Chapter 03 Looking Back

I hopped into the shower, making sure I had enough time to give my hair some love after my bath. The lavender-infused shampoo and conditioner were my go-to when seeing Ben; he once noted how much he liked it. After a quick dab of product and a playful tousle with my fingers, I couldn't help but grin at the outcome. Good hair days are rare and should be appreciated when they happen.

Returning to the bedroom, I stood before my closet and stared at all the outfits he had purchased for me over the last two years. I no longer shopped for myself as Ben preferred the items he selected for me, and I will admit he had a better fashion sense than me. I used only to wear jeans and a T-shirt. Though at work, I used to wear slacks, a button-down top, and a thin blazer, every day, with little to no variety. Again zero fashion skills.

Deep down, I knew no matter what I picked out; the outfit would be short-lived once I arrived. Ben liked to dress me while he was away, as he could only see me on the multitude of cameras in the house. In-person, he preferred me naked and bound. Smiling, I chose a loose-fitting dress crafted from thin, practically see-through fabric. The soft silk shrouded me in a delicate embrace as if I were enveloped by a gentle cloud with every step I took. I decided not to wear anything else save for my chastity belt and a pair of white sandals with a slight heel.

As I gazed at my reflection in the mirror, I couldn't help but be captivated by the striking contrast between my maroon hair and the sheer white dress that left little to the imagination, as the revealing fabric clearly showed everything underneath or lack thereof. The thought of being seen in such a compromising outfit in public caused my cheeks to turn red, knowing how much it would please Ben if he were with me. Running my fingers gently over the Eternity collar around my neck, I applied some extra lotion beneath the belt, uncertain of what the weekend held in store for me.

Happy with my outfit, I only grabbed my keys and cell phone. I didn't need to pack anything else for the weekend. Ben would provide everything I needed, and I would most likely be coming home with some new items for the closet and a few marks on my body.

Smirking, thinking about what Ben might do to cause those marks, made me a bit wet at the thought. After locking the door, I slipped into my green Mini Cooper in the driveway. Happy that none of my neighbors were out when I walked to the car because when the sunlight hit me, and I looked down, the dress was completely see-through. It looked like I walked naked to the car.

Still blushing, I put on 90's rock and started driving to Ben's house. Selecting his address in my GPS under favorites, I double-checked the route as there were so many back roads; GPS seemed to send me a different way every time.

Ben's house was tucked away in an area with more cows than human neighbors. The sparsely populated surroundings granted him the luxury of a spacious home encompassing several acres of land and a vast garden.

As I continued on my drive, my thoughts drifted back to the days before the world was plunged into a two-year freeze when none of us could have foreseen the impending chaos that awaited.

I had almost given up on meeting someone, as online dating led to many disappointments. Each date introduced me to a new species of douchebag. One chap, a true embodiment of rudeness, treated the server with contempt and kept snapping his fingers at her like she was a dog. Another pretended to be prince charming, only to expect sexual exploits to repay his superficial generosity. And let's not forget the exuberant fellow who couldn't help but regale me with tales of his ex-girlfriend's remarkable skills and how her refusal to engage in nightly blow jobs led to their ultimate demise.

This didn't include the dozens of dick pics that guys would send before they even said hello. I can appreciate a good dick pic, don't get me wrong, but I was naively looking for love, not a random hookup. After yet another failed date, I deleted all the apps. I was tired of the fakeness of it all and debated whether adopting a few cats and calling it a day would be best.

With all that in mind, I wasn't looking for anything when Ben entered my orbit. He was helping my company with a merger after we purchased one of our competitors. As I was the one that managed all the departments for large projects, we had to interact often. The chemistry was there even though he wasn't the body type I typically looked for.

Ben was an inch or two taller than me, but I was the same height or taller in most heels. His black hair was close to the scalp and always trimmed. I wouldn't call him thin, but he wasn't big, either. I would later find out that he had quite a bit of muscle but wasn't overly muscular. He always exuded a certain aura of discipline and self-assurance. Everything had to be perfect; he would call out any spelling or grammar errors and make a point to look disappointed when someone wasn't on the same wavelength as him.

When we started working together, he would frustrate me beyond words, but when I could send him a completed draft of the progress with zero errors, the sense of pride I felt sent me over the moon. It became almost a drug doing everything I could to be perfect and him not finding fault in me or my work.

When the project was almost complete, he asked if he could come over the Saturday after it wrapped and cook me dinner. He had mentioned several times how much he loved to cook, and the hotel he was staying in didn't have a full kitchen. He missed his kitchen back home as he loved to cook. I quickly agreed and asked what I could get, as I was happy to pay to have a chief come to the house. He told me no, he already knew what he wanted, and I only needed to wear a date night dress.

I still wonder how he didn't start laughing at the pure panic that must have shown on my face as I didn't own a single dress; I couldn't think of the last time I wore a dress. I started to regret the date night as I went shopping after work and tried to find anything that would get me the nod of approval I desperately craved from him.

The girl at the shop who ended up helping me as I couldn't find anything on my own was an angel sent from heaven. She looked me up and down, said she knew exactly what I needed, and returned with a dress with a blue floral pattern. Trying the dress with its fitted bodice and cinched waist was perfect for my small top. The flared skirt showed off the bit of curves I did have.

Saturday couldn't come soon enough.