Пятьдесят оттенков серого
Chapter 1
Judgingfromthebuilding,whichistooclinicalandmodern,IguessGreyisinhisforties:fit,tanned,andfair-hairedtomatchtherestofthepersonnel.
Anotherelegant,flawlesslydressedblondecomesoutofalargedoortotheright.Whatisitwithalltheimmaculateblondes?It’slikeStepfordhere.Takingadeepbreath,Istandup.
“MissSteele?”thelatestblondeasks.
“Yes,”Icroak,andclearmythroat.“Yes.”There,thatsoundedmoreconfident.
“Mr.Greywillseeyouinamoment.MayItakeyourjacket?”
“Oh,please.”Istruggleoutofthejacket.
“Haveyoubeenofferedanyrefreshment?”
“Um—no.”Ohdear,isBlondeNumberOneintrouble?
BlondeNumberTwofrownsandeyestheyoungwomanatthedesk.
“Wouldyouliketea,coffee,water?”sheasks,turningherattentionbacktome.
“Aglassofwater.Thankyou,”Imurmur.
“Olivia,pleasefetchMissSteeleaglassofwater.”Hervoiceisstern.Oliviascootsupandscurriestoadoorontheothersideofthefoyer.
“Myapologies,MissSteele,Oliviaisournewintern.Pleasebeseated.Mr.Greywillbeanotherfiveminutes.”
Oliviareturnswithaglassoficedwater.
“Hereyougo,MissSteele.”
“Thankyou.”
BlondeNumberTwomarchesovertothelargedesk,herheelsclickingandechoingonthesandstonefloor.Shesitsdown,andtheybothcontinuetheirwork.
PerhapsMr.Greyinsistsonallhisemployeesbeingblonde.I’mwonderingidlyifthat’slegal,whentheofficedooropensandatall,elegantlydressed,attractiveAfricanAmericanmanwithshortdreadsexits.
