A Dangerous Game (47 page)

kept the gadget on him, while the short straps were designed to go

round his penis, holding it upright against his stomach.
 
As his cock

enlarged, they would cause him a considerable amount of discomfort, and

then actual pain.

So he had made this appliance himself.
 
If this was the way he saw

their sex games going, she wanted no part of it.
 
It did not shock

her;

she simply knew she would get no pleasure out of him trussed up in an

increasingly complicated selection of bondage gear.
 
A little gentle

dominance, and a little brisk spanking, was the limit of her interest

in S&M.

Leonardo was already fixing the restraint round his waist, clumsily

trying the buckle the straps, his hands shaking with excitement.
 
He

glanced up at her, and grinned ruefully.

"Please help me.
 
I'm too clumsy.
 
I want the straps very tight."

"No," she said.

He looked bemused.

"But why not?"
 
Then his expression changed.

"You have a better idea?"
 
he asked hopefully.

"Tell me."

"No," she repeated.

"I don't have any other ideas, and I'm not going along with this one,

either."
 
She saw bafflement in his eyes.

"This isn't my idea of fun, Leonardo," she said.

"I enjoyed what we had before, but if you want to go down this path,

you'll have to find another companion."

The baffled look gave way to anger.

"I didn't realise you were so old fashioned," he said.

"Don't be stupid," she snapped, angry herself now.

"I'm just not interested in bondage and pain."
 
He was about to say

something, but she talked him down.

"Because that's where it's going, Leonardo.
 
And if you want it, good

luck to you.
 
There are plenty of women out there who'll be happy to

truss you up, and tighten your straps, and whip you, if that's what

turns you on.
 
And they'll thoroughly enjoy themselves doing it.
 
But

I'm not one of them."

He looked forlorn and very young, she thought sadly, standing by the

bed, still with a partial erection, the black straps dangling against

his lean body.
 
She found herself hoping that he would find a bondage

companion.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"But I can't lie to you."

"It's over, isn't it?"
 
he said.

"I think so."

He pulled the restraint off.

"I expected more."
 
His voice was sullen.

"Be grateful for what you've had."

He dressed in silence and she watched him, still with a feeling of

regret.
 
Was she regretting the end of their affair, or the loss of

that vulnerable sexual charm that had first attracted her, and which

had gone forever.

He finally pulled on his lightweight jacket.

"I am very sorry to have caused you embarrassment," he said stiffly.

"Oh, don't be ridiculous," she said in exasperation.

"And I think it would be best if we did not see each other again," he

added, still rigidly formal.

"Yes, if that's what you want," she agreed.

He went to the door, and then turned.

"Thank you for the lessons," he said.

"They were very enjoyable."

She smiled.

"I hope the English lessons were enjoyable, too."

She hoped he would smile, and relax, but he turned without looking back

and closed the door behind him.

The next day a large bunch of flowers arrived at Jacey's apartment.

The card said, in English: I lea mt a great deal from all of your

lessons, and of course I look forward to seeing you again.
 
Always your

friend, Leonardo.
 
She smiled, and carried the flowers down to her

office with her.
 
She was arranging them in a vase when Curtis Telford

strolled into the room.

"Very pretty," he said.

"They're from an admirer," she said sweetly.

"Oh, you mean the flowers?"
 
The wrapping paper, with the card pinned

to it, was still on her desk.
 
Curtis picked it up.

"Always your friend, Leonardo," he read.

"Little Leonardo, eh?
 
What lessons did you give him?"

"English lessons," Jacey said.

He sat on the corner of her desk.

"I wouldn't mind taking lessons from you, Dr.
 
Muldaire.
 
I'm sure I

could learn a lot.
 
What would you like to teach me?"

"Manners," she suggested.

"Like please, as in please can we fuck?"
 
He grinned.

"Like how to knock on an office door before you come in."
 
She took the

wrapping paper out of his hand, detached the card, and stuffed the

paper into her waste basket.

"And not to read other people's correspondence."

"A greetings card?"
 
He laughed.

"It isn't as if I've opened any envelopes."

"I'm sure you would," she said, 'if you thought you could gain

something."

"Hey," he said, "I get it.
 
You're one of these tree lovers, aren't

you?
 
You think those ape men in the forest ought to rule the world?"

"I think you ought to leave the rain forest alone," she said.

He shrugged.

"This little backwater country wants cash, lady.
 
I can help them make

the right deals.
 
I can open doors, and not just in the States.
 
Your

boyfriend likes the sound of that, even if you don't."

"Nicolas Schlemann is not my boyfriend," she said.
 
She pushed past

him.

"And now, if you'll excuse me, I have to do my rounds."

turns you on.
 
And they'll thoroughly enjoy themselves doing it.
 
But

I'm not one of them."

He looked forlorn and very young, she thought sadly, standing by the

bed, still with a partial erection, the black straps dangling against

his lean body.
 
She found herself hoping that he would find a bondage

companion.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"But I can't lie to you."

"It's over, isn't it?"
 
he said.

"I think so."

He pulled the restraint off.

"I expected more."
 
His voice was sullen.

"Be grateful for what you've had."

He dressed in silence and she watched him, still with a feeling of

regret.
 
Was she regretting the end of their affair, or the loss of

that vulnerable sexual charm that had first attracted her, and which

had gone forever.

He finally pulled on his lightweight jacket.

"I am very sorry to have caused you embarrassment," he said stiffly.

"Oh, don't be ridiculous," she said in exasperation.

"And I think it would be best if we did not see each other again," he

added, still rigidly formal.

"Yes, if that's what you want," she agreed.

He went to the door, and then turned.

"Thank you for the lessons," he said.

"They were very enjoyable."

She smiled.

"I hope the English lessons were enjoyable, too."

She hoped he would smile, and relax, but he turned without looking back

and closed the door behind him.

The next day a large bunch of flowers arrived at Jacey's apartment.

The card said, in English: I lea mt a great deal from all of your

lessons, and of course I look forward to seeing you again.
 
Always your

friend, Leonardo.
 
She smiled, and carried the flowers down to her

office with her.
 
She was arranging them in a vase when Curtis Telford

strolled into the room.

"Very pretty," he said.

"They're from an admirer," she said sweetly.

"Oh, you mean the flowers?"
 
The wrapping paper, with the card pinned

to it, was still on her desk.
 
Curtis picked it up.

"Always your friend, Leonardo," he read.

"Little Leonardo, eh?
 
What lessons did you give him?"

"English lessons," Jacey said.

He sat on the corner of her desk.
 
I wouldn't mind taking lessons from

you, Dr.
 
Muldaire.
 
I'm sure I could learn a lot.
 
What would you like

to teach me?"

"Manners," she suggested.

"Like please, as in please can we fuck?"
 
He grinned.

"Like how to knock on an office door before you come in."
 
She took the

wrapping paper out of his hand, detached the card, and stuffed the

paper into her waste basket.

"And not to read other people's correspondence."

"A greetings card?"
 
He laughed.

"It isn't as if I've opened any envelopes."

"I'm sure you would," she said, 'if you thought you could gain

something."