The Tea Master

The blustery frigid autumn wind whipped around her as she hurriedly opened the large weathered colorfully painted ornate wooden door to escape the swirling gusts. She pushed the heavy door closed against the force of the strong howling winds chasing her. She wasn't sure why she ducked in. She hadn't planned to. She hadn't even planned to be walking down that street. Of course, since the last two days, she wasn't sure of anything any more. Everything she had been sure of in her idyllic simple life had evaporated; nothing made sense anymore.

She pulled the lapel of her long maroon cabled wool sweater tight around her neck as she stepped into the warm quaint teashop. The unusual store was nestled on a quiet side street, almost hidden from the busy small suburban business district nearby. The blended aromas of exotic teas from every corner of the world whiffed over her as she entered across the inlaid wood floor. Wire shelves displayed quirky colorful teapots, mugs and accessories. Simple wood tables and chairs were spread around the inside of the shop, half full with patrons; a few overstuffed chairs were tucked in the corners of the room. A lit glass display case tempted organic pastries from a local baker. Most prominent was the long wooden counter in front of the tall 12-foot wall of tea bins. Most of the cubbies were labeled with mysterious varieties familiar only to the most knowledgeable of tea connoisseurs. A rolling ladder lay against the wall to access the bins of exotic teas. A small glint came over Monique's face, glad to escape into what seemed like a different world. It was an unexpected serendipity she desperately needed.

"Hello," a deep voice offered warmly as she stepped into the mystical teashop. Monique couldn't tell which direction the mysterious accent was coming from, as if it surrounded her from all directions. The embracing tone of the male voice greeted her in from the cold outside and the whirlwind of her life, especially the devastation of the last two days. She sighed, glad for a warm haven to escape.

~~~~~~~~~~~

The last two days had been the worst she could remember. Monique had always prided herself on her undying loyalty and devotion, especially to those closest to her. She had a knack for anticipating what people needed, almost like being able to read their mind and respond before they said anything. She sometimes chided herself for being such a people pleaser, but her gift of reading people made it so easy, and made her so likeable. This gift with people came in handy at work. She loved working at the studio the last three years where she met her best friend Candace. A year later the two became roommates and enjoyed their sisterhood in and out of work, doing everything together. One night, when they were out partying, Monique met a handsome stranger named Carl. She fell head over heels, or maybe better, heels-over-head for him. The longer they were together, the more deeply they connected. The more connected they became, the more uncannily she was able to read his mind and anticipate his desires, to his delight. In the months that followed, she had never fallen so hard, or had better sex with anyone. She loved sharing the stories of their sexual escapades with her envious roomie Candace, who eagerly hung on every word.

Two days ago Monique woke up feeling even more amorous than usual. She was distracted all day at work, thinking about all she wanted to do to Carl, and what she wanted Carl to do to her. Finally realizing she was too distracted to be any good at work, she arranged to leave early. She decided to surprise Carl by showing up at his place, determined to seduce him with a night of unrestrained no-holds-barred sex. She stopped by her apartment to quickly change into a sexy dress and fuck-me heels to seduce him. She knew she wouldn't be wearing them very long, but they would send the clear message why she was there to surprise him. To her shock, the surprise was hers. When Monique opened the door, she saw the reflection of Candace's gorgeous naked body through the living room mirror that faced her bedroom. Candace's perfect body was bound and blindfolded. At first Monique thought she was walking in on her roommate having a tryst with one of the many men she strings along for her pleasure. Monique was about to turn and leave to give her roommate privacy, until she heard Carl's voice.

"Say it again!" Carl demanded as he pulled Candace's long blonde hair back. Their rough sex had been so loud that neither of the perfidious lovers heard Monique walk in.

"I've been bad," Candace said in a playful whimper. "Real bad."

SLAP! Carl's other hand came down on Candace's bare ass, leaving a red handprint. He continued to pound his dick deep into her pussy from behind.

"Gawd yes!" she said.

"What do you deserve?" Carl yelled.

"To be punished, Carl" she said, begging for more.

Monique watched and listened in shocked disbelief. She ached at the realization they had done this before.

"What's your punishment?" he demanded.

"Whatever you want Lover. Make me pay Carl," she enticed. "I'm your slut. Use me." Her bound blindfolded body squirmed in pleasure.

SLAP! His hand came down again to exact justice as Monique watched in stunned silence. He continued to fuck her roughly from behind.

"Beg for it," he demanded.

"Punish me Carl like I deserve. Don't hold back. Punish my pussy; punish my ass. Fuck my mouth. Fuck me rough. Make me pay."

SLAP!

"Oh gawd yes!" she screamed as he pulled her head back harder by her hair wrapped in his strong fingers. She could feel the orgasm rise within her from the rough sex.

"What are you?" he asked as he slammed his dick into her soaked pussy.

"I'm your slut," she said with a smile, unable to see. "I'm your slave." Candace's body quaked as a euphoric wave of pleasure suddenly started to wash over her. "Oh gawd! Yes Carl! I'm going to cum!"

"Did I tell you to cum?" he yelled.

"No, oohhh!" Her body squirmed in pleasure. "Oh gawd! Oh Gawd! Oh Gawd!" she yelled as her ass bucked from the tidal wave of pleasure took over as his dick continued to pound her from behind. "Oh gawd! Yesssss!" Candace screamed.

Carl's hand came down again, only intensifying her pleasure.

Monique remembered seeing glimpses of Candace's naked body in their apartment, boasting of how red and sore she was after being out on dates the last couple months. Candace had blushingly shared how she was enjoying experimenting with light bondage and rough sex with one of her new men. She left out the detail that it had been with Carl.

Monique watched the Judases lost in their torrid affair. Carl was focused on Candace's perfect pulsating body responding to his abuse, unaware of the agonizing pain he was also causing for Monique. She read his face and mind, seeing that Carl was about to cross the orgasmic point of no return; ready to unload his seed into her best friend's already soaked pussy. Tears poured down Monique's cheeks from the anguish of betrayal.

"You son of a bitch!" Monique suddenly screamed at Carl, unable to take it any more. Both Carl and Candace gasped in disbelief at the sound of Monique's unique voice and French accent, breaking the bubble of their wild sex fantasy. Carl reactively withdrew his dick in startled shock, turning abruptly toward the direction of Monique's voice in the living room. Just as he turned, his dick unleashed his load, spraying the bedroom like a fire hose of cum as his cock bobbed from the orgasmic throbs. The timing of Monique's scream denied Carl or Candace the pleasure of his seed filling her slutty thirsty pussy. It would also deny the pleasure of the rest of her punishment she begged for.

"You fucking slut! You whore! How could you?" Monique screamed in continued disbelief.

Candace's hands were still bound behind her. She pushed her shoulder against her eyes, lifting the blindfold slightly to see her spurned roommate who made the mistake of coming home early. As wrong as it was, Candace realized that the amazing sex with Carl would cost her Monique as her roommate, but to her own surprise, she quickly decided it was worth it. She knew she had just lost Monique as a friend; there was no reason to lose sex with Carl too. Candace couldn't resist offering a devilish smile of rival victory in the split second of her glace toward Monique. Was it her fault that Carl turned to her for something more than Monique had given him? Part of her felt badly for Monique; however, most of her felt selfishly glad. Her sex with Carl would no longer be skulking around for secret rendezvous. The stories of sexual exploits with Carl were no longer Monique's to boast about; they were now hers.

Monique's world imploded around her. She lost Carl, including the mirage of their trusting relationship and glorious sex. She also lost her best friend and roommate. She lost her place to live. On top of it all, her amazing job was ruined, having to face Candace every day at the studio. Everything that mattered most to her had just been shattered. Monique was vulnerable. She was desperate. She wanted to escape.

Two days later, she walked into the eccentric tea shop.

~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hello," the deep voice repeated warmly as Monique stepped further into the magical teashop only two days after discovering Carl and Candace's betrayal. The pain from the devastation was still raw; the mysterious kind voice welcoming her was strangely soothing. "Welcome to Tea Place."

Monique looked in the direction of the long wooden counter as the focal point of the small quaint shop. She offered a smile back to the tall muscularly lean Latin vision looking at her with a warm smile. "Uh, um, I'm sorry; thank you," she said flustered by her on-going disorientation. She used her fingers to quickly try to comb her long dark brown hair mussed by the strong autumn winds. Her large translucent blue eyes darted nervously from side to side, suddenly feeling uncharacteristically self-conscious. The mysterious man behind the counter studied her face, noticing her high cheekbones and wonderfully broad mouth with thick lips. She was 5'6" with a slender frame, accentuated by her firm 36D breasts, tight round ass and long fit legs. Beneath her long cable knit sweater, she wore a simple white blouse and navy pencil skirt that fell just above her knees with matching four-inch navy heels.

"Can I help you?" he asked, looking deeply into her eyes. She couldn't remember anyone looking at her the way this stranger was, as if he was reading her soul. Rather than feeling invasive, his gaze was strangely validating.

"Um yes," she said, as she took another step toward him, feeling somehow drawn further into a different realm with every step. She tried to shake it, certain her head was still spinning from the intense betrayal, loss and disorientation of the last 48 hours. "This is my first time in here. I was walking down the street, and made a wrong turn. With the wind was blowing so hard, I saw your shop and just felt like I..."

"Welcome Monique," the penetrating masculine voice of the server said, gracefully rescuing her from her nervous rambling.

"Oh!" she said surprised that he said her name. "Do I know you?" she asked, feeling even more nervously caught off-guard. She knew she would definitely have remembered this handsome stranger if she had seen him before. His dark skin showed off his sly brown eyes, short dark hair and his warm smile. There was something intoxicating about him; he was model-handsome, yet mysterious and enchanting. She wondered how he knew her name, how he knew her. Something deep in her soul was glad he did.

"No," he said offering a pause, allowing the silence and mystery to do its work. He watched her awkward nervousness grow until adding, "I read your name tag."

Monique blushed. "Oh, of course," she said glancing down as her hand reached up to the nametag pinned to her blouse, uncovered by her sweater. "I forgot I still had it on from work," she added as she fumbled to take it off, further drawing attention to the firmness of her large round breasts. She pushed the small pin into her purse.

"I'm Javier," he said, attempting to put her at ease, if only in a small way.

"Hi, I'm Monique," she said. She blushed again. "But you knew that," she said feeling her uncharacteristic awkwardness grow. She wished she could start all over.

Javier smiled warmly. "Yes. Good to know that hasn't changed."

Monique looked up at the large wall full of bins, eager to change the subject, yet suddenly lost at the endless options. "Um, I have no idea what I want."

"I see that," Javier said, continuing his gentle but penetrating tone.

Monique tried to ignore the double entendre, and the depth of its truth.

"What's the most popular one?" she asked.

"You're not here by accident and you're not here for just any tea," he said with an almost sage-like insight.

"I'm not?" she asked, caught off-guard again by the mysterious server. She felt drawn into him as if he knew things about her that even she didn't realize.

"Every one of these exotic teas is unique. They are each beautiful and have their own flavor and personality. They have come from different places around the world, and are made up of different qualities. Not one is like the other."

Monique nodded, mesmerized by his brief lesson.

"The same is true about you, Monique. There is no one like you," he said.

Monique blushed again, this time from his flattery. Yet with the events of the last couple days, she knew no one would want to be like her. His words were sincere and piercing. She thought she had aimlessly ducked into to the quaint shop for a cup of warm tea, hoping to get an illusive moment of peace and quiet. Somehow it suddenly felt more like destiny than chance.

"You need the right tea," he continued. "With what you've been through, you need something as special, something that will touch your soul."

"What do you mean with what I've been through?" she asked the stranger, wondering what he knew. How could he know what she had been through?

"Only what your eyes are telling me," he said.

"Like what?" she asked nervously, but too curious to let it go.

"Betrayal," he said gently. He let his word land softly before continuing. "Pain. Anguish. Disorientation. Loneliness."

"Stop," she said, as tears escaped down her red cheeks. "Please stop." She felt exposed like he was reading every page of her heart. Was it that obvious? She wanted to leave but her feet wouldn't move.

"You need something unique, something special. May I recommend one for you?" he asked, continuing his gentle voice as if he'd known her for years. "If you don't like it, you can pick something different without cost."

Monique hesitated, feeling as if he was somehow staring at her naked soul. She was used to reading people; it was rare if ever that someone cared enough to read her.

"We make our teas from specific herbs and leaves," he explained. "People think plants are random. But everything is connected. The earth produces what we need; everything that grows has a purpose to nourish, heal, relax or to stimulate." His words were measured and unapologetic. "We harness that to make teas that touch people's soul. Its what we do."

Monique nodded as if what he said made sense.

"I know just the tea for you," he announced. The two other employees of the little shop turned and looked at him with a knowing smile when they heard him recommend a rare exotic tea she had never heard of.

Monique looked at him inquisitively.

"This tea is made from a very rare plant, only found in a small area of the high altitude hill country of the Panchthar region in Nepal," he went on to explain. "It's a shame its so rare for the benefits it provides," he added with a smile. "Would you like to smell it?"

"Sure," she said, wondering if this guy was for real.

Monique watched him turn, slide the wooden ladder halfway down the wall and climb to reach a bin at the top. He opened the small door and pulled out the canister of loose tea. She couldn't help admiring his muscular ass as she watched. She tried to push the thoughts away, but found it difficult with the continuing pangs of desire from when she went to seduce Carl, only to be denied by betrayal.

The other employees watched with riveted interest as Carl returned to the counter with the infamous exotic rare tea. He smiled at Monique as he started to open the container. "It has a unique aroma and taste. It is used as tea, but also sometimes smoked and used to flavor food in the Far East. Some have found it to have aphrodisiac and hypnotic properties while also heightening the body's nerve sensitivity. Just to warn you, any use of this tea can take you on a journey. Some have found it to have addictive qualities." He tilted the canister toward Monique. "If you like the smell, I'll be glad to brew it up for you."

Monique leaned forward toward the canister filled with the strange small multi-colored leaves. Her nose hovered over the opening of the tub.

"Take in a deep whiff to get a full experience of its aroma," he invited with a knowing smile.

Monique inhaled through her nose. She could feel her body immediately buzz as if injected with a shot of adrenaline. Every nerve ending throughout her body came alive in a way she had never experienced. She suddenly felt as if a wound up spring in her mind had been released. "Oh gawd," she said, feeling a euphoria wash over her, including the erogenous zones of her body. Her face went flush. Javier watched as her cold chills covered her body, pushing her thick hard nipples out from beneath her bra and white blouse. Monique felt her pussy come alive. "Oh gawd," she said again at the buckling of her knees and the sudden flood of her pussy. She couldn't remember feeling this good from any drug. "Gawd that's good," she said.

"I'm glad you like it," he said with a knowing smile. "That's just taking a whiff," he continued. "Its even better enjoyed as a tea, allowing it to do its work as it enters your bloodstream. Or, if you prefer, I can just make a pot of one of our Earl Greys," he added with a smirk.

"Ah, no," she said. "I'll take a pot of that," she said pointing to the canister, not wanting the feeling to go away.

"Wonderful," he said, looking deeply into her blue eyes again. He could see the sparkle of new fireworks looking back at him. "Have a seat wherever you'd like and I'll bring it to you," he promised.

Monique walked past some of the tables and chairs in the center of the shop, some filled with people in quiet conversations. Her legs felt wobbly and unsure from the lingering affects of the whiff. She decided one of the overstuffed chairs in the back corner of the room would allow her to further escape the cruelty of the outside world. The space was mostly hidden by some of the wire rack display shelves. A quirky lamp with an eccentric blue, green and orange glass lampshade sat on a small table in front of her chair.

Within just a few minutes, she watched Javier walk toward her with a teapot and cup. She studied him as he approached; able to get a better view of him than she could when he was hidden behind the counter. She could see he was lean and muscular beneath his tight t-shirt and jeans. She had already admired his muscular ass while he was up on the ladder; now she was able to see what she couldn't when he was behind the counter. The tight jeans offered a clear outline of his unusually large dick as if he had a long snake in his pants. She smiled to herself at the nonsensical thought that this new age tea expert might actually have a snake in his pants, but as he got closer, she was more impressed and charmed by the reality of what it actually was.

"Here you are," he said with a smile. "I hope you like it."

"I already do," she answered, struggling to lift her eyes from below his waist, which was at eye level as he placed the teapot and cup on the table in front of her. She knew better not to be so obvious, but somehow couldn't help it. She wondered if his dick was this long relaxed, what must it be like when...