fifty-shades-of-grey

I can tell he’s pre-occupied with something.“So should you,” I retort not quite as mildly.He glances up again, his lips twitching with a trace of a smile.“Are you scolding me, Miss Steele?”“Yes, Mr. Grey, I am.”“Well, I can’t sleep.” He frowns once more as a trace of irritation or anger flashesacross his face. With me? Surely not.I ignore his facial expression and very bravely sit down beside him on the piano stool,placing my head on his bare shoulder to watch his deft, agile fingers caress the keys. Hepauses fractionally, and then continues to the end of the piece.“What was that?” I ask softly.“Chopin. Opus 28, number 4. In E minor, if you’re interested,” he murmurs.“I’m always interested in what you do.”He turns and softly presses his lips against my hair.“I didn’t mean to wake you.”“You didn’t. Play the other one.”“Other one?”“The Bach piece that you played the first night I stayed.”“Oh, the Marcello.”He starts to play slowly and deliberately. I feel the movement of his hands in his shoulderas I lean against him and close my eyes. The sad, soulful notes swirl slowly and mournfullyaround us, echoing off the walls. It is a hauntingly beautiful piece, sadder even thanthe Chopin, and I lose myself to the beauty of the lament. To a certain extent, it reflectshow I feel. The deep poignant longing I have to know this extraordinary man better, to tryand understand his sadness. All too soon, the piece is at an end.“Why do you only play such sad music?”I sit upright and gaze up at him as he shrugs in answer to my question, his expressionwary.“So you were just six when you started to play?” I prompt.He nods, his wary look intensifying. After a moment he volunteers.“I threw myself into learning the piano to please my new mother.”“To fit into the perfect family?”“Yes, so to speak,” he says evasively. “Why are you awake? Don’t you need to recoverfrom yesterday’s exertions?”“It’s 8:00 in the morning for me. And I need to take my pill.”He raises his eyebrows in surprise.“Well remembered,” he murmurs, and I can tell he’s impressed. His lips quirk up in ahalf smile.“Only you would start a course of time-specific birth control pills in a different timezone. Perhaps you should wait half an hour and then another half hour tomorrow morning.So s eventually you can take them at a reasonable time.”“Good plan,” I breathe. “So what shall we do for half an hour?” I blink innocently athim.