“Ah, Mr. Grey, your perpetually twitching palm. What are we going to do with that?”
I laugh. She’s funny.
My phone vibrates.
Shit. It’s Elena.
“What is it?”
“Christian. Hi. It’s me. I’m sorry to disturb you. I wanted to make sure you didn’t call your guy. That note was from Isaac.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Yes. This is so embarrassing. It was for a scene.”
“For a scene.”
“Yes. And he didn’t mean five thousand in cash.”
I laugh. “When did he tell you this?”
“This morning. I called him first thing. I told him I’d been to see you. Oh, Christian, I’m sorry.”
“No, don’t worry. You don’t have to apologize. I’m glad there’s a logical explanation. It did seem a ridiculously low amount of money.”
“I’m mortified.”
“I have no doubt you’ve something evil and creative planned for your revenge. Poor Isaac.”
“Actually, he’s furious with me. So I may have to make it up to him.”
“Good.”
“Anyway. Thank you for listening yesterday. Talk soon.”
“Good-bye.” I hang up and turn to Ana, who’s watching me.
“Who was that?” she asks.
“You really want to know?”
She shakes her head and stares out the window, the corners of her mouth turning down. “Hey.” I take her hand and kiss each knuckle, then take her little finger, slip it into my mouth, and suck it. Hard. Then bite down gently.
She wriggles beside me and gives a nervous look to Taylor and Sawyer in the front seat. I have her attention.
“Don’t sweat it, Anastasia. She’s in the past.” I plant a kiss in the center of her palm and release her hand. She opens the door and I watch her stride into SIP.
“Mr. Grey, I’d like to do a sweep of Miss Steele’s apartment if she’s returning there today,” Taylor says, and I agree it’s a good idea.
ANDREA GIVES ME A broad smile when I step out of the elevator at Grey House. A mousy-looking young woman stands beside her.
“Good morning, Mr. Grey. This is Sarah Hunter. She’ll be interning with us.”
Sarah looks me squarely in the eye and holds out her hand. “Good morning, Mr. Grey. Pleased to meet you.”
“Hello, Sarah. Welcome.” We exchange firm handshakes.
Her grip is surprising.
Not so mousy, then.
I extract my hand.
“Could I see you in my office, Andrea?”
“Of course. Would you like Sarah to make you a coffee?”
“Yes. Black. Please.”
Sarah sashays off toward the kitchen with an enthusiasm that I hope I won’t find irritating, and I hold the door to my office open for Andrea. Once she’s inside, I close the door.
“Andrea—”
“Mr. Grey—”
We both stop talking.
“Go,” I say.
“Mr. Grey, I just wanted to say thank you for the suite. It was gorgeous. You really didn’t—”
“Why didn’t you tell me you were getting married?” I sit down at my desk.
Andrea blushes. This I do not see often, and she seems at a loss for what to say.
“Andrea?”
“Well. Um. There’s a non-fraternization clause in my contract.”
“You married someone who works here!”
How the hell did she keep that to herself?
“Yes, sir.”
“Who’s the lucky guy?”
“Damon Parker; he works in engineering.”
“The Australian.”
“He needs a green card. He’s on an H1 visa at the moment.”
“I see.” A marriage of convenience. For some strange reason, I’m disappointed for and in her. She sees the censure on my face and hurries on.
“That’s not the reason I married him. I love him,” she says in a most uncharacteristic way, and she blushes. The stain on her cheeks restores my faith in her.
“Well, congratulations. Here you go.” I hand her the “happily ever after” card I signed yesterday and hope she doesn’t open it in front of me. “How’s married life so far?” I ask, to prevent her from doing just that.
“I recommend it, sir.” She’s glowing. I recognize that look. It’s how I feel myself. And now I’m at a loss as to what to say.
Andrea shifts back into work mode. “Shall we go through your schedule?” she asks.
“Please.”
MARRIAGE. I CONTEMPLATE THE institution when Andrea leaves. It obviously agrees with her. It’s what most women want. Isn’t it? I wonder what Ana would do if I asked her to marry me. I shake my head, feeling ambushed by the thought.
Don’t be ridiculous, Grey.
In my mind I replay this morning. I could wake up every day beside Anastasia Steele and I could close my eyes beside her every night.
You’re smitten, Grey.
You’ve got it bad.
Enjoy this while it lasts.
I e-mail her.
* * *
From: Christian Grey Subject: Sunrise
Date: June 14 2011 09:23
To: Anastasia Steele I love waking up with you in the morning.
Christian Grey
Completely & Utterly Smitten CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings, Inc.
I grin when I press send.
I hope she’ll read this on her BlackBerry.
Sarah brings me my coffee and I open the latest draft of the SIP agreement and start to read.
My phone buzzes. It’s a text from Elena.
ELENA
Thank you for being so understanding.
I ignore it and go back to my document. When I look up, there’s a response from Ana. I take a swig of coffee.
* * *
From: Anastasia Steele
Subject: Sundown
Date: June 14 2011 09:35
To: Christian Grey
Dear Completely & Utterly Smitten
I love waking up with you, too. But I love being in bed with you and in elevators and on pianos and billiard tables and boats and desks and showers and bathtubs and strange wooden crosses with shackles and four-poster beds with red satin sheets and boathouses and childhood bedrooms.
Yours
Sex Mad and Insatiable xx
Shit. Laughing and choking at the same time, I spit coffee onto my keyboard at “Sex Mad and Insatiable.” I can’t believe she’s written that in an e-mail. Fortunately, I have tissues left over from yesterday’s coffee fiasco.
* * *
From: Christian Grey
Subject: Wet Hardware
Date: June 14 2011 09:37
To: Anastasia Steele
Dear Sex Mad and Insatiable
I’ve just spat coffee all over my keyboard.
I don’t think that’s ever happened to me before.
I do admire a woman who concentrates on geography.
Am I to infer you just want me for my body?
Christian Grey
Completely & Utterly Shocked CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings, Inc.
I continue my read of the SIP agreement but don’t get very far before there’s a new e-mail from her.
* * *
From: Anastasia Steele
Subject: Giggling—and wet too
Date: June 14 2011 09:42
To: Christian Grey
Dear Completely & Utterly Shocked
Always.
I have work to do.
Stop bothering me.
SM&I xx
* * *
From: Christian Grey
Subject: Do I have to?
Date: June 14 2011 09:50
To: Anastasia Steele
Dear SM&I
As ever, your wish is my command.
Love that you are giggling and wet.
Laters, baby.
x
Christian Grey
Completely & Utterly Smitten, Shocked, and Spellbound CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings, Inc.