--Now
Three letters. One word. No clue.
The text came through at 2:41AM here in Los Angeles. Mistress sent it from New York. She's flying West today. We haven't seen each other in six months. The anticipation is killing me.
I decide not to respond, figuring she'll tell me what it means soon enough.
She is due to land late morning. She'll spend the day catching up with a girlfriend and then here by 6. That means a whole day to fill. Time can't pass quickly enough when we're apart, nor slowly enough when I'm at her feet.
Six PM comes and goes. Mistress is always late, so I think nothing of it. She texts shortly after and is en route. My hands turn cold as the blood rushes to my heart.
I prop the side door to the building open and crack my door. In time I hear the satisfying click of her heels on the tile in the foyer and I feel faint.
She pushes the door open. The dogs do their thing first. Hellos to a familiar scent. They each receive her sincere attention. Then she stands to face me. She pulls me in with one arm and kisses me deliberately on the mouth.
Anxious, obedient, I follow her down the hall to the guest room. As instructed, I have set a chair by the bed. She turns to me.
--Strip
I pull off my clothes and set them on the bed. Mistress sets her bags down, then turns around and lifts off her jacket for me to take. I hang it carefully in the closet.
She lets out a tired sigh as she sits.
--What a day. What a very long day.
She points at the floor in front of her and I kneel there. She pets my head.
--I've been thinking about you all day.
--Thank you, Mistress. I've been thinking about you all day, too.
--You got my text?
I nod.
--I bet you are wondering what it meant.
--Yes, Mistress.
--"Now" was the moment I got dressed. I wanted you to know the exact time I put on my clothes and my shoes.
She tenderly pushes my hair back. She traces a finger over my ear.
--The moment my sweat and my scent began soaking into them. Over sixteen hours ago.
--Yes, Mistress.
--You like the thought of that?
--Yes, Mistress.
--I figured you would. I know you want to love me more than my other pets.
--I do, Mistress.
--Well, it's easy to love me at my best. After I've showered and primped and prepped. But what about the regular me. Cramped in a plane sweating, on my feet all afternoon. Can you love me now?
--Of course, Mistress.
--Then show me.
With this she leans back in the chair and lifts her left leg, touching her shoe to my chest.
--Take off my heel.