THE ORIENTATION

Alex watched Melissa carefully cut and eat her chicken, as precise in this as she seemed to be in every aspect of her life. As always, he admired the courage it took to try such a radical thing as he proposed. He hoped she would have the courage to see it through. She could grow through it, release some of that ever-present tension, and have some much needed fun along the way.

Occasionally, he'd see signs on her face of the struggle raging inside. She wanted to know what came next. She wanted to talk about it now. But evidently balancing that impatience was the decision to let him lead. He was already taking control. And though it made her somewhat afraid, he could tell that it reassured her as well.

After finishing their meal, and allowing Melissa to pay for it, they retreated to his car, parked at the edge of the lighted parking lot. He took the drivers seat, she sat on the passenger side. A nearby streetlight cast just enough light so he could read her face, which looked just a little more frightened. She probably thinks we're going to start right now, he thought, smiling inwardly.

"Before we do anything, you need to sign this little contract I made up. It's not legally binding in a court of law, but it will protect both of us. Basically, it says that we're doing this as a form of sexual therapy, and that any money that changes hands is for the payment of services rendered to that end. In theory, this will keep me out of jail for prostitution. In practice, it's just a little extra protection. And if you decide not to go through with this, I'll shred my copy in your presence."

Melissa signed quickly, checking the box stating that she did not and would not reveal his identity to her husband or anyone else, without Alex's express permission. He then showed her a copy of his latest STD and AIDS test, and gave her the name of two doctors where she could go for her test, plus a place to leave the results for him. On money, he'd decided to charge her the full rate, but not the premium one, based on the credit and income information he'd gotten from his sources. With someone as sexy as her, it was always tempting to lower the rate to better her chances of acceptance. But, he cautioned himself, many times the pretty ones were the most trouble. As it was, she barely flinched when he quoted a price of $350 a session, plus expenses, with her picking up dinner, room costs and the like.

"And the next step is..." she asked, shifting a little uncomfortably in her seat.

"The next step is that we set up for Session One, and you prove to me that you're capable of following my instructions to the letter. Remember, if you go into this thing with your full enthusiasm, you'll get more out of it than you ever dreamed.

"So here's what I want you to do," he continued. "We'll be meeting again exactly one week from today at 5:30 pm. You'll get the exact location when you drop off your test results; we'll assume for now that you're free of any little critters. The morning of your first session, I will call and reserve a room in your name. When you arrive, all you have to do is claim your reservation and pay for it. I recommend cash. Walk up to the room, knock on the door, and I'll let you in."

He gave her a soft smile. "Of course, there's a few tasks you'll have to perform between now and then." As expected, she glanced down at her clothing, and then around the parking lot. He laughed. "Relax. Tonight's activities are limited to orientation only. The first thing I want you to do is buy some special clothes to wear that night. I'm thinking a nice garter ensemble...bra, high-cut panties, garter, stockings, a little throat piece. In...blue, I think, to go with your eyes. Lacy, too. And sheer.

"Wear the panties so you can take them off without removing the garters. Wear high heel shoes, but not so big that you can't walk. Over that, wear your usual business attire. Skirt or slacks, your choice. You're not going to be wearing it for long. On to other things. Don't bring your purse in...just your car keys. Believe it or not, one woman tried to tape record our session for blackmail, so I'm very paranoid about that. Obviously, you want to shave your legs that morning. I don't want to waste time on that. Are we clear so far?"

"I think so," she replied, concentrating on what he said.

"Good. If you disappoint me, you'll know it. Now, remember, once you walk in that door, you're mine. I own you. You have to do everything I say, no matter how embarrassing it may feel. You have to trust me that I know what I'm doing, that I'm taking you where you want to go, even though the path we use to get there may seem to be going the wrong way. Now, I want you to remember this word: Blazer. If I should ask you to do something you can't possibly do, could never force yourself to do, you just say 'Blazer.' Using it doesn't mean I won't make you follow my orders, but it does alert me to your discomfort. In all the times I've done this, only three women have used their word. And in only one case did we change direction."

"Blazer," she said under her breath, committing it to memory.

"Your first session is going to be tough," he continued. "You're going to learn how to relinquish all control, how to act like a slave, and how to please your master. Would you like to know a little about what we'll do?"

He knew she did, just by the way her breathing shortened. "Yes."

"OK, just a small preview. First, I'll teach you your place in the world. You'll strip for me, show off your body, as though you were a slave that I'd just purchased. Next, you'll learn how I like my women to act, how I insist that they greet me, and what parts of your body that I consider most important. Then, we'll work on your positions. There are several positions that you must be able to take at the drop of a hat, all designed to please me. Finally, I'll use you for my own pleasure. And if you're a good girl, a sexy girl, and an obedient girl, I may let you have an orgasm. Although that's by no means guaranteed."

He watched as she nervously spread and closed her legs, obviously turned on but scared at the same time. Good. He'd given her something to think about all week. And if she had the guts to show up next week, she'd be all the more prepared.