Fifty Shades Freed (Christian & Ana)(191)

"I was hungry."

He leans back in his chair with a self-satisfied smirk and takes a sip of his white wine. "What would you like to do now?" His voice is soft.

"What do you want to do?"

He raises an eyebrow, amused. "What I always want to do."

"And that is?"

"Mrs. Grey, don't be coy."

Reaching across the dining table, I grasp his hand, turn it over, and skim my index finger over his palm. "I'd like you to touch me with this." I run my finger up his index finger.

He shifts in his chair. "Just that?" His eyes darken and heat at once.

"Maybe this?" I run my finger up his middle finger and back to his palm.

"And this." My nail traces his ring finger. "Definitely this." My finger stops at his wedding ring. "This is very sexy."

"Is it, now?"

"It sure is. It says this man is mine." And I skim the small callous that has already formed on his palm beneath the ring. He leans forward and cups my chin with his other hand.

"Mrs. Grey, are you seducing me?"

"I hope so."

"Anastasia, I'm a given." His voice is low. "Come here." He tugs my hand, pulling me onto his lap. "I like having unfettered access to you." He runs a hand up my thigh to my behind. He grasps the nape of my neck with his other hand and kisses me, holding me firmly in place.

He tastes of white wine and apple pie and Christian. I run my fingers through his hair, holding him to me while our tongues explore and curl and twist around each other, my blood heating in my veins. We're breathless when Christian pulls away.

"Let's go to bed," he murmurs against my lips.

"Bed?"

He pulls back further and tugs my hair so I am looking up at him. "Where would you prefer, Mrs. Grey?"

My inner goddess stops stuffing her face with tarte Tatin. I shrug, feigning indifference. "Surprise me."

He smirks. "You're feisty this evening." He runs his nose along mine.

"Maybe I need to be restrained."

"Maybe you do. You're getting mighty bossy in your old age." He narrows his eyes, but can't disguise the latent humor there.

"What are you going to do about it?" I challenge.

His eyes glitter. "I know what I'd like to do about it. Depends if you're up to it."

"Oh, Mr. Grey, you've been very gentle with me these last couple of days.

I'm not made of glass, you know."

"You don't like gentle?"

"With you, of course. But you know . . . variety is the spice of life." I bat my lashes at him.

"You're after something less gentle?"

"Something life-affirming."

He raises his brows in surprise. "Life-affirming," he repeats, astonished humor in his voice.

I nod. He gazes at me for a moment. "Don't bite your lip," he whispers then rises suddenly with me in his arms. I gasp and grab his biceps, fearful that he'll drop me. He walks over to the smallest of the three couches and deposits me on to it.

"Wait here. Don't move." He gives me a brief hot, intense look and turns on his heel, stalking toward the bedroom. Oh . . . Christian barefoot. Why are his feet so hot? He's back a few moments later, taking me by surprise as he leans over me from behind.

"I think we'll dispense with this." He grabs my T-shirt and drags it over my head, leaving me naked except for my panties. He pulls my ponytail back and kisses me.