The Brownstone

When you arrive come through the front door into the entry. To your left there is a space to put your belongings, don’t forget your padlock. Once you’re ready take the cushion, place it in front of the second entry door, kneel and ring the bell. Looking forward to seeing you.

-M

25 W. 88th St.

I reread the email for what seemed like the hundredth time and I looked again at the building in front of me. It could have been any other home on the block as nothing really made it stand out from its neighbors. The streets were fairly empty and I had only seen a few people the ten minutes I’d been sitting there. I glanced at the time on my phone, 3:52pm. The excitement and anticipation I was feeling on the drive over was being replaced by anxiety and fear as I felt my throat tighten and my stomach turn in response.

The next thing I knew I stood at the top of the stairs with my hand on the door handle taking a deep breath and stepping inside. The small foyer was paneled in a dark brown wood with cream walls extending up to the ceiling. To my left was a large built-in cabinet and to my right another door with a clock above it, 3:54pm. I opened one of the doors on the cabinet and found inside was fitted with a metal locker complete with a place for a padlock. I opened a few more of the doors to find the same set up in all the cabinets and at the same time noticed they were all empty. I undressed quickly before I could change my mind. As I placed the padlock on the locker I felt its cold weight in my hand and noted how warm I was despite being naked. I found the cushion in a drawer near the door, placed it on the ground and knelt down. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as I reached up to the doorbell and pressed it. Sitting back on my heels I tried to calm myself by breathing slowly and deeply but my mind was racing. After what seemed like hours that were truly only minutes I could hear the faint sound of heels through the door in front of me. As they grew closer my heartbeat sounded so loud in my ears I thought I may pass out. I heard the click of the latch being drawn in and the door opened quickly.

“Hello Evan.”

Despite the warmth my palms are slick with cold sweat. My hands fumble in my lap, fingers twisting like anxious vines. A tremor crawls up my arms, setting my teeth on edge and making my voice an octave higher than usual. I swallow the lump in my throat and keep my eyes at her feet.

“Hello.” I finally manage to blurt out.

“Stand up and follow me.”

The command came so quickly I felt myself scrambling to obey, hoping my shaking hands would go unnoticed. Instinctively those same hands went to cover my ever increasingly engorged member but I redirected them to my sides, another nervous mistake I hope she missed. From my newly elevated position I could see she wore a knee length simple black dress with a low neckline.

She turned away and I obediently followed up the stairs. Each click of her heels on the marble was sharp and rhythmic. It was a beat to the silent song of my pursuit and my increasing desire to impress her. I was so lost in my own thoughts I almost bumped into her when she stopped.

“You can sit here. We’ll have a chat before anything goes further.”

I, not so gracefully, kneeled on the plush grey cushion she had pointed to on the floor. She sat on a sofa directly in front of me, so close that I could smell the faint hint of her floral perfume.

“You are here of your own free will?”

“Yes.”

“I know we’ve discussed your limits prior. I will respect your boundaries but something may come along that I do not have clear approval from you on. If that happens and you wish it to stop you only need say so. Is that clear? Evan you can look at me.”

My head rose, slow and deliberate, until my eyes locked with those I sought to impress. A tremor ran through me, a final echo of the storm of nerves within. She was exactly as she looked in the photos. Olive skin with cheek bones slightly higher than normal. Her long black hair was swept back off of her face cascading down her back in soft waves. But her eyes were truly captivating. They were the color of the deepest ocean before a storm and held a quiet intensity. They were eyes that reflected the vastness and power of the unknown, both alluring and a little frightening. When she gazed at you, it felt like being pulled into the depths, lost in a world of silent currents and unspoken thoughts. I felt myself being swept away until her eyebrow arched slightly higher making me refocus on her question.

“I understand.”

“Good. Today will be short. I want you to have an idea of how things work and expectations. And I need to see that you are ready for it. No reason to waste either of our time if this isn’t a good fit.”

I felt my heart drop suddenly. What if she decided I wasn’t ready? What if I make some stupid mistake and that’s all she needed to see to turn me away? I was never good at disguising what I was thinking. My face always gave it away and the turmoil in my mind must have been clear on my furrowed brow because I saw her smirk slightly before speaking again.

“You’ve already gotten through the door which is more than most can muster. Just be present and enjoy it.” Her voice had softened, like she was quieting a scared puppy.

I nodded and before my nerves could get the better of me this time I responded how I knew she expected me to, hoping it would earn me a few points.

“Yes Mistress.”

“Very good. I have a phone call I need to take care of but let’s find you something to do before then. Come along.” She had stood up so quickly that I struggled to rise up in time before her legs were out of my sight. In that moment I knew I was the textbook definition of fumbling when it came to trying to kneel and rise from the floor gracefully.

I quickly followed her into the kitchen.

“Here. These need to be polished and placed back in their box.”

She had gestured to a fairly large pile of flatware on the counter and a box next to them.

“Be sure they’re spotless, no fingerprints. If you finish before I’m done with my call you can go back to the cushion in the lounge and wait.”

“Yes Mistress.”

She turned and disappeared down the hall without saying anything, leaving me listening to the sound of her heels echo further away until I couldn’t hear them anymore. I stood completely still for a few seconds staring down at the pile of flatware in front of me.

Picking up a knife and the cloth to polish it I found myself trapped in a cacophony of my own thoughts. It was a menial task and it gave my mind the freedom to ping-pong between analyzing every movement I had made since being here, the absurdity of standing naked in a strangers house polishing silver and the ever present embarrassment of my cock conveying my thoughts the entire time. Quickly enough I had finished polishing and placed each piece back into the felt lined box.

I made my way back into the lounge and knelt down as she had said. From here I could hear her speaking faintly and I strained for a moment listening. I couldn’t make out the words but I could hear the quiet hum of power in her voice.

Wondering how long I had been here I glanced around the room for a clock but didn’t see one. Taking the opportunity of being alone I scanned the room for the first time more intently. There was a large heavy looking wooden coffee table in the center of the room with a plush dark green velvet sofa and brown leather chairs. The walls were the same as the entry but had a few large impressionist paintings adorning them. There were also quite a few plants hanging from the ceiling in corners and large bookcases along one wall. Just as I was trying to make out the title of the books the tell tale signs of her heels came resounding from the hall.

She smiled slightly as she came into the room. Walking directly to me she handed me a black disposable face mask.

“Put it on and follow me.”

I reached out to take it, putting it on without question as I stood up and followed obediently. She led us down the stairs as she started talking.

“To get the full experience of what it is like to be here you have to understand how it works and you have to be ready to be a part of it. That being said I want to reiterate that you can leave anytime, even now, if you think this isn’t what you want. I think it’s fair to you to show you all of the facets of being here. I’ve given you the mask for a reason.”

By now we are standing in front of the entry and my mind is racing wondering what this could be about.

“In fifteen minutes someone else will be coming through that door. If you choose to stay and see more of what to expect here you may keep the mask on today, but only today. I want you to feel anonymous enough that you can walk away after today if you want to, but, if you choose to come back after today there will be nothing else to hide behind. So, you have a few minutes to decide for yourself if you even want to continue today knowing that this house isn’t always empty and you will be expected to interact with others besides myself.”

She paused for a moment looking at me thoughtfully before continuing.

“I have to go change before they arrive, if I come back and you’re still here then great. If you decide to leave I understand and I wish you the best.” She had motioned to a grey cushion and I hadn’t been able to tear my eyes away from it as I heard her making her way back up the stairs.

My mind was reeling again. I knew this wasn’t just a her and I thing. She had even spoken once that others came to the house for various reasons but somehow I hadn’t expected to have to ever see anyone but her. I questioned if I could come back without the slight comfort of anonymity the mask gave me. Insecurities started whispering in my head about what kind of man would be on the other side of the door. The weight of the two outcomes was heavy on my mind. Part of me wanting me to stay but my logical mind screaming at me to go.

I tapped my finger against my thigh thinking of all the possibilities of each choice and trying to will myself to make a decision. My mind still raced as my legs trembled slightly before I felt my knees meet the cushion.

(M.)