Protecting You - Complete

Chapter 21 - Ana

Waking with Christian Monday morning had been nothing short of wonderful. Taylor knocking on the bedroom door roused us—and I opened my eyes to find myself curled up within Christian's embrace. His eyes opening mere seconds after mine, we just stared and smiled at one another for a few moments before Taylor's repeated knocking caused Christian to call out irritably, "Yes—we're up. Be out, soon."

Over breakfast, Christian showed me a photo of us in the Seattle Times from Saturday. He said we looked hot, and he was right. Between the hair, makeup, mask, and my dress you couldn't tell it was me, especially since the heels made me look so much taller and slimmer. Once I got a full-time job, I decided a few more pairs of super-high heels were in my immediate shopping future!

Christian explained that with the photo in the newspaper, interest in who I was would be rife. As such, he'd assigned Sawyer to take me to and back from Grey House each day. My heart sank when he told me—I loved our trips to and from work together. Yet I understood why I needed to stay out of sight, and if I was spotted traveling with Christian, it would quickly give the game away. So for the next few weeks, at least, I'd be dropped close to Grey House by Sawyer, and I'd take a packed lunch bag courtesy of Gail so I didn't even have to leave work to eat.

My colleagues in marketing made the usual polite inquiries about my weekend. I replied I'd just hung out with my flatmate and their family. Completely honest, without giving them any idea I'd been the boss's date to his parents' charity ball. There were a few questions when Sawyer showed up just after eleven playing delivery man with a small bunch of flowers, but they excused even that when I said it was from someone new I was seeing.

After coming clean about his 'research' yesterday, Christian reiterated his wish for me to continue staying with him at Escala. Rightly pointing out I was better protected there; I knew there was more to it. Last night he'd given me an open invitation to sleep with him in his bedroom. I wasn't ready to move my things there, however, I was open to having regular sleepovers. Now I'd had thirty-six hours to recover, I hoped maybe Christian would be open to a little more of what we'd enjoyed at Bellevue.

Times like this, I really missed having a girlfriend to talk with. I knew I was falling for Christian—and he had said he was falling in love with me, too. I just wish I knew what that meant in the future. He was... well; he was Christian! Handsome as hell, a billionaire, and a sex god to boot! And me? I was just plain old Anastasia Steele. With a temp job, no fixed address, and next to nothing to my name, I brought nothing to our relationship. I just hoped Christian could overlook all that to know I genuinely cared for him. It wasn't his money or that fact he'd given me a place to stay, that made me like him. I'd grown to love him because of him.

"You look lost in thought," a voice said. Looking up from my desk, I saw Grace Grey standing in front of me. Quickly looking around, I was relieved that the rest of the team were on their break, so there was no one to witness the boss's mother talking to me. "Do you have time for lunch?"

"I actually have something packed from home," I said, reaching into the lower drawer and pulling out Gail's carefully packed satchel.

"If Mrs. Jones prepared it, I am sure it is delicious. However, please let me take you to lunch."

I didn't feel I could say no, so stashing my lunch back in the bottom of my filing cabinet and retrieving my purse, I agreed - obediently following Grace to the elevator. As soon as we arrived in the elevator vestibule, Sawyer appeared with a suitably apologetic expression on his face. While Grace's appearance may have been a surprise to me, Sawyer had apparently already been appraised.

"I should let Christian know I am going out for lunch," I said tentatively as we descended in the elevator and climbed into one of Christian's SUVs in the underground garage. He'd been very clear about me staying out of sight and within Grey House.