Fifty Shades Trilogy 02 - Fifty Shades Darker

he only has the apartment in New York and Aspen, and Escala. Nothing else. When we’re done, I collect his plate and mine and take them to sink.
    “Leave that. Gail will do it,” he says. I turn and gaze at him, and he’s watching me intently. Will I ever get used to having someone clean up after me?  
    “Well, now that you are more docile, Miss Steele, shall we talk about today?”
    “I think you’re the one who’s more docile. I think I’m doing a good job in taming you.”
    “Taming me?” he snorts, amused. When I nod, he frowns as if reflecting on my words. “Yes. Maybe you are, Anastasia.”
    “You were right about Jack,” I murmur, serious now, and I lean across the kitchen island gauging his reaction. Christian’s face falls and his eyes harden.
    “Has he tried anything?” he whispers, his voice deathly cold.
    I shake my head to reassure him. “No, and he won’t, Christian. I told him today that I’m your girlfriend, and he backed right off.”
    “You’re sure? I could fire the fucker.” Christian scowls.
    I sigh, emboldened by my glass of wine. “You really have to let me fight my own battles. You can’t constantly second-guess me and try to protect me. It’s stifling, Christian. I’ll never flourish with your incessant interference. I need some freedom. I wouldn’t dream of meddling in your affairs.”
    He blinks at me. “I only want you safe, Anastasia. If anything happened to you, I—” He stops.
    “I know, and I understand why you feel so driven to protect me. And part of me loves it. I know that if I need you, you’ll be there, as I am for you. But if we are to have any hope of a future together, you have to trust me and trust my judgment. Yes, I’ll get it wrong sometimes—I’ll make mistakes, but I have to learn.”
    He stares at me, his expression anxious, spurring me to walk round to him so that I am standing between his legs while he sits on the barstool. Grabbing his hands, I put them around me and place my hands on his arms.
    “You can’t interfere in my job. It’s wrong. I don’t need you charging in like a white knight to save the day. I know you want to control everything, and I understand why, but you can’t. It’s an impossible goal . . . you have to learn to let go.” I reach up and stroke his face as he gazes at me, his eyes wide. “And if you can do that—give me that—I’ll move in with you,” I add softly.
    He inhales sharply, surprised. “You’d do that?” he whispers.
    “Yes.”
    “But you don’t know me.” He frowns and sounds choked and panicky all of a sudden, very un-Fifty.
    “I know you well enough, Christian. Nothing you tell me about yourself will frighten me away.” I gently run my knuckles across his cheek. His expression turns from anxious to dubious. “But if you could just ease up on me,” I plead.
    “I’m trying, Anastasia. I couldn’t just stand by and let you go to New York with that . . . sleazeball. He has an alarming reputation. None of his assistants have lasted more than three months, and they’re never retained by the company. I don’t want that for you, baby.” He sighs. “I don’t want anything to happen to you. You being hurt . . . the thought fills me with dread. I can’t promise not to interfere, not if I think you’ll come to harm.” He pauses and takes a deep breath. “I love you, Anastasia. I will do everything in my power to protect you. I cannot imagine my life without you.”
    Holy cow . My inner goddess, my subconscious, and I all gape at Fifty in shock.  
    Jeez, three little words. My world stands still, tilts, then spins on a new axis; and I savor the moment, gazing into his sincere, beautiful gray eyes.
    “I love you, too, Christian.” I lean over and kiss him, and the kiss deepens.
    Entering unseen, Taylor clears his throat. Christian pulls back, gazing intently at me. He stands, his arm around my waist.
    “Yes?” he snaps at Taylor.
    “Mrs. Lincoln is on her way up, sir.”
    “What?”
    Taylor shrugs apologetically. Christian sighs heavily and shakes his head.
    “Well, this should be interesting,” he mutters and gives me a crooked grin of resignation.
    Fuck ! Why can’t that damned woman leave us alone?

“Yes.”
    “What did you say?”
    “I said that you didn’t want to see her, and that I understood your reasons why. I also told her that I didn’t appreciate her going behind my back.” His gaze is impassive, giving nothing away.
    Oh, good. “What