"No! Your work."

"I'll be done in about half an hour. I heard your message on my voicemail.""From yesterday."

"You sounded worried."

I hug him tightly.

"I was. It's not like you not to respond."

He kisses my hair.

"Your cake should be ready in half an hour." I smile at him and climb off his lap.

"Looking forward to it. It smelled delicious, evocative even, while it was baking."

I smile shyly down at him, feeling a little self-conscious, and he mirrors my expres- sion. Jeez, are we really so different? Perhaps it's his early memories of baking. Leaning down, I plant a swift kiss on the corner of his mouth and make my way back to the kitchen.

I am all prepared when I hear him come out of his study, and I light the solitary gold candle on his cake. He gives me an ear-splitting grin as he saunters toward me, and I softly sing Happy Birthday to him. Then he leans over and blows it out, closing his eyes.

"I've made my wish," he says as he opens them again, and for some reason his look makes me fush.

"The frosting is still soft. I hope you like it."

"I can't wait to taste it, Anastasia," he murmurs, and he makes that sound so rude. I cut us each a slice, and we dig in with small pastry forks.

"Mmm," he groans in appreciation. "This is why I want to marry you."

And I laugh with relief ... he likes it.

"Ready to face my family?" Christian switches the R8 ignition off. We're parked in his parents' driveway.

"Yes. Are you going to tell them?"

"Of course. I'm looking forward to seeing their reactions." He smiles wickedly at me and climbs out of the car.

It is seven thirty, and though it's been a warm day, there's a cool evening breeze blow- ing off the bay. I pull my wrap around me as I step out of the car. I'm wearing an emerald green c.o.c.ktail dress I found this morning while I was rummaging through the closet. It has a wide matching belt. Christian takes my hand, and we head to the front door. Carrick opens it wide before he can knock.

"Christian, h.e.l.lo. Happy birthday, son." He takes Christian's proffered hand but pulls him into a brief hug, surprising him.

"Er ... thanks, Dad."

"Ana, how lovely to see you again." He hugs me, too, and we follow him into the house.

Before we can set foot in the living room, Kate comes barreling down the hallway toward the two of us. She looks furious.

Oh no!"You two! I want to talk to you." She snarls in her you-better-not-f.u.c.king-mess-with- me voice. I glance nervously at Christian, who shrugs and decides to humor her as we fol- low her into the dining room, leaving Carrick bemused on the threshold of the living room.

She shuts the door and turns on me.

"What the f.u.c.k is this?" she hisses and waves a piece of paper at me. Completely at a loss, I take it from her and scan it quickly. My mouth dries. Holy s.h.i.t. It's my e-mail re- sponse to Christian, discussing the contract.

CHAPTER 22

All the color drains from my face as my blood turns to ice and fear lances through my body.

Instinctively I step between her and Christian.

"What is it?" Christian murmurs, his tone wary.

I ignore him. I cannot believe Kate is doing this.

"Kate! This is nothing to do with you." I glare venomously at her, anger replacing my fear. How dare she do this? Not now, not today. Not on Christian's birthday. Surprised by my response, she blinks at me, green eyes wide.

"Ana, what is it?" Christian says again, his tone more menacing.

"Christian, would you just go, please?" I ask him.

"No. Show me." He holds out his hand, and I know he's not to be argued with-his voice is cold and hard. Reluctantly I give him the e-mail.

"What's he done to you?" Kate asks, ignoring Christian. She looks so apprehensive. I fush as a myriad of erotic images fit quickly across my mind.

"That's none of your business, Kate." I can't keep the exasperation out of my voice.

"Where did you get this?" Christian asks, his head c.o.c.ked to one side, his face expres- sionless, but his voice ... so menacingly soft. Kate fushes."That's irrelevant." At his stony glare, she hastily continues. "It was in the pocket of a jacket-which I a.s.sume is yours-that I found on the back of Ana's bedroom door." Faced with Christian's burning gray gaze, Kate's steeliness slips a little, but she seems to recover and scowls at him.

She's a beacon of hostility in a slinky, bright red dress. She looks magnifcent. But what the h.e.l.l is she going through my clothes for? It's usually the other way round.

"Have you told anyone?" Christian's voice is like a silk glove.

"No! Of course not," Kate snaps, affronted. Christian nods and appears to relax. He turns and heads toward the freplace. Wordlessly Kate and I watch as he picks up a lighter from the mantelpiece, sets fre to the e-mail, and releases it, letting it foat afre slowly into the grate until it is no more. The silence in the room is oppressive.

"Not even Elliot?" I ask, turning my attention back to Kate.

"No one," Kate says emphatically, and for the frst time she looks puzzled and hurt. "I just want to know you're okay, Ana," she whispers.

"I'm fne, Kate. More than fne. Please, Christian and I are good, really good-this is old news. Please ignore it."

"Ignore it?" she says. "How can I ignore that? What's he done to you?" And her green eyes are so full of heartfelt concern.

"He hasn't done anything to me, Kate. Honestly-I'm good."

She blinks at me.

"Really?" she asks.

Christian wraps an arm around me and draws me close, not taking his eyes off Kate.

"Ana has consented to be my wife, Katherine," he says quietly.

"Wife!" Kate squeaks, her eyes widening in disbelief.

"We're getting married. We're going to announce our engagement this evening," he says.

"Oh!" Kate gapes at me. She's stunned. "I leave you alone for sixteen days, and this happens? It's very sudden. So yesterday, when I said-" She gazes at me, lost. "Where does that e-mail ft into all this?"

"It doesn't, Kate. Forget it-please. I love him and he loves me. Don't do this. Don't ruin his party and our night," I whisper. She blinks and unexpectedly her eyes are shining with tears.

"No. Of course I won't. You're okay?" She wants rea.s.surance.

"I've never been happier," I whisper. She reaches forward and grabs my hand regard- less of Christian's arm wrapped around me.

"You really are okay?" she asks hopefully.

"Yes." I grin at her, my joy returning. She's back onside. She smiles at me, my happi- ness refecting back on her. I step out of Christian's hold, and she hugs me suddenly.

"Oh, Ana-I was so worried when I read this. I didn't know what to think. Will you explain it to me?" she whispers.

"One day, not now."

"Good. I won't tell anyone. I love you so much, Ana, like my own sister. I just thought ... I didn't know what to think. I'm sorry. If you're happy, then I'm happy." She looks directly at Christian and repeats her apology. He nods at her, his eyes glacial, and his expression does not change. Oh s.h.i.t, he's still mad.

"I really am sorry. You're right, it's none of my business," she whispers to me.

There's a knock on the door that startles Kate and I apart. Grace pokes her head around.

"Everything okay, darling?" she asks Christian.

"Everything's fne, Mrs. Grey," Kate says immediately.

"Fine, Mom," Christian says.

"Good." Grace enters. "Then you won't mind if I give my son a birthday hug." She beams at both of us. He hugs her tightly and thaws immediately.

"Happy birthday, darling," she says softly, closing her eyes in his embrace. "I'm so glad you're still with us."

"Mom, I'm fne." Christian smiles down at her. She pulls back, looks at him closely, and grins.

"I'm so happy for you," she says and caresses his face.

He grins at her-his thousand megawatt smile.

She knows! When did he tell her?

"Well, kids, if you've all fnished your tete-a-tete, there's a throng of people here to check that you really are in one piece, Christian, and to wish you a happy birthday."

"I'll be right there."

Grace glances anxiously at Kate and me and seems rea.s.sured by our smiles. She winks at me as she holds the door open for us. Christian holds out his hand to me and I take it.

"Christian, I really do apologize," Kate says humbly. Humble Kate is something to behold. Christian nods at her, and we follow her out.

In the hallway, I gaze anxiously up at Christian. "Does your mother know about us?"

"Yes."

"Oh." And to think our evening could have been derailed by the tenacious Miss Ka- vanagh. I shudder at the thought-the ramifcations of Christian's lifestyle revealed to all.

Holy cow.

"Well, that was an interesting start to the evening." I smile sweetly at him. He glances down at me-and it's back, his amused look. Thank heavens.

"As ever, Miss Steele, you have a gift for understatement." He raises my hand to his lips and kisses my knuckles as we walk into the living room to a sudden, spontaneous, and deafening round of applause.

c.r.a.p. How many people are here?

I scan the room quickly: all the Greys, Ethan with Mia, Dr. Flynn and his wife, I as- sume. There's Mac from the boat, a tall, handsome African American-I remember seeing him in Christian's offce the frst time I met Christian-Mia's b.i.t.c.hy friend Lily, two wom- en I don't recognize at all, and ... Oh no. My heart sinks. That woman ... Mrs. Robinson.

Gretchen materializes with a tray of champagne. She's in a low-cut black dress, no pigtails but an updo, fushing and futtering her eyelashes at Christian. The applause dies down, and Christian squeezes my hand as all eyes turn to him expectantly.

"Thank you, everyone. Looks like I'll need one of these." He grabs two drinks off Gretchen's tray and gives her a brief smile. I think Gretchen's going to expire or swoon.

He hands a gla.s.s to me.Christian raises his gla.s.s to the rest of the room, and immediately everyone surges for- ward. Leading the charge is the evil woman in black. Does she ever wear any other color?

"Christian, I was so worried." Elena gives him a brief hug and kisses both his cheeks.

He doesn't let me go despite the fact I try to free my hand.

"I'm good, Elena," Christian mutters coolly.

"Why didn't you call me?" Her plea is desperate, her eyes searching his.

"I've been busy."

"Didn't you get my messages?"

Christian shifts uncomfortably and pulls me closer, putting his arm around me. His face remains impa.s.sive as he regards Elena. She can no longer ignore me, so she nods politely in my direction.

"Ana," she purrs. "You look lovely, dear."