"Mr. Stewart?" I turned to see a well dressed man holding a fresh drink in his hand leaving the bar. He smiled to me and we shook hands.
"Please to meet you Mr. Wood." I said then followed him towards the back of the quaint club. It was a private affair, quiet and anonymous. Cherry wood furniture matched the dark browns and red crushed velvet cushions. I would have thought it gaudy but it worked well for an atmosphere of quiet reflection or isolation.
There were other groups sitting about on the scattered couches and love seats but no one was within easy range of another's conversation. Strong pillars holding up the ceiling helped block the view so that you couldn't look across the room.
Mr. Wood led me to the far reaches of the club and a well apportioned couch, two stuffed chairs and a table between. Sitting on the couch were two women wearing black cocktail dresses of slightly different cut, one of them had long black hair while the other a curly well kept brunette. Both were pretty and they watched me approach with some curiosity. They both had glasses of wine which they seemed to be nursing.
"I'd like to introduce you to Ella Down and Sarah Fleming." Mr. Wood offered. Ella was the black haired girl and Sarah the Brunette. I inclined my head to them and they both smiled to me. I took my seat in the offered chair.
"I hope I'm not late." I said. I always arrived early but the doorman had taken his time checking my invitation, thereby making me late.
"Oh no. You were early if not for security." He said and I nodded. "I'm glad you agreed to come." I smiled.
"I have to admit, your topic of conversation at lunch was rather...remarkable." We were in the same business, I exporting good English Tea for the consumption of our neighbors across the Pond. Mr. Wood was an importer who purchased large quantities.
"I thought it caught your approval."
"I wouldn't say approval. I will admit to a certain curiosity but nothing more." I said neutrally.
"Really? The way your eyes lit up when I ordered our waitress around showed more than a mild curiosity." Mr. Wood pointed out.
"You did order her, and quite distinctly so but what caught my curiosity was her willingness to carry them out without so much as a complaint." He nodded as I spoke.
"It should not surprise you to know that there are those who are dominant and those who are submissive. In fact, I am sure that you are dominant, though you have fought your nature, until now."
"Until now?" I asked. He nodded.
"Yes. I have invited you here to explore that nature, to see if there is any truth to my allegation." I looked over to the girls who were watching us but had said nothing so far. "I have taken the liberty of inviting Ella and Sarah here as well for the same purpose, a grand test of our natures. Now. I will say that I am dominant, that is a proven fact. You quite possibly are. One of these women is a confirmed submissive while the other it is thought may very well be one." He informed us.
"So one experienced and one untested of each nature." I said and he nodded.
"Here at Braxton's we may explore our nature without fear of interference or causing a disturbance. The club is at our entire disposal." He turned to the girls. "Ella here is the experienced submissive. She and I have had a relationship for years." Ella nodded to me as if being reintroduced. I smiled and returned the nod. "Sarah on the other hand believes she may be and has agreed to come here tonight to find the answer." Sarah looked very nervous and I watched as the girls clasped hands, Ella giving Sarah a small squeeze of encouragement.
"What do you propose?" I asked.
"Just that we find the answer to our questions of nature. If at any time either of you become uncomfortable you are free to stop or even leave. This should be fun from the outset." Mr. Wood took the last sip from his drink then set the empty glass down. "Would you care for a drink before we get started?" He asked and I looked up from my thoughts.
"Quite." I looked at him. "Bourbon?" He smiled and nodded.
"I think I will join you in one." He looked over to Ella. "Two Bourbons." Ella uncrossed her legs then got up with grace before walking away. I looked at Mr. Wood. "I got my last drink so that I could meet you at the bar. It is not common for Dominants to get their own drinks when a submissive is present." He explained.
"That sounds like utter chaos." I said.
"How so?"
"For instance, there are two of us here, you the confirmed Dominant and me as a prospective one. If we both made demands of Ella and expected her to fulfill them what could she do if they crossed purposes?"
"May I call you Aaron?" I nodded to him. "We can be formal back at work but here we should be informal. Call me Scott, please." Ella came back with the drinks, giving Scott his drink first even though I was closer. She said nothing, delivered the drinks then returned to her seat. I watched her the whole way, her trim figure accentuated in the dress.
"Please do Scott." I sipped at my drink and felt the fiery liquid steady my nerves. I was away from home, had I not agreed to meet Scott here I would have been trapped in my hotel room thinking of what to do next.
"To answer your query, it is a question of ownership. Notice that Ella served me first. I am the known Dominant so she serves me first. However, I also have the relationship with her therefore she would have served me first regardless due to that. You can see a hierarchy begins to develop, all very simple and natural. I am considered to own her. She will obey me first and in fact will only obey you if I give permission to use her. That use of course is all inclusive, however it would also be considered bad manners to take advantage of that use while in my presence."
"Basic rules of hospitality." He nodded. "I'm surprised you Americans can fathom it." I grinned. He saluted me with his bourbon before continuing.
"The English are not the only ones with manners." He pointed out. "Let's say for the purposes of this evening that I will own Ella and you will own Sarah." I saw Sarah's eyes go wide. "Mind you it isn't true ownership since they are not slaves, nor have they submitted to us formally." I nodded. "This way it will be clear to the girls."
"I think Sarah might have some questions." I said and all of us turned our attention towards her. She looked at each of us, clearly uncomfortable with the attention.
"How do you know?" She asked then looked at me, like I was some kindred spirit. We were both new. "How do you know if you're submissive?" She turned to look at Ella.
