A Night in the Desert

Chapter XVIII

The dining table was already set for two places. He stopped in front of one chair and pulled it out, but did not tell her to sit down. Instead he turned her to face him. She looked up momentarily, unsure what he was doing, then quickly dropped her eyes when she saw his face. "Look at me" he commanded in a quiet yet stern voice. He took hold of her upper arms with his hands, pulling her close as she lifted her eyes. He caught her by surprise, bending down and kissing her full on the lips, his hands pulling her body close to him in a tight embrace. She closed her eyes and melted against him, swept away by the passion of the moment. Without thinking she tried to put her arms around him but her bound wrists did not allow it. She didn't even notice.

He held her close for a long moment, and then backed her up, his hands still firmly gripping her upper arms. He turned her around and unlocked the cuffs. "This is your place, sit here and wait for me while I bring in the food." Sue Ann sat down at the table, still dazed from his sudden display of affection. He went in to the kitchen, giving her time to recover. She turned to watch him as he gathered up some bowls. She folded her hands in her lap, mindful of his instructions that morning at breakfast.

He placed a salad bowl on the table first, then returned with a plate of sandwiches, grilled cheese by appearances and the delicious smell. He sat down next to her and began dishing out the salad. He placed one sandwich on her plate, and two on his. Then he stopped, watching her intently.

The food looked appetizing. She was getting hungry, and was glad it wasn't squab. He did not go in for exotic meals, for which she said a silent prayer of thanks. She looked at him, remembering she must wait for permission before eating. He picked up her fork, speared a piece of lettuce, and held it up for her. "Eat" he ordered. She ate the lettuce off the fork, careful not to move her hands in her lap. He put the fork on her plate.

"You may eat, and you have permission to speak." He took a bite out one sandwich and began on his salad. She noticed that the handcuffs were plainly visible to his side on the table, just as they had been at breakfast.

"Thank you sir. May I have some salad dressing?" she asked. There was a cart with several bottles of salad dressing sitting on the table. He passed the cart to her. She began eating, unsure as to what she could talk about. She would let him start.

"You have two assignments this afternoon," he told her. She looked up at him as she ate. "First, we have to get your measurements. No, not your dress and shoe size. This will take longer. I'll explain what it's for at another time."

"Yes sir. Is there anything I need to do to prepare first?" She was more confused than apprehensive, curious as to what measurements he wanted.

"No, it's actually very simple, but it takes some time. I want to take measurements of key points on your body. All you have to do is stand or sit, I'll do the rest." He took another bite out of his sandwich. It sounded like he was going to make or order something tailored to fit her, but she couldn't imagine what it would be.

"Your second assignment will be to do some shopping." She brightened at that, but again had no idea what he had planned. She certainly couldn't go to a mall or the grocery store without the risk of being recognized. And somehow she didn't think he would be sending her to the store with her legs shackled together. "I want you to go through some catalogs and pick out a wardrobe. I have prepared a list of the items you may consider, and some guidelines as to the style. You are free to choose within those limits. I will review your choices and place an order for the items I approve. Until then you will have to make do with the clothes I have already obtained for you. By the way, how well does that blouse and skirt fit?"

"Yes sir, I enjoy shopping for clothes, even if it is a catalog," she answered, pleased he would allow her some clothing, and that she could pick them out. She wondered what his guidelines would be. "These clothes are my size, the skirt fits well but the blouse is too big. This particular brand I usually order one size smaller. May I ask what some of your requirements will be?" Sue Ann finished her salad and began on the sandwich.

He laughed, "that's why I'm letting you make up the list. I got the sizes off the clothes you left in the trunk of your car that first night. I only got a few things for you myself, I figured you could do a better job.

"For the most part I want you to pick out some casual clothes, similar to what you have on now, but you may choose something more to your own taste. Try to keep to solid colors, sleeveless or short sleeve, and hem line no more than a few inches above or below the knee. Something that would be more appropriate in an office than a nightclub. If you see something special I may make an exception, you are allowed to ask." He paused, "oh yes, skirt or dress only, no pants or shorts. Don't be concerned about anything for cold weather."

"Yes sir. Anything else I should look for?" She was pleasantly surprised. She had half expected mini skirts, see through blouses, and high heels would be all she could have. Instead he had been very conservative, it wasn't too different from what she would normally pick out for herself.

"Yes, at various times I will require you to dress for dinner, something more formal. I have the particulars written down but in general you should look for full ankle length dresses, and sleeves may be longer. You will be required to wear earrings, and you may put something in your hair if you like. No other type of jewelry is allowed, at any time. You can pick out matching shoes and whatever else you may need to go with it. Think of it as a semi-formal occasion, as if you were going to one of the better restaurants."

Sue Ann was impressed. He knew exactly what he wanted and had taken the time to detail it for her. He must have worked on his guidelines for several hours to come up with something so specific. It would still be a challenge to find something that met his preferences but in a way it was easier for her. She wouldn't have to guess at what he liked.

His semi-formal dinner sounded intriguing. Dinner for her had usually been take out or throw something in the microwave, then plop down in front of the TV still dressed in work clothes. She knew she should eat better but never seemed to have the willpower to actually do anything about it. She hoped he had planned for one of those dinners soon; she was looking forward to it.

"One last restriction, and this is an important one. Whatever you pick out must not have any pockets, none whatsoever, not even fake ones that are sewn shut. I won't make any exceptions."

"Yes sir, I understand." That struck her as odd. "May I ask the reason why?"

He didn't answer immediately. She guessed he was considering if he should explain. She was concerned for a moment that she might have irritated him but he didn't seem upset by her question.

"I want you to look to me for anything you need. I am going to encourage your dependency on me in every way I can think of. If you do not have pockets, you cannot easily carry anything, except in your hands. You have to depend on me to carry it for you.

"The second reason is, if you put something in a pocket you are concealing it from me. That I will not allow, not even symbolically. Remember that Sue Ann, I will not tolerate lies, deceit, half-truths, or holding back. Your first duty to me is to be obedient, but your second duty is to be open to me at all times. And I don't mean just sexually, I mean open your emotions, thoughts, feelings, and intuitions, show them to me. I will be very disappointed, and angry, if you do not do that. To do my job, meet my obligations to you, I must know what's going on in your head."

She could tell he meant it, by the way he looked at her and the emphasis in the way he spoke. He was right in that she would only hurt herself if she held back from him, though she would never have linked pockets on a dress to such an abstract idea. In any case picking clothes with no pockets wasn't really a major burden. Thinking back, she couldn't remember a time when she used them anyway. She usually kept everything in her purse, so nothing would get lost or misplaced.

They both finished their meal at the same time. He picked up the plates and took them to the kitchen. She watched him, hands folded in her lap. It didn't seem right that he cleared the table, she felt she should be doing it, but he had not asked her. He came back and sat down at the table.

"Sir? Would you like for me to clear the table and clean up the kitchen from now on?"

"Not today no, but you will take over running the house in the future. For the next few days you are on vacation." He smiled at her. "You won't be doing all the cooking though. I like to cook so we'll share that particular chore."

For the next hour they sat at the table, going over how she would be responsible for the house, alterations she could make, and what he wanted to remain unchanged. As they worked on what her household tasks would be she found he listened to her, asked questions, and even changed his original plans to incorporate her suggestions. When they disagreed he would override her idea but usually explained the reason behind his decision. She liked that, he was not being heavy-handed by summarily dismissing her input out of hand. A few times he would not explain his choice, but those times were rare. She realized that he would not be entirely forthcoming if an explanation would interfere with some of his other plans for her.

She was in the middle of a question when he held up a hand to stop her. "That's enough for now, we'll work out more of the details later. We have to get you started on your assignments for today." He stood up and went behind her chair. "Stand up" he ordered and pulled back her chair as she rose. He gestured to the side of the table, directing her where to stand. She took a few steps away from the table. Those steps reminded her that she still had her ankles chained together. She had forgotten about the shackles, being engrossed in their conversation. As she turned to face him she remembered to stand with her legs apart. She saw his eyes glance down, checking. He didn't comment as he pushed her chair back against the table but she was pleased, as much that he had noticed as that she had not forgotten.

"Turn around, hands behind your back" came the by now familiar order. As she obeyed she saw him pick up the handcuffs off the table. She heard the ratcheting sound as they opened, then again as he closed them around her wrists. "This way" he said as he took hold of her arm and headed toward the hallway. He stopped at the same bedroom door and opened it, leading her in, directing her to the circle on the floor. The folding chair was still there from before lunch. Holding onto her arm he positioned her facing away from the chair this time. "Stand in the circle, do not leave it or turn around, face the wall." He let go of her arm and walked out the door. She heard him close it.

This must be her first assignment, his measurements as he called them. It was only a few minutes before the door opened again. She heard him enter, place something on the chair, then he was behind her, kneeling as he unlocked the leg irons around her ankles. Standing he removed the handcuffs as well, and then came around to her side where she could see him. "Remove all your clothing, fold and place it on the bed, then resume the same position in the circle. You do not have permission to speak except to answer questions."

Sue Ann began removing her blouse, then skirt and socks. As she folded them she could see he had placed a laptop computer on the chair and was typing in something as she got ready. She finished quickly and went back to the circle, facing away from him. She heard some keystrokes, then he was at her side with a cloth measuring tape in his hand.

"I want you to stand very still as I take some measurements. I'm sure you are curious as to why I'm doing this. You will find out soon. Hold out your right arm." For the better part of an hour he recorded virtually every dimension of her body, even to the lengths of her fingers and toes. As he took each reading he would enter it in the laptop. Sometimes he would repeat, she assumed he was verifying the more important ones. It was difficult for her to stand passively as he handled her breasts, or when he began measuring around and below her waist. He had her stand with legs spread, hands behind her neck, then kneeling, then on the floor face down, and finally face up with her legs and arms fully extended, almost a spread-eagle position.

"That's it, you may put your clothes back on. Stand in the circle and face me when you are done." He sat down in the chair, working on the laptop, but she noticed he kept looking up at her as she dressed. When it came to putting on the socks she started to sit on the bed, then stopped as she remembered it was off limits. She sat down on the floor to put them on, then stood inside the circle, watching him at work on the computer. She couldn't see the screen but he seemed to be satisfied as he turned it off and closed the lid. If he kept to his lunchtime plan then her next assignment would be catalog shopping.

He stood up, placing the laptop carefully on the chair so it wouldn't fall. "Hold out your hands" he said, while picking up the handcuffs from where he had dropped them on the bed. She presented her wrists to him, slightly apart, with palms facing each other. He fastened the cuffs on, this time double locking them. She watched as he held her wrists, using a key to secure the double lock. It looked like she would have to go through the catalogs with handcuffs on but that wouldn't be so difficult. She could tell he enjoyed seeing her in restraints. He put the key back in his pocket, then suddenly jerked her wrists up over her head while pushing her back against the rear wall. He used his body to pin her, one hand holding her bound hands high above her head, the other on her neck, under her chin. He had moved so quickly she was still reacting as he kissed her hard, his hand around her throat.

" Look at me " he commanded, his voice low, almost a growl. Startled at his sudden ferocity, confused by the surge of emotion and desire within her she obeyed him without thinking, staring into his eyes, feeling the barely restrained power projecting from him. "Who is your master? Answer me, now." His stare was so intense, her eyes were locked to his, holding her as surely as the strength in his arms.

Sue Ann heard someone saying "you are, you are my master, my only master." Dimly she knew it was her own voice, but she couldn't seem to focus clearly on what was happening. Her whole body seemed to be growing weaker, she could hardly stand, much less struggle in his iron grip. And his eyes, she couldn't look away, even if he didn't have hold of her neck. Then that hand went down to her breast as he kissed her once again, even more passionately. He squeezed her nipple, hard, almost painful. She heard a quiet moaning escape around his kiss, vaguely knew it was her own. Her leg was raised, rubbing against his as her body seemed to melt into him.

And then he stopped, backing up but still holding her against the wall. He gave her a moment to recover, catch her breath, then lowered her wrists and let them go. She looked at him, wide-eyed, once again he had caught her unawares, but she was even more surprised at how she had responded. Domination was no longer the abstract concept she had seen in discussions on the Internet. In one brief moment he had stripped away her veneer of cool detachment, forced her to see herself as she truly was, his possession, his slave, unable to deny him anything he demanded from her.

"Are you okay?" he asked, genuine concern showing on her face. He kept one hand on her upper arm, as if to catch her should she faint.

"Yes sir, I'll be alright. Please give me one moment." She felt warm, she was sure her face was flushed. She reached up to brush away a loose strand of hair from her face, being careful not to hit herself with the handcuffs on her wrists.

She looked up at him once again, standing close to her, holding on to her arm. She wanted him; even her body was telling her what she already knew. Her hardened nipples were rubbing against the blouse, and the dampness between her legs was no surprise. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She didn't know why he was waiting to claim her, but it was his decision to make. "I'm ready sir, do you want me to start the next assignment?"

"I have a room fixed up as an office for you. Let's go." Still holding onto her upper arm he headed for the door. He picked up the leg irons off the bed as he went by. She had thought he would have put them on her right away but apparently he had other plans. They went out into the hall and across to another door. As he opened the door she saw a room of about the same dimensions as the bedroom but this one had a desk, some filing cabinets, and chair. There were several catalogs on the desk.

"Sit down and you can get started. You will find paper and pen in the desk. Under the catalogs is a print out of your guidelines, the details of what you are looking for. Read my instructions first, then leaf through the catalogs to get an idea of what each one has. After you do that, then I want you to make a list of what you would like to order. You can make a note of anything I forgot that you think you might need. When you are done I'll go through your list and order the items I approve." He pulled out the office chair and held it for her while she sat down.

"I have some things I need to do, so I will leave you alone while you work on this. You can take your time. If you don't finish today you can work on it tomorrow. However, I must insist you stay here till I return." He knelt down next to her and locked one end of the leg irons around her right ankle. The other end he fastened to a metal ring embedded in the floor underneath the desk. Standing up he opened the top desk drawer and took out a small black box, with one button and a small light on top. "If you need me push the button, I won't be very far away. Is there anything you are not clear about?"

"No sir, I believe I have everything I need. I can page you if I don't understand something on your guidelines?" She briefly considered asking if he would take off the handcuffs while she worked, but thought better of it. She could manage even though it would be clumsy.

"Yes, for anything you might need, don't hesitate. Hold up your hands." He took a key out of his pocket and removed her handcuffs. "No point in scratching up the desk. Okay, you get started, and I'll be looking in on you every so often." He reached out to stroke her hair once, then turned and went out the door, closing it behind him.