The Scarlet Cord

by Eliza Master

  Erik got up as Renata walked over. He greeted her with a soft kiss on the lips. “Renata.” Her name sounded like a poem. Erik walked behind her and pulled out her chair. “Please,” he said. This beautiful man was treating her like a princess.

  Renata suddenly felt shy. “Hey, hi,” she said. Fortunately, a waitress showed up and handed them menus. Renata looked down the list of delicious choices.

  “Can I tell you about tonight’s special?” the server said. She was older than Renata, and she was very tall. Renata wondered if she had made a career of restaurant work.

  “We are serving a seven-course prix fixe menu with a wine pairing.” The waitress described the courses in detail and finished with the price. It was $175 per person.

  Wow, that’s a lot, Renata thought. She assumed the tip was not included. She didn’t really need all that food anyhow, and she began reading the menu when Erik interrupted.

  “We’ll have the prix fixe, please. Two.”

  “Wonderful. I’ll get that started.” The waitress collected their menus and disappeared.

  The first course was oyster on the half shell. They were dressed in red chili, cilantro, and lemon. The chef obviously had some formal training because the flavors were balanced and subtle. The next course was duck confit with crab served over wild arugula. The main course was tender pulled pork. The meal was the best Renata had ever tasted.

  Erik raised his glass in a toast to Renata. “To my favorite employee at Agri-Gen.”

  “Thank you,” Renata said graciously, and she clinked his glass. Erik was so sweet, but she wondered when they were going to talk business. After all, this was an Agri- Gen

  dinner meeting, wasn’t it? She was curious about what the managing partners wanted to offer her, but she let Erik take the lead.

  “Muscat?” The waitress was back. The Jardin had great service, but the way the waitress kept popping up made Renata feel like she was under surveillance. “This is our signature chocolate shell with blackberries on a cheesecake round.” She set one in front of each of them. The shell was overflowing with ripe berries. Renata didn’t think she could eat another bite, but the dessert was surprisingly light, and the Muscat tasted like ambrosia.

  After the Muscat was drained, Erik leaned over and kissed Renata deeply. Renata devoured it hungrily. It was a public kiss, but it felt private. She touched his knee under the table.

  “Whenever you’re ready,” the waitress said, as they settled back into their seats. Renata wondered if she had been watching them kiss, too. Erik put a company card down without even glancing at the check.

  “Can I give you a lift home?” Erik asked. He reached for her hand across the table.

  “Sure, that would be great.”

  Renata considered whether she should invite him up. Erik had never been to Renata’s apartment. Since he was her boss, their extracurricular activities had always been held in his office. What would he think of her place? Renata decided that she loved her home, and if Erik didn’t, then that was too bad.

  “You can park here.” Renata gestured to a spot at the side her building. They walked up the stairs to the top floor. “This is it. Welcome to my place,” Renata said, unlocking the door. She took his hand and walked him in, shutting the door behind her, and then kissed him deep and long. The dinner had put her in a romantic mood.

  They didn’t talk as she wrapped her legs around his body and squeezed him between her thighs. Erik picked her up and headed to the bedroom. It wasn’t hard for him to find. He dropped Renata on the bed and reached up her skirt. His hands found their way into her panties. This was a new move; usually Renata was the first one to do the undressing.

  The scarlet cord and a length of rope were in her night table. Renata grabbed the soft leather pouch that held the cord and tucked it into her cleavage.

  Erik took off her top. He laughed as he struggled to unfasten the front latch of her bra, and he said, “I got this, babe.” From above her, he snatched the sack from between her breasts with his teeth. His warm breath and long body were stirring Renata. She was fully awake. Erik wrapped the cord around her neck. He tugged on her neck while licking her pussy. Renata wrapped her legs around his shoulders and arched into his mouth. She couldn’t help herself; he had her right under his tongue. Erik didn’t flinch against the pressure. Instead he kept with her rhythm, absorbing the force behind her thrusts. When she was close, Erik slowed down the game, as usual. Renata was about to cum. Erik pulled the velvet cord tighter. He rose above her and entered her. She couldn’t stand it! The cord was getting tighter, and tighter. Renata felt the single focus of her female need. Erik was moving in and out and she couldn’t stop. “Ooh, Erik, Erik, Eriiik!” Renata cried out. Her pussy tightened around Erik’s dick, and he started panting.

  Now Erik moaned, manly and deep. The cord around Renata’s neck was limp and forgotten. She loved bringing him to the edge. Causing him pleasure was a turn on. Renata let him set the pace, faster and deeper. She matched his power. He threw his head back and buried his face in her tits, and Renata felt his seed seek freedom.

  Erik collapsed on the bed next to her, and the lovers lay quiet. Renata pulled the quilt over them. “I can’t wait to be divorced,” Erik said out of the blue. Renata didn’t know what to say, so she said nothing. Erik went on, “You should counter Agri-Gen’s proposal. They’ve got tons of cash, and they were very clear about wanting you specifically for the position. It’s a lockout deal for you if you play it right.”

  “What are they offering?” Erik hadn’t yet told her Agri-Gen’s offer or what position they wanted her for. He also hadn’t mentioned that his cycling buddy, Robert Johnson, was spearheading the project. Robert had said her contact would be a guy named Tim McIntire, and he was only getting an advisory fee. Fitzer wanted to keep Robert’s involvement confidential because of a non-compete clause they had with Agri-Gen.

  Erik explained that they wanted her to head a new Sildenafil project. She would set up production and manage the whole thing. They were willing to pay a lot, but Erik thought she could get even more. It was elating for Renata to talk with Erik like an equal, and he didn’t question whether she was worthy of the position.

  “Yeah, they even have a personal bodyguard picked out for you.”

  “Why would I need that?” she asked.

  “For travel, I guess. I think you have to get the product from Africa, and then start an Agri-Gen farm somewhere.”

  “Hmm, okay, interesting.” Renata felt her eyes closing as they snuggled on her bed.

  Soon it was dawn, and Renata woke to full consciousness. Erik lay sleeping like a buck, elegant and strong. But the doe was hungry again. Renata took the rope from her night table and gently moved Erik’s hands above him as he slept. She tied both wrists to the bed frame, which woke him up.

  “Hey!” Erik said, tugging at his bounded wrists. Renata had never bound anyone without asking, until now. Erik tried to free his arms by yanking them, but her knot held strong. “I guess you got me,” he said with a willing smile.

  “Meow.” Renata slowly pulled down the comforter, sinking into those gorgeous blue eyes. His shank was hard and ready.

  “I’m tied, girl. I’m your prisoner,” he said. She circled the head of his member with her tongue, cupping him with her fingers. She reached under him and felt his ass tense. Renata had Erik. She owned him, and she was wet with the privilege. He pushed into her mouth trying to go deeper, but with tied hands he could only do her bidding. Deep groans came out of the man. He tried to command the pace once again, and she fell into rhythm. Just as Erik came almost to the mark, Renata stopped the blowjob. She pulled off her panties and positioned herself for a 69. Though she sucked his dick, she let herself concentrate on her own rising need. She was close, and she wanted to cum with him inside her. Abruptly she turned to straddle him, sliding on to his dick. Renata called out in the language of sex, beyond words, rushing toward an irresistible end.

  4

  To Afri
ca

  Renata had negotiated the Agri-Gen offer as Erik suggested, and had already started her new job. They were flying to Cameroon via Paris. Since the layover was only an hour, there wouldn’t be time to look around. Even so, Renata thought wistfully of buttery croissants, romantic bridges, and François, an old boyfriend. She would have to get back to Paris soon. She was excited for Africa. This would be her first visit to the continent. She had seen beautiful photos of wild animals and pretty villages, and she’d heard that Cameroon was known for its friendly people.

  The body guard that Agri-Gen picked for her, Kenny, was seated beside her. Kenneth McGowan was a muscular guy, but he was barely taller than Renata. He wore camos that were colored mauve and bay, with a pattern of twigs and leaves. He seemed mellow enough so far, but his stoic manner made him hard to read.

  “Ahhh,” Renata yawned at take-off, glancing out the window as the city got smaller and smaller. She was contentedly tired after her welcome home celebrations last week. She still felt post-coital when she reminisced about her dinner with Erik and that crazy threesome Alexa had gifted her. Could it have been the love powder in the chocolate milk that made the ménage à trois so exciting? It seemed like Alexa and Adam had enjoyed several climaxes as well, though she had not paid much attention. The party had been for her, after all. Sleepy and ready to settle into a nice long nap, Renata stretched as much as the airplane seat allowed.

  That was when Kenny decided it was time to talk. He began to narrate a long story about a “trip from hell” that he’d taken some time ago. Renata couldn’t figure out where the trip was or why he felt compelled to tell her about it. The monotone of his voice dictating this boring scenario had the effect of a sleeping pill. Her eyes shut as the stewardess announced, “We are now at cruising altitude…”

  Renata dreamed. She was back in her apartment, and Adam was there with a benevolent smile on his face. He was massaging her thigh. Renata looked for Alexa, but she wasn’t there. There was a rope, though; it was coiled on the floor. Adam picked it up for her, and Renata tied him in an elaborate ushiro takate kote knot. It perfectly bound his wrists and circled his torso, culminating in a rope mandala between his shoulder blades. She started to examine her work, but when she did, she saw that the rope was tied around her instead. Her arms were bound behind her back. Rope diamonds encircled her breasts, and her nipples were erect. The scarlet velvet encircled her, and she knew it was Erik who had bound her. It felt good, so good; better than good. Renata moaned in her seat.

  The vibration of her voice woke her from her dream. She lifted her head from Kenny’s shoulder. How embarrassing. He smelled like soap and maleness; not unpleasant, really. He was laughing. “Good dreams?” She hoped it was the first moan that had woken her, not one of many.

  She quickly wiggled out of the window seat and headed to the restroom at the back of the plane. The lights were down, and the passengers were on their computers or doing their best to affect sleep. Slipping into the antiseptic stall, Renata judged her reflection. Her eyes were bloodshot. She smoothed her hair and splashed warm water on her face. “You’re going to Africa!” she exclaimed out loud into the mirror. Excitement tickled her. She reminded herself that she wouldn’t be doing any more typing or filing — no time-clock, either. The salary was contract-based, with a generous wage, stipends, and stock in the company. This project was hers.

  Fitzer, a multinational pharmaceutical company, was the contract behind Renata’s project for Agri-Gen. Her contact was a guy named Tim McIntire. She’d only met him once. He was a balding blond, somewhat handsome. He looked like the preacher from an evangelistic church her foster mother had dragged her to. Renata relished her new position at Agri-Gen for another moment before leaving the tiny bathroom that provided the only privacy for the trip.

  Renata had looked up Fitzer’s history on the Internet. A biographical article said that two brothers, both chemists from Bonn, Germany, founded the company in 1852. They were immigrants, like Renata. The name, Fitzer, had been shortened from Fitzerbergen at Ellis Island, where the young men were granted citizenship. The brothers had lived in New York, and there they began importing and synthesizing compounds for drugs. Soon they rented a warehouse at the docks and filled a large building in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. People sometimes said that a powdery scent wafted out of the place. That would be illegal now, Renata mused. The page showed a photo of the current Fitzer facility. New structures filled a compound of four blocks. The map showed labs, marketing, and research buildings, all on the same historic location. In addition, there were many Fitzer satellite offices scattered across Europe. After reading the short article, Renata felt she knew even more than she needed to. Maybe it was time to dig out her book from the bin above the seat.

  Renata had packed three new pairs of Prana slacks, five long-sleeve, lightweight shirts, and a dress that covered her shoulders. She had forgotten to ask about the laundry situation, but it was too late now. She brought a black scarf to cover her hair, which Kenny had said she might need to do in some situations. She also packed hiking sneakers, sunglasses, and lingerie. Against Kenny’s advice, Renata did pack a bikini, and one matching thong and bra set in bright fuchsia. She wanted to feel sexy even if no one was there to share her pleasure.

  Kenny’s bag rested against hers in the overhead bin. Renata wondered what would be in the black, non-descript suitcase of her companion. Military garb, starched and folded, on seam? Or weapons, secret communication devices, and a jock strap? Renata grinned, thinking to herself, “Who wears a jock strap these days anyway?” She wasn’t going to glance at his crotch, no, for sure not. She continued her amusing estimation of the bodyguard. Maybe there was a dog tag or a letter to his next of kin. Renata considered idea of a letter idea. There’d be a letter to dear old Ma and Pa, or maybe a letter to a girlfriend? Kenny had no ring, and he was very manly. “Oh, damn, girl,” Renata scolded herself. She was pent up already; staying celibate all week was going to be difficult. She would have to rely on zazen meditation to stay calm. She would focus completely on her new job and stay disciplined.

  On her project briefing, Kenny had advised Renata to bring a hardside carry-on suitcase, as they would be traveling in bush vehicles. She’d rolled her eyes when he added, “And nothing fancy. Africa isn’t San Francisco.”

  She’d had to check her gun with TSA for the airplane to Cameroon, but Kenny had a permit. Renata glanced at the firearm in its home on his belt. He was licensed as a security ranger for the flight, and they had been given the bulkhead as a privilege. Kenny’s demeanor, reinforced by is firearm and uniform, was masculine and polite: he called Renata “Ma’am” or “Miss,” which Renata thought funny. Oddly, Kenny seemed afraid to touch her. Instead the bodyguard used gestures to guide her. She smiled to herself. Her falling asleep on his shoulder must have been awkward for him.

  They had been crammed together on the plane for hours, and Kenny hadn’t shared one bit of personal information besides the miserable trip he had been on to somewhere. Now he was snoring softly against the back of his seat as Renata examined him. She didn’t know anything about her traveling companion. Perhaps Kenny was trained to be private, or maybe he’d been shaped by his environment. Renata understood that she was a job, not his girlfriend, so maybe this was the normal behavior from a hired bodyguard. It doesn’t matter; it’s good to be taken care of, Renata thought. Especially with nothing expected in return.

  Renata tapped through the documents on her laptop. She was honored to be at the very top of this project, and she was determined to make it a success. The long plane ride was a good time to do research. After purchasing a wifi connection for the duration of the flight, she typed in Yohimbe. Among other qualities, Yohimbe was the principle plant source for sildenafil. Its native ecosystem was tropical, humid, and densely forested. The stalky tree’s leaves looked average enough, revealing nothing about the plant’s potential. The drug, she knew, was extracted from the bark.

  Then she searched silde
nafil, sold under the brand name Viagra, among others, as a medication to treat erectile dysfunction and pulmonary arterial hypertension. One report mentioned that sildenafil bonded with human proteins at a 99% rate. The human body loves this stuff, Renata thought. There was a lot of other information on the history of sildenafil and Viagra, but nothing about its effect on women. There wasn’t even any research to the effect that women might need the same kind of help in the bedroom as men. She smiled, thinking of all her lovers, and she felt grateful that she had a strong libido.

  Next, Renata looked up Cameroon to refresh her impressions from her previous research. The central African country had over three hundred different tribes and languages. Luckily for Renata, their official languages were English and French, and she was fluent in both.

  The first stop on their itinerary would be a village called Yakadouma, which would serve as a base camp for their visit. The map showed it was located near the Boumba forest. Renata clicked to a brief history of Yakadouma online. The town had been established as a gold mine, and one third of the population still worked in the mines. The other main industries were cocoa and coffee cultivation. Clicking on some of the images, Renata noted that the town was very poor. She imagined many people scraped by living day to day. Yakadouma had very few hotels, hence the rented house on the edge of town. Apparently, it had once been owned by the mayor, so it had indoor plumbing and a semblance of security.

  “Oh, yeah, that’s the place, Yakadouma,” said Kenny, opening his eyes and looking at her screen over her shoulder.

  “Have you been there before?”

  “Yes, twice this year.”

  “Really?” Renata wondered why he had been there so frequently. Was he guarding someone else employed by Fitzer?