50 shades of gray

Chapter 21- The Laying-Out of Cards

Before too long I hear a quiet knock at the door. Oh god, oh god, oh god!

I look back at Christian in horror. He's still inside of me for Christ's sake!

"Ana, your dad asked me to..."

Kate opens the door.

Frozen like deer facing an oncoming Dodge Caravan, Christian and I move not an inch. I'm completely bent over, clutching the desk, skirt hitched up to my waist, be-heeled feet spread wide, and Christian is holding my hips so tightly his knuckles are surely white.

Kate blushes a horrendous shade of violet and slams the door shut as she quickly exits the room.

"Sorry! Oh my god sorry!" she shouts from outside the door.

It takes me a moment to regain control of my brain. Christian gently extricates himself from me. He tosses the condom and zips his fly before smoothing my skirt down and helping me to stand up. He indicates the desk and I sit gently on the edge. Slowly, he walks over to the door and opens it.

Kate is standing there, her face in her hands, still blushing.

"I believe you had a message," Christian says nonchalantly.

Kate keeps her eyes covered as she says quietly, "Ray was heading out. He said these kinds of froo-froo events aren't his thing so he'll talk to you later in the week." There's a long pause.

"Thanks, Kate," I reply, equally as quiet.

Another pause.

"God I'm so sorry!" she bellows.

Christian kindly puts a hand on her back and ushers her inside the classroom, closing the door. "Why don't you sit down for a second, Miss Kavanagh?"

She sits in one of the student chairs. It's one of those amphitheater-style classrooms with the armrest that folds to form a writing surface. She's on the aisle so hers is left-handed.

"Miss Kavanagh, please uncover your face, we're all adults here," Christian says in a soft voice.

Kate lowers her hands finally and I can see the pink is making her face glow slightly. I've never seen her so embarrassed. Hell, I'm not sure I've ever seen her embarrassed.

"I believe you already knew that Miss Steele and I have become," he pauses to find the right phrasing, "intimate?"

She nods.

"Perhaps you'd surmised that we've been," he pauses again, "a bit rougher than the norm?"

Her eyes flick to mine for a moment then back to Christian. She nods again.

"Were you aware of," another pause. I'm starting to think these are more calculated than I'd originally assumed. "Our contract?"

I see something like recognition on Kate's face, but there's surprise there too. And maybe anger.

"Contract?"

I panic for a moment. Is Christian going to tell her everything? Because I don't actually think Kate will be understanding and cool with all of it. In fact she'd probably kidnap me and take me to Belize before letting me see Christian again.

But I watch tension release from Christian's shoulders as he says, "Yes, a non-disclosure agreement. It's fairly standard for anyone in the public eye. I don't want a jilted lover to one day blab to the tabloids about how I like to, uh..." This time the pause does not feel planned, but exposed.

I chime in, relieving him the responsibility, "How he likes to fuck."

Both Kate's and Christian's eyes swing towards me at the profanity.