"Let me be the first to welcome you cordially to our first adventure to New York City," Philip said gallantly, leaning over the little formica table to kiss Michelle, his online friend and co-author of several weeks, gently on the cheek.

"So, welcome, Michelle; I hope our stay will be as pleasant as it will be memorable," he said softly, looking at Michelle's face closely for reaction. She was 26 years his junior but time, date, age, this weekend, were irrelevant.

Michelle said nothing as she looked at him, using her years of intuition, and the nature of his little peck on her cheek, to size this guy up. 'He speaks so well, he looks charming enough. But how will he treat me? Is he kind? Is he gentle? Oh well; I'm here and I am sure to find out very soon'.

Before her sat someone she knew through correspondence only - but a man she still had much to learn about. Her curiosity was clearly piqued.

Michelle took a sip of her coffee with a cuffed right hand and sat quietly while Philip explained their itinerary.

A car, a 2004 red Mustang, waited for them in the rental area at JFK and he would drive them along the airport expressway that transected Brooklyn, crossing the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan and Soho, in about 45 minutes.

Hotel 60 Thompson was expecting them in about 90 minutes after their arrival, he said.

Finally, Philip stood up to get his coffee, returned and sat facing Michelle again. "Witchie," by now becoming more bewitched by the minute, held up her small coffee as a toast:

"To a wonderful weekend, Philip," she said, hopefully, touching her cup to his. "You've been there before and hope I am in correct in feeling I am in good hands. Do not betray that trust, please, for our sake."

Michelle set her brown paper coffee cup down, her handcuffs making a light clunk on the table, after Philip returned her toast and placed his hand gently on her right. He engaged her eyes and Witchie felt, for an instant, she was his, at least temporarily:

"To you. Dear Michelle: Please trust me; I say these words for your eyes and ears only and I ask your complete, undivided attention for a minute.

"I, rather, we, will do nothing we do not agree to first, tacitly or explicitly, every moment for these next two precious days, I assure you. You have my word of honor. We have agreed to and arranged this weekend for our explorations, our pleasures and, ultimately, our memories. This last is most important and I want us to be able to remember the next two, very short days with fondness, with respect, with warmth and mutual goodwill for as long as we can.

"I will do whatever I can to assure you have memories that you will want to look to - and cherish - for a lifetime. Memories that only you can call up, remember with pride, happiness and pleasure, and that will be tucked away in your mind for as long as you choose. And if I am a part of your happy memories, if you allow me to become a part of you, in your mind, then I will be satisfied and pleased.

"I will be delighted, honored and pleased to know, when you walk away Sunday, you will take with you a wealth of the happiest, warmest memories you have known and that you will cherish them as long as you wish. That I was able to generate, and contribute to, these happy memories is satisfaction in itself and that is my goal.

"You will probably find the bondage I suspect we will indulge in later today, tonight, tomorrow and the next day may, perhaps, be a sidelight a welcome sidelight to be sure but certainly not the primary reason that has brought us together here.

"Let our weekend, instead, be first a collaboration of minds, of imaginations; our bodies are sure to follow. After all, isn't the brain, the cerebral cortex, the sexiest part of the human body? All sexy thoughts begin, are sustained and are brought to resolution up there," Philip said, tapping his forehead gently for emphasis. "I want my brain to communicate with yours, yours with mine, and our bodies will follow of their own accord.

"Do you understand?"

Michelle smiled at this timely, but very fitting, analogy.

"On this subject," Philip continued, looking at Michelle's blue eyes carefully to try and determine what she was thinking, found inscrutability countered by a warm, inviting smile on her lips.

Encouraged, Philip continued: "We clearly have a mutual interest in exploratory dominance and submission as well as bondage that we have explored with one another, to varying degrees of success on the internet , and I am delighted indeed honored you have agreed to extend yourself, with trust, to me, fully expecting to be cared for, protected and entertained while tacitly or explicitly asking respect for your limits.

"This I will do," he said with an air of finality, "and my word is inviolate. Trust me, Michelle. New York City, you and me have so much to offer one another and I am not prepared to allow a simple transgression or an egregious misstep to ruin a single moment of the next two days for us. That's all I can say about this. Do you understand?"

"Thank you, Philip; that's so encouraging and comforting to hear," Michelle said, "and I am touched by your compassion, depth and sincerity. You talk like a doctor, somehow, so clinical in some ways, but so heartfelt in others.

"But as a woman, I need to be encouraged, to know I am in safe hands; to know, ultimately, you will respect me for who I am. If I am able to satisfy you, physically psychologically and emotionally, I will be a happy woman; if you, and I am quite confident you will be able to, satisfy me in the same measures, then I will be doubly content - twice the woman."

Philip listened intently as this urbane woman spoke, quietly, eloquently, and, in turn, Michelle began to realize slowly, much to her mute astonishment and obvious relief, she was in the company of an honorable, gentle man who would, by his word, treat her with respect, dignity and honor. All they had to do was, for the moment, listen to one another, with patience, compassion and understanding.

She looked at him again carefully as he sipped his coffee, gazing down the gallery as the busy travellers.

To Michelle, his soft, brown eyes suggested he could do her no harm; not today, probably not ever. His actions would be the proof, she knew, but she believed him. 'He's a bright, intelligent, literate and thoughtful man, it appears; yes, perhaps, there are sexy things I can learn from him. Possibly more. He even loves the arts and has invited me to the opera'.

Quietly, imperceptibly, she became more confident she had made the right choice to go to New York City - to explore her boundaries, her fantasies and his - and with his guidance, skills, imagination; honor and his integrity, make this a weekend to remember.

"How long were you in the navy?" Michelle asked, changing the topic quickly to gather her own thoughts. Focus, Michelle, she thought, focus. There is more to know than this.

She glanced at the nearby departures monitor and saw their flight, AC126, to JFK from YHX, was due to roll back from Gate 20 in 15 minutes and the preliminary boarding announcements had begun.

"Oh, just under 30 years," Philip replied lightly. "I rose through the ranks from ordinary seaman to seaman petty officer 2 nd class then, many years later, was commissioned from the ranks and retired as a lieutenant September 23, 2001, 28 years to the day I enlisted.

"I was injured; lost part of my hearing through main-armament gunfire and injured my left shoulder, which gave me generous pensions, free medical treatments and a good superannuation.

"I've had the best of both worlds, you might say: I've seen quite a bit of the world and the oceans through the 'grey-funnel' line; I've travelled to Europe, the UK and North and South America fairly extensively with the 'mob'.

"Today, I'm just content to sit at home and write about things that interest me and that, particularly, is bondage and the willing female subject. And at this very moment, I am quite pleased to be here with you to take my bondage fantasies a step further with you.

"And that, dear lady, is where you and I come into the picture. And, might I add, it is nice to be in league with such pleasant, like-minded company.

"I see," Michelle said, as she drained her lukewarm coffee, noticing travellers wandering toward the gate. She became a little anxious to get going.

"Well, I am pleased you did not abandon your writings and, I must say, I really had many second thoughts after our first, um, chat. There are so many disreputable people and organizations out there and, well, I did not want to get burnt.

"But that was then and this is now. I've read and saved all your works you have sent me and, yes, some are better than others - you have an interesting, direct and very erotic style, I must say, and, yes, I have looked forward to reading your instalments and commenting on them." Philip smiled as he remembered certain transgressions he had taken with Michelle's character as he explored bondage fantasies with her as their online relationship began to develop.

"I think it's about time to go, 'Witchie'."

"I'm ready when you are," Michelle said finally, taking his cue, feeling a little less uncomfortable as her weekend began to take shape.

Philip stood up and Michelle noticed his trim, muscular frame and broad shoulders for the first time close up.

'Mmm, not bad,' Michelle said to herself. 'Wonder what sailor looked like in uniform?'

Philip picked up Michelle's weekend bag, his own, and escorted her towards Gate 20 and the big, roomy 767 that awaited down the long passageway. Michelle slipped her cuffed right hand into Philip's empty left hand and the pair walked into the cabin interior, finding their seats together in the first-class cabin.

Philip and Michelle settled into their seats together and Michelle looked at him gently.

"Key, please?" Michelle asked Philip quietly.

"Mmm. Whassat?" Philip replied quietly, keeping his eyes on hers.

Michelle blushed. "Philip, would you kindly unlock one or both of these?" she said, holding out her right wrist with both steel cuffs locked snugly on it.

"Mmm, lemme see, sweetheart," Philip said.

In a minute, he had fished the handcuff key from his wallet and unsnapped the left cuff.

"There, Michelle, now you can just lock it onto your other wrist, if you care to?"

Michelle smiled and placed the two halves of the left cuff gently over her left wrist and pushed the jaws closed in a series of snicks that no longer startled or frightened her.

"May I see, please, Michelle? I've only dreamed of a moment like this," Philip asked as he looked down at her lap.

"Most certainly," Michelle said as she held her closely handcuffed wrists up for his inspection.

"Ah, perfect, and they will hide very nicely under your suit jacket, will they not?"