I kiss her hair and rest my chin on her head. When I glance out of the window I notice that we’ve reached Seattle. Taylor’s eyes meet mine in the rearview mirror.
“Are we heading to Escala, sir?”
“No, Miss Steele’s.”
The corners of his eyes crinkle. “We’ll be there in five minutes,” he says.
Whoa. We’re nearly home.
“Thank you, Taylor.” I’ve slept longer than I thought possible in the back of a car. I wonder what time it is, but I don’t want to move my arm to check my watch as I’m holding her. I gaze down at my sleeping beauty. Her lips are gently parted, her dark lashes fanned out, shadowing her face. And I remember watching her sleep at The Heathman, that first time. She looked so peaceful then; she looks peaceful now. I’m reluctant to disturb her.
“Wake up, baby.” I kiss her hair. Her eyelashes flutter and she opens her eyes. “Hey,” I murmur in greeting.
“Sorry,” she mumbles as she sits up.
“I could watch you sleep forever, Ana.” No need to apologize.
“Did I say anything?” She looks worried.
“No,” I reassure her. “We’re nearly at your place.”
“We’re not going to yours?” She sounds surprised.
“No.”
She sits up straight and glares at me. “Why not?”
“Because you have work tomorrow.”
“Oh.” Her pout says all I need to know about her disappointment. I want to laugh out loud.
“Why, did you have something in mind?” I tease her.
She squirms in my lap.
Ow.
I still her with my hands.
“Well, maybe,” she says, looking anywhere but at me and sounding a little shy. I can’t help my laugh. She’s courageous in so many ways, and yet still so coy in others. And as I watch her, I realize that I’ve got to get her to open up about sex. If we’re going to be honest with each other, she has to tell me how she feels. Tell me what she needs. I want her to be confident enough to express her desires. All of them.
“Anastasia, I am not going to touch you again, not until you beg me to.”
“What!” She sounds a little upset.
“So that you’ll start communicating with me. Next time we make love, you’re going to have to tell me exactly what you want in fine detail.”
That will give you something to think about, Miss Steele.
I lift her off my lap when Taylor pulls up at the curb beside her apartment. I climb out of the car, walk to her door, and open it for her. She looks sleepy and adorable as she struggles out of the car.
“I have something for you.”
This is it. Will she accept my gift? This is the final stage of my campaign to win her back. Opening the trunk, I grab the gift box that contains her Mac, her phone, and an iPad. She looks from the box to me with suspicion. “Open it when you get inside.”
“You’re not coming in?”
“No, Anastasia.” As much as I’d like to. We both need to sleep.
“So when will I see you?”
“Tomorrow?”
“My boss wants me to go for a drink with him tomorrow.”
What the hell does that fucker want? I must chase Welch for his report on Hyde. There’s something off about him that isn’t reflected in his employee records. I don’t trust him one bit. “Does he, now?” I try to sound nonchalant.
“To celebrate my first week,” she says, quickly.
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
“I could pick you up from there.”
“Okay. I’ll e-mail or text you.”
“Good.”
We walk to the lobby door together and I watch, amused, as she rummages around in her purse for her keys. She unlocks the door and turns to say good-bye—and I can’t resist her any longer. Leaning down, I cup her chin in my fingers. I want to kiss her hard, but I hold back and trace soft kisses from her temple to her mouth. She moans and the sweet sound travels straight to my cock.
“Until tomorrow,” I say, failing to keep the desire out of my voice.
“Good night, Christian,” she whispers, and her longing echoes my own.
Oh, baby. Tomorrow. Not now.
“In you go,” I order, and it’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever done: letting her leave knowing that she’s mine for the taking. My body ignores my noble gesture and stiffens in anticipation. I shake my head, amazed as ever by my lust for Ana.
“Laters, baby,” I call after her and, turning toward the street I head to the car, determined not to look back. Once I’m inside the car, I allow myself to look. She’s still there, standing on the doorstep, watching me.
Good.
Go to bed, Ana, I will her. As if she hears me, she closes the door, and Taylor starts the car to head home to Escala.
I lean back in my seat.
What a difference a day makes.
I grin. She’s mine, once more.
I imagine her in her apartment, opening the box. Will she be pissed? Or will she be delighted?
She’ll be pissed.
She never took kindly to gifts.
Shit. Was it a step too far?
Taylor heads into the garage at Escala and we pull into the vacant parking space next to Ana’s A3. “Taylor, will you deliver Miss Steele’s Audi to her place tomorrow?” I hope she will accept the car, too.
“Yes, Mr. Grey.”
I leave him in the garage, doing whatever he does, and head for the elevator. Once inside, I check my phone to see if she has anything to say about the gifts. Just as the elevator doors open and I step into my apartment, there’s an e-mail.
* * *
From: Anastasia Steele
Subject: iPad
Date: June 9 2011 23:56
To: Christian Grey
You’ve made me cry again.
I love the iPad.
I love the songs.
I love the British Library app.
I love you.
Thank you.
Good night.
Ana xx
I grin at the screen. Happy tears, great!
She loves it.
She loves me.
FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011
* * *
She loves me.
It’s taken a three-hour car ride for me not to flinch at this thought. But then again, she doesn’t really know me. She doesn’t know what I’m capable of, or why I do what I do. No one can love a monster, no matter how compassionate they are.
I put the thought out of my mind because I don’t want to dwell on the negative.
Flynn would be proud.
Quickly, I type a response to her e-mail.
* * *
From: Christian Grey
Subject: iPad
Date: June 10 2011 00:03
To: Anastasia Steele
I’m glad you like it. I bought one for myself.
Now, if I were there, I would kiss away your tears.
But I’m not—so go to sleep.
Christian Grey
CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings, Inc.
I want her well rested for tomorrow. I stretch, feeling a contentment that’s entirely unfamiliar, and wander into my bedroom. Looking forward to collapsing into bed, I put my phone on the nightstand and notice there’s another e-mail from her.