From the Many Thrilling Adventures of Jodi McJoy!
		by Van © 2023
		Chapter 4

Grizzy used the coil of purple (or ultramarine), ¼" diameter, braided nylon rope/cord to give Jodi a standard box-tie.  Her arms were now folded behind her back with horizontal bands passing above and below her breasts and pinning her upper-arms to her sides.  Additional strands yoked her shoulders and cinched the horizontal bands, and her wrists were crossed and lashed against her spine near the nexus of her other bonds.  Wrapping and tidying up the arrangement took a little time... then Grizzy used a second coil to embellish the box-tie, crisscrossing Jodi's chest and cinching the horizontal strands between her boobs, encircling her waist, then diving between her legs to frame (but not cleave) her pussy.

Anyway, Jodi knew herself to be a thoroughly and artfully restrained but ambulatory captive.  Also, as Grizzy was impeded only by her skimpy bikini whereas Jodi's upper body was now totally helpless, the cheetah/baby-antelope dichotomy was even more pronounced.  Jodi sprinting away into the maze was even more of a nonstarter.  Jodi twisted, squirmed, and tested her new ensemble.  Where the key knot or knots might be located Jodi had absolutely no idea, but wherever they were hiding it was nowhere near her groping fingers and fluttering hands.  Her efforts were accompanied by the usual ball-gag-necklace bouncing, braid flopping, and rope-framed boob shaking... which she didn't find to be at all humiliating.

Finally, Jodi stopped struggling, stamped her right foot in frustration, turned to face her smiling rigger/handler, and mustered her best pout (calibrated for maximum cuteness).  "Grizzy!" she whined.

Obviously, Griselda was quite proud of her latest masterpiece.  She heaved a disgustingly self-congratulatory sigh, then returned to the sideboard and selected a third coil of thin purple rope.

Jodi noted the coil was significantly shorter than the first two, only about eight feet long.  She watched (still pouting) as Grizzy padded forward, loosely looped one end of the rope around her neck, once, then tied it off with a non-compacting but mildly complicated knot, probably some variation on the bowline.  Jodi was getting a leash.  More humiliation.  She scowled at her still grinning handler.  "Tired of tugging on my braid?" she huffed.

Grizzy chuckled, unbuckled Jodi's ball-gag-necklace, crammed the black rubber ventilated ball into her pouting mouth, then buckled it tight under her braid.

Jodi redoubled her scowl, but didn't give her handler the satisfaction of a muffled complaint.

"Such pretty green eyes," Grizzy sighed, then spun on her bare heels and strolled towards the entrance to the outdoor dining room.  As the end of Jodi's new leash was in her right hand, it snapped taut and Jodi was compelled to follow.

"Mrrrf!" Jodi growled, still scowling.

"What's wrong, Jacki?" Grizzy chuckled.  "You wanted to stretch your legs, right?  I'm taking you to stretch your legs."

Jodi stomped (padded) in Grizzy's wake, staring green daggers at her bikini-clad amazonian guide's back.  Being dragged around by her braided hair had been bad enough, but going for walkies at the end of a rope leash was worse, much worse!  Also, Jodi decided to classify the color of her rope bonds (and leash) as either "plum" or "mullberry," but that hardly mattered.  What mattered was that once again she was naked, tied up, and gagged!

Most of the rest of the afternoon did, indeed, involve Jodi stretching her legs.

Once she was tied up, leashed, and gagged, Jodi was dragged by her amazon handler into the hedge-lined green maze!  At least the sand was soft under her feet and the surrounding palms provided a decent amount of shade, but it was humiliating!  Okay. "dragged" wasn't totally fair, mainly because Jodi wasn't really resisting.  Grizzy was setting a decent pace, the sand under her feet wasn't any more punishing than it had been all day, and Jodi had to admit she wasn't really in distress... but she certainly wasn't happy.  The disgruntled ginger continued glaring at Grizzy's back, rump, and churning legs, and Stoically Endured her horrible, humiliating, and tethered bipedal ordeal.

By this time Jodi had acquired a least a modicum of familiarity with the maze... not that she actually knew where she was being taken, of course.  On another positive note, Jodi was decidedly less sure that Grizzy was deliberately taking circuitous and/or laborious routes through the lush tropical labyrinth in order to drag things out (pun intended)... although she still wouldn't put it past the nearly-naked amazon to be jerking her chain... or in this case her rope.

Occasional glimpses of all or part of the mysterious Tall Building on the mountain side of the spa suggested they were headed back towards the ocean.  Finally, they entered another outdoor room, but this time the hedge-wall opposite the entrance and away from the maze of pathways was missing, and in its place was an unobstructed view of the crashing surf.  Also, arranged around the space were various exercise materials, like racks of free-weights, a lifting bench, a stationary bike, and a rowing machine.  It was an outdoor gym.

Also, there was what Jodi eventually realized was a treadmill for walking and/or running, but it was... unusual.  To be specific, it was completely enclosed in a rectangular cage of thin steel bars!  Also, it wasn't your typical off-the-shelf home or commercial-grade running machine simply stuck inside a big cage.  The enclosure wasn't an afterthought.  The vertical bars came right to the very edge of the track on all four sides.  A person unfortunate enough to find herself inside the enclosure would be unable to step off the rubber slats under her feet, especially if she was tied up... like Jodi.

Sure as shootin', Grizzy led Jodi to the cage, opened the door, then untied her leash and, uh, compelled her to enter!  "Mrrrpfh!"  What an outrage!  The door clanged shut and was somehow locked―Click!―and Jodi was on the inside looking out―naked, bound, and gagged!  She slowly spun in place and watched as Grizzy padded around the cage to the end opposite the door, which was also the end facing the beach and the ocean, then started tapping the touchscreen of what was obviously the treadmill's control pedestal.  From inside the cage Jodi couldn't see the screen, but obviously her handler was programming the machine.

Jodi was right!  Suddenly, the treadmill hummed under her feet... then began to roll... and slowly picking up speed.  Jodi had no choice other than to start walking... and to continue walking.  The treadmill's rubber-clad slats were resilient and seemed to be providing the required traction without being rough or abrasive.  It was different from walking barefoot on the sand, but it wasn't uncomfortable... for now.

And then, walking happened... meaning more walking happened... meaning a lot more walking happened... and while it was happening, Grizzy worked out.  Jodi pouted, put one bare foot in front of the other, and glowered at her Personal Concierge as Grizzy worked her way from machine to machine and station to station, repeated set after set, and gave her strong, tan, and now sweaty body a serious and complete workout.

Anyhoo... as long as Jodi was naked, tied up, ball-gagged, trudging on the proverbial road to nowhere, and locked in an inescapable steel cage... she decided to take the "opportunity" to do some more serious thinking about moving her assignment forward.

First of all, "hinky" and/or "kinky" didn't adequately describe what happened at Blissful Beach Spa.  She couldn't confirm anything (thanks to not being able to sneak away and snoop around like a regular journalist), Jodi couldn't be sure of anything, but, she had the impression that nothing that was going on was seriously felonious and/or illegal.  That is, she very much doubted unsuspecting guests were being kidnapped and held against their wills (Jodi's personal case notwithstanding).  There were no indicators of human trafficking or "inconvenient women" being involuntarily sequestered.  Anyway, that was her nearly totally uninformed gut feeling.  She strongly suspected the other guests were being held in naked captivity by choice, that all the shenanigans she'd observed so far were voluntary.

Again, Jodi's naked captivity was blocking her ability to confirm anything for or against Blissful Beach being anything other than a kinky spa.  All she had were impressions based on frustratingly fleeting and "casual" observations.  None of the other guests she'd encountered had seemed panicked or in distress.  Naked, tied up, and sometimes gagged?  Yes, but strangely calm and composed (in Jodi's inadequately informed opinion).

So... what the hell was going on?

As Jodi trudged along and watched Grizzy demonstrate exactly how she'd become such an Amazon Goddess, the ginger prisoner started sweating herself.  Also, she began to entertain the idea that she might have stumbled on a decidedly twisted, weird, and arguably perverted version of Disneyland!  ...or maybe a twisted version of one of those Disney resort-hotels, only instead of the theme being cultural, historical, or linked to a specific entertainment genre, the theme was... Bondage?  How was that possible?  How did they get away with it?  How did celebrities partake of the spa's unique services without the tabloids getting wind of it and working themselves into a feeding frenzy?

Jodi heaved a gagged sigh as she continued involuntarily stretching her legs.  I need to do some SERIOUS SNOOPING!! she silently fumed.

Also, Jodi was well aware that the originator of her current pathetic Blissful Beach investigation was none other than her boss, Dominique Defossé.  She was the one that told her of "rumors" about "something hinky" going on at the resort.  Why didn't I demand more details?  Why didn't I turn up the charm and grill her ruthlessly... even if she is my boss?  Why did I assume I'd be able to just show up here under false pretenses and figure it all out on my own... as usual?  Stupid-stupid-stupid!

The treadmill rolled and Jodi kept pace, Grizzy worked out, and early afternoon became mid afternoon.  There was a gentle breeze blowing off the Pacific, the surf was crashing, Jodi could see a handful of guests and bikini-clad staff members cavorting in the waves and swimming in the deeper water beyond.  Gulls wheeled and made a cacophony of obnoxious noise in the cloudless blue sky.  The distance to the beach was too great for Jodi to make out any real details; however, she was convinced that most if not all of the naked guests were retrained in some way and the skimpy-swimsuit-clad staff members were not.

Jodi decided she'd had enough of a workout, thank-you-very-much... but continued sweating and walking.  She had no choice.

Eventually... finally... Grizzy finished her workout.

Jodi. however, continued walking.  She watched (sullenly) as her Personal Concierge used a towel to dry her sweaty, bikini-clad body... used the same towel to wipe down the damp surfaces of the seats, backs, and pads of the various machines... and only then padded to the Treadmill Cage, tapped the control pedestal's touchscreen, the treadmill rolled to a halt... and Jodi could finally stop walking.

Naked and box-tie-bound, panting through her ventilated ball-gag, not exactly dripping with sweat but sweaty enough, thank-you-very-much, Jodi glared at her handler; however (outrageously) rather than use the towel still in her hand to give Jodi the rubdown she so obviously required, Grizzy dropped the towel, forced (helped) Jodi to sit down on her naked butt on the treadmill, then picked up Jodi's former rope-leash, and used it to bind the glowering, panting, and naked ginger's ankles together, and―in an infuriating and blatant example of bondage overkill―included a cinched loop around Jodi's bare feet and tied her big toes together!  Stylish?  Yes.  Necessary?  No!  Of course not!

"Mrrrmpfh!"  Jodi growled through her gag.  Why?  Because lodging a petulant complaint was entirely appropriate, that's why.

Next, to Jodi's wide-eyed and utter astonishment, Grizzy effortlessly picked her up and tossed her over her left shoulder, face down, with her bound feet (and big toes) to the front and her ball-gagged head to the rear!  It was a Fireman's Carry, and (fireman-like) Grizzy carried her from the outdoor gym!  "Nrrrrrf!"

The ensuing journey was brief... then Grizzy eased Jodi's naked, bound, and gagged guest off her shoulder and deposited her on a stretch of grassy lawn shaded by waving palms... then settled down next to her―immediately next to her.  That is, she more-or-less hugged Jodi in a sideways embrace.  They had an excellent view of the beach, but the lounge and umbrella area with the possible blond actress was screened by a dense clump of flowering bushes.

"Mrrrrm!"

"Relax, Jacki," Grizzy purred.

Peyton Elizabeth Lee guest starring as...     Lehua Kealoha

Suddenly, a young woman in a pink bikini appeared carrying a tray with a carafe and two tumblers full of ice.  She gracefully knelt and set the tray on the grass at Grizzy's side, then gracefully stood and smiled at Jodi.

Jodi blinked and stared at their, uh, serving girl.  She was short, maybe an inch or two taller than Jodi herself (or Grizzy's boss, "Carla," who they'd encountered during their swim), and had a slender but curvaceous figure, a deep tan, long, straight, black hair, a gorgeous smile, and was probably Polynesian... or possibly mixed-race/heavy-on-the-Polynesian.  She was very pretty, and by "young" Jodi meant she was probably in her late teens!  Her Blissful Beach nametag read "Lehua Kealoha..."  She was beautiful, and was smiling and looking Jodi's naked form up and down... from her gagged-head to her tied toes.

"Thank you, Lehua," Grizzy purred as she sat up and poured some sort of pink beverage from the carafe into each of the tumblers, "but if you're impertinent enough to tell me that I'm absolutely correct and Ms. Joyuex is very cute... I'll put you over my knee and give you a good spanking."

Lehua shifted her smile to Griselda and batted her pretty brown eyes.  "Really?"

Grizzy rolled her eyes and took a sip from one of the tumblers.  "Scamper away, Lehua," she advised.

Lehua spun on her bare heels and did, indeed, scamper away.  She reentered the green maze and her giggling laughter disappeared into the distance.

Jodi stood by her late-teen assessment of Lehua's maturity.  She posited Blissful Beach management started their entry-level hires as drink-servers, then groomed the more promising bondage-inclined individuals to become grab-handed rigger/handlers, like Grizzy.

Meanwhile, the fully mature grab-handed rigger/handler at Jodi's side helped her sit up (effortlessly), unbuckled her ball-gag (once again returning it to ugly-necklace-mode), and held the second tumbler to Jodi's lips.  Yum!  It was some sort of tropical fruit cocktail, and it had a kick!  It was just what Jodi needed after an afternoon of touring the inside of a stationary steel cage with a wandering floor.  She accepted another sip... then smacked her lips and sighed... looked up at Grizzy as she took a sip from her tumbler, sensed an opportunity... and affected a coy smile.

"Isn't she a little young for this sorta stuff?"

Grizzy set her drink down and smiled down at her guest with a coy smirk of her own.  "Lehua?"

Jodi nodded.

"Lehua is older than she looks," Grizzy purred, "by at least six months."  She held Jodi's tumbler to her smiling lips again so the naked prisoner could enjoy another sip.  "In any case, what's wrong with pretty teenagers serving drinks?"

Jodi swallowed.  "That's not what I meant and you know it.  The bondage stuff.  You're... corrupting the youth!" she accused.  "That's what you're doing!"  She emphasized her point with a disapproving (but self-satisfied) dimpled frown/pout while simultaneously flashing her green eyes.  It was a tried-and-true tactic that had served her well in the past.  Against a bikini-clad amazon who already thought she was cute, it should be devastating.  Unfortunately, in this case... not so much.

"Everyone who works at Blissful Beach is fully aware of the range of our services," Grizzy stated.  "Nobody is hired without demonstrating a propensity, even an enthusiasm for restrained relaxation."

"Hah!" Jodi scoffed, but accepted yet another sip of what she had decided was some variant of... Mai-tai?  Whatever it was, it was definitely rum based... probably dark rum.

In something surprisingly like companionable silence, the bound, naked guest and her nearly-naked amazonian handler enjoyed their drinks, watched the waves crash and the gulls wheel overhead.

Jodi frowned and nodded at the horizon.  "Clouds," she said.

It was true.  Dark clouds loomed on the distant horizon.  They were very distant, but appeared to be building... maybe.

"The forecast is heavy rain soon after sundown," Grizzy said, "but it'll be over before dawn.  The staff is already covering all the outdoor furniture and equipment."

"That sounds like work," Jodi said quietly.  For some reason her eyelids were heavy... but nothing she couldn't handle, of course.

"We only do that for serious rainstorms," Grizzy explained.  "Everything is designed to withstand the occasional squall without the cushions getting soaked."

Jodi nodded, deciding that was a good thing.

They lay back down on the grass... not that Jodi had any choice in the matter, of course... and Jodi gazed up at the waving palm fronds and the brilliant blue sky beyond.  The wind was picking up, as you'd expect with a storm approaching.  She closed her eyes and concentrated on coming up with winning arguments for why Grizzy should untie her so she could explore the spa grounds before everything got wet... and failed.  In fact (surprisingly)... she fell asleep.  Go figure.  It had only been one drink.

Jodi woke to find herself once again balanced on Grizzy's shoulder and face down.  She had an excellent view of her handler's bikini-clad butt, long, tan legs, and the sandy path receding into the distance as she was carried through the green maze.  Jodi was still box-tied, her ankles, feet, and big toes tied, and the ball-gag-necklace dangling and bobbing around her neck.  She lifted her chin, looked up, and noticed a few scudding clouds directly overhead.  Also, the wind was starting to blow in gusts.  If forced to guess, Jodi would say the rainstorm Grizzy had warned her about was approaching fast.

"You don't have to carry me like this, you know," Jodi pouted.

"Good, you're awake," Grizzy chuckled.  "I don't mind, Jacki.  You aren't heavy."

Jodi frowned and doubled down on her pout.. even though there was no one following behind them to appreciate it.  She didn't like being reminded that she was petite and easily controlled by a pink She Hulk like Griselda Bruno.

Their destination was Jodi's (meaning Jacki Joyuex') bungalow.  Either that or its exact duplicate.  They entered through the sliding glass door (the only door, as far as Jodi knew) and Grizzy unceremoniously dumped her on the neatly made king-size bed.

"Hey!" Jodi complained after the mandatory bounce.

"Sorry," Grizzy apologized, "but I need to hurry and fetch our dinner tray."  She then spun on her bare heals and padded back towards the door.  "The storm seems to be a little ahead of schedule," she called back over her shoulder, then crossed the threshold and slid the door closed behind her.

Jodi frowned and watched her Personal Concierge disappear into the green maze.  At least I'm not gagged, she thought, then flexed her feet and wiggled her toes―"Ow!"―and decided hopping around her accommodations was pointless and contraindicated.  There's nothing to see anyway, she silently fumed.  She could use a trip to the Little Damsel's Room, but it wasn't all that urgent.

Minutes passed, during which the sky grew visibly darker... then Grizzy returned.  She was carrying (with depressing ease and strength) a large laden tray.  As Jodi watched, she even managed to balance it with one hand while she slid open the bungalow door without everything crashing to the ground.

Show off, Jodi silently huffed, and continued watching as Grizzy placed the tray on the bungalow's small cafe/dining table, then padded to the bed and smiled.

"I'm back," Grizzy announced as she quickly, deftly untied Jodi's ankles, feet, and big-toes.

"Is that what you are," Jodi huffed.  Then, Grizzy flipped her onto her stomach―"Hey!―and began untying her upper-body-box-tie bonds.  Being the depressingly expert rigger that she was, this didn't take very long.

"Why don't you use the facilities while I set the table," Grizzy suggested (ordered) as she deftly and quickly coiled Jodi's former plum/mulberry rope bonds.

Jodi unbuckled the ball-gag from around her neck and slammed it on the bed.  "Yeah, why don't I?" she muttered, then stomped (padded) into the bathroom and did just that.  She also splashed water on her face and glared at her reflection in the mirror.  Her face appeared to be none the worse for wear... although she noted she had picked up a little color.  She wasn't sunburned... much... but she could probably use a little lotion.  That said, she resolved not to inquire about the availability of skincare products.  Grizzy would probably tie me up and spend an hour rubbing it all over me, Jodi thought with a long-suffering sigh... then stomped (padded) back into the main room.

By this time the tray was unloaded and had been moved to a sideboard/cabinet and the table was set for two with the usual tableware, linen napkins, two covered plates, full water glasses (with ice), empty wine glasses, and a bottle of white wine.  The lighting in the bungalow was dim, except for directly over the table, and the resort beyond the glass walls (what Jodi could see of it) was decidedly dim as well.  It may have even started raining.  She couldn't be sure.

"Dinner is served," Grizzy announced, then removed the covers from the plates, placed then on the tray, then slid back one of the table's two chairs.  She was still smiling, not to Jodi's great surprise.

Jodi frowned at what was technically the "romantic" setting, heaved a sigh, and willed her expression to adopt a neutral mask.  There were already plenty of storm clouds over this part of the island.  No need to add one inside the bungalow.  She padded to her place, sat, Grizzy settled into her chair, and they began to eat.

Yum! Jodi thought.  She also made the appropriate yummy sound.  She couldn't help herself.

"Roasted Macadamia Nut Crusted Mahi Mahi with Lobster Cream Sauce," Grizzy announced.

There were also roasted potatoes garnished with some... stuff, as well as a small pile of leafy vegetation that included a couple of flowers.

Jodi frowned.  "This is all edible, right?"

"Including the blossoms," Grizzy confirmed, then poured wine into Jodi's glass... followed by her own.

The meal continued in companionable silence (even though Jodi was a naked prisoner granted an almost certainly temporary bondage-free respite, and Grizzy was her jailer).

Meanwhile, beyond the glass walls, giant drops splattered the landscape... then... an veritable wall of water marched past and engulfed the world beyond the bungalow.

Jodi blinked in wonder.  "Wow."

Grizzy smiled.  "It happens.  It's Hawaii.  All this green has to happen somehow."  She speared a chunk of roasted potato, popped it into her mouth, then chewed and swallowed before continuing.  "We also get what we call 'liquid sunshine,' brief squalls that blow through while most of the sky is still blue.  Talk about your rainbows!"

Jodi nodded, then continued eating.  It truly was a yummy meal, and the wine was perfect―and dessert was tart-sized pineapple upside-down cakes with crispy crusts and a cherry on top!  The watery pounding on the roof overhead was... soothing... kinda.

The downpour remained at monsoon levels for only a few long, drumming minutes... then slackened into a steady rain.  Thanks to the bungalow's overhanging roof, only a few wind-driven drops managed to reach and drip down the lightly tinted glass.  At some point the landscape lighting winked on, but there was nothing for it to illuminate other than the dripping vegetation and falling rain.  It might not yet be full night, but it might as well have been.

Jodi watched as Grizzy neatly stacked the dirty plates on the tray, bundled the used tableware in one of the napkins and placed it on the plates, added the pair of dessert plates, covered the stack with the nested covers, positioned the water glasses, wine glasses, and empty wine bottle on the tray, and everything was ready to be returned to the kitchen, or scullery, or wherever it was supposed to go.

Grizzy nodded towards the bathroom alcove.  "You might want to freshen up before I put you to bed," she suggested (ordered).

"But I'm not sleepy!" Jodi whined... then blushed.  The last time she'd said something like that was probably twenty years ago, to her mother.  It was... humiliating.  Jodi was increasingly convinced  humiliation and degradation were all part of the service at Blissful Beach Spa, at least for guests on the "Economy-B Package."

"Fine!" Jodi huffed, spun on her her bare heels, and stomped (padded) into the bathroom.  She may have heard Grizzy whisper something about her being "cute" under her breath, but wasn't sure.  She wouldn't put it past her.  Anyway, Jodi used the toilet, then scrubbed her face using the supplied facial scrub, brushed her teeth, stomped (padded) back into the main room... and blinked in surprise.

Grizzy had been busy.  Jodi's plum/mulberry former bonds were in a neat stack on the floor next to the bungalow door, and an array of new restraints were laid out on the bed.  That is, four long, thick, 1"-wide bands of tightly woven nylon webbing lay atop the taut bedspread.  One end of each long strap disappeared between the mattress and the platform-style bedframe―Jodi assumed they were attached in some manner―and the other terminated in a padded cuff!  It didn't take any great leap of imagination to realize Grizzy's intentions.  The straps and cuffs were all royal-blue, by the way.

"So," Jodi huffed, crossing her arms under her breasts and affecting one of her best disappointed frowns, "not only do I not get to walk around the spa and shop at the gift shop, I'm not even allowed to get a good night's sleep."

"I tied you quite stringently last night," Grizzy acknowledged.

"I remember," Jodi growled.

"Anyway," Grizzy continued, "that was standard procedure for your first night as our guest.  As for tonight, your second night―"  She made a graceful, sweeping gesture encompassing the bed.  "―you'll be allowed much more freedom.  In fact, you'll be allowed to roll around as much as you want... within limits, of course."

"Freedom?" Jodi quoted.  "Hah!"

"On the bed, Ms. Joyuex," chuckled, repeating her gesture.

Jodi considered her options.  She could let Grizzy chase her around the bungalow until she was caught, which was inevitable; however, this time there were things available she could throw at her in the form of the dirty dinner plates!  Who am I kidding, Jodi sighed.  I'm still the baby antelope and she's still the freakin' cheetah, and a cheetah with the muscles of a gorilla at that.  She heaved another sigh, this time clearly audible, turned her pout up to eleven, and stomped (padded) to the bed.

When the proverbial dust settled, Jody was flat on her back on the bedspread, her wrists and ankles securely strapped and locked in the cuffs, and glowering up at her Personal Concierge.  Her arms were at her sides, her legs splayed a little, but with plenty of slack in all four bonds.  In fact, she could tell Grizzy had been telling the truth, she would be able to roll around more-or-less unrestricted... as long as she didn't tangle herself in the attached blue straps.  The padded cuffs were close-fitting but not overly tight, and they secured with both Velcro and some sort of complicated catch or clip or tab or whatever.  There were keyholes involved, but Jodi had no idea where Grizzy might be keeping the required key, other than somewhere under her bikini.  In any case, a key hadn't been required to secure the cuff-locks.  They'd simply clicked in place.

Jodi considered flailing around and throwing a serious tantrum, maybe even a full-blown, spoiled brat, bawling baby tizzy-fit, but decided to continue staring daggers instead.

"If you need anything during the night," Grizzy said, "just scream.  We don't gag our guests on the second night either."

"Very funny," Jodi huffed, then watched as Grizzy padded to the bungalow door, slid it open―quadrupling the sound of the rain―then turned off all the interior lights.  She then stooped, slung the plum/mulberry rope bundles over her shoulder (obviously she'd rigged them as a bandolier while Jodi was in the bathroom), then picked up the tray, stood erect, padded across the threshold, and placed the tray on the front stoop.

"You're going to get wet!" Jodi warned (gloated).

"Actually, I'm going to get drenched," Grizzy chuckled.  "Goodnight, Jacki."  And with that she slid the door closed―muting the rain music once again―did something to the latch, and Jodi heard a quiet click.  Somehow, she'd locked the damn thing, of course.  Big surprise.

Jodi lifted her head and watched as Grizzy stepped out from under the roof overhand and padded away.  She was visibly wet before she disappeared into the night (or near night), and Jodi was sure she'd be sopping-dripping-totally-drenched in only a few more steps.  The bikini-clad amazon hadn't seemed to be in any particular hurry.  There was no point.  Jodi heaved another sigh... and gazed up at the dark ceiling.  There was nothing to see, of course, but that didn't really matter.

So... other than the minor danger of self-entanglement, Jodi was free... more-or-less.  She wasn't gagged, either.  She was still naked, of course, but you can't have everything... like clothing.

In terms of escape... chewing her way through the blue nylon straps "encouraging" her to remain on the bed seemed to be her only real option.  Maybe later, she decided.

In terms of actually starting her investigation of Blissful Beach Spa... there didn't seem to be much prospect of that either.

Minutes passed.  I suppose I could play with myself, Jodi mused.  She pictured Griselda's strong, tan, curves... and her beautiful smile... and sexy deep, alto voice...  then realized her hands were resting on her pussy and slowly moving... and she jerked them away!  Where the hell did that come from? she silently wondered.  Her pussy tingled in resentful protest, but only briefly.  Enough of that! she chided herself (and her pussy).  You're a professional journalist, for Pulitzer's sake!  Act like one!

So... freedom that was limited to the bed... not gagged... no new journalistic ideas... and not ready to sleep.  She heaved a sigh, closed her eyes, and listened to the rain.

As Hawaiian working vacations go, Jodi silently fumed, so far this one SUCKS!