Claire was a little bit drunk on the day she confessed to Tina that she had a fantasy. Had she been sober she would probably have been far too embarrassed to make any such admission and would never have said a word. But she wasn't sober and that's why Tina got to know about her most secret desire.
At the time they were both creeping rapidly up on their thirtieth birthdays and both were casualties of unsuccessful marriages. Because of that the two women had formed a friendship that had so far worked well for them. They didn't live in each others pockets because they both valued their freedom, but they had the kind of bond that meant each could always rely on the other. They went out together, they laughed together, and helped each other when needed, but both were happy to have their own space, their own lives, kept private. Each was - in Tina's words - convalescing from a bad attack of 'man-itis' and both were very wary of forming attachments. For that reason men and relationships were subjects that they tended to skate around, until the night that Claire made her confession. On that night the barrier had been broken down and they talked much more openly than ever before, each realising just how little they actually knew about the other.
That night they revealed to each other what they enjoyed in bed and what their partners had been like, and, more importantly, what they hoped to find for the future in that way. That led, almost inevitably, to discussing their preferences and fantasies. Her greatest fantasy, Claire admitted after Tina had confessed to enjoying being told what to do in the bedroom, was to be tied naked to a bed and placed at the mercy of a total stranger, someone she had never met before, who would then be allowed to do anything he wanted to her, absolutely anything. Tina had sat beside her with her chin on the floor in surprise, totally dumbfounded for once in her life.
'But why?' She asked. 'Wouldn't it be dangerous?'
'Yes, of course it would, that's why it can never happen, but the thought of it really turns me on.'
'How would it work?' Tina was fascinated by a strange desire that was not too far from her own submissive tendencies.
'Simple. I would be stripped naked, tied to a bed by my wrists and ankles and then left alone for a stranger to walk in and take advantage of me.'
'But wouldn't you worry about what he might do?' Tina objected.
'No, that's the point. He would be allowed to do anything he wanted, anything at all. Then I wouldn't know what to expect and he might do things I'd never normally allow, you know, and take me to places I've never been.'
'What limits would you put on what he could do?'
'None.' Claire couldn't get Tina to understand. 'No limits of any kind, apart from causing me serious harm of course. That's the whole idea, and anyway, I wouldn't be in a position to stop him, would I?'
'And what if your stranger was a woman, or a man who brought friends to help him, or both?'
'Then I'd get to experience a bisexual gang-bang wouldn't I?'
'You mean, you'd let a woman do things to you? I didn't think you were that way inclined.'
'I'm not. Absolutely I'm not. But I wouldn't be able to prevent it and so if I did happen to enjoy it, it would be guilt free.'
'My god, you really do mean anything.' Tina shook her head in disbelief. 'But you might get hurt too.'
'I might like that as well, to an extent.' Claire admitted. 'I had a boyfriend who spanked me at one time, and that turned me on.'
'You're full of surprises, aren't you?' Tina's eyebrows shot up. 'But I mean, you might get really hurt, I mean as in injured.'
'True, but it's only ever going to be a fantasy. In my head that wouldn't happen and I wouldn't receive more pain that I could enjoy.'
'I can see that, but I must admit that I don't understand the attraction of being in a helpless position in the first place, even just as a fantasy.'
'Embarrassment, humiliation and fear. And if I were sober tonight I think that's exactly what I'd be feeling by telling you about it.'
'Would you ever actually do it?'
She thought about it before answering. 'Yes, I would, but only if I knew I was guaranteed safe from harm.'
It was Tina's turn to sit for a while and look thoughtful. 'You mean it, don't you?'
She raised defiant eyes and stared at him, her heart beginning to race as she understood Tina's thoughts. 'Yes.'
'I know a man I could trust to do it with you, if you're really up for it?'
'Well, yes, but I don't know the guy.' Claire protested.
'Didn't you just say you wanted it to be a stranger? So what could be safer than someone I trust, but who is a stranger to you?'
'I suppose I did, but you've got to tell me a little bit about him. I mean, for one thing, how do you know him?'
'He's an ex-boyfriend from before I got married, and he used to boss me around something wonderful when we were together. I know he's got more into that sort of thing since then. so I know he'd be good at it. He had me doing all kinds of kinky things with him, so he'd stretch your boundaries, that's for sure.' She stopped speaking and looked hard at her friend. 'So, do you want to wimp out, or are you going to do it?'
'Are you sure you can trust him?'
'I'm sure. He never broke my trust.'
'Then yes, I'd love to.' Claire was getting more and more turned on by the idea, helped by alcohol lowered inhibitions.