CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CLAUDE'S CLASSROOM
"BONDAGE – Acts involving the physical restraint of a partner. Typically refers to total restraint, but can be body-part specific i.e. arms, legs, genitalia, etc."
It was Monday night, and the first of her scheduled courses at USI. Steph didn't know exactly what she had expected, but she was pretty sure it wasn't this…a stand-alone, brick building with enough windows to keep a window-washer busy for a year. It reminded her of a recycled corporate building, which was exactly what it was. Once owned by a community bank, as their corporate offices, it had been put on the market after a merger and purchased by supporters and alumni of USI. The lobby was open with a cheery receptionist at a physically large, but conservatively styled desk.
"Hello and welcome to USI. My name is Lisa and how can I direct you?" The woman behind the greeting was in her late 40s or well-preserved 50s…not what usually represents the 'front desk.' Her smile was genuine and immediately put Stephanie at ease.
"Um, I'm supposed to start class here tonight. My name is Stephanie Plum."
"Oh yes, I see that Professor Reynaud has specifically requested that you attend his lectures. Take the elevator to the second floor. His classroom is the second to your right. I'm glad you decided to explore the world offered by USI. Knowledge is power and power is liberation. Enjoy!" With that, Lisa picked up the ringing phone.
Well, I seem to be the only one feeling anxiety here. How can everyone around here be so blasé about kinky sex? Maybe it's not as perverted as I thought. Steph entered the elevator and then on to her mandatory class. What could I possibly learn that I haven't seen, thanks to Gwyn and her sick friends? Well, Ranger is footing the bill and it was part of my contract; besides, I like old Claude and I miss his tea.
She entered the classroom and was surprised to see at least a dozen other women and men in attendance. She took a seat near the rear, still self-conscious of her curiosity. On the white board was the definition of bondage. Oh ho, this is going to be intense, Steph thought as she took a seat.
There was a commotion at the door and Claude entered, juggling a pile of items and his brief case. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen and those who prefer neither. Thank you for attending. Now...to business…
"Bondage is a delicate subject. It requires one partner to subjugate themselves entirely to another. Why would someone do that? You may ask. For pleasure…it is as simple as that. True bondage requires complete trust…not only of the bindee, but also of the bindor. The Dominant must trust the submissive to be totally honest about the stress and discomfort that s/he is feeling. And the submissive must be honest with themselves as well as with their Dominant. It is a tricky business.
"But why bondage at all? It is a complicated answer. The transfer of power between Dominant and submissive is always, of course, at the forefront. But physics plays a role, too. If I asked you to hold one leg up and maintain your position, you could do that for a while. Eventually your muscles would tire and all attention would be on their demand for a new position. Bondage removes this dilemma. The bindings do not permit a change in position and also relieve the muscles from maintaining such. Ergo, all the bindee's attention can be placed on the erotic stimulation being conducted by the bindor.
"Problems exist when the bindor, or Dom, is inexperienced or sadistic. This is where sufficient research into your Dominant is important. The pre-interview should establish the basic guidelines. Full BDSM requires more physical demands than a D/s relationship; and the needs of both parties should be openly and honestly discussed long before they participate in any scenes."
Steph was riveted to Claude's words. His slight British accent added credibility to his every word.
"I have here some of the most common gear used in bondage," he continued. "As you can see, it is quite diverse in nature. Steel, as in handcuffs and chains, is the harshest. It is often used in severe BDSM relationships. That doesn't make it wrong. It is just the most unforgiving and therefore the most expressive of dominance. The more common items are made of leather and rope. They are more tactile and less foreboding. Also among the types of gear are zip ties, ribbon and lace. As you can see, variety is not lacking in the bondage experience."
Stephanie's mind retraced the excitement and subsequent arousal the night of Ranger's birthday. (Author's note: see FanFic titled New Territories Birthday.) Memories of the ribbon that tied his hands to the headboard and her reaction to that sudden power, sent waves of sudden heat to her nether regions. So that is what Ranger experiences every time…wow! Suddenly, things were becoming clearer and clearer. Something she was told at the Hermitage began to ring in her mind…"orgasm begins in the brain."
At the end of the class, students were invited to try on different bondage gear. At first, everyone was self-conscious. But with Claude's encouragement and explanation of how each piece worked and its purpose, soon the self-consciousness was replaced with curiosity.
Spreader bars that kept legs, arms, thighs or knees from closing were of deep interest to the class. Steph couldn't imagine keeping her knees open while Ranger was administering his lingual techniques to her nether-lips. Would it be exciting or would it hurt? It would probably drive me crazy, not to be able to grab him with my legs and hold him close. With that thought in mind, she was suddenly aware of the extreme wetness of her panties. Oh my, was her only thought after that.
Class ended promptly at 10:30. As the classroom emptied, Claude approached Stephanie. "I'm so happy to see you attending classes, my dear. With the harrowing experience you went through, I was concerned that you may have abandoned your exploration of WIITWD.
"WIITWD?" Steph had never heard the term and looked confused.
"What It Is That We Do"…a term used by many in the alternative lifestyle. To the uninitiated, I guess the term would be Kink. But in any event, that's not important. It's wonderful to see you again. How are you adjusting? Has Carlos recovered from that whirlwind of clandestine activity? Oh, I can't imagine living with that drama all the time. Would you join me for a cup of tea? I recommend chamomile this late at night."
Steph hadn't decided if Claude was the "Nutty Professor of Sex" or "The Kinkiest Grandfather of All Times," but she knew she liked him…a lot. She felt as if she could tell him anything and never shock him or face his judgment. Their subsequent conversation lasted until almost midnight.
The text from Ranger came at exactly midnight. "Where are you? You were to text me as soon as you left class and again when you arrived at home." This seemed silly, since the GPS in her car and the GPS on her watch broadcasted constant information of her location. Then she remembered her promise to text him as soon as she left and again when she arrived safely home.
"Sorry to worry you. Claude and I had tea after class. I'm on my way. I love you." Steph was hoping that her last statement would calm his obvious anger. She misjudged her Dom.
Ranger was waiting in her apartment. He was sitting in her living room in her only stuffed chair…his right leg on his left knee and his fingers steepled under his chin. He was not happy.
"Hi! What a surprise to see you here. Isn't it late for you to be out and about?" Steph was trying anything to avoid his obvious wrath.
"Are you going to make a habit out of breaking your word and making me worry?" His voice was calm, but very, very stern. It sent chills up her spine.
"I'm sorry. I didn't want to make you worry. I just got out of the building when you texted me. Your text got there before mine." A little white lie can't hurt. I forgot completely about texting him. Steph hoped her eyes didn't betray her.
Ranger knew that she was lying about her text. He knew that she had forgotten completely about her promise. He hoped that his presence in her apartment and his obvious displeasure at her non-compliance would be sufficient to emphasize the importance of following the rules. Get on board, Babe. I don't want to step this up to the next level. You won't like me when I'm mad. Hell, I don't like me when I'm mad. But I will do what is required of me…what you require of me.
"See that it doesn't happen again. I expect you to keep your word." With those words, Ranger abruptly stood, and without a kiss or 'fair-thee-well' he exited her apartment.
Steph stood there, stunned. Well what the hell? She felt angry at first and then very contrite. I guess he was worried. I should have let him know that I would be late. But jeesit, to get out of a warm bed just to chew my butt off? Boy, he takes these rules seriously.
It was only a matter of time until Stephanie would learn just how seriously those rules were enforced.