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 apartment 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 antic.i.p.ation 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 c.r.a.p. 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.
s.h.i.t.
"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."
OddWhy?
"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."
Chapter Eighteen
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 a.s.sessing.