Vanilla Is Overrated

"Good enough!" exclaimed Amanda, as she leaned back in her chair, stretching her arms above her head.

Jasmine peeked over at her friend's laptop at the presentation slides she was working on. It featured three bullet points in comically large font. In the bottom corner of the slide sat a cartoon rendering of a sunflower.

"That's it?" said Jasmine, examining the little number at the bottom of the screen. It indicated that Amanda had produced a grand total of 8 slides.

"I've got all of our main talking points!"

"Uh huh, and what's the sunflower about?"

"It looks cute."

Jasmine had always found Amanda to be too carefree. She was concerned about her friend's grades, which typically hovered around a B or B minus. And now that they were grouped together, she was worried that her friend's happy-go-lucky approach to life would compromise her grades too.

"We need to take this more seriously! We only have-"

"Four weeks," interrupted John, sitting next to her. John laid a hand on Jasmine's arm. "We have four whole weeks, babe."

Jasmine took a deep breath. He was right, of course. The assignment's due date was still a month away. It's just, it was in her nature to worry about things. But John kept her grounded. He was her rock, her safe harbor whenever she caught herself becoming too agitated about some small thing or another.

She smiled at her boyfriend, putting her hand atop his. She then turned to Amanda and said, "Sorry, you're right, it's good enough for now."

"Don't worry! I know you care a lot about your grades. I promise I'll pull my weight!" said Amanda, nodding sincerely.

"Thanks." Jasmine glanced at her phone, lying face up on the table. "It's starting to get late. Call it a night?"

The trio agreed. They had been hard at work in Amanda's bedroom for a few hours now. Having started early in the evening, it was now close to 10PM. They arranged their next meeting, then said their goodbyes.

"Oh, babe?" said Jasmine, looking at John. "I need to discuss something with Amy. I'll catch up with you tonight?"

"Sure, text you tonight." He held Jasmine's hands and gave her a peck on the lips. "Love you," he added.

Jasmine returned his kiss and giggled softly, holding herself close to him for a moment longer. She drank in his scent. If she could, she'd have held on to him for an eternity. Unfortunately, she was all too aware of Amanda standing not two feet from her with a Cheshire grin on her face. She reluctantly broke away from John.

"Get a room, you two," teased Amanda.

John pulled his hand away from Jasmine's, who let go with some resistance, trailing her fingers after his. With a wave at the two girls, he retreated out of the bedroom and down the hall. Jasmine kept her gaze on his departing back with a soft smile on her lips, not looking away until he turned the corner and exited her line of sight.

"Ugh, you are so love struck."

Jasmine blushed. It was true, she was so, so in love with John. They had only gotten together two months ago, and were still very much in that phase where everything about each other was absolutely captivating. There was nothing Jasmine wanted more than to be with John, every day and every night.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" said Amanda.

"It's about us. John and I, I mean."

"What about?"

"Um." Jasmine hesitated, trying to work up the courage to bring up what was on her mind. "We haven't done it before."

Amanda understood what her friend meant, that she was still a virgin. She figured it was only a matter of time before Jasmine would get her cherry popped by John.

"I think we might do it next week," continued Jasmine. "You know, during that school trip?"

The three of them were taking a business elective this year, and next week they had a trip to San Francisco. Three days of touring offices and attending talks put on by various tech companies. Jasmine was excited to learn about how various businesses were run, while Amanda was mostly just excited to explore a new city.

"Yeah? Why haven't you two had sex yet?"

Jasmine blushed at the bluntness of Amanda's words. "Our parents are always home. Anyway, I wanted to ask if you had any tips."

A devious thought crept into Amanda's head. She hesitated a moment as she mentally debated with herself if she should proceed with the thought. One part of her wanted to genuinely help her friend, and the other wanted to mess with her. Eventually, the impish part of her won.

Trying to suppress the mischievous smile threatening to break out on her face, she said, "You know John's really into BDSM, right?"

"What? No, he isn't!"

"Mmhmm, he totally is."

"How do you even know?"

"We went to high school together, remember? A bunch of us were playing spin-the-bottle a few years ago, and he picked truth."

Jasmine looked deep in thought. John had never mentioned it before, though she supposed that a kink like that wouldn't normally come up in casual conversation. He certainly didn't look like the type.

"Wow, I never would have thought..." Suddenly, Jasmine felt a spike of panic. Having sex for the first time was a scary enough prospect, but kinky sex? "So what should I do?!"

"Relax, just let him take the lead. Do whatever he tells you."

"Really?"

"Yup. Just make sure you have a safeword. Like, pineapple or whatever."

Jasmine didn't have much experience with BDSM. Her only exposure to it was when she watched 50 Shades of Grey a few years ago. Amanda, her, and a few of their other girl friends had gathered to watch a DVD of the film. It didn't really do anything for her, though. She found the nudity exciting, but didn't much care for the bits with ropes and blindfolds.

"And also, don't mention it to him! Maybe he'll just want normal sex. But if he ends up wanting more, then at least you'll be mentally prepared," continued Amanda.

"Right..." Jasmine was still lost in thought. "Thanks, Amy."

"You're welcome!" Amanda had to bite her lip to keep herself from smiling too widely and rousing suspicion.

* * *

The next morning, John received a text from Amanda.

"Hey, free to meet after lunch?" it said.

"Sure, what's up?"

"Tell you later. Meet at the cafe near Second Avenue?"

John agreed. Later that afternoon, he found himself at a table outside the cafe. Amanda joined a few minutes later, wearing a loose blouse and leggings, with her hair pulled back into a ponytail.

"Heya John! Let me order a coffee first," said Amanda, plopping her purse onto a seat and heading into the store. She returned a couple minutes later, gingerly carrying a cup of coffee atop a saucer.

"You wanted to speak about something?" asked John.

"Yeah, it's about Jasmine."

John looked concerned. He wondered what could be so serious that Amanda had to act as the messenger.

Spotting his worried look, Amanda hastily clarified, "Oh, it's nothing bad! Remember last night when she hung back to speak with me? It was about next week's trip."

"Oh? What about it?"

"She told me how you two were planning on, you know, fucking."

John felt nonplussed. Damn, girls really tell each other everything, do they? The two of them hadn't even discussed it, though John suspected it was a possibility. They had booked a room to share during the trip. He would rather not get his hopes up, but some part of him was definitely looking forward to it.

"Well, we never really talked about it..."

"You want to, don't you?"

"Of course."

"She wants to as well. That's what she was telling me about last night."

"Oh."

Amanda thought John looked positively adorable. He was trying so hard to remain stoic, but she could tell that, inside, he was completely enthused by the possibility of losing his virginity in a week's time.

Before he could respond further, she continued, "But there's something she told me about yesterday. She's really, really into BDSM."

John cocked his head.

"Yup, she is! She likes playing the submissive, and wishes you to be her dominant partner."

"She said that?" John was incredulous. Her? Prim, proper, and studious. His girlfriend is secretly into being dominated? Huh. He figured that perhaps what they say is true, that the innocent looking ones are the kinkiest. "So why are you telling me this?"

"I thought I might help you out! She's too shy to admit it to you, but it'll be nice to surprise her next week, don't you think?"

"I don't know..."

"Trust me, I know what she wants, she's my best friend!"

"Alright, fine. But what do I do?" said John. He wasn't particularly turned on by the idea of playing a dominant role, but he was willing to do so for Jasmine's sake. He loved her. He'd happily indulge her in whatever kinks she had.

"That's why I'm here today, there's a shop around the corner. Let's go pick some things up after this." Amanda took a sip of her coffee before continuing. "Just some basic stuff. Handcuffs, a blindfold, rope. We can see what else they have too."

Half an hour later, the two of them found themselves in a small store being attended to by a bubbly lady with bright pink hair. It had a rather nondescript storefront, the kind that your eyes would comfortably slide over if you were simply passing by. However, the inside was filled with all sorts of sex paraphernalia. Amanda took charge of picking out various bondage equipment. They picked out the basics she had mentioned earlier, plus some extras as well.

* * *

Jasmine and John held hands as they meandered back to their hotel room after dinner. It was the first night of the school trip. They had a long day, being whisked between different venues, listening to talks at each one. She admitted that she had lost some of her initial excitement. After the second venue of the day, she found herself restless. What a relief when, come late afternoon, they were finally released and allowed to explore the city on their own time.

Immediately upon entering their room, Jasmine collapsed on the bed. It wasn't a big room. There was a queen-sized bed at the far end of the room, with a small TV mounted opposite. Above the bed hung a tacky painting depicting a vase of flowers. A small two-seater couch sat along another end, positioned under the window. Cozy.

John smiled slightly at the sight of his girlfriend laying on the bed, hair splayed out messily like a halo. She had on a contented smile of her own, her eyes closed in relaxation after an exhausting day. He thought she looked angelic. She certainly didn't look like someone who craved being tied up. He shook his head slightly at the mental image, but carried on smiling. He'd do anything for her.

They took turns taking a shower before cuddling up on the bed to watch some TV. Some sort of procedural drama was playing. Neither of them had brought up sex yet. Frankly, neither of them were even completely sure that sex was on the other's mind, but it most definitely was. Throughout the show, all either of them could think of was if maybe, perhaps, possibly, something would happen later.

Jasmine pressed her body against John's, nuzzling his neck. She could smell the scent of his body wash. Something floral. She planted a small kiss on his neck. In response, John squeezed her tighter with the arm he had wrapped around her waist. She smiled with contentment. She loved him, to bits and bits and bits. Looking up, she met his eyes.

John gazed down at her. The tension was palpable. No words passed between them, but somehow both of them understood. He reached over for the remote and switched the TV off. The room fell into silence, and only their quiet breaths could be heard. He kissed her lightly on the forehead, while stroking her hair.

She nodded, her eyes still locked on his. He leaned down, and kissed her. She parted her lips, allowing his tongue to slip inside. He had one hand wrapped behind her head, her hair tangling around his fingers. They drew back for a moment. She giggled softly, before he pulled her close again. His lips felt impossibly soft against hers as they brushed together. They breathed each other in, as their hands started to wander.

John slipped a hand under Jasmine's blouse. He held on to the small of her back, feeling her smooth skin beneath his palm. His other hand carded through her hair, still slightly damp from her shower earlier. He felt her exploring his body with her hands too, rubbing against his neck, his back, his shoulders. Eventually, her hands made their way down to the hem of his shirt. She hooked her fingers under it and tugged it up.

They unwillingly broke away. Jasmine was flushed, but excited. John raised his arms and allowed her to pull his shirt off. She felt her stomach doing somersaults as he sat bare-chested in front of her. Smiling shyly at him, she slowly pulled off her own blouse.

John ran his hands along her hips, up the sides of her stomach and up to the curve of her chest. Jasmine gave him a small nod, so he moved his touch around her back to unclasp her bra. It took him a few moments, not having done so before. She giggled softly, her arms wrapped around his neck as she allowed him to undress her.

Soon he peeled the bra away, letting her B-cup breasts bounce free. This was his first time seeing her topless. His cock stiffened almost immediately, painfully straining against his pants. The two of them got off the bed and worked to undress each other. She undid his belt, then his pants. He undid her shorts.

Before long, they were both naked. Jasmine was entranced at the sight of her partner's swollen member. Six inches long, she estimated. Frankly, he could have been three inches and she wouldn't have cared one bit. He was here, and he was hers, and she was his, and they were about to make love, and that's all that mattered. She sat down on the edge of the mattress, looking up expectantly at him.

John gazed down at her lovingly. He couldn't believe it, it was happening, it was really happening. He saw her looking up with wide eyes, a slight smile on her lips. He wanted to make this a special night for her. To give her everything she wanted.

He placed a finger under her chin, and said, "Hold on, I have a surprise for you."

Jasmine watched as John went to unlock his suitcase. She smiled at how eager he looked. His excitement was plain as day upon his face as he rummaged around his suitcase, no doubt looking for the bondage gear Amanda had warned her about. She herself was excited to be part of his kink. She wanted nothing more than to make him happy, for she loved, loved, loved him.

He returned with an assortment of toys. Toys? She wondered if they could be considered toys. Her eyes went wide as he laid them out on the bed. There was a pair of handcuffs, lined with a soft fabric, velvet perhaps? A blindfold. Some rope, made from hemp. Finally, there was something she couldn't quite identify, it was a pair of clamps connected by a long silver chain.

"Are you okay with this?" John asked.

Jasmine nodded. "Yes!" Truthfully, she felt somewhat apprehensive, but she trusted John, and she knew that he was probably quite experienced with these.

Remembering what Amanda had said, she added, "My safeword will be..." She glanced around the room, her eyes landing on the painting above the bed. "Daffodils."

John smiled and nodded. "Sure thing. I'll stop if you use your safeword." He hadn't even thought about safewords, but it made complete sense when she mentioned it. He mused to himself about how experienced she was with this whole bondage thing.

John began by guiding Jasmine onto her back. He leaned over her and gave her a kiss, which she returned enthusiastically. His hand ventured down to her pussy, gliding his fingers lightly around her slit, feeling her wetness. She inhaled sharply when his fingers brushed against her clit. He slowly applied pressure to her clit, rubbing it gently, and all the while their lips remained locked together.

Jasmine was in heaven. She laid naked beneath the man she loved, kissing him, surrendering to him, loving him. When he pulled away, she let out a little gasp of disappointment. John reached for the handcuffs, letting it hang from two fingers, the links between the cuffs tinkling together. She smiled at him and held her hands out in front of her, but he pulled her to a sitting position and cuffed them behind her instead.

John felt nervous as he cuffed his girlfriend's hands together. Clicking the cuffs closed, he glanced at her to see if she made any indication that they were too tight, but she only flashed a smile in return. He had little idea what he was doing, but he had done some research beforehand. Granted, his "research" consisted of watching more BDSM-related porn than he'd ever done before, but regardless, he figured he knew enough now to not make a fool of himself.

When the cuffs clicked shut around her wrists, Jasmine slid off the bed onto her knees. This put her head about level with John's erect member. She relished the look of surprise on John's face. He probably wasn't expecting her to take the initiative, but she wanted to do her part in fulfilling his fantasy.

She kissed the tip of his cock, using her tongue to scoop up the bit of precum leaking from him. Her lips enveloped the head of his cock. She swirled her tongue around, lubricating it and feeling it pulse inside her mouth. His cock twitched, which she took as a sign that she was doing something right.

A hand brushed a few stray strands of hair out of her face. She looked up to see him smiling back down at her. A moment later, he placed a blindfold over her eyes and secured it behind her head. It was little more than a sleep mask. As she was plunged into darkness, all she could think about was her last sight of him. He looked happy, and so she was too.

John noticed how the corners of Jasmine's lips turned upwards when he placed the blindfold on. She must really be enjoying this, he thought. He held the back of her head and gently guided more of himself into her mouth. A few inches of his cock entered her, until he felt himself touching the back of her throat. Her tongue swirled against the underside of his shaft. She made a heroic attempt to take more of him in, but her inexperience caused her to gag. A line of spit trailed on her lips as she released his cock to take a breath.

He watched as she took his cock in her again, undeterred. God, she looked amazing, he thought to himself. A few loose strands of hair fell framed her face, but with her arms bound, she couldn't tuck them away.

She continued to bob her head along his shaft for a couple minutes, until John felt like he was starting to get close. Not wanting to blow his load so early on, he pulled out of her mouth with a wet pop. Jasmine licked her lips. With her arms bound behind her, it was all she could do to clear the saliva dripping down her face. John assisted with wiping it off, using his shirt.

"How're you feeling?" he asked.

"Loving it." After a moment, she added, "Can I take the blindfold off? I want to see you."

Truthfully, John wanted to see her full face as well. He wasn't a big fan of having the blindfold hide away those precious eyes he loved so much. However, wanting to keep up the air of dominance for Jasmine's sake, he proposed a compromise, "I'll take it off if you agree to this."

Sight returned to Jasmine's eyes as the blindfold was removed. Blinking at the sudden brightness, she found John holding the strange clamps from before. She nodded, not fully understanding what she was agreeing to.

As John bent down with the device, it dawned on her what those clamps were for. Her eyes widened, partly with shock, and partly with curiosity as to how they would feel. He pinched her nipples between his thumb and forefinger, causing her body to shudder with pleasure. They felt incredibly sensitive.