Tell me if this surprises you. After planting a seed in my head about going to a fetish event, which both scares and excites me, Todd is back to single word text responses.  He did apologize, as he is very close to closing one of his own deals. I cut him some slack and went online to Google: “what do you wear to a fetish party”. Seems my choices were between anything and nothing. Thanks Google.

My boyfriend wasn’t the only one hustling to get a deal done. My boss had let me in on the complete depth of what I was actually negotiating—a full on merger. Enrique and I have been working closely for the last, I don’t know…forever, it seems. I know at one time I blew him off as a pretty boy masturbation fantasy, but I’ve really learned a lot from him since working together. I certainly respect his work ethic, which has pushed me to new heights.

Most of the time I ignore his boyish good looks, but it often hits me how delectable he is at the most opportune time. Like say, lunch time on a sunny day on a patio. He insists that if we work hard, we should play hard as well. I like that strategy and he wears it well. I have to be careful though, his playing hard often involves cocktails. I try to limit my drinking to one per meal now lest I end up under the table—or under worse things.

I’m finally ready to admit that I’m torn between two guys. On one hand, I have my boyfriend. He’s no slouch in the looks department, but is a bit older. Though sometimes I’m not sure. I like the time I spend with him, but all that time is either eating or sexy time. Not complaining about either. I just want more. Not like, move in together more, but maybe a few Fridays and certainly infinitely more weekends. It’s weird to think I met him at yoga and we bonded over exercise, but now the only work-out I do with him is horizontal.

And then there’s the boy who is not boyfriend material, Enrique. The guy I accidentally—on purpose—slept with 6 weeks after starting my new job. The hurtful part is that I was so dolled up he didn’t even know it was me. Ouch! And yet ever since then he’s appeared to be very much boyfriend material. Nevermind all the help getting me up to speed with my job, and the particulars of the two deals I’m involved in. No, Enrique was sweet to me even knowing I had a boyfriend. He showed me the sights of two cities I’d never been to with no expectation of anything in return. In fact, it was I who kissed him—twice. And still I’m not cheating on my boyfriend, though not for lack of trying it seems.

My boyfriend is fully available for me, but only at certain times. Enrique is available to me all the time, but only to a certain limit. The ideal man would be a combination of both of them. No, that would take away what was unique to each of them. The problem with perfect fantasies is they can’t live up to imperfect realities. Something has to give though. It’s hard being away from Todd and harder being so close to Enrique.

Nico railroaded me into Christine’s office. At first I wasn’t sure if I should be happy or worried. Nico had this adult concerned face on. OK, that’s a bit harsh. She is mostly always a grown-up, who just knows the right moment to be a thirteen year-old boy. OMG! That’s her words out of my mouth..keyboard. These days she’s the second most person I’m around. I missed the day when she was more naked and less stressed.

Things were going well, but my bosses needed to send me on a clandestine trip to meet a couple of the Asian partners. I had to go tomorrow, and I had to go to Vancouver. I literally said, “The place that had the Olympics?” Nico didn’t find that funny, which is fine since I didn’t mean it to be. Apparently a few of the our potential partners had holdings and were currently there, so…

I was to exchange some documents, it all sounded very cold war spy-esque. It seems like a long way to fly to courier some papers. When I asked why we couldn’t just FedEx them, then Nico’s face lit up. Christine let her partner wind me up thinking it was because I was a cute girl and they were pervs or something. The real reason was much more banal, thank goodness. My Canadian citizenship would allow me to go into the country for business. They wanted to touch base and so I was going for an expensive dinner across the continent.

And just as I started packing at home, my boyfriend starts texting. I was happy to see him typing more than one word in a speech bubble, but the timing sucked. He jokingly asked me to blow off my trip, but I wasn’t in a joking mood. He asked me what I was doing on Friday night. I stopped everything. “This Friday?” I responded. Back to one word answers, though accompanied by a smiley. “What did you have in mind?” I added a heart. “Fetish night…” the bubble showed he was thinking or still typing, and I wondered what was going to appear. “…And breakfast Saturday morning. And maybe Sunday morning.” “I’m in.” I typed it before really realizing what I had agreed to. All my lizard brain registered was weekend with boyfriend. The next morning I was getting off a plane in a new city, in a different country.

I’ve never been to Vancouver before. The airport is very nice. Lots of open space, and glass, and wilderness—inside an airport. Actually typing this now it seems a bit weird, but at the time it was visually very stunning. I marvelled at the totem poles, when I was returning. How could I have missed them coming in? Oh ya, my mind was in a million places at once.

There was someone waiting to take me to my hotel. They say—and by they, I mean the Internet—that Vancouver is a world-class city. Well, I can vouch for its world-class traffic. Not LA level traffic, but how can such a small place have so much road construction? My mind was thinking about the meeting tonight while getting distracted by huge estates on a major road. I was anxious about the commitment I had made to my boyfriend for Friday—and then was distracted as a bunch of neat shops appearing at the bottom of a hill.

I was totally unfocussed and I decided to just focus on the ride. It was a new city and who knows when I’ll ever make it back there. The tall buildings were separated from the short buildings by a bridge that went over a small inlet. There was this weird silver golfball-like building at the end of the water. But the view the other way, out to the ocean? That was spectacular. We ended up in the shadow of a bunch of skyscrapers. Well, not by New York standards. OK, maybe that’s a bad standard, unless you’re from Hong Kong or Dubai.

Lots of people on the streets, lots of cars on the streets. Very little graffiti. OK, that last bit might seem weird, but I guess I’ve gotten so used to it—and garbage—that I noticed when it was missing. We turned at the intersection of a glass building jutting out over the street and an old-school looking department building. Hudson’s Bay, aren’t they like Saks or something? We passed an neat building that must have been city hall—and then what I thought was my hotel. It wasn’t. I think I’ve seen it on a few TV shows though, a green coppery roof. Apparently called the Hotel Vancouver, like it was the only one? Across from it was a cute little church, or was it a cathedral? Not sure.

A huge tower on the left, like really tall. I got peeks at the amazing mountains that seemed to be just on the other side of another inlet. And then as I saw what looked like an urban park ahead, the car turned right. I really wanted to see more of that park. I did later, from my room! Also, it’s called Stanley Park. Not sure what Stanley did to deserve such a park, but thanks fine sir.

The room was crazy awesome! Views of the park, and the mountains, and the water. I asked the clerk if there was somewhere good to run, I had brought my shoes and stuff. Apparently that picturesque park has a seawall, which I later did run around. Spoiler alert: it was beautiful. A couple of days in this place and I think I could live here. I took a run before showering for my meeting tonight. I didn’t see the point of showering then going for a run then showering again. While running around that big park, I literally ran into this ridiculously good-looking Australian guy. Good thing I already have two guys I’m trying to sort out. His name is Matt, BTW. Really nice hair, almost good enough to distract me from his tight behind. Friendly city.

But business before pleasure. I met with two of the gentleman from the terrace meeting. It was in a place called Gastown. Wasn’t sure if it was because people were flatulent or always talking. I’ll go with the latter. It was full of what passed for old buildings in a new city. It had a certain touristy charm to it. I was amazed at the first store I saw selling native art work. Less so of the fifth one. Still a neat little place.

I brought my work and we shared things very informally. It wasn’t what I was expecting from them. They seemed very relaxed and jovial. It allowed me to not freak out. They asked if I’d looked at real estate here. I’d done some preliminary studies and concluded the small city between the sea and mountains was indeed world-class expensive. But later I thought it had a more personal spin that I didn’t quite pick up on at the time. They were very pleasant and offered me a cab back to my hotel. I thanked them but declined after deciding to walk back. I was going to see them the next day at their office.

I have to admit I felt pretty safe walking back to my hotel, even if I did misjudge how far away I was from it. Not like I had an important business meeting the next day or anything. It was quite pretty as the sun went down over the sea and the lights went on. I realized how lucky I was. In four months I had done more travelling than in…ever. I was being entrusted with vital negotiations that few even knew of. I passed by a window (actually many of them) and barely recognized the reflection of the person looking back at me. That first day as an intern seemed like a lifetime ago.

Back in my room, I decided to indulge myself. I ordered a bottle of champagne, they don’t do glasses to rooms. I also decided to take advantage of the huge tub and beautiful view from it. I wisely chose I’d wait for the bubbly before going in the tub, you know to avoid any awkward towel malfunctions. I used my time productively. I looked to see if this town had anywhere to get fetish clothing for Friday night. I think I might have underestimated how kinky this city of kale and paddleboarding was. I originally started hoping I could find a place to pick something up and soon had to navigate through over a dozen really good-looking places. I found what I was looking for and starred it. The knock on my door made me jump. I almost felt the busboy must have known what I was looking at when he knocked. I spent the rest of the evening soaking in the tub and drinking sparkling wine while enjoying float planes take off in front of mind-blowing scenery.

The meeting went well. Don’t want to say much in case this got hacked. No nude selfiess, just business docs on my iCloud. It was a bit sobering realizing all those numbers were people, people I sat by and idly chatted with in the space between cubicles. Also sobering to realize the people left behind, which I guiltily would be, would be very well off afterwards. My two Asian hosts spoke well of me, though not enough to lift the negative karma I felt I was owed. But I knew what would bring me up—retail therapy!

Nico phoned me minutes after leaving their building to congratulate me. Wow, news travels fast! She told me to check out a few places while I was here, and that it was OK if I took another half day before coming back. She said she was so proud of me. That cheered me up a bit as I walked down the obscenely clean streets. She told me to just come from the airport to the office and she would take me out for lunch afterwards. I love my boss. Also got a message asking how I was doing from an unknown number—green bubble. Didn’t response to it.

I bumped my flight to Friday morning. It was going to be a tight schedule, but I decided to check out what the retail world of Lotusland had to offer, other that a heck of a lot of medical marijuana dispensaries. I found this darling street, Robson, and decided to see what it had to offer. I spent most of the day walking the sunny streets and wandering in and out of shops. Some were familiar, others new—yet familiar. I had a small bit to eat, I’ve never seen so many sushi places! It was very fresh. Someone told me it was fresher there than in Tokyo. I’ll have to take their word as I haven’t been to Tokyo—yet!

And then I remembered, I had to go to that place I starred last night. Good thing I’m used to walking all over Manhattan. I ended back in Gastown. Google Maps said I was there. Then I saw the sign. I went down into the store, oh my! It was small and had the feel of a sex shop, in a good way. I was surrounded by so much naughty apparel. I could have spent a day in there, maybe I should have. I wanted to transport the whole place back with me to NYC. So many costume and role-playing ideas. But I asked the clerk about something I had seen on the website—an overbust corset with suspenders. They were very helpful and made sure I had everything I needed including matching stockings and a racy pair of panties—that I would not be losing this time! I was totally giddy thinking of how he’d react when he saw me in it. I bought some platform shoes, a bit outrageous for me, but not so much for the store.

I made my way back realizing I had seen nothing in this new city but a street of stores—and a wall of underthings. I sucked as my own tour guide. I made my way back to the hotel and got everything ready for my trip back home. I’d be spending a bit more time at the airport as I was on a red-eye flight back. I suck at travel arrangements too. After a day and a half I was kind of understanding the downtown area. I hope I get a chance to come back since I learned so much about the city I was leaving—while at the airport, waiting to leave it.

Running, cycling and paddleboarding were apparently the tip of the activity iceberg I had missed. Lots of hiking, trails, beaches in a tiny little place where someone said you could go skiing in the morning and lie on the beach in the afternoon. Maybe it didn’t have Big Ben or the Louvre, but…

The flight back was sleeptastic. My ride back to the office was uneventful. Thank goodness I didn’t know I wasn’t going to get chance to shower before meeting with my bosses and Enrique. They were either very polite or very nose-dead. They were all very happy, except Enrique who seemed more reserved. I think he felt the same way as I did. I know this because he told me so—quietly.

A flood of messages from Todd appeared on my phone over lunch. I had turned my data roaming off while in the foreign city. I felt bad because it was a bunch of positive stuff and pumping up our big night—TONIGHT! That weird green bubble text was from him apparently. I got a car back to my place and talked with him on the way home. He was relieved I had called him and that I was confirming our date for later tonight. I said he’d like what I would be wearing tonight. He was suitable intrigued, as I had hoped.

Alicia was happy to see me. She was on her computer and I felt I might have been interrupting some work she was doing. She brushed it off and inquired how my solo trip had been—and if I need food or drink. What I really needed was a shower. She let me take it in peace.

When I came out I told her I needed her help and told her about where I was going that night. She was scandalized! Actually she was very happy for me, and maybe a bit jealous. You think you know your roommate… I showed her my sole purchase from my trip. She was awestruck, as was I when I first saw it. She cracked open a bottle of wine and brought out cheese and crackers as she quizzed me the whole time about my travels and the plum lace up elephant in the room.

I confirmed with Todd when he was picking my up as Alicia went and grabbed this shortish trench coat from her closet. It’s not that it wasn’t her style, so much as I don’t think it was her size. I wasn’t being catty and she confirmed it would never fit her, but it would fit me.

We were just chilling and neither of us was paying attention to time until she pointed out I should get out of the towel and start getting ready. My deadline for being ready for Todd was closing. I took another shower and Alicia set herself up at the dining room table.

I sat in another towel as she did my hair and makeup. I was only drinking water from here on in. It never ceases to amaze me how she can make me—and others—look so good in such a short time. She joked she didn’t have enough time to really go to town, then further kidded it wouldn’t matter after I got out of the party. I laughed and partially worried she might be right. My naughty parts tingled at that thought and all the possibilities that could happen.

After she had painted my face and done my hair she helped me into my corset. It was a bit anti-climatic actually. I put it on and Alicia slightly tightened the laces. No big production and sucking in as someone heaved on the laces like their life depended on it. She helped my put the suspenders through their holes and then straightened out the seams on my stockings after I put them on. I was about to put on my crazy shoes, which Alicia had already commented on. Her exact words were, “I would have never have thought those shoes would have belonged to you.” She summarized my thoughts exactly.

I was about to ask for her little raincoat as time was getting short when she asked if I was missing something. I honestly couldn’t think of anything as I strapped myself into my new platform heels. I bit my lip and blushed profusely—though under the makeup you couldn’t see it. She held up my panties and teased, “What kind of party is it that you are really going to?” I quickly grabbed them from her and hastily put them on, only to realize for the first time they had no back. Well, they had a back, but it was sheer. She didn’t laugh. Instead she gave me a big DAYUM as I looked at myself in the mirror. “I’m wearing the coat all night long,” I said half-joking. That brought a laugh from her—and a finger scolding.

And just on time my phone rang. Todd was outside waiting for me. We hugged and I asked my friend to wish me luck. She said I didn’t need any. I have the best friends!

Todd was wearing a crazy stylized Tuxedo. He looked very elegant, in a theatrical way. He wanted to know if the short coat was my costume. I told him no. He asked if he could see under the coat. I told him no, again. It wasn’t really my intention to tease him, though in hindsight it was probably a good idea. I guess I was just feeling a bit unsure. I had pushed out the anxiety of tonight by work and shopping, but I have to acknowledge that night was really a bit deal for me.

Not to diminish people whose struggles are way bigger than mine, but it was kind of like my coming out that night. It’s one thing reading Réage, Nin or Arsan. It’s even another to get a spanking or allow yourself to be tied up in your own—or your boyfriend’s—bed. It was entirely another thing to go out to a public place and acknowledge to others—even if they are strangers—not only am I a sexual creature, but I’m into weird things like you.

I didn’t know what to expect on the other side of that door. I was worried. I was worried it wouldn’t live up to the fanciful expectations in my head. I didn’t expect super models in softcore porn, but I dreaded going into the place and it was just another Friday night at another bar with some freaks. Not only was that weirdly judgemental, but it was the first time I knew I wanted this to be something…magical—and it was!

While true it wasn’t entirely populated with beautiful people, it was quite a show. Even at the coat check I could feel the electricity in the air. The worry evaporated and the expectations rose. I gave the girl my coat and didn’t even wait for Todd—who was totally gawking at me, because me!

These were beautiful people, but on the inside. Todd complimented my on my attire. It wasn’t his word, but his awkward shifting that mattered to me. I was a kid in a candy store. I wandered around looking at everybody and what they were doing. It would take days to record everything I saw, and it was an eyeful. OK, a quick summary. I wasn’t the only one in a corset and little else. Some girls were topless. Some boys had their bums out. There was a lot of man candy. I joked maybe I had hooked up with the wrong guy. Todd noted I seemed to like the less is more approach. I was rewarded with a spank, but only one. Both I and Todd were complimented about me.

He said he was worried about me for tonight, but now was worried for other reasons. We agreed to just walk around and observe, after he admitted it was his first time there too. I guess I should have freaked out or at least been uncomfortable seeing a practically naked woman getting whipped. Instead I was just one of many admirers of a show two people were putting on, and they were putting on a show.

Over there a guy in leather lederhosen was being bent over his boyfriend’s knee. Over there a couple of women with large breasts and short hair were playing with candles and ice cubes.  A woman in a latex dress was dragging a man by a leash. I was invited to say hi to her “doggy”. His owner disciplined him when he got too friendly with me. The dominant woman apologized about her pet—and complimented me in my corset. I guess she didn’t see Todd behind me—or if she did, she didn’t seem to acknowledge him. She asked if I was lost. I told her I was just finding myself.  She told me to enjoy myself with a wink. I intended to.

I stopped Todd to watch a bald-headed man. There was a woman bound spread eagle on a table. She was blindfolded. He had a pin wheel in one hand and a feather in the other. He had an assortment of a few other things I tried to look up on the Internet later. The girl was squirming with delight. She didn’t known what was going to touch her, or how, or where, or when. Todd was watching me as much as the naked girl. I told him, “THAT!” He smirked. I was serious.

I was running around in lingerie and for once felt overdressed, until I looked over and saw my date. It’s a good thing he’s so handsome—and good in bed—or I’d have had to find someone else to go home with. He didn’t like that joke or he played along, grabbing my arm and ushering me away. I think I was overwhelmed as well. So much going on. I wanted to see all of it. I wanted to try all of it.

Todd asked if I wanted anything to drink. I stuck with water, not just because I was dehydrated, but I wanted to keep being overwhelmed by it all. I saw him check out the girl in the see-through dress. I didn’t blame him, I did too. I was also checking out lots of other people, who I thought knew so much more than I did. I wanted to learn. I’d always wanted to ever since I borrowed that white covered book in high school from my friend’s older sister.

Surrounded by a bunch of half-naked people, often hitting each other, I felt safe. Was this the person I was behind the facade of the good little girl. I wanted more. I wasn’t entirely sure of what, but I wanted it. When my boyfriend came back I whispered in his ear. Again looking back it was strange that he was the one who was surprised, not frightened when I said I wanted him to spank me—here, tonight.

We walked around and took in more sights, him building up the courage and me finishing my drink. I’m not sure if he thought I was joking. I’m not sure why he’d think that, since that was one of the things I was deathly serious about. Maybe he thought if we just walked around a bit more I’d just leave it be. I saw the bald man and his ginger playmate vacating their bench. I grabbed Todd’s hand, it was now or never. I wasn’t going to leave it be.

It never occurred to me that my boyfriend might be nervous. He mentioned that much later—in the weekend. I wish he had told me then, not that I would have let him off the hook. He bent me over the bench. It was still warm with her sweat. I know that sounds gross now, but at the time it was an aphrodisiac. It was a weird connection to her—and all the things her master had done to her. I wanted to be her!

We had a small crowd even before we did anything. It would explain Todd’s wooden start. The sheer panties neither stopped people from seeing the target of his spanking, nor did they shield me from its effects. I started counting from the start, it was something to focus on until Todd found his voice. And as he did, I must have started vocalizing my count.

I don’t remember how high he got, but by the time it ended there was a sizeable audience around us. They seemed to appreciate it, almost as much as I did. I wanted more, just not right then. I saw my red bum under proper lighting. I wanted the courage of the girl who had lay there before me.

My boyfriend hugged and kissed me after people came up to congratulate us. I would have liked to stay and watch some more, but he wanted to go back to home. I agreed, but only if we could come back again. He said he’d created a monster.

But he didn’t create a monster, he only uncorked a genie. And just like Barbara Eden I was going to give my master whatever he wished for back at home. And what he wished for was some oral sex with just the corset on. I knew I’d made the right choice back on the West Coast. He was just getting the fringe benefit of my decision.

That night I had him tie me up and try to reproduce what I saw on the bench to varying effect. I had a supreme orgasm that night thinking of all the things I saw and wanted to do. After he uncuffed me, I went down to clean up and take off my new lucky charm. When I came back up he was fast asleep. I wasn’t mad, he had taken in a lot that night as well. I think he may have broken through as many boundaries as I had. I touched myself thinking of all the things we were going to do.

The most unusual thing I did the rest of the weekend was wake up in my boyfriend’s bed. It was a nice change from scurrying off in the middle of the night back to my place. But it wasn’t a work night—either night—and I enjoyed boyfriend cooked breakfast au natural. We had lots of naked fun the rest of the weekend, but nothing stood out as good as the Friday evening. Must go back. Must expand horizons.

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