Again-sexual content. Vague but it's there.

Five

Trapper looked at his phone—it was Ann.

"Hello, Ann-I wasn't sure if you'd return my call."

"I considered not. But first, you're calling Ariadne—not Ann. Second, where did you get my number? I only accept clients through referrals."

"Stratton. You've left him in quite a mess." Trapper waited but she said nothing. "Anyway, I'd like to hire you." Again there was silence. He was surprised that his heart was booming—he hadn't expected to have such a physical reaction.

"For what do you want to hire me? I told you I'm not a prostitute. When I sleep with a man it's because I want to, not because I'm paid and since I no longer care to sleep with you, we have nothing more to say."

"Wait—I told you I want to hire you. I…think I need a little punishment."

"I'm sure you do, doctor, but I'm not the person to do it."

Trapper laughed. "Oh, I think you are the perfect person. Let's meet for drinks and discuss what I require-and the cost." He waited.

"Funny, doctor, but I don't believe you. I think that you just want to fuck again and this is your way of trying to find a means to seduce me. Do you want to ply me with alcohol? Slide your talented hand between my thighs in a public place? No, thank you. Now, if you're through trying to get in through the back door…"

"Oh, do you like a man using the 'back door '? One of my favorites—nice and hot and tight." Trapper found he was sitting on the edge of his sofa. Just her voice had excited him and the thought of sodomizing her, of her rounded buttocks being spread for his pleasure was a thing of sexual fantasy. And he had been fantasizing about her even more since their tryst. He waited to hear her voice but there was no response. He wondered if she had hung up. And then he heard her.

"I was right about you—you just want to sleep with me again. You're no masochist—you don't want to be punished—you like to dominate, to take control. "

"You're right in that I don't want to 'sleep' with you-I want to fuck you and what's wrong with that? I think you're so immersed in "'Ariadne' that you forget, Ann, you have needs like everyone else-don't you? It must be wearisome to always being the one to call the shots, to always be in charge of giving or withholding pain and punishment." His voice dropped. "What about you, Ann? Don't you want to be submissive for a night? Don't you want to be used just for a man's pleasure as if you actually were a whore? You could allow yourself to submit to various sexual acts and enjoy them…thrill in them." Trapper knew that he had Ann—she was listening to him and thinking.

"All right—we'll see what happens. I choose the hotel."

"That's fine with me. Choose one of the most expensive hotels in town but make sure they have good room service. I think I'll be hungry afterwards and you may not be in any shape to go out." He could hear her shaky sigh on the other end of the phone; he knew he had one this first battle.

"This Wednesday night at the Ritz-Carlton. Reserve a room. I'll join you at 8:00."

"All right. Nice hotel; even if you stand me up, at least I'll have a good night's sleep in a luxury suite." Then he hit the end button on his phone. He wanted to be the one to end the conversation.

~ 0 ~

Trapper sipped champagne while he sat in one of the easy chairs in the suite. It was ten after eight and Ann hadn't yet shown. He smiled grimly to himself. That bitch. This is her way of getting back at me—standing me up after I put out all this money. It's what I deserve though. Well, Gonzo wants to set me up with his girl's best friend—maybe I'll accept…

His musings were interrupted by a knock on the door. It was Ann and she stood in the open doorway wearing a black fitted jacket over a cream-colored high-necked blouse and a tight skirt. Her hair was prim and her make-up minimal. But Trapper knew that underneath the 'schoolmarm' wardrobe was a black lace garter belt holding up sheer stockings and a black lace bra. The bra he could see under the sheerness of the blouse when he helped her remove her was enticing.

"Can I get you some champagne?"

"No. You said that you wanted to fuck so let's do."

Trapper put down his glass. "You don't like to waste time, do you?" Ann said nothing—just looked at him but he observed the blue vein along her neck pulsing; she was excited. Her breathing had stepped up as well and her cheeks were flushed—her pupils, dilated.

He walked over to kiss her neck and then began to unbutton her blouse and when he had it open, he kissed her hotly on her throat. He noticed that she shuddered slightly and dropped her head back. She was giving herself to him and Trapper knew he had to be careful not to hurt her, not to get carried away. He stepped back and sat back down in the chair.

"Undress for me. I want to watch you."

Anne slowly removed each piece of clothing while Trapper watched but somehow, she felt in strange territory. The doctor was inscrutable—he gave no tells and so she became even more excited and when he rose from the chair and pulled her to him, she gave her will over to him..

~ 0 ~

Trapper stretched and opened his eyes to daylight. The room was still and he propped himself on his elbows and looked about the room. The dishes and such from their late dinner was still on the table where the waiter had served them and his clothes were still draped across the chair where he had thrown them. The plush robes he and Ann had put on after their bath in the huge marble tub were still pooled on the floor next to the bed. Trapper did notice that Ann's clothes were gone; she had dressed and left.

Trapper lay back down on the sheets and rubbed his face. Then he smiled and chuckled when he remembered the night…and Ann. Apparently she did want to be dominated and had complied with whatever he wanted, let herself be manipulated into various positions, even asking him to perform certain acts and reveling in the sensations. She is quite the woman. But then Trapper stopped and considered Ann's willingness to please him. Perhaps she was conniving. Perhaps she had intentionally allowed herself to be used by him so that she could then deny him access to her. But if she thinks I'm going to beg and cry like Stratton, she has another think coming.

Trapper sighed again. He became aroused when he thought of Ann, how she had cried out with pleasure, twisting underneath him, her wrists tied with the sash from the robe that was then looped around the bedpost.

And while he thrust between her legs, he had said in a deep voice, "There is the idea." he said between thrusts, "that all surgeons are basically sadists, that we enjoy cutting into flesh and having the power of life and death in our hands. What do you think, Ann? Do you think it's true? Do you think we're basically cruel?"

Ann's breath had become sharp and she almost panted in her hunger for relief.

He dropped his head so that he was almost whispering in her ear. "Did you like being spanked? Did you?" She made a sound that passed for yes. "Yes, you did. You like all of this don't you?"

"Oh, yes…yes."

The memories drained him. Trapper threw an arm over his eyes and sighed. Ann had been so compliant that he again wondered if that was the real Ann or just an expert courtesan—a dominatrix named Ariadne who was waiting for her turn to make him grovel and lick her stiletto-heeled boots. After all, he was the one who had done the talking as they lay together in the dark of the room, Ann in his arms while he softly stroked her hair. Trapper seemed not to be able to stop talking and Ann had listened although she hadn't shared anything about herself. He had tried to find out more about her but she remained closed. But Trapper had found that he wanted to tell Ann about himself and his failed marriage and his life and how something was lacking. There were a few things Trapper couldn't bring himself to reveal but the rest, he wanted to share with her. And now he regretted that he had handed so much of himself to her.

Trapper sat up and swung his legs over the bed. He decided he would have breakfast sent up and take a shower. He had nothing scheduled at the hospital until the afternoon and that was a consultation. He swept up the robe from the floor and slipped it on, went to the phone and called for room service and placed his order. And then he saw the piece of hotel stationary on the nightstand.

Trapper picked it up and smiled. Written on it was the name 'Ann' and a phone number in her elegant hand