I joined Fanfiction back in December 2019 and started to read some stories. The amount of talent on here is INCREDIBLE. I know we have to thank EL James for the characters but honestly, there are some WAY better stories on here than the original trilogy. For reals though. After reading about 5 or 6 stories (i'm still reading fanfics in my spare time) I became hooked and thought i'd try my hand at this too, for funsies of course. I've never written anything before so this could very well end up being a disaster. Let's see.

Chapter 1 – Feel so enamored, hold me tight within your clutch

November 27th, 2019.

APOV:

It's the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and while most of America is heading out for the long weekend to loved ones for a wonderful thanksgiving dinner, I'm at the office prepping files and folios of the next latest acquisition at GEH.

The meeting is on Tuesday morning next week and since I won't be here to help Mr. Michael Travis – head of legal at GEH – prepare, he asked me to make sure everything was in order for the second assistant Georgia to help out the day of.

Technically I should in be Big Sur, California right now, taking care of last minute to-do lists and putting the final touches in preparation for my cousin Kiran's wedding extravaganza that will run from Friday to Sunday. As a result I'm also missing Thanksgiving with my entire family, I haven't seen them all in one place in more than a year and my heart just aches to have lost potentially two days out of the week with them because of work.

I started at GEH 4 months ago after my initial job at SIP fell through. After graduation this year, I got a job and a month into working at SIP they went bankrupt and we were told one afternoon that we were all out of jobs. None of the other publishing houses were hiring and my bills were getting angrier by the minute.

I reached out to a few college friends to get some leads and heard back from Alex who had graduated a year before me. We became good friends while we both took photography as an elective course in college and had kept in touch, meeting for coffee every now and then. She was working for the legal department at GEH and said the compensation was more than generous and that it would be a good fit for me. I applied and she put in a good word for me at HR and two weeks later I had a job.

It's been an adjustment period for sure. Everyone here is mostly blonde, immaculately dressed and I sometimes struggle to keep up with the opulence of it all – thank god for Kate, she's such a angel sometimes letting me borrow pieces from her closet and giving me a fighting chance in addition to the hand me downs I get from my cousin Kiran every few months. It helps to have friends and cousins who are obsessed with designer clothing, I'm more than happy to take it off their hands once they're done, I have no issues being a year behind in the trends.

I have a good working relationship with my boss, he's a great mentor; nurturing but also expects stellar work. However, I can't say that from my boss's boss, Christian Grey. I've never met him formally, I've successfully avoided him at every turn so I've only seen him around or heard him scream through the phone while talking to Mr. Travis and I honestly hope to never meet him. I don't care how good looking he is or how amazing it is that he's created a 15 billion dollar empire out of nothing... I can't deal with people who have bad tempers and bad attitudes.

I check my phone, it's 4:30pm and I'm almost done, just a few more last minute things to prep before I can leave but I'm really feeling anxious, I think I'll go make myself tea. The entire legal department is empty thank god, which means I can play my music a little louder as I get all this work done. I walk in to the kitchen area and look to see if there's any tea and of course we're out of my favorite tea. It's a running joke in my life, always out of it when I need it most.

I know the 20th floor kitchen definitely has it since they have every thing; fully stocked like a super market. That's where CEO and COO's offices are. Their kitchen also has a view of Seattle downtown as well, I guess i'll have my tea with a view. I decide to make my way to the elevator and punch in the code for the 20th floor.

CPOV:

I have no interest in holidays, I'd honestly rather work but I know my employees have families and lives and in order for me to get the very best they have to offer, I always give them Wednesday to Sunday off for Thanksgiving.

I've given Taylor and Gail the week off as well since I'll be flying out early Friday morning with my parents, brother and sister. The things I get dragged into because of them will be the death of me one day. Only Mia and Grace can talk me, scratch that, no they emotionally blackmail me to death into doing stuff like this.

I call Sawyer and Ryan to go over security requirements for the week followed by Stephan and Nolan to have both jets ready since I'll be flying back Sunday night instead of Monday night with my family.

Before leaving I decide to head to the office to get some last minute work done. I'm having trouble getting work done at Escala, I haven't had a sub in almost 3 months, adding to the fact that I can't stand any of them for more than a month anymore. It gets boring pretty fucking quickly and I'm at my wits end. Flynn is of course having a field day with this; he thinks it's the natural progression of the 30's mindset. That ever since I turned 30 this year, that maybe I'm craving something more substantial than a contractual BDSM relationship. I don't know why I'm still seeing him or paying all that fucking money. Fucking quack.

The ride to GEH is a short one; I find that I can focus better in my office, no distractions – just work. Sometimes I wonder will the sun ever fucking come out, maybe that could improve my foul mood a little. Scratch that, a good sub session would but I can't risk going to a club, one paparazzi picture of my going into an establishment like that and my life is over before I know it

I walk in through the front doors and salute Jim at security, he's been my front desk guy for the past 8 years and he's seen GEH grow from the ground up. He's ex-army and even though in his mid 60's he could give Taylor, Sawyer and Ryan combined a run for their money.

I quickly punch the code and head to the 20th floor.

I settle in and get to work. I've responded to most of my emails, read 3 reports and signed all the documents Andrea and Travis have left for me. It's just past 4:30 and I realize I haven't had anything to eat or drink in the past 4 hours. I walk out of my office and head to the kitchen where I can hear the faint sound of someone singing:

You lift my heart up
When the rest of me is down
You, you enchant me, even when you're not around
If there are boundaries, I will try to knock them down
I'm latching on babe
Now I know what I have found

I stop at the threshold of the door, mesmerized by the sight and sound in front of me. A young petite woman, brunette, hair tied into a lose bun wearing a grey cardigan top with black jeans making tea for herself. I've never seen her before. We barely have any brunettes here at GEH. Maybe she's new.

I feel we're close enough
I wanna lock in your love
I think we're close enough
Could I lock in your love, baby?

Now I got you in my space
I won't let go of you
Got you shackled in my embrace
I'm latching on to you

I'm so encaptured, got me wrapped up in your touch
Feel so enamored, hold me tight within your clutch
How do you do it, you got me losing every breath
What did you give me to make my heart beat out my chest?

I can't see her face but her skin looks like porcelain and she has the most delicate hands. She moves with a grace and poise. Gentle and unhurried in her task.

And I don't wanna let, don't wanna let go.
No I don't wanna let, don't wanna let go

She's finished singing, her tea made and now humming another tune, swinging her hips lightly. As she turns around to walk out she freezes at the sight of me drops the cup from her hand.

"Mr. Grey?" she gasps absolutely terrified.

She drops her eyes and knees immediately to gather the pieces of the broken china mumbling apologies. As I walk to her she's frantically picking up the pieces and dumping them into the sink next to her. One would think she's a natural born submissive, she's a sight to behold like this. My dick agrees.

"I..I..I'm really sorry, I didn't think anyone would be here... you see they were out of tea downstairs in legal and I knew that this kitchen had my favorite tea... I promise to replace the the tea and china, I'm so very sorry."

She's a nervous wreck and even though I may sound like an ass, it's comical to hear her rambling on.

"Hey... it's okay" I say softly as I quickly gather a few paper towels and join her as she tries pick up the remaining pieces with her hands and soak up the tea from the floor. I start to see small specks of blood and see she has cut on her left hand.

"I'm really sorry, I really didn't mean to cause a mess. I didn't know anyone was here" she says as she looks up to me and I'm momentarily lost. Her eyes are the color of a deep blue sky, sapphires almost; calling to me at some deep level. It takes me a moment to regain my composure. This has never happened. Who is this woman, how have I never seen her before?

"Hey, don't worry. It happens" I try to reassure her. "You hurt yourself, let me get the first aid kit." I get up and go search for it.

"Oh no, thank you, I'll be fine, I'm used to it, I'm always injuring myself" she lets out a giggle as she stands. It's the most beautiful sound. I smile back at her as I walk back with the first aid kit. I hold her hand to pull it towards me and I feel a surge of electricity, I feel our temperatures rise and I can tell her breathing has changed. It takes me a few seconds to recover. Who are you?

I'm cleaning her wound when I hear a phone ring, she pulls it from her back pocket and asks if I don't mind her taking it while I continue to clean the wound.

"Hi K-apa!" she says excitedly, she sounds so young and full life.

"I know, I know but I will be there Friday midday or so I promise. I've been talking to the event coordidnator and everything is going according to plan. I may not be there physically but I am there in spirit cracking a whip I promise you "she lets out a giggle, biting her lip and it makes my dick twitch. Fuck I need to control myself. "I'm in constant communication with the coordinator, don't worry, go have a spa day and I'll see you soon... I know love... give my love to Nani & Nana and to everyone else, I can't wait to see her... yes I get there at 12pm plus the drive to the venue so I'll getting there just as lunch starts... Save me some apple pie from the dinner tomorrow please, I've been dying to have some... um yeah... okay... yes, I will... you too... okay bye."

She puts the phone back in her pocket and looks up to me, smiling apologetically. "Sorry, my cousin is getting married this weekend and I'm Maid of Honor so I'm dealing with the end of the world right now." She laughs and continues, "Thank you Mr. Grey, I really appreciate this, you really didn't have to help out."

God, she's stunning. I offer her a small smile. I need to know everything about her; I feel a sense of desperation to keep the conversation going.

"I've never seen you before, your name?"

"Oh, sorry about that, I'm Anastasia Steele, I work for Mr. Travis in legal. I actually got promoted to first assistant two weeks ago so maybe that's why."

"That explains it." I muse. I'm still holding her hand; I truthfully don't want to let go, what the fuck is wrong with me. "That's a serious name."

She laughs and the color in her cheeks is suddenly intense, god, she's so beautiful "Yes, my best friend says the same, she says I could be the female version of Bond with a name like that."

I chuckle and agree. She continues "Actually... and you probably don't remember this but she interviewed you for our school's newspaper at WSU, her name is Katherine Kav.."

"Ah yes, the tenacious Miss Kavanagh, how could I forget? She badgered my PR team for months on end. I also spoke at the ceremony." I add.

"Yes you did, it was a very impressive speech." I thank her and continue to ask her what she studied and she tells me she was an English Literature major.

"Why are you here a day before thanksgiving? Shouldn't you be with family helping out with the wedding?" I ask.

Her face drops a little, "Oh um, well... I was supposed to head out last night but thing is I won't be here on Tuesday afternoon when the Gotha acquisition papers will be signed and I changed my travel plans so that I could work all day today getting everything ready for the second assistant to handle everything while I'm not here. I know how important this deal is and how hard everyone has worked on it so I wanted to make sure I did my part." She finishes with a sad smile. "Plus it's amazing how much work you can get done when the office is empty and phones aren't ringing off the hook." She giggles.

That fucking sound is heaven sent but I feel like utter shit. She's so dedicated but also missing this important time with family.

She soon realizes her hand is still and mine and quickly pulls away her expression completely changed and almost fearful as she bites her lip. "Sorry..." she mumbles. I'm still close enough and she smells exquisite, of roses and jasmine, I wonder how she tastes. God, I want to kiss her. Those lips look so soft. FOCUS GREY, FOCUS.

She takes a step back and makes to go around me towards the door "Again I'm sorry to have disturbed you, I'm going to head back and finish getting everything ready. Happy Thanksgiving" she says with a small smile and walks out.

I feel like I'm literally losing breath. This has never happened before. Her sweet voice now echoing in my head.

How do you do it, you got me losing every breath
What did you give me to make my heart beat out my chest?"

It takes me a minute to remember what I came to get from the kitchen.

APOV:

I make my way out of the kitchen as quickly and as gracefully as I can. FUCK! FUCK! WHAT WAS THAT? I can hear my sub-conscious yelling at me with a huge megaphone "STAY THE FUCK AWAY FROM GREY" – the unofficial company mantra among females that no one really adheres to. HR tried t drill that into our heads. I hope I don't lose my job. I can't afford that, this wedding has tapped me out between rent, student loans and constant flying back and forth from Seattle to San Francisco and Big Sur + bachelorette parties and extended family gatherings I am down to my last $1000. My extended family is rich but me, I'm still struggling and it gets really difficult sometimes trying to keep up.

I get out off the elevator at 18th for legal and take a second to catch my breath I hope I never ever run into him again like that. While he was really nice to me now, I know how psychotic he can be and I want no part in witnessing or being on the receiving of that.

Oh god. Breathe, Ana, breathe. What a beautiful man, though. He was dressed so casually, with blue jeans and a crisp white shirt and slip-ons with that gorgeous copper hair. I want to run my hand through it. It ought to be a crime to be that good-looking. Now if only he wasn't such a tyrant. Get it together Steele and "stay the fuck away from grey" AND his intense stormy grey eyes. Oh god, why did this have to happen to me? I'll never be able to face him again. I'm such an idiot.

I walk back to my desk and resume my work making multiple copies of all important documents to sign, I check my phone and it's now just a little after 5, I need to get done and go home, I'm exhausted and I want to just curl up in my bed and catch up on my Netflix shows.

Another hour goes by and I'm finally done. I carry the remaining folders of all documents for the Tuesday meeting to Georgia's desk and grab a post it note to leave instructions for her in addition to the email I sent.

CPOV

Fuck me. Now I really can't concentrate. It's almost 6 and I wonder if Anastasia is still downstairs. Fuck. FUCK... what could be my reason for going down there? Think Grey, think!

I glance over to my desk and remember I signed some documents for Travis, I could just go down and "drop" them off even though in any other instance this would be Andrea's job. I grab my jacket and phone with the folder and head to the elevators. I press 18th and head down, as soon as the doors opens she's standing there, wearing a beret and strands of her beautiful hair framing her face, looking like a Parisian beauty with a fashionable coat and a crossbody bag, she's looking off into the distance when the door opens and jumps a little when she sees me standing in the elevator.

"Oh, hi Mr. Grey." She smiles brightly as she steps in with me. Fuck... I'm carrying this folder I was supposed to leave it at Travis's desk... I suppose I could just bring it back with me on Monday.

I look at her and she's got her eyes down, hands in her coat pocket lightly humming a tune, seemingly lost in thought and slightly swaying, we just passed the 10th floor and I realize I suck at small talk. All this fucking money and I can't start a conversation with a beautiful woman.

Here goes nothing: "I guess we both has the same ideas today, going to work and now going home together."

She whips her face towards me, eyes open wide and I realize what the fuck I just said and how wrong it sounds. "I mean separately, sorry, I meant that we're both leaving to go home separately but at the same time." You are such a fool, Grey.

Her lips tremble and she bursts out laughing and it's like an angelic chorus that echoes for miles. I can't help but smile.

"Yes Mr. Grey, separately." She says trying to control her laughter and I feel like she's making fun of me. It makes me smile. As the elevator doors and her giggles spill into the huge lobby echoing. I wish I could bottle up that sound and listen to it forever. I don't know where these sappy ass feelings are coming from but I don't hate them entirely.

We walk together towards the front door, I nod towards Jim and Anastasia walks over to Jim, I stop and witness the exchange."Happy Thanksgiving Jimmy" she says enthusiastically as she hugs him "tell Sarah she has to absolutely teach me how to make that pecan pie, I've been dreaming about it for a week now and let me know the next time Olivia is in town, I'd love to babysit her again, I promised her I'll take her the museums on her next trip" she laughs and Jim gives her hand a squeeze.

"You got it Miss Steele." he says with paternal affection. It's a beautiful exchange, she exudes so much warmth and I'm suddenly a little jealous of Jim. I realize I've known him 8 years and I know nothing about his family life.

She turns around and gives me a confused look and continues to walk to the front doors, I'm a couple of steps behind her. I catch up with her when we're outside and it's fucking freezing, I'm obviously not dressed appropriately for the weather. Sawyer's waiting in the Audi out in front and my pathetic desperation wins again as she's mulling around in her bag, and she fishes out her headphones "It was nice meeting you Miss Steele" I start off.

She looks to me and I can't read her expression "Same here, Mr. Grey, have a wonderful thanksgiving" she finishes with a sweet smile.

"You too, have fun at the wedding... by the way it's freezing, can I offer you a ride home?" I ask, it's a Hail Mary and I'm hoping I stick this landing. She looks towards the car and politely declines saying she lives near by and prefers walking. Smart woman but god, I want her.

I have a distinct feeling her voice and her eyes are going to haunt me till the next time I'm able to see her. Fuck my life.

Authors note: The entire story is going to be very musically driven.

Let me know what you think of Chapter 1 so far. I've written about 22 chapters already and tweaking them here and there as I go. It'll be very dialogue heavy in the future. Eager to hear your thoughts!

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