By Rachel Torrent

As they left the ultra-tense lobby scene at Seevuplay, Earl Ray held Sahndra’s hand. Maybe a little too tightly, she thought. But she’d rather be holding his hand too tightly than not at all.

“Damnit. You’d think if Julie’s gonna take that asshole out for walks, she could at least go to her own damn restaurant,” he said as they approached the car.

“Oh, honey, she didn’t know we’d be there.” Sahndra kept thinking of Scottie’s shocked face when he’d seen her and about how refreshing it was to see things happen that weren’t in his control.

“And he’s always so fucking cocky and smug.” Earl Ray wouldn’t let go of his animosity for Roger.

Sahndra put her hand on his thigh in the car. “I know you hate him, but you shouldn’t let him get to ya like this, Earl Ray.”

He looked over at her and then started the Explorer. “Sorry, sweetheart. Didn’t mean to screw up our evening………You okay?”

Sahndra still had her hand on his leg. The feel of it was kindling a fire in her panties. “I’m fine……..I’m glad we got to meet Christine.”

He smiled now. The thunder had passed. “You did real good with that, baby. You were so damn pleasant and charming,” he said.

“I’m okay with it. I want Scottie to be happy.” She slid her hand up towards his crotch. That’s what she really wanted.

“You’re a good person, Sahndra.”

At home and in bed a little later, he was holding her against his firm body. She knew her breathing was speeding up and her nipples were hard. He still had the faint scent of some light cologne, and she felt like her whole body was on fire.

Maybe it was caused by seeing Scottie with another woman. Maybe it was the lack of feeling Earl Ray inside her for days now. Maybe it was the full moon. But she was hurting for him, an intense physical aching all over.

“Earl Ray, I want you,” she said softly, kissing his neck. She felt his semi-hard penis against her stomach, and that didn’t help her hunger at all.

“Sahndra……….baby……..don’t start with that again. I will injure you.”

“Honey, please. I’m gonna die over here if you keep holding out on me.” She sounded slightly desperate. But she knew he was worth begging for. No doubt.

Earl Ray pushed her back and spent the next hour pleasuring her whole body with his hands and mouth. He kissed her neck and sucked her nipples and ran his lips lightly over her tiny incision. Feeling his hands on the insides of her thighs and his tongue on her intimate folds drove her to a quick and violent orgasm, during which he had to hold her ass down on the bed.

She was panting afterwards as he lay down beside her. “Will that do ya for a while, sweetie?” he asked her. He had his middle finger against her little opening, to feel her muscles throbbing.

“I’m still reeling, Earl Ray. But I also still wanna feel you inside me.”

“Maybe in a few days, love.”

He fell asleep shortly after that. He’d had several strong drinks after they’d returned home and didn’t much care for an orgasm of his own. Sahndra knew he was tired from taking care of her all week. So she let him sleep. But while he slept, she plotted and schemed.

She had wanted to try some different flavors of sex with him for a long time. Namely, bondage. Julie had warned her that he wasn’t much into the dangers of tying somebody up. Even though Julie had certainly begged him to. He always worried that Julie would get “hurt.”

But Sahndra wondered now how he’d like being tied up himself. And the idea turned her on so damn much that she decided to go through with it. A new twist in their sexual affairs.

So the next day, after brunch, Sahndra had Julie meet her at the Michaels’ old house to search for those missing leather straps. As they hunted, Sahndra vividly remembered the night long ago when Scottie had borrowed the little devices from Julie to use them on her. Oh, what a delicious experience that had been.

When Julie found the tiny black bag containing both the thin leather straps and the black silk scarf, Sahndra was overjoyed. Julie couldn’t believe her devious plan.

“If he kills you afterwards, I’ll say nice things at your wake.”

“Oh, c’mon, Jules. He might just love it………I know I will. And then next weekend, you can use them on that prick of yours.”

“Don’t even get him started on that. I can see him liking that kind of thing,” Julie said.

“You mean you haven’t tried it on him?” Sahndra asked her.

“I can’t get enough of the regular stuff yet. Gimme time.”

As if by divine providence, Earl Ray was taking a nap on the bed when Sahndra returned home. Couldn't be more perfect, she thought. And she proceeded to quietly arrange his limbs for her master plan.

He must have been really exhausted because his sleep was extremely sound. He hardly stirred as she tied first one arm and then the other to the headboard using the thin pieces of leather. The little strips were long enough to allow his arms to lay down on the bed, better for his circulation and for his comfort.

For his feet, Julie had given her some lightweight nylon rope they’d found in the basement at the house. Another perfect aspect in this whole bondage scheme. Sahndra wasn’t a rugged outdoorsman or anything, but she thought she did a damn adequate job with those knots around his ankles. She giggled silently.

She had, of course, removed his sweatpants before everything else. So now her prize was all bound up and ready for the taking. She stood by the bed and grinned, pleased with herself. For the idea itself and the bravery to carry it out.

Not very much later that afternoon, Sahndra was in the living room watching a movie when she heard him scream the first time. He was finally awake. A moment of reckoning.

“Goddamnit, Sahndra! Get your ass in here!”

She waited a full two minutes before she entered the bedroom. He was livid but gorgeous. He stared at her, angrily.

“Fit to be tied, Earl Ray?” She snickered.

“This is not fucking funny. Take this shit OFF me!”

“Maybe in a few days, love.” She saw in his wide eyes that he did, in fact, realize she was quoting him.

“Shit! Untie me, Sahndra! NOW!” He was furious. No doubt.

“No.” She watched him struggle against the bindings and felt her heart speed up. What a lovely sight.

“I’m gonna fucking kill you.” He spoke through gritted teeth.

“Not like that, you won’t. Now you settle down, and I’ll be back in to check on you in a half hour.” She turned to go.

“Goddamnit, Sahndra! What the fuck do ya want?!”

Slowly, she turned back to face him. “You KNOW what I want, honey. I asked you nicely several times. I even begged you. But you wouldn’t give it to me. So now you havta be punished.” She smiled at him. Then she started to leave again.

“You bitch! I’ll kill you for this!”

Sahndra heard rage in his voice. But she was enjoying this. Perhaps a little too much. She wanted to touch herself down there, but she wanted Earl Ray more. So for a half hour, she listened to his loud rantings and then went back into the bedroom.

He didn’t scream at her this time. He just followed her movements with his wild, rabid eyes. Those green eyes Sahndra adored. She watched his arm muscles writhe as he fought against the straps. She knew she was as wet as he was angry.

“That leather just tightens when you try to fight it,” she said. “I know.” Her voice was clogged with desire. Lust.

“Take ‘em the fuck off me.” His jaws were clenched, but he wasn’t yelling anymore. Resignation or just resting? It didn’t really matter to Sahndra. She knew she was in control.

So she climbed on the bed next to him as he watched everything carefully. She was wearing only his favorite black slip. She bent over him as he writhed and kissed his penis. It twitched in response to her lips.

“Leave me the hell alone, Sahndra”

But she had absolutely no intention of leaving him alone. She held him in her hand and squeezed him gently. He groaned and twisted as she took him in her mouth him.

“Cut it the fuck out, I said!” Still through the gritted, clenched mouth.

She raised her head and sat up, still holding him in her fist. “Now I don’t think you’re in any position to be giving orders, Sergeant Michaels.”

“If you’re not gonna untie me, then please get the hell out of here.” His cock twitched again in her hand.

She smiled deviously at him. “No, sir.”

Then she straddled him like a horse, hiked up the slip, and slowly lowered her aching, swollen opening onto his rigid shaft. He filled her up so completely that she gasped. “Oh, god!” He was groaning too and had closed his eyes. He also didn’t tell her to stop.

She put her hands on his chest and began rocking up and down on him. She was in heaven. He had been well worth the wait.

“Slow the hell down………I’m gonna come too fast,” she heard him whisper. She realized then that she’d closed her eyes while pumping him in her own ecstasy. He was sweating, and she bent over and kissed his mouth. Barely, he kissed her back.

“I want it to last………but I think I’m gonna come too, honey.”

So she sat back up and bounced on him faster. He was pounding things inside her that brought on a bright, mind-blowing explosion. And through her own intense passion, she heard him quietly say, “Oh, damn, baby,” as he came too.

Eventually, Sahndra stopped pumping and opened her eyes. Earl Ray was looking up at her, expressionless.

“Satisfied now?” His tone was sarcastic.

“For the time being,” she answered.

“This is rape, ya know.”

“Oh, give me a damn break, Earl Ray. This is fun. It’s something new for us. Don’tcha wanna do different things, honey? I wasn’t trying to hurt ya at all.” She felt him slide out of her wetly as she dismounted him and sat on the bed.

“Untie me then.” He sounded not as angry now, just cold.

“Are you gonna hit me?” She really wasn’t sure.

He sucked in his cheeks. “I’d never hit ya. What a fucking stupid question. I just wanna get off this damn bed, if ya don’t mind. This ain’t exactly comfortable.”

Ah, but you look so damn good, she thought. And you felt damn good too. “I’m sorry, sweetheart,” Sahndra said as she cut the rope with some scissors she had brought in earlier just for that purpose. “Please don’t be pissed at me. I just wanted to you so bad.”

He didn’t answer as she freed his hands. But as soon as both were loosed from the leather straps, he leapt up off the pillow in the twinkle of an eye and grabbed Sahndra by her shoulders, throwing her down on her back on the bed and hovering over her. One of his hands clutched her neck. The other pressed between her breasts, forcing her to stay down under him. He was on his knees, so his body barely touched hers. His face loomed two inches from her face.

Sahndra gasped out loud and thought at first that she couldn’t breathe, that he’d cut off her air with his strong hand. But then she realized he was gripping her windpipe just lightly enough to allow air through. She was terrified. He wasn’t smiling, just staring wildly into her eyes. She could feel his breath on her cheek.

“Don’t EVER do that to me again,” he said in a very low, quiet voice. “You understand?……..…..Darling?”

“I…….I……won’t, Earl Ray……..I swear.” She was whispering. It was all she could do.

Then he lowered his body onto hers so that his penis, which was almost hard again, brushed against her vaginal lips, teasingly. Erotically. She gasped again through her semi-closed off throat. Then he touched his mouth to hers. Well, almost. It was a ghost of a kiss that left Sahndra dying for more. For the real thing. For more of him. But he pulled away then and was gone as quickly as he’d thrown her down.

She lay there on her back trying to catch her breath while she listened to him go in the bathroom and slam the door. She was aching for him again, and she knew that he had purposely created that sensation in her and then denied her any more pleasure. A pay-back of sorts.

He stayed in the bathroom for an hour. She’d cleaned up the bedroom and dressed by then, trying to supress her longing for him. She’d realized too that he was still a little miffed or something. Maybe even full-blown angry. She knew that things would need an adjustment period to return to normal.

Sahndra felt a little better as the night wore on, but she felt sad too that Earl Ray was mostly cool and distant to her. Their little bits of conversation were meaningless, and he seemed to be pouting. When they went to bed, he stayed on his back and made no move to hold her as he usually did. But when she laid her arm across him, he put his hand on it affectionately. They fell asleep in that position.

* * *

Roger was quietly laughing Monday afternoon as Sahndra told the whole story to him and Julie at the loft. His own brand of snickering, with one hand over his mouth. He sat back in the leather chair all by himself with his feet propped up on the coffee table in front of him. He was so amused with Sahndra’s tale.

“So what was he like this morning?” Julie asked her.

Sahndra sighed. “Still kinda quiet. But he kissed me before he left for work,” she said. She wanted Earl Ray to get out of this funk she’d apparently put him in and things to return to normal.

“I don’t know how to help you here, Sahndra. Like I said, I’d never have the nerve to do that to him,” Julie said.

“That’s nice to know ‘cause I really would kick your ass for doing that shit to me,” Roger chimed in, from behind his hand.

“Aw, shut up over there, you asshole. She oughtta tie your sorry ass up and NOT fuck ya,” Sahndra said to him.

He’d stopped the little chuckling under his breath now. He looked more serious. “Ya know, Sahndra……..I’m surprised you didn’t have a real problem on your hands after the shit he went through over in ‘Nam.” Roger was speaking quietly, intently. He’d captured the rapt attention of both women.

“What are you talking about, Roger?” Julie was the first of them to get words out.

“He got captured once……….POW……..1970, I think he said……..The damn gooks tortured him just for the hell of it…………kept him tied up most of the time and even left him alone like that for days at a time………He almost didn’t make it out alive.”

Sahndra and Julie were staring at Roger. Spellbound. Astounded. Speechless. All of that. Both of their hearts had shriveled up into their ribcages.

“You’re lying, Roger. He never told me anything like that, and I was married to him for five freaking years.” Julie was visibly shaken. Her voice cracked.

Roger rolled his eyes ever so slightly. “Why would he tell YOU? It’s not something you talk about, sweetheart. He told me one night at the Snake Pit. We were drunk off our asses.”

He turned his awful attention to Sahndra. “So………nice little trick you pulled off there, Leather Queen. Maybe you should be glad you’re still walking around with your head on straight.”

Sahndra sniffled, and Julie knew without looking that she was crying. She felt like crying too. This was horrible news. Poor Earl Ray. To have kept this haunting memory inside all this time and never to have shared it with anyone except Roger the Asshole. And Sahndra couldn’t even speak. She wept silently beside Julie. She was crushed.

Then Roger started the quiet laughing again.

Heart-broken and confused, they both looked at him. “You two silly girls……..Can’tya tell when your strings are being yanked?”

Julie gawked at him in a cruel epiphany. “You were bullshitting us, Roger?”

“And doing a damn good job of it too, I must say. Some people are so fucking gullible.”

Before Julie could cuss him out, Sahndra was up and charging over to him. She’d stopped crying and was now pummeling at Roger with her clenched fists. Seriously pummeling. He held his arms up over his face in defense. He was still laughing. “It was just a joke, Sahndra! Just a little joke!”

“It wasn’t fucking funny, you cocksucker! I was feeling like shit! I thought I’d ruined him! You’re such a bastard!”

She stopped hitting him now and stood up. She looked at Julie and wiped her stained face. “Sorry to act like a fool. I gotta go,” she said very calmly.

“You ain’t the one acting like a fool. I’m going withya. Lemme get my purse,” Julie didn’t even look in Roger’s direction.

He got up and started to follow her to the bedroom. “Baby, you’re not mad, are ya? I was only joking!”

Julie came back in the room with her purse. Her face was cold. “I don’t see anyone here laughing, Roger. You crossed the line this time. Sahndra’s right. You ARE a prick.”

“Don’t leave, Julie. I didn’t mean to hurt anybody.”

As Julie and Sahndra stepped into the elevator, Sahndra turned to him and said, “You think your ass is so damn funny, Roger, with all your little jokes. Stay here and tell ‘em to yourself, you faggot.” She knew this would bruise him. He was notoriously homophobic.

The two women spent the evening at Renaissance getting drunk and verbally dismembering Roger. Neither could comprehend, even after three bottles of wine, how he could be so freaking heartless.

Sahndra had decided that Earl Ray could use a little time alone. Maybe he’d snap out of his pouty mood if he missed her. So she left him a message on the machine and hoped he would listen to it.

When she did get home around ten o’clock, Earl Ray was sitting in bed watching television. Just like Scottie used to do, she thought for a little second. But Scottie quickly evaporated from her mind. She changed into a gown and got into bed beside him.

Still looking at the TV, he said, “I woulda come to get ya if ya had too much to drink.” The affectionate tone had returned to his voice, Sahndra was thrilled to discover.

“I’m not that drunk……..but thanks anyway, honey.”

He clicked off the TV with the remote control and turned on his side to face her. “What happened? Ya sounded upset on the damn machine.”

She told him the whole story about what had taken place at the loft. And what Roger had said made her cry all over again. He hugged her close to him.

“That lying bastard. I’d like to beat his ass just once,” he said.

“Don’t worry about him, sweetheart. Julie’ll take care of him,” Sahndra said softly. “He was waiting for her in his car outside the restaurant. And she was pretty damn pissed at him.”

“God help him.”

They both laughed. Then Sahndra said, “Honey……….I’m sorry about this afternoon……..…..even if nothing like that happened to you in the war. I shoulda been more considerate of your feelings instead of just trying to please myself.”

“Don’t fret over it, sweetie. It’s done.” Sahndra realized that he didn’t want to discuss it in detail at that moment.

“You’re not still pissed at me?”

“Naaa. Besides, it was a great lay,” he said.

Suddenly, she felt that they were back to normal. And she was just so relieved and happy to be in his arms again.

After they made love and before she fell asleep, he said to her, “I missed ya, angel.”

“God, I missed you too, Earl Ray.”

* * *

“I can drive MYSELF home, Roger.” Julie had not been very thrilled to find him waiting for her in Renaissance’s parking lot.

“I was worried about ya, honey. Get in anyway………Please.”

Julie, with a reputation for being slightly stubborn, got in her own car and drove to the loft. Without any problems. He followed her, of course, and took the elevator up with her although she made no effort to wait for him.

In their bedroom, as she was getting undressed, he finally tried to talk to her.

“Baby, I didn’t know I was hitting some tender spots this afternoon.”

Julie looked at him coldly. “I don’t want to discuss it tonight, Roger. Leave me alone.”

And the discussion was over for her. Completely. She went to bed and to sleep. On Wednesday morning, she got up and went to Renaissance. She had lots of paperwork to catch up on. She did not talk to him at all, and he seemed to know better than to force her.

Later that day, Sahndra wasn’t expecting company and was bowled over to open her front door and find Roger standing there. He looked as if he expected her to either hit him again or slam the door back in his face.

“Whadaya want, Roger?” Her tone was ugly.

“I came to apologize in person. For yesterday. For being such a wiseass.”

“Come in, if you must.” She stood aside and let him pass.

He didn’t sit down. He just turned around and looked at her. “I really am sorry, Sahndra. I had no idea it would rile you up so damn much.”

“I thought I had damaged Earl Ray in some awful, inner way, and I’d lose him because of it, Roger. Your joke wasn’t funny at all.”

“Can you forgive me? I didn’t intend to be cruel or anything.” He sounded sincere. Sahndra had never heard him in this apology mode.

“I’ll get over it, Roger. You’ll be off the hook………….and maybe I’ll buy you an etiquette book after all. What about Julie?”

He hung his head and sighed. “I gotta go home and work on that.”

Sahndra laughed. “She cut you off, didn’t she?”

“She won’t even fucking LOOK at me.”

“Better be brushing up on your manners, you prick. I don’t think she’ll stay with a total dick like you very long…….not after being with a nice guy like Earl Ray for all those years.”

He looked up at her, stabbed. “Thanks, Sahndra. I needed that.”

She laughed again. “Just a little joke, Roger. You know how those are..………Now get your ass home and fix up what else you fucked up yesterday.”

Julie was home when he got back. She was reading in the den. He had brought her some lilies and daisies and set them down on the bar. She watched him over her book. Then he came and sat down next to her.

“I’m sorry, baby. You gotta listen to me. I didn’t realize I was being so mean. I certainly didn’t know it would affect you like that. I woulda never done it. I swear.”

Julie was still watching him. “It was heartless, Roger. To me, and especially to Sahndra. You hurt people and don’t even seem to care.”

He put his arm around her and pulled her to him. “I went over to see Sahndra. She’s gonna be okay. You’re my only concern now, sweetheart. Forgive me?”

Sitting there next to him, feeling his body, smelling him, listening to his soothing voice call her “sweetheart” was too much for Julie. She forgave him. And leaned her head into his shoulder.

“Couldya just try to be a little more sensitive to other people in the future, Roger?”

“I’ll do whatever you want me to do, baby. Really.”

“Okay, Roger. Consider yourself forgiven. This time.”

“You still love me?”

“God, that’ll never change. Yes, I still love you.”

He sighed with relief. Then, “Hey……..Do ya still…….uh…….still have some kinda feelings for him?”

Julie sat up so she could look at him. “For Earl Ray? Are you kidding?”

“But you got so upset at what I said about him.” Insecurity was unbecoming to Roger, Julie thought.

“I got upset at your cruelty, the way you thought you could just play with Sahndra’s feelings. And mine too, for that matter, Roger.”

He reached out and pulled her back to him. “Well, I can work on that……….But if you want HIM back…….”

“Roger, sweetheart, you’re all I want. How many more times I gotta tell you that?”

“Okay. Okay,” he said, doing the quiet laughing thing.

“But if you want, I can show you…….”