Chapter 20

Chapter 20

When the horribly boring meeting is over I tell Taylor to arrange for a Blackberry to be send to Anastasia, all ready to go, with her email already there and tracking device, which is on all electronic devices that I own.
Taylor keeps looking at me with a smirk on his face and keeps hinting at the fact that I did not sleep in my own bed last night. It is fucking annoying, he is almost worse than Elliot – almost.

I head up to my hotel room to get ready for a quick meeting before going back to Seattle. It feels fucking weird to be going so far away from Anastasia but at least she is moving to Seattle on Saturday. Which Elliot is helping them do, I cannot imagine how that will go down and I am a little afraid what he will be saying about me to Anastasia and to Kate for that matter as well. But then again, Anastasia knows about my lifestyle, which Elliot does not.

I decide that no matter what, he cannot say anything that will scare her off, she knows what she is saying yes to.

When my meeting is over I get an email from Anastasia, thanking me for yet another gadget and asking me why I do this. I think to myself that, that is a very good question. I am not entirely sure myself, I just know that I love our email banter, so I want that to continue.

But she is busy at work so she promises me that she will email me when se get home, so I will have to wait the four hours before she gets home.

I have packed up my things and get ready to leave for Seattle, knowing that the next time I see Anastasia we are actually living in the same city and will start our contract and I am very well aware of the amount of joy I get from this and that I am deep shit.

When I get back to Seattle I am immediately bombarded with papers to sign, people wanting to speak to me, wants me to do something, that I completely forget the time.

When I finally make to Escala and throw myself on the couch, I feel completely empty. I went to a fucking fundraising dinner and I hate those. I have always loved coming after those things, but I today I have a different feeling walking into my apartment; it feels empty. I feel stupid for thinking that it is because Anastasia is missing, since she has only been here once. But I can already feel that I am missing her smile and her scent. I have been able to smell her all day, but that smell is fading away now and I realize that it saddens me.

Even though it is now 11.30 PM she has still not emailed me or texted me. I have heard nothing from her even though she promised me that she would email me when she got home.

I have talked to Taylor who tells me that she was indeed at home when he went there to pick up the car, yet she has not emailed me while she was at home.

I have called her several times without answer and the security detail assigned to her tells me that she is at home and that a man has entered their apartment. When they describe him I nearly jump out of my skin with anger and …… FUCK ….. I’m crazy jealous. José fucking Rodriquez.  I left her a message earlier.

I think you need to learn to manage my expectations. I am not a patient man. If you say you are going to contact me when you finish work, then you should have the decency to do so. Otherwise, I worry, and it’s not an emotion I’m familiar with, and I don’t tolerate it very well. Call me.

After the voicemail I also sent her and email hoping that she would answer that.

As the evening progressed I felt more and more deflated. I have not heard anything from Anastasia, but the security detail has informed me that my brother has arrived at their apartment so at least I would know if something were wrong, he would call me.

I start wondering whether she has gotten second thoughts about us and feel even more deflated at the thought of that.

I shower and decide to forgo going to bed, I know that I cannot sleep anyway so I may as well just give up trying.

I go to the piano to dispel my horrible mood, I have gone past angry and just feel ….. empty. I miss Anastasia terribly and wonder what she is doing, if she is even thinking about me.

Finally around midnight my phone rings and Anastasia’s name is flashing on the little screen.

“Hi.” Even I can tell that I sound … odd.     

“Hi,” God I love her voice.

“I was worried about you.”

“I know. I’m sorry I didn’t reply, but I’m fine.”

“Did you have a pleasant evening?” I cannot help but wonder if she will tell about José fucking photographer-boy.

“Yes. We finished packing and Kate and I shared a Chinese take-out with José.” At least she is honest with me.

“How about you?” She sounds uncomfortable that I am not reacting to her answer, but I just do not know what to say, because I am angry and jealous all over again. Fuck I hate that feeling.

“I went to a fundraising dinner. It was deathly dull. I left as soon as I could.”

“I wish you were here,” My heart actually leaps when she says that. Who knew there where actually something in there. She actually wants to be with me.

“Do you?” I can hardly believe that she actually means it. But then again, she is just my sub, so I really should not encourage this. I sigh because I do not know what the fuck to do.

“Yes,”

“I’ll see you Sunday?”

“Yes, Sunday,”

“Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Sir.” Fuck that sound almost as sexy as when she says my name. Immediately I imagine her on her knees, submitting to me, her eyes downcast, her beautiful body naked. FUCK.

“Good luck with your move tomorrow, Anastasia.” I do not really feel like hanging up the phone.

“You hang up,”

“No, you hang up.” I am actually grinning about our little banter. Grinning, when the fuck to you grin, Grey­?

“I don’t want to.” Maybe there is a little chance that she actually wants me as much as I want her.

“Neither do I.”

“Were you very angry with me?”

“Yes.”

“Are you still?”

“No.”

“So you’re not going to punish me?” She sound apprehensive about a possible punishment, but I do know that she does like those.

“No. I’m an in-the-moment kind of guy.”

“I’ve noticed.”

“You can hang up now, Miss Steele.”

“Do you really want me to, Sir?” God I love it when she calls me that.

“Go to bed, Anastasia.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Do you ever think you’ll be able to do what you’re told?”    “Maybe. We’ll see after Sunday.”

She is a fiery little one. Fuck now I just want her again.

I decide to run for a bit and then get a few hours of sleep before I have to pick up Mia at the airport.