He undoes the next three buttons of his shirt, removes the cufflinks, tugs it over his head, and discards it on the floor. Removing his suit pants and boxer briefs, he kicks them to one side. He begins to undo the buttons on my blouse while I watch him, yearning to reach out and stroke his chest, but I contain myself.
“How was your journey?” he asks mildly. He seems so much calmer now, his apprehension gone, dissolved by sexual congress.
“Fine, thank you,” I murmur, still breathless. “Thanks once again for first class. It really is a much nicer way to travel.” I smile shyly at him. “I have some news,” I add nervously.
“Oh?” he looks down at me as he undoes the last button, slips my blouse down my arms, and throws it on top of his discarded clothes.
“I have a job.”
He stills, then smiles at me, his eyes warm and soft.
“Congratulations, Miss Steele. Now will you tell me where?” he teases.
“You don’t know?”
He shakes his head, frowning slightly.
“Why would I know?”
“With your stalking capabilities, I thought you might have… ” I trail off as his face falls.“Anastasia, I wouldn’t dream of interfering in your career, unless you ask me to, of course.” He looks wounded.
“So you have no idea which company?”
“No. I know there are four publishing companies in Seattle – so I am assuming it’s one of them.”
“SIP”
“Oh, the small one, good. Well done.” He leans forward and kisses my forehead.
“Clever girl. When do you start?”
“Monday.”
“That soon, eh? I’d better take advantage of you while I still can. Turn round.”
I am thrown by his casual command, but do as I’m bid, and he undoes my bra and unzips my skirt. He pushes my skirt down, cupping my behind as he does, and kissing my shoulder. He leans against, me and his nose nuzzles my hair, inhaling deeply. He squeezes my buttocks.
“You intoxicate me, Miss Steele, and you calm me. Such a heady combination.” He kisses my hair. Grabbing my hand, he tugs me into the shower.
“Ow,” I squeal. The water is practically scalding. Christian grins down at me as the water cascades over him.
“It’s only a little hot water.”
And actually he’s right. It feels heavenly, washing off the sticky Georgia morning and the stickiness from our lovemaking.
“Turn round,” he orders, and I comply, turning to face the wall. “I want to wash you,”
he murmurs and reaches for the body wash. He squirts a little into his hand.
“I have something else to tell you,” I murmur as his hands start on my shoulders.
“Oh, yes?” he asks mildly.
I steel myself with a deep breath.
“My friend Jose’s photography show is opening Thursday in Portland.”
He stills, his hands hovering over my breasts. I have emphasized the word ‘friend.’
“Yes, what about it?” he asks sternly.
“I said I would go. Do you want to come with me?”
After what feels like a monumental amount of time, he slowly starts washing me again.
“What time?”
“The opening is at 7:30 p.m.”
He kisses my ear.
“Okay.”
Inside my subconscious relaxes and then collapses, slumped into an old battered arm-chair.“Were you nervous about asking me?”
“Yes. How can you tell?”
“Anastasia, your whole body’s just relaxed,” he says dryly.
“Well, you just seem to be um… on the jealous side.”
“Yes, I am,” he says darkly. “And you’d do well to remember that. But thank you for asking. We’ll take Charlie Tango.”
Oh, the helicopter of course, silly me. More flying… cool! I grin.
