Her penetrating eyes unnerved Ana. She wanted to break the gaze, but felt mesmerized by those big blue eyes. Her thoughts took her to places she had no right to roam as she again imagined her lips on Kelsey's full ones. She ached to run her fingers through Kelsey's hair to touch her soft skin and to feel that smooth flesh against her own. "What makes you presume I'm lonely?" Her face reddened. "There's a difference between being lonely and wanting to be alone," she said firmly.

"Yes, there is, but I think that you and I fit in the category of being lonely." She continued to peer at her. "I know that I don't like being lonely and I doubt that you do either." She tapped her fingertips on her leg. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think I am. You are lonely, aren't you, Ana?"

Ana looked at the long slender fingers on Kelsey's small delicate hand. She yearned to hold her hand to feel the softness of it against her cheek. She couldn't let Kelsey know her true feelings, how she dreaded leaving her bed each morning, how sometimes she wished never to awaken to another long day. The weekdays weren't so bad, but the weekends were almost unbearable. Could she tell her how often she cried herself to sleep? No, she couldn't tell her any of those things. "Do you always make assumptions of someone you barely know?" she asked hoarsely.