Chapter 2: Explanations

Julia Explains

"It's a sort of game," Julia said.

She, Liz and Hannah were sitting in Hannah's kitchen with cups of coffee and the jar of cookies that Liz had brought over earlier. The rest of the girls had gone, slipping out quietly after Liz and Julia had untied them.

"A game?" Liz was uncomprehending.

"You're doing it again," Julia said with a friendly smile, trying to put Liz at her ease. "Sure. Didn't you ever play tie-up games when you were a kid or with your husband?"

"No," Liz shook her head. "No, I never did. And Ben's never suggested anything like that. Nothing kinky at all."

Liz looked at Hannah with an expression that suggested she thought Liz wasn't being entirely honest.

"Look, I haven't. Never."

"Well, we all have. And we do. It's, like, a club and we play this sort of game."

"Tying each other up?"

"Uhhuh."

"It's not so odd, Liz," Hannah said. "Even if you've never thought about it, I bet you've enjoyed tales of damsels in distress or TV shows where the heroine is in danger from the fiendish villain. Heck didn't you ever want to be Penelope Pitstop to Ben's Dick Dastardly."

The thought of Ben twirling an improbably large handlebar moustache wearing Dastardly's hat, long coat and driving goggles made Liz laugh. "Well that's a fun idea, I guess but I've never thought about it. Not at all."

"Well, we're sorry if we frightened you," Julia cut in. "It must have been an awful shock. But don't worry about it we're not some bunch of wierdo's. It's just a way for us to have a little fun. Sometimes it gets a bit boring around here, when the men aren't here."

"Oh, yes, of course. I suppose you're all lesbians, then?"

Julia laughed. Hannah grabbed hold of Liz's hands. "Oh, for heaven's sake," she said. "No we're not. It's not a sex thing," the look on Julia's face suggested to Liz that she didn't agree, "although it is quite sexy. And lesbians aren't just women whose men have gone out to work, you know."

"I think Cassie might be," Julia interrupted.

"Oh, be serious!" Hannah chided. "The point is Liz, this is just a sort of grown up game we play. We're sorry if we've upset you and, please, just forget about it. We want you to be happy here in your new home and we certainly don't want you to feel frightened or embarrassed by this."

"Well, OK, I mean I'm sorry I spoiled your game. I guess I'll knock next time and if there isn't an answer I won't come exploring."

"That's OK, Liz," Julia smiled. "It was probably just as well you came in when you did. Hannah would never have got out of those ropes and she gets so cross if she can't escape."

"Oh, that's unfair!" Hannah complained. "We would all have got free, given a bit of time."

Liz was anxious to bring the bizarre conversation to an end. "Well, I've got to go now," she said. "Ben will be home soon and I have to fix dinner."

"OK," the other two said.

"And call me if you want to talk about any of this," Hannah added. "It must have been very upsetting for you. The last thing we want to do is to cause any distress."

Liz nodded and took her leave. It had been the most peculiar afternoon.

Liz and Ben

Liz couldn't explain to herself why she didn't tell Ben about the afternoon's events. Maybe it was the way that he leapt in to tell her all about his day without asking about hers. Maybe she was just a bit embarrassed about it all. And maybe, just maybe, she felt it was her secret and it really wasn't anything to do with Ben.

Whatever the reason she hadn't said anything and when Ben finally did get around to saying, "So how's your day been?" while they were having a late night cup of decaff. She answered with a non-committal. "Oh fine, I had coffee with Hannah next door and one of the other girls." It wasn't actually a lie, but it was hardly the whole truth either.

"That's nice," Ben said. "It'll be good if you get yourself tied in to the whole social scene."

Liz almost dropped her coffee. Ben didn't notice. "Are we going to bed?" he said. "I've had quite a day."

Liz thought to herself, "You and me both," but said nothing and followed her husband up.

She was laying in bed, the light out, Ben's warm body inches from hers. She started thinking about what Hannah had said about fantasies. She really couldn't remember anything of the kind. Then she was thinking what if it had been a burglary? What if there had been some tall, muscular, man in dark clothes? And a ski mask. Yes, and gloves, tight leather gloves. What if he'd grabbed her and tied her up and...

"Mmm, that's nice." It was Ben. Liz realized that she'd been pressing up alongside him. He turned and put his hands on her shoulders, ran one hand up to stroke her ear and then leant forward and kissed her. Aroused by her few moments of fantasy, she kissed him back and the two fell together. As Ben stroked her breasts she almost begged him to pinch and squeeze at them. As he nuzzled her neck, she wanted him to bite. As his hand ran down between her thighs and probed at her sex she was imagining her hands tied, herself helpless in his grasp. And as he penetrated her his face was hidden from her behind a fantasized mask.

It wasn't long before she came, beating him to the moment.

The two of them lay together.

"Westhampton must agree with you," Ben said.

"Mmm," was all his wife could reply as they both drifted off to sleep.

Liz & Hannah

Liz woke up feeling confused about the events of the previous day and what she saw as her untypical reaction in bed that night. Ben was friendly and more affectionate than usual as he grabbed his case after breakfast and headed off to his work. But then, Liz thought with a smile, he always was after a shag.