Indulge yourself in blind satisfaction as a small present seductively wrapped in red— how far will your other senses take you?
I open my wardrobe and immediately purse my lips at the sight. It’s not that I couldn’t find anything to wear. But the shoes littering the lowest shelf are a problem, since they leave no room for the new pair of beige heels in my hands.
My nose wrinkles at the musty smell— I should probably clean out my closet when I have more time. But just as I’m about to give up, a box with a lace ribbon catches my eye. I faintly recognize the item. Was this a wedding gift?
I pull it out and slowly unravel the strip of fabric. The material splays across my lap when I lift off the cardboard lid. And there it is, my best friend’s flowy handwriting across a powder pink stationery.
"Now that you and Ken have tied the knot, there's nothing stopping you from getting more action. Seriously, you workaholics should play around more!"
Cheeky. Now I feel a little guilty, because I haven't really found a use for it. Neither did we ever "get more action." It's a Friday night, and yet we're both just indoors reeling from the busy workweek.
I place the card on the floor and examine the contents. A white floral two-piece lingerie sits on top with see-through tulle and swirls. This innocent look doesn’t really fit me, a five-foot-eight woman with an athletic build.
I don’t even bother with what looked like black spandex. I look intimidating enough.
There’s also a beige one with a lot of straps, but I don’t have the patience to figure out how to put it on.
Thankfully, at the bottom of the pile is a seductively red one-piece. I take off the oversized white T-shirt I stole from Ken’s closet and hold up the lingerie in front of me. It doesn’t hurt to try, right?
I slide into the crimson garment and tie it up with a ribbon, like a halter. The front is adorned with small ribbons around the cleavage, the belly button, and down my intimate parts. They slyly draw attention from my collarbones down to my crotch.
The cold gust from our air conditioner tickles my bare back. My butt is now in full display, with the g-string barely keeping the lingerie in place.
The plastic crinkles underneath my foot, and I realize there’s still something left inside. I crouch down, shaking out the red strip of fabric of about an arm’s length. I’m not sure what this is for, though I slither the fabric around my neck like a bow anyway.
Ken’s still in the dining room, reviewing some reports for next week’s company meeting. He’d probably appreciate a break. I quickly shove the other pieces back inside the box and kick it towards the side before jumping on the bed, feeling the springs dip and bounce underneath my folded legs.
“Ken, can you help me with something, please?” I project my voice a little louder than usual, hoping I didn’t need to say it again.
Footsteps draw closer towards the bedroom door. Then Ken slowly walks in, eyes still glued on his iPad and glasses resting on the tip of his nose. He’s still in his corporate attire— a gray button-down with navy slacks— though he’s swapped his usual dress shoes for slides.
“What’s up?” he asks lightly before lifting his gaze… and stopping dead in his tracks.
I can sense he’s trying to stop the corners of his mouth from pulling upwards. He casually scratches the back of his head, but his eyes are predatory in the way they graze my body. His Adam’s apple bobs visibly as he gulps down whatever he was about to say.
Ken rakes his fingers through his hair and looks at the floor before making eye contact again. He carefully sets his tablet on the bedside table and sits at the foot of the king-sized bed. Then he draws closer to tuck a stray lock of hair behind my ear.
“I feel like the luckiest guy on the planet right now.” He exhales, leaning back into his left arm. “But if you wanted to do it, you could’ve just said so.”
“Yeah, but I wouldn’t get the same reaction, would I?” I reply coolly, though my fingers clench the sheets.
Ken brushes his knuckles on my cheek and chuckles. “You look as red as your outfit,” he remarks, a lilt of mischief in his voice.
Ken’s gaze lingers on the ribbon on my neck. He takes one end and slowly pulls it away before looping it behind my head, covering my eyes. In a few calculated twists, he has repurposed it into a blindfold.
I draw in a shaky breath and blink a few times behind the cloth. My other senses sharpen almost immediately in the dark. I hear an amused huff— I can only imagine the wide grin on his face. The bed shifts slightly; he must be leaning back to get a better view.
“I think I like it better when it’s tied up there instead.” His knee makes the mattress dip down to my left as his long, nimble fingers cup my face. “It covered up one of your most sensitive spots.”
As if to prove his point, he starts drawing swirls with his thumb down from the base of my jaw down to my collarbones. Shivers dance on my shoulders and upper arms.
“Want me to take control tonight?” Ken’s voice sounds a little raspy, just like how it is when his throat is dry. I nod slowly, though I’m a bit nervous. The thought of having to surrender all control is making me tremble with desire.
I feel him hurriedly propping up the pillows behind me. His right hand gently takes my left shoulder, while his left snakes to the base of my lower back. He lowers me until my back comes into contact with the puff of cotton behind me.
Deep breaths. I focus on steadying my hands beside my torso. Meanwhile, Ken grabs my inner thighs and spreads my legs as he positions himself between them.
He slams his hand on the headboard, and the bed shifts forward. I jolt in surprise. As if in apology, he brushes his nose against mine. A soft piece of fabric— his necktie?— drags along the exposed skin of my stomach, making my back arch upwards.
“Relax, Liana.” His breath fans my face with every syllable. Finally, after what seemed like hours, Ken goes in for a kiss and parts my lips with his tongue. A small gasp escapes me as his fingers brush against my nipples through the delicate fabric. The same hand slides underneath, undoing the ribbon tied at my cleavage.
Pressing his forehead against mine, he breaks the kiss to take a breath. I take this moment to reach for his chest and loosen his necktie. But before I could undo the buttons of his shirt, he straightens up and fumbles with it instead. Another light thud on the headboard.
“Sorry, but no hands tonight, baby.” Ken takes my wrists and uses the silky fabric in his hands to tie them above my head. Before I could protest, he places my legs a little above his thighs, yanking my waist upward.
I take in a sharp breath as I feel him go for my neck. My back arches upwards again, and this time I have to bite down a moan. He’s right. My neck really is sensitive.
Ken must be getting impatient himself, since he undoes the ribbon holding up the lingerie with his teeth. He grazes my collarbones with them as well before dragging his lips down to my nipples.
He stimulates one breast with slow, playful strokes of his tongue, while his hand gets busy exploring the other. Then he skillfully switches sides, and the sensation is maddening. My nipples aren’t the only ones starting to get moist.
Ken gently tugs on my nipple with his teeth, and I draw in a sharp breath. In one swift motion, he peels off my lingerie and leaves a trail of kisses downward.
His hands find their way to my inner thighs as he repositions himself, fingers spreading my labia apart. I could feel his heavy breath on my clit as he pauses for a moment before closing in the space with his tongue. His tongue has been very aggressive tonight.
My fingers tighten their grip on silk in an attempt to brace myself for the end. But just as I am nearing my peak, he lightly blows on my clit as he lifts his head.
I arch my hips upward, begging him to continue. “Not yet, baby,” he whispers, and I try not to groan.
The sheets rustle, and the bed shifts even more until I hear a small laugh and the thud of his belt buckle on the floor. He hooks both my legs over his shoulders, much to my surprise. I slide towards the pile of pillows behind my back.
I draw my arms into my chest when he starts to run his length along my vulva, the entrance getting more and more slippery with each pass. Ken pushes in the tip and stops. He presses it in again ever so slightly and halts midway. I bite down my lip hard, and he advances further by a hair’s breadth.
“Ken,” I growl, getting impatient myself. Teasing me, he slides it in even more slowly. I try to maneuver my hips but he goes in the opposite direction. “Please,” I mutter, silently hoping I don’t sound too desperate.
He grabs me by the waist once more then rocks my hips. He’d pick up the pace every now and then, but he would slow down every single time I’d reach the edge. I wriggle my hands, trying to break free to no avail— he did too good of a job keeping the necktie in place.
Sensing my annoyance, Ken relents, lowering one of my legs and lifting the other one as he penetrates me deeper. He pounds faster and harder. I lose my grip on reality as a long, sweeping climax shatters my system.
He releases inside me, and I’ve never really noticed how warm it felt until now.
Ken pulls out and rests his body next to mine, undoing my blindfold as he did so. I squint at him, my eyes still adjusting to the sudden change in brightness. I could make out his flushed cheeks, messy hair, and lazy smile.
“I missed looking at your eyes,” he says almost shyly before kissing the space between my brows. He unties my arms and massages the red markings the necktie left behind. “I’m sorry about this.”
“It’s alright.” I match his lazy smile. “I liked it anyway. But I prefer seeing you too.” I wrap my arms around his neck and rest my head in the crook of his neck. He tips my chin upwards and says, “I love you.”
He leans in for another kiss, this time slowly and tenderly as our bodies melted into each other.
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BODY IMAGE
The understated beauty of having a positive body image Set your sights on a more beautiful and empowered you. Whenever you look in a mirror, are there things you want to change about what you see? You might be insecure about your weight, the excess fat on your stomach, your thick thighs, or some other part of your body. If you feel like this about yourself, you’re not alone. Body image issues are now more common especially among younger women, who are most swayed by popular media. According to psychologist Heather R. Gallivan, about 4 out of 5 women admit that they don’t like how they look. But just because it’s how things are doesn’t mean it’s how things should be. Do we really have to change what we look like to be happier and more confident? Or is there something else entirely that needs to change? Reflecting on body image What do we really see when we look at our reflection in the mirror? Body image doesn’t have much to do with our actual weight, height, or shape. Instead, it’s about how we think and feel about our appearance. And this picture we create in our heads? It’s subjective— strongly influenced by what we hear from our family, friends, and society. While anyone can suffer from a negative body image, this problem is actually more widespread among women. However, lesbian women are less likely to be swayed by such feelings than heterosexual and bisexual women. But the truth is, beauty standards the world teaches us aren’t even as objective or consistent as you think. It would only take three minutes for you to watch “Women's Ideal Body Types Throughout History” and realize that throughout three millennia, humankind has placed a diverse set of figures on a pedestal in various cultures. And why look further when we can see this in our own country’s culture? A Cut episode of the Philippines’ “100 years of beauty in 1 Minute” features how our standards have been influenced by Spanish, American, Japanese, and Korean influences mixing with our own through the decades. Women’s bodies come in all shapes and sizes. To find beauty in diversity, we must learn to admire each and every physique, including our own. As it turns out, the “ideal” female body is a myth. So instead of running after beauty trends that change year after year, why can’t we stop and accept the way we are now? Smoke and mirrors While the image of perfection has always changed as time passes by, the societal pressure on women to look picture perfect has remained constant. In this day and age, you’re probably used to seeing this era’s “It Girl” through both traditional and digital media. We’re constantly bombarded by photos of female celebrities maintaining a youthful face and supple skin way past their prime. Or updates of female influencers promoting the latest diet fad or exercise routine. The messages you’ve been getting are more confusing than ever: be skinny but healthy, and have large breasts and backside with a toned stomach. It’s hardly fair for most women. Truth be told, the weight criterion alone has become so hard to attain that it could only be achieved by less than 5% of the female population. The media rarely shows us the plastic surgery or photo manipulation required to meet these crazy standards. The scientific consensus points towards how these messages frequently bring about body image dissatisfaction. And yet, they are just coming from corporations who tell us we’re not enough because they want to sell us something— clothes, skincare, or other products that take advantage of our insecurities. As a woman, you get to control your own body and self-worth. Don’t let society dictate what you should look like or how you should act to be liked. This is how society can alter the perception of women, which is why you end up frowning at your reflection in despair. But you’ve been gazing at smoke and mirrors all along. Why is it so important to develop a positive body image in spite of what the media tells us? Body satisfaction makes you less vulnerable to mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and eating disorders. A positive body image brings about your emotional well-being, since self-esteem is the biggest predictor of body satisfaction. Body satisfaction would also mean a higher sexual function, which means better sex and more orgasms for you. A Canadian research found that women with a negative body image had difficulty achieving arousal and orgasm. It’s never too late to change the way you see yourself. No matter what others might think, all women are beautiful in every shape and form. We should be free to love our bodies the way they are and enjoy sexual pleasure the way we want. Thinking body positive The time has come for us to rethink the way we look at ourselves in the mirror. Women of all shapes and sizes are worthy of appreciation. So instead of wanting to change what you don’t like, you can start by embracing who you truly are as a person. Body positivity is all about understanding your own worth, caring for your body, and not punishing yourself for not looking a certain way. It’s also being more comfortable in your own skin, despite other people’s opinions. Women who don’t like their own naked body will find it difficult to get intimate with someone else. Be kinder to your reflection. Nurture your body knowing that you are deserving of love. When you appreciate even the changes in your appearance through the years, you will be able to deepen your relationship with your partner and, more importantly, yourself. So what are some small things you can do to appreciate your own silhouette? Get your body moving. Cherish the moments when you run, laugh, sing, dance, or dream. Your body may not look “perfect” doing these things, but you can still be grateful for how it helps you achieve your daily goals. Reframe the big picture. Mainstream media often has its own ideas of what it means to look beautiful. How about discussing this with your friends? You’d surely discover how much these images and messages are far off from reality. Make a list. Write down everything that you like about your body. Have your trusted friend or partner help out if you like, so you can go back to the list every time you need the motivation. Find your role models. Surround yourself with influencers who have a body shape or type similar to yours. One Instagram experiment demonstrates how women felt instantly better about themselves right after viewing body-positive posts. Sexy you around. Being comfortable in your own skin also involves wearing what makes you feel good about your body. Sexy lingerie isn’t off-limits at all—there’s always one that suits every body type! Unlearning your negative thoughts and feelings about your own body may be difficult, but it’s not impossible. After all, body positivity is about challenging society’s narrow assumptions to adopt a more inclusive idea of beauty— one that includes the woman you see in the mirror. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) What is body image? Body image is how you feel about yourself when you look in the mirror. This can include what you think about your height, weight, and other aspects of your physical appearance. What people say about you or other societal expectations can also affect how comfortable you are in your own skin. Why is it important for women to have a positive body image? A positive body image promotes good physical and mental health among women. That’s because having good thoughts and feelings about yourself makes you less likely to develop anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and other forms of mental illness. It also enables you to develop a healthy lifestyle for a confidence and self-esteem boost. What are the causes of negative body image? Scientists cannot pinpoint a single cause, but there are several factors that can make you prone to developing a negative body image. These include being overweight or underweight, getting bullied for your appearance, and absorbing unhealthy images or messages about “ideal” body types from the media. Are women more likely to have a negative body image? Unfortunately, yes. Studies show that while all genders can suffer from body dissatisfaction, women tend to be least happy about their appearance, regardless of age or ethnicity. Experts say that this is mostly due to the unrealistic portrayals of women across all forms of media. How can I have sex with my partner when I'm not confident with my body? Sex is more than just a physical activity. The emotional connection you share should make you attractive and desirable no matter how you look, so don’t sweat it! More than anything else, sex is only one way for you to show your love and appreciation for each other. What can I do to improve my body image? There are many things you can do to improve your body image. However, it all boils down to accepting your own body and listening to voices of encouragement. These won’t instantly get rid of your negative thoughts, but they’d help you develop healthier thought patterns towards a positive body image. What if my partner doesn't like the way I look? You have to voice out your concerns when your partner makes you feel bad about your body. Talk to them about how you’re currently working on accepting yourself and that they should be willing to help you in this process. If nothing changes, then it’s probably time to reconsider your relationship.
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