The Text Message Ch. 01

I saw tears run down her face. I quickly walked over to her and took her in my arms, pulling her close, holding her, soothing her. What was going on? That reaction didn't make sense.

"Hey, don't cry. It's not a rejection, it's consideration."

I loosened the embrace, held her at the shoulders at an arm's length and waited for her to look into my eyes. When she finally did, I said, "You are a beautiful woman and your skin colour doesn't matter to me."

She closed the short distance I had put in between us and tried to pull me down for a kiss. I let her succeed but allowed only a light contact of our lips. She whimpered when I pulled back and tried to follow my mouth.

"Please," she whispered.

"No, not while you're injured," I countered.

Before I could stop her she dropped to her knees and started to rub the unbeaten half of her face over my crotch, "Please, I need it."

I pulled her up by her arms.

"I said no."

"Yes, M..., Nick. I'm sorry. I'll obey," and before I could do more than knit my brows she had turned and walked towards the bathroom. She walked through the small corridor which separated the more private sleeping area from the more public living space, made sure that the sliding door was fully opened, entered the bathroom and again checked to have the door wide open. She started undressing in full view of me, keeping an eye on me to assess my reaction.

I waited just long enough for her to remove her torn blouse and reveal her bra-clad breasts. I couldn't determine the size of them but from what I saw I assumed they were just about a hand-full, maybe a B-cup. I showed what I hoped to be an encouraging smile and turned to walk away to the kitchen.

A quick inventory of the fridge resulted in me preparing a salad with iceberg lettuce, radishes, cucumbers, tomatoes and chicken strips. I would have to do some grocery shopping tomorrow if Alicia stayed over the weekend. I had the chicken strips frying on low heat and was just done with the dressing when Alicia joined me in the kitchen.

"Thank you. The shower felt really good. I made sure that there is enough hot water left in case you also want to take a shower."

"There is no shortage of..." I started, turning around to face her, before the sight of the stark naked five and a half feet of perfection cut off the breath I needed to speak.

She stood in the doorframe, holding a pose; her head lowered gazing at my feet, her hands holding her elbows behind her back and her legs slightly parted. I took a long good look at her, or rather, I stared at her. Her perky Afro haircut pointing in all directions, stopping just above her slim shoulders, firm and high-sitting B-cup breasts with dark, almost black, nipples standing at attention, the slight inward bend past her toned stomach down to her hips, the beautiful legs with a two-finger-wide gap between the thighs, her shaved pussy with the slightly protruding inner lips and everything covered with dark-chocolate-brown skin. She shivered while she presented herself to me.

"Stunning."

"Thank you."

"But why didn't you dress? I put out some clothes for you."

I clearly remembered putting a few items on the rim of the bathtub.

"You didn't tell me to."

"And why are you shivering so strongly?"

"I didn't want to waste your hot water."

"You didn't... Wait."

I turned around and pulled the pan from the stove and turned off the heat.

Turning back to Alicia, I took a step towards her and spread my arms to welcome her in my embrace, "Come here."

She moved so fast she almost flew the few feet from the door to where I was standing, grabbed around my upper body and laid her head on my chest. I enveloped her in my arms and rubbed her upper arms to warm her up. Alicia seemed to melt into me at this display of affection.

"Ok. New try. Go and warm yourself up in the shower using hot water. Then dress in the clothes I've prepared for you."

With a "Yes, Master," she scurried away and out of sight and left me standing in the kitchen, confused.

What was that? Did she just call me 'Master'? Remembering the last few minutes I finally noticed a pattern; she did everything I told her without delay but reacted confused to requests.

'I said no' and she immediately stopped.

'I'll obey'.

I didn't tell her to dress, so she didn't.

'Master'.

Shit! I had told her to use hot water! I heard her entering the shower but, fortunately, she hadn't started the water yet!

I ran after her and shouted, "Stop! Don't turn on the shower!"

I heard a bang and some rumbling and entered the bathroom a second later. Alicia knelt on the floor of the shower, the showerhead next to her, the water temperature set to a hot but unperilous temperature and the water still off.

"Forgive me. I've failed you."

"What? No! You haven't 'failed' me."

I closed the toilet lid and sat down.

"You're a, what's the word, submissive?" I half asked, half stated.

"Yes," she confirmed.

"By choice or by force?"

"By nature. It's like being gay or lesbian. You don't choose to be so, you just are."

While not being gay myself that was an explanation I could understand.

"Why did you leave Justin?"

"He confused submissiveness with slavery and dominance with ownership."

"Being a submissive means you're into pain and spanking and such, right?"

"If I fail to follow a command I need to be punished for it."

Punished. For a short while, my mind circled around that expression. What did she understand by punishment? I wasn't naïve. I've seen the movies on the porn sites that start with an aerial view of a castle but they never got my engine running. Was that what she understood under punishment? Spanking, whipping, clamps. If that was what she needed, I couldn't give it to her. I didn't beat women. I didn't hurt women.

"When I told you to go and take a shower using hot water, would you have hurt yourself?"

"That's not how I understood your command."

I took a deep breath and let out a sigh of relief.

"I'm causing you troubles. I'm sorry."

"No. You don't. You... I'm just a bit overwhelmed."

"Forgive me, Master."

"Listen. I'm not your 'Master'. I do not have the right to order you around. But just to be sure. If I ask or tell you to do something which would lead to you suffering physical harm, I want you to disobey."

She reflected a second before answering, "I don't think I understand, Master."

"It's Nick. Not Master. Let me make an example. I told you to shower using hot water. This could have been interpreted as putting the temperature on maximum and scalding yourself in the process. If your interpretation of what I said leads to you suffering harm, I want you to ask for confirmation. So in the example of hot water, you would have to ask me whether I really want you to scald yourself. Don't conceal your worries. Don't ask 'Are you sure?' but ask 'Do you really want me to scald myself?' Ok?"

"Yes, I can do that, Master."

"Nick. Not Master. Nick. Now take a nice and hot shower, dress in the clothes that fit you best and then join me for dinner."

"You don't have to prepare dinner for me. I've done nothing to earn that."

Earn dinner? Was she serious?

"You are my guest and as such you've earned yourself a dinner."

"Thank you, Master."

I paused but decided to ignore the 'Master' this time and returned to the kitchen and finished the salad which meant that I turned up the heat again to finish the chicken strips and cleaned the kitchen. This was good work to let my thoughts wander.

What did Alicia expect from me? Did she think I was her new 'Master'? Why would she do that? Did I want to be her 'Master'? Could I be her 'Master'? What did that mean? Dress her in Latex and leather and lead her around on a leash? 'He confused submissiveness with slavery'. She wasn't looking for pain, but what was she looking for? Didn't that go a bit fast? We've known each other for a few hours and she was already calling me 'Master'.

Startled, I realised that I had already taken decisions for her. I had taken her to see a doctor and not listened to her objection. I had paid for the treatment. A while back I had supplied food. Could I do that? Could I take the responsibility? She seemed to hope so.

What would I get in return? I could probably have as much sex as my heart, or rather my cock, desired I thought with a grin. She would most likely handle everything in the flat. Cleaning, cooking, washing and so on. Grocery shopping.

My reflections were running in a circle when Alicia came back from the shower. She had dressed in the T-shirt and the socks I had provided and had additionally taken the belt from my morning robe in order to give her appearance some semblance of femininity.

"I'm ready, Master."

I sighed. Again. And I assumed that it wouldn't be the last sigh.

"Nick. My name is Nick. Please. Sit down."

I added the heated chicken strips to the salad bowl and put it, together with two plates and cutlery on the table. I then walked to the fridge to get a bottle of water.

"I shouldn't sit while you work, Master."

"And you shouldn't call me 'Master'. So we're even," I replied with a chuckle when I returned with the water and the salad servers.

I added the dressing to the bowl and started to blend the salad.

"Please, Master," she begged with an urgency in her voice. Then whispering, "Nick."

"Yes?"

"Please, let me do this," she pleaded. Her eyes conveyed such a discomfort that I stopped. I put the servers in the bowl and sat down.

"Go ahead then."

She jumped up from the chair so quickly it almost toppled. She just about caught it before it lost the balance and shot me a terrified glance to which I replied by smiling at her. She relaxed visibly and started to blend the salad. When she was satisfied, she served some of it on my plate and returned to her chair.

"And you?"

"I'll eat later."

"No. You are my guest and my guests eat at the same time as I do. Get yourself a plateful of salad and eat dinner."

"Master..."

"Nick," I interrupted her.

Her shoulders slumped and she helped herself to a ridiculously small portion of salad.

"More."

She added another salad leaf.

I started to stand up and held out a hand to take the servers from her.

She jerked as if I had exposed her to an electric shock and added a big helping to her plate.

"Good. Now enjoy your meal."

"Thank you, Master."

"It's Nick. N. I. C. K. Nick. And after we've eaten we will need to discuss this submissiveness thing. But for now, tell me about yourself. Where have you grown up?"

It turned out that she had lived in this city her entire life. She had failed to achieve the high school diploma and didn't have any specific qualifications that would help her find anything but unqualified work like she had done in the past. I came to the conclusion that she would always have difficulties on supplying for herself whether she was a submissive or not.

"Master, you told me to tell you if following a command would cause harm to me."

"Right, I did. I also told you to call me Nick."

"Master, I'm full. If I have to eat more food I would feel ill. Does that count as 'harm'?"

That sure was a step in the right direction. Now I just needed to get her stop with that Master-crap and she needed to act on her own instead of reacting to me. I wasn't sure which one would prove to be more difficult.

"Yes, it does. You don't have to eat more then. I want you to feel comfortable."

She shuddered slightly.

"Thank you, Master."

"I'm full as well. Let's clear the table and the kitchen and then move to the living room. Ok?"

"Please, Master. Make yourself comfortable. I'll clean up."

Was that how it would be? Me sitting on my lazy ass and she running in circles around me?

"No, I want us to do it together."

"Yes, Master," she let her head hang.

We cleared the table, filled the dishwasher and cleaned the kitchen together. I then showed Alicia how to start the dishwasher and turned the coffee machine on.

"Anything for you?"

"No, thank you, Master."

It didn't take a genius to see how uncomfortable she was when I did something she could do or even the thought that I would do something for her.

"Sure? You can make it for yourself. I promise I won't help."

"I'll have another glass of water, then."

"Good. Then bring your water and my coffee to the living room when ready. I take a sip of milk in it," I ordered as I turned and walked out of the kitchen. I sat down in the centre of the couch, legs crossed and my hands clasped in my lap, and waited for Alicia to join me. When she did so a minute later, she placed the coffee in front of me and stood, waiting.

"Please, sit."

I consciously didn't tell her where.

"Where, Master?"

"Where ever you feel the most comfortable."

She looked around in the living room before submissively asking for confirmation, "Where ever I feel the most comfortable?"

"That's what I said," I confirmed.

She took another minute to convince herself that I was serious before she sat down on the couch to my left, curled herself up and leaned against me, clutching my arm and resting her head on my shoulder.

"Mmh," she sighed contently.

"Are you comfortable?"

"If you put your arm around my shoulders it would be even better, Master."

"Like this?"

"Oh, God," she muttered while shuddering. "Yes, Master. This is the most comfortable position I can imagine right now."

"Are you cold?"

"No, Master. Why?"

"You shuddered."

"Forgive me. I just came because of your gentleness."

"Seriously?"

She blushed heavily, "Yes. Please forgive me, Master. I couldn't help it."

"It's ok. I think it's cute."

"Aaah," she shuddered again. "I'm sorry but I haven't felt so safe and comfortable in a long time."

"I find it astonishing," I said and stroked some strands aside to kiss her on the forehead. "But now I have some questions."

"Yes, Master."

"I don't understand your submissiveness, I don't understand what you expect from me and I don't understand how you can give up yourself to me after we've known each other for how long? Three hours? Maybe four?"

"It is difficult to explain. Can I start with the last question, Master?"

"If you stop calling me 'Master' after every sentence."

"Please don't force me to. It feels so natural with you," she looked up at me with her big brown eyes like a puppy begging for the last bite of my food.

"But at least tone it down a bit."

"I'll try, M..."

Was that a first step? A small victory?

"Good, but now start explaining."

"Two months ago, you helped me when I was a total mess. Justin had always had a problem finding the difference between submissiveness and slavery, so after he had beaten me again for some reason I could not influence, I left him. I packed my clothes and left to move in with a girlfriend of mine. That's when I sent the text to my Dad to which you replied.

A few weeks later, Tyra started demanding that I help her with the living costs but I didn't have an income and was scared every time I left the apartment in case Justin found me. I'd forgotten that Dad's number was now yours and sent another text to him. Then you replied and ended up paying for food that lasted a whole week. You also told me to get back on my feet and forward the favour. I have, by the way, that's why I called you today. I've not been able to buy food or so for anybody but I've helped some homeless people that never learned or forgot how to read or write with various application forms."

"That was a very nice deed and exactly what I meant when I said to 'forward a favour'."

I should have anticipated it but was still surprised by the shudder that ran through her body following my compliment.

"Oh, God. Thank you, Master."

"My pleasure," I smiled.

"Ever since you paid for the food, I have done what I thought you would want me to do. So I've not 'given myself up to you in a few hours'. I've tried harder than I have ever tried anything before to become worthy of your protection and leadership. And today I thought I could try and contact you but when I left my apartment block, Justin came up to me and demanded that I returned to him. When I refused he started to beat me. Fortunately, he was quite drunk and I managed to run away and jump into a cab which then brought me to the pub and the rest you know."

I reflected a minute on what she had said. My first reaction was anger, directed at Justin for beating such an obviously vulnerable woman.

"Protection and leadership. Is this what you expect of me?"

"It is not my place to expect anything of you, but I need you. I need you to take care of me, look after me, make decisions for me and ensure my well-being. In exchange, I'll do whatever you tell me to. But it's more complex than just that. You can command me to serve you but that doesn't mean I would let you prostitute me."

"Ok. I think I get the gist. I assume this would be a monogamous relationship."

"A what?"

"Kind of like boyfriend-girlfriend. Not seeing anybody else on the side."

I again felt her shiver a little but it took a moment for me to understand that it was the thought of being regarded as my girlfriend.

"That's for you to decide, Master. You can see somebody else while taking care of me."

"I'm still not sure if I'm comfortable with such a set-up. I've always expected my partner to be my equal."

"Please, Master. You're so perfect for the role of my Master."

"Why?"

"I just know. I look into your eyes and I just know. I can't imagine you abusing the power I'm willing to hand over to you. Please, give it a try. I know you are the perfect Master."

I sighed. What a mess? How did I suddenly end up with a submissive by my side? But I couldn't kick her out, could I? What kind of man would do that? That would be like throwing a lamb in front of a pack of hungry wolves.

"What about outdoors?"

"I don't understand the question, Master."

"Say, we go to a restaurant. Would you possibly cause me embarrassment by, I don't know, insisting to serve my food in place of the waitress?"

"I see. No, Master, outside of our apartment or when you've friends that you don't want to know about my submissiveness visiting here, I'll be your perfect girlfriend. Maybe a bit overly attentive to your needs, that's in my nature, but embarrassing you is not something I would think of being a pleasure for you."

I just didn't get it. How could she give herself up so completely? Putting somebody else above herself with so little regard for herself?

"I don't know. We led a civil war to end slavery."

"Please, Master. Being submissive doesn't mean that I'm your slave or that I don't have any needs or desires of my own. It means that I trust you to take care of my well-being and willingly submit to and trust your leadership."

It still sounded like slavery to me, an impression that might have been reinforced by the fact that I was white and she was black. The times when mixed relationships were illegal were fortunately long gone but a white man having a black woman at his beck and call still left a sour taste in my mouth.

"Why me? We're not even from the same ethnic background."

I knew that this was a stupid argument but I couldn't come up with anything else on short notice.

"This is not a racial thing. Justin is from the Caribbean, like my family, but he never really understood my needs. You do."

I sat on the couch and thought about it. Alicia sat cuddled up on my side, looking up at me with worried but expectant eyes.

"You must agree to a few rules."

She slid off the couch and kneeled at my feet while her eyes lit up and started to sparkle with joy.

"Yes, Master."

"You will not under any circumstances injure or harm yourself executing an order or a wish."