Finding Home

He nodded. "I can do that," he murmured softly. "Now... I'm going to kiss you, because I'm going to spontaneously combust right here on the spot if I don't."

"Yes, Master," she lifted her face slightly towards his in anticipation, joy and desire in her eyes.

He lowered his lips and claimed hers, a loud groan of barely checked desire sounding immediately in her ears. Holding her body tightly to his, he pressed his lips into hers for long moments, licking gently to taste them after a while. Finally he released her and looked back into her eyes. "I... Annabelle, that was...," he trailed off, completely at a loss for words.

She smiled up at him, licking her lips, "You can feel free to do that anytime you want, Master." She leaned back against the wall and tugged him towards her, a low soft moan of pleasure at feeling him pressed against her, "Super green," she informed him.

He looked at her curiously. "Is this something you would like me to ensure we are alone for... my Annabelle?"

She tilted her head, her eyes turning confused, "No... why? Do you only want this when we're alone, Master?"

"Absolutely not. I am trying to feel out your comfort level. Asking questions is the generally accepted method for doing so," he murmured firmly, before his hand shifted and he started feeling around at her ribs with the fingertips, prodding gently.

"Yes, Master," she shifted, and squirmed, then wriggled before bursting into laughter when he hit a particular spot, a squeak escaping shortly after. "Master, please..." She squirmed and laughed again, arching to escape the tickling of his fingers while rubbing her body against his.

"There it is...," he murmured as he slowed and stopped. "God, I love that sound..." He paused, then continued, "I never want you to be uncomfortable with what we do, Annabelle, who we are. And I'm not one who does this sort of thing normally, but I would shout from the rooftops that you are mine if I wasn't worried about scaring you off..." He looked into her eyes, "I will never be embarrassed of you... or who you wish to be to me as you figure that out, Annabelle. Never."

Her eyes were soft and warm, "Yes, Master." She paused for a moment, looking up at him, "I'm not scared. I feel safe with you, like... I'm home." She licked her lips, "May I have another kiss, Master."

"Gladly," he murmured, before pressing her into the wall and bending his head once more to kiss her passionately. Long moments passed, and when he released her lips again, he murmured softly, "My good girl..."

A soft sighing whimper of pleasure, as she languidly gazed up at him, "Yours, Master." She slid her hands up his body, then gently cupped the back of his head, urging him towards her again, "More please." The next several minutes were spent in slow, long kisses unhurried in their pleasure and discovery. When the timer went off she pouted up at him, "I can have more later?"

"I will happily give them any time I am able," he murmured, then leaned into her ear, "They're more addicting than your cookies."

She whimpered and shivered against him, tilting her head slightly to press towards him in offering, "And only for you, Master." She pressed against him, nuzzling into his neck with a soft kiss before turning to lead him back into the house so she could feed them. She hummed happily to herself as she made the plates, putting his in front of him first, before fixing one for James and Jasmine then herself. This time she sat beside Michael, her foot slipping up and down his calf under the table as they ate.

Suddenly a commlink chirped, then made a musical noise. Annabelle frowned, then pulled her commlink out to check it, "I've got to take this, I'm sorry." She rose to her feet, stroking her fingers up Michael's arm gently before kissing his temple, "I'm sorry, I'll try to make it quick." She walked away, as she answered the phone, her soft, sweet tone shifting to cold and distant, "Goodwin, I'm on vacation Smith." She paused for several minutes, listening as she walked down the hallway to her room, "You lost... the data..." She paused, "How the hell did you lose the data Smith, you had two backups." Her bedroom door closed, cutting off the last of the castigation she was giving the poor soul named Smith.

Jasmine huffed and pouted, then got up and took Annabelle's plate to put it in the microwave to keep it warm before returning to her seat. "Poor Annabelle. Smith is an idiot."

"They actually call her when they know she's on vacation?" Michael asked, almost incredulously.

James nodded, "She is salaried, and the team lead." He paused, his brow furrowed, then cleared, "Ohh, you two never did the whole, 'My job is...', stuff. She's the team lead for a red-team of white hats."

Michael blinked. "Wow. That's impressive...," he said, the admiration evident in his voice. "That's not an easy job."

"So they call her sometimes. Not as much as they used to, she put protocols in place to prevent it as much as possible." Jasmine offered quietly. "That's part of the reason she's looking at moving into the city, it'll be easier if she has to actually go down to the office."

They continued talking for several minutes until Annabelle came back out, hanging up the commlink. Instead of getting her plate, or sitting back down she walked up behind Michael and draped herself against his back and hugged him tightly from behind. Tucking her face into his neck to breathe him in.

Michael softly stroked her arms, "What can I do? How can I make it better?"

"You're doing it," she murmured into his neck followed by a soft kiss. "I can't tell if Smith is extremely stupid, or highly intelligent. Either way, he's two phone calls from getting transferred to a different team." She tightened her grip on him with a soft sigh, kissing his neck again before straightening to heat up her dinner so she could eat. "I'm sorry about the interruption, Master."

He tightened his grip on her arm. "I'm not here to take your life away. I want to be part of it," he murmured.

She smiled into his eyes, "You already are, Master." She paused, "Jasmine and I are looking at a house on Friday, I don't know if you're going to be busy, but if you're free about lunch time you're welcome to join us. James is invited but he'll need to ask his boss for time off." She sat down beside Michael again, returning to her food as she stroked his leg with her foot again, almost incessantly seeking to touch him.

He looked at James, then chuckled. "Of course you can have the time off. We'll make it a double date."

Annabelle looked between the two of them in confusion for a moment, then her face cleared as she smiled at Michael, "That sounds like fun, Master." She murmured, her fingers reaching to touch him gently. Dinner was finished quickly with quiet talking, then the four of them retired to the living room again. Annabelle bit her lower lip for a moment, then instead of laying her head on his lap as was habit, she snuggled fully into his lap and curled up against his chest.

"Could get used to this so easily...," he murmured.

"Nefarious scheme," she murmured into his neck with a soft giggle.

"...Cute little ass...," he chuckled softly, so that only she could hear.

"Yours to touch, Master." She murmured in response as she tucked into his neck, giving it a soft kiss. "Along with anything else that might take your fancy, Master" she ended, giving him another kiss on the neck.

"Yeah?" he asked softly, his expression turning warm.

She nodded, tucking her head slightly bashfully, "I trust you, feel safe with you, Master."

He nodded slowly, "The feeling is very mutual. As is the offer."

She flicked her gaze up to meet his eyes, her eyes warm and gentle, she lifted up slightly and brushed her lips across his softly, "Yes, Master." She slid her hand around him, then slipped it under his shirt to touch his skin gently with warm fingers. "I am looking forward to having my own place again," she murmured softly into his ear, "Then I can run around naked again."

He smiled, turning so that he was murmuring in her ear. As he did so, the shit-eating grin that James was wearing on his face as he looked at the two of them did not escape his notice. "Now that is something I think I would like to see for myself."

She blushed, smiling up at him, "I look forward to it, Master. Just have to find the right house. Then I can invite you over, just the two of us," her eyes were warm and inviting as she looked into his. Her fingers stroked up and down his back and side with warm touches, delicately exploring and touching.

Jasmine giggled softly, then rose to her feet, tugging James behind her, they left the living room to give Annabelle and Michael some privacy, Annabelle lifted her head to look as they did so, then looked up at Michael with a warm gaze. Michael watched them go, and when they had turned the corner, he shifted Annabelle in his lap, crushing his mouth to hers with a groan of need, his hand sliding lower to cup her ass as had been offered, squeezing firmly.

A low moan of pleasure poured into his mouth as she melted into the kiss, her hand pressing into the small of his back as her other hand slid up to cup and massage his head. She shifted, pressing her ass more firmly into his hand in clear offering. Her lips parted to suck on his lower lip, then darted her tongue out to taste him.

Michael chased his tongue back into her mouth after hers, plundering and claiming that part of her in clear, unmistakable ownership. His fingers slid into her hair and entangled themselves in it. He smiled slightly into her lips, before he tugged firmly, baring her neck, then bent and kissed the side of it eagerly, finally opening his mouth to graze his teeth over the skin and licking where they had been.

She whimpered softly, her fingers clenching into him desperately as the kiss set her nerves on fire. A low wanton whine poured from her lips at the feel of his lips, teeth and tongue on her neck, "Oh... God... please, Master." She moaned brokenly, "Yours."

He finally lifted his lips off of her neck to look at her eyes again, and murmured huskily, "Someday... you're going to ask me to put a collar on that neck. One that doesn't come off. And I'm going to do it, Annabelle. Not until you're ready, but I'll be damned if you ever belong to someone else..."

She shivered at the sound of possession in his voice, "Yes, Master." She blinked slowly, trying to get control of her hormones again as she did so. A faint blush on her cheeks at the wanton way she was acting, but trying not to be embarrassed because it was for him and him alone. "What else would you like to do before you leave, Master?" She asked softly, looking into his eyes trustingly.

"I just... I just want to hold you. You feel so comfortable. You said it earlier... home. You feel like home, and I wish I didn't have to leave," he said softly, pulling her to his chest and gently stroking her body. "Tell me about your dreams. What do you want in life?"

"Someday, you won't have to." She murmured softly as she melted into him again, more than happy to give him whatever he wanted and needed, "Honestly, my dreams have changed lately... I'm moderately successful with my job, but now more of my dreams involve you and making you happy." She paused, "I want a family and a home." She looked up at him, "That's part of why I was hoping you could go with us on Friday... I know it's soon but... I want your input on the house I buy, because I want it to be a house we'll both like."

He looked at her, his gaze filled with wonder. "How did I have to wait so long to find you, Annabelle?" he asked, brushing the backs of his fingertips along her cheek. "I would be honored. I can't tell you how happy it makes me to hear you say that."

She smiled, turning her face slightly to kiss his fingers gently, "What about you, Master? What are your dreams?" She tilted her head, "What's important to know for the care and keeping of Master Michael?"

He thought about that for a moment. "I'm also doing quite well with my job. At least, James seems to have no complaints. But I go home to an empty house. I want to go home to someone who wants me there for me. Not because I'm well off, not because of what I can do for them, but simply because they want to be around me. I want to share my life with someone like that. And yes, I have a need to control that relationship, but ultimately to take care of that person and help them grow and become whatever they want to be." He paused, then finished. "I want to be someone's world and I want someone who can be my world."

She nodded her understanding, her fingers slowly stroking over his chest in a gentle massage. "You're well on your way to becoming my world, Master." She bit her lip, "I spent most of the day wondering what to do to make you happy, keep you happy, make you feel cherished and loved."

He chuckled, "And the only thing I could think about after your call was how stressed you sounded and wondered what I could do to take it away."

"Your kisses help," she murmured, "And your holding me and touching me comforts me." She looked up at him through her lashes, "You can kiss me in front of other people... if you want to, Master. I'll never deny you."

"I would like that very much. I very much want other people to know you're taken and not get any ideas," he said firmly. "Not that I worry about James...," he smiled wryly. "I know where he works, and I'll just kick his ass in the parking lot."

She giggled softly, her eyes sparkling, "Yours, Master." She brushed her lips across his again before snuggling into him once more. "This is very addictive and if I wasn't in James's house I'd ask if we could try the bed for snuggling."

"Someday soon," he murmured. "When you tell me you're ready, we'll find a way." He rested for a moment, then added, "Until then, anytime you want, this, right here, is your home. You are always welcome in your home."

"Yes, Master." She murmured, "What about after?" She tilted her head, "Will I still get to have all the cuddles I want?"

Michael smiled, nodding, "Absolutely."

"What about you, Master? Are you going to want lots of cuddles, and kisses, and naked Annabelle?" She looked up at him wide eyed but with a clear impish smile on her lips.

"And many, many other things, but yes, those too. And often," he murmured seriously. "I'm going to want all of you, in all the ways, inside the bedroom and out of it. Mind, heart, body, soul. Nothing held back, because I'll give you that much of me too."

Her eyes relaxed, and a slow sweet smile replaced the impish one as she gazed into him, "It will be yours, Master. Because when I put a collar on, accept a ring, marry and take a last name, it's going to be permanent." She leaned in and brushed her lips across his, "There should probably be some discussions beforehand, yeah?"

"As many as you need about whatever you want. I've seen enough to know that going anywhere would be the biggest mistake of my life. I'm right here, unless you tell me to go."

Annabelle murmured, "The only time I'll ever tell you to go is when I'm begging you to go deeper, go harder, go faster." She smirked into his eyes, "I've done a lot of research, Master. There are a few things I'm not interested in, but I doubt they are something you're interested in either." She paused, "I'm not a pony or furniture, I'm not going to parade around nude in front of other people because my body is for my Master's viewing pleasure only. No humiliation or blood play." She tilted her head, "However, I do like the idea of bondage, and being tied up and spanked. And very much like the idea of worshiping you, Master."

He smiled, "I like all of those things, my Annabelle. And I would do further research with you if you want. The thing about this lifestyle... for those of us for whom it actually IS a lifestyle... It's a journey. One best walked together. We explore together, we learn together, we grow together. I do not have all the answers, but I want to lead us to finding them together." He paused, then brushed his lips across hers before asking, "Does that make sense?"

"Yes, Master," she murmured softly, "And I very much like this idea." She cuddled into his chest again, sneaking her hand lower to rub across his stomach before moving upward, "Do you like massages?"

"They... involve your hands on me, right?" he asked with a smile, the desire in his eyes back.

"Yes, Master," she murmured. "While you're naked is better." She snuggled into him, wanting to keep things light between them, even though part of her ached for more. "I am a patient, good girl." She murmured to herself under her breath, as she breathed deeply with her eyes closed.

"Anything that involves your hands on me in a not-homicidal way has my approval... my good girl," he murmured.

Her eyes opened to look up at him slowly, the sheer hungry need evident in them before she forced herself to focus, "Your good girl, Master. I want to take care of you outside the bedroom as well. I want to cook, and clean, and pamper you so you never have stress at home." She paused, "What about you, Master? What are your fantasies? What do you desire?"

"All that...," he smiled, before adding, "and so many decadent pleasures inside the bedroom as well. I want to treat you, experience new things with you. Travel and the like. I want long, calm conversations about shallow and deep things. I want to enjoy life with someone who matters. I think that's you, Annabelle."

Annabelle smiled, and leaned in, giving him another soft, sweet kiss before sucking on his lower lip to dart her tongue in to taste him with a soft sigh of pleasure, "And I think it's you, Master." She murmured into his mouth before kissing him again, her lips soft and warm, offering to him all that she was. They spent several long minutes just pleasurably kissing and touching each other, murmuring softly until Jasmine and James rejoined them, then the four spent the next couple of hours just talking and spending time together. Annabelle walked him to the door afterwards, and looked up at him, "I miss you already."

"You have my comm," he murmured before bending to kiss her passionately. "You get to use it anytime. Anytime."

"Soon," she murmured, "Will you be here for dinner tomorrow?" She looked up at him hopefully, "I'll cook anything you'd like."

He chuckled, "James already chastised me. I will be here. Surprise me. Somehow, I find myself doubting that anything you make is going to taste bad."

"Yes, Master." She lifted up to kiss him again, then daringly touched her fingers to his thigh, pressing close to his groin but not quite touching it, "Anything you desire, Master. I will happily give it to you, Master."

As he sadly gathered his will and pulled away, he murmured softly, "Whenever you are ready, my Annabelle." He walked to his car and began the drive home, both exhilarated and sad at the same time.

Annabelle watched him go, a slight pout on her face, then closed the door and sighed. Jasmine wrapped her arms around her from behind, "What's wrong you'll see him again tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow isn't going to come fast enough." Annabelle murmured softly, "I don't like letting him go... I've never felt like this with anyone. Not even..." she trailed off, "And he sets me on fire with just a kiss. It's not fair, I haven't had anything that wasn't run on batteries in years." James promptly put his fingers in his ears to walk away, not wanting to hear anymore of the conversation, but making note to tease Michael about it tomorrow.

++++++++++++++

Friday, eleven a.m. Annabelle checked her finances once more, doing the mental calculations, then nodded, the asking price on the house was well within her self imposed budget. She walked out of the bedroom to join Jasmine as they waited for the men to arrive, the meeting was set for twelve thirty so they had time. Jasmine looked at Annabelle, "What are you thinking?"