A Year

A Year

Anja awoke in her room, sunlight spilling over her naked skin as she lay atop her bed. The sheets were slightly rumpled and spoke of a peaceful sleep. There were no wisps of dreams clouding her mind, she woke ready to start her day.

In her heart Anja felt today was going to be special. After a long period of being alone something told her today she was going to meet someone special. She showered, and the warm spray felt more invigorating that she could ever remember. The smell of the soap strong and pleasing, her body smooth and eager for her hands to caress it. Everything felt more distinct and real than it ever had as long as she could recall in her 26 years.

Anja lived alone and she prepared her breakfast of coffee and fruit from a well stocked fridge, without any clothes on, enjoying her nudity.

Sitting to eat in her robe ensconced in her favorite window seat looking out over her neighborhood, she watched as unfamiliar faces drifted by.

This was certain to be a wonderful day.

Paul also woke from a dreamless sleep. He also felt very positive about his day to come. All Paul wanted was to find that special someone that he could lavish his abundant love on and spend his life with.

Doing yoga and stretching his lean limbs Paul allowed his mind to drift as he went through the maneuvers, his body supple and holding no tension.

Breakfast for him consisted of cereal and juice, and he hummed a romantic ballad as he ate, his mind on love and romance as it usually was.

Tai found herself tangled in her sheets when she woke, the loose bindings immediately making her think of sex. Allowing herself to feel constrained by the ineffective bindings she imagined a man finding her there and taking advantage of her helplessness.

Her insides became squishy imagining a squat hairy man holding her down and using her body for his pleasure. Not allowing herself to move her hands Tai wanted to touch her tingling clit, but instead she imagined her body growing more and more aroused as this man used her.

At last the sexual tension grew too profound and she took one hand out of the harmless coil of blanket and rubbed her burning button until she cried out with a powerful climax.

What a way to start her day. In the shower she went over the waking dream and found herself picturing the man clearly. So clearly she wondered if she had ever met him.

Tai knew if she ever did she would probably throw herself at his feet and beg him to take her as his slave, the fantasies she had about him night and day were so profound that she hoped more than anything to someday find him and be his slave.

A walk in the park seemed the only remedy to Paul's restlessness . The sun and the fresh air drew him, and he knew of a romantic place to go down by the pond in the biggest park in the city. That would be the perfect location for his current mood.

Setting off, his teeth brushed, his hair combed and his clothes pressed and presentable he gloried in the sunny day. The rush and bustle of the street traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian tried to invade his happy reverie, but his mood was just too light to be brought down by such mundane impediments.

By the time he got to the pond, having wandered through trees and beds of pretty flowers his mood was light and romantic again.

Sitting on a bench by the side of the pond he smiled at the antics of the ducks, feeling like this was the perfect place to be.

Dressing in her most provocative day wear, and she had a closet full of dresses too provocative for day time, Tai went out for breakfast. The dark haired beauty had a powerful craving for a bagel and knew there was a good bakery with tables to sit at, overlooking the street, just down from her apartment.

The walk there elicited a lot of stares and Tai felt a thrumming sexual potency from the ogling gaze of the many men she saw. It was her fondest desire to find a man who could tame her, and make her the woman she desired to be, but none of these men were the right man. If they were they would have the boldness to approach and demand her attention.

None of them did.

At the bakery she ordered and sat with a tea, eating at a table in the window overlooking the busy street. The sun fell on the far side leaving her in comforting shadow, her heart hopeful, but her mood dark and isolated.

Anja was at a loss for what to do with herself. She was restless, but had no place to be. Wandering around her apartment she noticed everything was sparking clean, so that didn't need doing. All her laundry was done, her fridge and cupboards stocked with all her favorites , and her few plants freshly watered.

As the tall, pale blond Nordic woman considered going out, even though that didn't feel like the thing to do, a knock at her door saved her from having to find something to do. Practically running for the door she peered through the eye-hole to see who was there.

Standing in front of the door was her landlord Mr. Handy, and beyond him some other figure. Anja happily opened the door and said hello.

"Hey there Anja. I was passing by and thought I'd introduce you to a new tenant. Anja this is Bill Dysart. Bill this is Anja. "

Anja's heart missed a beat as she looked past her landlord at the man standing there. He was short, and slight, but his eyes were the prettiest blue she had ever seen. He had a charming shyness to him that immediately pleased her. Looking at him as he stared back at her, with what she could only perceive as astonishment, she felt herself blush.

"Hello Mr. Dysart." She said, her own voice sounding husky and excited to her ears.

"Hello." Dysart said back, his eyes darting around looking at her body and only just brushing her own gaze. His obvious approval of her body made her glow inside. This small unassuming man seemed to make her feel more beautiful and desirable by the moment.

"Did you want to come in? I have some coffee brewed."

"Well Mr. Dysart, do you want to?" Mr. handy asked. "The lady seems to want some company."

"Sure. Sounds fine." Dysart winced, and tried again. " I mean- Yes. That would be lovely."

"Perfect." Handy and Anja said at the same time. She laughed at the synchronicity, and Handy gestured for Dysart to enter ahead of him.

Anja led them to the couch and went and poured them coffee. She could feel the men watching her move around her small kitchen and she found herself appreciating the attention. She spent a little more time than necessary looking for cream and sugar in the fridge and cupboard giving them time to take in her statuesque body in jeans and button down shirt, and she wondered at her behavior. Dysart was just such an interesting little man, his scholarly air, and nervous energy pleased her.

Bringing the men coffee she sat opposite Dysart and asked where he had moved from.

"Oh. Ah. I moved from across town. I have- had a house provided by the science department at the University, but I- erm- well I found that it didn't serve my current needs. Yes."

"Mr. Dysart is a Professor of Microbiology at the University." Mr. Handy informed her.

"Oh! Wow! That sounds exciting." Anja said. She didn't know anything about microbiology, but it sounded difficult and she loved intellectuals.

Dysart seemed to be in his mid fifties, still young enough physically, in spite of a bit of a pot belly and stooped shoulders, which Anja found cute, but he was old enough not be a man who needed to impress a woman. Anja hated the games, and the macho behaviors men resorted to when flirting with a woman.

They chatted for a time, and Anja found herself more and more intrigued by this strange little man. As the men were leaving, the coffee finished, Anja impulsively asked which apartment was Dysart's.

"I would love to drop by sometime, and you can tell me more about your work."

"Oh. Yes. Of course. I am in 501."

"Oh, just above mine then." She gushed, feeling silly.

"Ah, yes. That is so."

"Well I look forward to seeing you soon Mr. Dysart."

"Please call me Bill."

"Okay, Bill. And feel free to stop by anytime. Good day Mr. Handy."

As she closed the door she peeked out the hole again and saw the men smile, and Handy give Dysart an "I told you so." Like nod.

Anja felt like this was the meeting she was meant to have today, and she smiled as the men walked from view. She couldn't wait to tell her neighbor Tia about the newest resident of their little world.

Paul had been sitting in the sun for fifteen minutes when a woman in her mid to late forties arrived and asked to sit beside him. Paul readily accepted. As long as he had been sexually aware Paul had felt attracted to older women, women of a certain bearing, of a certain class.

Young girls or women his own age, late twenties, seemed to be more crass, more exuberant, and generally less self-contained. Paul was an old fashioned guy in that he liked to be charming, and to be, admittedly, a little chauvinistic with manners. He wanted to hold doors open, pull out chairs, and generally behave well toward women.

Paul did not feel women were in any way inferior, just special. Men and woman were not equals. There were equivalent. A woman had the right to be whomever she wanted to be, but for Paul she was only attractive if she comported herself a certain way.

As the woman, who he thought looked to be in the forty seven to forty eight range, sat Paul nodded politely offering, "It's a beautiful morning isn't it?"

"That it is." Her voice had a depth of tone that thrilled him. It seemed so refined and sounded like the aural equivalent of an aged whiskey. Smokey, flavourful and evocative.

"I couldn't stay away this morning. I wanted so much to be sitting right here in the sun today." Paul enthused.

"Oh, how nice." She smiled. "Do you come here often? Oh of course not- I mean... "She seemed to be searching for the right thing to say. "Surely I would have seen you before if you did. I come here every day." She seemed puzzled, and then she smiled and looked closely at him. "I apologize."

"You have nothing to apologize for madam." He said formally, but with a big smile. "I don't come often, but I have been here before, on occasion.

"Well I'm glad you're here today." She smiled.

"Me too." Paul said and meant it. She was very attractive. She had short hair, cut simply, and there was a charming dusting of grey all through it. Her eyes were very kind, and the laugh lines around them told him all he needed to know about her sense of humour. "It seems to me this may be the best day of the year so far, weather wise."

"You may be right." She nodded, and then smiled an open joyous smile at him. "My name is Marny. " She offered her hand.

Taking it Paul smiled back, beguiled by this woman. "Would you like some popcorn to feed the ducks?" He asked, the popcorn vender just a little ways away.

"That would be lovely, thank you." Her eyes sparkled and Paul felt smitten. He rushed over and bought a bag and brought it back to her. Sitting a smidge closer to her on the bench he offered her the bag. Reaching in with her left hand Paul noticed she had no wedding ring and he smiled to himself.

They chatted and fed the ducks and Paul felt more content than he could ever remember.

The long wait for Tia to come home had Anja on pins and needles, but at last her neighbor and best friend finally called.

"Hey, sorry I missed your call I was out. I met somebody!" Tia gushed.

"Me too! Come over and I'll put some tea on and let's share.

"Make it some gin and I'm in!"

"Okay. This does call for a celebration doesn't it?"

"Be right there." The women hung up and Anja went to her liquor cupboard. She had a few bottles of alcohol she kept in her cupboard. She pulled out some scotch with a puzzled expression. Then put it back and pulled out the gin.

Getting glasses with ice and some soda she fixed drinks. Before she finished she heard Tia knock on the door.

When Anja let Tia in the two women smiled at each other and hugged.

"This is incredible. What are the odds?" Tia said her quiet voice much louder than usual.

"Here's to us, and our potential partners." Anja clinked glasses with Tia and they drank. "Okay, I've been waiting all day to tell you what happened, so can I please go first?"

"Of course." The women moved into the living room area and sat on the couch.

"Okay. Mr. Handy brought this new neighbor over to meet me. He was this professor from the University and he was shy and smart and as cute as a button. I could tell he liked me right away, and when they left the men stood outside my door and sort of smirked at each other. Handy was setting us up. Bill knew it and was happy with me. At least that was my read on it."

"That is so weird! Why would Mr. Handy be setting you up?"

"No idea. I'm just glad he did. Bill lives right above me. He told me to drop by sometime, so we could talk more."

"So no actual date yet?"

"No. He isn't the predatory type. He is an academic, sort of a bit lost in thought. Which I love."

"Great. Here's to Bill then." Tia held out her glass and the ladies once more drank. "Mine was a chance meeting. I was sitting eating a bagel at the bakery when he sat next to me. As soon as I saw him I almost peed. I swear I'm not making this up, but I've been dreaming of this guy for... I don't know how long. Literally this man, exactly. He looked at me with this intense stare and I just about melted in my seat. I could barely breathe." Tia sipped her drink, clearly swept up in the memory. "He started talking to me, but I couldn't tell you what he said, I couldn't even think. Just looking at this man from my dreams was terrifying and wonderful. He moved to my table and we talked about ourselves a bit, then he asked me if I was busy this afternoon. I said no. Then he asked if I'd like to spend the afternoon with him. I was literally panting as I said yes. It just felt so right. He was so strong, and confident it made me feel like I could do anything if he was with me."

Anja was spooked by the way her friend was talking. Tia seemed like she was in in pain, and her eyes were dilated and out of focus.

"You okay sweetie?" Anja asked.

"Perfect. Please don't tell me I'm crazy, I've been dreaming of this specific man for so long that... I went home with him."

"Holy shit! Did you..?"

"We went back to his place, he has a little house to himself. We had some wine and- Oh God it was perfect. He told me he thought I was the sexiest woman he had ever seen. He told me that I looked like I needed a strong man in my life. I said that was true. He told me he should be that man."

"Wow. Pretty cock-sure."

"Exactly. Anja that is exactly like it was. He had no doubts. He knew I was already his. He- Well maybe you don't need the details?" She seemed apologetic, and embarrassed, but eager to share so Anja nodded.

"Go ahead."

"Okay. Well he told me to strip for him. I had never done that for anyone before, but I felt right about it. I stood up and took off my clothes. I was in a strange man's house and didn't know his last name, but I felt safer with him than anyone before. He told me to do it slowly, and every time he gave me an order he became more confident, more demanding. And the more demanding he became the more attracted to him I got. I swear I was wet just from the way he talked to me." Both women took sudden gulps of their drinks. "When I was nude he made me follow him downstairs and in the basement he had- he had- oh." Tia's hands were shaking and she took another drink and then sipped again and put down the glass. Clasping her hands in her lap she continued. Anja felt hollow in the pit of her stomach, terrified for her friend for some reason.

"In the basement he has a full dungeon. The walls look like old castle walls. He has all these devices for binding and torture and... pleasure. I was standing in there as naked as the day I was born and I felt like I had come home. Oh God it was heaven. He demanded that I call him Master and he tied me up, and all afternoon he whipped me, and used dildoes and vibrators on me and put me in all these devices and God Anja! I have never cum so many times in my life. I am exhausted from so many orgasms. He finally fucked me and it was the best I've ever had. His cock is perfect! "

"Jesus Tia! That is freaky." Tia looked shamed, and blushed. "Not freaky as in you are a sick pervert, but freaky that everything went so quickly for you. In one afternoon all that happened?"

"I know. I can't believe it myself, but it felt so right. Destiny or something. "

Just then there was a knock on Anja's door.

"I'll just pretend I'm not here."

"No, no. It might be your dream man. I want to meet him." Anja blushed and went to the door. Peering out the eyehole she saw Paul from next door. "No such luck. It's Paul. He looks excited.

"Ah, well let him in. I need to stop thinking about Master and get my sanity back."

"You sure?" But Anja had raised her voice too much. Paul called out.

"Anja, is that you? Please let me in!" Anja unlocked the door and opened it wide enough to let him in.

"Come in. We were just deciding if men were allowed in our girl talk or not."

"Well if it helps, I met someone special today. That is sort of girl talk."

"You have got to be kidding. Com e in. you want some gin, that's what we are having. "

"Sounds good. Hey Tia. So... why would I be kidding about meeting someone? You think I am too lame to find love?"

"No." Anja said as she went and poured him a drink. "It is just that both of us met somebody today too."

"Really? That is incredible." Paul sat next to Tia and looked intently at her. "Did you really meet a guy today?"

"Um, yeah. We spent the whole day together. I just got home."

Anja came back with Paul's drink and she picked up her own. "To us, and our new romances." They all toasted and drank. "So Paul tell us about yours."

"We met at the park today. We fed ducks, we walked around the lagoon and went to the zoo, and then had a picnic on the grass. It was so romantic. She told me all about herself, and it was like she knew me already. She guessed all my favorite music, and books. We go to a lot of the same shows, and galleries. I am amazed we haven't met before. I just walked her home and kissed her goodnight. I don't usually move so fast, but it felt right."

Tia and Anja exchanged a glance over their glasses at that, and Tia blushed furiously. To distract from that Anja said, "Good for you Paul. That is wonderful. My guy lives in the building. He just moved here. Mr. Handy introduced us. And Tia met someone at the bakery."

"Congratulations ladies." Paul held out his glass for a toast and once more they drank. There was a moment of reflection as each of them marveled at their good fortune then they all took a breath and spoke at once.

"I've never been so happy." They had all said the same thing and burst out laughing.

They drank and shared stories, eventually getting drunk and getting into detail about each of their new loves. And each of them confirmed they were in love. Anja felt strange admitting that, she barely knew Bill, but she was certain she was in love with him, and that was what counted.

Some instinct told Anja that today she should dress like a student from the university. She assumed that Bill would like a woman to look like the people he worked with. So she put on tight jeans, and a thin t-shirt with no bra and comfortable shoes.

Putting on a minimum of make-up she pulled her hair back in a braid and wore her glasses. Looking in the mirror she approved of what she saw. Looking scholarly she had the look of a studious focused girl of twenty or so.

Taking a deep breath she steeled herself and went up to 501.

Knocking on Bill's door she felt a nervousness she rarely felt, but his approval mattered to her.