Lighter Shades of Grey by Cassandra Parkin Read Free Book Online Page A

greater my joy – it’s a very simple equation.”
    “Okay, and what do I get out of this?”
    …”Me,” he says simply. (p101)
    Again – this is not how sexual relationships of any kind are supposed to work. The whole point is that both parties are supposed to enjoy the act itself.
    Sex is not supposed to be like sitting through a Slasher movie every single night even though you hate them because your partner really, really likes Slasher movies and has no other interests whatsoever, and if you want to do absolutely anything else, like go to dinner or see friends or something, you have to do it on your own, but you lurve him so much you honestly think you’re willing to put up with a lifetime of Slasher movies. Because at some point, you’ll wish he was willing to put in the effort and do something you like for a change, and then he’ll be upset because he told you from the start how it was, and you’ll be upset because you hoped he’d love you enough to change, and you’ll start resenting each other, and it will end in fights and plate-throwing and lawyers and settlements and arguing over who gets to keep the Dobermanns.
    I don’t care how good his hair is or how well his pants hang from his hips. These things are important.
    Christian may be moving a little fast
    [We’re in] a bedroom with a large double bed, all in white…
    “This will be your room. You can decorate it how you like, have whatever you like in here.”
    “My room? You’re expecting me to move in?” I can’t hide the horror in my voice.
    “Not full time. Just, say, Friday evening through Sunday.” (p101)
    Although, Ana, to be fair to Christian, it is just possible he’s trying to help you out here. After all, you did claim to have forgotten where you live a few pages ago.
    The best Freudian slip I’ve seen in ages
    [Christian to Ana] “This is the only sort of relationship I’m interesting in.” (Kindle edition only, p103, location 2931)
    Never a truer word…
    Ana the literature student is baffled by a metaphor
    “Why is anyone the way they are?...Why do some people like cheese and other people hate it? Do you like cheese? Mrs Jones – my housekeeper – has left this for supper.” He takes some large, white plates from a cupboard…
    We’re talking about cheese…Holy crap. (p103)
    Well, yes. Yes you are.

    Photo: julesjulesjules m [flickr]
    Ana considers the option of Dutch courage
    “Physically, will you hurt me?”
    “I will punish you when you require it, and it will be painful.”
    I think I feel a little faint. I take another sip of wine. Alcohol – this will make me brave. (p104)
    EITHER:
    Alcohol will make Ana braver and more confident
    OR
    Alcohol will make Ana dumber and less inhibited, causing her to do things she’ll regret in the morning
    Christian suddenly experiences an attack of moral scruples
    “When you’ve had sex before, was there anything that you didn’t like doing?”
    For the first time in what seems to be ages, I blush…
    “Well…I’ve not had sex before, so I don’t know.” My voice is small. I peek up at him, and he’s staring at me, mouth-open, frozen, and pale – really pale. (p108)
    The Christian Grey Code of Relationship Etiquette
Installing stalking software on the phone of a woman you’ve met a maximum of twice = okay
Using stalking software to track woman down when she’s explicitly said she doesn’t want to see you = okay
Possibly drugging her = okay
Quite definitely taking her unconscious self to a location she didn’t consent to = okay
Undressing her without her consent = okay
Sharing her bed without her consent = okay
Allowing your henchman sufficient access to her person to reliably purchase well-fitting underwear for her = okay
Using her obvious interest in you to coerce her into sexual practices she’s clearly unsure about = okay
But if it turns out she’s not previously had penetrative sex with a man = Suddenly none of this is okay
    Christian finds a