Book 1 - Page 14 (1/2)
”And the boy I met yesterday, at the store. He's not your boyfriend?”
”No. Paul's just a friend. I told you yesterday.” Oh, this is getting silly. ”Why do you ask?””You seem nervous around men.”
Holy c.r.a.p, that's personal. I'm just nervous around you, Grey.
”I find you intimidating.” I flush scarlet, but mentally pat myself on the back for my candor, and gaze at my hands again. I hear his sharp intake of breath.
”You should find me intimidating,” he nods. ”You're very honest. Please don't look down. I like to see your face.”
Oh. I glance at him, and he gives me an encouraging but wry smile.
”It gives me some sort of clue what you might be thinking,” he breathes. ”You're a mystery, Miss Steele.
MysteriousMe?
”There's nothing mysterious about me.”
”I think you're very self-contained,” he murmurs.
Am IWow... how am I managing that This is bewildering. Me, self-contained?
No Way.
”Except when you blush, of course, which is often. I just wish I knew what you were blus.h.i.+ng about.” He pops a small piece of m.u.f.fin into his mouth and starts to chew it slowly, not taking his eyes off me. And as if on cue, I blush. c.r.a.p!
”Do you always make such personal observations?”
”I hadn't realized I was. Have I offended you?” He sounds surprised.
”No,” I answer truthfully.
”Good.”
”But you're very high-handed,” I retaliate quietly.
He raises his eyebrows and, if I'm not mistaken, he flushes slightly too.
”I'm used to getting my own way, Anastasia,” he murmurs. ”In all things.”
”I don't doubt it. Why haven't you asked me to call you by your first name?” I'm surprised by my audacity. Why has this conversation become so seriousThis isn't going the way I thought it was going to go. I can't believe I'm feeling so antagonistic towards him.
It's like he's trying to warn me off.
”The only people who use my given name are my family and a few close friends.
That's the way I like it.”
Oh. He still hasn't said, 'Call me Christian.' He is a control freak, there's no other explanation, and part of me is thinking maybe it would have been better if Kate had interviewed him. Two control freaks together. Plus of course she's almost blonde - well, strawberry blonde - like all the women in his office. And she's beautiful, my subconscious reminds me. I don't like the idea of Christian and Kate. I take a sip of my tea, and Grey eats another small piece of his m.u.f.fin.
”Are you an only child?” he asks.
Whoa... he keeps changing direction.
”Yes.”
”Tell me about your parents.”
Why does he want to know thisIt's so dull.
”My mom lives in Georgia with her new husband Bob. My stepdad lives in Montesano.”
”Your father?”
”My father died when I was a baby.”
”I'm sorry,” he mutters and a fleeting troubled look crosses his face.