Sandhills Spree
by Annabelle
Conclusion

Thanks to Zack for coming up with the initial idea, and his encouraging me to write it as if I was there. And I also want to thank Graham, who's Settlement stories have provided me with enjoyment, inspiration, and sore shoulders, ever since I started reading them. :)

This story is a fantasy, although some of the individual moments are based on things I have done for real, and I hope you like my first effort to write a real story. Thanks.

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When I did wake up it was to the sound of voices, and the bright light of a new day. I opened my eyes and turned my head to see Kaye at the door of the cage, still cuffed as she had been left last night. Her nude body was still mostly colored in yellow body paint, but it was very smeared and half wiped off, as were the pictures painted on my own body, none of them really recognizable anymore. She was talking to Joe, now dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, standing on the other side of the cage door.

The contrast between the naked blonde and the tall, dressed, handsome man, captured my attention... well, that and all the steel involved. Kaye looked very much the prisoner in her cuffs, trapped behind bars, and I wondered if I looked like that to their eyes. Did I look that helpless, that much in their power? And, and this is the part that had me squirming... did I look that sexy?

And what about the men? Did they know what they did to us, placing themselves in the power position, so to speak? How much it turned us on to see them strong like that? Especially when they are dressed and we are naked! I thought back to some of the bondage pictures I had seen since I first got interested in it, of the men dressed in leather, trying to look menacing and macho. And you know, that never really did it for me.

The men that interested me most were the ones dressed normally, and the ones that really did it for me were the ones dressed in something sharp and formal almost. There was just something about a man in a well tailored suit, with a naked girl on a leash at his side, that made me really squirm. The contrast between the two, the man a picture of society's best, and me, the girl, just being nothing but a girl, pushed deep inside me in a way I still don't understand.

Seeing Joe standing there fully dressed though, with Kaye naked before him, made pictures like that come alive.

I could see Joe was enjoying it, enjoying the power as he stood there with his arms folded. No matter how much Kaye pleaded, Joe knew he could just walk away and leave us here, unable to do anything about it, and still be here when he decided to come back! But I figured that Kaye knew this as well as I did, that this was where his fantasy would end, because all we really had to do, here in the middle of the Spree, was scream our lungs out, and someone would hear and come let us out.

Still, I wondered what Kaye would do, how she would act, if we were out someplace where no one who cared could hear us, where there was no one to let us out except for the man that put us in here. Would she be the same person? Would Joe?

Would I?

As I thought about this, Kaye was trying to convince Joe to open the cage and let her out, and from the way she was dancing I could easily figure out her urgency. But when Joe glanced my way I could see the lust in his eyes and the way he was enjoying the situation, and the way his eyes traveled over me made me bring a leg up to hide my nudity.

I don't know why I bothered, he certainly knew my body well enough by now. But I had found that in the morning, when I first wake up, is the time when I felt my nudity the most, my modesty the strongest.

I was starting to blush under his constant gaze before he switched back to Kaye, who was still pleading. "Come on, Joe, I really need to go!" she said, still in good humor, although I could see the whole situation was wearing on her. My shoulders were aching a little, as they usually did after spending a night cuffed. But her's had to be aching a lot worse, considering that she wasn't used to it at all. "Please!" she begged.

"I don't know. I thought I might go have some breakfast first, take another nap..." said Joe smoothly,

"JOE!" yelled a now annoyed Kaye, who quickly gathered herself back in. Even to me she looked cute shaking her bound hands behind her and pulling at her cuffs. Did I look that cute too?

"Joe," she continued, "Please. I need to pee, and I need to get back. It's the parade today, and I promised some friends I would go help them put their float together."

"Oh, that's right, the parade," said Joe. "Jason and I were thinking of going to see that. Although," he said, now looking at me, "one of us won't be able to see anything from in here." He grinned at me, and I felt a stab of... well... jealousy, for just a moment. I loved the idea of never leaving the girl rails, but the longer I was here, the more I wondered what else I was missing at the Spree.

Kaye moved to get between us, and changed tactics to one that I thought had a lot better chance with someone like Joe... she turned all sex kitten on him, rubbing one thigh against the other, turning her body back and forth, thrusting out her breasts a little more and tilting her head down while looking up at him with a smile. Sometimes it was so easy to get a guy to do what you want him to do, just by how we hold ourselves, and Kaye knew just how to put herself out there. I almost giggled.

"Joey," she said softly. "Please? I promise I'll come back later, and you can cuff me up again as much as you like!"

The way Joe was looking at her right then I thought Kaye was more likely in danger of being taken back to bed, rather than being let out to use the bathroom. But we were joined by Jason, who made casual look very smart in his usual khaki slacks and polo shirt, and he assessed the situation pretty quickly.

"Joe, let the girl out and get those cuffs off her. I think we have intruded on her time long enough for now," he ordered. And with a chuckle Joe complied, giving Kaye a quick grope as he unlocked her cuffs.

I got to my feet as she scampered off, and Jason and I exchanged good mornings as he smiled and came into the cage.

"You look a mess, Annie," he said, giving me the once over. "I think a bath is in order."

"Oh, I'd love a warm bath!" I agreed, figuring that all I would get again is another sponge bath, as nice as they were. "And I really need to wash my hair!"

"Of course," Jason said with a smile. "and when you are done with that, you can come back in here and clean out your cage. It does smell a bit in here."

The knowing look he gave me confused me for a moment, until I realized that there was probably a strong smell of sex in here, which I had obviously gotten used to. Between Joe, Kaye, and myself, not a few body fluids had probably been spilled in here, and I vaguely remembered the shower of juices I got when Joe fucked Kaye right over my face.

My God, some of it was probably still in my hair, on my face... oh God... what did I look like? What must Jason think of me? I wished I had a mirror so I could see what Jason was seeing, but instead I just stood and blushed furiously, unable to even cover my face.

A moment later, a still nude Kaye ran past. But she stopped for a moment to say goodbye. "And thank you, for being so nice to me and everything."

"It was great meeting you," I replied, still embarrassed and blushing... and not just because of what I thought I looked like. "Even like... well... like this!"

Kaye giggled again and blew me a kiss. "I'll come back and see you again before the Spree ends, I promise!" she said, before heading back into the main tent area, where she yelled for Joe to give her her panties back.

Jason inclined his head toward the wash area, and as I passed him he unlocked my cuffs. "Be quick. Just pee and brush your teeth. You can come out front for your bath."

"Yes, Sir," I replied, resigning myself to another public bathing.

Still, I was happy to get washed up, and ten minutes later I dragged my tether chain along the girl rail leading to the front flaps of the tent. Once outside I was very surprised to see a large metal bath tub, like the kind you saw in movies about the Old West. It was parked next to the girl rail and half full of water already, and a quick glance at the cooking station showed me more water warming in my biggest pots.

"Cool!" I said, meaning it.

"All yours," said Jason with a flourish, coming up behind me and locking my wrists together again. I almost pulled away from him. Ten minutes was hardly enough time uncuffed to be any sort of relief. But he was the man in charge of when I was free and when I wasn't. Still, my aching shoulders would feel a lot better in that warm water.

Jason guided me out of the tent and behind the counter where the tub was waiting, steaming slightly in the cool morning air. When I reached it I stopped. How to get in? My hobble chain was too short to simply let me step over the side, and without the use of my hands I couldn't safely get in any other way by myself. Which made me giggle, because my bondage was yet again stopping me from doing something that any free person could do easily.

Here I was, defeated by a thin tin wall not even two feet high!

I needn't have worried though, because Jason wasn't going to let me just stand there. He came up from behind me and grabbed me by the waist, his strong arms wrapped around me. And he simply lifted me up and into the tub. Jason may have been more than sixty, but he handled me effortlessly. And it felt good. It felt good in a way that only a naked and bound woman can really appreciate, because, when we are helpless and vulnerable, having a strong man there to protect and take care of us means something.

Jason told me once that women are genetically programmed, all the way back from cave man days, to seek out the most powerful males, because they are the ones more likely than most to be able to protect us and our offspring. And after thinking about it, I could see he had a point. Sure, we're attracted to handsome guys, and we like clever guys, the ones that can make us laugh and be sensitive to our needs... but still, in my own mind, I guess I am that cave girl, the one who enjoys the strength of a powerful man when it is needed.

So there I was, standing naked in the warm water, the early morning sunlight lighting me up under the canopy, while a few people walked the street beyond the counter. A few stopped to watch, and again I started blushing. But as I settled down with Jason holding one of my arms, it felt like heaven.

When I sat down the warm water didn't cover my hips, but Jason wasn't done yet. He went and got one of the pots of water warming on the stove and carefully started adding it to the water in the tub. "Let me know if it is too hot," he said.

I nodded, but the water felt fine. I lay on my back, knees bent and my head just out of the water, and he kept adding more until I was covered, half floating in the tub, and then he dragged a chair over to sit with me. It felt so wonderful in the water, even with my hands cuffed behind me, the support the water gave my body helping a lot. And the heat of the water helped ease tensions away.

Jason began washing me down, adding soap to the water and to the sponge in his hand. He made sure to reach every nook and cranny of me, and even washed my hair, which I really appreciated. And while he did so, we talked.

"It won't be long now until we're done," he said quietly, using the sponge to carefully wash my shoulders. "Have you enjoyed your time here with me?"

I smiled. "Of course I have! This has been great, more than I imagined it could be!"

Jason smiled too, but I could tell his thoughts at the moment went a lot deeper than the smile. He had that introspective look I've seen on people wrestling with decisions. "Good. As long as there were no big, unpleasant surprises."

"No, nothing big anyway," I replied, closing my eyes and enjoying the warm water, and his constant touch.

"Nothing big? Something not so big?"

"Well..." and I wondered if I should mention it at all. But when I glanced at his face, it didn't look like he would let my comment slide. "Er... well, I wasn't too keen on that... spreader bar," I finally confessed.

For some reason that made him chuckle. "I kinda guessed. I didn't think that sore hips was the reason you asked me to take off that bar, was it?"

I shook my head, feeling a little guilty.

"Didn't think so. Over the past week, I've watched you experience a lot more than most women would have been able to stand. From happiness to embarrassment to... well, fear, and I've even seen your lust. Trust me Annabelle, when you spend all your time nude, it isn't just your face that shows what you are feeling." And he gently pinched a nipple for effect, making me blush. "But, when you had that spreader bar on, what I saw ran deeper than most, and it wasn't good, was it."

"No," I said quietly, "it wasn't."

"It wasn't hate, was it? It was more like, depression. I think you liked the idea of the spreader bar, and in private you could even enjoy wearing it. But out here, it was just too much, wasn't it?"

I nodded again, and wondered just how easily I could be read. I knew that not wearing clothes exposed my body, but did it really make my emotions more visible too? Beyond the obvious, that is!

Jason leaned in close to me and whispered, "You didn't have to lie to me, Annabelle. I would have taken that bar off you the moment it was uncomfortable for you. You know that, don't you?"

"I know."

"Then why... no, I wont ask. But I will say that this only works if we are honest to each other. We can't build a relationship like this on lies, or someone can get hurt."

I nodded again, feeling ashamed, feeling that I had let Jason down. But he wasn't going to have any of that, and he gave me a kiss on the forehead. "It's okay, I'm not mad at you. I just want us on the same page. Okay?" And he smiled, a more genuine smile than the previous one, and I smiled back, feeling better again.

But I was also feeling better because Jason had by now let go of the sponge, and under the warm water he simply let his hands drift over my body, rubbing me, caressing me. It felt so wonderful that I was able to let myself relax even more.

"Anyway," he said after a moment, "as I was saying, we are almost done here at the Spree. There's the parade this afternoon, and tonight they announce the winners of all the contests, including the chili one, and then the big fireworks party. And tomorrow, we pack up and go!" He watched my face for a moment, as his hand cupped one of my breasts, massaging it gently. And I sighed, pulling slightly at the cuffs that held my arms behind me, not in protest, but simply in reaction to how he was touching me.

"Are you ready to leave here?" he asked me gently.

I had to take a moment to think about that, especially since my mind was drifting toward more... basic... thoughts. "It would be nice to get home," I said eventually. "But... living like this, bound and naked all the time... I know I am going to miss it a lot when we are done."

Jason nodded. "I can see that. After we fly you home, you get to go back to work, back to your normal lifestyle. You live alone, right? So it will be back to your solitary ways, including your self-bondage games. But I doubt those would compare anymore with doing it for real. Would they?"

I giggled and shook my head. "No way! Having someone else hold the keys and decide when I am free and when I'm not is a lot better. It's a pity it all has to end!"

"It doesn't have to, you know," Jason said quietly.

It took a moment for his meaning to fully grab my attention, and when I looked up at him, I saw he was quite serious, and I wasn't sure what to say!

"What do you mean?" I eventually asked, just to give me more time to think.

"This, what you call being a Settlement Girl, but what we both know is really a lot more, doesn't have to end for either of us." Jason resumed his caresses of my naked body. "I've told you that I've been watching you, and I don't mean just this week. Those days we got together before we came here, to sort out the details of our stay at the Spree. That Annabelle isn't the same girl that lies here before me now.

"Sure you had clothes on, and were unbound, but I could still tell that the life you were leading back then, while satisfying professionally, left you wanting in your personal life. It wasn't until you came here, and immersed yourself in the girl you wanted to be, that I saw you bloom into something more. And now, in a couple of days, you will be back there again. Back in your old job, your old life, and it pains me, it really does, to see you sliding back after coming so far!

"Annabelle, I have the means and the time to give you the life I think you really want. My home in Arizona is a on a single level. If you want to continue with your Settlement bondage we can do that there. With no stairs, I could install girl rails all over the house. You need never be free of them if you chose.

"What I am saying is that, I'd like you to come back with me and live with me in bondage. I think that is what you really want out of life, and I can make it happen. And, I could always use a good cook too!"

Wow... I really didn't know what to say. It wasn't as if I hadn't been expecting something like this from Jason, he had hinted at it enough in the past. In fact, one of his first emails to me had been the offer of a job just like this, which we both laughed off at the time. But... wow!

Jason was still watching me closely, and when I didn't answer right away I could see the disappointment on his face. "Or maybe you don't," he said, eventually.

"No, it's not that," I said quickly, not wanting to hurt his feelings, yet not sure of what else I did want. "I just... you can't expect me to say yes without thinking about it, can you?"

Jason took a deep breath, and to my surprise chuckled. "No, I guess not. I've been rehearsing that speech for a couple of days now, and I guess in my head I expected you to jump up and say yes!"

That made me smile. "A little hard at the moment," I replied, tugging at my cuffs and making the tether chain clang against the side of the metal wash tub.

"I understand," Jason said with a sigh and a smile, "It's not like you don't have other options. I think Joe has developed a taste for the lifestyle too, and you both get along so well! Not to mention, you are both a lot closer in age."

"Your age has nothing to do with it!" I said simply, meaning it.

"No? I know that boy can attract the ladies, I've had to bail him out of a mess once or twice myself! I knew it wouldn't take long for him to capture your attention too, and that's fine! Someone your age needs someone your age to, well, satisfy you."

"Jason," I said, trying to ignore how his hands were caressing my inner thighs for the moment. "Joe is a handsome guy, and while you seem to think it was a foregone conclusion that we would have had sex, when it happened it was a complete surprise to me!"

"Really? And last night? You were OK with that?" Jason asked, his expression saying that he wasn't buying it.

"And last night." I replied with less certainty.

He thought about that for a moment, while never letting his hands stop their submerged caress of my skin. And it was getting harder and harder to think about much else, even though I needed to.

"Maybe I just thought that... well, never mind," he eventually said.

I took a deep breath and let it out. "You know," I said quietly, "there's nothing stopping you from visiting my cage at night."

He didn't answer, but I could tell he was thinking about what I just said.

His hands kept caressing my inner thighs, a light touch that was starting to drive me crazy, and it took a moment for me to realized that his fingers were now working their way upward. Instinctively, my thighs parted to make room, and in seconds he was now caressing something a lot more sensitive.

I gasped as he touched me, looking up at Jason's face, and saw on it a mix of interest and enjoyment. He put a finger to his lips as a gesture of silence, and then continued to caress my folds, slipping a finger easily inside of me, while his thumb started to rub my clit.

I moaned at his entry, and closed my eyes, tugging hard on my handcuffs again. But of course they held me fast, and that very restriction helped fuel my passions.

"No, open your eyes," Jason ordered, "Look at me."

I obeyed, I wanted to obey, and tried to keep my eyes focused on his face.

The rest of the Spree started to vanish for me. The tub, the water, the sun on my face, the open air, all faded to almost nothing. It was just me and Jason at that moment, his fingers inside me and on me, creating that wonderful friction.

And when my orgasm finally came, it wasn't a mind blowing explosion that would leave me exhausted and completely satisfied. Instead, it was one of those delicious little orgasms that ripple through me completely, bouncing around exciting every part of me, only to eventually settle in my breasts and pussy, leaving me wanting more.

And I think Jason knew this, which was when I realized that while he was a man of over sixty, that didn't mean he couldn't satisfy a woman. In fact, it made me wonder what other tricks he had learned over the years, experience that I doubted Joe was old enough to learn yet, even if he was interested.

So, as I groaned and smiled and rubbed my thighs together, purring in both satisfaction and frustration, a smug looking Jason started rinsing my hair. And I became aware once more of the world around me, including the few passers by that had witnessed what we had done.

"Thank you, Sir," I said, giggling with embarrassment. Cumming in public, another first for me!

"My pleasure, Annabelle," Jason said with a smile, and it was like he was purring himself. But then he got serious again for just one more moment. "Will you at least think about my offer?"

"I will," I replied, knowing I would!

Yes, a lot to think about now... my entire future! But I tried to put aside any serious thought as Jason helped me to stand up and then picked me up again and set me down on the grass, getting himself very wet in the process. And as Jason yelled at Joe to bring towels, we both giggled over the huge wet patch on his chest.

Jason, giggling! Something I am sure he didn't do often, and it looked good on him!

As usual, both men had their fun toweling me down, rubbing my naked, bound body a lot more than was really needed in my opinion. But, instead of just moving on to combing out my long hair, Jason had another plan.

"My, my," he said, running a hand up and down my bare leg, "you gotten stubbly over the last few days. I think a shave is in order."

I had to agree, and had planned for this even though I was in no position to shave myself. Among my toiletries I had brought along my own electric shaver, which I told Jason about.

But he shook his head. "Oh no, not for you, Annie. I think we should go a little old school, something from even before my time." Jason had the soft smile I had come to know as his 'yes, do I have something planned for you' smile.

"Oh, okay," was all I could manage before the men went into action, coordinating their efforts like some military unit.

My bath bench was quickly brought out and set on the ground, straddling the girl rail, and this time it was Joe who picked me up, only to set me down again on the bench, standing on the bench! This had me rather nervous. Just try it yourself, standing on something above the ground with your hands cuffed behind you! Not to mention the fact that this made me even more visible to the people walking by!

Joe wasn't done yet, though. He then grabbed some rope that he just happened to have at hand, and, after making me spread my legs as wide as I could in the hobble, he started tying my ankles to the bench.

So focused was I on what he was doing that I didn't even notice that Jason had vanished into our tent, only to reappear a few minutes later with his... well... shaving kit! Which, to my horror, didn't even include a safety razor! He had one of those old fashioned straight razors, like the kind you see in museums! I didn't know anyone even used those anymore!

"Er, Jason..." I said nervously, eyeing the razor, "You aren't serious, are you?"

Jason grinned. "My girl, nothing has improved on the straight razor for smoothness since the invention of shaving. And I want to get you very smooth indeed today!"

I laughed, but it was a nervous laugh. Yet... I had to trust him, and I did trust him. But it was a lot harder to show that trust balanced high up on a wooden bench!

Jason went to work with his shaving kit, using a short-handled brush and an ornate mug to mix up the foam. Joe stood behind me, holding an identical brush. I assumed Joe was there in case I started to fall, but I couldn't help noticing that by standing behind me he didn't block the view of me from the other side of the counter.

However, when it came time to lather me up both men got into the act, starting at my ankles and working the way up my legs with their little brushes. It was ticklish and strange, and I wriggled a little as they worked, especially when they did my inner thighs, which really didn't need shaving.

But then I got another shock. They didn't stop with my legs, and Jason started applying a generous amount of foam to my pussy!

Now, I'm not one of those girls that goes completely bare down there... I like to keep myself nicely trimmed, but that's about all. But from the way Jason was painting me with the foam he seemed determined to take it all the way.

"Jason? Really?" I said. "I'd rather not, please?"

"Annabelle, you know the rules!" he replied, looking up at me for a change. "This is one of the things we agreed on."

And he was right, but I thought he had forgotten about it, I certainly had. So I had to blush and bare it, pun intended, as he finished with the foam and got out his razor.

"I don't think I have to tell you how important it is to stay still, do I?" Jason asked me, and I nodded, scared, yet excited too.

The first touch of the blade against my leg made me jump, and as it glided upwards I kept waiting for the sharp pain of being nicked, but it never came. I thought I would close my eyes as he worked, but I remembered that it was harder to balance yourself with your eyes closed, and I wanted no excuse for falling. So instead, I fixed my sight on the tent across the way, where two guys were sitting in lawn chairs watching the action.

I might have laughed at how weird it was, my standing up on a bench watching two guys drinking beer, who in turn simply sat and watched my naked body being shaved, none of us saying a single word. But I didn't want to move my body at all, not even to look down to see what Jason was doing. Instead, I just kept track of his progress through the blade itself, as Jason worked his way up both legs, humming quietly to himself.

"Spread your knees," he said when he was done with my legs, and I did as I was ordered, squatting a little as I opened up even more to him and everyone else who had stopped to watch. I don't think I even breathed as Jason worked around my vagina, tiny little scrapes, the odd dip into the bowl of water at his side, his free hand stretching the skin here, and there. It was a series of intimate touches that both aroused and frightened, a very unique feeling!

Before I knew it though, he was done... at least there he was.

"Unlock her hands, Joe," Jason ordered, and Joe did as he was told, freeing me once more. "Put your hands on your head, Annabelle, and don't move them."

I did so, and Jason spread foam on my underarms, he wasn't leaving anything undone it seemed, and then carefully scraped it all away.

When he was done he ran his hands all over my body, checking his work, and I glanced down at myself. Wow, it had been a long time since I was that bald, and I felt even more naked now than before.

Both men then untied my feet, and Joe picked me up. But instead of putting me on the ground, he set me back down in the tub, my hobble chain clanging on the bottom. Both of them worked to rinse me down, washing away the last of the foam before taking me out and drying me off once more. Then Joe cuffed my hands behind me once more as Jason picked up my hair brush.

"You look great, Annie," Jason said, a big smile on his face, and I blushed even more. I never thought what pubic hair I kept had really hidden anything, but now that it was gone... wow.

"I bet," was the only reply I could think of.

He laughed and moved closer, a bare hand on my thigh. Slowly, he let it glide up and down my leg, sending shivers through me, before sliding it over to cover my sex. "Yes, a lot smoother now. Nothing like using a real blade," he said quietly. And his words, his actions, were making me melt as I tugged futilely at my cuffs.

Jason smiled and kissed me on the forehead and then started working on my hair. We said nothing while he brush-dried my hair and Joe cleaned up after us, but I doubt I stopped blushing the whole time.

And then it was back to work.

"Just do two pots today, Annabelle," Jason said when he was done. "The contest ends today and we won't need any after lunch. You'll be spending the afternoon caged when Joe and I go see the parade, and also tonight when the big fireworks display is going on."

"Don't I even get to see that?" I whined, surprised. I would have thought the fireworks would have been visible, even to me stuck on the girl rails.

"Most of it is happening on the other side of the Spree, and I don't see why you have to be up late just to see one or two fireworks go off. But don't worry, we'll have a babysitter watching you."

The straightforward way he said that... deciding that I was going to miss the highlight of the Spree, shocked me. Didn't he just ask me to come live with him? Didn't I just see his tender side and his affection for me?

Jason's behavior confused me, but when I tried to ask him about it he waved me off, and since I recognized his Get to Work attitude by now I decided to not press things. So instead I did as I was told, a Settlement Girl doing her chores, although I felt more like a slave girl... which wasn't a bad thing, was it?

At least there wasn't much work to do. There were already enough raw ingredients prepped for two batches of chili, so all I really had to do was put them together, and soon they were bubbling on the open burners.

The lack of real work though, left me time to think. What was I going to do after the Spree? Could I take Jason's offer seriously? What about the career I had been working so hard on?

I was still thinking about all that when I heard someone say "There she is, I told you she was naked!"

I looked up to see a young man in jeans and a T-shirt standing just a few feet away. He wasn't alone, there were four of them, all dressed much alike and all staring right at me.

Instantly I felt something was wrong. After spending so long at the Spree I realized what most of the people here had in common. It might be some sort of fetish they felt the freedom to let loose, but mostly it was a zest, a love of life and the human spirit. But there was none of that with these four boys, because boys they were. Late teens, maybe twenty at the most, they reminded me more of the young street gangs that I saw in my home city, and I knew they didn't belong here. They were probably from one of the neighboring towns, at the Spree to see what they could see... and now they found me.

All this popped through my head in an instant, I guess you develop a sixth sense about the gangs when they are around you all the time.

"You weren't kidding, were you," said another boy, a redhead with hair that was more like pure rust. "She even has those chains on!"

The boys laughed, but I didn't see any joy in that laughter. To me, it was more like predator and prey, and guess who was being hunted? I took a step back, my heart racing, acutely conscious of my nudity in front of them... and my helplessness.

"I think we need a closer look," said the first boy, the tallest, the biggest... obviously the leader of this little gang.

"What do you want?" I managed to get out. "Some chili?"

The redhead, the leader, and a third boy with dirty blonde hair, shook their heads as they walked around the end of the counter, leaving the fourth boy were he was, staring at me. This fourth boy was also big, but the expression on his face was more of curiosity than menace.

The other three though, they were practically swaggering as they rounded the end of the counter and started toward me, exchanging grins.

I looked around for some help, but Jason had left a short time ago on a quick errand, and Joe had just gone inside to put away the pots he had just washed. I was alone for a few minutes.

I opened my mouth to call out to Joe, but the boys were just a couple of steps away from me by that point, and the redhead moved fast and grabbed hold of me, a hand over my mouth, pressing down. His other arm wrapped around my belly, and I did scream, or at least tried to. I tried to pull away, but my chains worked against me as they were designed to, and I was helpless to stop them as they all started feeling me up, laughing to themselves.

"Wow, she is one soft bitch!" said the blonde.

"Oh yeah, and just ripe for fucking," the leader replied, grabbing hold of my pussy as he tried to force a finger into me.

I tried to scream again, and kick them, but my hobble kept getting in the way. But then I heard the most beautiful thing, Joe!

"I'd let go of her, if I were you," Joe said, and I was able to turn my head a little to see him standing in the tent doorway. Joe the God, his T-shirt tight across his well developed chest.

The boys however, just laughed. "Go the fuck away," said the leader. "We'll give her back when we're done."

"Whatever's left of her," added the redhead, and they all laughed.

Joe moved forward, walking at a steady pace, and repeated his warning. He looked calm, almost bored, and I think this time his words, or maybe his attitude, got through to them a little. Because as he got closer, the boys separated, except for the redhead who still held on to me, using me as a shield.

"Go fuck yourself!" said the leader, watching Joe closely.

Joe just shrugged. "You let go of her and walk away, kid," he said calmly, "and I'll buy you all an ice cream. How about that?"

"Fuck you," said the blonde, who was closest to Joe, and he took a swing at him.

Joe, to my surprise, deflected the flying fist with ease, catching the boy's arm and somehow twisting it in a way that caused the blonde to flip over onto his back, knocking the air out of him.

Immediately, the big kid who hadn't approached me scrambled over the counter, and I saw him dig out of a pocket a long tube made of leather that looked to be filled with something. Then I heard a familiar click, and I looked over at the leader who had pulled a switch blade. The boy holding on to me also reacted by pulling me tighter against him, and I could barely breath through the hand over my mouth.

"Who the fuck are you, to disrespect us like that?" asked the leader, advancing on Joe with his knife, while the big kid did the same from another angle. "You parade that bitch around naked all week, and expect to keep her for yourself?"

"Last warning, guys," Joe said, still calm, not even breathing hard. "Leave now, or you'll get hurt."

"Fuck that!" snarled the leader and he darted forward with his knife, angry and hot headed.

Again Joe deflected the attack, catching the arm with the knife and turning around. He somehow managed to get the leader to drop the knife just as the big kid got there. The big kid had his weapon out and was bringing it down on Joe's head, but Joe managed to turn at the last moment, and instead caught it on the back of his shoulder.

Joe was amazing, it was like watching one of those action movies, because he didn't stop moving. Almost at the same time, he seemed to turn around again, pulling the leader around with him to get between him and the big kid before kicking the leader in the gut. The big kid grabbed his leader and pulled him aside to get at Joe, but this occupied his hands long enough for Joe to step right up to this kid and slap him hard with both hands on both his ears. I don't know why, but this caused the big kid a lot of pain and he fell to his knees howling.

Meanwhile, the blonde had gotten up and had gotten out a knife of his own, and was advancing on Joe from behind. But Joe saw him and he did one of those round house kick things, knocking down the redhead and sending his knife flying.

Now three of the gang were lying on the ground in pain, and that left the redhead holding on to me.

Joe turned to face us, a few feet away, breathing a little harder now, but still very much in control. "Let her go, now," he said sternly.

"Fuck you," said the boy holding on to me.

"It's not like you can take her anywhere, she's chained to the track under your feet."

"Go get the key. You just stay away, or I snap her neck!" said the boy, with obvious panic in his voice. He had just seen Joe take down his three armed friends, and now I think he understood that he was in big trouble. But I couldn't see how Joe could get to him before he started to hurt me, he was already squeezing me so hard that I really was having trouble breathing.

But Joe just sighed and slipped a couple of fingers into a pocket. I didn't see what he pulled out, because he immediately threw it, hard, right at the redhead, catching him on the forehead. I actually heard it thunk as it hit the kid's skull, and the kid immediately howled and let go of me, grasping at his face as blood started to pour down it.

I collapsed to the ground, which was a good thing as Joe rushed by, capturing the redhead and slamming him to the counter, almost tipping the whole thing over with the impact. Joe turned the boy around and held him down before whispering something in his ear. I don't know what was said, but when Joe was done he let go and stepped back.

The redhead turned around, one hand trying to hold back the bleeding, and to my surprise, Joe threw him one of my cleaning rags, which the boy applied to his cut. Then, never taking his eyes off Joe, the redhead went over to his leader and had a quiet conversation with him.

The boy's leader looked as angry as hell. And he gave Joe a long, hard stare as the redhead whispered desperately in his ear. The other two boys were also recovering, but they didn't move, instead waiting to see what their leader did.

Joe came over to me and nodded slightly, before standing between me and them, his expression about as dark as I had ever seen on him. At that moment I didn't see the casual, happy womanizer that I thought was all there was to Joe. Instead I saw a much more powerful animal, one you really didn't want to fuck with.

And the boys all saw that too, I could tell. Joe, my alley cat, had just proved once again who had the longest claws, and they knew it!

"Fuck this," snarled the leader again, trying to look mean, but in his defeat looking more like the teenager he was. "You can have her. Stupid cunt. What do we want with sloppy seconds anyway!" He got to his feet, his eyes on Joe's, and waited until his friends found their feet too.

I thought they were about to go at it again, but the leader turned away, and with his friends following they left. I never saw them again.

"Thank you, Joe," I said, meaning it deeply. I didn't realize how scared I was during all that, but I was feeling it now, and started to shiver.

Joe knelt down and took me into his arms, holding me to his chest. "They're gone, and they are not coming back. That's a promise."

I nodded, somehow knowing it was true, and that's when I saw Jason. He was at the other end of the counter, talking to one of the uniformed police that patrolled the Spree. Before coming here I had been happy to know that the Spree wouldn't be completely lawless. The county sheriff had police in uniform here to take care of problems as they happened. Although, according to Jason, in deference to the money the Spree brought to the area every year these cops turned a blind eye to anything that didn't directly hurt anyone else. Hence the relaxation of anti-nudity laws, for example.

But I guess someone had called them, and I don't know how long Jason had been here or what they and the cops saw, but he was now talking to them. And while he talked to them I noticed something shiny lying in the grass. It was a quarter, with blood on it. That's what Joe had thrown, he had saved me with a quarter, and for a moment, I couldn't take my eyes off it. That's when the police officer came over to where Joe and I knelt.

"You both okay?" he asked, watching us closely. "Someone called in a fight!"

"We're fine," said Joe. "Just some boys playing macho. They were harmless."

The cop looked at Joe for a moment, then focused on me. It wasn't a look of curiosity or even of sexual interest, it was strictly concern, but I don't think he cared for the fact that I was naked and cuffed. "Miss, are you okay?"

I nodded, but didn't say anything. Jason came up and stood with us, and the cop looked at all three of us before speaking again. "I want to talk to the girl alone, please. So could you step aside, gentlemen?"

Jason and Joe glanced at each other, before Joe gave me another quick hug and stood up. Another police officer showed up, this one a woman, and a crowd started to gather on the other side of the counter. The female cop and male cop whispered to each other for a moment, and then the male cop moved over to talk to Jason and Joe.

The female cop crouched down beside me as I knelt on the grass. "Hi, I'm Jane," she said quietly, not wanting the world to hear us, I guess. "And you are?"

"Annabelle," I replied.

"Hi, Annabelle. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine... good... a little winded," I said nervously.

Jane looked me over, a professional assessment more than anything else. "You sure? I was told someone tried to assault you."

"I'm fine, it got handled." I replied, a little firmer. This female cop made me uncomfortable, even though I knew she was only doing her job. Still, it was obvious my nudity and bondage disturbed her, and I could see that she was trying to breach the subject without offending me.

"Annabelle, what I should do is get some clothes on you, and get you out of those cuffs. But I've been working the Sandhills Spree for five years now, and if I learned anything here, it is that the usual rules don't always apply. But, I'm going to ask you again if you're okay, and before you answer, I want you to know that if anyone, anyone at all," she said, glancing over at Jason and Joe, "is hurting you, then I can take you to safety right now, and no one will be able to get to you. So, are you okay?"

I took a deep breath and tried to relax. Jane was truly concerned about me, but I could just see myself saying the wrong thing and all this would end. But it also occurred to me that if things went any further there would be police records and stuff, and that would mean maybe people I knew at home might find out what I was doing out here!

"I'm fine," I managed to say, trying to smile at the same time. "It's okay. This is all safe, sane, and consensual. Jason and Joe are my friends, they haven't kidnapped me or anything. I want to be here! Everything has been really great since I got here, except for... well, now. But that's all over, and things are going to be great again!"

Jane kept her eyes on my face the whole time, and watched me for a moment longer before nodding and standing up. She helped me up to my feet, and I was surprised to see that she was shorter than I was. But she carried herself strongly, and like Joe she exuded that 'don't fuck with me' attitude. But her eyes were soft and caring, and she looked me over once more before nodding again.

"I don't see any injuries on you, and the sort of perverts I worry about can't help making bruises on their victims. So I'm going to take your word for it, that this is all just games."

"It is!" I said.

Jane nodded again. "Okay, I believe you. But if you need anything, you just have to yell, okay? There is always someone around in this neighborhood."

I smiled, a much more genuine smile, and got a smile in return. But then another thought struck me. "You're not going to write this up, are you?" I asked, worried again.

This was what made Jane laugh. "Are you kidding? Unless someone is seriously injured, I wouldn't dare put on paper any names I come across here. Frankly, it isn't worth my job to expose some of the people that attend the Spree. Don't worry, you're safe that way. But I mean it. Just call if you need me." And with that, she patted me on one bare shoulder and signaled her partner. And the three of us watched them walk away!

That was when I started to shiver.

I knew it was just the release of adrenalin or something like that, the stress of all that had happened. But I couldn't stop myself from shaking.

Jason and Joe both immediately noticed this, and Jason put an arm around my shoulders and helped me back into the tent. Without a word, he unlocked the cuffs on my wrists while Joe, surprisingly, wrapped a blanket around me, my first real covering in a week! The feel of cloth against my skin actually felt weird to me, but it was oh so comforting too, and I pulled the blanket tight around me.

"My trunk," Jason said to Joe, "the whiskey. Pour her a little, mixed with water."

"Sure thing, Boss," Joe replied, and he gave me a warm smile before leaving.

Jason dragged a chair over to the girl rail and sat me down, then brought another one over for himself, sitting close.

"It's okay, Annabelle, you're safe now. We'll get you out of these chains in a minute, and get you some clothes. There's no need to continue."

I said nothing until after I had my first sip of whiskey, feeling it burn all the way down and almost making me cough. The shakes were starting to fade, and my mind was racing.

I had almost been raped... raped... yet... what? I was having a hard time getting my head around what had just happened. I didn't want to think about my near rape, I needed something else to focus on, at least at the moment.

"Wow," I eventually said.

"Wow?" Jason asked, sitting close and leaning in to watch my face, while Joe sat on his bunk nearby.

"Yes... wow... Joe. I mean... did you see him? I didn't know he could fight like that... it was like it was nothing to him!"

Jason leaned back, looking slightly confused. I don't think he expected me to talk about that, of all things. But he glanced over at Joe and smiled slightly. "Yes, Joe is full of surprises, and skills. That's why I keep him around."

"I wondered," I said, smiling.

Jason still looked confused, I don't think he expected my humor. But then at the moment, it was all I wanted to focus on.

"Well, he isn't just a pretty face!" Jason ventured, watching me closely.

"A very pretty face," I added.

"Handsome, not pretty," Joe chimed in.

"Handsome, sorry," I said with a smile, and swallowed some more whiskey. It tasted nice, not as bad as I thought it would, and I finished the glass.

"Such things are important," said Joe.

I giggled.

Jason watched us both. "Yes, Joe is pretty handy when it comes to trouble."

"Like with those two guys you were arguing with the other day?" I asked.

"Yes, like with them."

"What was that all about anyway?"

Jason paused, then shrugged. "Well, if you must know... they wanted to buy you."

"What?" I said, getting the giggles again.

"They wanted to buy you, offered me good money too. But I turned them down, and they weren't too happy."

"Oh," I said. We sat quietly for a moment, but all of us knew that I had to ask. "How much were they going to pay?"

"Well, it wasn't enough," Jason replied, semi-seriously. "I told them that I wouldn't take anything under twenty dollars, but the most they would offer was fifteen, so we had to say no!"

It took me a second...."Oh SHUT UP!" I said, laughing, and the men laughed too. "You bastard," I muttered affectionately.

"That's without the chains though," continued Jason. "They're worth a few hundred a piece!"

"Bastard," I giggled. "Seriously, how much?"

Jason leaned forward, an arm across my shoulders, and said quietly, "it doesn't matter how much they offered, because to me, you are priceless."

And that's when I started to cry.

Joe went outside and Jason held me for a while as I just let my emotions go. It had been a big scare, and could have been a lot worse if it hadn't been for Joe. But... a strong part of me realized that I was safe now, and realistically had always been safe with Joe and Jason watching over me. I couldn't let it scare me any longer. And when I realized that, that's when I was able to gain some control back.

"Come on," Jason said, as I began to settle down. "Let's get your bondage off and find your clothes. Then you can have a rest."

I shook my head, really, I shook my head. "No... at least, not yet."

"Annabelle. I'm not going to force you to finish your contract out under these circumstances. Don't worry about that!"

"It's not that," I replied, trying to make sense of it in my head. "In fact... you may be right. But... I want it to be my decision, not yours." I looked him in the eyes, taking one of his hands in mine. "Right now, I need that control... please?"

Jason watched me for a moment, then nodded. "Okay, but I'm going to get your clothes out and let you have the keys. When you are ready, then you can unlock yourself and get dressed. Get some rest now though, and think about it." He sighed. "Annabelle, you know that I would be happy to continue, to finish out the week and maybe beyond, if you are still thinking about that. But whatever you decide is best for you, you have my support. Okay?

I smiled, glad he understood, and I let him help me back to my bed, which was of course in my cage, the chain connecting me to the girl rails still attached to my collar.

Jason tucked me in and returned a moment later with a ring of keys and my handcuffs. "I'll leave these with you, and I put your bag of clothes out on my bunk. Joe and I will finish serving out the last of the chili and begin cleaning up. Then we'll have some lunch, okay?"

I nodded, and he left me alone, leaving the cage door open.

I didn't sleep, I couldn't. My mind was wide awake and racing. But the whiskey had helped to mellow me out a bit, and I tried not to let any actual thoughts take shape in my head. Instead, I just huddled under the blanket until it got too hot inside the warm tent, and then I shoved it away. This exposed my body again, of course, and made me pause.

I know I have a great figure, slim and lithe, like my mother; we all lucked out on the genetics there. And my time naked in the sun this week had given me a wonderful tan, deep and dark, as befitted my Mediterranean ancestry.

The stainless steel bonds I still wore provided a sharp contrast to my tanned skin. Almost alien in their appearance. Now that I had my hands free I was able to explore them properly for the first time since I put them on. The wide manacles about my ankles fitted closely. How solid they felt, and how strong the chain between my ankles was. I let my fingers explore every inch of my hobble, marveling at how secure my ankles were.

Then my collar. It was my own collar, brought from home. Comfortable, and very secure. But locked to it was the tether chain. Long and solid, it had no problems at all holding me to the girl rails that Jason had made for me. Without a key, there was no escaping it.

And my handcuffs. Like the ones on my ankles, these were wide and solid and padded on the inside with a neoprene pad for comfort. Yet, they felt so strong, so controlling in their simplicity. As I well knew. They were intoxicating, and I held them in my hands for a long time, just looking at them.

I knew that any sane woman would probably want to end the games now. After all, it was my being nude and bound that had invited the attention of those boys. Yet... as embarrassing as it was, as frightening as it could be... it was also wonderful!

What I had said to Jane the cop had been true. Working for Jason as a bound Settlement Girl had been exciting and crazy and amazing. Could I quit now?

I guess my own body decided for me, as without even thinking about it I found myself closing one of the cuffs about my wrist. Then I stood up and put my hands behind my back, locking them there.

I was back where I was, naked and helplessly bound in Settlement Bondage. I wasn't going to give up.

Dragging the tether chain behind me, I followed the girl rail out of the cage and through the tent, only glancing at my luggage on Jason's bed, now out of reach, before stepping outside. Jason and Joe were both there, and while Joe raised an eyebrow, Jason just nodded and walked over to meet me.

"Are you absolutely sure about this, Annie? he asked, taking me by the shoulders.

"I'm sure. I want to finish." I handed him the keys.

He kissed me on the forehead. "Good girl. I knew you had that strength in you. Let's have some lunch then, I found us some chinese."

I grinned, and we had a lovely lunch outside, watching the crowds walking by. While they, in turn, got to watch a naked girl, cuffed and hobbled in silver chains, kneeling on the grass, being hand fed by two handsome men.

This idylic scene, however, only lasted until we were done eating.

"Okay, Annie," Jason said, helping me to my feet while Joe started clearing up. "Time to lock you up for a bit. Joe and I want to do some last minute looking around before the parade."

"Oh please," I said, hopefully, "Couldn't you let me stay out of the cage? I don't think there is any real need to lock me up in there, is there?"

Jason took me by the shoulders. "Is there a reason why I shouldn't lock you in you cage while we are gone?" he asked, seriously.

I opened my mouth, but didn't say anything. I could have told him that it would be nice to have the run of the tent by myself for once, limited as it was since I was connected to the girl rails. I could have told him that it got boring in the tent, and I would have loved some time to sit outside for a while and relax. I could even have told him that I could do some more packing up while they were gone. But, looking up at Jason, I realized none of those reasons seemed important enough to break the rules: When left alone, I get locked in the cage, period.

"Thought so," Jason said with a smile. "Now, go pee. I'll be along in a minute to see you secure."

With a sigh I nodded, and I made my way back along the girl rail to the back of the tent where our toilet was. On the way, I looked again where my clothes lay on Jason's bed, and for a moment actually missed wearing them, especially with my pussy shaved bare. But they were well out of my reach, not that I could put them on anyway.

It didn't take me long to finish up in our makeshift bathroom, and as I did so I wondered what I was going to do all afternoon, locked in the cage. "Can I at least have a book or something?" I asked Jason as he closed the cage door on me.

"Did you bring one?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Er... no."

"That answers that, doesn't it? Besides, there is something very sexy about seeing you in this cage, with absolutely nothing in it but you, your bed, and your chains!"

Jason grinned, and I started blushing. "Besides," he continued, "considering what happened this morning, I feel better knowing you are safely locked up in there."

"But anyone can open the door," I said, "anyone but me, that is."

"Not when I do this!" Jason replied. And to my astonishment, he pulled a key from his pocket, slipped it into a keyhole somewhere under the door latch, and with a click the door was now truly locked. "Your babysitter will have the key, just in case. But now no one can get to you. You are perfectly safe, okay?" he said more seriously. And I suddenly saw that Jason was truly concerned about my safety while he was gone.

I nodded, and Jason smiled. "Good. We'll be off soon, but not before your minder gets here. So just relax and enjoy the time off!"

I nodded again, not wanting to say anything, and after a moment Jason left.

I was alone again, standing naked in the middle of my cage, chained hand and foot. And while before such a thing had always been a turn on for me, this time... had I made a mistake by choosing to continue?

I carefully sat down on my bed, contemplating my situation, my wrists tugging at my cuffs. Nope, still no give there. Now that I had had a chance to properly examine the cuffs I had been wearing for a week I knew even more how hopeless it was to try to break free. They were strong enough to hold King Kong, and I was just a girl.

Just a naked girl in a cage.

Normally, I don't mind being alone. At work I am surrounded by people all the time, and I have a decent social life too in those odd hours when I'm not either working or sleeping. But I live alone because I choose to, and when I am alone I treasure the time. For one thing, that's the only time I get to play bondage games. But now I didn't want to be alone. Being alone gave me time to think, and that was something I didn't want to do just now.

I got up and stepped over to the cage door. Being hobbled, I couldn’t kick it hard, but I could still kick it. Of course, it didn't matter in the slightest. It held fast. Even if I wore no bondage at all the cage would still be able to hold me easily. But I was bound. Held in layer upon layer of bondage.

I wasn't going anywhere.

I was still brooding about this when I heard someone in the tent, walking toward the cage. I couldn't see who it was of course, because of the canvas wall that kept me isolated from the rest of the tent, so I had to wait until whoever it was reached me.

I didn't recognize her at first, mainly because the last time I had seen this girl she had been almost naked and painted yellow. Now she was her normal self and dressed in a tube top and shorts. But it wasn't Kaye, it was Sandra, the girl who had been entertaining Jason.

"Hi," she said with a smile as she looked at me through the bars, "remember me?"

"It's Sandra, isn't it? Are you my minder?" I asked, feeling my nudity a little more in front of this woman.

"Yep! Jason asked me last night if I could take care of you today."

"Aren't you going to miss the parade?" I said, still a little put out about missing it myself.

Sandra just smiled. "If you need anything, just yell." And with that, she was gone. I guess I wasn't going to have any of her company this afternoon either.

But just a few minutes later there were two voices approaching my cage, and one of them I certainly recognized!

"Hi roomie!" said Kaye with a laugh, Sandra beside her. "How have you been?"

I had to grin, it was good to see her. "Just fine," I replied, lying just a little. "Looking forward to a relaxing afternoon in my cage."

"Oh really!" said Kaye with a wink. "And here I was gonna bust you out for a bit."

I laughed. "No chance of that, Jason locked the cage before he left. I'm not getting out."

Kaye just shrugged. "So what? He gave Sandra the key, remember?" She held up a key ring with two keys on it, the other key being the emergency tether key, the one for the lock that fastened my collar chain to the girl rail.

This grabbed my attention. "You're not serious, are you?" I asked, a little worried.

"We thought you might want to see the parade too!" Kaye said, reaching for the door lock.

Now, a part of me wanted to stop her. I was supposed to be here, locked in my cage. That was where Jason wanted me, and I felt I had to... honor... obey... I had to be here! Yet... this was also the last place I wanted to be right now, alone with nothing to do but think.

I did manage a "You can't. Jason would be pissed if I got out..." as Kaye opened the door and came into the cage. But somehow, I just couldn't manage a proper protest as the two girls fumbled to undo the lock holding me to the girl rail.

Kaye said, "What you want doesn't matter, slave girl. Do you think you can resist us?" In moments they had the lock free, and even though I still had the tether chain locked to my collar I was now free to go beyond the girl rails for the first time since I had arrived at the Spree.

I let myself be led out of the cage and toward the front of the tent, still hobbled and cuffed, still protesting that I shouldn't go. But Sandra tugged on my tether chain, and it was like a switch flipped inside me. Somehow, in my mixed up brain, I had been talking like a free woman, when my reality at the moment was nothing like that. I wasn't a free woman anymore, I wasn't even a proper Settlement Girl anymore. Now, I was just a naked girl in chains, and despite myself I really felt that deep down inside me. And for the first time since before my near assault... well... it made me blush, that's all.

We exited the tent together, Sandra and Kaye both, well, fully dressed in their brief outfits, while I remained nude. And I shuffled along as fast as I could between the two of them, fully conscious of my nudity, and my chains, and now my leash, as we moved beyond the girl rails.

Now, for a week I had been basically on display at our tent. Naked and chained for everyone passing to see. But now that I was... shuffling... the streets of the Sandhills Spree, my embarrassment started to mount. What helped though was that I wasn't the only one naked, or at least topless, in public. Most of the women and men we passed were dressed decently enough, but there were enough people otherwise clad that my nudity wasn't a big deal to the general population.

Not that we didn't generate stares and comments. But nothing bad was said, and a few remarks actually made me smile and blush even deeper.

But as we moved further and further away from home I began to wonder where I was being taken.

"You sure we should be doing this?" I asked at one point.

"It's fine," said Kaye. "We're going to have some fun!"

"Where are we going?"

"Some friends of mine have entered a float in the parade. When I told them about you they said you would be perfect for us. We're going to be in the parade!"

This made me stop in my tracks. "Are you serious?" I asked. "I can't be in a parade, not like this!"

"You'll be fine! They're gonna love you, you will look fantastic!"

"But I'm NAKED!" I cried, shaking my bound hands behind me.

"Annie, don't worry," Kaye said softly, taking me in for a hug. "We're all going to be pretty much naked on the float. We're all going to be body painted too, so you won't be that visible anyway. Trust me, we're going to have fun!"

Fun... I was just shocked. But then again... when would I ever get another chance to be bound and naked in a parade! And for some reason, I did trust Kaye. After all, she trusted me the night before, trusted me to help her through a difficult night of bondage.

So I nodded, ready to go on. "I don't suppose you got the keys to the rest of this, did you?" I asked as we started walking again. And the girls laughed.

"Nope, Jason has those. You are stuck until he says otherwise. But that's fine. Some body paint, and you are in costume!" said Kaye with a laugh.

I just sighed and let myself be led, wondering what was going to happen to me now. But deep inside I started grinning.

We eventually made it to our destination. I could tell because of the flatbed truck, decorated to look like a jungle, with a throne on a podium sitting in the center of it. I was taken inside a nearby tent, where I was surprised to see about a dozen other women. Well... that didn't surprise me. What did surprise me was that almost all of them were painted to look like tigers!

As I rubbernecked the room, Sandra led me over to what looked to be a painting station, where a young man sat grinning as he stared at me. "You must be Annabelle. Great!" he said. "Ready to be painted up!"

"Er... yeah, I guess so," I replied. "By you?"

"Yep. I'm Ben. I'll be doing you, while Khamed does Kaye."

I didn't even notice that there was a second station close by until I saw Kaye quickly stripping out of her clothes. She was going to be painted naked, like me, which was a good thing because one thing I did notice in here was that all the other women wore painted-over bikini bottoms, and some even still had tops on.

"Tiger slave girl," Ben said, grabbing some sponges and paint, "right?"

"What?" I asked.

Sandra, who stayed close to me, said that was right, and with a grin Ben got started.

"Great!" he said, quickly running his fingers over my bare skin. "And I'm glad to see you shaved today. It makes applying the paint a lot easier!"

I nodded, not really catching something I should have noticed, even in my embarrassment and excitement.

It was awkward working around my cuffs and collar, but Ben first laid down a base layer of tiger orange before grabbing some brushes to do the stripes. He worked quickly, dabbing the paint on all over me, and I was reminded of the painting session I went through a couple of days ago, or was it just yesterday? So much had happened to me this week it was getting hard to tell!

Still, Ben worked faster than any of those other painters, and I wondered about that until I realized that his paint job wasn't for looking at up close. I would, presumably, be up on the float, so a basic orange base and black stripes were all I needed.

I stayed quiet while he worked though, even though I wanted to know more about this tiger slave girl I was supposed to be.

It only took Ben about twenty minutes to do me head to toe and the guy working on Kaye was almost as fast, so soon we matched all the other girls in the room, with the exception of Sandra, who wasn't going to join us on the float. "I'm driving," she said when I asked.

We had to stand around for a few minutes to let the paint dry, but once it was I was amused to see that I wasn't going to be the only slave girl on the float, for Sandra went to fetch some handcuffs and a collar for Kaye. Now I wasn't the only one in the room standing naked and cuffed, and while Kaye was blonde while I was dark, our stripes made us look like twins.

"Time to get on the float!" someone called out, and Sandra, to my amusement, took both our chain leashes and led us out of the tent.

There were steps to aid us getting up on the back of the truck, which was a godsend considering my hobble chain, and I was settled in on my knees next to the throne, with Kaye on its other side. I wondered who was going occupy it until another woman, also striped, but wearing a fancy head dress and necklace of what looked like teeth, sat down.

She looked at me and grinned. "Hi, Annabelle, remember me?"

"Er..." I said, struggling. But she didn't look familiar at all.

"I'm Sky!"

It was the girl I met yesterday, the one painted up to look like the sky. "Oh, hi!" I said, feeling foolish.

Sky laughed. "Don’t worry about it. I thought this would fool you. I get to be the tiger girls' queen today!"

"What is all this tiger girls stuff?" I had to ask.

"Well, you know that the animal theme for this year is the tiger, right? We just thought we would have some fun with it. It was Kaye that thought up the slave girl thing you guys are doing, though. Isn't it great?"

I giggled and glanced over at Kaye kneeling in her own bondage. She was smiling ear to ear, and I figured that this was a girl who had caught the bondage bug pretty bad!

Good for her!

That was when Sandra came running back to the float. "WE FORGOT SOMETHING!" she yelled, as she scrambled up toward us, and in her hands I saw something familiar. Gags.

"You can't put those on us!" I said to her when she reached us.

"It's a part of your costume. You're supposed to be captured tiger girl slaves, aren't you?" Before I knew it Sandra was pushing the bright red ball gag into my mouth. Of course, because I was cuffed, I couldn't really resist, and once it was in I resigned myself to being gagged for the duration. I was not expecting to hear the tiny click of a padlock though, once the strap was tightened down.

I shook my head, and asked a very muffled, "What the hell is the lock for?"

Sandra just grinned. "Well, the rest of your bondage is real, why not the gag!" And with that she scooted on over to Kaye, who nervously accepted her gag too.

A parade organizer came by at that point and told us it was time to move. So a minute later Sandra was in the driver's seat, and our jungle float, filled with a dozen painted and half-naked tiger girls, joined the parade.

I didn't like the gag, I hate the taste of rubber, but there was nothing I could do about it. The strap was tight about my cheeks, pulling the edge of my mouth back, but at least the ball didn't completely fill my mouth. I could open my lips and breath around it... just, and when it became important I could let the drool out.

That's another thing I don't like about gags, they really make me drool, and as the float traveled along I wondered if my tiger girl paint job was up to the copious amounts of drool I was pouring onto my boobs.

Still, once we got to the parade proper, it did start to become fun! People lined up both sides of the parade route, which basically circled the main central hub of the Spree, and cheered us on as we passed.

It just felt so surreal. There I was, stark naked, kneeling, my position forcing my knees apart because of the way the float... well... didn't float... so even my painted pussy could be seen... bound in chains, my chain leash being held by another woman... and I was starting to enjoy it!

I know these people weren't cheering just for me, but I still felt great, my fears from earlier almost banished by the love and happiness flowing from the crowd. These were the real people of the Sandhills Spree, not those boys, and their happiness became my happiness, no matter how embarrassed I still felt.

At one point I glanced up at Sky, doing her bit as the Tiger Girl Queen. And she gave me an encouraging look that made me smile around my gag. I felt proud to be kneeling there beside her, and I had a very naughty idea. I turned to look at the crowd and arched my back more to stick out my small breasts, my knees spreading to expose me even more. The thought of how I might look to them made me giggle, and I spared a glance at Kaye on the other side of the throne.

Kaye looked like she was having a great time too, and she looked over at me at the same time. When she saw how I was presenting myself, I thought I saw her smile too, and she copied what I was doing. And it was great!

There we were, two naked tiger girl slaves with their Queen, and the float traveled on.

Then I saw Jason and Joe. They were on the other side of the float from me, so I knew I wouldn't be seen directly by them, at least close up. But would they recognize me at all? I was all painted up, and my fake stripes would do a good job in hiding my features, but I couldn’t hide my long, dark hair, or the collar about my neck.

What if they saw me? I was supposed to be in my cage back at the tent, not out here, and I started getting nervous again. But our part in the parade was almost over as we closed in on where we started, and once there Sandra kept driving, taking us back to her tent.

I was ready to get off now... (off the float, that is, guys). I wanted down and I wanted this gag out. But what I really wanted was to make it back to my cage before Jason got there. But I had to wait as most of the other tiger girls jumped off first, and it was up to Sky to get Kaye and me down off the float.

Sandra was down there waiting for us, and, still gagged, I tried to get her attention.

"It's okay Annabelle, we have time," she said. "We'll get going in a minute!"

"What about my gag?" I tried to say, my jaw now getting tired. But she didn't pay attention, someone else was talking to her. I kept bumping her with my shoulder, which I think annoyed her a little, because Sandra took my tether chain and clipped the end to Kaye's collar. Kaye, in the meantime, just stood smiling, just as naked, bound, and gagged as I was.

Sandra turned away to deal with the parade official that was talking to her, and that's when things started to really hit the fan.

I was watching Kaye, and I saw her eyes open wide and her smile falter. Around her gag I thought I heard her say "Jason!" and she took off! Of course, I was chained to her by the neck, so I had to follow her, doing my best in my hobble chain, and we ran for cover around the side of the nearest tent. But Kaye didn't stop, she kept going, and I couldn't shout to slow her down. She moved as quickly as I was able to go, dodging around several tents, and occasionally looking behind us and squealing.

I tried to look behind us too, but I had enough to do trying not to trip over my hobble chain. Just you try running with a chain between your legs flapping about wildly! It also didn't help that, because I couldn't do a full stride, my calves were taking the brunt of the running instead of my thighs, so they started hurting too.

But I bet we looked a sight, two naked girls in bondage, painted to look like tigers, running between the various tents and vendors of the Spree!

Eventually Kaye did stop though, and we took a breather behind a large, purple tent. Well, I say a breather, but it was more a wheeze, as pulling air around the gag was hard enough just standing still... another reason we stopped. I had no idea where we were, and I hoped that Kaye did. Being naked in public was one thing, but being lost and naked in public was more than I wanted to handle. I tried to ask her, but my mouth was so sore and dry and full of rubber and drool at the same time that I just couldn't form the words.

That's when I heard some different words.

"My my," said a familiar, feminine voice, "what do we have here, Bruno? A couple of strays?" And I turned around to see Simone, dressed in what looked like a sari, and her pet male, standing behind us. I was shocked yet relieved, at least Simone knew where I lived!

"It's that chili girl, Bruno. I never forget a pair of breasts," she continued, "but I don't know who this one is. We shouldn't let strays run about, though. So gather them up and let's go inside."

As Bruno, still completely nude except for his collars, the one around his neck and the other around his scrotum, came closer, Kaye cried out in protest. I could see why, he still had that huge hard on, something to make any naked woman nervous.

Bruno didn't seem to care though, and before Kaye and I could move he took hold of the chain between our necks and started dragging us behind him. Kaye started to struggle, but I caught her eye and shook my head. Kaye must have trusted me, because she stopped struggling, a questioning look in her eyes as we were both led into the purple tent.

Simone had gone in for an Arabian Nights theme, lots of lovely curtains and pillows. All those beautiful colors complemented Simone's sari completely, and even Bruno looked more at home. It was a place meant to have slaves in it.

Bruno dragged us over to one side before letting go, and then he went to kneel in a corner while Simone poured herself a drink from a table nearby. She wandered over to us, looking us over much like she did when we first met.

"I suppose we should see that this one," she said, indicating me, "goes back to her owner. However, maybe we could adopt the other stray, at least for a while!" Simone laughed softly, and caressed the underside of Kaye's left breast. Kaye looked scared, but she closed her eyes when Simone touched her, and I could swear she tried to smile. She was actually turned on!

"Lovely," Simone kept saying, "lovely. And I do approve of the gags. Locked on, very nice. But, I do hate body paint. It hides natural beauty so much! Bruno, get a bucket of warm water and a brush and clean them up!"

Kaye and I looked at each other, not sure if we wanted to stay for that. But neither of us got the chance to move, because before we knew it Bruno was beside us. He took the chain that connected us and hung it on a hook hanging from a chain over our heads. The hook was high, and it took most of the slack out of the chain, forcing Kaye and me to stand close together.

Simone stepped out of the tent for a moment, while Bruno got a bucket with some water in it. He grinned as he approached us, and we both began to squeal behind our gags. We really started to scream when the wet brush hit us, because the water was anything but warm. Bruno seemed to relish dipping the brush into the bucket and scrubbing us with it, getting us in random spots as we twisted about, trying to get away. But because we were both bound, neither of us could do anything about it, and eventually Bruno was done. Not an inch of our bodies escaped getting scrubbed, and my skin felt raw from the bristles, especially my breasts. Kaye's body looked red, and as she had less of a tan than I did it showed up more on her.

Bruno put the bucket away, and then came back to us. His hard on never faded the entire time, and now he stood so close he could almost brush us with it. And that's what he started to do, poking our bodies with his huge cock, prodding our hips, our asses, our bellies. And each time he poked one of us we squealed.

That's when Simone came back in, and she wasn't happy. "BRUNO! GET OVER HERE!"

Bruno's smile vanished and he scampered over to his owner. "HOW DARE YOU!," she screamed at him. "No treats for you until I say so! Understood?"

"Yes, Mistress," he said quietly.

She grabbed his cock in one hand, and to our amazement, started spanking it with her other, in time with her next words. "NO... TREATS... FOR... YOU... TODAY!"

Bruno groaned when she let go, and knelt down where he was.

"Silly puppy," Simone muttered, coming over to us. "So hard to house train. Well, I'm not going to reward you with any bitch pussy for a while, Bruno. So we might as well return them to their owners. Fetch the coffle chain!"

We were going home, or at least back to Jason, which was very much the same thing to me at that time. Relieved, I turned to bump shoulders with Kaye, but instead caught her turning to me, so we bumped breasts, a rather pleasant sensation. I could see she was relieved too, and we smiled at each other... and to my surprise, she rubbed her nipples against mine! Also a... nice sensation.

That was as far as we got though, because Bruno came over with a length of heavy chain. But it was Simone who did the honors, so to speak.

First, she handcuffed Bruno, his hands behind his back like us. Then she connected one end of the chain he had brought to Kaye's collar. The middle of that chain she connected to Bruno's collar, and since I was still connected to Kaye, the three of us were now... well... in coffle!

Simone had to lower the hook a bit in order to get my tether chain off it, but when she was ready she grabbed the loose end of the chain and started walking. "Come along, pets," she said happily. "Time for your walk!

What I said about the parade being surreal... forget it. One of the strongest images I took with me when I eventually left the Spree was that walk back to our tent. The three of us in line, all of us naked and cuffed. A naked male, chained to and followed by two naked females, led on a chain by someone who definitely knew what domination meant.

That walk pushed every submissive feeling I had, and turned me on so badly that I was groaning in frustration. The eyes of the people we passed, the grass below my bare feet, the jingle of the chains and the bondage itself holding my body... all worked on my senses. But what got me the most was how the complete lack of any control over all this affected me.

Even watching Kaye, in front of me, turned me on. Not because I had any physical attraction to her, I'm pretty sure I am just straight, but because I could see her naked bondage, which made me think that this is what people saw when they looked at me. So I ended up not paying any attention to where we were until we actually got back to our tent.

Waiting for us was Jason.

"I believe these are yours?" Simone said, laughing softly as we walked up.

"Yes, they are," Jason replied sternly. He looked at me, and he didn't look too happy. It made me bow my head.

"I just caught them running around, no one to watch them. I wouldn't want them to go to the pound!"

"Maybe they should, to learn a lesson!" said Jason.

Simone giggled, and unlocked us from her coffle chain. Both Kaye and I stood silently, not because of our gags but because we were both embarrassed and sorry about what had happened, and we could see that Jason was apparently not in the mood for any antics.

"I know the brunette is out of bounds," continued Simone, dumping the chain in Bruno's bound hands, "But the blonde is quite lovely. My pet, well, he may have to spend another month without because of the stunt he pulled, but I'd love the blonde's company for a while."

Bruno groaned when he heard about his punishment, but Simone just smiled and stepped forward to Kaye, who couldn't look Simone in the eye. I then watched in amazement as Simone reached down and slipped a finger between Kaye's legs, pressing up into her pussy.

Kaye closed her eyes and moaned, she wasn't protesting at all, and Simone's finger came away quite wet. "My, my, I think the blonde is in heat too!"

Jason chuckled. "Maybe, but just like with Annabelle, Kaye has to make up her own mind about this."

Simone shrugged and turned away. "Well," she said. "If she wants to be mine for the night she can follow us back." And she gathered Bruno's leash and started to move.

Jason and I both looked at Kaye, who was watching Simone, and we could almost see the wheels turning in her gagged head. It only took her a second, and she nodded.

Jason chuckled again and went over to her. He unclipped my tether chain from Kaye's collar before he pulled a set of keys from his pocket and unlocked the tiny padlock on Kaye's gag strap and pulled the gag from her mouth.

Kaye spit out a lot of built up drool and worked her jaw, obviously she was not used to gags either.

"You sure?" Jason asked her.

Kaye smiled. "Oh yes! This bondage stuff is fun! And who knows, maybe I will get to ride that beast of a man, too!"

All three of us laughed, and she hurried off to catch up with Simone and Bruno, still naked and cuffed, a condition I doubted would change for her very soon.

That left me alone with Jason. "Well, you look a sight. Drool half coating your tits and belly," Jason said softly, turning to me. "What are we going to do about you trying to escape?"

Around my gag, I tried to explain that I wasn't trying to get away, it was all Kaye's and Sandra's idea, but he waved me down. "No excuses, no excuses! You definitely deserve a good spanking!" And before I knew it, he bent over and picked me up, throwing me over his shoulder.

I squealed into the gag and tried to wriggle free. But even though Jason was over sixty years old he had no problems holding on to me, and he carried me over to one of the benches and sat down, dropping me onto his lap face down. I kept on wriggling, expecting to feel the pain of his hand on my bare butt... but instead, he simply started caressing it, rubbing it softly until I calmed down. And he was laughing.

Puzzled, I didn't resist when he moved me again, setting me on the ground where I assumed a kneeling position. He got out his keys and undid the lock of my gag, finally pulling the horrid thing out of my mouth. And only then did I understand what had been going on.

"You bastard," I said, spitting out drool, "you set me up!"

"I did?" Jason replied, pretending innocence.

"Of course you did!" I said, pretending to be mad. "I should have realized earlier. You shaved me smooth this morning so I could be body painted this afternoon. You gave Sandra and Kaye the keys to free me, and stayed away long enough for us to be gotten ready for the parade. And, you had the keys to our gags! You set me up!"

Jason chuckled. "Guilty. I wanted you to have one last adventure before we left tomorrow."

I had to smile, and we both grinned at each other like idiots. "Asshole," I said softly.

"Hey... remember who is in charge here!" Jason replied in mock offence.

"Sorry... asshole, Sir!"

Jason chuckled. "Well, did you enjoy the parade?"

"Yes, Sir, I did."

"And your tour of the camp afterward? Kaye faked seeing me, by the way, and did as she was told, leading you to Simone's tent."

"Asshole... Sir... and yes... that was... fun too." I said, rubbing my thighs together.

"And what was your favorite part?"

"Oh, that would be the next bit."

Jason looked confused. "The next bit?"

"Yes, where you carry me inside, lock me back to the girl rail, and fuck me silly!"

I think I actually shocked him, but I was so turned on by the whole afternoon that I really didn't care. And Jason, he didn't stay shocked for long, and like I said just a minute ago, he had no problems carrying me anywhere!

* * *

"I think we might be missing the fireworks," I said quietly, some time later.

"Hmm?" Jason replied.

"The fireworks. Do you know what time it is?"

"No, and I don't care."

I smiled in the semi-darkness. I really didn't care either. Jason and I were in my cage, on my bed, spooning after a long evening of love making. He was tucked in tight behind me, our naked, sweaty bodies pressed together, separated only by my cuffed arms.

It would have been nicer had I had my hands free, but there was one, fun advantage of being bound like this... my hands were in the perfect position to hold Jason's cock and balls. I cradled them in both my hands, soft and warm, and massaged them very slowly, something Jason didn't seem to mind at all. Occasionally, he would start to get hard beneath my fingers and I would stop to let him grow soft again.

I figured it only right to tease him this way, since he had one arm draped over my body, his hand cupping one of my breasts as he fingered a nipple, endlessly flicking and slowly turning it. It felt wonderful!

I felt wonderful.

If I had to compare Joe and Jason, (which I would never do out loud, at least where they could hear me), I think I would call Jason the better lover.

Joe was all passion and energy, riding him was like riding a roller coaster, and his principal weapon of choice was his strength and that beautiful cock of his.

Jason had his hands and his lips, and the skills to use them. He took full advantage of my bound state, to tease me and arouse me completely, practically making me beg to cum. In fact he did let me cum, three times, before he even entered me! And for a man of sixty, his stamina was pretty good! It may not have been a roller coaster, but I was just as exhausted at the end.

But what cinched it for me as far as Jason was concerned, was this, the afterglow. That quiet time when two people simply exist together for a while, syncing heartbeats and thinking happy thoughts... oh, and quietly teasing the hell out of each other.

I felt him starting to come to hardness in my hands again, and stilled my fingers, making Jason groan.

"Jesus, girl," he said quietly, his breath on the back of my neck, "You're driving me crazy!"

I giggled. "Just having a little fun!"

"Yeah, I know. But you are seriously making me think about taping up your fingers!"

"Oh, but then I wouldn't be able to do... this!" And I resumed my movements, only this time I took his cock in one hand and began to slowly stroke it.

Jason groaned some more, shifting his body slightly to make room, his breathing coming faster. "Annie," he gasped, "remember, I'm more than twice your age!"

His body didn't feel it, especially the part slowly pressing into my butt, so I didn't stop stroking.

"God," he whispered. "Okay, Annabelle, you asked for it!" And he moved to take control.

"I don't think we missed the fireworks," I said a little while later, breathing hard, my chest on the bed, my knees tucked up under me and Jason hanging on to my hips from behind. He chuckled as he slipped out of me, and helped me back into our spooning position.

"I wonder where Joe is," I said once we had settled.

Behind me, I felt Jason stiffen up... no, not in that way. "Joe? Why did you think of him?"

"No reason," I replied, sensing from Jason's tone that I just bruised his sensitive, male ego. "I just wondered, it's been quiet without him."

"I supposed you thought he would stop by for a threesome at some point, right, Annabelle?"

An image flashed suddenly in my head. Me, on my knees, hands cuffed behind me, with Joe fucking me from behind while I suck on Jason, my chains swinging and jingling as I helplessly service both powerful men! God, what an image!

"Er, no! Of course not!" I lied.

"Good," Jason said, relaxing a little. "He isn't coming back tonight, I told him that we needed our privacy."

"Oh, he has a place to spend the night?"

That made Jason chuckle. "You could put Joe down in any part of the world, in a place he has never ever been before, and he would have no problems finding a soft bed for the night. Am I right?"

I smiled in the darkness. Yes, an alley cat can always find a place to go, and maybe even get some sleep!

"Well, I don't miss him... this is perfect without him!" I said softly, wriggling a little against Jason's warm, naked body.

We lay for a while in the heat, listening to the fireworks display that signaled the last night of the Spree, and as Jason's breathing deepened, I thought he had gone to sleep. So it surprised me when he asked, "Have you been thinking about my proposal, Annabelle?"

"Proposal?" I replied, thinking the wrong thing for just a moment, until I realized what he meant. "Oh, to come live with you?"

"Yes, that one," he said, a little sarcasm creeping into his tone.

I giggled. "Sorry, when I asked you to fuck me silly earlier, I didn't think you would take me so literally!"

He started to laugh, and I laughed too. Two naked lovers in a cage, laughing at a silly joke. But when we calmed down he asked me again. "Have you thought about it?"

I took a deep breath and let it out. "Yes."

"And?"

"I can't. Sorry." I said, feeling pain with every word. To be honest, with everything that had happened to me today, I hadn't had much time to think about anything. But maybe that was the advantage. Not having brooded about it, I gave the first answer that felt right!

"Can I ask why?" he said softly in the dark.

I tried to turn my head to look at him, but he was behind me and my hair was pinned somehow. But I wanted to see his face, and broke free of his hold in order to wriggle round till we were face to face. He had a concerned look on his face, but didn't look as crushed as I expected!

"Why can't you come live with me, Annie," he asked again, looking into my eyes. "You know this is the sort of life you want to lead, and I can make that happen for you, any way you wish. It doesn't even have to be Settlement bondage, it can be anything we like!"

"I know that, Jason," I said softly, wishing I wasn't bound so I could hold him. "But... ever since high school I've been working my ass off learning how to be a chef. The places I've been, the people I've worked with and learned from. Cooking is my passion, and while you want me to cook for you, cooking for just a few people isn't the same as cooking for hundreds. There is nothing like a restaurant at full speed, the smells, the sounds, the energy. I need that!"

"Do you? Really?"

"Yes, I do. Even though it is a tough, miserable job at times, where I rarely go a week without a cut or a burn, not to mention the long hours... I love it! It makes me come alive in ways I can't describe." I shifted forward until I could touch foreheads with him. "I can't give that up, even for the fantasy of living like this. Even for living with you."

Jason sighed... then he shrugged. "Well then, I guess it'll have to be Plan B!"

"What's Plan B?"

"Well," he said, leaning back, "one of the cabinets outside has been specially designed. It has cutouts that will allow Joe and me to fit you neatly inside. We can then get you out to the plane without anyone seeing you, and have you on the way to a secret location inside an hour!" Jason said, his face growing dark and still.

"WHAT?" I said, feeling a chill flow through my body.

"No one will miss you, and if anyone does start asking questions, I can easily buy them off. The girl rails are already in place at my hidden ranch, and you'll adapt quickly!"

I started to push back from him, feeling very, very helpless... until... until the bastard started to smile. "Gotcha!" he chortled.

"Dammit, Jason!" I cried out, kicking him with my bound feet. He laughed and reached out for me, pulling me into his arms once more while I wriggled to get free. But of course, he easily overpowered me. "That wasn't funny!"

"Wow, do you really think that little of me, that you could believe a story like that!"

"Bastard," was all I could say in reply. But as the fear left me, I could see the funny side, and I was soon able to relax again.

"There really is a Plan B though," he said, eventually.

"Oh, what is it? Are you going to sneak me out rolled up in a carpet?"

"No, I'm going to bankroll you in your own restaurant!"

"Funny," I said with a smile. But the longer I looked at him, the more I saw he was serious. "You've got to be kidding!"

"Why? Do you think it's a stupid idea?" he asked quietly.

"I... You hardly know me, you don't... Do you have any idea how much something like that would cost?" I replied, my brain suddenly spinning. Yes, getting my own place was the biggest goal of my life... but I never expected anything like this from Jason.

"I have a pretty good idea of the cost," he said calmly, "not that it matters, I've got money to burn, and I'm always looking for a good investment. But you're wrong, Annie, I do know you, better than you think, but not as well as I would like to. You've said before that you want this, and I can make it happen for you."

"But... I couldn't... I couldn't accept..."

"Why not? Don't you think you can do it?"

The truth was, no... I knew better than to think I was ready to have my own place, and I said so, firmly. "I can cook, sure! I know how to run a busy kitchen and deal with everyone in it. But I don't know enough to run the business, Jason, and that is what it is, a business! I'm not qualified!"

Jason shrugged and sat up, a hand on my hip, a smile on his face. "Then I hire people to do that for you. I find you a business slash restaurant manager, a good one, to run the place while you run the kitchen. It will be your place, you're the ultimate boss, and I'll be a silent partner. And we can do this in Scottsdale where you can come live with me."

"Oh, is that a condition?" I asked, struggling to sit up myself. Jason helped me up and the two of us now sat cross-legged naked on my bed... well, I was cross-legged, Jason couldn’t quite manage it.

"No, it isn't a condition," he said with a sigh. "If you like, we can find you your own place to live, you don't have to live with me. But, I would still like it to happen in Scottsdale. I want to stay in touch with you at least."

"My own restaurant," I said after a moment, still processing it all. "Mine... any kind I want."

"Any kind you want," he repeated.

"All I have to do is run the kitchen?"

"That's all, although all the major decisions are yours too."

"I even get to name it?"

"That too," Jason replied, watching me closely.

I sat for a moment, naked and bound in my cuffs and chains, listening to the muffled voices of the people going by outside our tent, my head full of what he was offering, wondering if Jason knew just what it meant to me. Did I really need to think about it?

"Okay," I said, swallowing nervously.

Jason must have been holding his breath, because he exhaled loudly. "Good... thank you," he said. "I can start looking for a suitable property right away, and a place for you to live."

"No... you don't have to do that. I'll come live with you. Oh, we are definitely doing the restaurant, but I'll live with you too!

I was scared, oh yes, I was scared! What the hell did I just agree to. But God, was I excited too! My own restaurant!

"Il Incatenato Uno," I whispered.

"What?" Jason asked.

"That's what I want to name my restaurant. Il Incatenato Uno"

"Sounds pretty. What does it mean?"

"Er... The Chained One."

Jason laughed, a big smile on his face that made him look twenty years younger, although some of that could have been the dim light too. He shook his head and sighed. "I hope there aren't too many Italian speakers in Scottsdale," he said with a chuckle. Then he paused and looked at me. "Annabelle," he said softly, "you are just so beautiful right now."

"And horny as hell, Sir," I replied with a grin, laying back down again on my bound arms, my knees wide apart. "So... if you want me to thank you properly... well... now's the time!"

I think that really surprised him, but he didn't stay surprised long. And soon there were more fireworks happening in my cage.

* * *

I stood out in the open, grass sticking up between the gaps of my toes, the warm, morning sun sinking deep into my bare skin... and sighed.

This was about to end, and I knew I was going to miss it. It was almost time to go home, yet I wanted to enjoy every last second of my naked bondage while I could.

When I got here a week ago, I had been half scared to death at what I was about to do, spend an entire week naked and in chains with men I barely knew, and in public, no less. I had no idea what scared me most, and if I was making a huge mistake.

Yes, the money was good, although that had never been the biggest reason for my coming here. More importantly, I wanted to see if I could do it... give myself over to someone else for real!

Standing naked at the end of one of the girl rails, I turned around slowly to look at the people around me. A lot of the tents had already come down, with people packing and leaving all over the place. The Spree looked about as busy as I had ever seen it, and few spared more than a glance for the naked girl in chains watching them. But I watched them, not caring much at all that I was still nude and bound. It seemed a... natural state for me at the moment. But it was about to end.

"Annabelle, come over here so I can get those cuffs off," Jason called. "You need to get dressed so we can go!"

I sighed, looking over where he and Joe were waiting for me, our luggage sitting on the ground outside the tent. Jason had in his hand a small trophy designed by one of the founding artists of the Sandhills Spree. It was all in brass, a tiny cauldron supported by flames, set into a wooden base. It wasn't the big trophy though, I hadn't won the chili contest. But I was happy with my second place, as I had literally done it with my hands tied.

But as I stood there looking at the men that had taken cared of me over the last week, a part of me had this sudden fantasy. Everyone at the Spree would be leaving, packing up and taking away everything they had brought with them, including Jason, who's setup crew would take down our own home for the past week. Piece by piece, everything would go, until all that was left was me... and the girl rails. And I would be alone, standing in the middle of a huge, empty field, still naked and chained and trapped by the girl rails.

It was a lovely little fantasy, but it wasn't to be.

"Annie, come on!" Jason ordered.

I sighed, and shuffled along the girl rail toward him. When I reached him, he turned me around and started to undo my bondage, most of which I had been wearing for a week straight. He first took my cuffs completely off my wrists, then did the same with the manacles about my ankles. The tether chain he unlocked where it met my collar, which was the only thing he didn't take from me because it was my own.

I was now more naked than ever in just my collar, and I didn't mean just in having something on to cover me. Still, it amused me to see the pale bands around my ankles and wrists, where my bondage had given me tan lines. That would be hard to explain when I got home!

"You okay, Annie?" Jason asked, as he and Joe watched me.

I nodded, I didn't want to speak, and instead went inside the tent where my clothes waited for me. Jason had chosen a dress for me to wear, something light and bright, one of my favorites. He had also selected my underwear, and it felt rather funny slipping on my panties after so long naked. I didn't bother with my bra though, and instead just put on the dress and slipped on my sandals.

There was a mirror on a stand nearby, and I looked at myself critically. I wished I had time for a little make up, and despite Jason's care I knew I needed to give my long hair a really good grooming when I got home. But... the girl in the mirror looked like an entirely different person than the naked and chained one that had been there just a little bit ago.

But I still liked her, and she wasn't going to leave this tent without one, slight adjustment.

"Annie, come on! We have a bus to catch!" Jason called, poking his head in from the outside. He smiled when he saw me fiddling with an earring though.

"Sorry," I said. "A week without jewelry is long enough!"

He laughed. "For some, anyway. Come on, we have to go."

I smiled and grabbed my bag, and outside Joe joined us for the long walk to the central area where we could catch a shuttle bus to the air strip. I glanced behind us a couple of times as we left, wistful about the girl rails I was leaving behind. But it felt wonderful to be able to walk normally again, taking full strides without having to worry about tripping over a hobble chain.

Bondage is a lot of fun, but there is nothing like a full range of motion, either.

The shuttle took us and several other people to the nearby air strip, where we met up with Jason's private plane. It wasn't that big, it only had two engines and they were propeller ones. But the inside was very comfortable with lots of leather seats, and there was an area at the back where our luggage went. Jason and I waited inside while Joe did all his outside preflight stuff.

"Was it all you wanted, Annabelle?" Jason asked, sitting across from me.

I smiled. "It was so much more!"

He chuckled. "When we got here a week ago, I thought you might quit! You had such a scared look on your face."

"I did?"

"Oh yes. I was afraid to ask you to do anything. I didn't even think you would go through with being nude! I was so proud of you the first time you stepped out of the tent!"

I grinned and blushed. Yes, I thought I was going to have a heart attack that first time. "I did it though!"

"Yes you did, and you have done a lot of growing up over the past week."

I looked out the window, fighting several emotions. "In a way," I said eventually, "I wish it didn't have to end."

"In a way, it doesn't have to!" Jason replied.

"What do you mean?" I asked, turning to look at him.

"No one can leave the Spree naked," Jason said, "our exemption from the law only goes so far. But, now that you are aboard my plane, you can dress, or undress, as you choose!" He grabbed his bag and pulled out my wrist cuffs. "Care to make the flight home more interesting?"

I giggled and nodded, and five minutes later I was once again completely naked, except for the steel collar about my neck and the steel cuffs binding my wrists behind me. Jason leaned close to buckle me into my seat, and I was trapped, helpless once more.

Joe stepped into the cabin to find his seat up front, but as he passed me he paused and nodded in approval. "You know, Jason," he said, "I don't think this girl should ever wear clothes aboard this plane again!"

"I agree," said Jason with a nod. "Make a note, and add it to the preflight checklist."

"Annabelle naked and bound... check!" Joe said, pretending to make a note on the clipboard he was carrying.

I sat there blushing under the watchful eyes of both men. "You guys..." was all I could manage in response.

They both laughed and Jason joined Joe up front for the take off, leaving me alone in my bondage and my thoughts. And as I sat on the sticky leather seats, pulling gently on the cuffs that held me helplessly exposed, I thought about the month ahead of me.

A month is what I told Jason, a month to finish out my job, visit family, and pack my old life away for the move to Scottsdale... and my new life.

Would I find happiness? I hoped so. But I looked forward to the challenge, and fantasized about what was to come as we lifted off the ground... Jason, Joe, and their naked cargo, a girl named Annabelle. :)

The End

Copyright© 2011 by Annabelle. All rights reserved. I welcome your comments. Email me at settlementgirl175[at]yahoo.com