3. Scrabble
It all started - as all the best stories do - with too much alcohol.
Revelation
Clubbing wasn't my thing, but Lottie insisted,
"It's my birthday!"
And so, we drank, we danced, we laughed, we drank. It was a good night, to be fair. And as it got close to midnight, we set out in search of food, stuffed our faces with greasy, delicious kebabs, and then settled in a quiet pub to wind down.
Taxis and ride-shares were called, and slowly the party trickled away, until it was just me, Sophie, and the birthday girl; the last ones standing (so to speak).
"Okay, one last round before we head out". I couldn't do it, I could barely see. "But it's my biiirthdaaay!" Hadn't it gone past midnight? It didn't matter, Lottie was already staggering towards the bar.
And then it was just me and Sophie. Why did it feel so awkward?
"Why don't we have sex anymore…?" she slurred, then put her hands over her mouth, realising she’d just said that out loud. I tried to act like I hadn’t heard, glanced away. But my face felt warm, and I was too drunk for subtlety.
"Are you…" she stumbled over the word, "CHEATING… on me?"
My heart sank. “No!” Did she really think that? “I…” But what was the reason?
"I wish I could chain you up…"
That… was a weird statement. But before I could question it, Lottie reappeared with shots,
"Tequilla!"
Next thing I know, I'm in my bed, and the sun is way too bright. 11 am. My head was throbbing, and a phrase was playing on repeat like an earworm - she wanted to chain me up? What did she mean by that? Was she speaking metaphorically, like to stop me fooling around (even though I wasn't)?
If she'd tried to deny it - she was drunk, I must have misheard, it's not what I think - I might have believed her, and left it at that. But the way her face turned red, and she quickly changed the subject…
It really had been a while since we'd had sex. We'd say things like the mood wasn't right, or we'd had a big dinner, and anyway, we're both so tired from work. We were good friends, and that was all. We'd spend our evenings together watching films or playing board games, maybe have a couple of drinks, then fall asleep on the sofa.
It was nice. It was enough.
Reservations
I had to play it.
C H A I N S (11 points)
I stared at her, raised eyebrow, as if to say "yeah, I haven't forgotten."
She buried her face in her hands to hide her blushing. She made an annoyed growl and "why did I have to say that?!" then shaking her head and cursing God for inventing alcohol.
"Okay." She took a deep breath, grasping at her composure. "I really like you. And we haven't had sex in SO long… And it's not your fault! I know you're not actually cheating on me. It's just…"
Another deep breath, "I didn't want to say anything in case you thought I was weird, or I scared you off, but I want to be honest with you, and if you want to leave me I’ll understand, it’s just… umm… I like BDSM. Bondage… and stuff."
My head was floating, I couldn't make sense of it.
I'd seen images, videos: women tied up in elaborate rope patterns. Women handcuffed with their arms and legs behind their back, writhing around the floor, trying to escape. Women locked into strange contraptions, a vibrator between their legs, forced to cum. It was kinda hot.
"Okay," I tried to make my face look accepting, "so, like… you want me to, um… tie you up?"
But then, there were other videos: women being spanked, whipped until their arse was red and scarred. Angry faced men fucking restrained women with a uncomfortable aggressiveness, shoving his dick so far down her helpless throat that she chokes. I… don’t think I could do those things to her.
She shook her head, her hands over her face again, too embarrassed by her confession to speak.
It finally clicked. "You wish you could chain ME up?"
She nodded.
W-what did she want to do to me? That we couldn't do without chains?
Videos of women stepping on men's dicks in high heels. The 'mistress' telling her slave that he's pathetic and has a tiny dick, and making him lick her shoes. Women with strap-on dicks, fucking scrawny men in the arse. Was that what she wanted - what she was into?
She must have seen it on my face, "I'm sorry! Just forget I ever said anything."
"No. No, I'm glad you told me. It’s…"
What if I don't like it? Would that be the end of us?
"…and I'm definitely not saying no!"
Idiot. Why couldn’t you just let it go? What did you think was going to happen?
"It’s just… I don't know what to expect?"
We'd been together a long time. I trusted her. Right? I knew she'd never hurt me, anyway. And I was kind of curious…
"How about this," she offered, "if I win this game, I get to try some light bondage with you. Nothing scary, just like, sex with your hands tied."
That didn't sound so bad.
"…And if you win, we can try something you want to do."
Interesting. Interesting… What DID I want to do?
"How about… you dress up like a sexy french maid, or like, a bunny girl or something?"
"Tt. You watch too much anime. But fine, if you win I'll dress up like a french maid or bunny girl or something."
A little condescending, but… "you're on."
Her face lit up. And then she was FOCUSED on her tiles. On a normal day, we were pretty evenly matched, so this wasn't a done deal. But, with what was at stake, she clearly didn't intend on losing.
Meanwhile,
| L O S E C R V |
The tiles were mocking me.
S [E] R V E (double letter score on the V, 12 points)
"I've got you…" she muttered to herself. Then visibly shaking with excitement, she laid down the killing blow.
S P A [N] I E L S
Using the N from my CHAINS. Double word score, plus a 50 point bonus for using all her tiles - 70 points.
I never stood a chance. She was grinning like an idiot.
"Gimme your belt."
Revolution
She wrapped the belt around my wrists and buckled it. It was a little slack, like If I really tried I could probably pull my hands free. Then, holding me by the belt, she led me up the stairs, not once looking back.
But standing next to her bed, her game-winning bravado had melted away. She was hesitating. "Are you sure? You don’t have to do this."
I was sure. I was curious to try it. But more than that, I wanted to do this for her. My eyes softened, my smile warm, certain - "yes."
Her smile was relieved, "okay," grateful. "But if you want to stop, just say, um… scrabble?"
Okay.
She morphed, like she was suddenly taller. And with a jolt, she shoved me onto the bed. She leaned in close, raised my arms above my head. She gave a kiss on the lips, then pulled my t-shirt up over my shoulder, covering my face.
I could see shadows, heard clothes hitting the floors. She unbuttoned my jeans, pulled them down to my thighs. My cock sprang free. "Hello, stranger", she giggled. She held my cock, stroked it, bringing it to life. She put my cock in her mouth, licked it, sucked it, and, fuck, it felt good.
Now she pulled my jeans and my pants and my socks all the way off. Now she was on top of me, the warmth of her legs around my waist, the warmth of her cunt on my stomach. Now I was inside her.
She pulled my t-shirt up off my head, up to my wrists, bundled around the belt. When I met her eyes, she smiled sweetly, "hi". Like I was meeting her for the first time, "hey".
She put her hands on my biceps, rested her weight against them, pinning my arms above my head. Holding me down, as she moved her hips. Her eyes fixed on mine, like she was looking for something.
I tried to remember the last time we’d had sex. The last time I’d seen her this undressed. She was still wearing a pink bralet. The impression of her nipples against the lace. The curve of her hips into the arch of her back. The way her lips parted, and her eyebrows furrowed. The outline of her biceps as she pushed down on mine. Her eyes. Was she always this beautiful?
She sat upright, releasing my arms to pull off her bralet. Naked. I took the opportunity (the invitation?) to reach for her breasts. She caught my hands out of the air, wrapped her hands around my wrists, and pushed them back against the bed. Now, stretched out to hold me in place, we were face to face; our noses brushed, her breath on my lips. I opened my mouth, and strained towards hers, and we shared the moment. And it felt so… intimate.
And it felt too good.
She must have felt it too - the way I was breathing, the way I was moving. She stopped, "not yet". We laid still together, all smiles and playful kisses. And when she was satisfied, she raised herself up again, started moving again. Slowly. Her hands on my chest. My arms free. I held them above my head for her.
Building, increasing her pace. Her skin sparkled with sweat. I moved my hips in time with hers. She leaned back, grasping my thighs. Now rolling her hips. Digging in her fingers. Still watching my face, trying to read my mind? She raised a hand to her cheek, moaning and "mmm… yes", dragging her fingers down her neck.
Now frantic. I felt her tighten around me. She closed her eyes. I thrust into her, deep. She slammed her hands down on my chest. Fuck! She came. Yes! I came. And I filled her with all that wasted time.
This wasn't what I’d imagined, what I was nervous about. Not mistress and slave, no whips and chains. Just a belt, and two people making love for the first time in too long.
I didn't realise how much I'd missed it.
Now she eased herself down, laying flat on top of me. Her body was shaking. I lowered my arms to hold her. We laid there a while, catching our breath, breathing in time. Feeling our hearts beat a shared rhythm.
I didn't realise how much I'd missed her.
Resolution
"That was okay…" she was cautious, "right…?" optimistic.
"Yeah.” It was incredible. "It was nice… different."
She deflated, buried her face. The fuck was wrong with me. Why was I trying to play it cool?
"So, ummm", I had to turn it around, "when do the chains come in?"
“You don’t have to tease me,” she pouted.
“No, I’m serious! I want to try some more BDSM stuff. If that’s… okay with you?”
She perked up. "Hehe, okaaay,” in a sing-song voice, “but careful what you wish for…"
Now I just had to pull my hands free from the belt and… oh. I pulled and twisted and squeezed and I… guess I couldn't have escaped after all. Huh.
"Little help?" I asked.
"Nah," she snuggled up tight, "I want to keep you a little longer."