and lengthy discussion, Dr. Greene and I decide on the mini

pill. She writes me a pre-paid prescription and instructs me to pick them up tomorrow. I

love her no-nonsense attitude – she has lectured me until she’s as blue as her dress about

taking it at the same time every day. And I can tell she’s burning with curiosity about my

so-called relationship with Mr. Grey. I don’t give her any details. Somehow I don’t think

she’d look so calm and collected if she’d seen his Red Room of Pain. I flush as we pass

its closed door and head back downstairs to the art gallery that is Christian’s living room.

Christian is reading, seated on his couch. A breathtaking aria is playing on the music