Ann: A Love Story Ch. 21

"If you trust me, and I trust you...why the test?"

"I wasn't testing you Neil. I was testing Tina."

I looked around my room, searching for the impact crater of the bomb that Ann had just dropped next to me. The revelation of what she'd said hit me so hard I sat up in bed. But I couldn't speak. It wasn't like I didn't know what to say...I had so many thoughts hit me at once, I couldn't get any of them out of my mouth.

"Are you still there, baby?" Ann asked.

"Uh...yeah. Just digesting that last sentence. Why would you feel the need to test Tina?" I said, reading that first paragraph again. There was no mention that Ann was testing ME. In fact, it was rather vague, only saying that her test had been passed. More to the point, there was more about testing herself. With what she just said about testing Tina, I re-read the letter quickly and got an entirely different meaning out of it.

"Because she's who I chose to try this with, and I needed to know she'd really do what I asked her to do."

"Well, if you were worried about trusting her, why would you choose her?"

"Because YOU trust her. I don't know her yet."

"I don't understand, Ann."

"It's not as complicated at you're making it out to be. You obviously already trust her because of your history. And it's an arrangement that was built solely on sex...nothing else. If there were something else, you two would have already hooked up. Am I right?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, so I chose her because you trust her, and she's already used to being discrete. And I'm sure the sex is good, or you wouldn't have been going back for more all the time. But I needed to know if I set ground rules with her, she'd abide by them. I assume that she only told you the part of the letter I asked her to tell you...about you eating her, and her sucking you. Did she do that?"

"Verbatim. I asked what else was in the letter, but she wouldn't tell me. She locked it in her safe instead. Why...what was in it?"

"That's' between Tina and me baby. But I know I can trust her now, and that's important. I wanted to try this, and she seemed like the logical choice. The other option that came to mind was Nancy...but frankly, I DON'T trust her. I can't tell you why. It's just a feeling. But between my gut, and the fact that you work together, I wasn't comfortable even going down that path. This was a much better option. Now tell me, did you have a good time?"

"Yes...I did. But I feel guilty even saying that."

"There's no reason to feel guilty and you know it. I know it was a big step for us, and I was so turned on when Tina called me at the store. I couldn't wait to get home and call...that's why I called early. I loved talking to your Mom...and knowing what you were doing while we were talking to each other had me on edge."

"Do you want me to tell you what happened tonight?"

"I wanted you to, but I ruined that. But that's okay. Live and learn...I'll just have to come up with something better to make up for it next time."

"I thought you had a date with Antonio," I said, trying to get her back in a better frame of mind.

"It looks like he's not going to be able to make it. And that's probably for the best...I need some time to think about what just happened. I'm not happy with how I got jealous over you fucking Tina's ass when I literally told you to do it."

"Self punishment doesn't seem like your style."

"It's all about mood, Neil, and I fucked this up. I'll make it up to you. I promise. I gotta go. I'll call you this week."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. It's late for you. We'll talk more about all of this later."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah baby. I'm fine...but I am tired. I love you," she said, her sincerity seemingly dripping through the phone

"I love you too," I said, just before Ann hung up.

The fainted sounds coming through the walls told me that the phone didn't wake up my father. But he was certainly awake. I tried not to listen, but the squeals I was hearing sounded eerily similar to those Tina was making while I fucked her ass. I wondered almost immediately why life kept finding ways to keep me awake at night.

"At least I don't have to go to work tomorrow," I thought as I stared at the ceiling, trying to get my mind off what was happening in the room across the hall by thinking of Ann. "I wonder what she meant about coming up with something better...and what did she mean about a NEXT time?"