The Many Loves of Anna Marie Pt. 03

Being found out to be gay or lesbian was a career killer, especially in a business that had dealings with the DoD. I had noticed that the people I worked with were always subtly asking if I was seeing anyone, implying that as a successful businesswoman, I should have a man in my life. Several of my male co-workers had tried to make overtures from time to time. However, I always turned them away as gently and nicely as possible, mainly using the excuse that I was too busy or wasn't ready for that yet.

Finally, when I had worked out my plan of attack, I met up with George in the gym and asked him to meet me for lunch in the executive dining room the next day. He was surprised, but when I explained that I was working on something that I wanted an informal legal opinion on and thought that talking about it over lunch would be the best way to keep it sub-rosa.

Technically, I didn't lie to him. Marriage was a legal contract as far as the state was concerned. I wore a nice outfit, going again with a three-piece business suit. When we met up at the entrance to the dining room, I saw that he was wearing a nice three-piece business suit and looked sharp. I was glad George had caught on that something important would happen today and had dressed appropriately.

Once our waitress delivered our meal, I took the direct approach. I turned to George, leaned in, and quietly said, "George, you've probably already figured out I'm a lesbian. I've also figured out that you're gay."

George's eyebrow rose, the only expression of surprise he allowed himself to show. He leaned in and quietly said, "Admitting something like that to the wrong person can have serious consequences, Anna."

I smiled at George and asked, "Are you the wrong person for me to admit that to?"

"God, no!" George quietly exclaimed. "And I'm not worried about you knowing my secret either."

"Good," I said. "Now that we know each other's secret, I propose that we get married. That way, no one would ever believe we're that way, even if they suspected."

I watched George's face, and I saw surprise and interest warring on his face. Finally, he leaned in and asked, "What do you propose?"

I smiled, reached over, and took George's hand in mine. I said, "I think a long and obvious engagement period followed by a wedding next April where we invite many co-workers would be a start."

George smiled, lifted my hand up to his lips, and nuzzled my knuckles for a moment. He asked, "And how would we cohabitate once that blessed event occurs?"

"Well," I started, smiling back, "We'd have to work on that together, but a nice duplex could be converted into a single dwelling. That way, if we bring anyone home, we can each have our own space."

Being the lawyer he was, George asked, "And what do we tell our families?"

I smiled and countered, "It sounds like you're on board with my idea."

"I'm seriously considering it," George said.

"Good, that's all I expected to start with," I said, taking my hand back.

We dug into our lunch, discussing business and current events while I let George consider my proposal. We were both impressed by the recent Skylab II mission, where the astronauts had to repair Skylab to fix the damage done during its launch. We also wondered when the next mission to the moon would take place since Apollo 17 returned last December.

Starting the next day, we made it a point to put in an appearance with each other in their workplace and dine together in the executive dining room every chance we got. Soon word was getting around, and several of my female co-workers mentioned that George was quite the catch, and they were a bit jealous of me. I would just say that we were friends and really enjoyed each other's company.

I wasn't lying when I told them that. I found George to be a delightful person, and we shared many interests. We really enjoyed working out in the gym with each other and going for walks in the park. We also both liked dancing, and we even started attending classes at the local Arthur Murray's Dance Studios, learning classical dances like the rumba, waltz, and foxtrot. We found that we worked well together on the dances, and the dance teachers all praised how well we danced with enthusiasm and emotion.

September 1973

Per our plan, George and I attended the Labor Day picnic sponsored by Martin Marietta for its employees. Right in the middle of the cookout, George got down on his knee and proposed to me. Feigning surprise, I screamed, "Yes! Yes! Yes!" and let him put the engagement ring on my finger. We hugged and kissed, and our co-workers, while surprised, applauded and congratulated both of us for doing the right thing. That was the first time I kissed a man; it wasn't as bad as I feared.

After that, we were always seen with each other, and we started planning the wedding and getting a place to live. We did find a nice duplex that we could buy in McLean, VA. We hired contractors to convert it into a single dwelling residence on the inside but left it looking like a duplex on the outside. It was perfect for our plans, where we could each have our own master bedroom suite on opposite sides of the duplex but have a common living area and kitchen in the middle.

April 1974

As was our master plan, we scheduled our wedding for April. My family was thrilled for me. Mom took me aside and asked why I was doing it when I came home with the news, bringing George to meet my family. She had expressed surprise at the move and had asked me if I had stopped being a lesbian. I explained what I was doing, and while not happy about how I was making a mockery of the sacrament of marriage, Mom understood why I was doing it. Once she got to know George and how we were such good friends, she enthusiastically endorsed our charade.

I met George's family, and again, our future union was enthusiastically endorsed. His family did not know that he was gay, so they had been worried about their little boy. Now that he was getting married, they were quite relieved. Everyone was looking forward to the wedding, and I almost felt bad about fooling everyone.

When I introduced George to Sinéad and Sionainn, they were thrilled to meet him. I had told George that my Aunt Sinéad was a lesbian but not that we were lovers. He was charming to both of them, and they were both smitten by his charm and wit. Sinéad took me aside and congratulated me for finding a way to keep my sexuality a secret.

Finally, the big day arrived. I was thankful that the super outbreak of tornadoes had missed Virginia. Still, I felt terrible for all of the death and destruction that had occurred. My heart went out to Xenia, Ohio, and the utter destruction of the city that had taken place there. I was also thankful that the Arab Oil Boycott had finally ended so people could drive to the wedding and participate.

We didn't have the wedding ceremony in a church because of our sexuality, so we held an outdoor wedding ceremony with the reception right afterward with an open bar. We invited many of our co-workers, and even Jeff Hauser showed up, congratulating George and me on our marriage.

We left on our honeymoon and spent a week in Las Vegas, visiting all the shows and dancing the night away. We'd get back to our room late, tired but happy that we were having fun with each other.

Once we returned and went back to work, everything settled down, and we acted like a happily married couple. Being married made it much easier to interact with people because when they saw my wedding ring and how happy I was, the men stopped propositioning me at every opportunity. Little did everyone know, except those who knew who we really were, that we weren't what we were showing to the world.

April 1981

With the election of Ronald Reagan, the mood of Congress to spend more money on new military programs made forecasts of increased business more reasonable. The announcement that the previously canceled B-1 bomber program was being restarted was additional evidence that business would improve.

I expected my role as liaison to the Service Acquisition Executives (SAEs) would be even more critical now. I had hopes of getting promoted to the deputy CFO, DoD projects slot. If I could direct more business our way, that would help enormously. I was scheduled for an all-day meeting at the Pentagon that started at 9 AM and wanted to make a good impression. I spent some time checking out my outfit in front of my mirror. When I met George in the kitchen, he checked out my ensemble and told me I looked good.

I pouted and asked, "Only good?" before giving him a big smile.

George smiled, leaned in, kissed my cheek, and said, "Okay, you look pretty good!"

"Oh, wow!" I exclaimed before I kissed his cheek. "You're not so bad yourself!"

Our seventh anniversary was coming up, and as far as everyone else was concerned, we were happily married. While it was a marriage on paper, we were close. We were not averse to cuddling and kissing each other on the cheek, enjoying each other's company. We did many things together, enjoying having someone to share them with. We cared for each other, and except for the sex, we were happy together and acted like any other married couple.

Since I was going to the Pentagon today, I drove down to Tyson Corners to catch the Metro. I got off at the Pentagon station and took the long escalator up to the security station at the entrance to the Pentagon. After presenting my ID and going through the metal detector, I was met by an Air Force Captain sent to escort me to and from the meeting.

I was immediately intrigued by the beauty standing in front of me. She held out her hand and said, "Hello, Mrs. Watson. I'm Captain Kathryn Coleman, and I'll be your escort for the day."

I noticed that her eyes danced over my body, and they showed a look of appreciation. My eyes took her in, noting that she was tall, probably 5'10", and looked sharp in her uniform. Her long black hair was up in a loose bun, and her dark brown eyes were mesmerizing. With her olive complexion and a shy smile on her lips, I immediately flashed back to Alessia Falcone, my first love.

I quickly pushed those thoughts back into the closet of my mind. I did not want to relive the pain of what had happened to her. I smiled up at Kathryn, took her hand, and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Captain Coleman. Please, call me Anna."

I gave her hand a quick squeeze before letting it go, making sure to run my index finger along her palm as I did so. I noticed that her breath hitched and her eyes dilated to black. I thought, "This could be interesting," as she took a moment to recover. She quickly said, "Okay, Anna, as long as you call me Kat."

"Okay, Kat," I answered, giving her my best and brightest smile. "Let's be on our way."

Kat turned, and started walking off, saying, "This way, Anna."

I followed, loving the view of her ass and legs. Her 3" heels made them look good, and I loved how her skirt hugged her hips and ass. Kat looked over her shoulder, noticed I was ogling her ass, and smiled. I smiled back at her, acknowledging that she had caught me looking. "We're going to the conference room at 4D235 for today's meeting," Kat threw back over her shoulder as we approached a stairwell.

We went up three flights of stairs, and I made sure to go ahead of Kat, so she could get a good look at my ass. I could feel her eyes on my ass, and I put a little extra in it as we spiraled up the stairs. As we climbed, we chatted about the weather. We commiserated on the attempted assassination of President Reagan by John Hinckley and how he was recovering so quickly. Once we reached the top, Kat turned left, and when we came to corridor 2, we turned right and headed into the D ring. Once we got to the D ring, we turned right and came to Room 35.

We entered the conference room, and I saw several seats occupied by people I recognized as my equals from rival contractors. Every seat had a nameplate in front of it, but Kat still led me to my place. As I prepared to slip into my chair, I managed to covertly palm her ass, drawing a quiet gasp from her lips that she quickly cut off. I smiled up to her, and she returned my smile as she stepped back.

I noticed her eyes rested on my wedding ring momentarily before she turned and headed back out, probably to escort another visitor. After watching her walk away, I turned back to the table and looked around, nodding to the people I recognized. Soon Kat was back with another visitor. By now, all seats were occupied except for the seat at the head of the table. Then the door opened, and Herman Howard, the Air Force Service Acquisition Executive (AF-SAE), walked in.

For the next eight hours, except for a lunch break and two nature breaks, all participants were bombarded with presentations outlining the new program proposals that the US Air Force was considering. Several of the proposed programs were upgrades to the programs that Martin Marietta was participating in, so we would have the inside track to get them once the Requests for Proposals (RFPs) were sent out. There were several other programs that I felt we had the expertise to work on if we took a chance and spent our own money to try to get them.

Finally, the last presentation was finished. We all milled around the refreshments, greeting our counterparts from our competitors and making quick and dirty deals. I was in my element here, being able to sweetly smile while slipping the metaphorical shiver in the intercostal region between the fourth and fifth ribs or making sweetheart deals, leaving both of us smiling.

Participants started trickling out, but I held back, hoping to talk to Capt. Coleman, one more time. I felt that we had made a connection, and I was intrigued that a lesbian had made it as an officer in the military, despite the regulations prohibiting it. She was undoubtedly taking a risk, and I wasn't going to do anything to put her in any danger of being found out. The thought of having an assignation with a military officer made my pussy burn and my nipples ache and tighten.

Capt Coleman finally reappeared, and I walked over to her. She smiled widely at seeing me and asked, "Do you need an escort, Anna?"

"As long as it's you, Kat, then yes," I purred, trying to convey my desire with my eyes.

I reached out and touched her forearm with my fingertips, slowly drawing them down to her wrist. Her eyes went wide and dilated, and I heard her breath catch. Her tongue peeked out between her lips and wet them before she said, "Well, Anna, it just so happens that I am going your way."

I smiled my widest smile and said, "How lovely, Kat. Your offer is accepted."

As we walked down the hall, Kat casually asked, "So, what does Mr. Watson do?"

I knew she had seen my wedding ring and was wondering how serious I was about my wedding vows. I let out a laugh and said, "Pretty much whatever he wants." I quickly followed with, "He's one of the litigators in our legal department and is currently busy working on some contractual disagreement with one of our sub-contractors. Sometimes I don't see him for days when he's hot on a case."

As we descended the three flights of stairs, I asked, "So, is there a Mister Coleman in your life?"

Kat chuckled sultrily before saying, "No, and not likely anytime soon."

I noted that she had emphasized 'no' and smiled, confirming my suspicions that she was available.

As we walked out to the exit, I managed to brush up against Kat's hips a couple of times, each time noting the hitch in her breathing. We exchanged smiles as we stopped in front of the security station. We turned to face each other as I handed Kat my business card, purposefully presenting it with the back of the card showing my home phone number. I said, "Call me, and we can schedule a face-to-face when you can take some time to go over the AGM-86 upgrade with me."

I was facing her, standing so close that my chin was almost in her cleavage as I looked up at her with the most innocent look on my face. I was sure Kat knew that Martin Marietta wasn't working on that program, so I was basically telling her that I wasn't interested in talking business.

I heard her breath hitch again, and her eyes were bright and dilated when she said, "I'll do that, Anna. Goodnight, and take care."

I stepped back and said, "I will, Kat. You do the same." We shook hands, and this time, Kat drew her index finger over my palm when we let go, confirming that the message had been received. I turned and headed for the security line to leave. I put a little extra in my walk, feeling Kat's eyes on my ass.

I took advantage of the forty-five-minute train ride back to Tyson's Corner to review my notes from the meeting and think about Kat. Now that I had time to think about my immediate attraction to Kat, I thought again about Alessia and what we had nearly seventeen years ago. I took a moment to mourn her again, having discovered several years ago that she had been killed on United Air Lines Flight 389 in August 1965. All those years, I had missed her and had wondered what had happened to her, and I hadn't known that she was dead all that time. No wonder she had never gotten back in contact with me.

My eyes burned with unshed tears for a moment before I forced those thoughts back into the recesses of my mind. "Water under the bridge," I told myself as I pulled myself back together. I started thinking about Kat and how her body had filled her uniform in a delightful way. I knew I would be jilling myself off several times tonight thinking about her.

***

It was a week since my visit to the Pentagon. I had just finished a meeting with Jack Wilkinson, the CFO who had succeeded Jeff Hauser when he moved on to one of our competitors. As I returned to my desk, my phone rang. I picked up and said, "This is Anna."

"Hello, Mrs. Watson. This is Captain Coleman." I smiled as I recognized her sultry voice.

"Kat, you must call me Anna, or I'm going to hang up," I said, hoping she could hear my smile through the phone.

I heard her sultry chuckle as she said, "Okay, Anna. May I have a moment of your time?"

I replied, "Well, Kat, if you ask nicely enough, you can have anything."

I heard her breath catch before she rallied and said, "I'll keep that in mind when the time is right. For now, I was hoping to come out to your facility with a new presentation for your specific programs. Would you be interested in that, Anna?"

"Not only would I be interested," I purred into the phone, "I'd insist on it."

"When would you be available?" Kat asked.

"For you, anytime," I replied. I quickly checked my calendar and saw I had Friday mostly open at the moment and could reschedule the one meeting I had. I said, "How's Friday work for you?"

"Friday works fine," Kat replied with a sultry chuckle. "I can be there at 9:00 AM."

"How much time will you need?" I asked, anticipating her answer.

"How much time do you have?" Kat asked, making me smile as she gave me the opening I had wanted to get.

"Well, I wouldn't want to rush it, so you may want to pack an overnight bag," I said in my best bedroom voice, making my pitch for something more than just a meeting.

I heard her breath catch before Kat answered, "I may just do that, Anna."