Looking up at the painted words above the first door, Sam silently mouthed the last few lines, a tiny smile tugging at her lips. It was a hauntingly beautiful verse which seemed to fit perfectly in this place. "It's fitting," she decided, following Mikie down the hallway. The carpet muffled the sound of her heels, and had she been in a more familiar place, Sam would have gratefully removed them at the point to enjoy the plush pile. Like the rest of her outfit, heels weren't something she often wore.<br/><br/>While curious as to how many doors and how many shades waited further on, she turned her attention back to the door Mikie was unlocking. "I can overlook your love of Brussels sprouts" Sam grinned, a hint of mischief flashing in her eyes as she leaned closer and whispered conspiratorially, "as long as you don't mind that I love spinach."<br/><br/>As excited as Sam was to get started, she knew when to stop and listen. Mikie's tone made it clear this was important, so she clasped her hands and paid attention as the woman explained what a safe-word really was. "I think I understand... some people enjoy yelling 'stop', but don't<i>really</i>want to stop," she mused. "I've never used a safe-word, but..." For a moment, Sam looked unsure, then admitted, "A word is only as safe as the person using it and the person listening to it. Whether I have a word or not, I'm trusting you tonight? I think... I like the idea of letting you know how I feel as we go, so that we can slow down without completely stopping if I need a minute or we can try something different?" It sounded like a good place to start.<br/><br/>With that decided, Samantha finally stepped into the room. Even if it was one of the light colored rooms, there was still enough equipment to make her heart skip a beat. She paused after only a single step, simply taking it in, then slowly moved closer to the center of the room. It was the peculiar saw horse that finally beckoned her closer, fingertips dancing over the padded leather and smooth wood. "What is this called? What is it for?" she asked curiously, trying to picture how one... sat on it? Bent over it?<br/><br/>Growing more comfortable as she looked around, it took only a few minutes for Sam to make her way over to the cabinets, her gaze landing on a narrow leather paddle. Blushing, she had to clear her throat a little to find her voice before saying, "I like these... the paddles, crops, collars. Actually, everything in this cabinet looks interesting, except maybe the chains." Those weren't exactly intimidating, but she wasn't as interested in them as she was the ropes. Leaving the cabinets, she wandered over to the gurney, clearly confused about its presence in the room. "Is this in case of any... problems? Accidents? Nothing in here looks particularly dangerous," she said softly. Of course, even a simple rope was dangerous in the wrong hands.<br/><br/>Trying to hide her growing excitement, and nerves, Sam smiled at Mikie and asked, "What, um, do you like best?"