"Chin up! " the instructor barked. Lana was stepping out of her comfort zone again, this time at the gym. After noticing an opening in the self-defense class, she decided to sign up. What she didn't expect was the one on one attention that Debbie, the instructor, gave her. It was just the two of them in the ring, after no one else showed up for the early session. Initially, she was intimidated, but after reminding herself why she was doing it, Lana decided to take a leap of faith. Running from Danny wasn't that great of a life plan, so she had to prepare for the inevitable confrontation if she ever had a chance of reclaiming a normal life. She hated to think of herself as weak, or defenseless, so learning how to protect herself was empowering. With every punch thrown, she could feel her confidence building. More than she needed to develop a new personality, Lana felt she just had to break down all the walls she had built up to protect herself in her marriage. Dan wa

Sitting in his office, Xy felt more powerful than usual, thinking back to his wonderful morning with Lana. She was the perfect start to his day, and he couldn't stop praising himself for making the last-minute decision to go to the gym before work. Cancelling a meeting to enjoy lunch with her was an easy decision. The two had so much fun together and Xy felt it was the first time he'd laughed so much in years. Work had taken over his life, but it was difficult to acknowledge that until he sat across from Lana. She was what he had been missing-a connection that allowed him to relax and forget all that he was supposed to do in the office. It wasn't until he watched her walk away that he knew how much he'd missed having that special connection with someone. What would usually seem like a full and exciting agenda, now felt more like a dreadful lists of tasks standing between him and his life outside the office. Just thinking of that concept brought a smile to his face. Wa

With her nerves going wild, Lana rushed to rinse the shampoo from her hair, not wanting to keep Xy waiting. She'd had so much fun boxing with him and getting to know each other. He was easy to talk to, and she found it hard to say goodbye when it was finally time to go their separate ways. After rejecting him so many times, it was only right that she was the one to initiate their breakfast, but man did it feel weird. For someone who was typically shy and soft spoken, Lana felt far out of her comfort zone inviting Xy to breakfast. Thankfully, he didn't allow her to back out when she got cold feet. It was just so foreign to her to be facing rejection, although Xy happily accepted her invitation. Soon enough, she was dressed, and after a few minutes in front of the mirror, she decided she was ready to go on what she refused to think of as a date, not wanting to get ahead of herself. Lana couldn't plan her life weeks in advance because Dan could show up any time. So there

With her eyes closed, Lana was left to her dreams as Xy caressed her lips softly with his. He was so gentle, and careful, treating her like a delicate flower as she pressed her thighs close, desire rushing through her quickly. As her mind swirled with thoughts, she tried to convince herself that it was all real because the way Xy made her feel, it felt like a dream. He had been a perfect gentleman the entire night, and now with a sweet kiss, she doubted it could get any better. While secrecy had been a cloak she found comfort in, Lana suddenly felt the desire to strip the layers away and reveal the true self she had shielded from everyone all these years. There was something different about him, and she found it fateful that the two had met with all of the layers of security she had placed throughout her life. While it was only a few seconds, their kiss took Lana's breath away, leaving her wanting more when Xy finally pulled away. Without a word, he sat back into his seat,

She had just unpacked the last of her boxes, standing back to take in her new place. It had all come together in the final hours as she found the perfect nook for every photo frame and knick-knack she had picked up from one place or another. The living area was very cozy and centered around a brick fireplace Lana couldn't wait to use. It was the selling feature when she first saw the apartment, daydreaming of cooler evenings when she could cuddle up on the sofa with a book and a cup of tea. She wanted to make a life in her new place and had all the trappings to make it happen. The small couch was more like a loveseat, evident that she didn't have much plans for hosting others or entertaining. It was a small space, but it was perfect for her. She needed to rebuild her life and it was the perfect setting to do just that. The hardwood floors ran through the entire apartment, including the small kitchen that featured an island with a metal countertop, covered by the cut marks