Chapter 40 - Ball Play

“You’re not allowed out of here alone. You understand?”

As we make our way up in the elevator back at Escala, reality hits home, after our wonderful afternoon spent sailing together. The thought of anything happening to Anastasia is completely unbearable to me, and although I don’t want to alarm her, she has to understand that she mustn’t take any risks. 

Sawyer has just confirmed to me on our way in that there have been no further sightings or news of Leila. So she is still on the loose, still possibly armed.

“Okay.” Ana humors me, seeming to find something amusing.

“What’s so funny?”

“You are.”

“Me, Miss Steele? Why am I funny?” Being funny is not something I’m usually accused of.

“Don't pout,” Ana states, staring at my mouth.

“Why?”

“Because it has the same effect on me as I have on you when I do this.” Ana bites her lip enticingly.

“Really?” So of course, I give her my best pout, and then lean down to kiss her.

And that brief kiss is all it takes to inflame the desire that constantly simmers between us, heightened as it is in the confined space of the elevator. Ana roughly twists her fingers in my hair as she kisses me, while I push her up hard against the elevator wall. 

We can't get enough of each other as we kiss, our tongues entwining passionately while I cup her face in my hands. Ana, my precious Ana. I want her, I need her, and I have to possess her in every possible way.

The ping of the elevator door opening brings us back down to earth. Another minute or so and I would’ve taken her right there. One day I swear I will.

 “Whoa.” I murmur, as I try to catch my breath.

“Whoa,” Ana agrees, panting.

“What you do to me, Ana.”

I can't resist running my thumb along her soft, pillowy bottom lip. 

It’s just so damn sexy. Everything about her is so sexy and desirable and makes me lose control. I’d fuck her all day long if I could. I've never experienced chemistry like this before. It is literally electrifying between us, impossible to ignore and stronger than any fix of drugs.

“What you do to me, Christian,” she whispers back.

So it’s just the same for her, too. If a spell has been cast, at least it’s been cast over both of us, because I’d go out of my mind if she didn’t feel the same way. 

But we do. 

We love each other. Am I going to wake up and find this is a cruel trick, a dream? It just seems so incredible to have discovered that I am capable of experiencing these feelings, when I’ve always believed it impossible for a man like me. 

Of course I don’t deserve her. My fear is that it will all be taken away from me again; that something is destined to happen to Ana to punish me. I can't let that happen, and I’ll do whatever it takes to prevent it.

Taylor is in the foyer as usual, no doubt waiting to debrief me on all the latest Intel he’s come up with.

“Good evening, Taylor.”

“Mr. Grey, Miss Steele.”

“I was Mrs. Taylor yesterday,” Ana beams at Taylor.

The fuck you were. You were with me, not him. How can you even joke about this with Taylor? You’re never going to be anybody else’s wife, don’t you understand that? If you’re going to be anybody’s wife, you’re going to be mine. Mrs. Grey, not Mrs. Taylor.

“That has a nice ring to it, Miss Steele,” Taylor replies calmly, but the effect she’s having on him is given away by the fact that he’s flushing a nice bright shade of pink. I fucking hate her even joking with him about being his wife and everything that implies.

 “I thought so, too.” Ana flirts back, and that’s it, I'm seething with irrational, overpowering jealousy.  She might be inexperienced and naïve, but she has to learn that I will not tolerate this kind of behavior from her, not when it makes me feel this way.

“If you two have quite finished, I’d like a debrief.”

I glare at Taylor, as I grab Ana’s hand. He should know better than to respond to personal remarks in any way. He never has before. It’s Ana; she unwittingly has this effect on people to break down their barriers. She has no idea how sexy and alluring she is while she’s doing it either. I know she isn't deliberately doing it to wind me up, but that’s the effect it’s having on me. So I have no option but to spell it out to her for future reference.

“I’ll be with you shortly. I just want a word with Miss Steele,” I tell Taylor, as I head for the privacy of the bedroom with her and close the door firmly behind us.

“Don't flirt with the staff, Anastasia.”

She looks shocked, because she doesn’t seem to realize that’s what she was doing. This is how she gives guys like the photographer boy the wrong message, and why she is so vulnerable. She has to understand the effect she has on men.

“I wasn’t flirting. I was being friendly – there is a difference,” she argues.

“Don't be friendly with the staff or flirt with them. I don’t like it.”

I'm making it plain that no matter how she defines her behavior, I find it unacceptable, so it has to stop. A distance has to be maintained with staff. They are employees, not friends. This is why I always insist on being addressed as Mr. Grey, and never get on first name terms with any of them.

Her face falls, and she stares down at her fingers, as if she’s a naughty child being told off.

“I'm sorry,” she mutters, crestfallen. I hate seeing her like this, but it had to be said.

“You know how jealous I am,” I offer by way of an explanation, as I tip her head up to look her in the eye.

“You have no reason to be jealous, Christian. You own me body and soul,” she whispers.

Her honesty and sincerity are shining out from her beautiful blue eyes, and I know she means every word from the bottom of her pure heart.

But her words confuse me, because I still don’t understand what I’ve done to deserve this from her. She drives me crazy with these overwhelming feelings I'm experiencing and then she completely disarms me with her candor. I’m used to control and equilibrium and I'm finding it very unsettling. But hopefully now she understands how I expect her to behave in future.

“I won’t be long. Make yourself at home,” I instruct, as I kiss her and then leave to find out the latest from Taylor.

Hopefully, if he’s managed to organize the move, she can use the time to settle herself into my bedroom, which will be our bedroom from now on. I think I mentioned it to her, didn’t I?

~~~

“Taylor, Miss Steele is inexperienced in dealing with staff, but I have now apprised her of the correct protocol in addressing all members of staff. Should her inexperience cause another lapse, I’d appreciate it if you would not respond to any inappropriate remarks from her in future.”

“As you wish, sir.”

 His face is totally impassive, but the tiny twitch of his cheek muscle gives away the fact that he does not appreciate this lecture from me. He’s well aware that it shouldn’t have to be said, especially to someone as experienced as he is.

But I don’t want to piss Taylor off completely, because as I told Ana earlier today, he is very good at his job and would be impossible to replace. However, he needs to understand that I just can't handle any kind of interaction between them that makes me in any way jealous, however irrational he may think I’m being. 

Logically, I realize there is nothing going on between them, especially as I know that he and Gail are in a committed relationship, but I am a very jealous man with a very vivid imagination, so I don’t expect him to respond in any way whatsoever to Ana’s unintentional flirting, as it just stirs up very ugly thoughts in my head.

 From his very protective attitude towards Gail, I suspect Taylor also has a jealous and possessive streak as far as she is concerned, so he probably gets where I'm coming from.  But it’s been dealt with now, and as Sawyer joins us, I consider the matter closed, as we move on to our debrief session.

The latest Intel is not very encouraging. Although we know how Leila gained access to the apartment now, we have not yet discovered how she acquired a master key for the fire escape stairwell, which is worrying, but at least Taylor has taken all necessary measures to ensure she cannot enter that way again.

We are still frustratingly no nearer locating her whereabouts, which is the only way we can get her the help she desperately needs, and put a stop to all this uncertainty.  Welch reports there is no evidence of her accessing her bank account, or footage of her on any local area CCTV. Her husband wants nothing more to do with her and is being very unhelpful. Her family are all in Connecticut and not in touch with her. So it appears that Leila is all on her own out there, and although I feel sorry for her, I can't relax until I know she is no longer a threat to Anastasia in any way.

“Miss Steele is to be escorted at all times when she leaves the apartment. Is that clear? Her safety has to be the number one priority at all times,” I reiterate.

But for now, there’s nothing more to be gained by going over the same ground, so I make my way back to my bedroom to find Ana.

“Oh, they managed the move,” I mutter, when I see her looking very confused, as she stares at her clothes that are now in my walk-in closet.

That’s good. The thought of having Ana sleeping next to me tonight improves my mood somewhat, as I briefly fill her in with some of the latest details of the Leila situation, when she asks me what’s wrong. I guess she can sense I'm worried.

When Ana puts her arms around me, I pull her into a close embrace to kiss her hair and inhale her sweet scent. Already I'm feeling calmer and more relaxed. As always, I feel so much better just having her close to me.

“What will you do when you find her?” she asks.

“Dr. Flynn has a place.”

“What about her husband?”

“He’s washed his hands of her.” So much for in sickness and in health. “Her family is in Connecticut. I think she’s very much on her own out there.”

“That’s sad,” Ana sighs. She has such a good heart; she can still empathize with a woman who has maliciously vandalized her car, and who could potentially be planning to gun her down. I really don’t want to dwell on this thought, or for Ana to either, so I change the subject.

“Are you okay with all your stuff being here? I want you to share my room.”

I’ve just assumed she will be happy to share with me. Maybe I should have actually asked her. I'm so used to ordering and commanding, it never really occurred to me to run it by her first.

“Yes,” she confirms with a smile. So I was right – she’s fine about us sharing, because I figure she likes us sleeping together as much as I do.

“I want you sleeping with me. I don’t have nightmares when you’re with me.”

“You have nightmares?”

“Yes.”

She hugs me tighter, to try and comfort me. So sweet.

“I was just getting my clothes ready for work tomorrow,” she says.

What the fuck?

For crying out loud, she surely doesn’t think she’s going to work, not with Leila still on the loose?

“Work!” I stare at her as if she’s mad.

“Yes, work,” she insists, with a puzzled look on her face. I guess I’ve played down the Leila threat too well, as Ana still doesn’t seem to have grasped the seriousness of the situation.

“But Leila – she’s out there.” Can I forbid her to go to work? Shit, she’ll probably freak if I try to. “I don’t want you to go to work.” There, I’m being very restrained and reasonable.

“That’s ridiculous, Christian. I have to go to work.”

“No, you don’t.” You only earn fucking peanuts, for Christ's sake, while I'm a fucking billionaire. Just stay the fuck home, and let me take care of business, without having to worry about you.

“I have a new job, which I enjoy. Of course I have to go to work.”

Now it’s her turn to look at me as if I'm the mad one.

“No, you don’t.”  

I’m just about to lay into her about her pathetically paid job, when I remember how it felt when my dad belittled my first career move, in an effort to try and get me to change my mind about dropping out of Harvard. 

So I hastily bite back the retort that nearly slips out of my mouth, realizing that disparaging Anastasia’s first proper job would actually be very cruel of me, when she’s studied so hard to get into the career she really wants. It’s important to her, even if the pay is crap.  And so I just about manage to hold onto my temper, although it’s a real struggle.

“Do you think I am going to stay here twiddling my thumbs while you’re off being Master of the Universe?” she snaps at me.

“Frankly…. yes.” Because as far as I'm concerned, I fucking well ought to be your Master, at least in matters where your safety is concerned.

“Christian, I need to work.”

“No, you don’t.” It’s not like I'm short of a dollar or two, is it?

“Yes. I. Do.” She says it slowly and with feeling. Clearly, there is no way she’s backing down, and it is so fucking frustrating to know I have no power to force her to do as I say.  She could just walk out, and then I’d have no control over her safety at all.

“It’s not safe.” I try another tack with her. Surely the thought of an armed hostile woman on the loose scares her?

“Christian… I need to work for a living, and I’ll be fine.”

“No, you don’t need to work for a living – and how do you know you’ll be fine?” I can feel the control on my temper slipping. How can she have such little regard for her own safety? Why does she have to be so stubborn and independent?

“For heaven’s sake, Christian, Leila was standing at the end of your bed, and she didn’t harm me, and yes, I do need to go to work. I don’t want to be beholden to you. I have my student loans to pay.”

As Anastasia defiantly stands there with her hands on her hips, part of me really admires her for not wanting me to help her out financially, because it is so refreshing to be with someone who isn’t the slightest bit interested in my money. 

But it doesn’t change the fact that she will be putting herself at risk, and I just can't have that.

“I don’t want you going to work,” I insist again.

“It’s not up to you, Christian. This is not your decision to make.”

Well it fucking well ought to be. This impasse between us makes me realize that I would really like things to be on a much more formal footing between us. This casual arrangement is not enough for me. She's not my submissive, but maybe we could have a different type of contract between us. 

Mr. and Mrs. Grey. 

I could make her my wife - that's the ultimate contract between a man and a woman isn't it? But it’s too soon to be thinking along those lines - or is it? Maybe I'll talk it through with Flynn next week.

Although I am used to always getting my own way, it looks as if I'm going to have to compromise here, or run the risk that Ana will go ahead and leave without any security at all. I suppose I can just about live with her going to work if she has a CPO with her at all times. A covert operative is no longer an option, because it would not afford her the level of protection she needs for the current situation.

“Sawyer will come with you.”

“Christian, that’s not necessary. You’re being irrational.”

“Irrational?” She’s the one being fucking irrational, despite the fact that I'm trying to negotiate a compromise with her. I’m reaching the end of my tether with her obstinate refusal to see sense. “Either he comes with you, or I will be really irrational and keep you here.”

“How, exactly?”

“Oh, I’d find a way, Anastasia. Don't push me.”

Does she not realize that I’d love nothing better than to have an excuse to live out my fantasy for a 24/7 Total Power Exchange with her? Restrain her, lock her up. Totally control her in every way. Preferably TPE with her consent, but if I felt she was placing herself at risk, then trust me, I’d do whatever was necessary to keep her safe.

As she stares at my intractable face, I think she finally realizes that I am determined to have my way, and that I am not going to allow her to risk her safety in any way whatsoever. It’s just not going to happen, Miss Steele.

“Okay!” she finally concedes, as she holds up both her hands in defeat, scowling at me angrily. “Okay. Sawyer can come with me if it makes you feel better.”

She rolls her eyes at me, but as I move towards her, she recoils from me.

Shit. I’ve scared her. She thinks I'm going to punish her for defying me and rolling her eyes. I need to calm down and get us back on track, now I've managed to persuade her to have Sawyer escort her tomorrow. As I run my fingers through my hair, I close my eyes and take a deep breath to calm myself.

“Shall I give you a tour,” I suggest, by way of a change of subject.

“Okay,” she mutters, looking at me warily.

I take her hand and gently squeeze it to try and reassure her.

“I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

“You didn’t. I was just getting ready to run.”

“Run?”

Does that mean all this is too much for her? She’s not prepared to take me on with all my baggage? I’ve pushed her too far?

“I’m joking,” she reassures me when I fail to hide my look of horror, but it’s no joking matter to me. I can't go through that again.

We both calm down as I show her all the areas of the apartment she hasn’t seen yet. She had no idea that Taylor and Gail had a wing to themselves – where did she imagine they lived? There’s no one there at the moment, as Gail has yet to return from her weekend visit to her sister in Portland.

There’s the TV room that I hardly ever use. I only got the games consoles for Elliot really, because he loves playing them. Seems a totally pointless waste of time to me. I really can't be bothered to spend any time on stupid games.

“So you do have an Xbox?”

“Yes, but I’m crap at it. Elliot always beats me. That was funny, when you thought I meant this was my playroom.”

“I'm glad you find me amusing, Mr. Grey.”

“That you are, Miss Steele – when you're not being exasperating, of course.”

"I'm usually exasperating when you're being unreasonable."

“Me? Unreasonable?”

“Yes, Mr. Grey. Unreasonable could be your middle name.”

“I don’t have a middle name.”

“Unreasonable would suit then.”

“I think that’s a matter of opinion, Miss Steele.”

“I would be interested in Dr. Flynn’s professional opinion.”

Oh believe me, Flynn knows all about my unreasonable nature, baby.

“I thought Trevelyan was your middle name.”

“No. Surname.”

“But you don’t use it.”

“It’s too long. Come.”

The last thing you need when setting up a business is a name that people can't pronounce or spell, that's why I went with Grey Enterprises. 

Elliot felt the same way, hence Grey Construction. 

If Mia does get around to setting up her own high end catering business, I doubt the Trevelyan name will feature anywhere in that either. If she takes my advice, she’ll capitalize on the good reputation associated with our family name and choose something like Grey Cuisine, although knowing my sister, she’ll probably go for something girly and fluffy. But if anyone can pull it off, it will be Mia.

I notice that when I show Ana the inside of Taylor’s office, he looks up but he doesn’t smile at her. He’s got the message, loud and clear. 
Don’t get over familiar with the boss’s property, because he’s too fifty shades of fucked up to handle it.

We end up in the room Ana calls the library, that contains my billiards table. The one I have plans for.

“Shall we play?” Anastasia asks, with a secret little smile playing around her mouth.

“Okay. Have you played before?”

“A few times,” she replies evasively, and I can just tell she’s lying for some reason.

“You’re a hopeless liar, Anastasia. Either you’ve never played before or …”

“Frightened of a little competition?” she brags, as she licks her lips. So sexy.

“Frightened of a little girl like you?” I don’t think so, Miss Steele.

“A wager, Mr. Grey.”

“You’re that confident, Miss Steele? What would you like to wager?”

“If I win, you’ll take me back into the playroom.”

What did she just say? She wants to go back into my playroom? After what happened last time? Is she crazy? I can't deny part of me would love to take her back in there, but I can't run the risk of things getting out of hand again. We’re not ready to go back in there yet, even if she misguidedly thinks we are. 

Obviously she’s still worried that I'm missing the hard shit, that she’s not enough. But I mustn’t let myself be swayed by her like I was before, when she urged me to show her how bad it could be.

“And if I win?” No ‘if’ about it.

“Then it’s your choice.”

“Okay, deal.”

Because I'm going to win of course, no question. I might be crap with the Xbox, but I'm ace at pool. I enjoy the skill, concentration and precision it requires. And I’ve already got something in mind for when I win.

So we agree to play pool, and I quickly set it up.

“Would you like to break?” I offer, amused that she actually thinks she can beat me.

“Okay.”

She chalks up the end of her cue, slowly blowing the excess off, as she looks up at me through her long lashes. Fuck, now I have a hard on because she looks so hot, and we’ve barely begun the game yet.

She’s actually pretty good, for a girl anyhow, I discover as she pockets the first few balls. So that’s why she was smiling to herself. I wonder where she learnt to play this well? Thinking about who most likely taught her is not pleasing. It had to be a guy, and José fucking Rodrigues comes to mind. I bet he was only too happy to spend time teaching her. I decide not to dwell on that displeasing thought, as it will only spoil our game. In any case, I'm having way too much fun watching her showing off her great body as she stretches out over the table. She’s wearing her tight skinny jeans that show off her ass to perfection, and the low cut blue shirt I really like because it gives me a great view of her tits.

She’s going great, until she misses the green stripe ball. Shame.

“You know, Anastasia, I could stand here and watch you leaning and stretching across this billiard table all day.”

It’s my turn to take a shot. I sink four balls in rapid succession, then deliberately foul by sinking the white. I don’t want to win just yet, because I want to see that fantastic body of hers stretched out in front of me again. I can easily catch up.

“A very elementary mistake, Mr. Grey,” she teases.

“Ah, Miss Steele, I am but a foolish mortal. Your go, I believe.” Let me see that delectable ass of yours again.

“You’re not trying to lose are you?”

“Oh no. For what I have in mind as the prize, I want to win, Anastasia. But then, I always want to win.”

Ana’s learning, because she decides to play dirty as she bends over to show off her ass and her cleavage every chance she gets now, to try and distract me. And fuck, it’s working. I have an achingly hard erection getting in the way.

“I know what you’re doing,” I mutter.

She fondles her cue suggestively, running her fingers up and down it slowly, knowing she’s turning me on big time.

“Oh, I'm just deciding where to take my next shot,” she murmurs coyly.

Then she stands directly in front of me and takes the rest from underneath the table. She lines up her next shot, leaning right over the table. Her ass is stretched out so temptingly in front of me, and when she wiggles it slightly, I can't help reacting by sucking in a breath.

She misses her shot.

I wander over to stand right behind her while she is still bent over the table, placing my hand on her backside to gently stroke it.

“Are you waving this around to taunt me, Miss Steele?” I ask, as I suddenly give her a lovely hard smack.

“Yes,” she gasps in shock.

“Be careful what you wish for, baby.”  

That was just a little warning smack, and there are plenty more where that came from. But now it’s my turn to take a shot.

I can see that Ana is studying me intently. It pleases me that she seems to enjoy looking at me, almost as much as I enjoy looking at her.

Then I deliberately miss my next shot. It’s not going to be much fun if I quickly pot all the balls, because then I won’t get to see her stretching out over the table so sexily any more.

“Red Room here we come,” she taunts.

She makes short work of the next two balls.

“Name your pocket,” I murmur, thinking I know exactly how I'm going to fill her sweet little pocket.

“Top left-hand,” she states, but then misses.

As I thought, her concentration is wavering. Time to take control. Like I told her, I always play to win.

“If I win, I am going to spank you, then fuck you over this billiard table.”

Ana looks suitably shocked, as I take my next shot to effortlessly win the game. Now we’re going to play the game where I make up all the rules.

I stand up and smile at her.

“You’re not going to be a sore loser, are you?”

“Depends how hard you spank me,” she mutters, as I hook my finger into the top of her shirt to pull her towards me.

“Well, let’s count your misdemeanors, Miss Steele. One, making me jealous of my own staff. Two, arguing with me about working. And three, waving your delectable derriere at me for the last twenty minutes. I want you to take your jeans and this very fetching shirt off. Now.”

I softly kiss her lips before going over and locking the door. I certainly don’t want Taylor or Gail wandering in to interrupt our fun.

Ana seems frozen to the spot.

“Clothes, Anastasia. You appear to still be wearing them. Take them off – or I will do it for you.”

“You do it,” she whispers, in her husky, sexy, turned-on voice.

“Oh, Miss Steele. It’s a dirty job, but I think I can rise to the challenge.”

“You normally rise to most challenges, Mr. Grey.”

“Why, Miss Steele, whatever do you mean?”

I stop at the desk to retrieve a twelve inch Perspex ruler, and put it in the back pocket of my jeans. I’m improvising. I'm not in my playroom, so I don’t have any of my favorite toys, but this implement will suit the task I have in mind perfectly. I'm finding this even more of a turn on than planning a scene in my playroom. 

Discovering that it’s possible to play around and have some kinky fun just about anywhere we choose is very liberating. It opens up so many fucking possibilities. And Ana certainly seems up for it, really up for it.

I want to see her stretched out over the table without her jeans to restrict my view of her sexy, fuckable ass. So I kneel in front of her to strip off her jeans. She has some really nice pretty panties on, I'm pleased to see. I rub my nose against those panties, and her wonderful natural musky scent tells me how aroused she is already.

“I want to be quite rough with you, Ana,” I warn her, as I continue to kiss and nuzzle her through her panties. “You’ll have to tell me if it’s too much.”

“Safe word?” she asks.

“No, no safe word, just tell me to stop, and I’ll stop. Understand?”

She groans as I continue to suck and kiss her.

“Answer me,” I instruct her. I have to be sure that she will remember to tell me to stop. I have to have that reassurance.

“Yes, yes, I understand,” she insists.

“You’ve been dropping hints and giving me mixed signals all day, Anastasia. You said you were worried I’d lost my edge. I'm not sure what you meant by that, and I don’t know how serious you were, but we are going to find out. I don’t want to go back into the playroom yet, so we can try this now, but if you don’t like it, you must promise to tell me.”

I think she wants some of our special kinky fuckery, which I'm more than happy to go along with, but I just don’t want to push her too far.

“I’ll tell you. No safe word.”

“We’re lovers, Anastasia. We love each other, so we can be called lovers, right? Lovers don’t need safe words. Do they?”

This is all new to me, and I don’t know all the rules, but I think I'm getting it right. I hope so, anyhow.

“I guess not. I promise,” Ana murmurs. I have to remember it’s all new to her too. But I like that. We’re working it out together, in our own way.

I slowly unbutton her shirt, but leave it on, so I get a teasing view of her breasts spilling out of her bra as she leans over. She has such great tits.

“You play well, Miss Steele. I must say I'm surprised. Why don’t you sink the black?”

I stand right behind her as she leans over to take the shot, and gently stroke my fingers up and down the silky skin of her right thigh. Our private game of pool is so much more fun than any regular game.

“I am going to miss if you keep doing that,” she murmurs.

“I don’t care if you hit or miss, baby. I just wanted to see you like this – partially dressed, stretched out on my billiard table. Do you have any idea how hot you look at the moment?”

I caress the fantastic curves of her ass, as she prepares to hit the white ball.

“Top left,” she murmurs.

As she hits the ball, I smack her hard. She yelps and jumps in surprise, but can't get away as I'm pressed right up behind her. The ball misses its mark.

“Oh, I think you need to try that again. You should concentrate, Anastasia.”

I can tell she's really turned on by our little game as she is breathing hard, so I decide to tease her a little more.

“Uh-uh, just wait,” I tell her, once the balls are set up again. I position myself behind her again and then stroke her left thigh this time, as I caress her sexy little ass again.

“Take aim.”

She struggles to concentrate on taking her shot, now she knows what’s going to happen when she does. I smack her hard as she hits the ball, loving the feel of her soft warm flesh against my solid hand.

“Oh no,” she groans.

“Once more, baby. And if you miss this time, I'm really going to let you have it.”

I can't wait to give her the punishment she earned today with her disobedient behavior. I know a good spanking will help to relieve the tension and worry that’s built up today, for both of us.

“You can do it,” I urge, and I know she’s enjoying this game as much as I am when she pushes her bottom back against me. So I smack her hard again.

“Eager, Miss Steele?” I tease. I know I am, but I want to take my time to enjoy this. “Well, let’s get rid of these.”

I slide her panties off and tuck them in my pocket, then I kiss both delicious cheeks of her enchanting naked bottom.

“Take the shot, baby.”

She misses, of course.

Time to take this game to the next level. I lean right over her, flattening her against the table, and take the cue out of her hand.

“You missed,” I whisper in her ear. Her face is pressed against the baize. “Put your hands flat on the table.”

She obediently does as she is told.

“Good. I'm going to spank you now and next time maybe you won’t.”

She is so turned on that she groans, panting with excitement. I stand by her side as I caress her sweet ass, and curl my other hand around the nape of her neck, fisting my fingers in her hair, my elbow at her back holding her down. She is pinned down and helpless.

“Open your legs,” I order, but she hesitates. So now I smack her hard with the ruler, and it makes a wonderful swishing noise as it takes her by surprise. I hit her again as she gasps. I’ll fucking show you if I've lost my edge or not.

“Legs,” I command her again. She slowly opens her legs, and I hit her again, even harder. I can't deny that I am loving this, but I feel freer now I know she is really enjoying it too. I just have to ensure I don’t overstep the boundaries and push her too far.

I carry on hitting her with the ruler again and again, and she moans as she absorbs the pain to relish the arousal it creates within her. So I don’t let up, because she is really turned on, while I'm beyond aroused. You’re taking her to the dark side, Grey. Be careful. Don't take her too far.

I continue, losing myself as she told me to, thrilled that each stroke is so fucking amazing to see and hear, as the ruler swishes down onto her alabaster skin, until her fine ass is glowing a beautiful pink.

I don’t hold back, until suddenly,

“Stop.”

I don’t hesitate for a second. I instantly drop the ruler and release her.

“Enough?” I whisper.

“Yes.”

“I want to fuck you now.” My need is overwhelming after such a magnificent spanking.

“Yes,” she immediately acquiesces, her voice all breathy with arousal and longing. She’s gone over to the dark side with you now, Grey.

I undo my fly to let my aching cock spring free. I ease two fingers inside her to check she’s ready, because I'm going to be rough with her. And I'm thrilled to discover she’s fantastically wet for me. So I get a condom from my pocket and quickly sheath up, then push her legs wider apart as I stand behind her.

I slowly sink into her, groaning with sheer pleasure at how fucking amazing it feels to push all the way into her hot luscious depths. I hold her hips as I ease out of her, and then slam back in again. She cries out, so I still for a moment.

“Again?” I check.

“Yes… I’m fine. Lose yourself… take me with you,” she moans.

She needs this as much as I do. I can let myself go because that’s what she needs too. So I slowly ease out, and then slam into her again. Over and over. Each time better than before. So tight, so hot, so slick. A steady rhythm of ecstasy. Lovers enjoying each other, her taking what I'm giving, welcoming the hardness of my cock pounding into the softness of her luscious folds.

I can feel her insides starting to quicken, so I know she’s close, and I sure as hell am. So I increase the rhythm, intensifying the pressure that’s building up, until finally we splinter and shatter to reach our release, so good, so fucking good together. I grip her hips, and with a final deep thrust I explode into her as her walls contract and squeeze around me as she comes, and the universe halts for us.

 Time is suspended for a while as we fly together.

Finally we are both spent, and collapse onto the floor together, as I cradle her in my arms.

“Thank you, baby,” I whisper, as I cover her sweet face with soft kisses. She opens her eyes to gaze up at me, and the look of love I see reflected there makes me hold onto her tightly. You wouldn’t have recognized that look before, would you, Grey?

“Your cheek is pink from the baize,” I murmur, as I rub her face tenderly.  That was such a wonderful experience together – at least it was for me. “How was that?”

“Teeth-clenchingly good,” she murmurs. “I like it rough, Christian, and I like it gentle, too. I like that it’s with you.”

I heave a sigh of relief as I pull her even closer to me. That’s exactly how I feel. With Anastasia, any type of sex is amazing. We are lovers, working things out together. This is more than enough for me, I'm certain.

“You never fail, Ana. You are beautiful, bright, challenging, fun, sexy, and I thank divine providence every day that it was you that came to interview me and not Katherine Kavanagh.”

She yawns sweetly against my chest as I bury my nose in her hair.

“I’m wearing you out. Come. Bath, then bed.”

~~~

As we relax together in the bath, Ana manages to persuade me to let Sawyer deliver her just to the front door of the office in the morning. I reluctantly agree, because I know it’s the only point of access into the building, so he can monitor any movements safely from there. She also agrees to take some lunch with her, so she won’t need to go out at lunch time.

“I’m glad you told me to stop,” I tell her. 

It gives me hope, because now I feel I can trust her to say when she’s reached her limit, rather than say what she thinks I want to hear. That’s a very important step in the right direction.

“So is my behind,” she smirks at me.

~~~

“Didn’t Ms. Acton provide any nightwear?” I ask when I see she’s wearing one of my T shirts in bed again.

“I have no idea. I like wearing your T shirts,” she mumbles sleepily as she stretches out in bed. I guess that’s sweet. She’d rather wear something of mine than a luxury fabric like silk. That is so Ana. I lean over and kiss her.

“I need to work. But I don’t want to leave you alone. Can I use your laptop to log into the office? Will it disturb you if I work from here?”

I can't shake the image from my head of Leila standing at the end of the bed pointing a gun at Ana. But after a day playing hooky, there are urgent business matters that will need my attention, and it’s still only ten thirty in the evening.

“S’not my laptop,” she murmurs, and then she’s gone, crashed out and fast asleep.

I spend a long time just looking at her as she sleeps. I love watching her, just as I did the very first time I brought her back to my room at The Heathman. 

My Sleeping Beauty. 

I can't resist running my finger down her soft cheek, stroking her silky hair, and watching the regular rise and fall of her chest as she breathes.

Anastasia. My lover. The love of my life. 

It still seems strange to me, but I think I’m getting used to thinking in these terms. Love, with a capital L. It’s a wonderful, powerful but confusing emotion, I'm discovering.

Reluctantly I tear myself away from watching her, and log into the office to catch up with the outside world. But instead of working on into the early hours as I usually do, I complete just the bare minimum required to keep on top of everything, before slipping into bed next to Ana. 

I wrap her up in my arms, and gently kiss her as she sweetly murmurs my name, before falling into a deep, untroubled sleep.  

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.