We’re skin on skin.
“Eyes open. I want to see you.” She peers up at me, her pupils large and full of need. Slowly I sink into her, keeping my eyes on hers. I pause. Holding her on me. Holding her up. Feeling her.
“You are mine, Anastasia.”
“Always.”
Her answer makes me feel ten feet tall.
“And now we can let everyone know, because you said yes.”
Leaning down, I kiss her and ease out of her, taking my time. Savoring her. She closes her eyes and tilts back her head as we move together.
Us.
Together.
As one.
I speed up. Needing more. Needing her. Enjoying her. Loving her. Her small cries spur me on, telling me she’s climbing higher and higher. With me. Taking me.
She cries out when she comes, her head back against the wall, and I follow her, finding my release and burying my face in her neck.
Carefully, I sink to the floor as the water stream rains down on us. I hold her face in my hands and I can see that she’s crying.
Baby.
I kiss away each tear.
She shifts so her back is against mine and neither of us says anything. Our silence is golden. Quiet. After all the anxiety of this afternoon and evening, my crash landing, my marathon trek, the endless road trip, I’ve found some peace. I rest my chin on her head, my legs wrapped around her while I hold her in my arms. I love this woman—this beautiful, brave, young woman who will soon be my wife.
Mrs. Grey.
I grin and nuzzle her wet hair, surrendering us both to the cascading water.
“My fingers are pruny,” she remarks, staring down at her hands. I take her fingers in mine and kiss each one.
“We should really get out of this shower.”
“I’m comfortable here,” she says.
Me, too, baby. Me, too.
She sags against me and stares, at my toes I think, and then she chuckles.
“Something amusing you, Miss Steele?”
“It’s been a busy week.”
“That it has.”
“I thank God you’re back in one piece, Mr. Grey.” She’s suddenly serious.
I might not have been here.
Shit.
If…
I swallow as my throat constricts, and an image comes to mind of the ground speeding toward me and Ros in the cockpit of Charlie Tango. I shudder. “I was scared,” I whisper.
“Earlier?”
I nod.
“So you made light of it to reassure your family?”
“Yes. I was too low to land well. But somehow I did.”
She stares at me, fear on her face. “How close a call was it?”
“Close. For a few awful seconds, I thought I’d never see you again.” This feels like a dark, dark confession.
She moves and puts her arms around me. “I can’t imagine my life without you, Christian. I love you so much it frightens me.”
Whoa.
But I feel the same. “Me, too. My life would be empty without you. I love you so much.” I tighten my arms around her and kiss her hair. “I won’t ever let you go.”
“I don’t want to go, ever.” She kisses my throat and I bend down and kiss her.
I’m getting pins and needles in my feet. “Come—let’s get you dry and into bed. I’m tired and you look beat.”
She lifts an eyebrow.
“You have something to say, Miss Steele?”
She shakes her head and stands, waiting for me.
We clear our clothes and I grab my cuff links. Ana dumps our soaking clothes into her sink. “I’ll deal with these tomorrow,” she says.
“Good idea.” I wrap her in a towel and place one around my waist. As we brush our teeth at my sink, she gives me a frothy grin, and we both try not to laugh and choke on the toothpaste when I reciprocate.
I’m fourteen again.
In a good way.
I FINISH DRYING HER hair and she climbs into bed. She looks the way I feel, exhausted. I take another look at the keychain and at my favorite word ever written in the English language.
A word full of hope and possibilities.
She said yes.
I grin and join her in bed. “This is so neat. The best birthday present I’ve ever had. Better than my signed Giuseppe DeNatale poster.”
“I would have told you earlier, but since it was going to be your birthday…” Ana lifts her shoulder. “What do you give the man who has everything? I thought I’d give you…me.”
I place the keychain on my bedside table and snuggle up to Ana, pulling her into my arms. “It’s perfect. Like you.”
“I am far from perfect, Christian.”
“Are you smirking at me, Miss Steele?”
“Maybe.” She chuckles.
I can tell, Ana. Your body language gives you away.
“Can I ask you something?” she adds.
“Of course.”
“You didn’t call on your trip back from Portland. Was that really because of José? You were worried about me being here alone with him?”
Maybe…
I feel like an idiot. I thought she was at the bar having a good time. I had no idea—
“Do you know how ridiculous that is?” she says, as she turns to face me, her eyes full of reproach. “How much stress you put your family and me through? We all love you very much.”