“I love you,” I murmur, and he smiles his heart-achingly shy smile, and I melt. “I will always love you, Christian.”“And I you,” he says softly.“In spite of my disobedience?” I raise my eyebrow.“Because of your disobedience, Anastasia.” He grins.”

“You love strapping me in, don’t you?” “In any form,” he says, a wicked grin playing on his lips. “You are a pervert.” “I know.” He raises his eyebrows and his grin broadens. “My pervert,” I whisper. “Yes, yours.”

“I was waiting for you," he says softly, his eyes dark gray and luminous."That's... that's such a lovely thing to say.""It's true. I didn't know it at the time." He smiles his shy smile."I'm glad you waited.""You are worth waiting for, Mrs. Grey.”

“I know you've always dreamed of going to Europe," he says softly. "I want to make your dreams come true, Anastasia.""You are my dreams come true, Christian.""Back at you, Mrs. Grey," he whispers.”

“Do you have a girlfriend?" I blurt out. Holy crap--I just said that out loud?His lips quirk up in a half-smile, and he looks down at me."No, Anastasia. I don't do the girlfriend thing," he says softly.”

“I need you, Anastasia," he whispers."I need you, too." And as I say the words, I am struck how true they are. I cannot imagine being without Christian, ever."Let me love you." he says hoarsely."Yes," I answer.”

“I want you, Anastasia,” he murmurs. “I love and I hate, and I love arguing with you. It’s very new. I need to know that we’re okay. It’s the only way I know how.” “My feelings for you haven’t changed,” I whisper. His proximity is overwhelming, exhilarating. The familiar pull is there, all my synapses goading me toward him, my inner goddess at her most libidinous. Staring at the patch of hair in the V of his shirt, I bite my lip, helpless, driven by desire—I want to taste him there. He’s so close, but he doesn’t touch me. His heat is warming my skin. “I’m not going to touch you until you say yes,” he says softly. “But right now, after a really shitty morning, I want to bury myself in you and just forget everything but us.”