Fifty Shades of Grey (Fifty Shades #1)(28)
Author: E.L. James

"You cooked, I’ll clear."

"That’s very democratic."

"Yes." He frowns. "Not my usual style. After I’ve done this, we’ll take a bath."

"Oh, okay." Oh my… I’d much rather have a shower. My cell rings, interrupting my reverie. It’s Kate.

"Hi." I wander over to the glass doors of the balcony, away from him.

"Ana, why didn’t you text last night?" She’s angry.

"I’m sorry, I was overtaken by events."

"You’re okay?"

"Yes, I’m fine."

"Did you?" She’s fishing for information. I roll my eyes at the expectation in her voice.

"Kate, I don’t want to talk over the phone." Christian glances up at me.

"You did… I can tell."

How can she tellShe’s bluffing, and I can’t talk about this. I’ve signed a damned agreement.

"Kate, please."

"What was it likeAre you okay?"

"I’ve told you I’m okay."

"Was he gentle?"

"Kate, please!" I can’t hide my exasperation.

"Ana, don’t hold out on me, I’ve been waiting for this day for nearly four years."

"I’ll see you this evening." I hang up.

That is going to be one difficult square to circle. She’s so tenacious, and she wants to know – in detail, and I can’t tell her because I’ve signed a – what was it calledNDA.

She’ll freak and rightly so. I need a plan. I head back to watch Christian move gracefully around his kitchen.

"The NDA, does it cover everything?" I ask tentatively.

"Why?" he turns and gazes at me while putting the Twinings away. I flush.

"Well, I have a few questions, you know, about sex." I stare down at my fingers. "And I’d like to ask Kate."

"You can ask me."

"Christian, with all due respect." My voice fades. I can’t ask you. I’ll get your biased, kinky-as-hell, distorted world-view regarding sex. I want an impartial opinion. "It’s just about mechanics. I won’t mention the Red Room of Pain."

He raises his eyebrows.

"Red Room of PainIt’s mostly about pleasure, Anastasia. Believe me," he says.

"Besides," his tone is harsher. "Your room-mate is making the beast with two backs with my brother. I’d really rather you didn’t."

"Does your family know about your… um predilection?"

"No. It’s none of their business." He saunters toward me until he’s standing in front of me.

"What do you want to know?" he asks, and raising his hand runs his fingers gently down my cheek to my chin, tilting my head back so he can look directly into my eyes. I squirm inwardly. I cannot lie to this man.

"Nothing specific at the moment," I whisper.

"Well, we can start with – how was last night for you?" His eyes burn, filled with curiosity. He’s anxious to know. Wow.

"Good," I murmur.

His lips lift slightly.

"Me too," he murmurs. "I’ve never had vanilla sex before. There’s a lot to be said for it. But then, maybe it’s because it’s with you." He runs his thumb across my lower lip.

I inhale sharply. Vanilla sex?

"Come, let’s have a bath." He leans down and kisses me. My heart leaps and desire pools way down low… way down there.

The bath is a white stone, deep, egg-shaped affair, very designer. Christian leans over and fills it from the faucet on the tiled wall. He pours some expensive looking bath oil into the water. It foams as the bath fills and smells of sweet sultry Jasmine. He stands and gazes at me, his eyes dark, then peels his t-shirt off and casts it on the floor.

"Miss Steele." He holds his hand out.

I’m standing in the doorway, wide-eyed and wary, my arms wrapped around myself. I step forward while surreptitiously admiring his physique. He is just yummy. My subconscious swoons and passes out somewhere in the back of my head. I take his hand, and he bids me to step into the bath while I am still wearing his shirt. I do as I’m told. I’ll have to get used to it if I’m going to take him up on his outrageous offer… if! The water is enticingly hot.

"Turn around, face me," he orders, his voice soft. I do as I’m bid. He’s watching me intently.

"I know that lip is delicious, I can attest to that, but will you stop biting it?" he says through clenched teeth. "You chewing it makes me want to f**k you, and you’re sore, okay?"

I gasp, automatically unlocking my lip, shocked.

"Yeah," he challenges. "Got the picture." He glares at me. I nod frantically . I had no idea I could affect him so.

"Good." He reaches forward and takes my iPod out of the breast pocket, and he puts it by the sink.

"Water and iPods – not a clever combination," he mutters. He reaches down, grasps the hem of my white shirt, lifts it above my head, and discards it on the floor.

He stands back to gaze at me. I’m naked for heaven’s sake. I flush crimson and stare down at my hands, level with the base of my belly, and I desperately want to disappear into the hot water and foam, but I know he won’t want that.

"Hey," he summons me. I peek up at him, and his head is cocked to one side. "Anastasia, you’re a very beautiful woman, the whole package. Don’t hang your head like you’re ashamed. You have nothing to be ashamed of, and it’s a real joy to stand here and gaze at you." He takes my chin in his hand and tilts my head up to reach his eyes. They are soft and warm, heated even. Oh my. He’s so close. I could just reach up and touch him.

"You can sit down now." He halts my scattered thoughts, and I scoot down into the warm, welcoming water. Ooh… it stings. Which takes me by surprise, but it smells heavenly too, and the initial smarting pain soon ebbs away. I lie back and briefly close my eyes, relaxing in the soothing warmth. When I open them, he is gazing down at me.

"Why don’t you join me?" I ask, bravely I think – my voice husky.

"I think I will. Move forward," he orders.

He strips out of his PJ pants and climbs in behind me. The water rises as he sits and pulls me against his chest. He places his long legs over mine, his knees bent and his ankles level with mine, and he pulls his feet apart, opening my legs. I gasp in surprise. His nose is in my hair and he inhales deeply.

"You smell so good, Anastasia."

A tremor runs through my whole body. I am naked, in a bath with Christian Grey.

He’s naked. If someone had told me I’d be doing this when I woke up in his hotel suite yesterday, I would not have believed them.

He reaches for a bottle of body wash from the built-in shelf beside the bath and squirts some into his hand. He rubs his hands together, creating a soft, foaming lather, and he closes his hands around my neck and starts to rub the soap into my neck and shoulders, massaging firmly with his long, strong fingers. I groan. His hands on me feel good.

"You like that?" I hear his smile.

"Hmm."

He moves down my arms, then under them to my underarms washing gently. I’m so glad Kate insisted I shave. His hands glide across to my br**sts, and I inhale sharply as his fingers encircle them and start kneading gently, taking no prisoners. My body bows instinctively, pushing my br**sts into his hands. My ni**les are tender. Very tender, no doubt from his less-than-delicate treatment of them last night. He doesn’t linger long and glides his hands down to my stomach and belly. My breathing increases, and my heart is racing. His growing erection presses against my behind. It’s such a turn-on knowing that it’s my body making him feel this way. Ha… not your mind. My subconscious sneers. I shake off the unwelcome thought.

He stops and reaches for a washcloth as I pant against him, wanting… needing. My hands rest on his firm, muscular thighs. Squirting more soap on to the washcloth, he leans down and washes between my legs. I hold my breath. His fingers skillfully stimulating me through the cloth, it’s heavenly, and my hips start moving at their own rhythm, pushing against his hand. As the sensations take over, I tilt my head back, my eyes rolling to the back of my head, my mouth slack, and I groan. The pressure is building slowly, inexorably inside me … oh my.

"Feel it, baby," Christian whispers in my ear and very gently grazes my earlobe with his teeth. "Feel it for me." My legs are pinioned by his to the side of the bath, holding me prisoner, giving him easy access to this most private part of myself.

"Oh… please," I whisper. I try to stiffen my legs as my body goes rigid. I am in a sexual thrall to this man, and he doesn’t let me move.