Her Journey Ch. 01

Susan was stressed, tired, and at yet another convention for work. As she sat in another workshop pretending to listen to the same old techniques with yet another new name, her eyes drifted around the room. She was a people watcher. She wondered if everyone else was as bored as she...as lonely and unsatisfied with life as she. The presenter droned on as Susan mused silently in her head about her discontent and scanned the faces of her colleagues. Susan had a good life... people who loved her, a good job, and no real reason to complain. She was still an attractive woman for her 45 years... a few extra pounds that needed toning; Yet she had a nice full figure that still turned heads and her natural strawberry, blonde hair had yet to develop any gray. Yes, she was what many considered attractive. Yet there was this emptiness behind her blue eyes...this yearning for something more. She always felt alone in a crowd full of people and never felt she fit in anywhere. She ached to feel alive, to feel wanted and desired for more than pushing papers and folding clothes...

"Excuse me Miss," a low, gravely male voice whispered in Susan's ear startling her from her musings. She looked over her shoulder at the man whispering at her and now tapping her on her shoulder. "I dropped my pen and it's under your chair. Retrieve it for me." he stated. Susan blinked. He hadn't asked, he had told her.

Her first reaction was to tell him to get his own damn pen. Yet something stopped her. Something in the tone of his voice, something deep in his steel grey eyes, and in the firm touch of his hand on her shoulder made Susan simply bend and retrieve his pen. As she handed it to him, she noted the small smile twitching at the corners of his lips. Again her red haired temper started to flare ...as she realized he knew he didn't ask and she had simply obeyed. As she started to speak her mind, the presenter called her name. It was now her turn to bore her colleagues and Mr. Pen (as she was calling him in her mind) had the nerve to grin and wink as she turned to gather her notes and walk to the stage.

His eyes were on her as she walked toward the stage. She could feel his eyes taking in every inch of her - from her sensible two inch black heels and stockings all the way up her two piece gray pinstriped suit. It was as if his hands caressed her everywhere he looked. The thought made her flush as she approached the stage. What is it with this man she thought as climbed the 3 steps onto the stage slightly lifting the pencil skirt she wore to accommodate the steps. Susan tried to focus as she gave her presentation and scan the entire audience as good presenters do. However, her eyes were compelled to keep coming back to him. Each time he was there, looking as nonchalant as possible, chewing on the end of his pen. Why this excited Susan, she didn't understand; but for some strange reason she was slightly aroused watching him nibble on his pen as she gave her presentation. A question from the audience tore her attention away from Mr. Pen and when the presentation ended he was no longer in his chair. Susan walked back to her seat to gather her belongings feeling somewhat deflated. She had hoped to at least learn his name. Oh well just another day like the rest of her life she mused. When she reached her table a grin spread across her face and she quickly scanned the room. Laying on top of her notepad was his pen and a folded note. Her hands trembled a bit as she opened the note and read:

Dinner at 8:00 Rooftop Grille

Dress and Heels Required

Don't be late, I will not wait.

Michael

As she quickly gathered her things, she couldn't help but look around the room. Was he watching for her reaction? She didn't see him anywhere in the mass exodus of colleagues stopping to say hello and rushing to their next meetings. Susan tried to be polite and make conversation while looking for "Mr. Pen... Michael." In hopes of gathering some information on this mysterious man, Susan asked a lady that had been sitting at his table if they worked together. Unfortunately, he appeared to be a mystery to his table companions as well. She declined several dinner offers from coworkers saying she had work to finish before tomorrow's presentations. Susan left the hotel ballroom and headed for her room on the 5th floor. It was now 5pm. She had 3 long hours before her mysterious dinner.

Once inside her room, Susan once again read the note. What was she thinking? "I'm married," she said out loud to the empty room. Her phone buzzed as if on cue. "Hello," Susan answered. "Yes dear, I had a good day. How was yours?" The small talk continued with her husband for several minutes before of course turning into an argument over something inconsequential. Susan was glad to get off the phone and sat there looking at it and at the note laying on the table... Her decision made. She would enjoy herself if only for one night.

Now what to wear... a dress and heels... This was a convention for teachers. Sensible clothes were all she had packed. She quickly scanned the hotel amenities and as she had recalled they housed a salon and boutique. She dialed quickly and managed to sweet talk them into a last minute appointment for hair and nails At 6:45. It was now 5:00. That gave her time to visit the boutique and hopefully find something suitable to wear.

In the boutique, Susan was pleasantly surprised at the selection. She was able to find a short red and black cocktail dress that hugged her body and accented her curves in all the right places. She lingered over the lingerie..." I have no need for fancy lace undergarments," she chided herself. I t is simply dinner. Yet something told her yes... be sexy, be free tonight. So Susan added a dark red lace bra and panty set to her purchases and finished it all off with black sheer thigh stockings and a pair of black heels at least 2 inches higher than she was used to wearing. The sales clerk commented that she must be planning a special night and this made Susan blush profusely ... Realizing she was going to such great lengths for a stranger. Yet the thought warmed not only her face but her nether regions as well...what was happening to her she wondered?

Susan had just enough time to deposit her purchases in her room, bathe, and get to her Salon appointment. Upon entering her room, she noticed housekeeping had been in and turned down the bed. There was also a package left for her. She opened the package to find card simply embossed with the name "Michael" with directions that she present it to the maître d' upon arriving at the restaurant at 8pm and a terse reminder not to be late. Susan was once again baffled at her response to such an invitation... she was excited, her body tingled, and dare she admit she was aroused. What is going here? Who is this man and why I am responding this way?

Susan walked to the bathroom to prepare for her bath, as the questions ran through her mind. She undressed and looked hard at herself in the full length mirror. As she looked in the mirror her hands moved over the fine lines in her porcelain face and smoothed her red hair. Her hands traveled down her neck and collar bone and over the fullness of her large breasts. Her nipples became hard and erect from the slight attention. Her hands continued over her belly... her least favorite feature and over her wide full hips. She was short but her legs were nicely shaped and her hands caressed a nicely rounded bum. Yes, she was attractive, but it had been far too long since she had felt desired or sexy.

Susan took extra time in the bath. Shaving all her necessary areas smooth and using her lavender scented soaps. Applying a light scented lavender/vanilla body spray after her bath was all the perfume she used. Satisfied with her preparations, she quickly slid into some comfortable clothe and headed to the salon for her appointment. At her appointment, her long strawberry red hair was and combed till it glistened. Instead of keeping it pulled up as she typically did at these meetings, it lay loose around her shoulders and fell in soft curls just below her shoulders. Her nails were shaped and polished a dark red. It had been a long time since Susan felt so pampered and sexy. It was now 7:15.

Susan quickly returned to the room and changed into her new dark red lace lingerie and black thigh stockings. As she looked at herself in the mirror, she couldn't help but think that something important was happening tonight. Something that would forever change how she would feel about herself. Again she hesitated. The hesitation was defeated by a deep unnamed yearning inside Susan. She must go tonight. If for no other reason than to figure out why she was tempted to do so.

She stepped into her dress, zipped the zipper, slid into her heels, picked up her clutch and with just a backward glance in the mirror was out the door before another dissenting thought could creep into her mind.

She was in the elevator at 7:50. Susan was so nervous, she was unaware of the appreciative glances she received from the men in the elevator. Her nervousness and excitement rose as the elevator stopped on each floor. This ride was taking forever. Susan worried she would not reach the Rooftop Grille by 8:00. Finally, the elevator reached the rooftop and Susan rushed to the maître d' handing him the embossed card at 7:59. The maître D' looked at her appreciatively and smiled before escorting her personally to a small table in the back of the room. The table was situated by the window overlooking the water with a miraculous vie w of the city skyline. The setting was intimate and private, yet still visible to rest of the dining room.

The maître d' informed Susan that Michael would be there in 20 minutes and she was to have a glass of wine and enjoy the view. Her face must have showed her flash of anger and dismay, as the maître d', held up his hand and quietly said, "Miss, these are the instructions. I will bring you your wine and I recommend you wait." With that, he left Susan to contemplate this twist in events. Silently she was fuming... "How dare he!" He had explicitly stated 8 twice. He had warned her twice not to be late because he would not wait. Yet here she was and he was late and expected her to wait. Of all the nerve!! Yet, she wasn't moving. Why?

A waitress returned with her wine, another thing she didn't get to choose. "Good you are still here. Sir will be pleased. It won't be long now." The waitress turned and left quickly. Susan was left to sip her wine and ponder that exchange: Sir will be pleased. What did that mean?

Lost in thought, Susan was startled when a warm hand was placed on her bare shoulder. Yet she recognized the touch immediately from earlier in the day. As she turned her head, he spoke, "Good Evening Susan. I am glad you could join me." Susan stared at Michael. He was a handsome man. This was the first opportunity she'd had to really look at him. Dark salt and pepper hair, deep penetration steel gray eyes, and at last 6ft. He was trim and in shape and dressed smartly in black suit and white shirt with a blue tie. "Cat got your tongue?" he asked. Susan flushed in embarrassment as she realized she had simply been staring at him. "Good evening Michael. Thank you for inviting me.", she managed to stammer. He smiled at her nervousness and took the seat across from her.

A waitress quickly appeared and poured Michael a glass of wine. Michael ordered grilled salmon with vegetables and salad for them both and sent the waitress on her way. Susan began to speak as he ordered as salmon was not her favorite and he simply held up his finger. She was beginning to be unsure of being here, yet there was something inside her that wouldn't let her leave. After the waitress left, Michael asked if she had a question. Susan was a bit afraid to voice her opinion, yet she told him she did not prefer salmon. She was shocked when he replied, "There are many things you will learn to like; however, I will not force you to eat salmon if you choose not to. What would you prefer?"

Susan replied, "I will have the trout, please. Michael nodded and changed the order with the waitress.

Michael sat across from her studying her as they sipped wine. Susan fidgeted under his scrutiny. She was becoming uncomfortable and finally blurted out, "Why did you ask me here tonight Michael?"

Michael grinned a slow sexy grin, "Why did you come Susan?" He reached across the tabled and traced each of my fingers with his index finger. "I noticed something in you today Susan. Something I think you do not even see in yourself. You may feel it, but not understand it. You have a yearning inside you. A desire to please, to be needed. Yet you also have not had your own needs met in a very long time. "He paused and looked at me. "Breathe, sweet girl."

I did not realize I was holding my breath. Yet, I was. This man was reading me like a book. How did he know my inner most recesses... my deepest longings? I was speechless and he knew it.

"Yes Susan, I know you. I understand you. I see your struggle within written all over you. I want to help you with that. That is why I invited you here tonight."

Still I am speechless. The waitress brings our food at this moment which is probably a good thing. I need time to process what has just been said. As we eat, Michael turns the conversation to small talk. Work, travel, food, wine, literature. I find we have many interests in common and he is very easy to talk to.

As we finish dinner and sip another glass of wine, the conversation returns to why we are here.

Michael asks me again, "Susan, why did you come tonight?'

I slowly lick my lips and trace the rim of my wine glass with my index finger, as I say "I came because it has been too long since I have felt anything inside. I came because I needed to feel wanted and desired. I came because your persona wouldn't let me say no. I came because my interaction with you today stirred a longing in me I can't put a name on and I want to know what it is. As I finish speaking, I looked at you from under my lashes and see you smile a satisfied smile and hear you ask "Do you wish to explore that yearning with me sweet girl?"

I reply, "Yes, I would."

"Your life will be very different Susan. What I am proposing is a Ds relationship. Have you any idea of what I am talking about?" Michael asks.

I gasp. Ds really? I have read about this recently.

"You believe I am submissive?" I ask.

"Aren't you?" Michael asks. "You came here tonight under my orders. I am a complete stranger. You could have left when I was late and you chose to stay. Yes, I believe you have submissive tendencies and I believe you and I could develop a Ds bond. "

I am uncertain, but I am more intrigued. For once in my life something feels decidedly right and a smile spreads across my face.

"I take that smile as a willingness to explore the possibility Susan." Michael says.

I breathlessly answer, "Yes Michael, Yes." My world has just changed forever with those 3 words.