I arrive at our room, at our regular place. He has left the key for me at the front desk. As I enter, I find myself alone. I see a piece of paper on the desk. They are instructions and read as follows:
1. Undress and wash up. Wash every hole, Sophie.
2. Pin your hair back into a ponytail or braids.
3. There's a box on the bed. Open it. You must wear everything I left in the box, and only what I left in the box.
4. Turn off your phone.
5. There's a chair at the back of the room. When you're ready, sit down, with arms at your side.
6. Don't move once you've sat down.
7. When you hear me enter the room, close your eyes and don't open them again, until instructed.
8. Don't speak, unless answering a direct question.
I follow the directions to the letter. I wash up, everywhere. The box on the bed contains a royal blue, velvet slip, black thigh high stockings, and heels. The slip is longer than what I usually wear for him, and hangs just above my knees. I dress, and move towards the chair.
The plain office chair is facing away from the door, directly across from the large floor-to-ceiling window. I sit down. I can see people on the street, going about their daily lives. They cannot see me. If they can, they can only see me from the chin up, my eyes watching them as they hurry from one place to another. I notice that I am shaking a little. My breathing is labored, and my heart is pounding in my chest. All I can hear is the sound of my heart beating and the congestion coming from the street. I'm nervous, but excited. I don't know what to expect this time. He has certainly pushed me to my limits, but this...all of this...is new.
I hear a "click" as the key unlocks the door. A slight murmur from the hall tells me that the door is open. The murmur fades, but I do not hear the door close.
My heart is beating faster. Where is he? Is he in the room? I don't move. I don't turn around to check if he's there. I stay perfectly still and close my eyes, as instructed.
A few minutes go by, and I think "Did he leave?" Again, I don't move.
Finally, I hear running water, coming from the bathroom. Then I hear him moving across the room, approaching me from behind. I feel his hot breath on my neck. I want to open my eyes, but don't. He must know this, because as soon as I have this thought, I feel a soft piece of cloth go over my eyes. I feel him tie the blindfold firmly in place.
I can hear his movements again. He's circling me, assessing me, like a tiger and its prey. He stops between my legs, and runs his hands up, from my ankles to my hips, hiking the long slip to the top of my thighs.
