50 shades of gray

Chapter 24- Trapped

I turn around to see Kate looking almost as pale-faced and embarrassed as I feel.

There's a long moment while Elliot knocks again. I can just hear him laughing outside.

"I forgot," she says quietly. "I invited Elliot to dinner tonight."

Thanks for telling me.

I run back to my room to dress and to wallow in my shame. Kate waits until my bedroom door is firmly shut before opening the front door and letting Elliot in. I march over to the laptop and open up iTunes, playing whatever music is pre-loaded onto the computer in an effort try to block out Elliot and Kate's already-muffled conversation – and to drown out my hailstorm of thoughts.

"Spooky" by Dusty Springfield comes on. Who picked this music out? This doesn't seem like Christian's taste at all. Though I can't say for sure what I think Christian's taste in music would be. Exclusively Rachmaninoff perhaps?

I crank it up to let myself get swallowed by the simple beat. My hips start to rock back and forth of their own volition. By the time the first verse starts up, I'm full-on dancing. I turn it up even louder and sashay my way over to the closet. I grab a pair of black Louboutin pumps and slip them on my feet, taking a look in the mirror at my gyrating form. Damn if these heels aren't sex on a stick.

I grab the first thing I feel in the closet - a gold Roberto Cavalli dress completely covered in beaded fringe. It has an ombre effect: almost bronze at the top and white gold at the bottom. I step into it and slip it on. It's low-cut in the back so there's no need for a zipper. Or a bra. I take the bra off slowly, doing a strip tease for my mirror. Watching myself in the mirror, I can see how the fringe accentuates every movement, emphasizing the curves I never think of myself as possessing.

The saxophone starts in and I close my eyes to just dance for a bit. I can feel the silk lining rubbing over my skin and the texture of the beads running over my barely-covered nipples. I feel immensely sensual, all memory of my unfortunate run-in with Elliot Gray erased from my mind.

I shimmy over to the dresser, grabbing the tube of bright red lipstick Kate said matched the underside of the Louboutins. I bend over and apply the lipstick in my tiny mirror, feeling the dress stretch tight across my backside delightfully. I could get used to Christian picking my clothes out for me. The fine materials he chooses feel rich and luxurious – even when they're making me uncomfortable. Just like our sex life, I think.

I smile and smack my lips at the mirror. She's right - it matches perfectly.

I stand, snapping my finger when the beat drops. When I stand up straight and spin around, I nearly jump out of my skin. Christian is casually leaning against my doorframe, looking like sin in a white v-neck tshirt, a black jacket, and black jeans. I don't know that I've ever seen him so casual in public – well, soon to be in public.

"H... how long have you been there?" I ask.

Christian stalks into the room and looks down at me, inches away. "Long enough to know what you're wearing underneath," he says with a mischievous smile.

I pout and the smile completely evaporates from Christian's face.

Oh shit.

He places both hands on my upper arms and pushes me backwards until I'm pressed against my full-length mirror.

He doesn't kiss me, but locks his eyes on me. He rakes both hands up my arms to my dress straps and slowly lowers them down, exposing my shoulders. The beads scrape my skin slowly, lighting a fire straight down my center.

My dress is low enough now that the tops of my breasts are exposed. Christian pulls his eyes away from mine as he leans down to bite at the sensitive skin. My head rocks back and I moan though I know I should be quiet. He slips the dress over my nipples and takes one in his mouth, suckling it. I gasp and my eyes shoot open as he bites down hard on the tender flesh.