Fifty Shades Darker(91)

I nod mutely, and he tilts his head to one side, his face tense with concern.

"Anastasia, what is it? What did Dr. Greene say?"

I shake my head. "You're good to go in seven days," I mutter.

"Seven days?"

"Yes."

"Ana, what's wrong?"

I swallow. "It's nothing to worry about. Please, Christian, just leave it."

Christian looms in front of me. He grasps my chin, tipping my head back, and stares emphatically into my eyes, trying to decipher my panic.

"Tell me," he snaps insistently.

"There's nothing to tell. I'd like to get dressed." I pull my chin out of his reach.

He sighs and runs a hand through his hair, frowning at me. "Let's shower," he says eventually.

"Of course," I mutter, distracted, and his mouth twists.

"Come," he says sulkily, clasping my hand firmly. He stalks toward the bathroom as I trail behind him. I am not the only one in a bad mood, it seems. Firing up the shower, Christian quickly strips before turning to me.

"I don't know what's upset you, or if you're just bad-tempered through lack of sleep,"

he says while unfastening my robe. "But I want you to tell me. My imagination is running away with me, and I don't like it."

I roll my eyes at him, and he glares back at me, narrowing his eyes. Shit! Okay... here goes. "Dr. Greene scolded me about missing the pill. She said I could be pregnant."

"What?" He pales, and his hands freeze as he gazes at me, suddenly ashen.

"But I'm not. She did a test. It was a shock, that's all. I can't believe I was that stupid."

He visibly relaxes. "You're sure you're not?"

"Yes."

He blows out a deep breath. "Good. Yes, I can see that news like that would be very upsetting."

I frown.... upsetting? "I was more worried about your reaction."

He furrows his brow at me, puzzled. "My reaction? Well, naturally I'm relieved... it would be the height of carelessness and bad manners to knock you up."

"Then maybe we should abstain," I snap.

He gazes at me for a moment, bewildered, as if I'm some kind of science experiment.

"You are in a bad temper this morning."

"It was just a shock, that's all," I repeat petulantly.

Clasping the lapels of my robe, he pulls me into a warm embrace, kisses my hair, and presses my head against his chest. I'm distracted by his chest hair as it tickles my cheek.

Oh, if I could just nuzzle him!

"Ana, I'm not used to this," he murmurs. "My natural inclination is to beat it out of you, but I seriously doubt you want that."

Holy shit. "No, I don't. This helps." I hug Christian tighter, and we stand for an age in a strange embrace, Christian naked and me wrapped in a robe. I am once again floored by his honesty. He knows nothing about relationships, and neither do I, except what I've learned from him. Well, he's asked for faith and patience; maybe I should do the same.

"Come, let's shower," Christian says eventually, releasing me.

Stepping back, he peels me out of my robe, and I follow him into the cascading water, holding my face up to the torrent. There's room for both of us under the gargantuan show-erhead. Christian reaches for the shampoo and starts washing his hair. He hands it to me and I follow suit.

Oh, this feels good. Closing my eyes, I succumb to the cleansing, warming water. As I rinse off the shampoo, I feel his hands on me, soaping my body: my shoulders, my arms, under my arms, my breasts, my back. Gently he turns me around and pulls me against him as he continues down my body: my stomach, my belly, his skilled fingers between my legs -  hmm - my behind. Oh, that feels good and so intimate. He turns me around to face him again.