The Journey of Grace

She looked again out her car window. The bar was still there just like the last time she looked. The question was still there too. Was she going to go inside? She had never done it before. Thought about it but never even come this far. She was not certain despite having driven an hour from her home. If she was going to do it, she certainly did not want to be recognized.

Looking down at her outfit, she was still surprised that she had the guts to even drive out of the garage. Black pretty much described her outfit. Black stiletto heels covered her feet in black stockings. A tight black skirt came down to mid-thigh. And a black leather vest that pushed up her already nice breasts, showing a fair amount of pale skin. A striking silver necklace and silver earrings set off the outfit, each accented with a silver spike. Her black hair was pulled back She felt like she hotter looking than ever before in her life. But still, she was undecided as to whether or not to do anything about it.

Finally, she opened the car door. If she didn't do something now, she wasn't going to do it; probably never would. And she wanted to. The forbidden fruit was there hanging before her and she wanted to know what it tasted like, even if only this time. Looking first both ways in a last moment of caution, she hurried across the street to the other side. Walking more slowly to the door, she didn't hesitate before entering. Too late for that, she was committed.

The noise from the bar hit her as she entered, as did the smells. Not that either were unpleasant, but they were strong compared to the relative quiet and freshness outside. But still she didn't hesitate, walking directly to the bar. Seeing an empty stretch, she moved to it and took up a place. She had decided that if she ever got the nerve to do this, she would never show that nerve had been a question. She was determined to be cool and collected.

Waiting for the bartender to get to her, she looked around casually. "So this is a lesbian bar," she thought to herself. And immediately she began to compare it to all of her expectations. She had known that it would not be something like the fantasies found in men's magazines. But still it did disappoint slightly in that it wasn't much different than any of the bars she had known before she was married. There were the same tables and chairs, and pool tables and pinball machines. All the basic elements of any other bar.

But it was the dance floor that caught her eye. Here was the stuff of her dreams. Women together, dancing, showing their passion for each other. Of course it wasn't like they were having sex there. As she watched, however, she could see couples together, completely absorbed in one another. It was as if the rest of the world did not exist. She had seen that before between men and women but never between women.

"What will you have?" said a voice. Turning, she saw that the bartender was waiting in front of her, a pleasant looking older woman with a smile on her face.

She couldn't help but to smile back. "Well, I would love a good, meaty Cabernet, if you have one.”

The bartender's grin grew wider. "I know just the thing. The vintage of choice myself," turning away for a minute as she poured the glass.

Taking the brief opportunity to survey the room one more time, she knew that her friend online had given her the right lead. She wanted a place like this where she could feel comfortable. There appeared to be equal numbers of couples and single women. Yes, she already liked the place.

"Here you go. Shall I run a tab?" the bartender looked at her expectantly and then smile again as she nodded. "You know, I don't think that I have seen you here before. I'm Corky," offering her hand.

"Grace," she answered, taking it with a firm grip. "And no, I haven't been here before. A friend recommended it so I thought I would drop in and see if I like it." Grace laughed softly, "And so far, I do."

"Nice to meet you, Grace. And glad you like my place. I am the owner, as well as the bartender." Smiling once more, Corky excused herself to get another customer her order.

Taking her drink in hand, Grace turned again to look out into the bar. She lifted her glass to her nose. Closing her eyes, she inhaled to breath in the bouquet. Very promising, she thought and put the glass to her lips to take a small sip. Running it off her tongue, she let it touch every part of her mouth. Smiling as she realized that the promise equaled the reality. Opening her eyes so that she could turn to salute Corky, she almost bumped into the woman who had appeared next to her. Reacting quickly, Grace managed to keep from spilling any of the wine. Unable to help herself, Grace glared a bit at the woman.

"Oh gosh, I am sorry. I didn't mean to get in your way," the blonde blurted out. She stepped back a pace and almost bumped into the woman on the other side. Clearly embarrassed, she apologized again to the other woman and then turned back to Grace. She had a nervous look on her face. "Really, I am sorry about that."

Holding the glare just a bit longer, Grace took in the woman before her. Several years younger than her own 32, she was still probably in her mid-twenties. Maybe only 5 foot 2 or 3 inches, she was also shorter than Grace who was 5' 8". She was quite pretty and wore a cutaway white tank top and a pair of tight jeans. The white of her top contrasted nicely with her dark tan. And although she was blonde, it was the natural blonde of a woman who spent a lot of time in the sun.

"Stop apologizing, dear. No harm happened." Grace slowly spread her arms to show that nothing had spilled and that her drink was fine. Deciding to stop glaring, Grace gave her a small but friendly smile. She noticed how the blonde's eyes flicked down over her body every little bit, each time bringing out her nervousness just a bit. "Well, well," Grace thought. And here she had been wondering how to approach someone. It didn't look like it would be necessary. Maybe just like the chat room she visited, the moths would be drawn to the flame.

Grace stilled any further protests. "It looks like you are shy a drink. May I get you something, dear? I'm sorry but I haven't caught your name." Grace looked at the woman, her smile turning just a tad ironic.

"I'm Marie. My name is Marie," the woman blurted out, becoming more embarrassed as she realized how she probably sounded. "Yes, that would be nice. Thank you." She tentatively held out her hand to Grace.

Taking Marie's hand, Grace took it firmly in her own. Looking down at it as she held it for a few seconds then back up at Marie, she finally said, "You can call me Grace. All my friends do. I still don't know what you want, though." And she released her hand.

Marie looked panic stricken for a second and then, "What do I want? Oh, you mean to drink. Um, I would like a rose, please."

Grace had noticed that Corky had been the little by-play and nodded to her. Behind Marie's back, Corky winked at Grace and smiled in a conspiratorial manner, then went to pour the glass. Returning, Corky handed the glass to Grace rather than Marie. In a position where Marie could not see her face for a moment, Grace echoed the smile that Corky had given her.

"Here you go, dear," Grace said, handing Marie the glass of wine. Marie accepted it a nervous stream of thanks. Grace waved her to silence. "Tell me, dear, you seemed to think maybe I was asking something else when you first started to respond. What did you think that was?" At this point, Grace would know if Real Life was similar to the chat room. Online Marie would not be able to help herself, if she was what Grace thought, and hoped, she was. Would it be true here too? Grace's calm, collected gaze upon Marie did not betray the intense internal excitement that she felt.

"What I thought?" Marie repeated. She swallowed once before she remembered that she had her rose in hand. Taking a quick sip, she looked up over the rim at Grace. As she lowered the glass, Marie again swallowed. "Well, I though that you were asking me why I was there talking to you." She smiled a nervous half-smile at Grace, as if she had guessed an answer in class and half thought it would be wrong.

Banishing any butterflies in her stomach, Grace took the plunge. Holding out her hand to Marie, she said, "Why don't we sit down and you can tell me the answer to that question too." Grace held her hand out, knowing exactly how long she would keep it there. Marie had four seconds to make a move to take it, or the chance would be lost. Grace was going to keep control of any situation or it wasn't going to happen. But at the fourth second, Marie put her hand in Grace's and followed her to the table she had seen empty.

Against the wall, Grace was able to sit next to Marie and yet still be able to look out over the room. Although intrigued by Marie, Grace was not going to ignore any opportunities if she proved to be not what Grace expected. One thing Grace had learned online was to be choosy. Pleasure carelessly taken often ended up in not being pleasurable at all.

Grace calmly looked at Marie with expectation, putting her on the spot and giving no room for distraction. Marie found Grace's gaze to be somewhat hard to meet. It was easier to talk than to meet her eyes, even if the talking was difficult too.

"Well, I saw you when you came in through the door. And you looked so confident and beautiful, that I couldn't help but go on watching you as you moved through the room. I expected that you must have been meeting someone the way you walked through the room but then I saw that no one joined you. And I am not sure exactly why but I just got it into my head to meet you before anyone else had the chance." Marie stopped short as she finished and looked up to now meet Grace's eyes. She had that same unsure smile on her face.

"And why would you worry about whether or not you meet me first?" Grace asked in a low voice that forced Marie to lean in towards her. Grace still held Marie's hand and now covered it with her other one, softly tracing her nails along the back of it.

Her eyes dropping to stare at the hand touching hers, Marie softly answered, "Because I wanted you to choose me." She swallowed again and then sipped from her wine.

Knowing that she needed Marie to acknowledge her desires openly, Grace against spoke in the low voice, "Choose you for what?" Her fingertips and nails traced up onto Marie's lower arm.

Marie shivered. She tried not to, but she couldn't help it. Her nipples were hardening and she could feel her puss. Just the beginning of moisture but it was there. "To be yours ... Ma'am." The last word came unbidden. But Marie knew the promise of the word that she had spoken. If Grace was what she thought, it was an offer most clear.

A small sound came from deep in Grace's throat. She understood all right. But she wasn't ready to take up the offer just yet. First she needed to qualify her .... applicant. Yes, that was the word. Looking away from Marie for a second, she could see two or three other women discreetly not looking at them but following everything. Each was attractive and each had a distinctive attitude that cried out sub to someone who knew how to read the sign. Her friend had been right. Although different in many ways, the attraction between the Yin and Yang of Domme and sub was as strong in Real Life as in the chat room.

The timbre of Grace's voice changed. "I understand, little one," she looked over at Marie. Her eyes were closed as she listened to Grace and felt her arm stroked by Grace. "But just because you were first to ask, doesn't mean that I am going to chose you." With that, Grace's fingers stopped moving and left Marie's arm. Marie's eyes blinked open, to look at Grace with almost desperation. It gave Grace a thrill down to her toes to be the object of it, but she continued.

"I find that it is best to be up front with ones desires than to allow misunderstandings lead to a less than enjoyable time. It is as important for me to understand what you desire as it is for you to fulfill mine." Grace looked into Marie's eyes and then began to stroke her arm again. "Tell me what you are looking for so that I will now if you are what I am."

Now that the offer was out there, Marie wanted it to be accepted. "I want what you desire, Ma'am. That is for you to decide." She cast her eyes down as she finished.

Grace frowned. "Not nearly good enough, little one. If I only wanted what I desired, I would not have asked. So don't try my patience with nonsensical answers. Tell me what you are looking for in a," she hesitated for a second, and then finished the sentence in an even lower voice, "Mistress." She again thrilled as she could feel a tremble in Marie's arm as she said the word.

Shifting a bit uncertainly, Marie looked down for a second and then met Grace's eyes. "I am looking for a M-Mistress who will control me; who will determine how and when I will have pleasure; and will allow me to please her, as she needs." She looked at Grace for approval.

Not betraying anything of her thoughts, Grace followed up with another question. "What about pain? Do you need correction?" Her tone left no doubt as to about what she was talking.

The question made Marie even more nervous. Her fingers played with her wine glass. A worried look came over her face. "Mistress will have to determine whether or not I deserve correction. But to be honest, Ma'am, I do not desire any and will try to please in all ways to avoid it. I understand that playing with fire can burn but I guess I just desire the heat and not the burn. But I accept that sometimes the burn will still occur."

Still Grace gave no reaction. "And what about humiliation? Do you need your Mistress to teach you your place in the world, through both words and actions?"

Now Marie looked as if she thought that she might have made a mistake. In a very quiet voice, she answered. "No, Ma'am. That is not what I am looking for. I know what you mean but I am looking to submit to a Mistress who will love me and let me show her my love and devotion." She made a move as if to get up.

Now Grace reacted. "Stay, little one. You have not made a mistake. I must explain. I am very choosy, but perhaps in a way that you did not expect. I know that some Mistresses look to inflict punishment. It is what gets their juices flowing. And others want to have basically a worm that will accept with adoration all types of abuse. And likewise there are subs who want nothing more than to find a Mistress like that. Personally, I find both proclivities to be unappealing, actually worse than that with the degradation. My opinion is that many subs will tell a Mistress what they want to hear but then their own desires will come to the fore as time goes on. Since I have no desire to engage in punishment for my own pleasure or to humiliate someone, I need to feel confident that anyone I ... take on, shall we say, is also not of that inclination. I try not to impose judgments but simply feel that it is better that like find like."

Smiling broadly at Marie, Grace slide one hand under the table to stroke her thigh while her other hand continued to play with Marie's hand and arm. "Little one, I think that you and I are complementary in what we are seeking. I want someone who I can control in order to bring to new heights of pleasure, for both her and me. I require obedience, absolute without question. And while sometimes I will bring some discomfort on the way to that pleasure, I try at all times to avoid giving pain."

Looking into Marie's eyes, Grace continued. "As for punishment, I prefer never to have to resort to it. I recognize that it could be necessary in some instances, but I will never happily inflict it. And if it seems like it would be necessary often, I would prefer to just go my separate way. I have no desire to break a wild mare." In Marie's look, Grace could see that her worry and doubt was being replaced with relief.

Even so subtly, Marie shifted position. It was a very little move, yet it brought her within Grace's circle. She was making her choice as Grace was accepting it. Again out of the periphery of her sight, she could see the other girls turning away. One sighing. Another frowning, a whinny pout. Chuckling to herself inside, Grace pulled Marie a little closer. Raising her glass to Marie, she said, "To discovering our symbiosis." She enjoyed the growly taste of the Cab as it entered her mouth. She could feel her heart beating faster. At last, she was going to know what it really felt like to have someone submit herself to her desires. Would it match up to her dreams? Or would it turn out that the fantasy-life online would turnout to be more to her tastes.

A new song started up. Grace recognized it as an old favorite, "Linger" by the Cranberries. Pulling Marie up by the hand, she said, "Dance with me, little one!" Swiftly walking to the dance floor, they came together. The sensuous tones of the song were perfect for the feeling of the moment. Being held by Grace, Marie listened to the words of the song and realized that although they might not be intentional, they held meaning never the less.

"You know I'm such a fool for you. You got me... You got me.... You got me wrapped around your finger. Do you have to let it linger," pulsed the words in her mind as Marie felt Grace confidently hold her. Their bodies molded one to the other. "Yessss," whispered Marie to her Mistress' ear as Grace pulled her close. Already the feeling of Grace's hands on her was lighting her on fire. More and more, Marie tried to light the same fire within her Mistress. Twisting so that her back was facing Grace, Marie leaned back to her. Her ass rubbed against Grace's crotch, hoping that her Mistress wanted her equally.

And so did Grace. Though she was still carefully hiding it, she had never before danced with a woman in this way. Occasional dances in her single day when she was out with friends but never in a way intended to cause the other desire. Without thought, her hands were free with Marie's body. She let her hand slide up along her blouse, hard enough that it slipped up revealing some of her tanned belly.

Fingertips touched the sides of Marie's breasts as Grace pulled Marie back against her body. Her lips brushed against first her ear and then her neck. Inhaling, Grace could smell the feminine scent of Marie. Now pressing against her, Grace's lips touched Marie's cheek.

Consumed with the touch of her Mistress, Marie turned her head so that her lips could meet Grace's. She could feel sparks as their lips came together. Her back arched and head leaned back onto Grace's shoulder to give her Mistress better access to her mouth. As Grace's fingertips traveled back down Marie's body, the tip of Grace's tongue reached out to just lightly stroke Marie's lips. Sighing, Marie's parted, hoping that her Mistress would take advantage of her offering and enter her mouth. Instead Grace's tongue traced the oval made by her lips. Marie let one of her arms drift back to grasp behind Grace's neck, pulling herself more firmly into Grace. She opened her mouth wider.

With bold confidence, Grace's tongue thrust into Marie. Stroking along the top of her mouth, the tongue sought to explore. It wanted to know Marie. Each thrust discovered another place to savor; along Marie's teeth; under her tongue; one cheek, then the other. Each thrust said, "You are Mine!" And Marie loved it. Her lips closed around Grace's tongue, sucking on it as it made its strong thrusts into her mouth.

All of a sudden Grace realized that the music was trailing off in the end of the song. Their display was now becoming even more noticeable than during the song. Determined to maintain her control over the situation, Grace allowed the kiss to continue even as the music stopped. Grace's hands supported Marie as she leaned against her though Marie's gyrations were no longer to the song. Just as it seemed that Marie would make a move to go beyond the kiss, Grace pulled away. Her eyes were open, watching Marie.