The night I stayed at Danny's after our piano duet didn't go precisely as I'd planned. Although I drifted off to sleep almost immediately, wrapped in his featherlight duvet, I woke up with a jolt not much later when his body rolled into mine. In the pitch-black, I couldn't tell if it was a subconscious movement on his part or if he was trying his luck.

"Danny?" I whispered into the darkness.

Nothing. I edged away from him.

All was quiet and still, so my mind took control. Would me from a year ago have slept with him? I didn't like to think my surgery had changed me (I still had both my breasts so it could have been worse) but my reluctance made me wonder if it was my loss of confidence that was preventing me from partaking in something I used to love or if it was my principles. Did I even have any principles when it came to Danny? I hadn't had sex in nine months—pretty sure that was the longest I'd ever gone without. Fuck principles!

Although I'd inched away, the heat of Danny's body still permeated mine. I slipped my hand under his t-shirt that I was wearing, his scent filling my nostrils. I pulled it up until my palm found my scar and placed my hand over it protectively, feeling my heart hammering in my chest. The jagged skin, lumpy against my fingers. I kept my eyes open but could see nothing. I slowly turned my head in Danny's direction but even though his face must have been inches from mine, I couldn't make out his outline let alone his features.

Sleep clearly wasn't on the cards anymore. I should go home. I removed my hand and twisted my body, so my legs dropped out of the bed and to the cool, wooden floor. I sat on the edge, contemplating my next move.

Before I had the chance to act, a fist grabbed the back of the t-shirt and pulled me backwards.

"And where do you think you're going?" Danny grumbled, his hot breath against my back.

I fell into him but hurried to sit back up. "I thought I might go home."

"Why? Can't sleep?" he asked.

"No."

I felt Danny sit up behind me. "What's up, Ariel?"

"I just don't think I should stay if all we're going to do is sleep. I'll be better off in my own bed."

"OK... but before you go—can I ask you something?"

"Go on."

"Will you show me where you had your surgery?"

My hand went to my breast again, this time over the top of the t-shirt.

Although I still couldn't see him, Danny was clearly sat behind me and he slowly walked his fingers up my back and into my hair, pushing it to one side.

"Why?" I asked when his fingers reached my shoulder.

"So, you feel comfortable around me again," he said simply.

I lay back on the pillow and let out a long breath, emptying my lungs. "You think I'm not comfortable with you? Because I won't sleep with you?" I shook my head in disbelief.

I felt him drop down next to me. "Maybe. I think you're worried I'll be turned off. But I'm not that shallow."

My hand still placed carefully over my chest, Danny fumbled in the dark and lay his large hand on top of my small one, encasing it.

"I'm not worried you'll be turned off," I said. "It's nothing to do with you. Only... my body has always been something I could rely on and now it's let me down. I'm embarrassed by it for being weak. I'm angry at it for turning against me. You won't care—or pretend you won't. But I will."

He interwove his fingers with mine and gently pulled my hand away.

"Your body hasn't let you down. Look how strong it is, fighting against something so evil and winning."

I blinked back tears; thankful I was shrouded in darkness. Unlocking his fingers from mine, he slipped his hand under the cotton and crept over my stomach, then my ribs.

"No no no," I said quickly, twisting away as he approached the underside of my breast where my scar was waiting.

He paused the ascent and instead traced small circles over my ribs. I bit my lip, dragging my teeth across it painfully.

"Can't I just touch it? The scar?" he asked.

"No. You won't let me touch yours."

"I don't have any," he countered.

I let out a laugh. "Of course you do. Just not physical ones."

He pulled his hand away, letting out a 'hmph'.

"You can't have it both ways, Danny. You can't sneak into my soul but not let me in on yours."

"I did earlier tonight," he protested.

"No, you didn't. You were showing off. All so you could get laid."

"That's not true. I thought you might want me to share something with you. Sure, I'd like to sleep with you again, too. Is that really so bad? I've missed you."

"What was there to miss?" I shot back, refusing to let him get me. "You didn't know me."

"You think you only know someone based on what they tell you? Or course I knew you. You were confident and sexy and used to getting your own way. You didn't take yourself too seriously. You can be a bit shallow - you were sleeping with me after all and all you knew was that I was rich and good in bed. You slept like a baby which told me you didn't have any demons, no regrets. You cared about me which makes me think you care about most people in your life. You're very trusting - I mean you trusted me even though I never gave you any reason to. Which makes me think you've never been hurt by a guy before. I think whatever your job is, you take it seriously given you only used to see me at weekends. You like Elton John and Disney, wine and bubble baths, inappropriate clothing and expensive underwear. And brunch. Have I missed anything?"

I had stayed quiet while he reeled everything off, wishing I could have been looking into his eyes as he spoke. There was so much of what he said that I wanted to contradict but couldn't find the words. My throat hurt.

"No, that about sums me up," I finally conceded once I'd found my voice.

"Good."

Since I'd turned away from him, he pressed his body into my back and put an arm around me, once again his fingers ventured under my clothes. I didn't try to stop it this time and a tiny gasp escaped when he reached the scar. He ran his thumb along the full length of it and back.

"It doesn't feel so bad," he whispered in my ear.

He continued to caress the wound for a few minutes, touching every part of it from the ragged ends to the smooth scar tissue in the middle. I held my breath for most of it, waiting for him to stop.

Eventually, his hand cupped my whole breast and his thumb switched to my nipple. His new intentions clear as his free arm wrapped around my waist.

"What if I've forgotten what to do?" I asked, only half joking.

"You don't need to know. I'll be in charge - you just have to do what I say."

My breaths shortened and I closed my eyes, attempting to block out the insecurities that were creeping in. My hips pressed back ever so slightly into his pelvis.

"Alright," I said after a few moments silence.

"First instruction is to go to sleep. I want to be able to see you in the sunlight."

I relaxed back into him, knowing I had a few more hours to mentally prepare.

***

I was woken early the next morning by Danny's body still pressed into mine.

"Morning sexy," he said between nibbles on my earlobe and kisses on my neck.

"I'm ready for you now." It was only partly a lie.

I had my back to him, and he ran his fingers down my spine and grabbed my arse. "Wait there."

He got out of the bed and went to his wardrobe. I let my eyes drop; I was still half asleep. I could soon feel his body back in the bed behind me.

"On your back," he instructed.

I rolled over obligingly, my eyes flickered open in time to see him straddle me, his full weight on top of my thighs. I soaked up his wonderful curves and edges - the sharp hip bones, the grooves between his abs, the more rounded pec muscles.

He took me by the wrists and lifted my arms up over my head. "Hold onto the headboard."

I once again did as I was told. He took what must have been one of his work ties and proceeded to wind it around my wrists, linking me to the rung behind me. He pulled it tight making my gasp and tied it in a knot.

I still didn't protest, I just watched passively as he turned his attention to my ankles, spreading my legs and attaching each ankle to the feet of the bed with more ties.

He climbed over me, caging me beneath him and looked at his handiwork. The delight in his eyes like a child on Christmas morning.

He pushed his t-shirt up my body to reveal my flushed nakedness beneath, only as far as my abdomen. My muscles tightened in anticipation.

"I can do whatever I want to you now," he said with a mischievous grin, his eyes sparkling.

I pulled at the restraints, but I couldn't move. My heart rate quickened. "And what are you going to do to me?"

Starting at my wrists, his eyes slowly trailed down my body. "What do you want me to do to you?"

My eyes were fully open, I took him all in. I'd missed his body; I wanted to touch it, drag my fingers down his skin that was already glowing with a sheen of anticipation.

"Lick me," I said.

He bent over me and ran his tongue from my navel up my torso, stopping where his t-shirt covered my breasts.

"Like that?" he asked, raising his eyes to mine.

"You can go further up if you like. And more to the left."

"Your left or mine?"

"My left." My voice came out soft and breathy, not sure if I was completely ready.

He lowered himself down again and, pushing the material up further, he ran his tongue over my left nipple, circling and flicking it and making me feel it between my legs.

"Better?"

"Uh-huh," I agreed. "Don't forget the other one."

I expected him to hesitate, but he moved to my right side and bit down causing me to whimper in pain.

"I said lick, not bite."

"My bad." He caressed the painful skin with his tongue.

My hips were rising almost against my will as I tried to close the gap between us.

"Anywhere else you want me to lick?" he asked.

"Lower down."

He drew his tongue over my abdomen once more, before sucking on my skin as I writhed underneath him.

"Lower," I urged.

"Very well."

My eyes closed as I felt his hot breath between my legs and soon the tip of his tongue touched me, and my own breath hitched.

His tongue explored me, moving in circles before pushing inside me. I moaned as I continued to fight against the restraints. His hands were also firmly on my thighs, holding me down. Any kind of movement was limited.

"Danny," I moaned.

He pulled away. "What do you want?"

"I want you to fuck me."

"You're very bossy this morning," he said. "Especially for someone who is tied up. What if I don't want to fuck you?"

"Please."

He crawled up my body until his face was level with mine and smiled down at me. "I like you begging me."

"That wasn't begging. That was asking nicely."

"You were begging me," he insisted. "Do it again and I'll consider it."

He ran his hands down my outstretched arms and over my stomach as he waited patiently for me. I pressed my lips together to prevent any further requests, but there was an ache between my legs that needed satisfying.

"You'll cave first," I finally said. "You've wanted this since we bumped into each other yesterday."

"Since before that," he assured me.

He climbed off me briefly and shed his remaining clothes, freeing his erection, making me need him even more. But he wasn't about to put me out of my misery. Instead, he straddled me again and began tossing himself off in front of me. He pushed the tip into my soft breasts and all I wanted was to reach out and help, but my arms wouldn't move.

He brought his dick up to my mouth and I couldn't resist opening up and inviting him inside. I sucked hard as he knelt over my face. It was awkward without the help of my hands and he slipped out whenever he got too carried away.

"Are you sure you don't want to beg me?" he asked as he moved back down my body again, pressing his cock against my opening but not entering me.

"I'm sure," I said with confidence. "You want to be inside me as much as I want it."

"Alright, alright." He pushed in just an inch. "How's that?"

"Deeper."

"Beg me."

"No."

He pulled out completely and began to toss himself off again. "How would you like me to come all over you?"

"I'd rather you come inside me." I watched as he pleasured himself.

He slowed down and came to a stop. He moved back down my body until his head was between my legs again and started licking, faster, harder than before.

I let out a weak scream as he sucked.

"Danny." His name was so easy to yell.

"Tell me what you want," he said as he lifted his head.

"Fuck me."

"Fuck you, what?"

"Fuck me, please. Please. I need you inside me."

Danny sat back on his heels between my legs and lifted my hips up, so I was tilted at the perfect angle, putting more strain on my arms and legs. He directed his cock towards me and pushed inside, causing me to groan loudly. He didn't thrust, he just ran his hands up my thighs, over my hip bones, across my lower abdomen before trailing back down my line of pubic hair. I shuddered under his touch.

"Don't come until I do," he said, tickling me lightly.

My breaths were short and laboured as I fought to do as he commanded.

"You'd better hurry up then," I admitted as waves of pleasure moved up and down my entire body, threatening to crash inside me.

I looked up at the ceiling, avoiding laying eyes on his face or body which I knew would tip me over the edge. I clenched my muscles around him, in the absence of being able to move and tried to wriggle, causing him to laugh, the sound sending a pleasant shiver down to my nerve endings.

"You feel too good," I moaned.

"Say my name again," he said.

"Danny," I obliged. "Danny please, fuck me properly."

He repositioned, sliding his legs from underneath and out behind him, lowering his body onto mine, supporting his lean frame on an elbow so as not to completely crush me. He shoved his hips roughly into me causing another brief scream to exit my mouth. He thrust again, rolling his hips.

"Oh god, I can't," I whined.

His fingers pinched my nipple painfully. I was a mess underneath him as he continued to pound me.

"Come for me now, baby," he breathed in my ear as his thrusts became more urgent.

"Touch me," I said.

He pushed himself up to make some space between our bodies and reached between us to acquiesce. As soon as his fingers found me, I began convulsing, my orgasm taking over. He groaned as he buried his head in my hair that was fanned out around me. His body dropped on top of mine, his chest heaving. I let out a shaky sigh.

When we were fully done, Danny reached up to undo the ties. My wrists were red and sore. I rubbed them gently as soon as they were free while he moved down the bed to untie my ankles. I pulled the t-shirt back down over my burning body, needing to cover myself up.

When he joined me on the bed, he took my hand and pulled my wrist to his mouth. He kissed the red ring he had left, my left first and then my right.

"I didn't hurt you too much, did I?" he asked when he'd finished kissing me, tracing his fingers around my wrist and then over my palm.

I shook my head. "I love it when you're a dick. It suits you better."

He gave me a half smile. "I sometimes wish things could be different. I think we'd be good together."

My stomach jolted but I kept my face straight. "Will things ever be different?"

"No. I don't think so."

I wanted to scream. Why wouldn't he tell me what was going on? I'd tried, when we'd been together before, to find out who he was but my internet sleuthing failed me. He didn't exist. No social media accounts, no digital footprint at all. Was his name even Danny?

"I should take off then," I said, yanking my hand from his loose grip. I swung my legs out of the bed.

"Come back next weekend?" he asked as I started to dress.

I turned to look at him. "Why?"

His naked body was stretched out on the bed and I was already eager for round two.

"I have another talent I want to show you," he said.

I raised my eyebrows. "Really?"

"I swear I do. Please come over?"

"Beg me."

He rolled off the bed and onto his knees in front of me. He took my hands in his and looked up at me. "Please, Ariel. I beg you to come next weekend so I can share something else with you. I think you'll like it. Good enough?"

"We'll see," I said, pulling my hands from his and pushing him backwards. "Now get up and come show me out."