"The candle flame is too hot. It flickers and dances in the over-warm breeze, a breeze that brings no respite from the heat. Soft gossamer wings flutter to and fro in the dark, sprinkling dusty scales in the circle of light. I'm struggling to resist, but I'm drawn. And then it's so bright, and I am flying too close to the sun, dazzled by the light, fried and melting from the heat, weary in my endeavors to stay airborne." -- exactly two pages ago, Ana said this: "'You beguile me, Christian. Completely overwhelm me. I feel like Icarus flying too close to the sun.'" - laying it on a little thick, aren't you?
Ana wakes up to find herself "draped in Christian Grey." He's all limbs, and has wrapped one leg around her knees and has flung his arm across her chest. "He's wrapped around me like a victory flag." She considers that since he's sleeping, she can touch him, so she runs her fingers down his back, inevitably waking him up.
"He moves slowly, unpeeling his limbs from me as he gets his bearings. I become aware of his erection against my hip. He notices my wide-eyed reaction, and he smiles a slow, sexy smile.
'Hmm . . . this has possibilities, but I think we should wait until Sunday. ' He leans down and nuzzles my ear with his nose.
I flush, but then I feel seven shades of scarlet from his heat." -- I can see it now - Seven Shades of Scarlet: And To Think You Thought This Bullshit Was Over -- also, why is his erection surprising to you?? YOU'VE HAD SEX WITH HIM BEFORE.
Christian asks what time it is and realises he's nearly late for a meeting in Portland. He scrambles around to get his stuff together, and before he leaves, reminds Ana of when she'll see him next.
"'Sunday,' he says, and the word is pregnant with an unspoken promise. Everything deep in my body uncurls and then clenches in delicious anticipation. The feeling is exquisite." -- exquisite or not, you should probably get that looked at.
He tells her that Taylor will sort out her Beetle and that he'll email her with a time for Sunday. Why they don't text each other, I'll never know. But just like that, Christian has run off to work. After Ana finishes getting ready for her own job, she has some extra time so chooses to email Christian and explain her feelings about being spanked. I've gone through this entire email exchanged previously, in Chapter 12 of Grey, so if you'd really like to be reminded of how horrible Christian's reaction to Ana's concerns of abuse are ("Do you think you could just try to embrace these feelings, deal with them, for me? That's what a submissive would do."), go ahead and read that post.
The emailing ends and Ana leaves for work.
"The Audi is a joy to drive. It has power steering." -- as usual, I've done my due diligence for this blog and consulted Wikipedia and discovered that power steering first became commercial in 1951. because that's what ELJ would do. except that's also what she didn't do, as her 22 year old protagonist in the year 2011 is surprised that a fucking AUDI has power steering.
As she drives to work, she contemplates life and the things she's already agreed to.
"Yes. I'm an adult, thank you for reminding me, Christian Grey, and it is my choice. The problem is, I just want Christian, not all his . . . baggage - and right now he has a 747 cargo hold's worth of baggage. Could I just lie back and embrace it? Like a submissive? I've said I'd try. It's an awfully big ask." -- except it's not. it's not too much to ask someone you like/love/are involved with to accept you and your baggage. sure, he has more than the average person, but as you just stated, you've already said you'd try. It's a little late to be like 'dang I guess I should have decided to be a thinking adult about this instead of allowing myself to be driven by my newly discovered baser instincts.' and fuck you for wanting this perfect image of Christian but turning your nose up at literally everything that makes him a person. it's true that he's the shittiest of shitty people, but you've chosen to love him so that's officially your problem now.
Halfway through her last shift at work, a package is delivered. Christian has bought Ana a BlackBerry and she's pissed. Her shift ends, and her bosses gather the employees for a 'goodbye Ana' speech.
"In that moment, all the events from the past 3 weeks well up inside of me: exams, graduation, an intense, fucked-up billionaire, deflowering, hard and soft limits, playrooms with no consoles, helicopter rides, and the fact that I will move tomorrow." -- no one says 'deflowering' anymore.
Back at her apartment, Jose joins Ana and Kate in a little 'we're done packing' celebration. They're a few beers into the night when Elliot (Christian's brother and Kate's boyfriend) knocks on the door. He sweeps Kate up into an embrace, and Ana and Jose are uncomfortable.
"'Shall we walk down to the bar?' I ask Jose, who nods frantically. We are too uncomfortable with the unrestrained sexing unfolding in front of us.
......
As we stroll down to the bar, I put my arm through Jose's. God, he's so uncomplicated - I hadn't really appreciated that before." -- you're much more comfortable with the almost-rapist than you should be.
Ana gets back from the bar and, after responding to some emails from Christian, goes to bed. The next day, Elliot helps Ana and Kate move into their new apartment in Seattle. Once they're moved in, Kate goes to get pizza, which they eat on the floor. The doorbell rings with a welcome present from Christian - champagne and a helicopter balloon - prompting Ana to tell Kate about the time Christian flew her from Portland to Seattle.
The next day, Ana wakes up in anticipation.
"No . . . today's the day. My inner goddess is beside herself, hopping from foot to foot. Anticipation hangs heavy and portentous over my head like a dark tropical storm cloud. Butterflies flood my belly - as well as a darker, carnal, captivating ache as I try to imagine what he will do to me . . . and of course, I have to sign that damned contract, or do I?"
She checks her email to see that Christian has sent her the information she'll need to drive to his place - the garage code, where to park, and the code for the elevator. She replies that she understands and proceeds to get ready. She leaves, and is excited to discover that she can drive the Audi in heels. This is illegal in Washington, but did we really expect ELJ to research that?
She arrives at Christian's apartment and he leads her to the couch.
"Sitting beside me, his whole body is turned toward me, one of his legs tucked under the other. Reaching over, he tucks my hair behind my ear with his long index finger. My body comes alive at his touch, waiting and needful."
He asks if she's eaten (she hasn't), and she says she's hungry, but not for food. Obviously. He tells her that while he'd also like to enjoy some quality time, the ob-gyn he hired to see her (the best ob-gyn in Seattle, apparently) is going to be there soon. Ana considers how much he must be paying this woman to make a house call on a Sunday at lunch time, when she shows up.
"'Ready for some contraception?' he asks as he stands and holds out his hand to me.
'You're not going to come as well, are you?' I gasp, shocked.
He laughs. 'I'd pay very good money to watch, believe me, Anastasia, but I don't think the good doctor would approve.'" -- I'm still not sure why this appointment is even happening? You don't need someone to get all up in your business before they prescribe you birth control.
Ana follows the doctor and the chapter ends.
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