The room was a large one but sparsely furnished. At one end was a set of French windows that opened onto the garden. Sunlight fell across a hardwood floor at the centre of which stood a bath tub raised at each corner on a bronze lion's paw. At the bottom of the tub stood a man. He was naked save for a blindfold and a tight pair of black leather shorts, and stood with his hands suspended above his head. The hands were cuffed—she had done it herself several hours before—and the fur-lined cuffs were suspended from a long chain that was attached by a hook to the high ceiling. The man was half-standing, half-hanging from the chain.
She smiled and opened one of the French windows, allowing the warm air of afternoon into the room. At the noise he shifted, turning slightly to locate the sound. She thought of addressing him but changed her mind. She simply kicked off her heels and walked barefoot to the side table. From the box with the gold ribbon she took one of her favourite Belgian chocolates. She sucked its sweetness, still regarding her captive. And then, treading softly, she stole up behind him and playfully ran her fingernail across his left shoulder blade, just firmly enough to leave a mark. He stiffened, causing the chain to clink, but he made no other sound as she walked around him, admiring the muscles of his chest and arms that were stretched taut and well displayed.
Still without speaking, she put on a CD, Chopin's Nocturnes. She took a second chocolate from the box, savoured it for a while and then selected a third. This one she carried across to the chained man where he stood at the end of her bath tub. She raised it to his nose and he inhaled deeply. 'Eat!' she told him and stroked his cheek just below the blindfold. She fed him the chocolate and watched his jaw as he ate. With her left hand, she played with the hair of his chest.
Moving away again, she went to the wall into which a bronze wheel was set. It looked like it might belong on a small boat. She gave the wheel a turn, watching closely as the chain was paid out, lowering the man until he rested on his knees. Satisfied, she went back and stood in front of him. She sat herself down on the end of the bathtub, so close she could hear his soft breathing. Slowly she unbuttoned her blouse—she thought he might be able to hear the buttons—exposing her high breasts in their bra of ivory lace. Reaching quickly, she put both hands behind his head, gripping the hair, and dragged it forward, bringing his mouth to her left breast.
He began to nuzzle her at once. She could feel his lips through the fine lace, his nose pressing into her softness. His tongue grazed her nipple and she inhaled sharply. But when she felt his teeth there she pushed his head away and gave his cheek a sharp slap. The sound rang in the empty room.