Chapter Nine #2
I choke on my tea, and I stare at him, eyes wide and mouth gaping. He pats me gently on the back and passes me some orange juice. I can’t tell what he’s thinking.
“That’s if you want to stay,” he adds.
I glance up at him, trying to recover my equilibrium. His expression is unreadable. It’s so frustrating. “I’d like to stay for today. If that’s okay. I have to work tomorrow.”
“What time do you have to be at work tomorrow?”
“Nine.”
“I’ll get you to work by nine tomorrow.”
I frown. Does he want me to stay another night?
“I’ll need to go home tonight. I need clean clothes.”
“We can get you some here.”
I don’t have spare cash to spend on clothes. His hand comes up, and he grasps my chin, tugging it so my lip is released from the grip of my teeth. I’m not even aware I’ve been biting my lip.
“What is it?” he asks.
“I need to be home this evening.”
His mouth is a hard line. “Okay, this evening,” he acquiesces. “Now eat your breakfast.”
My thoughts and my stomach are in turmoil. My appetite has vanished. I stare at my half-eaten breakfast. I’m just not hungry.
“Eat, Anastasia. You didn’t eat last night.”
“I’m really not hungry.”
His eyes narrow. “I would really like you to finish your breakfast.”
“What is it with you and food?” I blurt out.
His brow knits. “I told you, I have issues with wasted food. Eat,” he snaps. His eyes are dark, pained.
Holy crap. What is that all about?
I pick up my fork and eat slowly, trying to chew. I must remember not to put so much on my plate if he’s going to be weird about food. His expression softens as I carefully make my way through my breakfast. I note that he cleans his plate. He waits for me to finish, then he clears my plate.
“You cooked, I’ll clear.”
“That’s very democratic.”
“Yes.” He frowns. “Not my usual style. After I’ve done this, we’ll take a bath.”
“Oh, okay.” Oh my… I’d much rather have a shower.
My cell rings, interrupting my reverie. It’s Kate.
“Hi.” I wander over to the glass doors of the balcony, away from him.
“Ana, why didn’t you text last night?” She’s angry.
“I’m sorry. I was overtaken by events.”
“You’re okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
“Did you?” She’s fishing for information.
I roll my eyes at the expectation in her voice. “Kate, I don’t want to talk over the phone.”
Christian glances up at me.
“You did… I can tell.”
How can she tell? She’s bluffing, and I can’t talk about this. I’ve signed a damned agreement. “Kate, please.”
“What was it like? Are you okay?”
“I’ve told you I’m okay.”
“Was he gentle?”
“Kate, please!” I can’t hide my exasperation.
“Ana, don’t hold out on me. I’ve been waiting for this day for nearly four years.”
“I’ll see you this evening.” I hang up.
That is going to be one difficult square to circle. She’s so tenacious, and she wants to know—in detail, and I can’t tell her because I’ve signed a… What was it called? NDA. She’ll freak and rightly so. I need a plan.
I head back to watch Christian move gracefully around his kitchen. “The NDA, does it cover everything?” I ask tentatively.
“Why?” He turns and gazes at me while putting the Twinings away.
“Well, I have a few questions, you know, about sex.” I stare down at my fingers. “And I’d like to ask Kate.”
“You can ask me.”
“Christian, with all due respect…” My voice fades. I can’t ask you. I’ll get your biased, kinky-as-hell, distorted worldview regarding sex. I want an impartial opinion. “It’s just about mechanics. I won’t mention the Red Room of Pain.”
He raises his eyebrows. “Red Room of Pain? It’s mostly about pleasure, Anastasia. Believe me,” he says. “Besides”—his tone is harsher—“your roommate is making the beast with two backs with my brother. I’d really rather you didn’t.”
“Does your family know about your…um, predilection?”
“No. It’s none of their business.” He saunters toward me until he’s standing in front of me. “What do you want to know?” he asks and, raising his hand, runs his fingers gently down my cheek to my chin, tilting my head back so he can look directly into my eyes.
I squirm inwardly. I cannot lie to this man. “Nothing specific at the moment.”
“Well, we can start with: How was last night for you?” His eyes burn, filled with curiosity. He’s anxious to know. Wow.
“Good,” I murmur, and I can’t help my shy smile.
His lips lift slightly. “For me, too. I’ve never had vanilla sex before. There’s a lot to be said for it. But then, maybe it’s because it’s with you.” He runs his thumb across my lower lip.
I inhale sharply. Vanilla sex?
“Come, let’s have a bath.” He leans down and kisses me.
My heart leaps and desire pools way down low…way down there.
The bath is a deep, egg-shaped white stone, affair, very designer.
Christian leans over and fills it from the faucet on the tiled wall.
He pours some expensive-looking bath oil into the water.
It foams as the bath fills and smells of sweet, sultry jasmine.
He stands and gazes at me, his eyes dark, then peels his T-shirt off and casts it on the floor.
“Miss Steele.” He holds his hand out.
I’m standing in the doorway, wide-eyed and wary, my arms wrapped around myself.
I step forward while surreptitiously admiring his physique.
I take his hand, and he bids me to step into the bath while I am still wearing his shirt.
I do as I’m told. I’ll have to get used to it if I’m going to take him up on his outrageous offer… If! The water is enticingly hot.
“Turn around, face me,” he demands, his voice soft.
I do as I’m told.
He’s watching me intently. “I know that lip is delicious, I can attest to that, but will you stop biting it?” he says through clenched teeth. “Your chewing it makes me want to fuck you, and you’re sore, okay?”
I gasp, automatically unlocking my lip, shocked.
“Yeah,” he challenges. “Get the picture?” He glares at me.
I nod frantically. I had no idea I could affect him so.
“Good.” He reaches forward and takes my iPod out of the breast pocket, and he puts it by the sink. “Water and iPods—not a clever combination,” he mutters. He reaches down, grasps the hem of the shirt, lifts it above my head, and discards it on the floor.
He stands back to gaze at me. I’m naked for heaven’s sake. I stare down at my hands, level with the base of my belly, and I desperately want to disappear into the hot water and foam, but I know he won’t want that.
“Hey,” he summons me. I peek up at him, and his head is cocked to one side. “Anastasia, you’re a very beautiful woman, the whole package. Don’t hang your head like you’re ashamed. You have nothing to be ashamed of, and it’s a real joy to stand here and look at you.”
He takes my chin in his hand and tilts my head up to reach his eyes. They are soft and warm, heated even. He’s so close. I could just reach up and touch him.
“You can sit down now.” He halts my scattered thoughts, and I scoot down into the warm, welcoming water.
Ooh…it stings and that takes me by surprise, but it smells heavenly, too.
The initial smarting pain soon ebbs away.
I lie back and briefly close my eyes, relaxing in the soothing warmth.
When I open them, he is gazing down at me.
“Why don’t you join me?” I ask, bravely I think—my voice husky.
“I think I will. Move forward.”
He strips out of his PJ pants and climbs in behind me. The water rises as he sits and pulls me against his chest. He places his long legs over mine, his knees bent and his ankles level with mine, and he pulls his feet apart, opening my legs. I gasp in surprise.
His nose is in my hair and he inhales deeply. “You smell so good, Anastasia.”
A tremor runs through my whole body. I am naked in a bath with Christian Grey. He’s naked. If someone had told me I’d be doing this when I woke up in his hotel suite yesterday, I would not have believed them.
He reaches for a bottle of body wash from the built-in shelf beside the bath and squirts some into his hand.
He rubs his hands together, creating a soft, foaming lather, then closes his hands around my neck and starts to rub the soap into my neck and shoulders, massaging firmly with his long, strong fingers. I groan. His hands on me feel good.
“You like that?” I can almost hear his smile.
“Hmm.”
He moves down my arms, then beneath them to my underarms, washing gently.
I’m so glad Kate insisted I shave. His hands glide across to my breasts, and I inhale sharply as his fingers encircle them and start kneading gently, taking no prisoners.
My body bows instinctively, pushing my breasts into his hands.
My nipples are tender. Very tender, no doubt, from his less-than-delicate treatment of them last night.
He doesn’t linger long and glides his hands down to my stomach and belly.
My breathing increases and my heart is racing.
His growing erection presses against my behind.
It’s such a turn-on knowing that it’s my body making him feel this way.
Ha…not your mind, my subconscious sneers. I shake off the unwelcome thought.
He stops and reaches for a washcloth as I pant against him, wanting…
needing. My hands rest on his firm, muscular thighs.
Squirting more soap onto the washcloth, he leans down and washes between my legs.
I hold my breath. His fingers skillfully stimulating me through the cloth, it’s heavenly, and my hips start moving at their own rhythm, pushing against his hand.
As the sensations take over, I tilt my head back, my eyes rolling back in my head, my mouth slack, and I groan.
The pressure is building slowly, inexorably inside me… Oh my.
“Feel it, baby,” Christian whispers in my ear and very gently grazes my earlobe with his teeth. “Feel it for me.”