"I'm not finished with you yet," he murmurs. And before I've fully come back to Seattle, Planet Earth, he's reaching for me, grasping my hips and pulling me off the bed to where's he's kneeling, and into his waiting lap and onto his waiting erection.
I gasp as he fills me. Holy cow . . .
"Oh, baby," he breathes as he wraps his arms around me and stills, cradling my head and kissing my face. He flexes his hips, and pleasure spikes hot and hard from deep within me. He reaches for my behind and lifts me, rocking his groin upward.
"Ah," I moan, and his lips are on mine again as he slowly, oh so slowly, lifts and rocks . . . lifts and rocks. I throw my arms around his neck, surrendering to his gentle rhythm and to wherever he'll take me. I flex my thighs, riding him . . . he feels so good. Leaning backward, I tilt my head back, my mouth open wide in a silent expression of my pleasure, reveling in his sweet lovemaking.
"Ana," he breathes, and he leans down, kissing my throat. Holding me tight, slowly easing in and out, pushing me . . . higher and higher . . . so exquisitely timed - a fluid carnal force. Blissful pleasure radiates outward from deep, deep inside me as he holds me so intimately.
"I love you, Ana," he whispers close to my ear, his voice low and harsh, and he lifts me again - up, down, up, down. I curl my hands back around his neck into his hair.
"I love you, too, Christian." Opening my eyes, I find he's gazing at me, and all I see is his love, shining bright and bold in the soft glow of the playroom light, his nightmare seemingly forgotten. And as I feel my body build toward my release, I realize this is what I wanted - this connection, this demonstration of our love.
"Come for me, baby," he whispers, his voice low. I screw my eyes shut as my body tightens at the low sound of his voice, and I come loudly, spiraling into an intense climax. He stills, his forehead against mine, as he softly whispers my name, wraps his arms around me and finds his own release.
He lifts me gently and lays me on the bed. I lie in his arms, wrung out and finally sated. He nuzzles my neck.
"Better now?" he whispers.
"Hmm."
"Shall we go to bed, or do you want to sleep here?"
"Hmm."
"Mrs. Grey, talk to me." He sounds amused.
"Hmm."
"Is that the best you can do?"
"Hmm."
"Come. Let me put you to bed. I don't like sleeping here."
Reluctantly, I shift and turn to face him. "Wait," I whisper. He blinks at me, looking all wide-eyed and innocent, and at the same time thoroughly f**ked and pleased with himself.
"Are you okay?" I ask.
He nods, smiling smugly like an adolescent boy. "I am now."
"Oh, Christian," I scold and reach up to gently stroke his lovely face. "I was talking about your nightmare."
His expression freezes momentarily, then he closes his eyes and tightens his arms around me, burying his face in my neck.
"Don't," he whispers, his voice hoarse and raw. My heart lurches and twists once more in my chest, and I clutch him tightly, running my hands down his back and through his hair.
"I'm sorry," I whisper, alarmed by his reaction. Holy f**k - how can I keep up with these mood swings? What the hell was his nightmare about? I don't want to cause him any more pain by making him relive the details. "It's okay," I murmur softly, desperate to bring him back to the playful boy of a moment ago. "It's okay," I repeat over and over soothingly.
"Let's go to bed," he says quietly after a while, and he pulls away from me, leaving me empty and aching as he rises from the bed. I scramble after him, keeping the satin sheet wrapped around me, and bend to pick up my clothes.
"Leave those," he says, and before I know it, he scoops me up in his arms. "I don't want you to trip over this sheet and break your neck." I put my arms around him marveling that he's recovered his composure, and nuzzle him as he carries me downstairs to our bedroom.
My eyes spring open. Something is wrong. Christian is not in bed, though it's still dark. Glancing at the radio alarm, I see it's three twenty in the morning. Where's Christian? Then I hear the piano. Quickly slipping out of bed, I grab my robe and run down the hallway to the great room. The tune he's playing is so sad - a mournful lament that I've heard him play before. I pause in the doorway and watch him in his pool of light while the achingly sorrowful music fills the room. He finishes then starts the piece again. Why such a plaintive tune? I wrap my arms around myself and listen spellbound as he plays. But my heart aches; Christian, why so sad? Is it because of me? Did I do this? When he finishes, only to start a third time, I can bear it no longer. He doesn't look up as I near the piano, but shifts to one side so I can sit beside him on the piano stool. He continues to play, and I put my head on his shoulder. He kisses my hair but doesn't stop playing until he's finished the piece. I peek up at him and he's staring down at me, warily.
"Did I wake you?" he asks.
"Only because you were gone. What's that piece called?"
"It's Chopin. It's one of his preludes in E minor." Christian pauses.
"It's called Suffocation . . ."
Reaching over I take his hand. "You're really shaken by all this, aren't you?"
He snorts. "A deranged ass**le gets into my apartment to kidnap my wife. She won't do as she's told. She drives me crazy. She safe words on me." He closes his eyes briefly and when he opens them again, they are stark and raw. "Yeah, I'm pretty shaken up."
I squeeze his hand. "I'm sorry."
He bends and presses his forehead against mine. "I dreamed you were dead," he whispers.