It's Just A Game
The first week
Jayne had been going out with Peter for a couple of weeks when he first ventured the idea to her. It was a warm summer’s evening, and they were sitting outside in her garden, having a drink and enjoying the warm summer air. She was wearing a light blue summer frock, which hung around her shoulders and came to just below her knees, and a long thin scarf as wrapped around her neck. Peter leaned over and kissed her lightly on the lips, and she returned the pleasure in kind.
“Jayne,” he said quietly, “I was wondering how you felt about me.”
“Whatever do you mean?”
“Do you trust me?”
“Of course I do, Peter,” she said with a laugh. “What a stupid thing to ask. What on earth do you need an answer to that for?”
“I wanted to ask you if you would like to try something, but if you don’t trust me than there is no point in asking. I’ll understand if you say no.” He turned slightly away as eh said this, and Jayne frowned.
“Oh come on, Peter – you can ask me anything.”
“Well then,” he said turning back, “Would you like to play a game with me?”
“Oh, this sounds exciting,” she said as she placed her glass on the wrought iron table. “What game do you want to play?”
“A trust game – take your scarf off.”
“All right, Peter,” she said as she unwound the scarf.
“I want you to tie my wrists together.”
“WHAT?!!”
“I want you,” Peter said as he held his hands out, “to tie my wrists together. I promise you, I don’t mind, but I want you to do it to me.”
“Well, all right,” Jayne said as she wrapped the scarf around his wrists, pulling them gently together. “In what way is this a game?”
“Well,” Peter said as he took his glass and had a sip of his wine, “I want you to see that it doesn’t stop me enjoying the night or your company. I also want you to see that I trust you, because….”
“Well?”
“I’d like to do the same to you in return. Will you let me do that?”
“Tie my hands together?”
“That’s right. If you don’t want to, then just say so….”
“No – if you have let me do it to you, I’ll let you do it to me. Hang on.”
She undid the loose knot she had tied, unravelled the scarf and handed it to Peter. He smiled as he took her wrists, gently wrapped the scarf around them and tied them together. She liked the feeling of the silk around her skin, and sat back.
“Now what do we do?”
“Now, my love, we sit back and enjoy the evening. When you are ready, I will untie your wrists.”
The second week
“Peter?”
The two were at a local restaurant, enjoying their dessert when Jayne spoke up.
“Hmmm?”
“Last week – the game we played in the garden. I was wondering….”
“Yes, Jayne?”
“I was wondering if we could play something like that again – but perhaps you can go a little further.”
“What do you have in mind?”
“I’ll tell you at your place,” she said as she signalled to the waiter. As she paid the bill, Peter collected their jackets and helped Jayne into her red leather coat.
As they walked down the street, Jayne kept talking.
“I want to show you that I trust you, so I want you to tie my hands again. This time, though, I want you to do something else as well.”
“And that would be?”
“I’ll tell you inside, after you fix me a drink.”
They entered Peter’s flat, and as he fixed two drinks Jayne sat in a chair, brushing some hairs off her tan trousers.
“So,” Peter said as he handed her a drink, “What do you want me to do?”
“This is just a game, right? You promise you won’t do anything else?”
“Of course not, Jayne.”
“Very well then,” she said as she picked up her handbag and took out two long scarves. “I want you to tie my hands together, but also my legs.”
“Your legs? Why?”
“If I am going to be tied, I want to be tied properly.”
“If I was a burglar, that would not be something you would like?”
“Yes – but you’re not.” Jayne put her handbag on the floor and handed him the blue scarf he had used the previous week. “Please, tie my wrists together,” she said as she held her arms out in front of her. Peter smiled, took the scarf and began to tie her wrists together, but this time before tying the ends together he passed the material between her wrists as well, tightening the loops of silk.
“You didn’t do that last week,” she said as she looked at her wrists, the blue silk over the cuffs of her blouse.
“No, no I didn’t – do you want me to do undo it.”
“No – I don’t find it uncomfortable, just different.”
Peter took the other, light green chiffon scarf Jayne had taken out and knelt in front of her. Placing her ankles together, he bound them in the same way, passing the ends between her legs. Jayne tried moving her legs as he handed over her drink.
“This is different – nice, but different,” she said as she shuffled back in her chair. “Cheers.”
“Cheers – and I’ll release you in half an hour,” Peter said as he kissed her before sitting down and watching her. “After all, it’s just a game.”
The third week
Jayne sat herself down on her couch, as Peter went into the kitchen to make two coffees.
“Thanks,” she said as he handed her a mug and sat down beside her. She took a drink, before setting it down as she looked at her boyfriend. He returned the look, leant over and kissed her – a long, slow passionate kiss.
“Hmmm – that was nice,” she said as she sat back. “Peter – can we play our game again?”
“If you want to,” he said, “Do you want to do the same as last week.”
She smiled in answer. “Perhaps….”
“Yes?”
“Well – you mentioned that if you were a burglar you would do some more. What would you do?”
“If I was a burglar?”
“Yes.”
“Well, I would make sure this beautiful woman could not raise the alarm as I went around my business.”
“How would you do that?”
“With scarves?”
“Yes,” Jayne said as she looked into his blue eyes.
“Do you mind if I have a look in your room?”
“Go ahead,” she said, and Peter smiled before kissing her and leaving the room. Jayne looked expectantly at the door as he returned.
“Put your hands out in front of you,” he said as he took the long blue scarf. Jayne did as he asked, and he quickly tied her wrists together over the cuffs of her black jumper. The green chiffon scarf was used to bind her ankles together as before, this time over her black knee length felt boots.
Peter handed her the coffee mug and said “Finish your drink – this burglar is going to make sure you can’t move for a while.” Jayne drained the contents of the mug, wondering what he was going to do.
“You do trust me, don’t you?” he said as he took the mug and placed it on the coffee table.
“Of course,” she said as she gazed into his eyes.
“Good,” he said, “Shuffle up.” As he said this, he lifted her bound ankles up and swung them round so that she was sitting on the couch, her back against the armrest. Taking a long red scarf, he passed it around her bare legs between the hem of her leather skirt and her knees, and tied her thighs together.
“I see what you mean – I guess I’m not going anywhere.”
“I’m not finished yet,” Peter said as he took a bandana and tied it around the blue scarf. He gently laid her wrists on her lap, before tying the ends of the scarf around the red one.
“Comfortable,” he said, and Jayne had to admit that it was very comfortable with the silk bands holding her firmly in place. “I could like this,” she whispered before Peter started to kiss her again.
“If I was a real burglar, I would silence you now,” he said as he sat beside her.
“Why don’t you?” she purred. Peter smiled, and said “No – but I can do something to give you the feeling of being silenced. Would you like that in this game?”
“Go on,” Jayne whispered. Taking a thin chiffon square, Peter rolled it into a band and tied it over Jayne’s mouth, knotting the ends together under her black hair at the nape of her neck.
“I can still talk,” she said through the material.
“I know – but we can pretend, as part of the game. An hour this time?”
Jayne nodded and sat back, relaxing as Peter sipped his coffee.
The fourth week
Jayne and Peter were locked in a passionate embrace as they stood in his hallway. IT had been a wonderful night at the theatre, and Jayne was dressed for the late summer. Her red jacket was over a cream sleeveless blouse, and her skirt was a short red cotton one.
“So, what do you want to do now,” Peter said when they finally had a chance to speak.
“Oh I don’t know – tie me up?”
“Oh, so you really do enjoy it?”
“Yes, I do – I want to feel safe with you. There’s just one thing?”
“What’s that?”
“I don’t have anything with me?”
“Do you trust me?”
“Of course I do.”
“Then come and sit down.”
The two went into his front room, but when Jayne went to sit on his couch Peter said “No – come and sit here,” as he pulled a seat out from his dining table. “Take your coat off and come and sit down.”
“What do you have in mind,” Jayne said as she left her coat on the soft chair and came over.
“Trust me,” he said as she sat down. Leaving her for a moment, he came back with a roll of masking tape.
“What are you going to do with that?” she said as he took hold of her left wrist.
“I want to try something new,” he said as he took her wrist and gently placed it against the wooden back. Taking the roll of tape, he bound her wrist to the wood, before repeating the process on the other side.
“Are you uncomfortable?” he said as he knelt in front of Jayne.
“No – I mean, it feels different, but I’m not uncomfortable. What are you going to do now?”
“I want to fix your feet – do you mind if I take your boots off?”
“Of course not, silly,” she said as he unlaced her leather ankle boots and gently pulled them off. Placing her ankle against the chair leg, he wrapped the tape around it to secure it, and then the other one in place.
“Hey,” she said as he placed the tape on the table.
“Yes, my love?”
“I like the way you say that – my love,” Jayne whispered as she tested the strength of the tape bonds. “Aren’t you going to silence me?”
“I could – but the tape would smudge the red lipstick.”
Jayne smiled – she was enjoying these games, especially as Peter always put her first. “Can you think of something that won’t smudge my lips?”
“All right – open wide.”
Jayne opened he mouth and allowed Peter to gently place his clean handkerchief in her mouth, closing her teeth around the edges.
“Do you promise not to spit that out?”
“Yss.”
“Good – one hour, and I will free you.” He kissed her lightly on the lips and left her, taking the tape back into the kitchen. Jayne shuffled in her chair, enjoying the freedom the restriction brought and closing her eyes.
The fifth week
Jayne opened the door to find Peter standing there, a bouquet of flowers in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other.
“Congratulations,” he said as he came in, “I knew you’d get that promotion at work.” Placing the bottle and flowers on the small table by her telephone, he dropped a satchel he had over his shoulder on the floor and kissed her. She returned the greeting, wrapping her arms around him and holding him close to her.
Eventually, he stood back and looked at her. She was wearing a light grey blouse with a man’s waistcoat over it, grey slacks and grey knee length suede boots with her trouser legs tucked in. He was wearing a jumper and jeans, as if he had come straight from his job.
“Have you come straight from work,” Jayne asked as she finally let him go, and Peter nodded. She led him into her front room, and sat him down next to her on the couch.
“So, would you like you go out and celebrate – a meal at Quaglioni’s?”
“That sounds delightful, but I thought we could play a little game first.”
Peter smiled. “I see – perhaps we can try something special for tonight?”
“Hmm – what do you have in mind?”
“Jayne, do you trust me if I ask you to do something different?”
“Of course I do,” she said as she leant over to kiss him.
“Wait there,” he mumbled as he stood up and went into the hallway. Bringing his satchel back, he opened it and took out a skein of white cord, carefully wrapped up.
“What’s that,” Jayne asked as he began to unravel the thin material.
“It’s parachute cord – we use it my work to keep things in place while we are moving them around. I know you didn’t like the tape last time, so I was wondering if you would like to try this.”
“I’m not sure,” Jayne said as a slight frown crossed her face, but Peter merely held the cord out. “Here – feel it, see how soft it is. I promise you, it will not hurt.”
“All right, but be gentle,” Jayne said.
“Would you like to try something else as well?”
“What?”
“Turn round, and put your hands behind your back. I want to see if you like it or not.”
“That’s new – but I trust you, so all right.” Jayne turned her back to her boyfriend, who measured out a length of about six foot before cutting it off with a pair of scissors that were on the coffee table. Jayne felt the cord passing around her wrists and then the compression as they were pulled together, but as Peter passed the rope over the cuffs of her blouse she realised that, like the scarves, it was not too uncomfortable. As he tied the knot at the top of the binding, he said “Try to reach it.” Jayne reached up with her fingers, but could not find the ends of the cord, let alone the knot.
“How does it feel?”
“Strange – but nice. Now what?”
“Now, your feet – want to try something different there too?”
“What?”
“Cross your ankles for me.”
Fascinated, Jayne watched as he cut another length of rope and passed it around her crossed legs, pulling the loose ends through the loop he had made by doubling it over and tightening the cord over the suede that covered her ankles. She realised she was enjoying the feeling of helplessness as he continued to wrap the cord around and between her legs, before tying the ends off behind. A second, longer length was then used to tie her legs together above her knees.
“How am I meant to have a glass of wine like this?” Jayne asked as Peter stood up and opened the bottle, pouring some into two glasses. “With my help,” he said as he brought a glass over and held it to her lips, allowing her to take a sip and then wiping her lips with a napkin before kissing her again.
“Are you going to keep me quiet, mister robber?” she said with a laugh.
“I think I may have to,” he replied as he reached into his bag and took out a large silk scarf. “Where did you get that?” Jayne asked as he rolled it into a thick band. “Oh, I picked it up in a sale,” he said lightly, “now, open your mouth.”
Jayne bit down on the printed cotton as he pulled the scarf between her lips, and then tied the ends together tightly at the nape of her neck. She settled back on the couch, moaning slightly as she tried to move her legs and bring her wrists round, Peter watching and carefully sipping his wine.
The sixth week
“Peter?”
“Hello, darling – what can I do for you?”
“Peter, I need to come round and see you. Is that all right?”
“Of course it is, why – what’s happened?”
“I’ll tell you when I get there.”
The phone line went dead, and Peter returned the receiver to the set. Wondering what was going on, he cleared away his business papers and began tidying the room up a bit.
When the doorbell rang, he opened it and found Jayne standing there, shivering and with tear tracks down her cheeks.
“My god, what’s happened,” he said as she ran in, and closing the door he went to help her take off her jacket. She was wearing her black leather skirt and silk roll necked sweater, and had a coloured scarf tied over her shoulders as well as knee length black leather boots.
“Oh Peter, I’ve been talking to my sister – she was robbed last night!”
“Here – sit down and I’ll fetch you a drink,” he said as he guided Jayne to a seat. Pouring her a large vodka, he gave her the glass and watched as she drained it in one gulp.
“Was she hurt – or was she even in when they broke in?” he said as he sat beside her and put his arm around her shoulders.
“Worse – she walked in on the man, and he tied her up and gagged her. She was scared out of her wits.”
Peter frowned. “That’s horrible – is she all right?”
“Scared, shocked, but she’s fine. The thing is, Billy, it makes our games seem so real.”
“But you know I’d never hurt you – you trust me, don’t you?”
“Of course I do, my love, of course I do. It just seems so scary now.”
“I understand – do you want another drink?”
“No – just hold me and say nothing.”
They sat like that for an hour, saying nothing until Jayne stirred, accepted the offer of a handkerchief and said “Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it – what do you want to do?”
“Peter, do you trust me?”
He was momentarily taken aback, and then replied “Of course I do – why?”
“She told me exactly what he did – and I want you to do it to me. The thing is, I have to trust you to be gentle. Can I?”
“Of course you can, love.”
“Have you got any washing line?”
“I think so – I bought some the other day to replace mine. Let me go and look.”
Jayne sat there as Peter looked around in his kitchen, eventually returning with a coil of thick white rope and a pair of strong scissors.
“Thank you,” Jayne said as she put a large cushion on the floor. “Apparently, he told her to lie face down and put her head on a pillow, before tying her wrist together behind her back and her arms to her side. He then bound her ankles and legs, and ran some rope around her arms and chest. Peter, darling?”
“Yes?”
“Will you do that to me?”
“If that is what you want me to do,” Peter said as Jayne lay on her stomach and put her hands behind her back.
“Want is the wrong word, but I need to know – do it,” she said looking over her shoulder.
Twenty minutes later, Jayne rolled over onto her back and allowed Peter to tie her legs together above her knees. He had already tied her wrists together, and wrapped a length of rope around her arms under her chest before tying her ankles. As he laid her legs back down, and pulled her skirt to cover her modesty, she tried moving her ankles around, the only sound coming the squeal from the leather as it rubbed against the rope.
“How do you feel?”
“I know how she felt now. This is why I trust you – you would not hurt me in this position.”
Peter nodded. “What else did he do?”
“Apparently, he used some tape to cover her mouth, and then blindfolded her while he ransacked her house. I need to know what that feels like.”
“I thought you hated the feel of tape?”
“I do – but this once, do it for me.”
Peter nodded, and returned to the kitchen, returning with a roll of tape. Peeling a strip off, he tore it from the reel and said “Put your lips together, and try to breath through your nose.” Jayne nodded as he smoothed the tape over her lips, loosened the knot that held her scarf in place and slipped it off her shoulders before helping her to roll over. Folding the scarf into a band, he tied it gently over her eyes and sat back, watching her as she slowly tried to move.
After half an hour had passed, he removed the scarf and peeled the tape away.
“How do you feel?” he asked as he helped Jayne to sit up.
“Horrible – if we play our games, never use tape. All right?”
“All right,” he said as he took a wet wipe and cleared the residue from around her mouth. “Apart from that?”
“I know how she felt now – and I can accept it. Thanks, Peter.”
He returned the compliment with a simple kiss.
The Seventh Week
Peter sat down as Jayne closed the door behind them.
“I can’t let you stay too long tonight, Peter – I have to go into work tomorrow morning, but I wanted to have some time with you anyway.”
“Why, what’s happening?”
“I have to leave for a while – the office want me to do a three month sabbatical in the United States.”
“Oh no – what about us?”
“It’s only for three months, my darling, and hopefully you can come and visit.”
“We can talk about that later,” Peter said as he looked at his lady. She was wearing a blue denim dress, with short sleeves that were held up by little straps at the cuffs and a thin belt around her waist, as well as a pair of sneakers on her feet.
“Would you like to play a game tonight?”
“Yes, I would love to – what do you want to do?”
“Do you trust me, Jayne?”
“Of course I do,” she said as she stood up, came over and kissed him.
“In the case, I think we should play a scene game. I promise you, it will be fun.”
“All right – what do you want me to do.”
Peter picked up his satchel and took out several lengths of pre-cut rope. “This is going to be different, but it will all be all right,” he said as he stood up. “Turn round and put your hands behind your back.”
Jayne could not help a shiver of anticipation running down her spine as she felt her wrists being crossed and tied together, and then saw the ends of the rope being passed around her waist and pulled so that they were held firmly in the small of her back.
“This is more than usual,” she said as she allowed Peter to lie her face down on her couch.
“It’s all part of the game, darling,” he said as took another length and doubled it over.
“I’m telling you, Jayne, it’s just a game. You weren’t scared the first time, were you?”
“No,” Jayne said as she shook her black hair.
“Or when I first tied them behind your back?”
“No – but this feels different.”
“Trust me, Jayne. Are you uncomfortable?”
She looked over her shoulder at the rope around her wrists that went around her waist, then at the rope around her ankles and legs.
“No – I’m ready?”
“Good,” Peter replied as he gently pulled the knotted bandana into her mouth. “You’re ready for the next level.”
“Whht”, Jayne mumbled as her ankles were pulled back until they were parallel with her knees. She looked again over her shoulder as Peter passed more rope between them and the rope around her wrist and arms, pulling so tightly that they almost touched her bound wrists.
“Tht hrts, ptr?” she mumbled through the thick cloth knot that was holding her tongue to the floor of her mouth.
“I’m sorry, Jayne,” Peter said as he stood up and walked over to her handbag, “but your news has meant I needed to move far sooner that I had planned to.”
Jayne looked on, mystified as Peter looked in her bag and drew out a set of keys and her security pass. Her eyes then widened as he came back with a larger shawl.
“I’m sorry we have to end our relationship like this,” he said as he folded the shawl into a wide band and tied it over the lower half of her face, “but you leaving for the States means that I have to get into your office now and get the secrets my employer wants.
“Don’t feel too bad about this, Jayne – I genuinely do love you, but my business comes first. I hope you understand.
“Oh – and say sorry to your sister for me when you next see her. I only wanted her jewellery, and if she had not come in when she did…”
Jayne stared at Peter as he left the room and the sound of the front door opening and closing came. She then started to writhe around; trying to scream for help, but the muzzling was silencing her as much as she tried to – no, needed to get free….
Three months later
Zara smiled as she snuggled up next to him on the couch, the only light in the room coming from the fireplace. They had been going out for two weeks now, and his easy charm and grace had started to make her think this could be the one.
As she placed her head on his shoulder, he put her arm around her sweater clad body and gave her a hug, before turning and giving her a kiss on the lips – one she returned.
“Zara,” he said quietly, “I was wondering how you felt about me.”
“Whatever do you mean?”
“Do you trust me?”