Fifty Grades of Steele Chapter 1

Christian's POV

I wanted to kill Kate. She had lined up some massive interview with some hotshot CEO and right before the day arrives, she mysteriously comes down with the flu. I wasn't buying it, but that hardly changed the facts. Here I was, in the lobby of Steele International, set to interview the CEO Anastasia Steele. I wasn't sure how I made it to the top of Kate's list when I wasn't even on the school newspaper, but here I was.

In my mind, Kate should've just rescheduled the interview or gotten another journalist. Anyone but me. Surely Anastasia Steele would've understood. The building that housed Steele International was tall and intimidating, and the elevator ride to the twentieth floor had been long. I was itching to leave, but I knew Kate would be pissed if I did. I had to stick this out. I considered pulling the interview questions out of my pocket and going over them, but why would I make this any easier on myself?

In the lobby, there was dark wood everywhere, lots of open space, it felt warm. It was impressive and inviting. I approached the blonde woman at the front desk. She was hot, really hot. She stared at me and I realized I was staring too. Shit. I quickly told her why I was here.

"I'm here to see Miss Steele, I'm Christian Grey."

"Just a moment." She looked at the computer. "You're not on the schedule."

Her hand hovered over the phone as she looked me up and down. It was then that I realized I wasn't dressed right for this. I was wearing my favorite pair of blue jeans and a red flannel shirt, both of which were too worn. I had wanted to be comfortable, though, now that I was here, maybe I should've dressed up. It was too late now, unless I left. It wasn't too late. I eyed the elevator.

"I have a Katherine Kavanagh listed here," the blonde said, snapping my attention back.

"Right, yes, that's me. I'm doing the interview for her."

The blonde didn't believe me and I didn't blame her.

"Let me confirm this," she said, "please wait a moment."

I took a step back as she called Kate and got the go ahead. As I waited, another equally as stunning blonde woman arrived and it gave me pause. Two hot blonde women? I looked around the open space and spied another blonde off to the side. Three seemed like too many blondes, right? They weren't my type, but I was currently in a dry spell, so I wouldn't say no if they were interested. Maybe if I had dressed up I would have had a chance.

"Okay, Mr. Grey," the original blonde said, "it all checks out, please take a seat over there," she pointed to some black armchairs near the wall, "Miss Steele will be with you shortly."

It was probably definitely too late to leave now. This wasn't me, I didn't put myself out there. I liked solitary activities, like reading and listening to music. I avoided any and all unnecessary social obligations like the plague. Kate knew this, so why did she send me?

I was too nervous to sit down, so I walked over to the window, admiring the fantastic view of Seattle and the Sound. It was stunning. I doubted when I moved to Seattle, after I graduated, that I'd get a view as good as this. I rested my forehead against the glass and looked down at the city streets, following the cars and people, trying desperately not to think of the interview. I should've done some research or at least read over the questions. I didn't know anything about Anastasia Steele.

My phone buzzed in my pocket and I pulled it out. It was a text and photo from Kate.

Kate: Are these the questions you were supposed to take with you?

-photo of familiar crinkled up piece of paper-

"Shit," I muttered, checking my pockets. They were question-less. How could I leave the questions behind? I was beyond screwed now.

I sent Kate a message.

Chris: I'm leaving, you can reschedule

That was the only option I was happy with. I shoved my phone into my pocket and made a beeline for the elevator. This was Kate's problem, not mine. Sure, I probably subconsciously left the questions behind, but still, this was Kate's thing. I pressed the down button obsessively as I looked at the blondes. They seemed confused and maybe panicked. Not my problem. I needed to leave.

"Mr. Grey," someone said, right as the elevator doors opened. Freedom was here.

I turned, I'm not sure why. My eyes met clear blue. She wasn't blonde but brunette, was that allowed?

"Have you already gotten what you came for?" she asked, face completely impassive.

I froze in fear. "Umm, no." Shit, why did I say that? "I'm sorry, but who are you?"

She answered without missing a beat. "I'm Anastasia Steele."

Fuck, this was her? But she was so young and so hot. Fuck, I was screwed.

"Are you coming?" she asked before walking away.

Am I cumming? Fuck, that went straight to my dick. If only. Coming… What did she want again? Those blondes were nothing in comparison to Miss Steele's dark hair, light blue eyes and commanding presence. Anastasia turned slightly, looking over her shoulder. She didn't stop or look at me. Hmm, yes, coming. Against better judgment, I followed her into her office.

She sat on a black leather armchair in the seating area of her massive office and I took the couch opposite her. Why was I here again?

"Miss Kavanagh," Anastasia greeted, and that jolted me back to reality.

Her joke was lame, but her thighs… I couldn't keep my eyes off them. She was dressed sharply in a gray pencil skirt, fuck-me stockings, white blouse with the top two buttons seductively undone, showing me way more than she should, black heels… Fuck, why was I here again? The interview, right.

"Miss Kavanagh's sick," I told her, "so I'm here."

"And you are?" Her eyes were intensely focused on me.

"Christian Grey, I'm studying English Lit at WSU Vancouver."

"I see." Anastasia was giving nothing away.

Now what? Questions… but I didn't have the questions. My phone wouldn't stop vibrating in my pocket, Kate was probably calling me. I went to pull it out, figuring I could just pretend I had the questions on there. My pocket was twisted, so I had to lift myself off the seat as I reached in deep to grab my phone out, and maybe I rubbed my dick a little too while I was at it, but I couldn't help it, Miss Steele was hot.

Anastasia's eyes darkened as she watched me, and fuck, that look was such a turn on. I could feel myself hardening, this wasn't good. I needed a distraction. I freed my phone. Kate had called me three times and there was an email with the subject line: Interview Questions. Okay, I had them, this was good. I opened the email and clicked on the attachment. The font was small, I squinted, trying to read them.

I had no luck, so I reluctantly pulled my black-framed glasses out of my flannel shirt pocket and slid them on. I hated wearing them, but I had no choice. Miss Steele's eyes darkened again, with lust maybe. Ha, I doubted it. Now I could actually see, I read through the first few questions and they were fucking dry. Kate was better than this. Did Miss Steele intimidate her too? Is that why she wasn't here? Fuck, I couldn't ask these shitty questions, but it's what Kate wanted.

"Time is valuable," Anastasia said, "and these past three minutes are three I'll never get back."

Fuck, right.

"Did Miss Kavanagh explain what this interview was for?" I only asked because I had absolutely no idea.

"Yes, it's to appear in the graduation issue of the student paper. I'm conferring the degrees at this year's graduation."

Shit, I didn't know that. I couldn't comprehend that someone not much older than me was going to present me with my degree. It made me feel like a failure. I'd done nothing with my life in comparison.

"Let's begin," I said, eyes focused solely on my phone. I should probably record this for Kate. I got it going before asking the first question. "You're very young to have amassed such an empire, to what do you owe your success?"

It was such a generic question and Anastasia gave me a generic answer. I didn't blame her, I was just glad these weren't my questions. I continued to ask Kate's questions and it didn't take me long to realize that Anastasia was a complete control freak. It was hot.

"You sound like a control freak." Shit, the words were out of my mouth before I could stop them.

"I exercise control in all things, Mr. Grey." She held my gaze steadily.

My heartbeat quickened and I shifted in my seat. Control in all things? I wouldn't mind her controlling me. Why did she have this effect on me? And it was more than just her being fuck hot.

"Do you have any interests outside of work?" I asked another one of Kate's questions.

"I have varied interests, very varied."

It seemed as though she was hiding something and my mind went straight to the gutter. I shifted again, trying to get in a more comfortable position for my dick. It didn't work, I needed more room. Anastasia caught my actions and smirked at me. Shit, did she know I was turned on?

Back on task. "What do you do to chill out?"

"Chill out?" The phrase sounded foreign coming from her lips. Fuck, she was so beautiful. "Well, to chill out, as you put it… I sail, I fly, I indulge in various physical pursuits."

Now, she was the one shifting in her seat and I knew what she was talking about, Miss Steele liked to have sex. I shifted again, fuck. I looked at Kate's questions for a distraction.

"Would your friends say you're easy to get to know?" What kind of fucking question was that?

"I'm a very private person," Anastasia said, "and I go a long way to protect my privacy. I don't usually give interviews."

That was good, she wouldn't know how badly I was fucking this up.

"Why did you agree to this one then?" I asked.

"Because I couldn't get Miss Kavanagh off my back. She hounded my PR team non-stop and I admire that tenacity."

I knew how tenacious Kate could be, that's why I was currently here instead of studying for final exams. I asked the next question.

"Do you have a philosophy? If so, what is it?" Lame, fucking Kate.

"I don't have a philosophy as such," Anastasia said, "perhaps a guiding principle, Carnegie's: 'a man who acquires the ability to take full possession of his own mind may take possession of anything else to which he is justly entitled', or woman as it would be in my case. I'm very singularly driven. I like control, not only of myself, but those around me."

"So, you want to possess things?" Why did that make me feel all tingly inside? I couldn't shift again, fuck. I would be completely hard before this interview was over with.

"I want to deserve to possess them," she said, "but yes, bottom line, I do."

Deserve to possess, why did that sound so sweet coming from her lips?

Next question. "You were adopted." Fuck. "How much do you think that's shaped the way you are?" Fuck, this was personal.

Her brow furrowed. "I have no way of knowing."

That was interesting. "How old were you when you were adopted?" I asked.

Her voice hardened, "that's a matter of public record, Mr. Grey."

Shit, of course. I should know that. I quickly moved on. "Are you gay?" …Fucking Kate.

Anastasia inhaled sharply and I cringed. Why would Kate ask this? This was one instance where I should've read before speaking, but it was too late now. How could I tell her these weren't my questions? Fucking Kate.

"No, Christian, I'm not."

She called me Christian, fuck that was hot, but shit, she was pissed.

"I'm sorry, it's, ah, written here."

She cocked her head to the side. "These aren't your questions?"

"Fuck, no. Shit, sorry, umm... Kate complied them, Miss Kavanagh."

"Do you mind?" Anastasia's voice was hard.

"I'm sorry?"

"I don't like swearing."

Oh, shit, I was in trouble.

"Sorry." I had enough sense to look abashed.

"Are you and Miss Kavanagh colleagues on the paper?" Anastasia asked.

Shit, my jig was up. "No, we're roommates."

This piece of information surprised her. "Only roommates?" she asked. There seemed to be something else there, was she jealous of Kate?

"Kate's too much for me," I told her. It was the truth, I'd never be able to keep up with her.

"Did you volunteer to do this interview?" Anastasia's eyes burned into mine.

It was time to tell the truth. "No, I was forced, Kate's sick."

"That explains a great deal."

Shit, of course she could tell I was shit at this.

There was a knock at the door and one of the blondes entered. "Miss Steele, forgive me for interrupting, but your next meeting is in two minutes."

I smiled. I was almost free.

"We're not finished here, Andrea, please cancel my next meeting."

What? No. Andrea hesitated and I silently pleaded with her to save me. Andrea faltered before leaving me behind.

"Where were we?" Anastasia asked.

I wanted to say that we were done and then leave, but I couldn't do it.

"You shouldn't cancel your next meeting because of this," I said.

"It can wait. I want to know more about you."

Me? I shifted in my chair, but for a completely different reason this time. I hated talking about myself.

"There's not much to know," I said.

Could I leave? Did I need permission first?

"What are your plans after you graduate?" she asked.

"Ah, I don't know. Get an internship, but first, I need to get through final exams. I can't do anything if I don't graduate."

"I disagree," Anastasia said, "I never finished college and I have all of this." She waved her hand around.

"Yes," I said, "it's very impressive."

"Do you think so?" she asked. I nodded in agreement. "We run an excellent internship program here."

Was that a job offer?

"No, thanks." Fuck, my response was too quick. "I don't think I'd fit in," I tried to amend.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked.

"Well, I'm not a woman for starters, or blonde." Why couldn't I shut up? I needed to leave. I stopped the recording and stood up, shoving my phone into my pocket. I was done.

"Would you like me to show you around?" Anastasia asked, joining me.

Why was she pushing this? I'd had my fill, I was ready to leave. Why wouldn't she let me?

"I think I should go."

"Did you get everything you need?" Her voice was stern, authoritative, and it had me wanting to say 'yes, mistress', but I bit my tongue. We didn't need that.

"Yes, ma'am," …At least it was better than mistress. "Thank you for the interview, Miss Steele."

"The pleasure's been all mine."

Fuck, don't say that, now I'm thinking about her pleasure, and mine. Fuck. I'm almost free, I'm almost free, I repeated to myself.

She held her hand out for me to shake. "Until next time, Mr. Grey."

I grasped her hand firmly, it was the first time we had touched and there was something there, but I had no idea what.

"Miss Steele." I nodded at her.

I left her office and Anastasia followed me. Two of the blondes were watching us and they seemed surprised. I was just trying to leave. I hit the down button on the elevator.

"Did you have a jacket?" Anastasia's voice was soft.

I shook my head no.

"Oh," she stared at my flannel shirt, "well, I do like this," she reached out and touched the fabric of my shirt, "it's soft."

Anastasia smiled to herself. I wanted her to touch me, but she didn't. The elevator doors opened and I stepped inside, eager to get away. I was almost free.

Anastasia was gazing intently at me. "Christian," she said as a farewell and it sparked something inside me.

"Anastasia," I replied, and right before the doors closed, I saw the shocked look on her face, and perhaps a tint of anger. None of it mattered though, because I was free and I never had to see her again.