Bradley and Lauren had worked together all semester on a group project together. Bradley had thought about approaching Lauren to ask her on a date, but he decided he didn't want to jeopardize a good partnership he had in class, especially because he was a bit shy and did not know anyone else. Brad had short dark hair, was about 5'11 and a passion for music. Lauren was an attractive girl. Flowy brunette hair, short but athletic, and a bit of a shy personality herself. They worked well together, had similar interests, and were overall pretty good friends after a few months of seeing each other every other day in class. Bradley, however, wanted something more and to pursue a relationship that would continue beyond this class and was getting nervous as the semester was coming to a close. He decided that after the final group project, he would make his move.
"You nervous?" Lauren asked him as they walked to class together, prepared to give their final presentation.
"The fact that you have to ask means my deodorant is doing a good job" Bradley responded with a nervous smile.
Lauren giggled at his response. "Oh relax. I'm sure we'll do great. And you look good! It was a smart idea to get dressed up for this" She said to him. Bradley was wearing a sports coat, dress shirt and dress pants and Lauren had her own women's blazer and dress pants as well.
"And if we bomb it... well at least we can see each other again after the summer when we have to repeat the class" She said, cracking a small joke of her own.
Bradley would never admit this to her but he wasn't so worried about the group project. He was more worried about her response to him asking her out on a date later tonight. He was in daze as they walked around campus.
"Helloooooo. Stud, you okay?" she asked him as he was clearly day-dreaming.
"Uhh, yeah.... yeah I'm fine, Laur. Let's just crush this project. I am so ready to be done" he responded back not all all hiding his nervousness.
"Well when we are done, you can then go back to playing that new Lego Star Wars game. Gotta collect all the studs so you can get all the characters or whatever" She teased **Studs are the in-game currency**
"Haha... yeah" He said back to her.
** They entered the classroom and sat down, eagerly waiting their turn to present **
The professor finally called on them to come up to the front of the class, and Bradley and Lauren put their game faces on. They crushed the presentation. They were the last ones to leave the room and Lauren jumped into Bradley's arms to hug him to celebrate.
"I told you we had that in the bag! You were awesome," she said gleefully to him while hugging him tightly.
"I couldn't have done it without you," he responded and hugged her back. Lauren's eyes then grew wide as she was a bit embarrassed at being this expressive in front of him.
"Sorry... guess I got a bit excited there," she said, backing up from him and looking down.
"Haha, it's okay," he responded, looking away as well and running his hand through his hair. "Hey you got any plans tonight?" he asked as they started to grab their things and go their separate ways.
"Nothing as exciting as playing Lego Star Wars," she teased again. "I think I was just gonna curl up and celebrate tonight by catching up on some shows and pouring an extra glass of wine."
"How about you and I grab a drink and bite to eat together?" he asked directly, no longer wanting to put off his real nervousness for today.
Lauren had a surprised look on her face as he asked his question. She was blissfully ignorant to any feelings he had for her.
"Nevermind... it was a dumb question. I'll see you arou-" Bradley stammered before being interrupted by Lauren.
"Yes..." She said, blushing a bit.
"I'm sorry what??" He said with a confused look on his face.
"I said yes, Stud. Where we going tonight?" Lauren asked.
"How about the local bar and grille?" He said, trying to regain his composure.
"Sounds good to me. It'll be nice to celebrate after today. Pick me up at 7?" She said, trying to ease him.
"You bet!" he said excitedly.
** Later that night **
Bradley showed up right at 7 to pick her up from her apartment. He decided to put on his best polo shirt and casual dark khakis. It was just a bar after all, but he didn't want to dress like a slob. Lauren exited her apartment and began making her way to his car. She had on a tight red tank top, black leather jacket and a new pair of tight light blue jeans that hugged her curves perfectly.
"You look great!" Bradley said as she got into his car.
"Thanks, Stud... you too" she said with a warm smile. "Now let's get going. I am ready for a drink tonight." she said while buckling in. Bradley put it in gear and they were off on their first date.
** later that night **
"One more drink?" Lauren asked, getting up from her bar seat at their table.
"I'm game," he responded. "But let me get this round..." He said while reaching for his wallet.
"You bought the last 2 rounds. This one is my treat," she said with a smile before strutting back over to the bartender.
Bradley was a bit impressed with himself. Not only had he crushed the presentation today along with his stunning partner, he was now on a date with said partner and he thought he was crushing the date too. Lauren came back, not only with the drinks but a curveball as well.
"Let's make this date a bit more interesting, Brad. She said while handing him his beer. "We've grown a bit close as friends while working together this semester, and I feel like I know you decently well as a friend. Tell me something I don't know about you?" she asked with curiosity.
Bradley hated these kinds of questions as they always come with the dilemma of 'how much do I really want to share' with this person, but he decided to play along and thought about a response in earnest.
"I'm a bit of a writer... I enjoy writing some fictional stories from time to time that are maybe about erotic topics" he said, glancing away.
Lauren was fascinated but also a bit curious. "How many have you written? And do you publish them anywhere?" She asked, leaning in.
"Haha nah. I've read some online and decided to try my hand at writing but I didn't think they were any good so they just sit in a folder on my computer. Reading them is a bit of a guilty pleasure I guess" he said before finishing his drink and trying to hide his flustered face. He had never shared that with anyone else, and he wasn't sure why he was sharing it now.
"I guess it's my turn to share now..." Lauren said. "So uh... I have something similar, I think, of an interest hehe. I have a bit of an interest in bondage, and I enjoy a little bit of self-bondage by tying myself up" she said quickly before taking a big swig of her mixed drink before turning her head away while her eyes glanced back to Bradley's to catch his reaction.
Bradley was stunned. Lauren had definitely shared something a bit more personal than he did and both surprised and excited him.
"Oh god you think I'm weird now..." she said.
"What? No, no I don't think that at all. In fact, I think that's awesome, and I want to apologize, Lauren," Bradley responded, trying to cheer her up.
"Apologize?" she said with a puzzled look.
"Yeah, apologize. Because I gave a lame ass answer to your question. The truth is... bondage is a big hobby of mine as well" Bradley confessed.
"Wait really? And writing isn't lame, so don't feel bad! But you like bondage too?" she said in an excited tone again.
"Yeah, really. In fact it's probably my favorite topic to read about in my free time. When I'm not playing video games of course" Bradley says while reaching his hand out and resting it on hers on the table.
Lauren continued blushing but her mind was put at ease. "Have you ever tied someone up before?" She asked inquisitively.
"I have but only one time. I've spent a lot of time researching methods of bondage and practicing on myself and I even picked up some gear from the local link shop near my apartment before they closed. But I've never really shared this hobby with anyone" Bradley explained.
"I've never been tied by anyone other than myself. You think you would maybe like to tie me up" Lauren asked with an innocent look on her face.
"Absolutely!" Bradley pounced on the idea.
"Great! I have some of my own rope back at my place we can use. I have to warn you though, I'm a bit of an escape artist" Lauren boasted.
"We'll see about that," Bradley responded as they went to leave the bar.
Bradley drove them back to Lauren's place. They made light small talk, continuing on about the topic. Lauren wanted to learn more about Bradley's prior experience.
"You keep asking me about my other time tying someone... are you a bit jealous" Bradley asked.
"What?! Me, jealous? Don't be ridiculous," she responded, clearly caught in the act of being jealous. "I just want to know about your prior experience, that's all."
"Well it's not much experience. It was with a girl I dated in the summer after high school. She rented that movie 50 Shades of Grey, and after watching it, wanted me to lightly tie her hands while we fooled around one night. That's it. All other experience is from watching and reading things online" Bradley explained.
"Gotcha. Was she into it?" Lauren asked.
"She was a bit but we never did anything like it again and we broke up not long after due to us going to different schools that fall" Bradley answered.
"Ah I see..." Lauren responded with a mischievous grin.
They pulled up to her apartment, she welcomed Bradley into her small but comfy domain. Things didn't begin to sink in for Bradley until she poured them each a glass of wine and fetched her bright white nylon ropes. They were each sitting on the couch with their wine glasses on the coffee table. Bradley began feeling the rope coils.
"Nice and smooth. Where'd you get it?" He asked while playing around with the ropes in his hands.
