I like predictability. Now, don't get me wrong, I love surprises and spontaneity, but I like a sense of security as well. In the case of D/d and D/s, predictability and consistency go hand in hand. When you have thorough consistency [the ability to rely on successive results], then you automatically have predictability. Let me explain:

He was walking around me, teasing me with those deep eyes, swatting me every now and then with this plastic bat he found lying on the carport (can I just say...it stung?!). It was all in fun, and in all honesty, I was thoroughly enjoying myself... but I sure wanted to get a hold of it and give him a taste of his own medicine. The feeling was something like his belt. It stung, but had enough thud behind it to leave a nice burn. When I tried to steal it away, those deep eyes slit down and a menacing frown would warn me of success's consequences. I couldn't do it anyway - he's way bigger and stronger than me.

But then he put it down and had to walk away! AHA! My PERFECT chance.

"Don't you touch that bat, Little Girl. You hear me?"

Darn it. I looked up at him and smiled impishly.

"I'm serious, Rivka - you touch it and I take my belt off and whip your butt right here in front of all these people." There was a touch of play in his eyes, but suddenly there was just enough seriousness for me to realize that it wasn't a just a game anymore.

He must've thought I was going to test him because he started taking off his belt's accessories (phone clip, knife clip, etc). I looked around and sure enough, there were about four other people in sight. Hmph.

Content that I wasn't going to head for the implement right then, he walked away to do whatever it was he had to. I watched for him to disappear behind the corner, and then I walked purposefully towards the bat he'd laid against a door jamb. And then I stopped. A streak of panic struck my heart, and sanity took over. I turned around and left the bat right where it was.

And there he was, "Did you touch it?"

I shook my head vigorously, noting his hands perched precariously on his belt buckle, "No Sir."

"Promise?"

I nodded equally as sincere, "Yes Sir."

A smile split across his face and he moved his hands away from that horribly threatening position, "Good girl..." And he kissed my forehead.

Predictability. I knew that if I touched it, my butt was toast - a zillion people or not. Had that exact incident happened before? No. But I'd heard that tone before, and he's become painfully perfect at keeping his word when it involves such a threat. I could tell that the game had turned into a test of my obedience, and I knew the consequences should I fail.

For some reason, that scenario stuck in my head for days and really made me think. I like the security of knowing that Rico has placed boundaries in my life, that I asked for, that he really won't let me cross without penalties.

Have we "arrived"... of course not. But this is a huge step, I think. His consistency, my allowing him to be consistent, has pushed us both to a place where I can truly trust that he's going to be there with a firm hand when I need the help, and he can truly trust that the help I need is truly a necessity - not a game I'm playing with his head.