by Eliza Master
“And now for that pretty thong,” Adam said, but he didn’t cut that. Instead he pulled the legging ringlets to below Renata’s knees, and the thong just above them. Renata tried to wiggle everything off.
“Let’s leave them right there,” Adam whispered, “if you don’t mind.” He was so polite even as he took control. It was a nice combo. “Don’t move,” he commanded. Renata leaned forward to watch as he used his knife. He ran it on the blunt side of the blade down over her sundress around her left breast very slowly. Then he traveled over her skirt and landed on the bare skin beneath her belly button. “You okay?” Adam whispered, holding steady. The metal was cool against her, making her feel tense. He could easily cut her. Should she stop him?
Up for the adventure, Renata nodded again, and Adam continued moving the knife. He went over her shaved mound and inside to her opening.
“You have an abrasion?” Adam asked in a concerned tone.
“Yes, I guess. Not sure what happened.”
“It looks like it’s healing. Does it hurt?”
“Not at all.”
Adam dropped the subject. He lowered the panties and legging rings and tossed them on the floor. Then he moved between Renata’s legs and spread them apart. Adam held the knife against her clit. Renata gasped in surprise. The steel blade was strangely dangerous and exciting. “Ahh.” A small moan escaped her lips, but Renata was scared to move.
“I love making you moan,” Adam gloated. Renata’s gem responded without permission. She could feel the blade exactly where she wanted it.
“Ahhh!” Renata couldn’t help herself.
“Don’t move,” Adam warned holding the knife steady.
Finally Adam dropped the knife to the hotel rug, and Renata laughed in relief. Then he fell on her, kissing her with his mouth wide. He whispered in her ear, “I would never want to hurt you, you know that.” Adam said those words over and over. Renata didn’t know what to think. Was he crying? Renata hoped not. There was no need to be overly sentimental. He really was very sweet, and she loved the tenderness, but she wanted to get back to bed business. Was Adam just a big tease?
Renata stood up and grabbed the knife, but hesitated. What was her next move? She placed it on the table next to the small camera that was still filming. She hit the off button, and felt around her handbag. Inside was her handgun. Renata considered; would that be a fun response to his knife play? Thing was it was loaded, and she didn’t want that kind of responsibility.
If only she had some rope. There was her laptop cord, she remembered. It was rope-like and strong. Renata looked at it as if it was the first time she’d seen it. Like most chargers, it had a junction box in the middle, with a magnetic input. She felt Adam watching her from the bed. She looped the computer cord and put it on the foot of the bed.
Slowly Renata untied Adam’s Converses and tugged off his jeans from the ankles. He wasn’t wearing boxers. Adam was hard, reaching for the ceiling.
Now they were both undressed from the waist down. He let her tie him without saying a word. Renata folded the cord in half, holding the charge box in one hand. She wrapped the double length around both of Adam’s calves. Keeping it loose, she fed the free ends through the loop at the box end. Renata missed her lovely skein of perfectly wrapped rope back in her trunk at home. Twisting the box, she created another small loop after the box loop. She fed the free ends through this loop too and tightened down the tie. Adam’s legs were bound together now, and it would take untying to free them. Renata knew this wasn’t real shibari, but she didn’t have a real rope. The cord around Adam’s bare legs was still sexy.
“You caught me,” Adam smiled. Renata was ready to have him. She pulled on his man-ness and let it slap her other hand. Renata did it again and again. “Babe, oh babe,” Adam whimpered. Then Renata straddled him and sat with his dick against her. She held him and rubbed herself with him between her legs in just the right way. She was taking her time.
“Get a condom. There’s one in my jeans pocket,” Adam said. Renata grabbed it and dropped it on his chest. He bit the package open, and rolled it on. Now Renata mounted him and began to lift and lower herself just a bit more slowly than she knew he wanted. That was her special trick. Every time he shut his eyes in pleasure, Renata stopped humping him. “No hurry,” Renata teased. She was getting hotter, and she wanted him to hold back. She teased him for another minute before Adam took her by the waist and forced her onto to her back. Despite his bound legs, he pinned her down and resumed their lovemaking. Now he was going harder, in and out. Renata was about to cum and Adam was driving her over the edge. “Ah, ah, ah, ah!” she cried out.
“Oh damn, baby, babe, babe!” answered Adam as Renata felt him release his cream. They had cum at the same time. Renata knew that was rare, especially since they hadn’t tried to make it happen.
After a few minutes, Adam joked, “Thanks for the interview, was it good for you too?” Was he really joking or waiting for approval? She knew he was the sensitive type, which had worked well in his favor for their love-making session. However, she wasn’t shopping for a relationship, and she hoped he wasn’t either.
“Yup, it was great. Sorry – I meant you were great.” Renata gave him a generous smile. Unceremoniously he rolled off and cuddled the hotel pillow.
“Be right back.” Renata gathered up her clothes, leaving the shreds of the leggings where they lay and stepped into the bathroom to dress. On the sink counter was a large plastic jar of blue pills labeled “Truvada.” Was that something like Viagra? Or something else? Could he be selling stuff down here? She decided that it was best if she pretended that she hadn’t seen anything. Renata didn’t want any commitments, and those drugs were best kept as his business, not hers.
20
Back in City
Kamber yelped in happiness as Renata returned to her apartment. She was jet-lagged from Guatemala. She yearned to lie on the cedar dog bed and lose herself in the long fur of her pet, but security was her priority. Her bedroom door was open to the seventh slat of the oak floor, exactly as she had left it. The dishtowel, which was folded into a perfect square, was parallel to the counter edge. A single strand of her own hair lay across the desk handle, untouched in her absence. Before relaxing, Renata checked her dining chair legs to make sure they were aligned to the corners of the room.
Everything was as it should be. On cue, Kamber moved under the table to serve as her owner’s foot warmer. Renata was tired, but she knew she shouldn’t sleep; it was only 5:00. There was still time to make Damien’s six o’clock workout and take Kamber out for a quick walk. Since the fridge was empty, Renata texted Alexa in the hopes of finding a dinner companion.
I’m home! Want to meet me at Tae Bo?
Sure, see you! Big Hug! was Alexa’s immediate response.
“Sorry, pup, I’m going out,” Renata told Kamber, caressing the animal’s thick pelt.
Renata’s voice echoed in Kenny’s earpiece. He was sitting in his basement apartment in front of a small flat screen, sipping beer. This assignment was boring, and he had flipped through the channels several times. He wasn’t supposed to go out until she left her apartment, which was taking forever.
Tim had said Fitzer still wanted tight home surveillance on the subject. But why? Kenny didn’t know.
“I’m out. I love you, doggie.”
Renata’s murmuring alerted Kenny. He was frustrated. There was nothing to learn from Renata. The only thing she ever talked to was her dog. What was Fitzer’s problem? Kenny chugged down a third beer. He had done what was needed, what they required. Why keep listening in? It was pointless. But soon he would get the eighty grand they’d promised him. First he would go on vacation; then maybe he would buy a place. Sure, he would still work, but just little stuff. He’d stay away from things he wasn’t sure about, like this job with the girl. The surgical part of the job was done, as far as he could tell. Kenny was tired of being pushed to do that – it was kind of disgusting. Sure, screwing Rena
ta was enjoyable, but he knew that wasn’t something to dwell on. It wasn’t like she ever really noticed him when she was awake. She was his job, and Kenny had followed orders. It was all for the sake of medical research; this was helping people. That made him innocent.
Tim had assured him he would be getting his final payment at the month’s end, and the surveillance would be finished. He could wash his hands of the whole thing. Kenny thought he would go down south to see his aunt in Nashville as a nice getaway afterward. Maybe see some music and some high school buddies.
There was an annoying itch in his brain when he thought about Cameroon, Guatemala, and Renata’s naked body. The itch was becoming a headache, so Kenny knocked back four ibuprofen. Then he heard Renata’s door close and figured he could put the device on record mode for a while.
“Well, look who’s back in town!” Damien greeted Renata magnanimously. The class was about to start and was surprisingly full. There was no Alexa yet. Renata chose the back row and began the series of moves. Her body followed the commands as her mind ran free. What a week. Fortunately, all was on course for her project. Images of the young yohimbe stalks reaching for the sunlight made her feel like she was the farmer. The stump portion of the project was more experimental, and most hadn’t budded yet. As per contract, Renata had brought them to Guatemala and had them planted, but their success was Fitzer’s concern now. Agri-Gen didn’t guarantee that yield, like they did for the seed starts. Still, she decided to message Darwin to send her some close-ups of the stump fields since it was on her mind.
Between exercises, Renata’s mind wandered. The night at the fire was still a puzzle. Had her vision been real? What about the warning from the old woman? And the poison dart gun was a strange gift. What would she need that for? After all, she had a real gun, and she knew how to use it. Perhaps Esperanza was just a crazy old lady.
Damien brought the class into cool down, but there was still no Alexa. Quietly, Renata slipped out of the studio and into the locker room. Her phone whistled.
Meet at Beppie’s in ten minutes, my treat. The text was from Alexa.
KK- See ya. Since she didn’t have enough time to shower, Renata spritzed on some Jo Malone and slipped into her jeans. She cruised the few short blocks to the Italian place. Beppie’s was one of Alexa’s favorite spots. They served homemade pasta and fresh fish.
“There’s my friend,” Renata said to the host, and he led her to the table and pulled out her chair. She was starving. Alexa was smiling. Leaning over the table, Renata kissed her. No one in the restaurant cared or even noticed. After all, this was San Francisco. Renata was finally relaxed and fully off-duty. The strawberry flavor of Alexa’s lip gloss lingered delicately in her mouth.
“What are you having?” Alexa asked, encouraging Renata to focus on her menu.
“I think I’ll have the ravioli and soup. You pick the wine.” Renata casually moved her empty wine glass to sit precisely above her bread knife. She micro-straightened the grips of her cutlery. Alexa jabbered on about this and that as Renata nodded. She was relieved to not have to really take it all in.
“Can you believe that? Adam told me. I think he just found out, but he’s going be fine. And we are too, I promise.” Bong. Adam’s name was like a doorbell. Renata started paying attention.
“He’s going to all the right people and getting the newest stuff, so… When is your annual?”
“My annual?” Alexa had Renata’s full attention now.
“Yeah, ’cause Adam tested positive. I’m negative, and I’m sure you are too.” Her smile was insecure. “Anyhow, just to make sure, you should get tested, probably.” A waiter brought two bowls of bean soup and set them in front of the women. Renata squirmed. The seam of her jeans had worked its way into an uncomfortable camel toe. The soreness in her privates suddenly flared. She was speechless, and her appetite vanished.
“What!” Renata said, a little too loud. Of course, Alexa didn’t know that she had just fucked Adam again. “Does he have HIV or AIDs?” she questioned, demanding an answer with the tone of her voice. That sucked for Adam, but he’d better not have given it to her!
“That’s what I just said!” replied Alexa
Renata’s napkin fell to the floor. “Excuse me a sec.” She needed to recover from the news. Renata locked herself into a stall and took out her makeup mirror. She sat on the toilet and looked at the sore area between her legs. It looked like a cut. It was a red line about a half-inch long. Surly this couldn’t be HIV, could it? Maybe she’d gotten some other disease from Adam. What an asshole! She wanted to call him and yell, but instead she called a gynecologist and left a message, right from the bathroom stall. Luckily for her, no one else had needed the restroom. Taking some deep breaths, Renata reassembled herself and did her zazen meditation. It seemed to help. At least now she appeared calm.
Returning to the table, she wanted to tell Alexa about screwing Adam, but she couldn’t.
Renata sat there trying to eat with a happy face on for her friend.
Now Alexa changed subjects. She was telling Renata about blackberry jam. “I made over twenty jars. And two are for your house.”
The waiter brought the main course to the table. It was beautiful, but Renata’s stomach was turning. She stared at her plate.
“Renata, are you listening?” Alexa asked, a hint of exasperation entering her voice.
Dinner was falling apart. Renata pushed the homemade pasta with vodka cream sauce around her plate, and Alexa had stopped eating all together. They sank into an uncomfortable silence. “I’m sorry.” Renata laid a hundred-dollar bill on the table. “I really am sorry.” It seemed she was always apologizing to Alexa. She meant it, though. Renata was truly sorry that she couldn’t be all Alexa wanted, couldn’t open up to her, and even wanted to be away from her. Alexa deserved better. It was a disservice to continue spending time together when her heart wasn’t in it. She rose, removing her leather jacket from the seat.
“Bye, Renata.” Alexa didn’t get up, and the seriousness in her voice made Renata feel worse. None of this was Alexa’s fault or even had to do with her directly. Leaning over, she put her lips on her lover’s and looked into her eyes. There was love there, and she could see it. For now, however, she had to walk away.
21
The Check-Up
“Renata Alvarez.” Her name was called, and she entered the exam room. Though she was comfortable with her body, she didn’t like to be probed. She also felt embarrassed that she was back before her yearly to get tested for STDs, and she hoped the doctor wouldn’t ask too many personal questions. Renata counted herself as a free woman who did whatever, whenever. She had personal rules for staying clean and healthy, and she always followed them. But her encounter with Adam needed to be followed up on, and then unknown abrasion, or whatever it was, was an enigma.
Stripped from waist down and in the stirrups, Dr. Joan began her usual ‘make the patient comfortable’ talk. “Read anything good lately?” she asked. Renata felt a small cramp. “Hmm.” The doctor paused. “Looks like a biopsy site, but perhaps it’s just an injury, yes?” She wasn’t asking for a reply. Renata had no idea why or how she could have been injured there.
“Could it be an insect bite or a parasite?” That made more sense.
The doctor probed around a little and said, “No, definitely not. I have some sample tubes of antibiotic cream, which should get rid of it. Other than that, you want to be tested for everything?” Joan smiled around the sheet pleasantly.
“Yes, please,” said Renata, grateful to get the tests she needed without having to go into too much detail as to why. After all, she was just one of the many patients Joan would see today.
Back in her apartment, Renata opened a can of tuna and picked at it with a fork. She had the next three days off, and her plan was to hunker down at home with the big puppy and not work too much.
“I love you.” Renata burrowed into the fluffy fur, inhaling Kamber’s scent. She would have her test
results tomorrow. The exam had added to her stress level. Could she be sick? And Joan had mentioned a biopsy site. But in her vagina?
Renata reflected on the past few months. When was the first time she’d noticed that sore? Guatemala? No… the first time was in Africa. Was it a parasite? Renata opened her laptop and searched. Disgusting pictures came up, but none of them fit her situation. "It was probably just a scratch,” Renata reasoned. But what about Adam and the HIV? Her heart skipped as she pressed his name from her contact list.
“You’ve reached Adam from Vector. Leave your name and number and I’ll get back to you.” A message, damn it!
“Adam, please call me back. This is Renata.”
22
The Key
It was Monday morning and being back at work was like a breath of fresh air for Renata. Before the weekend, she’d gotten the message that all her tests were negative. Even though she knew good things happened to bad people, she still felt it was her personal karma that had kept her safe. Also, the bothersome vagina scratch went right away after a few days of the antibiotic cream. Thank god for Western medicine… and men, Renata thought. Today the man was Erik, and there he was, entering his office