Tessa’s Dilemma (5 page)

Walking out of the restaurant in a daze, Tessa fumbled in her handbag for her headphones. She needed to calm herself, and the best way to do that was always through the aid of soothing music. Getting more exasperated by the minute, she rummaged through the contents cursing the fact she should have bought her smaller bag for the day. Eventually finding them, she pulled the tangled wires free of her makeup bag, and then turned to walk down the street. She nearly walked straight into a man who was leaning against the side of the restaurant smoking a cigarette. It was the smoke that hit her first; memories of Master flooding into her head, dizzying and intoxicating. She wasn’t a smoker, but the lingering scent of smoke on His skin triggered feelings within her nevertheless. Smoke and Master were now inextricably intertwined whether she had realized the connection or not. “Ugh, sorry, I didn’t see you there,” she murmured, still not raising her head to see the man for hope of avoiding further embarrassment, and making a show of diligently trying to untangle the mess of headphone wire. But, when He replied, “That’s okay girl, I was just wondering how long you were going to milk that bottle of cheap plonk.” Her eyes flew up to meet His and with a half smile He puffed a cloud of silver gray smoke at her.

Standing there calmly appraising her; she tried to speak, to apologize, to say something – anything. Instead she only bit her bottom lip. Her attention locked on His features, awaiting command, conditioned not to say a word unless allowed to; she could feel Him drawing her submission from her already. Taking another long drag on His cigarette, Tessa watched Him in absolute fascination as His lips wrapped around the filter, puckered as He sucked, and a fleeting look of pleasure danced in His eyes as He inhaled deeply. Regarding her for a brief moment longer, He exhaled the rest of the smoke while turning to stub out the cigarette in the street bin. Turning back, He offered His left hand to her, “Would you care for afternoon drinks, Bambola?” exactly mimicking Giorgio’s accent when he had asked her to sample the wine earlier. She wondered fleetingly just how long He had been standing outside the restaurant observing her and her friend at lunch. Such thoughts aside, she slipped her right hand into His proffered palm, and they walked down the street.

“So my girl, did you have a good lunch? Your friend is quite an exuberant lady isn’t she?” Tessa looked at Master as they walked slowly through the streets of London. She had answered His question, and then recounted everything they had talked about. There was no point in glossing over anything, even though she couldn’t have guessed how He
could
know, she felt that He would know immediately if she missed anything. It felt strange to be walking so openly in broad daylight when they only usually met in quiet places, hidden at the back of a coffee shop, or in abandoned buildings or anonymous hotel rooms. But it also felt wonderful. She felt ten feet tall, and although she had been melancholy a few moments before, now all that had been blown away with the force of His presence. Nothing else mattered but the here and now.

Their conversation remained free and easy, and Tessa felt like they were old friends meeting up, like she had with Anne. Master discussed issues at work; one particular story caught her attention where a lady had come to hire His expertise in purchasing a stud farm in Surrey. She had always loved horses, having been lucky enough to own and ride one when she was younger. She listened attentively as He described the plight of a young widow desperately trying to purchase it as a legacy to her dead husband. Naturally Master was the best in His business, so He had been called to negotiate and close the deal. She did feel a pang of jealousy as He described the stunning petite blonde woman, but instantly felt foolish, as she was the one walking hand in hand with Master. He had claimed her and her alone. It was that troublesome emotional bond bubbling within her again. She wanted this; she wanted Him. She needed Him, and try as she might, she wanted Him for much more than she had now, and that was too dangerous a thought to contemplate.

Continuing their stroll, He pulled her in close to Him, slipping His hand around her waist, and then letting it drop slightly onto her hip. The gentle touch sent shivers rippling over her flesh and she caught His smile as He looked sideways. He paused His current line of discussion and commented, “Stockings. Hmm, I thought as much,” then carried on where He left off without missing a beat in the conversation. Pausing at the entrance to a gated park within a large square, He gestured with His right hand and announced “Berkeley Square” and proceeded to whistle the opening strains to
A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square
. Tessa had been here before, but only ever found the park by accident as the maze of streets so tightly packed in central London always confused her and had her walking around in circles for hours. She was very glad that she had a learnéd navigator leading her this time. “We’re nearly where I want to take you, but first I want to see you sway those hips for me; give me a show and prove to me you’re worthy of being on my arm.”

Feeling unsure of herself, Tessa tentatively took a few steps forward, looking back over her shoulder at Him, and observing He was lighting up another cigarette, holding it in His mouth and shielding the flame of the lit match with His left hand over His right. Catching her enquiry, He raised His eyebrows expectantly and tipped His head to urge her forward. Turning around, she lifted her head high and resolved to make Him want her as much as she wanted Him. And if that meant swaying her hips like a wanton hussy the length of Berkeley Square with onlookers leering at her, then that’s what she would do. Taking the loose gravel path which ran down the centre of the open green space, she strutted slowly, allowing her hips to dip with each step forward, creating a sinuous, sleek gliding movement. Walking perhaps a little slower than she needed to, it enhanced the sway of her hips from behind, a view that she hoped would be acceptable to Him. She knew He was following her as she could smell the scent of His cigarette, but she dared not turn around just to see He was there. About halfway through her walk, she heard a loud wolf whistle that made her jump nearly out of her skin. Turning to see where it was coming from, she saw Him standing there with His fingers in His mouth. He stopped and smiled broadly like a child on Christmas day. Tessa flushed deep red as she glanced around at the occupants of the park, who had looked up to see who had whistled as well. Striding over to her in strong, purposeful steps, He took her hand again and pulling her into a tight embrace. He planted a kiss firmly on her lips.

“Now, that my dear was a show to be proud of. I had to stop you right there for fear of you being molested by Neanderthals rendered helpless by the movement of your magnificent rump.” He bought down His right hand hard on her left buttock making her squeal in shock. “Anyway, enough excitement for the moment. I’m thirsty and you look like you could do with a drink. Just a little further, girl, and my, my... doesn’t red look just beautiful on your skin,” as He looked pointedly at the rosy bloom which covered her chest.

“We have arrived,” Charles announced and held the door open for Tessa to enter the building. He had decided that it would be an interesting diversion to treat her to high class society living and as he particularly enjoyed this bar, the company would make the afternoon all the more enjoyable. The Mayfair Hotel Bar. A cocktail bar with astronomical prices, but the service and the quality of the cocktails warranted the price tag. Master Charles loved to fill his life with the finer things where possible, and at the present time he could think of nothing finer than a relaxed afternoon training session with a beautiful young woman and a few well chosen drinks. Reading Tessa’s skittish demeanor, he leaned in to her as they walked toward the long piano-black bar top.

“My girl, you need not worry about what will happen here. All you need to know is if you think that your Master will treat his property with anything less than the utmost respect and care at all times, then you are sorely mistaken.”

He had thought that she would be worried about what he would make her do in a public place; it was a natural reaction, and that she followed him and still stood close by his side pleased him greatly. She was truly addicted to him now. The perfect mental state for a sub, and perhaps he was correct in his earlier assessment. The right time for the next phase of her training.

Pulling out one of the bar stools, he ran his hand over the black leather seat, and then pulled out a seat of his own and hopped up next to her. He sat and watched as she tried so demurely to perch on top of the high stool without showing her stocking tops, but he didn’t have the heart to tell her that as she shuffled to make herself comfortable, she failed in her modest attempts. Her tight pencil skirt had ridden up her shapely legs, and a hint of both lacy stocking tops were on display for all to see. That mattered little however, as he was enjoying the view, and he knew that establishments such as this were extremely discreet and no shame would befall his girl. Her safety and happiness were all that ultimately mattered, and now Charles decided it was time for the entertainment to start. He knew Tessa would be completely unused to an environment such as this, so it was time to assert his power, and he knew any such show of power would start to put her into subspace, and of course the alcohol would also help. He needed her completely under his spell for any of what he had planned to work.

While engaging her in a conversation about “how lovely the bar’s decor was,” he placed his left hand on the bar and gestured with a low, inward sweeping movement. Instantly a bartender appeared with two drink menus in his hand. One open at the Cocktail section, which he handed to a wide eyed Tessa, and the other open at the wine section, which he handed to Charles. Ahh he loved this showmanship. Places such as these served the purpose of enhancing the status of those who could afford to try its wares, and he was also enjoying the admiring glances directed towards his girl by the other customers. He felt powerful. He liked to feel powerful.

“Anything you like there?” Charles asked Tessa. He could see her brow furrowed so beautifully in an expression of dismay. Chuckling lightly to himself, he guessed she must have spotted the prices, and knowing Tess as he did, she was deliberating over which was the cheapest, and quite how she was going to afford it. Reaching forward, he took the menu from her.

“Can’t you see anything you like my girl?”

Tessa replied awkwardly, “Everything is, erm, so fancy... I like cocktails, but they don’t appear to have my favorite.”

“Well Tessa, that is why people come to places like this,” he raised his eyebrows and swept his eyes over the room nonchalantly. “The usual cocktails need no detailing in the menu. You ask for what you desire and they will make the most perfect mix that you’ve ever tasted. Ah yes, and of course my girl, today is my treat.”

Charles delighted in the wonderful look of awe that played on her face. They had been together quite some time now, yet she never took him for granted. She was an enjoyable companion at the best of times, but she was being altogether charming today.

“Well, ok then Sir, a Long Island Iced Tea please; it is my favorite cocktail after all, and to say I’m curious about how wonderfully they’ll manage it is a complete understatement.”

He smiled broadly again and beckoned the bartender over. “A Long Island Iced Tea for the lady, and for myself, hmmm let me see, a Peroni please.” Speaking aside to no one in general, “I fancy something refreshing this afternoon but I think wine might
cloud
my judgment a little too much.” The bartender glided away to prepare the drinks. Charles wasn’t so sure he liked being called Sir as much as Master, but he understood perfectly why she did it, and for sure, embarrassment of any sort would make for an uncomfortable afternoon. Tessa was fidgeting again and he noticed that she had shuffled as close to him as she could without actually falling off the edge of the stool. “Is something the matter girl?”

Waiting to answer while the bartender served their drinks, Tessa smiled and thanked him, and then making sure he had gone, turned back to Charles and lowered her voice. “I... I just feel that I’m being stared at Sir. Am I really that out of place in here?”

He laughed lightly, “My girl, they aren’t staring at you because you’re out of place; they’re staring at you because you’re stunning. They want you. They can’t have you, as you’re quite obviously with me. But I can tell you, they want. They want very much, and that, is a very powerful emotion. Do not worry. Let them look. You’re safe with me, and there’s not a great deal they can do about it anyway; let them enjoy the sight of delights they cannot have.”

Charles watched as Tessa blushed endearingly again, he never could get enough of watching the rosy hue tint her pale flesh, and now she was drinking her cocktail, concentrating hard on sucking the mixture up through the bright pink straw. Obviously she enjoyed the taste, but she was also overcompensating for her nervousness by gulping it down quickly. That mattered little though, because she was safe with him and he needed her to be relaxed, comfortable, pliable to his requests, and well, alcohol would assist delightfully with that.

“What made you go into property?” Tessa asked. Charles was amused at the question out of left field, but that was Tessa through and through. Despite what was happening around her, that mind of hers was always thinking of something.

“Ah, it’s a long story, but when you were educated in my day, by the time you hit sixteen years old, often your career path was planned out for you, and I, as I had strengths in Geography, was destined to be a Surveyor. I suppose you would say it was General Practice Surveying really, not anything like Estates, or Building Surveying, and from there, property was where the money was. Building up connections, contacts, wheeling and dealing in my youth; they were good times. And now, although there is still money to be had, it’s not quite as lucrative as it used to be.”

“Wow.” She said simply. Hoovering the final contents of her glass in one suck, she pushed the empty glass away, seemingly deep in thought. “See I knew we had something “normal” in common. I was also quite adept at Geography in school, and funnily enough, they wanted to push me into Quantity Surveying of all things. I just loved Glaciation though; that was my favorite topic by far; all those ice flows, glaciers, cwms and corries.” She looked distant as if trying to remember the details of such things.

Charles grabbed one of the paper napkins acting as a coaster to his beer, and pulled a pen out of his inside breast pocket. Sketching a long arc on the napkin, he started to detail a rough mountain scene. He smiled broadly as his girl squealed with delight as she figured out what he was doing. Giggling she scooted even closer to him, pointing out the different things he was drawing. “That’s a corrie lake, that’s an arête, that’s terminal moraine.” He was rather pleased she recognized those last little details he had added, he felt that all of the little dots and circles he had just drawn added a certain pleasing texture to his artistry. Smiling back at her, he was reminded once again that her intelligence as well as her body, was a wonderful prize to behold indeed.

“And yet, I ended up doing Sociology at University Sir; my tutors were always convinced I’d go into Social Work, or work for the Public Sector in some way, but that simply wasn’t me. That’s how I ‘fell’ into being a PA really. I had the skills, and apparently the right demeanor for it, and well, here I am now. But honestly Sir... do you think I could do more? Retrain to a career of my own, not just attached to someone else?”

Charles was intrigued by the ambition she felt. Perhaps it was a result of her growing confidence through their meetings; perhaps it was something else; but in any case, it was a good sign. She had the brains to do whatever she turned her mind to, and he was sure retraining in any field she desired wouldn’t be difficult for her. She just had to believe in herself, and from this conversation they were now having, it seemed she was just on the verge of believing.

“My girl, you could do absolutely anything you want. You have shadowed greatly accomplished men and women for a number of years. You know how it’s done. You know what it takes, and you know you have what it takes. It’s just the confidence and drive to pursue what you desire. What career path are you thinking of following? Once you know that, it’s simply a matter of dedication and time. Two things you have plenty of my Tess.” Idly running a finger down her empty glass, he looked askance at Tessa. “Another drink my dear?” to which she nodded her assent. Calling over the bartender once more, he repeated their order to them and Charles smiled broadly at Tessa’s obvious surprise that the bartender would remember their order among all of the other customers in the bar. Taking her left hand lightly in his, he spoke to the bartender once more. “Would you be so kind to bring the drinks over to the table just there please?” He led her across the bar to a quiet corner table with a single chair placed across from the opulent velvet bench seating where Charles took his seat.