Rising Tide

"They were only eight years old," Jade responded, her nose wrinkled, "They still worked, Master Michael, sure they might have been slow to start, and occasionally needed a little love, but they worked." She looked up at Zane, "Actually, I don't suppose you know somebody who could give lessons? One of the computers that just arrived is a bit... I haven't used Ubuntu since college."

"Well...," he trailed off, musing, "I do know a guy... He's only going to be in town for a few days, but I hear there have been great advances in the technology of 'remote desktops' over the past seventy years..."

Her nose wrinkled slightly, "If he wouldn't be too busy I'd love to have help." She bit her lower lip, smiling up at him again, her eyes warm and trusting.

"I'll have to have him check his schedule...," he trailed off, pausing for a moment looking up at the ceiling before suddenly looking back at her. "He's free," he said simply with a smile.

She giggled with a soft blush, "Sounds like a plan then," she bit her lower lip, "I can't cook nearly as good as Annabella, but I would be happy to have you for a meal."

"I would be honored, Jade," he said sincerely.

She ducked her head, then saw Annabella smirking at her with an impish gleam in her eyes. Jade raised a brow, then giggled softly, "I see you."

Annabella gave an innocent cherub smile, "You see nothing." She giggled, rubbing her hand over her stomach, and leaned into Michael.

The meal was eaten, and the rest of the guests slowly trickled out as the time wore on, Michael saying his farewells to each as they left. Jade stayed close to Zane throughout the bulk of the evening, sitting with him at dinner, and then staying beside him until long after the other Master had left. As the evening wrapped up, Annabella grabbed Jasmine and Jade, dragging them out onto the back porch with a giggle.

Zane rubbed his temples in slow circles. "Gods, you put up with those inane slaves EVERY MAsT meeting? How do your slaves stand it? I can barely stand it..."

"Annabella has the patience of a saint," Michael said, pressing the whiskey to his forehead, "And Jasmine is a sweet wonderful woman who is too good for James."

James whipped his head around to Michael looking as if he was about to say something before he shrugged and nodded, "Yeah. Not going to lie. I lucked out big time."

Michael turned back to Zane. "So... you and Jade?"

"I... don't know. She's intriguing as hell. Smart, kind... How about... we'll see how it goes?" Zane offered.

"That's fair," Michael replied. "But for the record? She's into you. We've been working together on our lifestyle videos for several years. I know her well enough to know that."

Outside Jade was facing the same questions, "Yes, I feel safe and warm with him, no I don't know where it's going. He lives in California and I live... here," Jade trailed off with a shrug, "He's only here for a few days."

"But you're going to let him into your sanctuary," Annabella murmured, her eyes wide.

"He'd appreciate it," Jade said with another shrug and a sheepish smile.

Annabella giggled, then patted Jade's hand, "Why don't Jasmine and I go in, and send Zane out to talk with you?"

"If you must meddle," Jade said, her nose wrinkled at Annabella as Jasmine giggled.

"Well, Michael and Anna met and fell in love quite quickly, less than a week wasn't it?" Jasmine teased Annabella.

Jade giggled, "Oh fine, go matchmake." She curled up in the chair, pulling the silver collar off and tucking it back into her handbag.

Jasmine and Annabella giggled and slipped into the house, making their way towards their Masters. Annabella looked at Zane, "We're giving you a chance to talk with her alone, Master Zane." She grinned and giggled softly.

He turned to James and Michael. "Your slaves are meddling...,"

Michael chuckled, "They do that. Are you telling me you don't want to go out on that back patio and talk to her, though?" Zane looked at him for a moment, then stood and walked out the back without another word.

Outside, he found and sat next to Jade. "Our friends are playing matchmaker and are not being very subtle about it...," he chuckled.

"I noticed," she giggled softly, ducking her head as she looked down at her hands, "I don't find myself being too upset with them, however. I've... really enjoyed tonight with you." She looked up at him with a soft, shy smile.

"I'm glad. I worried I was the only one. I really would like to see you again, Jade. I'd like to see... what's here. If there could be anything...," Zane said softly. "You know I own a company in California. I can't leave that. I've got too many people depending on me. But... it that's not something that would be a... deal-breaker for you...," he trailed off.

She reached up, tucking a hair behind her ear and giving him another soft, shy smile. "No, that wouldn't be a deal-breaker. Most of my job is done remotely, to begin with." She paused, then placed her hand on his gently, looking up into his eyes, "I'd like to explore with you, Master."

She heard him sigh, and the relief on his face was evident. "I'm glad. I don't... do... casual. I have a hard time in an in-between space. I need to either be 'friends' with a woman or 'looking for something serious'. The rest is... too complicated."

Her nose wrinkled slightly, and she chewed on her lower lip, "I like the warmth and safety I feel with you," she murmured, almost confessionally. "I don't want to lose that and I'd..." she paused for a moment, dropping her gaze as she continued quietly, almost shyly, "I'd like to experience more with you."

He turned to more fully face her. "What would you like to experience, Jade? What can I do for you?"

She chewed on her lower lip, looking down at her hands quietly for several moments, then swallowed and looked up at him, "I'd like to hug you, Master. And... maybe if you'd like... kisses?" She blushed slightly but held his eyes despite the hope and trepidation in hers.

He smiled, "I would like that very much." He slowly opened his arms and looked down at his lap. "I even have a convenient spot for that activity right here..."

She giggled softly, then eased into his lap before snuggling into his chest, "You'll tell me if I get too heavy, right?" She asked, looking up at him as she wrapped her arms around his waist. She laid her head on his shoulder, relaxing into him with a soft sigh of pleasure, "Feels like home, Master."

"Yeah, it does, doesn't it?" he smiled as he gently wrapped his arms around her. "I doubt you could get too heavy. I feel like I could hold you like this forever."

She snuggled into him, then feeling bold she gently kissed his neck, breathing him in, "This is going to be very addictive very quickly, Master."

"And is that a problem for you?" he asked softly, turning his head to look at her.

Jade looked up at him, her eyes warm, hopeful, and trusting, "Only in that I'm going to miss you a lot when you have to fly back to California." She bit her lower lip, "You make me feel safe." She leaned her head into his shoulder again, cuddling into him, "When would you like to visit my house, Master?"

"Whenever you are comfortable with me doing so, Jade," He paused, then added, "I want you comfortable with every step of this. If this continues, I'm going to be asking a lot of you, and I don't want to do that before you can trust that this is no game to me... that I am not simply... toying with your affections."

She nodded against his chest, her mind pondering, "I trust you," she stated after a few quiet moments. She pulled out her commlink, passing it between her hands for a moment, then unlocked it and put it into his hand, "If... you want to put your commlink number in."

He smiled and did so, creating a contact that said simply 'Master' and sending himself a text. He handed her commlink back to her, then reached up to cup her cheek and turn her gaze to his. "Jade, Let me assure you that I am, in fact, not playing around. I don't want you for a night. I want to see if this is going to be a forever thing. I don't want you with anyone else during that process. I want to be your focus." He bent and brushed his lips across hers, holding there for a moment, before pressing them more firmly to them for several moments. When he released them, he murmured, "You may reach me via text day or night. I will send you my work schedule as I know it so that you may reach me by phone when I am not already committed to something else."

Jade looked up at him, her eyes slightly wide with wonder and hope. A soft whimper of pleasure at his kiss escaped into his mouth. Her nose crinkled slightly, "Yes, Master." She chewed on her lower lip, as her arms tightened slightly and her brow furrowed, "Is it bad that even the thought of being with anyone but you makes me feel... icky and uncomfortable?" She tilted her head, "Outside of my current obligations and promises, I only want to give you my focus."

He shook his head, "As the object of that feeling, I don't think it's bad at all. But obviously, my view is biased." He paused for a long moment, then murmured, "One of the things I've learned to do is to trust my gut reaction. My gut tells me that this is going to work. I will put whatever I have to into this to make that happen if you decide that this is what you really want."

She nodded, cuddling into his chest, her voice was soft, almost hesitant, "Would you like to come over tonight after this? Maybe talk some more without the meddling duo?"

"If you are comfortable with that, I would like that very much," he replied. "But only if you are truly comfortable with that. I know this is a lot to take in. I know that the kind of commitment Michael and Annabella have, the kind I'm looking for, is not... easy. And it's not something to make lightly, but Jade?" he paused until she was looking at him. "My gut tells me you're worth it. Worth working and waiting for. You tell me what you're ready for when, and we'll go from there."

She studied his eyes for several long silent minutes, then leaned forward and pressed her lips to his gently, "I trust you, Master. I'd like to spend some more time talking with you. Discuss what your expectations are for your slave and what you mean when you say you're going to ask a lot of me."

He brushed his lips over hers again. "Then I guess we need to say our goodbyes. I can just tell James and Jasmine I'll meet them at their house later...?" he trailed off, a soft question there.

She pondered for a moment, "I... I don't have a guest bedroom..." she bit her lip, her eyes turning timid again, "Would you... want?"

"Would I want what, Jade? You can always ask me questions. I promise I will not get upset," he said calmly.

"Would you want to share a bed with me?" She asked quietly, her voice whisper-soft and shy.

"If we're speaking hypothetically, then I would say that it would take a dead man not to want to share a bed with you, and even then, I'm not certain they wouldn't. If we're talking practically, I'm afraid I need to answer that question with another question. Would my doing so make you uncomfortable? Or feel... pressured or pressed beyond what you are ready for?"

"No," she stated simply, her eyes lifting to his again, "I feel comfortable and safe with you; like I'm where I belong."

"I like when you look into my eyes when we talk. I don't want you to be embarrassed with me. I will not hurt you. And I think you belong with me too." He paused for a moment, then nodded, "Yes, I would like to share a bed with you. Thank you for the generous offer."

She smiled shyly, biting her lower lip, then carefully entered her address and sent it to him in text, "So... you know where we're going." She tucked into his chest again, "I'll try to look into your eyes more often, just... my training Master didn't like it." She shrugged and ducked her head, "I haven't had a Master of my own since training ended. You're the first that's ever felt... right."

"I understand. I'm not upset. But even though I am a Master, I am just a man. I am not a God. I do not require bowing or shame. I require obedience to what I choose to require you to obey. You are still a human being, still worthy. You would just be... MY human being." He shrugged, "It will take time. I understand. I am patient. Yes, I would like to go to your home. Yes, I would like to stay there. Yes, I think we should say our goodbyes." He helped her to stand, then did so himself, before bending and kissing her lips firmly once more. Just before he released them, he licked briefly at the skin there. A smile was on his lips as they parted.

She whimpered softly, her eyes once more filled with wonder and pleasure, "Yes, Master." She held his hand as they went inside and said their goodbyes. She stuck her tongue out at Annabella's knowing wink and Jasmine's delighted giggle.

++++++++++

Her house was a modestly sized two-bedroom. She arrived first and left the garage open so he could park his car inside next to hers. She shyly led him into the house, it was clean and well kept but not spotless. She showed him the living room, kitchen, and then to the second bedroom which hosted her gaming room setup. One of the things he found in there was that the picture didn't do justice, and one shelving unit was dedicated to a wargame named Advanced Squad Leader. "What do you think, Master?"

"I'm wondering where you've been all my life, Jade," he murmured with a smile, looking around the room. "Hex and counter wargames even. You truly are a rare breed."

"I like playing them, I'm not very good at them," she smiled up at him, then took his hand and led him to the bedroom. A queen-sized bed dominated the room, along with two nightstands. The rest of the room was fairly empty. "This is... me," she murmured shyly. "There's space in the closet, and the dresser is in there too."

He shook his head. "No, this is a bedroom," he murmured, stepping closer and pulling her into his arms against his body. "This... is you."

She sighed in pleasure and melted against him, tucking her head under his chin, "Yes, Master." She tightened her arms around him, "This feels good, comfortable." She pressed a soft kiss to his neck.

"It's supposed to. When it's right, there should be nothing more comfortable in the world than the touch of her Master to a slave," he said softly. "And you can just feel free to use your lips on whatever parts of me you would like. That feels... divine."

She nodded, and nuzzled into his skin with another soft, gentle kiss, "Yes, Master." She tilted her head back, looking up into his eyes, "May I have another kiss, Master?"

"Happily," he murmured, then bent and claimed her lips once more. This time, his tongue pressed at her lips firmly, but gently. The act, a clear statement of what he expected and desired.

She whimpered her pleasure and parted her lips for his tongue, opening to him happily. She lightly sucked on his tongue, playing with it with her own before retreating to let him explore. One hand slid up to massage the back of his head tenderly in offering while the other held onto his waist and side.

When he finally released her mouth and their lips parted, his eyes were closed. A smile slowly formed on his lips. "Simply perfect...," he breathed. His eyes slowly opened and looked into hers. "I know things are supposed to take longer in proper society and all, but... I'm going to take a page from Michael's book and just start falling in love with you now. OK?"

"Yes, Master, I will do the same, Master." She smiled up at him, her eyes soft in wonder. "What would you like to do now, Master? Do we want to get your things in from the car?" Her hand started stroking up and down his back, pressing him against her soft warmth.

"Well, doing so requires letting you go, and I'm not sure I'm entirely OK with that idea at this point...," he murmured, a twitch in the corner of his mouth.

Her nose wrinkled slightly as she looked up at him, "Well, we could cuddle on the bed for a bit if you'd like?" She paused, biting her lower lip, "Of course getting naked for bed is also going to require letting go." She tilted her head slightly, "I don't wear clothes when I'm sleeping, except for during my monthlies, and then I only wear panties."

His smile broadened. "You're trying to make this easy, aren't you. You normally bundle up in twenty layers, and you're thinking, 'I want him to fall in love with me so I'm going to tell him I sleep in the nude,' right?" He chuckled, "I just wear boxers by the way."

She licked her lips, then murmured, "I'm actually wearing more clothes than I usually do when I get home. I typically strip down and hang a robe by the door in case of unexpected company." She rocked her body slightly, rubbing it against his, "What are you thinking, Master?"

He chuckled, "That, I guess, about covers the topic of 'acceptable slave attire' I'd planned on having."

"I like spankings, and worshiping." She paused, her eyes turning thoughtful, "I like bondage, but not contortion bondage, just pretty bondage. I don't like getting slapped in the face, or about the head." She snuggled into him again, "I'm not very good at cooking anything fancy, I can cook basic meals though. As you can see I like things clean, and tidy and I don't need to be micromanaged."

"Do you...," he started, shaking his head in disbelief, "like... live in my head or something?" He reached up to cup her cheek with a soft smile. "Because you keep just checking things off the list of conversations that need to happen."

Her nose wrinkled, "I don't know, is there a comfortable armchair for me to sit in?" She grinned up at him teasingly.

He closed his eyes and scrunched them together for a moment, then opened them again. "There is now," he said, before slowly releasing her. "Let's go get my stuff. Then it's time for bed. I want to feel the rest of your body..."

"Yes, Master. Yours, Master," Jade murmured, taking a leap of faith with a slight blush. She stepped back as she released him, turning to head back towards the garage.

They brought in Zane's suitcase and he took a few things out, mostly dress shirts and slacks, to hang up so that the wrinkles would fall out over the next couple of days. Finally, he turned to her and raised an eyebrow.

She smiled back at him, then with a slight blush she began to strip out of her clothes, carefully putting each article of clothing in the hamper before moving on to the next one. Finally, she was standing nude before him and looked up at him with hopeful eyes, "Your good girl, Master."

His eyes wandered over her body for a long moment, before his voice rumbled, "Oh, God yes..."

She stepped forward, sliding her arms around his shoulders, and then pressed her body against his gently, "I think you're wearing too many clothes for bed, Master. Would you like me to assist with that?"

He nodded, "I think that is a most wonderful idea, my slave. And for the record, I do not believe this will take any significant time at all...,"

"Yes, Master," she murmured, then carefully stepped back to slowly strip him out of his clothes. She put his over the hamper rather than in it and then knelt to help him out of his pants and shoes before looking up at him, "Your good girl, Master." She arched her body slightly into a supplicant pose.

"My good girl...," he murmured in affirmation. "Tell me, Jade. Is this anything like what you expected to happen?"

"No Master," Jade responded, her brow furrowing slightly, "I thought I'd be more..." she trailed off, grasping for the words, "Nervous... afraid?" She paused, then blushed, ducking her head but not moving her eyes from his, "I didn't expect you."

He stepped closer, cupping her chin and pressing his body to hers, his arousal blatantly obvious. "And are you still... comfortable? Is this... moving too fast?"