fifty-shades-of-grey

The marquee is immense, and crowded – students, parents, teachers, and friends, allchattering happily. Ray hands me a glass of champagne or cheap fizzy wine, I suspect. It’snot chilled, and it tastes sweet. My thoughts turn to Christian… he won’t like this.“Ana!” I turn, and Ethan Kavanagh scoops me into his arms. He twirls me around,without spilling my wine, some feat.“Congratulations!” He beams down at me, green eyes twinkling.What a surprise. His dirty blonde hair tousled and sexy-looking. He’s as beautiful asKate. The family resemblance is striking.“Wow – Ethan! How lovely to see you. Dad, this is Ethan, Kate’s brother. Ethan, thisis my dad, Ray Steele.” They shake hands, my dad coolly assessing Mr. Kavanagh.“When did you get back from Europe?” I ask.“I’ve been back for a week, but I wanted to surprise my little sister,” he says conspiratorially.“That’s so sweet.” I grin up at him.“She is Valedictorian, couldn’t miss that.” He looks immensely proud of his sister.“She gave a great speech.”“That she did,” Ray agrees.Ethan has his arm around my waist when I look up into the frosty gray eyes of ChristianGrey. Kate is beside him.“Hello, Ray,” Kate kisses Ray on both cheeks, making him blush. “Have you metAna’s boyfriend? Christian Grey.”Holy shit… Kate! Fuck! All the blood drains from my face.“Mr. Steele, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Christian says smoothly, warmly, completelyunflustered by Kate’s introduction. He holds out his hand, which, all credit to Ray, Raytakes, not showing a hint of the drop-dead surprise he’s just had thrust upon him.Thank you very much, Katherine Kavanagh, I fume. I think my subconscious hasfainted.“Mr. Grey,” Ray murmurs, his expression indecipherable except perhaps for the slightwidening of his big brown eyes. They slide over my face with a when-were-you-going-togive-me-this-newslook. I bite my lip.“And this is my brother, Ethan Kavanagh.” says Kate to Christian.Christian turns his arctic glare on Ethan, who still has one arm around me.“Mr. Kavanagh.”They shake hands. Christian holds his hand out to me.“Ana, baby,” he murmurs, and I nearly expire at the endearment.I walk out of Ethan’s grasp, while Christian smiles icily at him, and I take my place athis side. Kate grins at me. She knows exactly what she’s doing, the vixen!“Ethan, Mom and Dad wanted a word.” Kate drags Ethan away.“So how long have you kids known each other?” Ray looks impassively from Christianto me.The power of speech has deserted me. I want the ground to swallow me up. Christianputs his arm around me, his thumb skimming my naked back in a caress, before his handclasps my shoulder.