If I ever wrote an autobiography, this chapter would certainly be the most interesting.Sarah came into the kitchen wearing a short terry robe and her ...hair wrapped in a towel. She hugged me from behind and kissed my neck. "I'm proud of you, lover," she whispered in my ear."It was Jimmy who caught the bad guys." Yeah, but we might not have the bad guys or Jimmy either if you hadn't gone out there. To my way of thinking, you both deserve medals." She slipped her hand down the front of my jeans and. “Thanks, Ethan.”“For what?”Jan hugged me tighter, “For making me feel so young and free again. I haven’t felt like this in years.”“I love you too, Jan,” I told her, and we kissed one last time.“I know you do, now get out of here, and think about what I said.”I drove home doing just that. I thought about the crazy week I’d had and everything else that had happened since I’d become a masseur. It had been a crazy ride so far!***By the time I got back home, Carli had talked to Jan and found out the. Or the company.”She gave me another of those half-smiles then looked away.“So what happened?”“From the start, right?”“From the start.”“Daddy took me to the match on Saturday. I don’t much like football but he said it’s what everyone does and it would help me fit in. After the game, he took me to that social club—”“The Vic.”“Yeah. That one. There was a celebration party because they won the game. He wanted me to meet some of the players and mix with some of the other teenagers that were there. I. ? The belt comes downagain, harder, then harder still as Master puts the weight of his body behindeach swing, each stripe laid down with exquisite care, the pauses that comebetween blows stretching time itself to an agonizing slowness.? Master steps close after the fifth stripe,inspecting her skin, running a gentle hand over her back, smoothing it, feelingthe heat radiating under her skin. She has counted each stroke, taking care to thankher Master for his attention, for his forgiveness,.