It was with a slightly fuzzy head that Anastasia eased herself out of bed for her 10:30am class. She was not a morning person on the best of days, let alone ones like today where she was suffering the effects of one too many alcoholic beverages. In spite of her slightly aching head she smiled to herself as she stepped in the shower and began the process of scrubbing off the black entry stamp that declared she had spent the previous night at 'Club Halo'. It had been one of her and her flatmates better nights out - all too often it seemed their nights were cut short by one or the other of them having one shot too many. Last night was one of the rarer times where all three girls had managed to consume a substantial yet acceptable amount of alcohol. No mean feat when you're 20 years old with little drinking experience to speak of.

Ana shivered as she stepped out of the shower and hastily wrapped one of her lavender coloured towels around her. She made no effort to rub herself down with it but simply pulled it tight as she selected first a pair of jeans and then a cream vest top with some lace edging she had recently bought. She glanced over at her digital alarm clock as she swept her hair into a long ponytail that snaked down her back. 10:21. Shit. Even cycling she was going to struggle to be there in nine minutes. Grabbing her bag she took one final glance in the mirror before hurrying out the door.

Anastasia eased the door of the handle down as she crept into the back of the class to surreptitiously take one of the seats at the back of the classroom.

'Like lateness, for example.' A loud and unfamiliar voice stated to the quiet of the class. Ana looked up in surprise to find the owner of the voice stood at the front of the class, his icy grey eyes staring into hers. Her eyes widened at the sight of him, he was by far the hottest guy she had ever had the fortune of laying eyes on.

'I was just saying to your classmates, that some things, while tolerated in a college environment, are not acceptable in a working environment. You, miss...?'

'Anastasia. Anastasia Steele.' she supplied, cringing at this unwanted attention.

'You, Miss Steele, have demonstrated this perfectly. Would you think it acceptable to turn up ten minutes late for a business meeting?'

'No, Sir.' She replied, her eyes still lowered so as not to meet his.

'Good. Me neither.' His mouth curls up into a tiny but amused smile, as his eyes turn back to address the whole class.

'So,' he says, 'I will be looking for not only the three of you that I consider to possess the best business acumen, but also the three I consider have the appropriate level of maturity and responsibility for this internship. Any questions?'

As several hands raised to ask questions, things started to fall into place in Ana's mind as to who this intimidating and frankly, stunning, stranger was. Their usual Professor, who she now noticed was sitting quietly in the corner at the front of the room, had told them last week that the CEO of the largest privately owned company in the state (and perhaps even the country) had agreed to take on three interns for the summer from each of Professor Hayes' three Higher Business classes. She almost laughed out loud at the odds of her now being one of those three, after she couldn't even get to the damn class on time.

Lost in her own thoughts, Anastasia barely noticed the paper that fluttered down in front of her until the man began to speak again,

'For those of you that want it, the paper in front of you is your ticket to the internship at my organisation. Impress me.'

Ana watched as this beautiful man whom, looking down at her paper she now knew was called 'Christian Grey' of Grey Holdings Limited, gracefully made his way to the corner of the room where Professor Hayes was sitting and arranged himself on an empty plastic chair. Anastasia glanced over the paper without bothering to take out a pen from her bag. Business was not her passion. It had never held much interest to her and it was purely on the advice of her Personal Tutor that she had undertaken this module, assured that it was essential for desired career of running a publishing house.

'Problem, Miss Steele?' Fuck. He had caught her on the back foot again. She blushed as she looked up at the smoldering set of eyes staring down at her.

'No, Sir.'

'Then I would suggest you begin. Or is my organisation not worthy of you putting pen to paper?'

'No, Sir. I mean yes, Sir. I mean it is worthy. Of course, yes.' She realised she was babbling and felt her cheeks heat up once again.

'I'm glad you think so.' He smirked, offering the pencil he held in his hand to her.

She gently took the pencil from him, whispering her thanks.

To be continued...