Shit.
“You are,” she stresses, and kisses the corner of my mouth. Closing my eyes, I tighten my arms around her.
Why are you talking about this?
“Christian, you are. You made this weekend so special—in spite of what happened to Ray. Thank you.”
Large, luminous eyes meet mine.
“Because I love you,” I murmur.
“I know,” she says. “I love you, too.” She runs her fingertips down my cheek. “And you’re precious to me, too. You do know that, don’t you?”
Precious. Me?
Suddenly, I’m helpless and panicked. And completely disarmed.
What do I say?
Not now, Maggot.
Fuck. I close my eyes. I don’t want that in my head.
“Believe me,” she whispers, and I open them once more, gray eyes to blue.
“It’s not easy.” My words are almost inaudible.
I don’t want to talk about this.
It’s too raw. Right now. For some reason I don’t understand.
She holds such power over me. That’s why.
“Try. Try hard, because it’s true.” She caresses my face, and I know she means what she says. If only I could hear it without panicking inside.
“You’ll get cold. Come.” I move her to one side and stand, pulling her to her feet, too.
Leaving the detritus of our lovemaking, Ana slips her arm around me. I switch off the iPod and we stroll back into the bedroom, while I wonder about my reaction.
Why is it still so hard to hear her declarations of love sometimes?
I shake my head.
“Shall we watch TV?” Ana asks, and I know she’s trying to recapture our former levity.
“I was hoping for round two.”
She eyes me speculatively. “Well, in that case, I think I’ll be in charge.”
Oh!
She pushes me suddenly with such force that I fall onto the bed. Before I know it, she’s straddled me and is pinning my arms down on either side of my head.
“Well, Mrs. Grey, now that you’ve got me, what are you going to do with me?”
Leaning down, her breath tickling my ear, she whispers, “I am going to fuck you with my mouth.”
Oh boy.
I close my eyes as she runs her teeth along my jaw, and I surrender to her. I surrender to the love of my life.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Ana is still asleep when I step out of the en suite. Frankly, I’m not surprised; she was persistent last night.
Sex-mad and insatiable indeed.
I’m not complaining.
That delectable memory fresh in my mind, I gather my clothes together and step into the living room to get dressed. The remnants from last night’s tryst are still all over the sofa. I untie the bathrobe belts and grab the towel, wondering what housekeeping would have made of this scenario if they’d come in early to clean. Folding the items, I place them on the console beside the bedroom door.
I order breakfast—it will take half an hour and I’m hungry. To distract myself, I sit down at the desk and open my laptop. Today, I want to arrange moving Ray to Northwest Hospital, where my mother can watch over him. I fire up my e-mails, and to my surprise there’s one from Detective Clark. He has questions for Ana about that asshole Hyde.
What the hell?
I send a brief reply to let him know we’re in Portland and he’ll have to wait until we return to Seattle. I call my mom and leave a message about moving Ray, then breeze through my other e-mails. There’s one from Ros: the Hwangs are inviting us to visit later this week.
That will depend on Ray.
I guess.
I e-mail Ros to say that it’s likely that I’ll be able to go, but I can’t confirm yet, as we’re not sure what’s happening with my father-in-law.
I don’t want to leave Ana to deal with this on her own.
As I press send, I receive a reply from Clark.
He’s coming to Portland.
Shit.
What can be that important?
“Good morning.” Ana’s sweet tone interrupts my thoughts. When I turn around she’s standing in the bedroom doorway, wearing nothing but a sheet and a shy smile. Her hair is a tousled mess that falls to her breasts, her bright eyes intent on me.
She looks like a Greek goddess.
“Mrs. Grey. You’re up early.” I hold out my arms, and in spite of the sheet, she bolts across the room, offering me a welcome flash of legs, and lands in my lap.
“As are you,” she says.
I cradle her against me and kiss her hair. “I was just working.”
“What?” she asks, leaning back to scrutinize me. She knows something is off.
I blow out a breath. “I got an e-mail from Detective Clark. He wants to talk to you about that fucker Hyde.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I told him you’re in Portland for the time being, so he’ll have to wait. But he says he’d like to interview you here.”
“He’s coming here?”
“Apparently so.”
She frowns. “What’s so important that it can’t wait?”
“Exactly.”
“When’s he coming?”
“Today. I’ll e-mail him back.”
“I have nothing to hide. I wonder what he wants to know?”
“We’ll find out when he gets here. I’m intrigued, too.” I move in my chair. “Breakfast will be here shortly. Let’s eat, then we can go see your dad.”
“You can stay here if you want. I can see you’re busy.”
“No, I want to come with you.”
“Okay.” She grins, pleased, I think, that I want to accompany her. She kisses me, then waltzes back toward the bedroom and, with a suggestive glance at me, lets the sheet drop as she crosses the doorway.
Damn. Goddess indeed.
That’s my cue. E-mails and breakfast can wait.
I follow her into the bedroom to make good on her invitation.
Ray is awake, but it would appear that he’s not in the best of tempers. After saying good morning, I leave Ana to deal with him and head to the waiting room—my new office, or so it seems. I’ve already received tentative approval from Dr. Sluder to move Ray to Seattle, and I’m waiting for my mother to confirm that there’s a bed for him at Northwest before I organize the helicopter transfer. Dr. Sluder thinks we can relocate him as early as tomorrow, but she’ll confirm that later today, once she’s run more tests.