fifty-shades-of-grey

“I don’t believe I deserve it Mr. Grey, especially after tolerating your unprovoked attack.”“Unprovoked? You kissed me.” He tries his best to look wounded.I purse my lips.“It was attack as the best form of defense.”“Defense against what?”“You and your twitchy palm.”He cocks his head to one side and smiles at me as Mia comes clattering up the stairs.“But it was tolerable?” he asks softly.I flush.“Barely,” I whisper, but I can’t help my smirk.“Oh, there you are.” She beams at us.“I was showing Anastasia around.” Christian holds his hand out to me, his gray eyesintense.I put my hand into his, and he gives it a soft squeeze.“Kate and Elliot are about to leave. Can you believe those two? They can’t keep theirhands off each other.” Mia feigns disgust and looks from Christian to me. “What have youbeen doing in here?”Jeez, she’s forward. I blush scarlet.“Showing Anastasia my rowing trophies,” Christian says without missing a beat, completelypoker-faced. “Let’s go say goodbye to Kate and Elliot.”Rowing trophies? He pulls me gently in front of him, and as Mia turns to go, he swatsmy behind. I gasp in surprise.“I will do it again, Anastasia, and soon,” he threatens quietly close to my ear, then hepulls me into an embrace, my back to his front, and kisses my hair.Back in the house, Kate and Elliot are making their farewells to Grace and Mr. Grey. Katehugs me hard.“I need to speak to you about antagonizing Christian,” I hiss quietly in her ear as sheembraces me.“He needs antagonizing, then you can see what he’s really like. Be careful, Ana – he’sso controlling,” she whispers. “See you later.”I KNOW WHAT HE’S REALLY LIKE – YOU DON’T! – I scream at her in my head.I’m fully aware that her actions come from a good place, but sometimes she just overstepsthe mark, and right now so far that she’s into the neighboring state. I scowl at her, and shepokes her tongue out at me, making me smile unwillingly. Playful Kate is novel, must beElliot’s influence. We wave them off at the doorway, and Christian turns to me.“We should go too – you have interviews tomorrow.”Mia embraces me warmly as we say our goodbyes.“We never thought he’d find anyone!” she gushes.I flush, and Christian rolls his eyes again. I purse my lips. Why can he do that whenI can’t? I want to roll my eyes back at him, but I do not dare, not after his threat in theboathouse.