Our Ana | Kate & Ana & Christian

Chapter 5

Christian's Pov;

As we exit the gallery building, I have to revise my plan and fast. This evening has not gone the way I had assumed it would originally, but that doesn't mean I should give up hope. Kate's interference isn't going to stop me from making sure Ana knows how strongly I feel for her. As we get outside I become aware of a restaurant close by. It likely isn't a five-star like what I would prefer for my reunion with Ana, but it's only a short walk down the street. It'll have to suffice. "How about we go to that restaurant down the street?" I suggest, pointing it out to the girls. "It'll give us a private place to talk and we can get some dinner." Kate shrugs and mumbles a reluctant agreement. Then Ana speaks up. "That'll be fine. We haven't eaten yet." She says, half to me and half to Kate. Now that we're all in agreement, we can proceed to actually go into the restaurant. I don't have much time, Taylor will be here to pick us all up in a little under an hour. I'll have to text him in advance that I've got both Kate and Ana with me and hopefully they'll accept the ride home. I    open    the    door    for the two women at my side, then follow in behind them. The    restaurant appears decent, although somewhat low-budget. A waiter leads our trio to a table and he's a little too welcoming to the girls. His demeanor towards them irritates me. Ana is mine and Elliot would lose his shit if he found out I let another man get his paws on Kate. I order the meal and drinks at the same time, not wanting to prolong this ordeal in anyway. "We'd all like sirloin steak cooked medium, fries for the table, and side salads. I'll need a copy of the wine list right away." The man looks shocked at my assertiveness, but he composes himself. "Yes, Sir. I'll get that for you and be back in a moment." Ana purses her lips, her eyes annoyed. Kate looks appalled. "What?" I regard them both. "You're just going to order for us, without even asking what we'd like?" Kate hisses. "What if I didn't want steak?" Ana asks, brow furrowed in irritation. "Would you like me to tell him to get you something else?" I respond only to Ana. She's my main concern, always. She presses her fingertips to her temples and massages her forehead. "No, you've already ordered. Steak's fine." She mutters. The waiter returns with the wine list and I skim it briefly. "Would you like to chose the wine?" I ask Ana, fully aware of her minimal knowledge of wine. She shakes her head, still sulking. "How about you, Kate? Do you have any suggestions?" My voice is heavy with sarcasm. Kate just presses her lips tightly together as her answer. "Bring us a bottle of Barossa Valley Shiraz." He nods, then retreats, only to return moments later, bottle in hand. I take the bottle and pour us each a glass to enjoy while we wait on our food. "Thank You." Ana smiles, her sour mood suddenly sweeter. "My pleasure, Miss Steele." Ana blushes and Kate just rolls her eyes and takes a huge gulp of wine. Now's my chance to start talking, yet no words seem to come out. Come on grey, tell her what you want. "Before you left you told me that you loved me. Is that still true?" I choke out my question, terrified to hear the answer, but also hopeful. I need to know that there's still hope for us, that somewhere deep down she still cares. "Of course." She confesses, her sincerity brings relief bubbling up inside me. There's still hope. She shouldn't love me, yet somehow she does. It's wrong, I know. Like an angel loving a demon. "I don't think there's anything you could do to make that untrue. I've missed you, Christian. So much. But I've come to terms with the fact that I can't be what you want. It's just not who I am." Her expression is bleak, voice bereft of emotion. "No. That's not true. You're all I want, Ana. Don't ever think that you're not." I reach out to her and give her hand a reassuring squeeze. She exchanges a glance with Kate that I don't understand and tugs her hand out of my grasp. "Christian that can't be true or we wouldn't be in the situation we're in now." I nod, memories of that horrible last day with her. The day she left. "What happened was a mistake. I should have never lost control that way. I can't tell you how sorry I am." She closes her eyes as if in pain, but she nods in acceptance of my apology. "Christian, I know I asked you to show me the worst, but I didn't realize exactly what that meant when I said it. It wasn't that I didn't know the physical aspects. I just didn't realize emotionally the way it would feel. Hurting me in that way it was humiliating. Then to see that you were enjoying it- that you were actually getting off on my pain, it's sick." I swallow hard, feeling nothing but guilt and regret at her words. To hear the way I've made her feel is heartbreaking. Yet I know that she's right. She never wanted to be apart of that lifestyle. It was wrong of me to try and force her. "I know I could have safe worded. I should have, but I was caught up in trying to be what you wanted, what you needed." Ana's voice is filled with sadness. She's defeated. I exhale deeply, looking at her beautiful but heartbroken elfin face. "I've spent my entire life trying to avoid emotion, going to the extremes to keep my distance, but you bring out such emotion in me. It's unsettling. You always keep me on my toes, Miss Steele." I love control, but with her all control is lost. She has all the power in our relationship. "You keep me on my toes too, Mr. Grey. The threat of unusual and cruel punishment is always there." I wince at the serious undertones in her teasing words. I make her afraid. I don't know how to make her trust me again, but I need to gain back her trust if I want to win her back. "I want to try again, Anastasia. I want you back more than anything. I want you to be able to trust me again. I just don't know where to start." I look at her face and she's assessing me carefully, as if in disbelief. "Well, communicating with me is a good start." She grins and I return the look. "Here's what I propose. No rules, no punishments. Just a normal vanilla relationship. Then maybe later on we can do some of the things I like." Here it is, my best offer. "What about your needs?" Ana asks, her voice more curious than accusing. "I need you more than anything else, Anastasia. Being without you has been hell. I know I don't deserve you, but I want to be deserving of you someday. I want to try. If you'll give me that chance." My voice is soft, almost pleading. "You intimidate me. You confuse and manipulate me. You're so hard to follow. All your mood swings and deep rooted issues. I love you so much, but I don't know how to handle you." She confesses, her expression conflicted. "We can work on that. Just give me a chance, please Ana. Let me make this right." She shakes her head in dismay. "It's not that simple." She's holding something back. I can feel it. Shit. Has she met someone else already? Is she with the photographer? I just knew he'd get his grubby paws on her If I wasn't there to stop him. I look over at Kate for a moment, who's nearly downed half the bottle of wine in the brief time Ana and I have spoken. Our food came a while ago, but while Ana and I have eaten, Kate's barely finished a bite. I know she knows something. It's all over her face. That's when I look down and notice her hand holding Ana's beneath the table. I can't help the puzzled expression on my face as I look between the two. I've clearly missed something in my persistent attempt to win Ana back, but what exactly? "Christian...Kate and I have been closer since she returned home. She's been there for me when you haven't and I feel like with her I'm learning new things about myself and being open to all these new feelings and experiences." Ana says, sounding almost embarrassed. "I'm still confused." I admit, feeling completely lost in this new turn of conversation. "Ana and I had sex you idiot." Kate exclaims and Ana gasps and swats her shoulder. "What?" I look to Ana and her cheeks are tinged bright pink. "Is this true?" I ask her, my voice strangled with shock and confusion. "Yes." She mumbles, looking down at the table. "Oh." Is all I can think to say. It all comes back to me now. Kate's over protectiveness of Ana. The hand holding and touches of affection. It's been right in front of my eyes all along. How could I be so stupid to have missed that? The thought of my sweet innocent Ana being with a women is both amusing and arousing. If it was anyone but Kate I'd probably be ready to jump for joy over such a revelation. After a while of silence to process this new information I realize Ana's waiting for me to speak. I can live with this, I have to. I can't lose her again, not to Kate. "Okay. I can handle that." I assure her, hoping to bring some of the blood burning in her cheeks back to the other areas of her face. My phone buzzes with a text from Taylor notifying me that he's here. I summon the waiter, take the check, and pay, despite a small fight put up by Kate. "Taylor will give you both a ride home." I tell the girls rather than ask. "What about my car?" Kate questions, not entirely sold on my giving them a ride home. "Taylor will retrieve that and have it returned to you in the morning." Kate reluctantly agrees and we all walk out to his waiting car together.

Soft music plays on the drive home as Ana dozes off wedged between Kate and I. She sleeps with her body leaning against Kate's shoulder, one hand on my lap, as Kate and I stare out our opposite windows. Even with the added issue her new feelings for Kate have presented, I still consider dinner a success. I'll just have to take this one step at a time. When we arrive at her apartment Ana is still fast asleep. I'm reluctant to wake her and before I can Kate does. "Ana, we're home wake up." Kate whispers, nudging Ana's shoulder. She sits up abruptly, eyes wide. Still sleepy and adorable. I help Ana out of the car on my side while Kate walks around us to unlock the door. "I have something to give you before you go." I announce, as Ana is about to leave. "Ana, I'll be inside waiting for you." Kate says, then she walks inside to give us a moment alone. I open up the trunk and give Ana her gift. It's a box containing her phone, Mac and an iPad. I hope she'll enjoy the gift. I put a lot of thought into the apps and music downloaded on the iPad for her. She accepts the gift box with a gracious smile. "When can I see you again?" I ask, not wanting to let her go. "Tomorrow?" She suggests, hopeful. "Tomorrow." I repeat with certainty. "I'll see you then, Anastasia." I say it as a promise. One I'm certain I will keep. She smiles and bites her lip in that cute and utterly irresistible way she does. I can't hold back any longer. I have to at least give her a kiss goodnight. We both lean in at the same time, and I cup her chin in my hands to hold her steady as I kiss her sweet lips. I trace a few soft kisses along her mouth and neck and she moans beneath me. The sound resonates beneath the belt, but I know I must wait. "Goodnight, Anastasia." I whisper her name with longing. "Goodnight, Christian." My longing echoes in her voice. "Laters, Baby." I whisper with a playful smile, then I turn and walk back to the car. Once inside the car, I glance in her direction. Sure enough, She's there in the doorway, watching as my car disappears down the dark road.