My name is Richard, and I am drowning.
I am suffocating, and am near a breakdown, but ironically, if I were given a choice of saving myself, or continue to let myself be destroyed, I would probably chose the path of destruction.
Today, I am 42 years old. Two years ago, I lost my wife JoAnne of 15 years to cancer. We had been close in everything, and I was lucky to have a woman to whom I could confide my submissive/masochistic leanings. Although s&m didn't interest her, as the years went on, she did accommodate me. My taste for body worship and nipple and cock torture were, on occasion, fulfilled by my wife and I lived a happy life with her.
One of our biggest supporters during my wife's illness was Hope, a stunning woman of 35 who had been my wife's closest friend since we moved into this community five years earlier. Hope and her late, much older husband Benjamin (he died two years before JoAnne) were an attractive, well-to-do couple who kept pretty much to themselves. As I was trying to advance at the company I worked at, I worked late hours and often when I was working late, my wife would go over their house to play bridge with the couple. As neither of us had any children, we were free to do what we wanted, when we wanted.
When my wife passed away, Hope arranged everything for the funeral. As we had both lost a spouse recently, we began getting acquainted.
Hope was very take charge, and began sweeping me into social events with her circle of friends and mine. I was more than happy to leave the planning to someone else.
While the first few months, I sleepwalked my way through my days and nights, I soon began thinking of sex again. While S&M wouldn't be reasonable until I found a willing partner, I was horny and one night tried making a play for Hope. She always wore the clothes, which I found the sexiest, no matter what the occasion. If she were trying to frustrate me, she couldn't have done a better job.
Politely, Hope put me off, and sweetly said that we would have to talk about what we each wanted before we considered moving onto that aspect of our relationship.
We continued dating, and finally, I got so frustrated that I spoke up. I asked her whether she was interested in me sexually.
"Why of course, honey. But I don't know if we really have a future as a couple." She said.
"Why not."
"Because for me to get sexually excited, I need a very strong level of commitment from my partner. Very strong."
I then began outlining that I thought my level of commitment was very high.
"Sweetheart, Benjamin and I had a very special relationship. His level of commitment to me was total. I was his first and last thought every day. And I don't mean simply sexually, either. I don't know if I could ever have a different type of relationship with a man."
"What kind of commitment do you mean?" I asked.
"He's got to be fully committed to me." She said. Looking at me with meaning. "I would be in total charge. My word would be law. I would be the center of his existence. Is that something you could accept?"
I hesitated and she shrugged. I didn't know what the shrug meant until next week, when I was devastated by a call from Hope to tell me that we should split up because she was really looking for someone who would give her such a full commitment.
I couldn't believe my ears. I realized how much I needed Hope. She, however, was insistent that I couldn't really make the type of commitment she wanted. At this point, Hope said that we should be "friends."
In a few days, I saw her downtown with a strong looking, well-built younger man. The next weekend, I saw them sailing happily with two other couples, and I got so upset, I nearly threw-up on my boat.
I was becoming obsessed. Hope wouldn't return my calls, and even turned off her answering machine, so I couldn't hear her phone message.
Then, just when I began de-pressurizing, she would call to find out how I was and to apologize for not calling me. We would talk, I'd wind up begging, and she would gracefully get off. She'd then ignore me for another week or so, then call me warmly. The cycle would begin again. I would never get a chance to fully recover from her.
Finally, Hope agreed to see me, and we met at a restaurant that my wife and I often went to. After some small talk, although I promised myself I wouldn't beg and make a fool of myself, I began begging and making a fool of myself. I asked her what she wanted. Rather than reject me, Hope took my hand and looked at me sadly.
"I want total security. I never want to have to worry about you. I want a relationship where there would never be a question of my security, either financial or marital. It wouldn't be like most marriages. I would make the decisions."
I nodded my eager agreement.
She lit a cigarette. "And I would manage the money. All of it. Yours and mine. Could you agree to that?"
I nodded and under the table, she began warmly stroking my thigh. Her smile was hopeful. I was as hard as a rock.
"And none of my decisions would ever be questioned? Is that understood?"
I nodded again.
"And what if I told you that I wanted a much deeper s&m relationship than you and JoAnne had."
I nearly fell off my chair. Hope just held me closer.
"Who do you think convinced her to give you what you needed?"
I began to beg. "Please marry me."
And we began making plans. The wedding would be the next month. She took care of our respective guest lists. At that point, we began getting intimate. She was expert at oral sex, and gave me a good going over. I wondered where the s&m came in, but dare not ask.