Strawberries

"Are you checking me out?"

"What?"

"Are you ogling me?"

"Wha... no!"

"You better not."

"I'm not!"

"Don't think that you can have your way with me."

"I don't. I'm sorry! What does that even mean?"

"You know exactly what that means. You big man, me a small little girl. I'm in charge here, get that?"

"Yes, your terms. I remember!"

"Okay, good. Now eat. By the way, you are doing the dishes. And you are making breakfast. In fact you'll be doing most of the chores while you are here. Consider it rent. You'll be my... maid. My servant. Okay?"

It wasn't the best food in the world, the pasta was actually quite bland, but it was the first time in a while that Alexander shared a meal and had a conversation with a human being.

"Yes, of course. Thank you."

"You're right! You should thank me for giving you the opportunity to do all the work here. You should thank me for letting you stay here!

"Yes, of course. I am really grateful."

"Good. Can you cook? Because I might make you do the cooking."

He was about to say something like: Better than you. But he knew better and instead said:

"A little. I'll try to make you happy."

"You better!"

At this point they both knew where this whole thing was about to go, and they both enjoyed the hidden messages that were floating in the room. There wasn't really any ambiguity anymore. They were flirting, testing the waters.

But then their conversation shifted to something less obvious. It was small talk to bond. They had a casual chat about their Corona-experience. Alexander had staid in his apartment until he was kicked out by his landlord and then drove straight here without talking to anybody. Samantha had taken a break from college. She didn't say why, but to Alexander it sounded like she had to battle some sort of personal crisis.

"So we both haven't had any contact to anyone in a while."

"Kind of sad, isn't it?"

"Well, at least we know that we probably don't have the virus and can't pass it on to each other."

"So no social distancing for us?"

"I'd say we are so far away from the rest of the world that it's enough distancing."

"You're probably right."

They continued to have a casual conversation about nothing really, but it was just what both of them needed after their long stints of solitude.

Eventually she told him to do the dishes and clean up the cabin, and he did. Sam went to her room.

When he was done he was unsure what to do and decided to go to her room. It was the room that he and Lillian had stayed in.

It obviously hadn't changed much. The bed with the brass frame was the center piece of the room. And there was a desk and a drawer next to the window.

That's where Samantha sat, hunched over her iPad, drawing something.

She ignored him, although he had shuffled his feet loud enough for her to hear him.

So he looked around, not knowing what to do and of course he noticed the handcuffs that hung from the bedframe. They were invitingly open and Alexander couldn't keep his eyes from them, and he looked at them like a deer into the headlights of a car.

He didn't know what to think of them.

"You have interesting... toys."

"Yeah, well, people have... toys," she mocked him.

"What do you do with these cuffs?"

"You restrain people with them."

Samantha didn't look up, she pretended not to pay any attention to him, but secretly she was gleaming. He had clearly taken the bait.

Alexander had stepped into Samantha's room, his eyes still fixed to the two sets of cuffs. One of each attached to the board of the old brass bed.

Alexander knew the bed quite well, had slept in it with Lillian multiple times. It was squealing like an angry pig when you moved in it. And Lillian and him had moved quite a lot in that bed when they were together.

"But I mean... what are these for?"

She heard him pick up one of the cuffs.

"It's kind of a silly question, don't you think?"

"I guess. But... why do you have them? I mean, are you tying up yourself or what?"

"That's also a dumb question. Why do you care?"

"Just curious, I guess."

"Yeah, I can see a lot of curiosity."

"Have you ever tied someone up?"

"You want to be my first?"

"What do you mean?"

"You are clearly very, very interested."

"But what would you do to me?"

"I guess you'd have to find out."

He kept looking at the device, fascinated with the possibilities it promised but also cautions, even afraid.

"I suppose it is all about trust. Can I trust you?"

"I don't know. Only you can answer that."

"You're right, I guess."

Samantha still pretended to work on her iPad.

"So... how do they work?"

"You put your wrist in the thing and close it."

"Okay."

"Try it!"

"You're sure?"

"Yeah, absolutely."

"Okay."

He sat on the bed, took the steel cuffs, heard the jangling of the chain. It reminded him of a rattle snake and it was just as fascinating.

He put his wrist into it and then finally closed it. Just as she had suggested. There wasn't a reason for this, he just did it because she told him to. And he really, really wanted to be restraint and helpless.

"And now?"

"Now you get on the bed and put the other wrist in the other cuff."

He did as told. Although only one hand was restraint, he already had some problems positioning himself on the bed.

"Like this?"

Samantha didn't look. She pretended to still work on her tablet, although in reality she had long put down the pen and listened closely to what Alexander was doing, pretending to be all innocent and naive.

She heard him struggle to close the second cuff without his other hand.

"Can't do it with one hand."

"Alright, let me help you."

Samantha got up and closed the cuff on his other wrist.

Another clicking sound. It closed the handcuff around Alexander's wrist but it also sealed his fate.

"How does it feel?"

"Kind of strange. Restricted."

"Good? I mean, do you like it?"

"Sure."

"Well, you are tied to the bed now."

"Yeah. I guess. So what happens next?"

"Try to get out."

Alexander tested the chains, struggled against his bonds, kicked up his legs, tried to reach the cuff on his other wrist, but all he produced were noises of the bed squeaking and metal clanking against metal. And of course there were his frustrated groans.

Samantha smiled mischievously and watched him struggle with a lot of satisfaction.

"You look cute. All helpless and at my disposal."

"What are you going to do to me? I mean, does it turn you on to see me like that?"

She smiled:

"See, the difference between you and me is the shift of power. You have to ask me, what I feel. You don't know. You can't tell. I just have to look at the bulge in your pants to know that you fucking love being tied up."

"That obvious?"

"Yes, sugar."

"So will you let me out?"

"Do you really want out?"

"Erm..."

"You better think about your next words very carefully."

Alexander chose not to reply at all.

"Let me help you with your decision."

Samantha got up and gently grabbed his legs and straightened them. Then she reached under the bed and produced two more cuffs and locked his feet to the footboard.

Alexander didn't object, nor did he struggle. He kept still.

"Try to get out now!"

Of course being even more immobilized didn't increase his chances, but still he tried. But this time, being unable to even kick, it was even more futile and the only thing that increased was his frustrating groans. And it was this frustration that he really craved.

"No chance, huh?"

"No. Can't free myself. I'm totally helpless. Please, let me out!"

"I think you protest too much."

"Please, let me out. Please! I'm begging you!"

"Really, begging? Wow! That's quick. See, we have a problem here!"

Once again she smiled mischievously.

"You tell me, you want out. But your pants say the exact opposite. So which one is it? Alright, hang on. Don't answer yet! We'll have a little talk, okay? And then maybe it'll be easier for you to decide what you want."

Samantha sat on the bed next to Alexander, kissed her index finger and then slowly laid it on his lips. And then she left the room, and she took longer than necessary. She opened a bottle of wine, poured herself a large glass, sat at the dinner table to finish it, looking out of the window watching the sun go down. All just to stall for time. She wanted him to feel his predicament and his helplessness.

Samantha wasn't as calm, as she pretended to be. In fact she was quite excited herself. The prospects of this guy tied to her bed were endless. She had dreamt of this, phantasies about it. And now quite suddenly and unexpectantly somebody had actually locked himself to the bed. It was beyond perfect. But still some portion of her self-confidence was totally faked. She wasn't really sure what to do with him. After all, she had never done anything like that to anyone. All her self-confidence was totally faked. The plan that she had hinted at was just a few random thoughts. But that was the beauty of things. She could just make things up. She was in charge, and he wanted her to be!

She wanted to let him stew a little in his predicament, so she poured herself another glass of wine.

Samantha had been a recluse in that cabin for quite some time. About three months before the virus hit, she had taken a break and hid in her parents' cabin. She suffered from a mild crisis, some social anxiety that had suddenly crept up on her. Nothing major, but she was frustrated enough to take a break from her studies to find something that still eluded her.

Finally she poured herself another glass of wine, took a sip to gain some courage for what was about to come and casually walked back into the room and sat next to him on the bed.

He was still there, looking at her pleadingly, squirming a little on the bed. That bulge in his pants was also still there, she noticed with great pleasure.

For the next few moments, Samantha had more at stake. She had to play her cards right not to scare him off but to completely lure him in, she thought. Although his obvious excitement made him a bad poker player.

"Where have you been?" he asked.

"Shush! Let me do the talking, okay?"

Once again she put her finger on his mouth and he nodded obediently.

"You have to relax a little here. And you need to listen to me!"

She caressed his cheeks with her index finger, ran her fingers through his hair, soothed him, turned him on, showed her a new, soft and seductive side, and he at the same time relaxed and became uncomfortable, if that is possible.

"See, I don't think that you understand the situation you are in," she casually stated.

Her finger ran along his nose, and when it reached the tip of his nose, she stopped.

"I really am in charge at the moment."

She casually pinched his nostrils with two fingers and then cut off his air supply through the nose.

"Wouldn't you agree that you are at my mercy? All tied up and helpless?"

He could have just opened his mouth and breathe through his mouth, but instead he played along and handed her the reigns over his breathing.

Instead he nodded and looked up at her with big questioning eyes.

"I like that look. It's fear. You fear me. You are actually afraid of me! That is so cool! Because I am in charge. I could just keep going until you are... you know. Done. And then I'll just bury you here somewhere in the woods. No one knows you are here!"

She smiled and tried to put a pinch of insanity into the corners of her mouth, and his eyes widened.

"But then again, I can also be totally nice and sweet. It all depends on you!"

She took her fingers from his nose, and he greedily breathed in.

Samantha smiled.

"Okay, I'm not crazy or anything. I'm really quite reasonable. Although I must admit, I'm a bit disappointed. What do you say, when someone gives you something?"

"Thank you?"

"There you go! You have some manners after all. That is nice. I like well-mannered men."

But she couldn't resist her newly found powers over him. Not yet. And so she put her hand on his nostrils again and blocked his airstream once more. And this time she put her other hand over his mouth to take it to another level.

Alexander understood. He was unable to speak, but his eyes widened, and his body became tense as his lungs were longing for oxygen.

Watching this, Samantha felt something new. A rush of some drug through her system. Adrenalin, estrogen, endorphins. She didn't know. All she knew was that she wanted this. The fear in his eyes, her towering over him with absolute power.

Her sister had told her about him. About his submissive side and how he wanted to be controlled and how Samantha didn't think it was very manly or masculine. Even way back when the two of them were still together she had complained. Lillian didn't like this at all. She had chosen Alexander for his posture and his muscles. But then she wondered how such a hunk of a man could be such a wimp. It resonated with Samantha though. It had turned her on. It sounded so fucking erotic to be in charge of some big strong man, to make him do whatever she wanted, to be the boss. She wasn't the most social person in the world, not the most savvy in dealing with people, but she totally could see herself dominating a guy. Somehow she never found the opportunity though, and she didn't really feel like looking for a guy specifically into that sort of kink. She had no problem going on Pornhub to look for femdom porn. It didn't mean though, that this was the only thing she was looking for in a guy. And she didn't want to end up being some ridiculous dominatrix strutting around in leather boots and dressed in latex, She was a nerd, and it would look ridiculous on her. There was no way. When all she wanted was some fun without any strings. Well, maybe strings wrapped around the guy's body!

When her sister had called to ask her whether she would share the cabin with Alexander, it didn't need much convincing to make her agree. Not that Lillian actually made much of an effort. Maybe she felt a vague sense of obligation towards Alexander. But Lillian jumped at the opportunity.

Alexander under her watched her with wide eyes.

He didn't panic yet, he didn't try to break free, but tried to remain calm.

"Sometimes it's a game, and sometimes it is not," Samantha said with a low voice.

She didn't want to push him too far and lifted her hands.

He breathed in greedily, thanked her, and this time he sounded like he actually meant it, like he was truly grateful for her gift of oxygen.

"Earlier you begged to be released, but your cock said something else. See, there is a problem here. Some disconnect. Fortunately there is a solution to you saying No but maybe meaning Yes. And the solution is strawberry."

"I don't get it."

"Strawberry! See, if you say: Please no! - you might not actually mean No. You just like to say No. But if you say strawberry, I know that you are serious, because strawberry means No, whereas No might mean Yes. Sounds confusing, but it's really simple."

"You're talking about a safe word."

"Hey! You are not as innocent as you pretend to be!"

"Yeah, well, maybe I have used the internet before."

"I bet you have. So, you're okay with that? With strawberries?"

Alexander nodded.

"Great! First lesson over! Let's move on. The terms!"

"I've heard of those. I have learned that they are yours."

"Great! Everything here happens on my terms! It's really simple. You can stay here, as long as you do as I tell you."

"That's a bit vague. I mean, what does that actually mean?"

"You can always pull your strawberry-card, and I'll stop, and you are free to go!"

"Free to go into the cold of the Corona-world?"

"Free to go wherever you want."

She smiled.

"But we both know that you fucking want this. You are begging to be at my feet. Let's face it: This is the best proposition you have ever heard. I'm the most erotic creature you have ever met! Fucking trust me!" she said.

Samantha wasn't completely convinced about her words and hid it under her cursing, but Alexander didn't need any more convincing.

"I'll show you!" she continued.

Samantha got on the bed, straddled him and sat on Alexander's chest, and then she pinned down his arms and lowered her head over his.

"It turns me on to have you at my mercy. But I can tell that it must be a hundred times better on your end. How powerless you are! You love that. You adore it. You don't even have to admit it, it's so obvious!"

She reached behind Alexander and grabbed his cock firmly.

"You are hard as a rock!"

Samantha found his balls under his sweatpants and squeezed them.

Immediately his body tightened and his eyes widened.

She loved the feeling of all those muscles flexing at her command. Although he was so well-trained and strong he was completely at her mercy.

Samantha looked down at him and put her evil smile on.

"Nothing you can do now! All on my terms!"

She closed her fist tighter around his balls, and the dull pain shot through his groin. He raised his hips, tried to make her fall over, but she just ignored it and rode him like a bucking rodeo bull.

She laughed, as she stared at him and enjoyed his frustration and his torment. It only made her press her fist tighter and increase his pain.

"Please, please stop! I beg you!"

But she only laughed and enjoyed his bucking and squirming. She could sense that he struggled a little too much against his restraints, and his begging was a little too dramatic. After all she wasn't poking him with a red hot iron. She was just squeezing his balls.

When she stopped, he lay on the bed, catching his breath, felt the pain slowly subside from his groin, and as it rinsed from his body it almost felt like pleasure.

"Is that pain real? When a girl kicks your balls? All that squirming and wailing. Is that real? I can never tell. Or is it just some male pride thing? That your precious jewels are in danger? Seems excessive to me how you guys react when a girl puts a little pressure on them."

He didn't reply, and it didn't really matter to her. It certainly felt like pleasure to Samantha who was feeling his muscles contract between her thighs. She enjoyed his physical powers, and her emotional powers over him. Like she was riding a tiger.

"Tell me you didn't fucking enjoy this, big boy! To be at my mercy, my helpless little toy! A slave to a pixie little pale goth girl!"

Alexander just groaned and avoided her gaze.

"You don't have to admit it. I can see that I am right! There's nothing you can hide from me!"

And she was right. As she gently stroked his cock under his pants, it was still hard.

He wanted it. There was no resistance. There are very few defining moments in a life, but this was one. The realization of something he had fancied but never fully understood. A kink, he had thought. But now laying there all helpless he realized how deep it ran, how it defined him. It was an earth-shattering revelation. And not only for him but also for her. She relished it, she bathed in her power and words poured out of her that she had never thought before.

"You know why I hurt you?"

He shook his head.

"Guess!"

"I don't know. Because I disobeyed you?"

"Because I fucking can! There is no reason for me to do anything that I do to you. I do it, because I can, I don't need reasons to hurt you. All I need is you to know that I can do to you whatever I want, and you will beg for more!"

Alexander just stared at her.

"You are still miles away from the strawberries. And I doubt, you will ever get there! I can see you want this, and you just want more."

She laughed, pinned his wrists again and bent down until their faces were close and he could smell the red wine in her breath.