Fifty Shades Darker (book 5) novel Chapter 87

“Great. Ana will join me shortly.”

“Shall I make her scrambled eggs?”

“I think she likes pancakes and bacon.”

Gail places a coffee and my breakfast at one of the places she’s set at the kitchen counter.

Ana appears about ten minutes later, wearing some of the clothes I bought her.

A silk blouse and a gray skirt. She looks different.

Sophisticated.

Elegant.

She’s beautiful. Not a gauche student but a confident young working woman.

I approve and I wrap my arm around her. “You look lovely,” I say, kissing her behind her ear. My only misgiving about her appearance is that she has to spend time, looking like this, with her boss.

Don’t dwell, Grey. This is her choice. She wants to work.

I release her when Gail places her breakfast on the bar. “Good morning, Miss Steele,” she says.

“Oh, thank you. Good morning,” Ana replies.

“Mr. Grey says you’d like to take lunch with you to work. What would you like to eat?”

Ana shoots me a look.

Yeah, baby. I was serious. No going out.

“A sandwich. Salad. I really don’t mind.” She gives Gail an appreciative smile.

“I’ll rustle up a packed lunch for you, ma’am.”

“Please, Mrs. Jones, call me Ana.”

“Ana,” Gail says.

“I have to go, baby. Taylor will come back and drop you at work with Sawyer.”

“Only to the door,” she reiterates.

“Yes. Only to the door.” That’s what we agreed. “Be careful, though,” I add in a hushed tone. Standing, I grasp her chin and give her a swift kiss. “Laters, baby.”

“Have a good day at the office, dear,” she calls after me, and though it’s a corny thing to say—it delights me.

This feels so normal.

In the elevator Taylor greets me with an update. “Sir, there’s a coffee shop opposite SIP. I think Sawyer can station himself there during the day.”

“If he needs backup? You know, bathroom breaks.”

“I’ll send Reynolds or Ryan.”

“Okay.”

I’D FORGOTTEN THAT ANDREA is out for her wedding but she won’t be having much of a honeymoon if she’s back at work tomorrow. The woman who’s replaced her and whose name I still can’t remember is browsing the Vogue Facebook page when I arrive. “No social media during office hours,” I say with a grunt.

Rookie mistake. But she should know this. She’s already an employee here.

She’s startled. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Grey. I didn’t hear you arrive. Can I get you some coffee?”

“Yes. You may. A macchiato.”

I shut my office door and, at my desk, switch on my computer. There’s an e-mail from the Saab dealership: Ana’s car will arrive today. I forward the e-mail to Taylor so he can organize delivery, thinking that it will be a nice surprise for Ana this evening. Next, I e-mail Ana.

* * *

From: Christian Grey

Subject: Boss

Date: June 13 2011 08:24

To: Anastasia Steele