Anna stood at the edge of the hotel room, staring down at the city below. Evening had fallen and the final smears of sunset were fading into a muddy orange at the horizon like too many paints in a watercolor. The sharp definition of the city's lights drowned out any remaining beauty of the dusk and replaced it with their own vivid hues. It was a distraction she tried to pursue, but her mind kept returning to his offer.
She felt a twinge in her stomach, anxiety piercing her usual confidence. In an unguarded moment long ago, she had confessed to this fantasy, but her nerves were now getting the best of her. Something about him felt safe, but this was a line she had established long ago; she wasn't sure if she was ready to cross it. She turned and stared at the two neckties on the pillow, two dark serpents tempting her from the stark bleached linens.
"If you want to continue, you will put your hands in the loops and lie down on the bed," Henry had instructed. "I will return in 15 minutes. If you haven't done so by the time I get back, then we'll put this one away and we can go have a drink downstairs. It's your choice."
Anna glanced at the clock for the thousandth time, releasing a shaky sigh that made her giggle slightly. She was a strong, self-assured woman—why was she so apprehensive? Flashes of adolescence swept through her mind like reflected headlights sweeping across a wall. She remembered heady nights sneaking off to the nearby golf course after school to steal kisses, afraid of being discovered. It was titillating and new, a feeling so rarely experienced in the decades to follow. The digital clock ticked another minute off and she snapped out of her reverie. She was down to two minutes.
With a final sigh she walked to the king-sized bed and jumped. She couldn't resist the temptation of a bouncy hotel bed, and in her nostalgic state it made her feel young and brave. The soft linens were a comfort and she landed with a resolve that hadn't been there when she leapt. Anna slid her slim wrists into the loops tied in the two neckties and placed them by her sides. She counted her breaths, bringing her heartbeat under control and relaxing her mind.
The click of the door handle shattered her calm as he entered the room. Henry paused at the doorway and assessed her situation. Anna felt herself shrink a bit under his gaze, marvelling at the experience. Fully dressed, she had the impression that she was exposed. She wasn't even tied yet, but she could sense that the decision had been made and she had given up control.
"Are you sure?" he asked. His voice was clear and level.
"Yes," she replied in a whisper.
"Are you sure?" he repeated.
"Yes," she said again, slightly louder this time, attempting to convey more confidence than she actually felt.
"Then we'll begin."
He set down a small paper bag she hadn't noticed he was carrying. She began to ask about it, but thought better of herself. The look on his face was hungry and the smirk that had begun to creep across his mouth suggested that she wouldn't get an answer. It occurred to her that asking and answering questions was a kind of power play, where the questioner might not be the one in control. If she asked and he refused to answer, it would reinforce her position and she wasn't sure she was ready for that.
"I'm going to tie you now," he spoke gently. He took her left hand in his and kissed the palm softly. Then he lifted her wrist above her head and laid it on the pillow. She felt him slide the loop down on her wrist, firm but comfortable. He tied the other end to the headboard of the bed, giving a tug on the end to ensure it was securely fastened.
Henry stood and walked slowly around the bed, his eyes never leaving hers. Anna stared up at him, that withering feeling returning again. Without being asked, she raised her hand and laid it gently on the pillow alongside the other. He reached out to her elbow and traced his fingers lightly up her forearm. She felt a shiver arise in her that echoed through her body. He slipped the tie around the slats of the headboard, gently drawing the knot tight. A final pull on her wrist confirmed that she was now bound to the bed.
Before she could stop herself, Anna drifted her hands together and reached for the knots around her wrists. Her arms stopped with her hands just two inches apart. She strained a bit and found she could not reach the other wrist. She hadn't planned to untie them, but she had wanted to know that she could. It would be impossible.
Her attention suddenly shifted as she realized that he was standing at the foot of the bed watching her. His wry smile was pronounced as he saw her realize that she was at his mercy until he decided otherwise.
He gently climbed atop the bed and crawled up to his hands and knees straddling her, until he hovered a few inches above her face. He looked straight down into her eyes and broke into a grin before he leaned in to kiss her. She kissed him back, pressing into him. Anna parted her lips and reached out to taste him. She could taste the citrus from her lip balm mingling with the kiss, his tongue meeting hers gently. He stroked her cheek and slid his hand behind her neck.
As they kissed, Anna suddenly had the sense that time had passed. She was wondering how long they had been making out when he began to glide his hand down her neck. Warm and gentle, his fingers trailed along the collar of her shirt and down her belly. Her breathing began to quicken.
His kisses never stopped, and she never let them. She was as hungry for him as he was for her, but her attention was beginning to shift to his fingers sliding themselves under the hem of her shirt. He lifted softly with his thumb while his four fingers traced winding paths up her skin. He shifted to her left side, nestled along her body before raising her shirt and exposing the edge of her black bra, his skin soft on hers.
Without warning, he broke the kiss and tugged her shirt toward her head. It caught briefly on her breasts until they gave way and the shirt slid up. She expected him to pull the shirt up and off, but instead he flipped it over her head and let it come to rest, inside out, just over her eyes. It had become an effective blindfold, leaving her lips and nose clear but covering her eyes and hair. He laughed softly and she couldn't help but giggle.
The cool air on her torso and a sudden deep kiss brought her back into the dark, passionate and sweet. She arched her back involuntarily, and he used the opportunity to slide his left hand behind her. His fingers deftly unclasped the bra strap and she felt the release of tension she hadn't recognized was there. He slid the bra up and over her head, resting somewhere atop the shirt. With her arms bound to the headboard, her clothes would stay there until she was untied.
A nervous thrill passed through her as she felt his hand alight on her stomach. Gentle strokes of his fingers on her creamy skin evoked a faint frisson that blossomed as he circled and wound his way up to her chest. His touch was so light she began to wonder how much was real and what was imagined. Reality came into focus as the back of his fingers brushed against her left breast, a mere inch from her nipple. He rounded from low to high, a counterclockwise trace of pleasure that elicited another giggle from her.
Henry leaned in and kissed her again, a tingle arising deep within her. Anna twisted her pelvis and became aware of a more carnal craving. He had not touched her below her waist, and she was still wearing her jeans. She expected that would not be the case for long, but she noted a tinge of impatience in herself.
The kisses intensified as their tongues danced and bodies began to writhe. His left hand grasped her hair as his right hand roamed up and down her bare top. Every so often, he would tease against the outer curve of her breasts or flick across the edges of her areolas. Each time she expected him to advance, he would stop just short of contact. His hand would redirect to another place on her body, looping around her navel or traveling up and down her neck. She was becoming hyper-sensitive and desire bloomed.
Anna erupted with a gentle gasp when she felt two fingers swipe directly across her nipple. It was a bolt of electricity after the slow teasing. She hadn't expected it, though she had craved it. He rolled her nipple between his fingers, gently pulling and pinching. It was spicy and sweet, the slightest pain mixed with loving tenderness. She felt her hips twist ever so slightly as she savored the feeling.
