I

Dan Thomas felt completely adrift. The blazing lights, the blaring jazz, and the buzz brought on by the two or three industrial-strength Hurricanes he had been sipping all throughout the day had clearly lasted well into the evening. For many of the revelers, it was just another Mardi Gras, but for Dan, it seemed like a rebellious celebration of his rebirth. 45 years old, he was celebrating his first year as a free man. Free in more ways than one: It was one year ago this week that he had taken his first step out of the wheelchair that had been his prison since the accident. It was also a year since The Bitch had decided that being married to a cripple wasn’t the way she wanted to spend her waning years, and divorced him. And a year since he had finally given up on the self-pity that had almost snuffed out his will to live. It had been a long year, an exhausting year, but also an exhilarating one. And damn it to hell, he was going to live each day as if it were the last day of his life!

He inhaled deeply, savoring the spicy aroma coming from a Cajun restaurant as he passed. As he paused to glance at the menu, a flash of color caught his eye. Luminous green and violent violet wore slippery halos as they reflected the building’s neon lights. Shimmering lines of silver sequins first dazzled, and then fled. He caught a quick glimpse of dark skin, supple and soft. His head whipped around, but he lost the vision in the crowd. Bemused, he set out on the trail. He spotted brief glimpses of his quarry, flashing through the merrymakers. He dodged fat beer bellies, lurching to and fro. He fought his way through herds of drunken divorcées, braying like donkeys. Just as he came upon a clear stretch of sidewalk, a solitary figure brought him up short. He had been keeping a careful eye on the street lest he lose his footing, and so his first clear sight of her was of delicate feet, encased in glittering high heels. His eyes traveled up shapely brown legs, took in the full swell of hip and narrow gathering of waist. They paused of their own volition, when they encountered her round and shapely bosom. He felt a cool touch under his chin, feather light and iron bar strong. He lifted his head and then, finally, his eyes met hers.

If you were to ask him right then what thoughts were passing through his mind, the only honest answer he would be able to give was that he had none. Despite being housed in a lacy black Domino mask, the laughter in her eyes caught him in an unbreakable spell. He realized that she was speaking, and the sound of her voice released him from captivity. “Hello there,” was all that she said, but in those two words was found promise.

“Uh… Hi.” He managed to reply. He took in what he could see of her strong, intelligent face, and broad smile, filled with startlingly white and even teeth. Her flawless skin, chocolate brown, was radiant in the night.

“Are you following me?” she asked with an amused tone in her mellow voice.

“Uh… no! I mean, yes! I mean I was, but I wasn’t!” he stammered.

“Interesting.” She mused. “How can a man be following someone, and yet not following someone at the same time?”

Dan instinctively felt like this was some sort of contest – one he was losing. So he willingly surrendered himself to her mercy. “I just… I saw you, and I had to get closer, because you’re just… I mean your dress is…” He faltered. “You’re… just… stunning.” He concluded miserably.

Her laughter rang out merrily. It was the sort of laughter that causes everyone nearby to feel their spirits uplifted. “You are just precious!” she quipped happily. “How in the world did I get lucky enough to find such a lovely, lovely man in the midst of all this debauchery? Come, lovely man. Let’s find adventure!” Linking her arm through his, she led him away.

As they strolled up the street, their conversation flowed. They spoke of many things, great and small. They spoke of the grand sights, and the delicious smells. Of the gay folk in their colorful attire and the less than merry folk who had already found that their cups had runneth over. She seemed completely at ease as she led the conversation. Normally well-spoken, Dan found himself tongue-tied more often than not. He was amazed by the simple way she had moved herself into his evening. He had never been much at ease with strangers, but she seemed like a long-lost friend. As they strolled amongst the throng, he tried to assess what he could of her. She stood a couple inches shorter than his own average height of five foot eight. Her hand on his arm was both cool and warm at the same time, and it comforted him. Her laughter echoed through to his heart, and her flashing eyes pierced his soul. She seemed to float along the sidewalk, almost as if she were visiting this world from another and could disappear back to her world at any moment. Only the warmth of her body pressed to his side reassured him that she was real and not just a fantasy.

The music from a calliope drew them onward. They found that their destination was a delightfully decorated Merry-Go-Round, a sight neither one had expected to see. As they joined the queue, Dan felt her hand sneaking quietly into his own. He smiled the first really happy smile he’d smiled in nearly five years. It seemed a complete afterthought that he should ask her name.

“Margot,” she purred, smiling up at him.

He stood behind her as they reached the front of the line. Quietly, she drew his arms around her. His head was filled with the scent of her perfume (mixed with just a little cotton candy) as his cheek brushed her temple. “Right this way, Madame et Monsieur,” the carny said.

“But I haven’t paid yet!” Dan protested.

“One night only, mes amis, we give the rides for free to all couples en l‘amour,” the ride operator replied. “And any fool can see monsieur… that you are very, very much in love.”

Dan’s mind was filled with wonderment as he escorted his newfound date to the platform. He lost himself in the way her bottom swayed from side to side as she walked. Lending her his hand, he helped her up onto the ride, and they looked for mounts. The only steeds left open were the stationary kind – there would be no galloping tonight, but he didn’t really mind. Margot turned to him and raised her arms.

“Would you mind helping me up?” she asked coyly. “I’m not used to riding… sidesaddle, anyway.” Dan took her by the waist, lifted her up into the saddle. At that moment, the ride lurched forward, causing her to lose her balance and sway rearward. He reacted swiftly, his arms encircling her and holding her. She hugged him tightly, her head resting on his chest. The music played and the Merry-Go-Round spun up to full speed. Neither Dan nor Margo noticed. In his arms, Margot felt safe, and to Dan, Margo just felt wonderful. She raised her head to look into his face and saw warmth there. Moving a hand to the back of his neck, she pulled him toward her and their lips met. It was a kiss like no other Dan had ever known. Kissing his wife had always seemed formal, and stilted. Sometimes dry, even. Kissing Margot was like entering into a totally unfamiliar dimension of warmth and softness. Their mouths opened in unison and their tongues met. His heart hammered in his chest. She felt warmth spreading through her core.

Seconds turned into minutes. Time had no meaning. She found her legs wrapped around his waist, pulling him in. He felt the heat radiating out from her loins, and was warmed by her fire. Instinct took over Margo’s body and it yearned to possess this man; she wanted him inside her in the worst way. The hunter-gatherer in Dan fought the civilized portion of him, desiring conquest of her maidenhood. An eternity passed. It was that kind of kiss.

A tap came at Dan’s shoulder. An overly-loud clearing of the throat. “Pardon, Madame et Monsieur… Your turn – it is over, non?” The broadly smiling carny stood there. They had become so engrossed in each other that they hadn’t even noticed the ride slowing down, and then stopping. They hadn’t seen or heard the rest of the passengers filing past them, and they definitely hadn’t noticed the gaggle of incoming children, giggling, on their way to take up their seats.

“Oh!” Margot exclaimed. Startled, she glanced around to take in their situation. “I’m so, so, sorry, m’sieur,” she apologized.

“It is of no consequence, Madame,” he assured her. “A young couple, in love… c’est la vie, non?”

A giggling Margot led Dan away from the Merry-Go-Round. Ahead in the street, Dan spied a French-Colonial style horse-drawn carriage. Taking charge, he pulled Margot toward it. Dan couldn’t even be bothered to negotiate with the driver. Asking the price, he pulled out some bills, and then leaned forward. He whispered to the driver, “Someplace dark, please.”

Nodding knowingly, the driver opened the carriage gate and handed Margot inside. With a wink, he closed the gate behind Dan and nimbly hoisted himself up onto the driver’s bench. “Hah!” he shouted, snapping the reins and urging the team of matched white geldings into action.

“Oh, this is so sweet,” Margot murmured into Dan’s ear. Her hot breath tickled his neck and her lips danced across his skin. Pulling back, she gazed into his eyes once more. Even partially hidden behind the Domino, the amusement was evident in her features. He leaned forward. They kissed again. Tender at first, the intensity grew with each passing second. Dan’s hand found its way behind her head and his fingers intertwined with her tightly-woven dreadlocks. He was the first to break away. He gazed into her eyes, lost in the moment. Surrounded by great spinning wheels, the high sides of the carriage rose up around them as if they were inside a bubble, crystalline and impervious. He lowered his lips to her dainty neck, heady with her perfume. He nibbled and kissed her neck; slowly his lips strayed across her chest.

“Careful!” she whispered. A low guttural noise came from deep in his throat. After so many years of being careful, he craved excitement. She caressed both cheeks, trying to draw him back up to her lips again, but Dan had other ideas. He took her wrists, one in each hand. Pinning them to the seat back by her shoulders, he continued his impromptu feast. He could feel every rise and fall of her chest as her breathing quickened slightly. He fancied that he could even hear the very beat of her heart over the clip-clopping hooves and rumbling of the rubber-clad wheels. His nibbles became bites as his mouth traveled downward across her satin dress.

“Hey!” she whispered anxiously. She struggled in his grip. Just a little… just testing. “What are you –“

A single look at his upturned face, grinning with unabashed delight, silenced her. His head disappeared under the hem of her dress. Her legs were smooth, silky, and strong. Her perfume became less pronounced, but a new fragrance arose. It was delicate and sweet. He licked her thigh hungrily, took an exploratory bite. Her legs opened a bit in response. He knew exactly where he was going and he had decided right then how to get there. He kissed her delightful skin. He licked it, and bit it again. Each bite took him closer to her sex. He could hear her whimpering faintly. Finally he reached the junction of her thighs. Her legs were fully opened to his questing mouth. He laid his head across her panty-covered personals, inhaling her scent deeply. He couldn’t imagine a better way to start his new life that what he was doing right at that moment, and he couldn’t imagine a better person to be doing it with!

His lips sought her most private of areas. Even through her panties, he could feel the outline of her, and feel the softness of her. His tongue probed her cleft and his lips sucked hers into his mouth. He could taste the moisture as her arousal overcame her fear. The delicate touch of his mouth against her pussy was driving Margot nearly insane. She couldn’t tell which she wanted more – part of her wanted to push him away and end the torture, while another part of her yearned to grab him and force his lips against her, tighter and tighter until she achieved Le Petit Mort, the little death…

The choice was made for her. He released one hand, just long enough to take her lacy garment and rend it, tearing it away from her body. He roughly pushed on her knee, spreading her legs apart even wider. Losing his patience, his lips eagerly took hold of her pussy, his tongue stroking its length. Margot felt powerless to stop him – her desire was so strong she couldn’t possibly object. “Ohhhhh…” she whispered. His tongue was working magic against her. She could feel her juices flowing freely. He took from her and drank greedily. He reached inside her as far as his tongue would go, eliciting from her another soft moan. Lapping, licking, stroking, he found her love nubbin and sucked softly. She felt something like an electric shock shoot from her clit to her brain, knocking her half senseless.

No thought of the outside world could intrude. Her entire being was reduced to the sensations coming from her burning pussy. She reached down with her free hand, finally able to take hold of him and pull him fiercely to her. Harder and harder she pulled, locking him to her; faster and faster he licked and sucked, dining as if this was his last meal. He nibbled on the corner of her thigh. He took her hot clit into his mouth, lashing it with his tongue. Her hips were thrusting up and down in a rhythm as old as mankind itself. Her chest heaved. Her breath was coming in gasps. The excitement building in her was like lightning in a bottle, circling around over and over desperately seeking release. Her thighs clamped together. A spark leaped across the gap and caught her womanhood afire. Her body writhed as an orgasm ripped through her slender frame. She couldn’t even moan; her breath was caught in her throat. Dan showed her no mercy, viciously lashing her feverish pussy again and again with his tongue. Her body shook one last time, and she collapsed. She released the hold she had on his head and her thighs loosened their death grip from around his neck. Quaking with aftershocks, she slowly pushed him away from her tender flesh.

“Wow,” she whispered hoarsely.

“Wow,” he agreed happily.

“Whoa,” the carriage driver commanded. A sudden cacophony of carnival sounds, and the crystal bubble burst at last.

II

Dan groaned inwardly as he rose from the floorboards of the carriage. Margot’s limbs felt leaden as he helped her stand. He stepped down, and handed her down. He felt much as Cinderella must have felt hearing the clock tower chime and knowing that the fantasy must of a necessity return to reality. Quickly, she stepped up into his embrace. She gazed up at him, her expression unreadable behind the mask.

“I really must learn to be more careful,” she murmured, “When accepting rides from strangers.”

“The pleasure was all mine,” he replied.

“Oh, not all yours, you can trust me on that!” she said with a grin. She rose up on her tiptoes, reached behind his head to pull him toward her. Her lips touched his, and opened greedily. She easily tasted herself on his tongue, and marveled silently. It certainly wasn’t the first time she had ever tasted her own sex, but was so different coming from his lips than from her own fingers that the fire that had been so recently extinguished began to grow anew.

“Where do we go from here?” she asked, quietly.

“I… I’m not sure,” was his shaky reply. She linked her arm through his again, and pulled him along the sidewalk. As they walked on, they talked more. Dan found himself telling her about his past. About the crash that had left him paralyzed, and about the agonizing struggle to rehabilitate himself. About his career, and lifestyle. About the ex-wife. Talking about the ex made Dan very uncomfortable, but Margot had a way about her that made talking about uncomfortable things easy. They gradually left the hustle and bustle behind. The conversation quieted, and they walked in silence for a few minutes, each deep in their own thoughts. Dan was surprised when Margot suddenly stopped, and turned to face him.

“Well…” she began softly. “I’ve had a wonderful evening, and you’ve certainly made it a memorable one!” she quipped, flashing him a broad grin. “This is my stop.”

She reached up and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. She turned and skipped lightly up the steps of the apartment building that Dan had not even noticed they were standing in front of. His head was reeling. One second he was on the arm of the most beautiful girl he had ever met, and then, poof! She was gone! He felt an icy wind blow over him as he watched her punch a short code into the keypad by the front door. She opened the door and waltzed through. Stopping just on the threshold, she turned and blew him a kiss.

“G’night!” she called, and as a cold lump grew in the pit of his stomach, Dan hollowly watched the door swing shut behind her. For the second time that night, his mind was a complete blank.

“Oh, great!” he thought. “Just what the fuck did I do wrong?” He slowly turned back toward the sound and fury they had recently left behind.

“Hey!” A warm shout rang out from behind him. He turned back to find Margot leaning out, half-hidden behind the door. Her laughter tinkled like frolicking elves at play. “You should have seen your face!” She giggled again. “You were all like… ‘Awwwwww Nooooooooo’…” and she attempted to mimic a terribly sad expression. She couldn’t hold it though, and her smile broke out like sunshine through the darkest gray clouds.

Relief flooded through Dan’s body and he felt his heart hammering in his chest. “I thought… I mean… You were just…” and that’s all he could manage.

“You coming, or what?” she asked, and she held the door open wide. Dan almost tripped over his own feet going up the steps.

The building was low, only two stories. They entered the lobby and walked across to a staircase. The lobby was decorated in a style reminiscent of classic French architecture. There were marble floors and lushly carpeted steps. Classic-looking impressionist art hung on the lobby wall. The entire scheme spoke of money. Dan wasn’t rich, but he had been well-off even before the settlement from the accident. He recognized what it must cost to live there, and was impressed. Margot stopped by a door and punched another code into another keypad. The lock clicked, and she escorted him in.

“Welcome to my place,” she said simply.

“I love what you’ve done to the place,” Dan quipped. A small foyer led to a spacious living room, decorated in modern style. Margot walked over to an understated entertainment center and touched a button. Soft jazz wafted through concealed speakers. She gestured to a bar, off in the corner.

“I’ll be right back. Help yourself to a drink.”

“Thanks,” he replied. “I will. Want anything?”

“Sure – just make me one of whatever you’re having.”

She left and he made his way to the bar. Behind it, he whistled silently at the selection. It was stocked with all the basics – rum, vodka, gin - a few different kinds of each. He saw a couple whiskeys, and a bourbon. “Fitting”, he thought, “this close to Bourbon Street.” He heard her muffled voice speaking to someone in the other room. He passed over the several different kinds of liquors, and his hand settled on a familiar bottle – Hennessey X.O. Taking a pair of small snifters, he poured a good inch into each. Setting the bottle back in its place, he watched her come back into the room.

“I just had to check in on someone,” she explained. Taking the glass from him, she raised it and sniffed. “Great choice, Dan. I fully approve.”

She took a sip and peered up at Dan intently. Dan tried to guess what she was thinking, but couldn’t get past the Domino. It wasn’t really that it hid her features. She had a way of using the mask as a disguise. You wouldn’t think it possible, since most of her face was actually exposed, but as he met her gaze, he was lost by the inscrutable nature of her. She was a mystery, and he was captured by her intrigue. After only a few unnerving seconds, he had to look away.

“This is a very nice place,” he said.

“Thanks,” she replied. “It’s really my father’s. He used it as his pied-à-terre, here in the city. Legend has it that he housed a few mistresses here over the years. A legend which, by the way, might be true… or it might also be just a story invented by my father to discourage my mother from visiting him here,” Margot said, giggling. “My father was quite the scandalous playboy, in his prime.”

“And how did you come to be living here?” Dan asked.

“I grew up in Baton Rouge. That’s where my father’s businesses are headquartered. But I’ve always loved this city, even as a young girl when we would visit from time to time. All through school, my family raised me with an intense drive to know more, to do more, to do better, and to make the world a better place. That’s what Father’s businesses are all about – making the world better and safer. It just so happens that he’s been able to make scads and scads of money doing it,” Margot chuckled.

“Why aren’t you joining your father’s business, then?”

“When I was in high school,” Margot replied, “I knew that I wanted to make a difference in the world, just like my father has. I’ve always been fascinated with the way the human body works – the way all the intricate pieces of chemistry and mechanics all work together in harmony. Enrolling in the medical college here at Tulane was a no-brainer. I get to study what I like, and live in a city I love. At the moment, I’m working on my doctorate in Biomedicine.”

“Oh?” Dan was surprised. This little bit of sexual fluff was turning out to have lot more depth than he had imagined she would! “And what does a doctor of biomedicine actually do for a living?”

Margot took another sip of her cognac, and paused. She looked him dead in the eye, and said, “I’m going to build people.”

Dan’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Well, not ‘build people’, exactly.” Margot went on. “I want to figure out how to teach the human body how to rebuild itself. We’re very curiously made, we humans. We get injured, and we heal ourselves. But never as good as new. Cells are constantly dying, and new cells born, but never in such a way as to perfectly restore the damage from a severe injury. There’s no reason for it. If we can figure out how to teach the new cells being born to form in exactly the way they were before a person was injured… Imagine it! We could cure cancer by teaching the cancer cells not to grow. We could cure nearly every disease in existence! We could…” Margot reached out to stroke his cheek. “Nobody would ever have to be paralyzed, ever again.”

Dan gave a start. He didn’t know what to say. To cover this, he just quickly finished the last of his drink.

“Oh, you hide it really well, Dan,” Margot explained. “But once I knew what to look for, I could spot how you favor your leg when you walk. You’re a miracle, my lovely… You really are.” She reached up again, leaning forward. Her lips touched his, softly. He closed his eyes and let his own lips wander. Opening his mouth, he took her full lower lip in and nibbled on it, just a bit. For a moment, the only sound was the soft sigh of their breathing.

“That’s enough maudlin business,” Margot declared. How would you like to see the rest of the place?”

“Yes,” Dan said. He swallowed. “I’d really like that.”

“Over here, you’ve obviously seen the bar. And just past the bar is the balcony. It only overlooks the inner courtyard, nothing special. It’s a nice place to sit in the morning, though, and enjoy a cup.” She took his hand in hers and pulled. “There’s a kitchen and pantry over there somewhere,” she said loftily. “I hardly remember where they are – the kitchen is one room I rarely set foot in. Down the hallway here,” she went on, “You’ll find the guest bedroom. As far as I know,” she whispered conspiratorially, “the guest room has never held a guest for an entire night. Over there, the one room I spend the most time in… my den.” Dan looked in and saw a spacious office with a large wooden desk stacked high with papers and reference books. Shelves lined one wall, full of seriously heavy-looking tomes. He had no doubt that he wouldn’t be able to understand what any of them were about. “Next,” she went on, “the bathroom. Sometimes, a girl just wants to take a bath.”

Dan smiled and said, “I see.”

“The last room, here at the end of the hall, is my bedroom. Surely you wouldn’t want to see --“

“I surely would!” Dan interrupted, and they both laughed. She let him in and followed closely. It was a very friendly room, and very welcoming. Her feminine touch was evident in the furnishings, having a soft couch along one wall and vanity along another. Her bed seemed antique. It was a very baroque piece, a metal four poster. The headboard and foot board were of intricately wrought brass, and up the four posts climbed brass vines, complete with brass leaves.

The walls were vibrantly colored, and the floor was bare wood with soft rugs placed strategically. The whole appearance inspired energetic creativity while at the same time being restful and making you feel at home.

“I love this room!” Dan exclaimed.

“You do?” Margot asked. “Thank you – I decorated it myself. Please excuse the mess…” Dan glanced around. The only mess in view was an array of scarves draped over the back of the sofa. “I just love scarves and drapes and things,” Margot confided. “I had them out, looking for something to wear with this dress, but nothing seemed to go. I’m afraid there’s nothing for it but to go and buy more.”

Dan laughed again. “I’ll certainly overlook this… mess, you called it? Yes, this mess.”

Margot sipped the last bit of her drink and set the snifter on the vanity. “Was there anything more you wanted to see?” she asked.

“I was hoping for another taste,” he replied, “of the cognac, but mine is gone, and you seem to have just finished yours as well.”

“Well the flavor is certainly worth savoring,” she purred. “I have some here,” she gestured coyly toward her lips. “Maybe you could still…” Dan took her in his arms and held her tightly for a long moment. He lowered his mouth to hers. His heart was beating fiercely, his hunger for her shown by the intensity of his kiss. Her mouth opened and their tongues danced together. He broke away from her, caressing her cheek. As he slowly circled her, he feasted on her with his eyes. The Song of Solomon came unbidden to him. “Thou art fair, my love, there is no spot in thee!”

She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He brought his hands to her dress, and pulled the tab on the zipper, slowly. Margot’s breath caught in her throat. Images of her recent past flashed before her eyes. There had been months when her time had been spent in laboratories, and her nights spent poring over scholarly works. She had been wholly dedicated to her work for too long. She shivered in anticipation. There was no explanation for it, but God, how she wanted this! The dress parted slightly. Dan kissed her bare shoulder. His lips slid effortlessly over the nape of her neck. She could feel his hot kisses traveling down her spine as the dress slid effortlessly to the floor. From sheer reflex she crossed her arms before her exposed breasts as she felt his mouth reach her bottom.

Dan was in heaven as he licked her skin. She tasted ever so slightly of perspiration and arousal. His tongue traveled down her cleft, bringing forth goose bumps. Before she could get accustomed to the feeling, he stood and backed away a step. He felt the sofa behind him as he watched her. She turned to him. Uncertainly, she forced herself to drop her arms to her sides, exposing herself to his gaze. “My God,” he whispered. “You are…” He faltered. How could one describe perfection brought to life? Her full breasts stood proudly, wonderfully round. Perfect nipples tipped them; dark, and rich, begging to be sucked. Her navel was centered in her slender belly like a chalice waiting to be filled with the finest wine. The swell of her hips highlighted her neatly trimmed pussy, and Dan could hardly wait to taste of her again. Margot reached up to remove the Domino mask she still wore.

“Wait!” he blurted. “Wait, please.” Dan stepped back to her and turned her so she was again facing away from him. Her tight round ass was a marvel that he couldn’t resist caressing briefly. He paused, and then said, “Do it now – take off the mask now. Please.”

Puzzled, Margot reached up and slowly took off the mask. As she did, though, she felt a silky softness envelope her eyes, blinding her. “What –“she began, but she was immediately cut off by an abrupt shushing.

“Shhhh,” Dan murmured in her ear. Margot felt him winding one of her scarves around her eyes, tying it behind her head. With the scarf tied so, she was completely sightless. She felt his hands on her, guiding her to the bed. He turned her so that the bed was behind her. She felt his lips on her again, at her throat. She sighed as he kissed the hollow of her throat, and his lips traveled lower. She caressed his head and guided him toward her breast. The feelings were magnified because of her loss of sight. She gasped when he sucked her nipple into his mouth. Her body began to tingle when he alternated from breast to breast, licking and sucking, nibbling softly. He stood up and covered her breasts with his strong hands.

He whispered in her ear, “Say ‘Domino’”.

“What?” she whispered back.

“Say ‘Domino’” he repeated. He took a nipple between his fingers, twisting and pulling slightly.

“I don’t understand –“ she began.

As she spoke, the fingers holding her nipple tightened. A quick lancet of pain shot through her and Dan’s voice whispered again, hoarsely. “Say ‘Domino’!” he insisted.

“Domino!” she uttered, and his grip on her tit instantly released, to be replaced by his tongue, healing her flesh.

“If at any time you want me to stop; whatever it is that I’m doing,” he told her quietly, “What do you say?”

“Domino,” she replied meekly.

“Good.” At his urging, she laid back on the bed, turning so that she was lying on her back, lengthwise. She felt him take hold of her right hand, and she felt softness winding around it. He tied her hand to the wrought brass headboard, and then did the same with her left. He stepped away for a moment, and she heard the rustling sounds of clothing, a belt being undone, and zipper being pulled. Her breathing quickened when she felt him rejoin her on the bed.

“Wait! I’m not sure about this!” her brain wanted to scream out, but his lips on hers silenced those rebellious thoughts. She felt heat coursing through her, her nipples tingled, she felt the wetness gathering in her sex. She wanted desperately to take his head in her hands and guide him to where her need was strongest but with her hands tied, she was at his mercy. He suckled at her breasts, and kissed her navel. His tongue traced a hot, wet line down her flat belly to her cleft. Her legs opened to him as if they had minds of their own. Her need grew as he licked just next to her wetness, and then passed by.

Dan was enthralled by her allure. He wanted to savor every bit of her. He wanted to taste her, and feel her taut muscles come alive. There wasn’t a single part of her that he didn’t want to experience. He could smell her arousal, tantalizing and sweet. He kissed a path down her strong, shapely leg. Lifting her foot, he massaged it in his strong hands. He raised it to his face, kissing each toe individually. Margot moaned deep in her throat as nerves were stimulated in ways she had never experienced. Dan lowered her foot to the bed, and leaned forward again. He placed soft kissed around her pussy. He slowly licked and kissed her other leg. She felt his mouth tracing an identical pathway. Soft kisses tickled the underside of her knee. Strong hands massaged her calf and he kissed the arch of her foot.

Kneeling at her feet, he took both of them in his hands. He brought them together, and raised them both up. He planted soft kisses on them alternating back and forth. Margot’s mind was abuzz with new sensations. She felt him place her feet flat against his chest, rubbing them up and down. He gradually slid them down his chest and across his belly. She felt him ease her feet lower yet, and she felt something else; she felt a hardness that seemed out of place.

“Ohhhhh…” The wonderment amazed her. He was rubbing his hard cock across the soles of her feet, and across the tops of them, and in between them. She knew then how strong was the desire he felt for her and lust rose in her loins. As if in answer, he kissed up the narrow pathway back up to the juncture of her beautiful limbs. Her arousal was evident. He kissed her, at the top of her slit. “Yesssss,” she whispered. “Oh, please…” He couldn’t help himself. Her wet pussy was so lovely, so beautiful and desirable. His tongue caressed her. He licked up one side, and down the other. When he couldn’t wait any longer, he stuck his tongue inside her as far as he could reach. Drinking of her juices, he made love to her with his mouth.

Margot felt her hips thrusting, loving him in return. Her body was on fire, she wanted nothing but sex, hard and fast. She felt his hands stroking her legs as he devoured her pussy. He caressed her belly and reached up to her breasts, mauling them. She felt herself approaching the point of no return. Her breathing quickened. His hands took hold of her hard nipples, pulling on them. His tongue reached the nubbin of her erect clit. He took it into his mouth, sucking on it and licking it. “Oh God, yes!” she moaned. She felt her muscles tighten. His grip on her nipples grew. He squeezed hard and her body was overwhelmed by the sensations shooting through it. “Yes, yes, YES!” she moaned. The pain she felt in her tits sparked a lightning storm in her pussy and her body was racked by an orgasm, coming on so quickly that it took her by surprise. She writhed in his grip, as wave after wave of pleasure shook her. She must have blacked out for a moment, for the next thing she knew, she felt him by her side, his tongue once again kissing and licking the pain from her taut nipples.

“Mmmmmm…” she moaned as she felt her breathing beginning to slow.

“Shhhhh” he said again. She was confused for a moment as she felt him working at the knots that still held her confined. When her world stopped turning, she found herself still bound, her right hand to the headboard and her left to the foot board. She felt his hands caressing her face, stroking her cheek. He plucked at her lip, brushing it with his thumb. She kissed it tenderly. His thumb entered her mouth and she sucked on it softly. Only for a moment, and then it was gone. She felt a touch of his lips on hers, and even as she kissed them, they vanished. She felt another touch on her lips. Hot skin, a faint scent of musk. She kissed it. She extended her tongue and licked it. She opened her mouth, inviting it inside, and she wasn’t disappointed.

Dan gasped silently as he watched his fiery cock slowly being engulfed by her luscious lips. There was a certain part of him, a primeval part that hearkened back to his caveman ancestors, and that part of him had wanted this from the moment he first set eyes on her. From their first kiss he had dreamed of this moment, and now he savored it. She wrapped her lips around him and sucked softly. She slowly moved her head back and forth, taking more of him in her mouth with each pass. His cock felt so good in her mouth; it was just the right size. Even as he filled her, he made her hungry for more. She wanted to grab him, pull him in deeper but again her tied hands frustrated her desire. She moaned her frustration around his hard cock. Dan reached under her arms and pulled her slightly, so that her head was hanging off the bed. He moved around so that he could stand above her, and slowly fed her his hardness once again.

“Mmmmm, yes, baby,” she growled. “Fuck my mouth! Make me suck it harder!”

He began to thrust, slowly. Her hot mouth felt so good he could barely restrain himself. He held still for a moment, and then slowly went further inside her. He felt her moans as he reached the back of her mouth. He pushed onward. Margot felt his need, and made a slight adjustment in her position. She felt her throat open and growled again as he filled it. Dan pulled back, holding himself in readiness again. He could feel himself tingling. He knew that it was just a matter of minutes; he would never be able to hold back for long. He pushed forward again, filling her up. His steel-hard cock entered her throat much more easily this time. He felt his balls tighten. Margot felt him swelling and knew what was about to happen. The familiar surge began inside him. Instinct took over as he began to thrust into her mouth, faster and faster. He shook, and the orgasm overcame his will to resist. Hot cum launched from his cock into her waiting mouth. He groaned in pleasure as his cock convulsed and shot the jets of cum out. All too soon the convulsions waned, becoming weaker and weaker. Dan’s legs felt weak, and he supported himself by leaning against the bed. Margot took great delight in sucking on him as his cock softened. His cum tasted sweet to her, and she swallowed and sucked greedily. When there was no more cum to be had, and his cock had softened completely, she let him go with a final ‘pop’.

Dan sank to his knees beside her. He cradled her head in his hands, gazing at her in wonder. She wished she could see the expression on his face. He lowered his head to hers and kissed her. As his tongue entered her mouth, he could taste his own cum plainly. “I wonder if this is how it feels,” he thought to himself, “to be happy?” 

III

He held her face close, his cheek against hers. He held her like that for a few minutes, and then he stood. At his urging, she wiggled back up onto the bed so her head was no longer hanging off the side. She heard him walk away. Minutes passed. At first, she merely rested. As more time elapsed, she began to worry. What if he had left? Had he left? If he was gone, what would she do? How could he leave her like this, totally restrained and helpless? She supposed that if she tried hard enough, for long enough, she might be able to break her bonds, but what if she couldn’t? A faint twinge of fear crept in. She pulled against the scarves that held her, but was only able to make them tighter against her wrists. She had just begun struggling in earnest when she heard soft footsteps, padding back toward her.

“Hey…” he murmured. Relief flooded through her! His hand brushed her face. “My sweet girl…” His voice was soothing, especially after the emotion that she had just been feeling. She felt something against her lips and opened them automatically. It was cold, and hard. It had sharp corners… It was… An apple slice! Tears came to the corners of her eyes. She bit down and felt the sweet juice flooding her mouth. Oh my God, what was the power that this man, this complete stranger had over her? What was the hold he had on her emotions? She couldn’t answer that question. All she could do was accept his offering, and enjoy it.

Dan released her hands and helped her sit up. He had placed pillows against the headboard, and they sat there. She sat, still blindfolded, and let him feed her. He apparently had raided her refrigerator and brought back some of everything she had. There were fresh grapes, and sliced strawberries. More apple slices, some dipped in honey and some not. She felt the rim of a glass against her lips and opened them to drink. She felt a sip of coldness enter her mouth – he had found and opened a nice chardonnay to go with the fruit. He ate with her as well, and drank, and together they shared the strangest picnic meal she had ever experienced. Once again, she found that being deprived of her sight enhanced her other senses. She reached out and found his arm, following it down to the plate by touch. She found a piece of apple and held it out for him blindly. He took her hand in his own, and guided it to his mouth. As he took the fruit from her, he took her fingers in his mouth, sucking the juice from them.

“Oh no,” Dan said quietly. “I seem to have dripped some honey on you… Let me clean it up.” He leaned forward and licked the offending droplets from the uppermost slope of her perfect breast.

Margot giggled. “I think you missed some.” Dan spent the next few minutes licking her ample bosom, slowly rising up to nibble on her neck and finally take her full bottom lip between his teeth again. Her kisses tasted like nothing else he had ever experienced. He rose up onto his knees to place their plate on the nightstand and when he did, he felt her hand caressing his chest. She wanted to take her time and explore hi s body thoroughly. Her nails scraped across his man nipples, making him shiver slightly. She caressed his strong abs. Drifting lower, her questing fingers brushed through the top fringe of his pubic hair, eliciting a gasp from him. There was a hard line that she felt. It led her questing fingers from his stomach and disappeared around his side. As she reached around his side toward his back, he caught her hand in his and brought it to his mouth for a quick kiss. He released it and she realized that she had ventured away from safe territory.

She brushed her fingers against his chest again, this time skipping lightly over the evident scar and questing lower. When she found his cock, she was amazed to find it rigid. Her cool hand against his hot skin made him gasp. She leaned forward and took him into her mouth again. She hungered for another taste of his seed, wasting no time in taking him as deeply into her mouth as she could. Her mind ventured into a place where the only thing that mattered was bringing him pleasure – after all, he had already brought her so much!

Dan allowed her to make love to his cock for several minutes, and then he eased away from her mouth. Margot hungrily followed, trying to regain her erotic hold on him, but he took her shoulders and pushed her down onto the bed. He turned her over so that she was lying on her stomach. The cool sheet provided a minor shock as her hot nipples pressed against it. She felt the silky wrappings binding her wrists again. He left them tied a little loose, but when she tested them they proved tight enough to hold her securely. On his knees, he straddled her legs. He began to massage her shoulders, kneading her muscles and loosening up any potential tight areas. He wasn’t a professional masseur by any means, but the feeling of her warm soft skin under his fingers delighted him. He stroked her back in long, even strokes. Margot surrendered to the feline in all women, purring contentedly. He carried on, running his hands over the pert swell of her bottom. “Mmmmmm…” Margot sighed contentedly. Cupping both sides of her butt, he rubbed them in circles, and stroked them up and down, continuing onward down her strong thighs. Her muscular ass and legs just begged to be bitten, and so he did.

He bent down close to her sweet round ass and kissed the top of the cleft. Extending his tongue, he licked downwards, making Margot gasp slightly. He parted her legs with his hands, granting him access to the secret places on her body. He nibbled on her cheek, and licked in circles, growing ever closer to her tight rosebud. Margot felt herself panting. The suspense was killing her. Just when she thought she would scream, he touched her hole with the tip of his tongue. He just brushed his tongue over its crinkled surface, teasing her. Dan heard a faint whimper and smiled. He placed a series of feather light kisses around her butthole, never touching it. Margot nearly cried out when she felt the bed shift as his weight left it. Dan stood watching her as she wriggled her delightfully sexy ass back and forth, trying to regain the sensations that had abruptly departed her. “Noooooooo…..” Margot whispered when she heard his faint footfall leaving her side.

The wait was like torture. She had been feeling so good, so alive as he stroked his tongue over her butthole that she practically begged for him to enter her there, to slide a finger inside her, to open her up wide for his turgid cock to fuck her there. It wasn’t to be. Not yet. She heard his padding feet returning, and bit her lip in anticipation of his next touch. She wasn’t ready for what she felt.

Smack!  A sharp crack split the tense atmosphere and a thin line of fire lanced across her upturned rear. She started, more in surprise than pain.  Smack! Smack! Smack! Again and again her butt was spanked. Each individual strike was negligible, but after twenty, her butt started to get hot. After thirty, it felt like it was on fire, and by the time the count hit forty, she was yelping slightly with each blow. Dan had been wearing a very light and thin leather belt, and after wrapping it around his hand so that only a short length was hanging out, he was using it to warm up Margot’s firm ass. He stopped, and listened – he could hear a very faint keening coming from Margot. The unmistakable aroma of hot pussy was in the air. Dan pushed her legs open wider. Almost as an afterthought, he aimed a single light blow, very carefully.

Slap!  Margot let a startled yelp escape her lips as the perfectly calculated swing sent the belt to strike her directly across her exposed ass hole. Three more in succession came as the belt was targeted to hit her fully engorged pussy. “Please… please… please,” Margot wailed, nearly silently. Dan lengthened the belt somewhat, and swung a single, slightly harder strike to her quivering ass. “Oh, no… oh, no… oh, noooooo…” Margot cried.

Dan leaned in, close to her ear. “Say it…” he whispered.

“NO!” she cried again.

Dan climbed up onto the bed, and lifted Margot up so she was now on her hands and knees. Her luscious breasts dangled freely. Very carefully, Dan swung from above her. The belt curled around her side, the end snapping precisely on her nipple. He changed direction, and landed another blow across her other tit. Tears welled up in her eyes from the pain, but she refused to give in. Her ass burned, but she refused to give in. Her pussy yearned for his attention; she wanted to be fucked so badly her entire body trembled. From above, Dan swung again, once, twice, more. His improvised lash curled across her ass and down her thighs, sparking fire in her legs. Her pussy dripped even more.

Dan lay down between her legs facing up. As her pussy leaked, he caught the drops in his open mouth. He attacked her pussy, ravaging it with his tongue. “Yes, yes, yes!” Margot urged. Her body was on fire, form the lash and from the electric shocks coursing through her, radiating out from her burning sex. Her hips rolled, thrusting wildly. She was so close, so close! Dan read her perfectly, and ceased his ministrations just as she was almost at the cusp, making her wail in dismay. Dropping the belt, he climbed up behind her, his rock-hard cock aimed directly at her opened flower. With total abandon, he thrust into her fully, in one swift motion burying his flesh into her up to the hilt.

“YESSSSSS!” Margot cried. “Fuck me! Now! Hard! FUCK ME!”

Dan slammed his cock into her. There was no time for slow lovemaking. Animal urges overcame tender emotions and he fucked her like a lion possessing its mate. He wrapped a hand in her hair, twisting her braids and holding her tight. Pulling her head back, he reached under her with his other hand and took hold of her breast, mauling it savagely. With each pounding thrust, Margot let out an anguished moan, her body begging for release. Dan released her breast and instead reached between her legs, for the pleasure button residing there. As soon as he began to press on her clit, and rub it, Margot felt her release welling up from the depths of her soul. She slammed her body back against his, in perfect counterpoint to his vicious mating attack. He felt her pussy tightening around him and knew that he couldn’t withstand the ancient urge much longer.

“Ohhhhhh, Ohhhhhh, OHHHHHHHHH!!!” Margot moaned loudly as she began to shake. The pleasure she was feeling overcame her and she gave in to it completely. Dan lost his own battle for control. His cock swelled up and he slammed himself into her harder than ever. Each overpowering thrust brought a volcano of white-hot cum spewing from him into her waiting cunt. He wrapped his arms around her, squeezing her tightly, as if to drive the sperm even deeper into her womb. It seemed to them both that the avalanche of pleasure rolled through them indefinitely, never actually ending – just slowly fading away. They collapsed, lying on their sides with Dan’s arms still holding her tightly. Gradually, their breathing slowed, and became normal.

Dan was the first to stir. Margot had fallen asleep, exhausted from her efforts. Dan gently untied her wrists. He eased the sheet and blanket from under her, covering her up. He brushed her hair away from her face, and slowly removed the blindfold. She smiled. “Good night, my love,” he whispered.

Epilogue

Margot woke the next day, slightly confused. She was sore in places she couldn’t recall ever having been sore before. She turned over, and sat up, wincing at the unaccustomed heat in her butt. “Oh, right…” she thought, and she smiled broadly as the events of the night before slowly came to mind. Something was missing, though. Dan was missing! She looked around for him, but didn’t see him. He certainly wasn’t lying in the bed next to her like she expected he would be. She rose to her feet, her muscles protesting at the way they had been abused the night before. Naked, she padded through the house. He wasn’t in the bathroom, or the living room. Hmm. Odd. His clothes weren’t lying in a crumpled heap on the bedroom floor. In fact, neither was her dress. It had been picked up, shaken out, and was lying across the back of the sofa, along with all of her scarves.

In the kitchen, there was no huge mess to be dealt with – there was a neat stack of washed plates and two clean wine glasses. “Now that’s unusual,” she thought. She went to the coffee pot to start a cup and that’s where she saw it. A single sheet of writing paper, folded neatly and propped up before the machine.

“Dearest Margot,” she read out loud. “You should know that I watched you sleeping for a long time. You sleep like an angel, you really do. I felt I should spare you the harsh and perhaps unwelcome sight of myself, first thing in the morning, so I've gone back to my room at the Place d'Armes. I've laid out a breakfast of sorts for you in your fridge. Leftovers, I’m afraid. I have to thank you for the most wonderful evening I've had in… well years, I suppose. I’ll remember you for as long as I live. Daniel. “

“Leftovers!” she snorted. “That rat! I ought to…” as she opened the door to the refrigerator, her words caught in her throat, for sitting there in plain view was a single plate, covered neatly in clear plastic wrap. And on the plate was a tidy assortment of sliced apples, strawberries, and grapes.

The End