Melissa found the note in her mailbox. She recognized his handwriting and drew a quick breath. She walked to her desk before opening it. Her pulse quickened and her nipples began to harden. The note was short and to the point. "You will prepare for a weekend trip. You will only bring a yakata, the personal hygiene items as necessary, and your toys. You will be ready at 5 P.M. on Friday." It was unsigned. There was no need. Her thoughts were confused with the erotic memories of the last time and bewilderment of the coming weekend.
The remaining days of the week past quickly. On Friday afternoon, she packed her small bag and waited. At 5 P.M. sharp, there was a single knock at her door. Melissa picked up her bag, opened the door and went with him.
As they walked to the car, she looked at him. Not much had changed in the six months since she last saw him. He still walked with light, silent steps. His hair was shorter now, but that didn't surprise her. His hair length and whether or not he wore a beard, was constantly changing. He hadn't gained any weight and he was tanned. His mouth and eyes is what intrigued her. They were capable of laughing and cold silence at the same time. It is said that the eyes are the windows of the soul. His eyes told nothing. Jeremy's eyes seldom did.
Jeremy opened the car door for her and after she got in, he took her bag. He went around to his side and opened the door and threw her bag onto the back seat. After starting the car, he opened the center arm rest and took out a sleep mask. "Put this on and don't remove it until I tell you." As Melissa put on the mask and her visual world was shut off, she heard strains of Beethoven's 1st and 2nd Sonatas playing. "I know that you like classical music and I brought some of my favorites for us to listen to." he said. As the cello and the piano played, she began to relax.
"What have you been doing the last few months?" he asked.
"Just working and trying to stay busy. My father was here a few months ago on his way to Singapore. I was offered some new training for work but I turned it down because they couldn't promise me any substantial promotion afterwards. Where have you been and what have you been up to?"
Jeremy was quiet for a moment before answering. When he spoke, his voice was smooth and with a touch of an accent. "I've been in and out of the area a couple of times since the last time you saw me. I couldn't contact you because of the projects. The rest of the time, I've been wearing my troubleshooter's hat and have been jumping from one hot spot to another." They continued to talk about everything except what she really wanted to know, what was going to happen this weekend.
They had been driving for about 45 minutes in heavy traffic when they turned off onto a smaller road. The traffic was lighter now and she could tell that they were going uphill through a series of switchbacks. Traffic had lightened enough that Melissa only heard an occasional car passing. Jeremy slowed down and turned off the paved road. The car bounced along a dirt road for about 15 minutes and finally stopped. He got out of the car and came around to Melissa's side and opened her door.
"Can I take this mask off now?"
"Not yet, just a few more minutes." She could smell the scent of pines and a wood fire burning.
Jeremy took Melissa by the arm and guided her towards her destination. She could hear a small brook splashing in the background. She stumbled slightly on the flagstone walkway. They stopped walking and Melissa heard a sliding door open. "Step up" he said and as she did, she felt the warmth of the fire she smelled earlier. Jeremy shut the door and led Melissa closer to the fire.
He stopped and turned to Melissa, "You may take off the mask now." As Melissa lifted the mask, she saw that she was in a room with a stone fireplace against one long wall and the opposite wall had open shoji screens overlooking a Japanese garden with a small stream. The floor was of polished hardwood with tatami mats in front of the fireplace. The room had very little furniture, just a low table and a small wooden chest. There was two closed doors on the far wall and the single door that they came in behind her.
"Welcome to my retreat" Jeremy said. "This is where you will become aware of yourself and your desires. These rooms will be your classrooms and I will assist you in your learning."
Melissa looked at Jeremy and asked "What will I be learning?"
"You will look into yourself and come to face with the other side of your sexuality.
"What do you mean, the other side?"
"It is the side which we have bordered in the past, yet I didn't think you were ready to explore. If you wish to look, there is different sides to everything. In the Orient, the two sides are called Yin and Yang, separately they are exact opposites, together they mesh as one to complete a whole. We have always stayed on the side that you know, this weekend you will learn the other side of your sexuality and desires. Your sexuality will become whole."
Once again Melissa's heart began to race and she felt her face start to color from either excitement or apprehension, she wasn't sure. "Are you ready to begin?" With a deep breath she nodded her head yes.
Pointing to the wall with the two doors, he said "Go into the room on the right and remove your clothes. There is a connecting door to the bathroom. After your bath, trim your pussy hair and remove all makeup including fingernail and toenail polish. You will find the necessary items in the bathroom. Do not put any clothes on and return out here when you have completed those tasks."
Entering the door on the right, she found herself in a bare scant room with tatami mats and a larger wooden chest against one wall. On the floor was a large futon. It was a rich burgundy color with a golden crest like symbol. One wall had closets with sliding doors with the same symbol on it. As Melissa was hanging up her clothes, she began to think what this weekend was all about. She recalled their previous lovemaking and she remembered how much she enjoyed the skill with which he was able to turn her body into a hot, tingling mass of sexual desires. The way that Jeremy's lips and fingertips felt as they glided over her body. She also remembered the look in his eyes when he would pinch or bite her nipples. She had always wondered what was going through his mind at those times and now she knew that she was to soon find out. This didn't frightened her, if anything, it heightened her desires. In him, she found a person that she could trust and who was caring. He had taken her to that plateau so many times before and now she was ready to continue with the journey.
Melissa entered the bathroom and found that some of the contents of her bag were on the vanity counter next to the sink, along with a comb and scissors, a jar of cleansing cream, and a bottle of polish remover with a small bag of cotton balls. Every item was laid as if in a specific order. Her bath was poured and the water had a fragrant smell to it. She picked up the comb and scissors and started to comb her pussy hair. The thick luxurious bush of hair shined in the light and Melissa found her pussy getting wet. She started trimming the hair and continued until just a downy layer of curls covered her pussy. Picking up the cleansing cream, she removed her makeup and then she removed all her nail polish.