Chapter 1: Then - First Things
She had seen him around the office, but he didn't work in her department. This was a good thing, since office entanglements were not encouraged by senior management.
Entanglement, she thought, I am getting ahead of myself.
The man under observation worked on a new team, part of an expansion the senior management had recently initiated. The upside of this new team was that Anna saw a number of new faces frequently enough to establish rapport with some of them.
Kim now regularly joined her for coffee or lunch. Bradley found frequent excuses to run into her, but still seemed uncertain about asking her out.
But Kevin, he might be the real prize. Anna thought he looked slightly better than average, definitely a little taller and a little more muscled than average. His poise and grace drew her eye. His movements were economical and exact. Even when he made an infrequent mistake, he shrugged it off and corrected his course without drama.
Something else drew her attention, something darker and less socially acceptable than office romance. Anna wanted Kevin to give her that poise, yield it up to her and accept what she could give him. Ecstasy rooted in sensation, pain, fear, and any other trigger she could contrive. Then she would give it all back, returning the man to his natural state with other gifts, encouragement, kindness, gratitude, and perhaps even love.
Whoa, Anna thought. Where the he'll did that come from? Entanglement first, dear, Mistress Anna next, and love if and whenever.
Months flew by, summer fading away, and Anna was no closer to her quarry. Bradley had finally worked up the nerve, and they had a few outings together, but the spark was missing. Fortunately for them, they both recognized this and remained on friendly terms.
Lunches with Kim proved more educational on the subject of Kevin Littman.
"So Bradley didn't stir anything for you? Good. Now I can take my shot," Kim said, laughing as she spoke.
"Your shot?" Anna asked. Her dark brown hair, freshly cut short, bobbed with her movements.
"Oh, please don't tell me you don't notice. Every straight guy in the building has either got it bad for you or is too scared of you to entertain the notion," Kim said.
"Except Kevin," Anna replied.
"Kevin. Of course the perfect woman would have eyes for the perfect man," Kim said.
"I'm not perfect, not by a long shot," Anna said. She laughed, Kim's attitude was contagious. "Not yet."
Kim lifted a finger, pointing at Anna's hair. "I like the new style," she said. "Do you want the intel on him or are you going to let another four months go by first?"
Anna thought about this for a moment. She tried to avoid serious office gossip, and she didn't like to involve others in her stalking. None of the hints she had dropped for Kevin had even been noticed, so far as she could tell.
"Okay," she finally answered. "I'm not getting anywhere myself, so, spill."
"No one is getting anywhere, if that makes you feel better. In fact, you may be the last one still in the chase. Everyone else that wanted to gave it their best shot and decided there's other fish in the sea. Oh, and he's not gay, at least according to Greg in HR. Still interested?"
Anna nodded.
"You poor thing, you." Kim looked Anna in the eye, hard. "No, I don't think so. Maybe I should be calling him poor thing. You have an edge to you, Anna, but I guess you don't need me to tell you that."
Kim waited a beat to see if Anna would respond, then proceeded.
"He works out, but not in our gym here. Or, he's got mutant super strength, I suppose it could go either way. Seriously, he helped me move some stuff around my cube," Kim said, shaking her head. "He is way, way, stronger than he looks. He is also unfailingly polite without being an ass about it. Like, he'll hold the door open for a guy or lady, or he'll ask if you need help rather than just jumping in and getting in the way. He dresses the same way every day. Not five identical outfits, but he stays pretty close to a uniform. He doesn't start conversations, but he seems okay with small talk, as long as he's not the topic. Still interested?"
"I hope that's not all you've gathered in four months," Anna said.
"Hardly, but not much more. He doesn't socialize after hours unless it's a mandatory event put on by the company. Doesn't seem to care about office politics or even understand that he's damaging his career trajectory by ignoring this stuff. Also, and this is the weirdest part, he can sense when someone is getting close and move away. I'm not even sure he realizes he's doing it, but if someone tries to touch him, he just slips away," Kim said.
"That is odd," Anna said.
"Yeah, but like with everything else, he's so graceful about it that most people don't notice they just got dissed."
Anna thought about this information, letting it filter through her experience as a woman and as a domme. Great depths of emotion could be waiting under such an exterior, or great levels of narcissism. If she could arouse his interest at all, there was only one way to find out.
That thought challenged her. Anna Carson was used to getting what she wanted. She might have to work her ass off to get it, but the prize was usually worth the price. If Kevin Littman was at all vulnerable to the charms of an energetic, athletic, smart brunette, then he would not reject Anna's impending overtures.
Chapter 2 Now - Private Scene
"I appreciate you helping out, Anna," the woman said as she entered the room, wearing a terry robe and apparently nothing else.
Anna laughed. "Yes, Natalie. This is such a terrible inconvenience, visiting my oldest friend and college roomie and tying her up like old times."
They shared a silent moment, the sort that happens between lifelong friends.
"And I get to meet Craig at long last, and somehow you talked him into letting me set up a little game for you two," Anna said.
Natalie sat down on the edge of the queen sized bed and squirmed for a moment.
"Or are you about to tell me that he backed out," Anna said upon seeing her friend's discomfort.
"No! Not backed out, but he's really nervous. You know how some guys are? They're all for it when it's just talk, but the closer you get to the day," Natalie said, letting her words trail off.
"Is he still good with what you wanted, or am I going to get safeworded when I open the door?" Anna asked.
"He'll be fine. He knows were old friends, and that I love you, and that you're not some TV uber bitch whip cracking man hater," Natalie said. "You look good too. Hot without being too in your face, like an executive or a lawyer." She giggled. "No offense."
Anna stood up and spun, more as a joke than to show off her clothes. Her gray dress was not quite sleeveless, accented at the waist with a narrow black belt. The hem fell a bit below her knees, showing just a little bit of nylon covered leg. Her black pumps would have been at home in any office.
"Suitably bland so as to not panic a jittery man?" Anna asked.
Natalie rose from the bed and hugged Anna, holding her tightly. The difference in their heights made it easy for Anna to kiss her friends forehead.
"You still get antsy before a session, Nats. Even after all this time," Anna said.
"This one feels different, Anna. Like a turning point or something. Craig could be the one. Maybe? It feels right. Oh hell, I don't know. We've talked a lot about my past and the crazy things I like, but he doesn't seem to connect."
"You need to take a long step back and get some perspective," Anna said. "He hasn't run away either. If we don't scare him off today, then I don't think you can."
"I know, but I'm a little scared too. You don't see a line of people at my door, hoping to make me a bride!" Natalie inhaled deeply. "Okay. We need to get started if I'm going to be ready in time."
She stepped away from Anna and removed her robe, laying it over the back of a chair.
Anna admired her friends compact, muscled body. They had been on the track team together, but Natalie always looked more like a gymnast than a runner. The bob of blonde hair on her head was matched by the patch of silky fluff at her crotch.
As Natalie retrieved a cloth laundry bag from the closet, Anna whistled at her shapely backside.
"You still skate?" Anna said.
"Every chance I get. You approve, I gather?"
"Looks like it's working for you," Anna said as she took the bag from Natalie. She dumped the contents on the bed. Hanks of braided green nylon rope fell out, obviously unused. A set of brand new safety shears landed atop the pile.
"Good. Good," Anna said as she sorted the items. "This color will look great on you. Are you ready?"
Natalie let out a long breath and bit her lip. "As ready as I'm going to get."
"Face down on the bed. Relax. No safeword or role play. Just tell me if something's wrong, or too tight, or not tight enough," Anna said.
Natalie laughed, finally relaxing. "Oh, yes. I'm sure you'll need me to remind you to take the slack out!"
Anna started at Natalie's folded knee, looping rope, cinching, removing slack. She moved along her friend's bent leg, tying and retying until the ropes were just so.
"Did you forget how?" Natalie asked.
"You know, I only agreed to leave you ungagged for your man. I don't recall anything prohibiting gags during the prep," Anna said.
"Haha. Just wondering what all the fidgeting in silence was about - Oh! Yes that's snug now."
"I want this to look nice. As in perfect," Anna said as she knotted the last loops around Natalie's waist. "The other side will go much faster now that I know exactly how to get what I want."
She surveyed her handiwork. Three sets of emerald green coils bound Natalie's lower leg to her upper leg at the knee, calf, and ankle. Each location was snugly cinched, and was joined to the next set of loops by two lines, so the loops couldn't sag down to a narrower section of folded leg. The finishing touch tied the highest coil to ropes encircling Natalie's waist, snugging everything upward.
"So who's the guy?" Natalie asked.
"What?"
"Come on, Anna. I know when you've got a guy on the brain!"
"A guy from work. We've been out a couple times. He's a little odd," Anna said.
"A little odd he only drinks expensive scotch, or a little odd he eats paste?" Natalie laughed.
"A little distant or aloof. I feel a spark there, but either he doesn't, or it just takes him a lot longer to warm up."
"Hmmmm," Natalie mused. "When has a guy that made it past one date ever not warmed up to you? Since you said you work with him, I assume that means he doesn't know about Mistress Anna, yet?"
Anna chuckled. "No, he doesn't know. And the way things are going, I doubt he ever will. I don't even know why I'm still chasing him, except that he's a great guy and I'd like to know if we match up."
She tugged the ropes now binding Natalie's other leg. "Squirm, you little minx. Are you comfy? Can you get loose too easy?"
Natalie moved, then reached back with a free hand. Anna smacked it away.
"No cheating." She picked up more of the shiny green rope. "Let's get you finished up. Put your arms behind you, straight down your back."
"Aw, come on, Anna! No elbow ties!"
"Don't be such a goose, Nats. Why did we spend all that time getting them to touch if we aren't going to use that talent?"
Anna positioned her reluctant friend's arms. "Wow. You really can still touch them together. Are you straining?"
"Maybe. It's easier once they're tied. The ropes provide support," Natalie said.
Anna spread her friends arms apart. "How does that feel? I wasn't really going to tie your elbows together like that."
Natalie sighed. "Are you getting soft or are you following my directions?"
"Definitely your directions. Without them, I'd have you trussed up in a tight little ball, helpless to resist further torment." Anna said as she bound Natalie's arms. She looped the rope six times around Natalie's arms, above the elbows, then cinched it by wrapping the rest of the rope around the loops. Natalie's elbows were connected by a bright green bar.
"Wow. I should use that technique more often," Anna said. She stopped admiring the tie and picked out two more pieces of rope. Quickly, she secured Natalie's wrists to the ropes at her waist and thigh. Her friend now looked like a small, emerald accented X.
"Squirm, Nats."
Natalie tugged and struggled, searching for weak points to attack the ropes. "I think this would hold me for a while."
"Then we're almost done. You are, as requested, securely bound, very accessible, but not uncomfortable, yes?" Anna asked.
"Yes," Natalie said.
Anna leaned down and kissed her friend between the shoulder blades.
"Oooooh, Anna. Quit that. You're getting me wet!"
"Isn't that part of being accessible?" Anna asked innocently.
She slid off the bed and plucked a black scarf from the back of a chair, then turned and draped it over Natalie's exposed backside and damp privates.
"Life would have been so much easier if you had been more into girls," Natalie said quietly.
Anna turned. "Life is cruel that way, dear. I will always love you, and I look forward to sharing whatever happiness comes our way."
Natalie sniffed. "This could be our last time, you know, doing this together... Oh shit, I didn't even think of that. I can't..."
Anna sat on the bed and stroked Natalie's short hair. "Maybe. Or maybe you will need lessons together. Or maybe we will go skiing every year, girls only. You have to take your shot, Natalie."
Natalie relaxed, sinking into the soft mattress. "Lessons together," she laughed. "Wait until you meet him."
"Which I need to get ready for," Anna said. She placed the safety shears on the bedside table, then looked under the bed for the other items she had requested. From her own bag she drew a heavy length of rope thirty feet long and, nearly an inch in diameter with metal rings whipped in at each end. One end she locked to the bed, dropping the key into the bed table drawer.
Anna then drew a fine leather cuff from her bag. "I know how much you like the smell of leather, my dear, so I'm leaving this one here in your drawer. The other one is going on your boyfriend."
The doorbell rang.
"Here we go. Good luck," Anna said as she kissed Natalie's cheek. She shouldered her bag and as she left the bedroom, pulled the heavy rope with her, leaving the end just outside the door.
Downstairs, Anna opened the door. A shape blocked the doorway. She looked up,
"Hi. I'm Anna," she said to the man taking up most of the doorway. He extended a massive hand, which she gripped. His handshake was gentle without being squishy.
"I'm Craig. Nice to meet you, Anna," he said. His words were kind, but Anna heard a hint of uncertainty.
"Please. Come in," she said, holding the door open wide and gesturing with her free hand. She realized it was up to her to break the ice, but she wasn't sure how to do it.
Craig entered with a bag she hadn't noticed and produced a spray of flowers which he placed in a vase on the table by the front door, removing a still nice looking bouquet and carrying it to the kitchen.
"I don't mean to be rude," he said. "I just had to take care of that. Plus, I have no idea what I'm doing here now that the moment has arrived."
Before Anna could respond he produced a second bouquet from the bag, and a box wrapped in black and green paper.
"These are for you. Natalie has been anticipating this day like Christmas, Halloween, and her birthday all rolled together. I thought you deserve more than a nervous thank you," Craig said. His voice rumbled like distant thunder.
"Thank you, Craig. You are too sweet. What else is that in the bag, if I may be so brazenly curious?"
"A few things for Natalie," he whispered. "Plus," he pulled a small blue box from his suit coat pocket. "For after dinner."
Anna beamed. "You're going to make her the happiest girl ever, Craig," she said softly. "Congratulations!"
"Thank you."
"Are you ready?" Anna asked.
Craig grinned. "Not at all, assuming you mean whatever you're about to do and not marriage."
"What has Natalie told you?"
"To trust you and do what you tell me to do. She said it was her idea, but you are 'implementing the particulars' as she put it," Craig said. "And she confided that this is not your first time doing this together."
"Did she really tell you that I'm not an uber bitch?"
"Yes, actually. She did. But to be honest, I was still expecting some leather suited paddle wielding ba-" he stopped, clenching his teeth together.
"Ball buster?"
"That would be rude," he said. He slumped a little. "But, yes."
"I have been all of those things, if that's what my play partner wanted," Anna said, searching for words. She moved to a couch and sat. "Please, have a seat."
"I'm just having a hard time reconciling all this in my head. It's one thing when your girlfriend tells you she has a little kinky streak. It's another thing to sit across from a total stranger and say 'Sure. I'm game for whatever you've got cooked up!' You know what I mean?"
"What if I tell you exactly what I've got cooked up, Craig?"
"That would probably be a big help."
"Do you know what Natalie is doing right now?" Anna asked.
"She wouldn't tell me, except she's in the house, waiting for me."
"She's in the bedroom, waiting for you. In a few minutes, you'll be joining her. Outside the door, if you agree, I'm going to cuff one of your wrists with a very nice leather cuff, for which I'm now glad Natalie told me the measurement. And then, I'm going to lock that cuff to a long lead of rope, open the door and guide you in. I'll guide you because I'm going to blindfold you with your tie.
"Then I'm going to tell Nats to have fun. I'll leave, locking the house up before I go."
"You call her Nats? And she hasn't threatened to murder you in your sleep?" Craig said. Anna could see his perspective shift somehow. He looked at her in an entirely new light. "If she'll let you do that, I'll try to do what you two have planned."
Anna wondered at the simplicity of Craig's obvious change of heart. He'd have done it, probably, with dread. Now he smiled nervously instead, just because his future wife let Anna call her by her hated high school nickname.
"Are you wearing an undershirt?"
"Yes," he said.
"Take off your tie and give it to me. Then take off your coat and shirt. Take off your shoes too. That'll be easier than fooling with them later."
Craig stood up and followed Anna's instructions. She pulled the cuff out of her bag. "Step to me and hold out your right hand, palm down."
She fussed with the cuff, more to gauge his reaction than because it needed it. In a few minutes it was buckled around Craig's thick wrist and locked with a medium size padlock.
"Sit down so I can blindfold you."
He balked. "You want me to walk up the stairs without being able to see them?"
"I'll be right there with you, Craig. Plus, you can hold the rail. Are you okay with that?"
Craig inhaled deeply before speaking. "Okay, I think," he said after sitting.
"I'd rather you be certain. We can walk up without it if you are truly concerned about the blindfold," Anna said.
"I'm good."
"Thank you," Anna said. She stepped behind the chair and wrapped the blue silk tie twice around his head, over his eyes, before knotting it off. After she had stepped around to the front of the chair, she took his hand. "Stand up."
She slowly led Craig across the room and up the stairs without incident, stopping at Natalie's door.
"I don't like chain or cable, but I'm bending that rule for you, Craig." She picked up the rope and locked the ring to his cuff with a second padlock. "There's another cuff like this in the room with Natalie. She likes the smell of new leather. They're yours to keep, along with anything else I leave behind. This rope is braided around a quarter inch cable. The other end is locked to the bed. It is the only restraint I am placing on you. Do you understand?"
"Yes. I understand."
"Natalie is waiting for you, on the bed. Once I get you through the door and shut it behind you, my part is done. You can take off the blindfold, cut the rope, whatever. Here are the safety precautions, so pay attention".
"Natalie has keys for all three of the locks I've used today, but you don't need them to break free. On the bedside table is a pair of safety shears. Those will easily cut any rope except the one connected to you. They'll also be handy for cutting your undershirt off, if so needed. Under the bed is a pair of bolt cutters and a pair of diagonal cutters. I imagine with your hand strength, you could make short work of the locks, the ring, or the leather, or the reinforced rope if you so choose or need to due to an emergency."
"Got all that, Craig?"
"Yes. I have all that."
Anna picked up his hand, feeling the weight of the rope attached to it. She kissed his knuckles.
"That's for trusting me," she said. She opened the door and guided Craig in, then slipped behind him.
"Nats? Ready or not, here he comes!"
She eased the door shut, but before it closed all the way, she heard, "Straight shot to the bed, lover. You can find me blindfolded, right?"
Chapter 3 Then - Pursuit
A week before Halloween, and Anna sat alone in her house reassessing her pursuit. After her talk with Kim, Anna figured she would not soon be going to any scene parties with Kevin, but she also thought they might be past date three. She had been the instigator of all three dates, none of which ended with more than a 'Good night, Anna. I had a nice time.'
The upcoming company party had the office buzzing with talk of costumes, and games, and who would hit on whom. The women had an office pool on which male employee would show up cross-dressed.
While attendance was not strictly mandatory, the senior management would note absences. Anna had several invitations to scene parties, including one the same night as the office party. If she could inveigle Kevin to attend the office party with her, she would invest the entire night in him. Otherwise, she thought it might be time to cut her losses, make an early exit and go cut loose on some subbie's backside. The next morning she acted on her plan.
"Hi Kevin. That presentation material looked great."
"Thanks, Anna. I'll pass that along to the rest of the team," he said.
Anna had learned early on that subtlety was wasted on Kevin, so she got right to the point. "Will you accompany me to the party Friday night?"
Kevin froze. Anna had never seen him like this. He grimaced, his expression shifting so quickly Anna barely caught it.
"Kevin! Are you okay?" Anna asked. Her hand moved toward his arm, a gesture of concern. His body shifted and twisted slightly and Anna's fingers brushed empty space.
It's so reflexive he doesn't even realize he's doing it, she thought.
He recovered quickly. "Actually, I was going to skip it," he said. His mouth opened as though he had more to say, then shut with a faint snap.
Anna stepped as close as she dared, trying to get into his space without threatening him. She did not miss his sharp inhalation and the flexing of his hands.
"Kevin. Can I ask a favor of you? Personal or professional, however you want to take it. Come to my house for dinner tonight, say 7:00. I'd really like to have a private word with you, away from the office."
Smooth, she thought, because no man can resist the lure of a long talk .
"Okay," he said, his composure recovering already. "What can I bring?"
"Nothing. Don't bring me anything. Just yourself."
The doorbell rang at 6:57, and Anna found Kevin waiting, wine bottle in hand. She invited him in, barely suppressing the urge to make a bad joke about entering her lair or something similar. She could feel the tension radiating from him.
"Thank you, Kevin. You are very thoughtful."
He wore the same clothes as he had at work, with the addition of a jacket. A bit of the evening chill spilled in through the front door. Kevin showed no sign of noticing the cold outside or the warmth of the home inside.
"I thought I should bring something, even though you said not to," he said. He moved no closer.
"Please, Kevin. Come in. Make yourself comfortable." She turned and headed back down a short hall to the kitchen.
"Since its just us, I hope you don't mind keeping me company in the kitchen while I finish up."
"Not at all," he said, his natural poise returning. "You have a nice home. Have you lived here long?"
"A couple years. I like the neighborhood and it's convenient to work."
Anna removed a dish of baked chicken and rice from the oven and turned. "Are you comfortable just eating in here? I have the dining room ready, but the kitchen is more cozy and conversational."
"I'm okay with the kitchen," Kevin said.
Anna quickly set the table, handing items to Kevin. A bowl of vegetables received a quick stir fry, and they were ready to eat. Anna let the first few forkfuls go down before she started the conversation.
"About the party, you should go. I know the invitation didn't say mandatory, but if you aren't there, wearing a costume, it will get noticed. You might have a pass this year because you've only been here five months." Anna waited for a reply.
"What's the penalty for missing?"
"Getting tagged as not a team player," Anna said. "Nothing official. No strikes in your performance review."
"Okay. So I go and stay how long? Ninety minutes? Two hours?" Kevin asked.
"That would work. Now that the shop talk is out of the way, you could go with me and have a nice time. There'll be dancing, silly games, and prizes for this and that," Anna said. "And since we're being so honest, I want you to know, in case you haven't figured it out yet, that I like you. You are an interesting man and I'd like to get to know you better."
The pleasant smile faded from Kevin's face. He sat up, straighter even than his already perfect posture.
Anna noticed now, as if seeing him for the first time, how broad his shoulders really were, and how hard his slate gray eyes had turned. She was about to change the subject when he finally spoke.
"I could tell, actually. They usually give up by now, but you don't give up that easy." The smile flickered, there and gone. "It was nice, but I can't do that. I'm not... I mean..." He floundered over the words before finally blurting, "I'm damaged goods. I'm sorry." Kevin tossed his napkin down and pushed back from the table.
"Kevin! Please, wait! I don't understand." Then suddenly, she did. All the defensive behaviors, the personal avoidance, the issue with the party, all pointed to one conclusion. Someone or several someones had hurt him, probably when he was too young to do anything about it. "Oh. Shit."
She had stood up without realizing she had moved. Kevin made his way to the door.
"Kevin, stop! Please." Anna shook her head. That had been pure Mistress Anna speaking, though the 'please' was unusual. Even more surprising, it worked.
"What?" The word hung in the air, floating on tension and rage. Anna felt the cold anger radiating from the man. She walked to him, but stopped a pace away, intuiting his need for space. She struggled briefly, considering and discarding verbal gambits one after another.
"I don't claim to understand, but I also don't believe you are broken beyond help. I may not be the right person to help, but I'm not about to throw you in the garbage." Anna took a tiny step toward him, just a shuffle step forward. "I'm able to listen, but I can also shut up and never prod you about it again. If that's what you want. You have a lot of good qualities, Kevin. A lot of them."
He looked straight through her, eyes like gray storms. "I'll trade you. What is your dark and scary secret? There's something about you. Something that puts people off. I've seen it in the office."
Anna rocked back slightly on her heels, the question and the observation both unexpected. The truth might chase him away, but a lie definitely would, and if she spent more time thinking, he'd believe she lied.
"I have a kinky streak. I don't think I'm out at work, but maybe some guys are reading a vibe they don't like," she said.
"A kinky streak," he said. "Like mud wrestling? Or cosplay cons? What do you mean?"
"I like to play power exchange games," she said. He clearly did not comprehend. "I'm a bit of a domme." He just stared at her. "Sometimes, for fun, I'm a dominatrix. Surely you're heard that word on TV or on the web somewhere?"
He did the last thing she expected. He laughed. Kevin laughed so hard his hand went to his side and he leaned against the wall. Anna bit back some angry words, believing he laughed at her, but her anger turned to mirth as she grasped the same absurdity Kevin saw.
"Well of course the woman who believes in me is a... a... dominatrix!" He struggled to catch his breath. "What else could she possibly be? The universe would have to be totally not fucked up for anything else!" Kevin slid down the wall to the floor, laughing still, but with tears also rolling down his cheeks.
At some point his reflexive defenses lowered enough that Anna sat and placed her hand over his. They sat like that for nearly twenty minutes. Kevin finally moved, sitting back and pulling his hand from under hers.
"Yes. I'll go to the stupid party," he finally said.
"Will you go to the stupid party with me?"
"If you still want to," he said. "And you are under no obligation to stay with me. In fact, it might be better if we meet there, so you can ditch me without complications."
"Kevin! That would be terribly rude of me," she said. "You'll be stuck with me, even if you want to leave after the requisite minimum time. Okay?"
"Sure," he replied. "I need to go, Anna. I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you somehow." Kevin didn't wait for permission or even a reply. He just left. Anna wondered what to make of this newest twist, but she was tired and needed to clean up still. She rose and started on her work, Kevin momentarily forgotten.
continued in part two
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