Richard looked at her, boring into her with his eyes. "Do you... do you know what you're asking?" he asked.

"I want to marry you," she reiterated. This time there was no hesitation. The act of saying it aloud had crystallized the idea in her mind.

"I've been married once before," he said. "It didn't work out. What makes you think that this will?"

"Don't you want to marry me?!" she asked sharply.

"That's not what I said," he said, with his voice rising as well. "Jennifer, darling, I want you to be *sure* of what you're getting into. I've had a marriage go sour, because we were not honest with what we wanted."

"I know that I want to be with you," she said. "I'm sure of that."

"Are you?" he asked. "In my way, I'm a very demanding man," he said. "I have money, and I have desires. I life my life the way I choose to, and I'm not very likely to change much of that."

"I wouldn't ask you to change," she said.

"Think about that carefully," he warned. "I have a long list of expectations that I have for a woman -- for *you*," he said. "Let me tell you what your life will be like.

"You will exist for my pleasure, in the way you will look, and the life you will lead. You will be able to count on one hand the number of hours in a week that you will not be corsetted, wearing heels, and restrained in some way. I will stimulate you as often and in any way that I choose, and I will spend my free time thinking of new ways to keep you guessing. If you displease me, expect to be punished as I see fit.

"Freedoms that you take for granted will be taken from you. What you wear, how you look, when you go out shopping, how you spend your free time... that will be mine to decide."

"Richard..." Jennifer asked, interrupting his soliloquy. "How... how does that differ from how you have been treating me?"

Richard paused to think about that for a moment. "You have a point. actually, it's not that different. But... it may be an even more extreme version of what you are experiencing now."

Jennifer looked down at herself and saw the nineteen inch corset and seven inch spiked heels that she wore with her rubber ensemble. She had a hard time picturing how it could become more extreme. "I've stayed here, doing what you wanted me to do, being the woman that you wanted me to be. I've stayed. I'm not going to say that I enthusiastically love every second of it, or every detail. But... you've shown me things, done things to me... that I've never even imagined existed before. I... I like being here. I *love* being with you. I want it to continue, but I want us to be even closer? Can you understand that?" she asked.

"I understand, but... I'm not sure if I truly *believe*," he said.

"Believe?" asked Jennifer. "You don't believe me?"

"I believe that every word you have said is sincere, and true from you heart," he said. "But... perhaps its 'burned once, twice shy.'"

"What will make you believe?" Jennifer asked. There was a sinking feeling in her stomach. I love you! What more could I possibly do to convince you?

Richard looked down after seeing the look on her face. "I'm sorry for doubting you," he said. With a sudden motion, he left the bed and jumped to his feet. Richard went to his dresser, and knelt down to rummage through a bottom drawer.

"What are you doing?" she asked. Her heart was pounding in her chest. Am I going to lose you? she wondered.

He stood up and turned around. In his hand was a small box. "These things really should be done properly," he said. Richard walked over to her, and knelt down on one knee. "Jennifer, my love," he said, opening up the box and withdrawing a diamond ring. "Will you marry me?"

Jennnifer had to remember to breathe. It took her several tries before any sound could come out of her mouth. "Of course I will marry you!" she said, breathlessly against the tightness of the corset.

She offered her hand, and Richard slowly pushed the white metal ring onto her black rubber covered finger. He had to twist it a couple of times to get it on, but when he was done, it was firmly in place on her finger. She brought the ring close and examined it in wonder. The ring was made of a shiny metal, just as heavy as gold, but brighter than white gold or silver. A single large diamond sparkled, flawless to her senses. "Oh, Richard!" she said, throwing her arms wide.

Richard lept to his feet and embraced her. He pulled her to her feet and twirled her around the room.

In the seven inch heels, she found that she was taller than him by a couple of inches. Richard had to pull her down to kiss her.

They made love that morning on his bed. Every time that she saw the ring that was on her finger, another shiver would go through her as Richard sent her to the heights of pleasure.

Jennifer lost track of the time that they spent together. She felt like she was walking with the clouds as Richard touched her tenderly and then savagely. The tightness of the corset didn't seem to bother her a bit. Instead, she simply enjoyed the experiences that the corset gave her when she was near orgasm and her body struggled for breath. She didn't fight against it, just experienced it.

It must have been past noon by the time that they were done. Jennifer was lying on her side, with her eyes closed, while Richard snuggled up behind her and wrapped his arms around her tiny waist.

She might have dozed off, and her dreams were filled with the music. Sounds of wedding bells mixed with sweet melodies passed through her mind.

A growling stomach finally roused her from her slumber. Richard was still behind her, barely shifted from his previous spot. Jennifer twisted around to face her fiance, and put her black rubbery arms around his body.

"I love you," she breathed to him. "My wonderfully perverted husband to be."

Richard smiled and stroked her hair with his hand. "I love and adore you, dear Jennifer," he said. "Forgive me for breaking the mood, but a few details need to be discussed."

"Like what?" she asked.

"A wedding date," he said. "And our lives between now and then."

"What is today? I've completely lost track of the date."

"May twenty fourth," he said. "A friday."

"How about tomorrow?" she asked.

Richard smiled broadly at that. "Oh, no! Some sort of preparations have to be made for the event. It will be a grand affair, I guarantee! You don't even have a dress yet!"

"What about the one I found in the basement?" she asked, playfully.

"An intriguing idea, but no. A dress must be made uniquely for you. I insist."

Jennifer accepted this. "Is there any reason to wait?" she asked.

"I would think it would take at least two weeks to prepare," he said. "Other than that, no," he said.

"How about two weeks after tomorrow," she said. "I think that would be June eighth."

"June eighth it is then!" he said.

"Is there anything else?" she asked.

"Yes, there is," he said. "I... feel that I should... show you what it will be like to be married to me," he said.

"You haven't already?" she asked.

"I'm not sure of that yet. But I will be," he said. "For the next two weeks, you will experience what it truly will be like to be married to me," he said. "I have to be sure. If, by the wedding day, you do not wish to go through with it, I will understand."

"Oh, I love you so much!" she said. "What possibly makes you think that I wouldn't go through with it?"