The Dinner Date
Getting Ready
To celebrate the one-month anniversary of that fateful night when Tina had revealed her most closely held secrets to Leo, he had decided they would have a nice dinner out and maybe some dancing afterwards. Their relationship had rapidly progressed since that first, fateful lunch date. Tina now lived with him, a rapid progression that moved far faster than Leo anticipated. Not that he had any objections.
Leo adjusted his tie in the dresser mirror. “I hate these things,” he muttered. He slipped on the jacket. “Is this tie straight?” he asked.
Tina came over, reached up and straightened it. “Very handsome, sir. I can see this is for my benefit, since you engineer types have your own fashion standard. Let me remember, a flannel shirt and blue jeans? Is it true you receive a plastic pocket protector when you graduate from Engineering school?”
Leo put his arms around her and pulled her close. “I still have it too, somewhere around here. Blue and red pens to mark-up schematics, sometimes they leak, gotta be prepared for any eventuality.”
“Were you prepared for me, sir?”
He held her at arm’s length. “I certainly wasn’t ready for that dress. I’m tempted to forego dinner and unwrap my present right now.”
Tina slowly turned around. “It’s your basic black cocktail dress, sir, suitable for parties or special dates. Do I have your permission to wear it to the restaurant tonight? I can find something else if you wish…”
“You know very well I approve.” She insisted he extend his control over her to include her appearance. That included clothes, makeup, jewelry and even her hair style. Being practical Leo left it up to her to handle the details. He reserved the right to reject anything he didn’t like. Nearly always that was nothing at all, but to keep Tina happy he occasionally feigned disapproval and ordered her to make some tiny change. He wasn’t sure if Tina saw through his charade, but he had to admit she was pleased he took the time to check.
“I need a few more minutes to get ready, sir. May I wear earrings tonight?” Leo didn’t miss how she was constantly sneaking in additional little ways she could ask for his approval. He was still struggling to understand how her brain worked. Whatever her ultimate goal was, she was doing her best to get there as soon as possible.
“When you are done, and don’t rush, you will go to the living room, stand in front of the couch, and wait for me. Yes, on the ear rings. Do you need to put anything in your purse?” Most relationships had terms of intimate endearment, like “dear”, “darling” or “sweetie”. Not Tina, what she wanted to hear were clear, unambiguous orders.
For whatever reason, and he was still puzzling over it, she had zeroed in on him as her ultimate authority figure. Leo didn’t begrudge his good fortune, though he had to run to keep up with her. In fantasies everything magically works out. In reality, all the details he had to remember turned into hard work, albeit a welcome task. In Leo’s case practice did make perfect, at least in being able to make snap judgements regarding Tina.
“No, sir. If you wish you can put the purse in the car.” That was another one of her quirks. In the car her purse had to be locked away in the trunk, out of reach. It was part of a developing pattern with her, where even the simple little trivialities of life must be denied her without his supervision. Leo had mixed feelings about it, though he’d taken no steps to halt the progression of her constantly increasing dependency on him.
Out for the Evening
“So, what sounds good tonight? I’m thinking the ribeye steak. The menu description alone makes me hungry.” Leo folded the menu and laid it on the table.
“May I have the venison medallions, sir? I haven’t had deer in so many years. My father used to go hunting every year, so we always had wild game in the freezer.”
Leo signaled for the waitress. “She’ll have the venison, salad with thousand island, and a side of rice. I’ll have the ribeye, medium rare, sautéed mushrooms, soup and mashed potatoes.” The waitress gave Tina a quick look, then like any good server recognized the dynamic immediately and focused on Leo.
“Anything to drink, to start?”
“She’ll have a glass of white wine. I’ll have a dark beer, Modelo if you have it, otherwise Guinness.”
“We have Negra Modelo in the bottle. Would you like a glass?” The waitress did glance over at Tina, sitting quietly with her hands in her lap.
“With salt and lime, thank you.” Leo made a note to leave her a sizable tip. The waitress might not care for Leo ordering for Tina but she skillfully hid her opinion. In moments she returned with their drinks.
“May I say, sir, you are quite handsome when you go for that GQ look. I know how engineers think, and what an effort it must be for you to put on a dress shirt, tie and jacket. What is it you guys say, form follows function?” Tina peered at Leo over her wineglass.
“It has to work first. Then worry about the aesthetics. There’s a famous example of that. I’m sure you’ve heard of Henry Ford and his Model T car?”
Tina nodded. “Yes, sir. His business plan was to make a car anyone could afford. He was famous for the ways he cut production costs to the bone. I remember reading about it, how he’d even use the shipping crates from suppliers in the assembly line...”
“He sold millions of cars. The Model T worked, that’s the function part. It was so successful Ford ignored the form.”
“Wasn’t there a saying, order a Model T in any color you like, as long as it’s black?” She took a bite of her salad.
“That’s true. Then this guy named Charles Sloan shows up. He buys a third-rate car company called General Motors. In a few years he’s stealing away Ford’s customers by offering the same basic design but in a number of colors and body styles. That’s the form. It doesn’t pay to ignore the aesthetics.”
Leo took careful notice of his dining companion while he held up his glass. “Sometimes it’s difficult to distinguish between form and function. That dress you’re wearing, for instance. If the purpose, the function is to attract attention then the form fits well with the design goal.”
“That’s the general idea, sir. The potato sack as a fashion statement went out of style ages ago.”
“Ahh, the poor potato sack, the Model T of women’s apparel. Okay, I have to ask, it’s been a month now with that thing around your neck. Doesn’t it ever bother you, especially not being able to take it off?”
She reached up and touched her collar with one hand. “A nuisance? No sir, just the opposite. Every morning, when I see it in the mirror, when I touch it, this little thrill runs through my head. This is who I am, for all the world to see, even you’re the only one who knows the meaning behind it.”
She never misses an opportunity to remind me of our chosen roles. Tina had a way of answering unasked questions when it came to how far he could go with her. Mostly the answers were “as far as you like.”
She wore that shiny, nickel-plated steel ring around her neck in public now. For tonight she had attached a pendant to it, which pointed in a suggestively downward direction toward her clearly visible cleavage. The plunging neckline provided a pleasant backdrop to her improvised necklace.
“You know, I worry about you wearing that collar in public. What if something happens and you have to remove it? Think of the embarrassment if you have to admit it’s locked on and you don’t have the key.” Up to this moment Leo hadn’t brought up the subject. He had to admit it stirred something within him every time he saw it, the gleaming circle proclaiming she was his property.
“Please, sir, don’t make me carry a key to the collar. Your stories explicitly state I should never tamper with my mark of ownership. That’s a non-negotiable rule, sir, one I must never violate. The worst case, I’d rather live with the embarrassment than be able to take it off.” She rested her fork on her plate and carefully placed her hands, palm down, on the table. “Even if you order me to take the key it is not within my ability to use it, sir. Knowing it was in my purse would be a weight preoccupying my mind day and night. I beg you, don’t do this.”
Leo was taken aback by Tina’s reaction. He had no idea she felt so strongly about the collar. He reached out and placed his hands over hers. “Relax, we’ll leave things as they are. As long as you can comfortably wear the collar in public I won’t object. I do like the way you disguised it as a necklace. The pendant is definitely the focal point.”
“Thank you, sir.” She raised a hand to the pendant. “I did plan ahead. I have at least five or six ways to create a necklace by attaching decorations to the collar. I’m sorry I spoke that way, but this,” she brushed a finger against the oval, “means more to me than you can imagine. You placed it around my throat, sir, and only you can remove it.
“Every minute of the day I can feel the weight. It’s a reminder you are always there, in my mind, looking over my shoulder. You take care of me; you decide what’s best for me. In turn my obligation is to obey you, and to be accountable if I disappoint you. I’d have to characterize it as a sense of contentment, all’s right with the world.” She lifted her chin. “My promise to you, sir, no limits, whatever you desire.”
She certainly takes all this seriously. Leo picked up his fork and pointed at Tina’s plate. “Don’t let it get cold.” No limits, what did she mean by that? It was all so easy in the stories. The characters did exactly what he wanted, and he defined the motivations to further the plot. Here in real life he had little comprehension of what went on behind those eyes, or how far he could push her to satisfy his craving for power over her body and soul. One step too far and it would all come crashing down around his head. For all the anxieties that came with grabbing the tiger by tail Leo found he didn’t want to let go.
“Sir?” She looked up at Leo. “I talked to my sister yesterday. She wants the three of us to get together, so she can meet you. I told her I’d ask, but I didn’t make any promises.”
He knew the day must come, eventually, when he’d have to face Tina’s sister Layla. From what Tina had relayed of their previous conversations it promised to be more confrontational than pleasant. Even so, putting off the inevitable didn’t solve the problem.
“Okay, you and Layla decide when and where. I’ll venture into the lioness’ den with the hope I can pull the thorn from her paw.”
Tina grimaced, “Sir, you’re being so melodramatic. I think she’ll come around, sooner or later. She doesn’t really hate you; she just doesn’t what kind of man you are.”
“Or she knows exactly what I’m like. We’ll see how it goes.”
Meeting the Sister
Today Leo would finally meet Tina’s sister Layla. He wasn’t sure what to expect, despite Tina’s assurances. From what she told him the two sisters were vastly different personalities. Layla had proposed a picnic in the park, with her bringing the pizzas.
Leo and Tina were waiting at a picnic table when Layla came up the path, her arms full of a large package wrapped in a blanket. When Layla dropped the blanket on the table Tina unwrapped it to reveal two pizza boxes, still warm.
“I didn’t have one of those delivery bags so I improvised. I hope they didn’t get cold.”
“Still warm,” Tina announced. “This is Leo, and this is my sister Layla.”
After introductions they all sat down to eat. Leo pulled out a small cooler from under the table for the drinks.
“I like your dress, Tina. Did he pick it out for you?”
Here we go, Leo warned himself, let’s see what happens when I poke the hornet nest with a stick. “It was Tina’s choice. I did reject her first selection. This one I find very attractive. It meets with my approval.” If there were going to be flames, he figured it best to pour on the gasoline so it’ll burn quickly. Calmly he took a bite out of the slice of pizza.
Left speechless at his remark, Layla could only stare at Leo. Finally, she turned to Tina. “Is that true? He actually told you to pick out something else to wear? I didn’t believe you when you told me about this before. Now, seeing it for myself, I’m still in disbelief.”
Tina shrugged. “Oh, everything he says is true. Leave me out of this discussion. You can assume everything Leo says is accurate, with my full support. If not, then I’ll speak up. Is that alright with you, sir?”
“No, it isn’t alright,” Layla interrupted, before Leo could answer. “Maybe my life has gotten off to a rocky start, but I do know my sister, and I know about men like you,” she jabbed her pizza slice at Leo. “This has all the signs of a classic abusive relationship.”
Leo picked up another slice of pizza and leaned back. “Fair enough, I respect your opinion, even if I don’t agree with the premise. However, I don’t feel that your sister is abusing me, emotionally or physically. It’s true she is selfish in the way she pressures me into a certain role, but I don’t criticize her for it. As it happens my own deviant desires line up in a nearly perfect fit with your sister. Where you see abuse, I prefer to call it mutual, enlightened self-interest.”
Once again Layla was dumbfounded, not the least because Tina didn’t contradict him. “You’re twisting my words. I don’t understand why she lets you get away with it, but the way you callously order her around isn’t healthy. Don’t play those word tricks with me by trying to shift the blame for your attitude onto Tina.”
Leo straightened up. “I never hide behind anyone. Nor do I apologize for who I am. Since you are so curious, yes, I tell Tina what to do. I expect obedience, and I don’t tolerate being lazy or careless. I like being in charge and I feel no need to justify it. I have confidence in my judgment, and if I do get it wrong, I make it right as soon as I find out. You may not like it, but to be blunt it isn’t your business. That’s between Tina and me, all others excluded.”
Layla was so angry her hands started shaking. She jumped up off the bench. “I’m not going to sit here and be insulted…”
Leo pointed to her with a slice of pizza. “No one is attacking you, Layla. I do understand your viewpoint. You’re entitled to it, no argument from me. All I ask is you try to see our side, calmly, without preconceptions. Have you considered that you don’t really know your sister as well as you claim?”
“Look, I’ll move out as soon as I can. I can’t deal with this now…”
Leo pointed to the bench. “Sit, now. You aren’t moving out of the condo. What you will do is apologize to your sister for losing your temper.” Leo didn’t raise his voice, yet there was a certain icy quality in his tone that couldn’t be ignored.
Slowly Layla sat back down, all the while staring at Leo. She turned to Tina and began. “Look, sis, I’m sorry about getting mad. You know me, always the drama queen. Much as I hate to admit it, he’s right. What you see in him is none of my business. Well, it is as far as you being big sister, but it isn’t my place to tell you how to live.”
She pointedly left out Leo. He was content to end the lunch on a tolerant if not accepting level.
Aftermath
“That went well,” Tina said, with a hint of sarcasm. After Leo finished fastening her seat belt, she smoothed out her dress, straightened up and carefully folded her hands in her lap. Like everything else there was one right way when she was in the car. Maybe he hadn’t quite decided on what all those right ways should be, but that didn’t stop her from following her own self-imposed rules, at least until he was ready to set his own.
“Actually, it ended better than I hoped. From what you’d told me I was ready for confrontation. We aren’t going to sway her opinion overnight, or in a few months. Give her time. She is sure you’ll come crying to her before too long about what a beast I am. When that doesn’t happen, she will grudgingly admit maybe she was wrong.” Leo pulled out of the parking lot, heading for home. “Or you do come crying, in which case she’ll have the satisfaction of a ‘told you so’ moment.”
“When do I get to see the beastly side, sir?” Tina turned her head but kept her body in a rigid posture. That was all she permitted herself. Discipline was important; once she had a rule in place, be it imposed from within or without, the compulsion to obey was overpowering.
“All good things come to those who keep to the prescribed seating position.” Leo started laughing. “I couldn’t resist. Did you think I wouldn’t recognize a scene out of one of my own stories? And don’t you dare move those hands!”
Finally, he caught on. One more down, but there are plenty more to come. Judging by the way he barked out that last order her car seat rule was now mandatory. The results suited Tina. She had an agenda, to recreate as many of the little details from his stories as was practical. He doesn’t realize how much his writing affects me, she thought.
“Maybe I’ll regret saying this a few years from now, but I don’t believe for one moment you will mistreat me. I’ll qualify that, without me asking for it first. One person’s abuse is another’s sexy fun.”
Leo shook his head. Although he often worried about the risks of using his newfound power over her, the fact remained she was the one driving the direction of their relationship. The irony wasn’t lost on him either. So much for being the omnipotent dictator; she has a talent for persuading me to acquiesce to virtually her every wish. He could always say no, yet somehow he never considered it.
Nor did he miss the way she was adapting his stories to her own ends. Did she really want to emulate the characters born of his flights of fancy? He couldn’t deny she seemed to be headed in that direction, though it was entirely her own choice.
“You impressed me, sir. The way you handled Layla when she got angry; it reminded me of our father. He never raised his voice, yet we always knew when he was disappointed in us. In a way that was worse than yelling. That stern look, you got to her, sir. She’ll go home and sulk, get mad again, calm down again, and we’ll be back to normal.”
Leo stopped at a light. “Good, I don’t want to come between the two of you. We do have to place some limits on how much she knows, though. I want you to be careful discussing our home life with her from now on. I don’t mind if she rants about me, that’s harmless. What I don’t want is for her to turn on you.”
Before the light changed, he reached over and placed his hand over her. “I can cite the story and relevant chapter. You are aware of the requirements? From today on this will now be a permanent rule in the car. I like it, by the way; well done.”
While Leo drove, Tina turned to look out the side window. Oh Layla, we’re not so different, underneath it all. You put up that rebellious front, but take it away, like Leo did today, and we’re almost identical.
The Phone Call
When the phone’s ringtone sounded Tina put down her book. After a quick look at Leo, sitting at the kitchen table, working on his laptop, she picked up her phone to see who was calling.
“Sir? It’s my sister. Should I answer?” Screening her calls was now part of his job. He hadn’t ordered her to do that; it was all her idea. Like so many other minor details he had tacitly taken on the additional burden without comment.
“Go ahead. Private conversation, you don’t have to repeat it to me. Talk to her in the bedroom while I finish paying the bills.” Leo waved her towards the bedroom, granting her permission to leave the living room. When she went past him, talking on the phone, he glanced up to watch her go. Now she won’t even answer the phone without my okay. That’s a new one. I wonder if she has a list of what else she plans to spring on me over the next few weeks. He turned back to the mundane financial chores that were also his sole responsibility, for both of them.
There was a stack of mail to open, much of it addressed to Tina. It included a bank statement, credit card, condo mortgage and utility bills, even a property tax statement from the condo HOA. She had handed the lot over to him, unopened, while announcing that, seeing he was in charge, then it was now his job to sort it all out. He expected a mess, but was pleasantly surprised to find she was careful in managing her money. There were no nasty surprises like back taxes or unpaid debts. With a sigh he picked up the next envelope from the stack. Leo did appreciate the irony of the double-edged sword of having all the power in the relationship. For some strange reason he never considered adding the tedious part to his stories.
In the bedroom Tina left the door ajar in case Leo wanted to listen in. She had no secrets from him, although she did have an agenda which was still unshared, since he never asked. Little by little she was handing more control of her life over to him, in the hopes that he’d grow accustomed to the responsibility in incremental steps. Leo had to know what she was doing; he was far too intelligent not to figure it out. From the way he easily accepted the slowly increasing burden of taking care of her the results convinced Tina she should continue.
“Okay, sis, I’m back. I had to go into the other room so we wouldn’t bother Leo.” Tina sat down on the bed.
“Did you have to ask to leave the room?” Layla asked in a sarcastic tone.
Tina took a deep breath. Don’t get mad, she doesn’t understand. “As a matter of fact, I did ask. I realize you think I’m in terrible trouble, but that’s not the case. I’m not some drugged zombie. I know exactly what I’m doing, and why.”
“I know, I know,” Layla protested. “I was a complete a-hole at lunch. That’s the reason for the call. I wanted to apologize to you again, and to Leo. He’s right, what goes on between the two of you is none of my business.”
“Why don’t you tell that to Leo in person? You can come over for dinner some night.”
There was a long pause before Layla spoke up. “Sis, I don’t think I can face him. You were there, you saw and heard. I felt like I was twelve years old again, sitting at the dinner table. You remember how Dad would calmly explain what I’d done wrong, how disappointed he was, and what I had to do to make amends? It was ten times worse than yelling at me. Another episode like the one at lunch and I’d burst out crying.”
Tina had been the recipient of the same fatherly disapproval. Usually the reprimand came after she finished her homework. He’d read over her book report before handing it back along with the dreaded “You can do better.” He was right; she knew it before he started reading. He never actually told her to do it over, not that it was necessary. It didn’t take long for his lesson to reach her; there was no excuse for shoddy work or laziness.
“Don’t worry, little sis. Leo really is a decent guy; he won’t bite. I know what you mean about Dad. There are times Leo starts talking to me and I get lost just listening. If you give him a chance, I’m sure you’ll be convinced he’s not going to hurt me.”
“I don’t suppose Leo has an unattached brother?” Tina had to laugh at Layla’s question. Although…it wouldn’t hurt to ask.
Places
Tina came into the living room and sat down next to Leo. He was busy scrolling through the movies on a streaming service, looking for something new. When she joined him, he stopped to hear what she had to say.
“Sir, I invited Layla over for dinner Sunday night, if it’s okay with you? She still feels bad about lunch and wants to make amends.”
“Sure, go ahead. I promise I won’t be too mean. To prove I have the best of intentions, I’ll even allow you to wear clothes. I wouldn’t want her to get the wrong idea…”
Tina frowned in mock disapproval. “Sir, you are teasing me!” At least she hoped he wasn’t serious. There were times her inability to say no to Leo could have some embarrassing consequences.
“Don’t worry. I’ll try not to provoke her. You, naturally, will be on your best behavior.” The way he delivered that last line, the sudden change of tone, was his way of letting Tina know it was more a statement of fact than a comment. That was his way of telling her what to do, in a nice but quite firm way.
“I finished with the bills. Do you want to know your balance?” The condo payment came out of her account. Leo paid for everything else.
“No, sir, that’s your sole responsibility. I’m not supposed to be informed on financial matters, remember?” That was one more detail Tina had adopted from his stories.
The first Leo learned of his newfound fiduciary duties was the evening when Tina dropped a box full of records, along with her bank and credit cards, a plastic bag with all her cash, and a list of the passwords to her bank and 401K websites, on the kitchen table. When he came over to investigate, she opened her purse so he could verify there weren’t even a few loose pennies left in the bottom. Her only explanation consisted of a request to change all the account passwords so she couldn’t access them.
It was all too familiar to Leo. After all he had described the very same restrictions for the mythical location in his stories. A collared female, duly registered as his property, was permanently banned from using anything other than a debit card, and then only with her master’s permission. In a fantasy world it all worked out perfectly. Here in the real world, Leo was receiving a fast education in how little he’d thought out the consequences of extreme submission.
“Doesn’t it ever bother you, handing everything over to me? I could be robbing you blind.”
“Sir, we each have a specific place in our relationship. Yours is to take care of me. Mine is to trust in whatever direction you choose to take.” She rose up, ran her hands under her dress to smooth it out and sat back down, primly folding her hands in her lap.
“You can’t rob me, sir. Everything I previously owned belongs to you now. I belong to you as well; I’m your property. Why should I be concerned? It would be silly for you to rob yourself.”
She did have a certain consistent logic to support her outlook on their relationship. It was alien to his way of thinking but it was clear it all made sense to her. Starting with the assumption she was his property there was no end to the conclusions she could draw from it.
Again and again Leo came back to when he would have to call a halt to her accelerating tacit assumptions he was in a very literal sense her owner. Fantasies were fun but they didn’t really translate into reality. Handing over control of her finances exceeded any prudent limits on the pretense behind those fantasies. And yet, and yet…
And yet he couldn’t bring himself to relinquish what she so freely gave him. If there were any blame he was just as complicit as Tina. In fact, she had no need to worry. She might not be aware, or even care, but she was right in one respect. Her bank balance was growing at a steady rate. Leo had no intention of stealing from himself.
Floor Time
“Sir? If you’d like to take out the box under the bed I wouldn’t mind. I do have a special request for tonight, if you would let me explain.” The “box” was their code word for the assortment of chains Tina liked to wear when she felt the need for some strict bondage.
Leo quickly put aside the TV controller. Tina’s suggestion held far more promise of an entertaining evening than some reality show. Her appetite for being tied up seemed to be insatiable. He was more than happy to oblige.
“You convinced me,” he told her, as if he needed to be coerced. “No talking, I want silence from now on. Go to the center of the room.” She liked strong, no nonsense commands, to get her into the proper frame of mind. Firm orders were her version of foreplay. “I’ll consider your request in a few minutes.”
When she was in place he switched to an even more forceful tone of voice. “Stand up straight, feet slightly apart, hands behind your back.” His instructions weren’t really necessary; she knew what he expected. Even so, there was a noticeable reaction when he aggressively took charge. It must press some of those corresponding buttons in her head, similar to the way he relished being treated to her uninhibited obedience.
He slowly circled her, occasionally stopping, as if he was bothered by some tiny detail. Tina had to know she delivered with flawless perfection, although Leo had quickly learned she could only take pride in her accomplishment after she passed his thorough examination. Accountability, he reminded himself, she has to receive external confirmation of a job well done.
“This is satisfactory. You will not break your position until I give you permission. Until I return with the box you will not move.” The first time he’d commanded her into a specific position designed to demonstrate her desire to please him, the moment had left him with doubts. Was he being excessive, bordering on abusive in making her perform like a trained pet? As it turned out she asked for more of the same, much to his confusion. From her point of view, it was a “turn-on”, the way she described it, a rush not unlike taking drugs. Leo’s worries now were making sure she didn’t get addicted to imitating a statue.
When he returned from the quick trip to the bedroom, he held the box under one arm. Carefully he set it down on the coffee table, where she could see it. He left it unopened while he went to sit down in his chair. Tina was well aware of the contents of that box, which she would be wearing in a few moments. But first he had to hear her request.
“You have permission to speak. That’s all. Tell me about your request.”
“Yes, sir. If you wish, may I kneel before you tonight, on the floor? And with the chains on?”
This was different. Leo recognized a scene out of his stories, one he’d repeated several times. The imagery which inspired the written description had been vivid, though only in his imagination. Tina wanted to turn one more fantasy into reality, a practice she had started with many of the story details.
Instead of answering immediately he folded his arms and tilted his head to one side, fixing her with a stare, trying to get inside her head. His written description was meant to illustrate the distance between dominance and submission. Not as a negative, but an essential to sustain the relationship.
“More than a few minutes on the floor is rough on the knees. Hmmm, how about a cushion from the sofa, a little padding to spare the rug burns? I think we can work with that. Yes, it will be with the usual restraints in place. I’d be disappointed with anything less.”
He stood up, pushed the coffee table to one side and threw down a cushion from the couch. What would be the proper distance, if he were in his chair? Leo settled for arm’s length, if he leaned forward. “Kneel facing my chair. Find a comfortable position, you’ll be there for some time.”
“Sir? Should I remove my dress first?” Tina started to reach behind her neck.
“No, not tonight.” Evenings when they were alone, she changed into a short dress, and nothing else underneath. Tonight, it was what she called a halter top, sleeveless, low cut with a loop around her neck holding it up. He liked the way it showed off her bare arms and slender shoulders. It ended well above her knees, especially when she knelt down. He’d never allow her to wear that kind of dress in public, but in private he didn’t hesitate to treat himself to very attractive eye candy.
When Tina was settled on the cushion Leo remained behind her. She started to look back over her shoulder. “No, you will face the chair. Don’t look away. Hands on your knees, hold still.”
No sooner had he finished than she was in position. Amazing how she never displays the slightest resistance to my wishes. I never dreamed it could be like this. Leo was lost in thought at his good fortune in finding Tina.
After he sat down to look her over, she asked, “Is this acceptable, sir? I’ve been practicing, to prepare for tonight. From your stories, sir, knees must be together when wearing clothes. If you would rather…”
“Do not change your position. Your practice was time well spent. This is virtually identical to what I imagined. Tina, you have a remarkable talent for bringing my imagination to life. You work so hard to please me; don’t ever think I don’t notice. If I weren’t so selfish, I might even feel guilty about taking advantage of you.”
“We might disagree on who’s the selfish one, sir. I wouldn’t say it was work either. What was that term you used, enlightened self-interest? This is my fantasy too, sir, although it isn’t complete.” She glanced down at her hands, perched on her knees.
Leo started laughing. “I can take a hint. Lean forward, hands behind your back.”
The handcuffs always went on first, two pairs of hinged cuffs, facing each other. Even with a key it was extremely difficult for the wearer to remove them, which was ideal as far as Tina was concerned. As always, he was careful to ensure they weren’t too tight, but not so loose she could slip out of them. When he finished, she tested her bonds, to make sure she couldn’t escape. Leo watched while she pulled on the cuffs, trying to slip her hands through the firm grip of the steel bracelets. He was convinced the way she tested her bonds was as much for his benefit as checking to see he’d done a proper job. Once it was clear she wasn’t going to slip out of the cuffs she stopped.
“I apologize for interrupting, sir. Before you continue, may I offer a suggestion?”
“Sure, what do you have in mind?”
“That small box for me, that arrived today?” Leo knew which one she meant. She all but demanded he inspect her mail. She wouldn’t open anything until he handed it to her first. “Before you finish you should check that box. If you open it, I can explain.”
Looking around he noticed it on the end table where she normally sat when reading. Picking it up, he opened one end. Out came a plastic bag with a chain and two sturdy, U-shaped metal clips. The chain wasn’t very long, even with the flat steel bars attached at either end. A long oval was cut out of each bar.
“Those metal clips are security covers for hinged handcuffs, sir. Slip one over the center of each pair of handcuffs. They cover the keyholes, so even with a key I can’t open them. The chain is a specialty item, called a connector.”
At the bottom of each cover was a horizontal slot. The rest of the procedure fell into place. From the back he pushed the connector bar through the slots, fixing the covers in place over the cuffs. The other end of the connector fed through the cutout, projecting out the front of the covers. Pulling through the chain prevented the removal of the covers, and provided an anchor from her hands down to her ankles.
“Very clever, you planned this in advance?” Leo began slipping the pairs of leg cuffs through the loose end of the connector chain.
“Yes, sir. I hope you’re not angry with me. I was waiting for the delivery before I brought it to your attention.”
Crouching down he fastened the oversize cuffs around her ankles. This took longer because she insisted on four sets of the shortened leg irons. It was excessive but Tina had a fixation on being immobilized. With only two links of chain separating her ankles there was no way she could walk, much less attempt to run away. It was a tight fit but he managed to guide all four through the oval in the free end of the connector. With the leg chains in place the short length of chain between her wrists and ankles prevented any sort of movement other than maintaining her present position.
Standing up he peeked around her head. Her eyes were closed. The chains affected her in some way Leo didn’t understand. He made a practice of giving her a moment to enjoy the sensation of the cold steel embracing her hands and feet. Taking a step back his eyes swept up and down her imprisoned body. The graceful curves, accentuated by the cuffs, did appeal to him.
“I want you to rise up, on your knees. Let’s see if this chain idea really works.”
She didn’t get very far. The chain pulled tight and brought her back down. Her options were limited to kneeling on the cushion, or falling to her side on the floor in a hogtie. He placed his hands on her shoulders to keep her steady.
“Close your eyes,” he whispered in her ear. “Tonight, we are the only two people in the world, sharing what everyone else can only wish for. We are here for each other. You must be at your very best, perfection, no mistakes. Head up, back straight, legs together, everything must be in its proper place. You kneel to be judged by your master.”
With the lightest touch he began with her shoulders. Slowly, sensuously, he traced a line down each bare arm to her imprisoned wrists. After that he did the same, starting at her bended knees, lightly trailing his fingertips along each leg, to her ankles. He was rewarded with a sharp intake of breath, followed by a long sigh and a slight, involuntary shudder from her body.
Standing up Leo went around her to sit in his chair. Reaching out he brushed a few strands of hair from her face. “Open your eyes, look at me. Do not speak, do not move.”
He held her head in his hands. Tina’s eyes were wide, accentuating a facial expression he’d never seen before. It took a moment for Leo to figure out what it signified. Rapt fascination came to mind, and he realized at that moment she was open to him in a way he could never have imagined. Whatever he said would go straight into her mind, unfiltered, and immediately become an obsession.
This was power over another unmatched by any common emotion. “This is who you are, my possession. You kneel before your master, and you have been found pleasing. You and I,” Leo tapped his head, “are eternally bound together, whatever may happen. There can be no other way, because you belong to me.”