Chapter 6 - Hiking

I pick Elliot up after I drop Anastasia back at her place, and we decide to go hiking up in the hills together. Some grueling physical activity is just what I need to try and keep my mind off Ana, to stop me from brooding about seeing her tonight – about what her reaction to my playroom is going to be. Tonight is pivotal – it's going to be make or break time.

I told Ana that what happened between us in the elevator – that hot, raunchy, impulsive kiss – won't happen again, not unless I plan things for us that way. I have to get things back under control. I'm a Dominant for Christ's sake.

But the fact that my cock jumped straight to attention when she defiantly whispered 'I liked what happened in the elevator' as she got out of my car does not bode well for my resolve.

Elliot and I concentrate on pushing ourselves hard on our hike. We both enjoy and have a need for physical sport to burn off excess energy. It's something we have in common and for the most part I enjoy his company. However, I know it's only a matter of time before he starts up again with his 'Did you get laid?' shit.

But first off, he's full of what a great night he's had with Kate.

"Man, she's such a hot chick, you know? I mean, she was up for some really great wild sex…"

"Elliot, spare me the gory details." Too much information.I stop my brother before he goes into too much detail. Hearing about other people's sex lives, especially my brother's, does not do it for me. "But I'm assuming you checked with Kate about her previous sexual partners? And that you've been having your regular check-ups to confirm your status?"

"Stop with the worrying Christian, it's all taken care of. Jeez, you sound just like Mom."

"Well, you can't be too careful. You've had a lot of partners after all."

"Yeah, but… Kate's different somehow," Elliot protests.

I keep quiet, but remain skeptical. Elliot's very good looking and charming, so he's had many girlfriends, and he's always totally into them to start with. He and Kate were certainly all over each other with their very public display of affection, and I couldn't help but notice Ana watching with envy.

Elliot is such an easy going, likeable, affable guy, nothing like me at all. With him, what you see is what you get, no bad, murky hidden depths to him. If that's what Ana's looking for, she won't find it with me. Of course, the fact that we're adopted brothers no doubt explains a lot of the differences between us, but I do know that I couldn't be closer to him even if he was my blood brother.

Elliot's always been there for me. When we were kids at school, I had a pretty tough time of things. I got into lots of trouble, but my big brother Elliot would always be there, looking out for me. At the time, I didn't always need or even appreciate his help, but he always tried.

He doesn't know all the gory details of my fucked up start to life, but he knows it was really bad, so I guess that's why he's cut me a lot slack at times when I've behaved pretty outrageously. And of course, he doesn't know the half of it, he has no idea about my secret depraved behavior – and he never will.

So now that we're grown up, I trust him implicitly. For all his teasing and banter, he would never say anything to anyone outside of our family. He understands how the paparazzi try so hard to get stories on families like ours, to invade our privacy and dig up dirt. He knows how people try to use him to get to me, to gain business connections to my empire.

I always employ my brother's construction company for any building work that I need doing. Elliot's an expert in constructing ecologically sound buildings, and I trust his opinion and advice on these matters totally. The work I've put his way has undoubtedly helped to make his company as successful as it is, but in any case Elliot is very good at what he does.

Having said all that, he drives me totally nuts too.

"So, what gives with you and Ana?" he probes.

"Nothing gives with me and Anastasia." I emphasize her full name.

"But she rang you, she had your cell number which you never give out to anyone. You rushed out to find her, you took her back to your hotel room, and then you spent the night with her. Don't tell me nothing gives. That's bullshit."

"I took care of her because she'd very recklessly drunk herself into a stupor."

"So, you didn't…?"

"No. Not that it's any of your business, Elliot."

"But you'd like to?"

"Butt out."

"So you're just friends, special friends maybe?"

I know he's trying to find out if I'm her gay male friend.

"No, not in the way you're thinking. Now, can we talk about something else please?"

He tries a different tack.

"Kate says Ana's a real nice girl, very clever, very sweet but not very worldly wise. Says she's a total babe but doesn't realize it."

"Did she now." That's an interesting little snippet of information, and I'd love to know what else Kate said, but I don't dare express any interest to a very curious Elliot.

"Yeah, and she seems kinda protective of her, so you'd better watch yourself there."

"Consider me informed." 

I can already see that Kate could potentially be a real interfering pain in the ass. I don't much like her, and I know the feeling is mutual. No big deal, I can live with that.

"So you're seeing Ana again?"

"None of your business."

"Oh come on, I heard you say you'd pick her up tonight. So where're you taking her? Hoping to get laid tonight maybe, eh little bro?" he punches me on the arm as he says this. "You're twenty seven, nearly twenty eight years old, and I've never seen you with a girl before, so you can't blame me for being curious. Does Mom know about Ana?"

"No! There really is nothing to know, so please don't say anything to her. I mean it Elliot." Ana may not be in my life any more after I reveal everything to her tonight. Most likely she's going to run a hundred miles.

"But Mom would be ecstatic if she knew you had a girlfriend. I know she worries about you, Dad too, about you being so solitary and lonely."

"I'm fine. She doesn't need to worry. I'm not lonely, I'm just better off on my own, she understands that." Mom understands better than anyone about how hard I find it to let anyone get close or touch me, about the shitty baggage my crappy start in life has left me with.

"So where are you taking Ana? Why all the secrecy if she's not your girlfriend?"

I heave a big sigh. He's not going to give up until I give him something. And Kate will know from Ana what's happening, and she'll tell Elliot anyway, I realize. Another reason I'm not thrilled about my brother hanging with Kate.

"I'm just taking Anastasia up to Seattle tonight for dinner at my place, that's all. No big deal," I lie. Who are you trying to kid, Grey?

Truth is, tonight is one hell of a big deal. If Anastasia says no to being my new sub, if she turns me down, I'm not quite sure how I'm going to handle it, if I'm honest with myself. I really hate this uncertainty, and I'm pissed with myself for getting into this situation.

Recruiting a new sub normally runs like clockwork. I no longer go to the BDSM clubs that I used to frequent when I was younger. It's far too risky for someone like me who is in the public eye. I'm not interested in group scenes. All I require is my own personal submissive to satisfy my very singular requirements.

Elena introduced me to a very exclusive and discreet BDSM on line subscription service. Dominants can only join by invitation after being recommended. The annual subscription fee is obscenely high, but that is of no concern to me. The Dom goes on line to specify his precise requirements, details of the most suitable subs are brought up for him to view, then he makes his selection of any that he wishes to interview.

All the potential submissives are fully screened and medically checked before their details are accepted by the service in the first place, but I take no chances and also have my own set of checks run before I go ahead and interview a prospective sub, once she has signed an NDA. Often I get Elena to screen them too, to give me her opinion as to whether the girl is suitable or not. The details and photos available for the Dom to view on line are extremely detailed and accurate, including fully naked shots, to aid in selecting the best sub to meet specific tastes.

I've always been spoilt for choice. I've been able to take my pick from a vast range of women of the type I like. Clearly being a submissive is very appealing to a large number of beautiful women.

So why the fuck am I not on line right now selecting me a new compliant sub? It would make so much more sense. The only argument I can come up with is that all submissives had to start somewhere to find out they enjoyed the lifestyle, and so maybe this will be the case with Miss Steele.

I know this is at best a very long shot indeed.

I don’t own any of the Fifty Shades Trilogy or the characters therein. They belong to E L James. I’m just borrowing them for fun and not for profit. Please refer to the Legal’s page for further details. This work is not to be copied or reproduced in any way without permission.