fifty-shades-of-grey

Am I? Wow… how am I managing that? This is bewildering. Me, self-contained?No Way.“Except when you blush, of course, which is often. I just wish I knew what you wereblushing about.” He pops a small piece of muffin into his mouth and starts to chew itslowly, not taking his eyes off me. And as if on cue, I blush. Crap!“Do you always make such personal observations?”“I hadn’t realized I was. Have I offended you?” He sounds surprised.“No,” I answer truthfully.“Good.”“But you’re very high-handed,” I retaliate quietly.He raises his eyebrows and, if I’m not mistaken, he flushes slightly too.“I’m used to getting my own way, Anastasia,” he murmurs. “In all things.”“I don’t doubt it. Why haven’t you asked me to call you by your first name?” I’m surprisedby my audacity. Why has this conversation become so serious? This isn’t going theway I thought it was going to go. I can’t believe I’m feeling so antagonistic towards him.It’s like he’s trying to warn me off.“The only people who use my given name are my family and a few close friends.That’s the way I like it.”Oh. He still hasn’t said, ‘Call me Christian.’ He is a control freak, there’s no otherexplanation, and part of me is thinking maybe it would have been better if Kate had interviewedhim. Two control freaks together. Plus of course she’s almost blonde – well,strawberry blonde – like all the women in his office. And she’s beautiful, my subconsciousreminds me. I don’t like the idea of Christian and Kate. I take a sip of my tea, and Greyeats another small piece of his muffin.“Are you an only child?” he asks.Whoa… he keeps changing direction.“Yes.”“Tell me about your parents.”Why does he want to know this? It’s so dull.“My mom lives in Georgia with her new husband Bob. My stepdad lives in Montesano.”“Your father?”“My father died when I was a baby.”“I’m sorry,” he mutters and a fleeting troubled look crosses his face.“I don’t remember him.”“And your mother remarried?”I snort.“You could say that.”He frowns at me.“You’re not giving much away, are you?” he says dryly, rubbing his chin as if in deepthought.“Neither are you.”“You’ve interviewed me once already, and I can recollect some quite probing questionsthen.” He smirks at me.