The Contract Ch. 01

This is my first time submitting a story here. I've had this in my head for a while and I wanted to share it. There's no sex in this one as it's the introduction leading up to much more, it will most likely become a novella of sorts. I wanted a gentle beginning for these two, and didn't feel like getting right into the hot and heavy would be realistic for them. I hope you enjoy.

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Jonathan entered the room with some slight trepidation. He had done this once before and it hadn't been a great experience for him. In part due to his inexperience at the time, and due to the behavior of the woman. That agreement had not been absolved on good terms, and he did not want to repeat that. But, he reminded himself, that was years ago. He himself had undergone rigorous training by his longtime friend...and former Master.

Speak of the devil, he spotted Garret leaning back in a chair, one long leg crossed elegantly over his knee at the ankle. Jonathan paused for a moment. Seeing Garret Fenton always brought up memories of their time together. An instinctual part of him still wanted to kneel at the man's side and feel his strong hand caress his hair. He blinked and came back to the present and saw that Garret had noticed his arrival. The handsome man smiled a devilish smile that told Jonathan he knew what his former student had been thinking. Jonathan grinned back and went over to Garret as he beckoned him. Garret clapped him on the shoulder as he sat down.

"Good to see you lad," he said as Jonathan sat next to him, hints of his English accent coming through. "Missed you at dinner last weekend."

Jonathan eased back into his seat. "Truth be told, Ret, I was preparing for today. Didn't really feel like coming out either."

"You plan on bidding then?"

Garret was speaking seriously now, he knew what this meant to Jonathan.

"It's time. I've played around, been prominent in the clubs, hosted a few parties as you know. But nothing that could lead to long term. Even if this won't lead to that in the end it would be a nice experience. Plus, it's a good cause."

Today's big event was a mock slave auction where adults, men and women, willingly put themselves up for sale to go into a Master and submissive agreement for a year. The proceeds would go to a charity for domestic abuse. There were a lot of deep pockets in this room, and many were returning dominants who had won bids in previous years. Many of the submissives return every year as well, hoping to be picked up by the same dominant or someone new.

"Do you plan on bidding?" Jonathan asked.

The other man shook his head. "Not looking for the commitment right now. I've been doing a few classes on rope and suspension, keeps me busy. It's been nice to relax on my own lately."

Another of Garret's acquaintances dropped by for a quick chat. Jonathan took the moment to look over the crowd, including his mentor. Garret always dressed nicely. Today he was in a dark gray suit and matching tie. He kept his face clean shaven and his hair neatly trimmed. Though he was only in his early 40s, ten years older than Jonathan, his hair had turned a dignified salt and pepper. His face remained youthfully handsome with just the traces of fine lines, many of them laugh lines.

Jonathan got a nudge in the ribs.

"You're spacing off again, lad. Penny for your thoughts?" Garret asked, a twinkle in his eye.

Jonathan smiled back "Old habits, Sir."

Garret chuckled. "You should come to my class sometime. I'm in need of an elegant assistant to tie up."

Jonathan arched an eyebrow at this friend and they shared a laugh.

A curtain opened to the side of a raised platform and the merchandise for the evening was paraded out. All of them naked and secured with leather cuffs at their wrists with a chain leading to a collar at their necks. Jonathan studied them as they went by, trying to look for subtle clues to find one that fit him. There were twenty in all, a mixture of men and women in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Many strode confidently, strutting about and showing off. Most of those had been through this before and knew the game. Others were more timid, just a bit shy at all of these people eyeing them. The last participant drew his eye like a moth to a flame. She looked scared and uncomfortable, there was a slight tremble in her hands. A deep blush traveled from her cheek to her bosom. She was obviously new, but Jonathan could see her determination to go through with this. She was a beautiful woman. Her light brown hair cascaded down her shoulders, full lips were a natural rosy color, and that blush just made her look adorable.

The submissives were led onto the raised platform and instructed to kneel. The woman he was watching knelt a little awkwardly, but there was some grace in the action, he could work on that. The audience was invited to the stage and Jonathan made a beeline for her. Garret smiled and followed.

Jonathan crouched before the woman so he was closer to her level.

"Hello sweetling, what's your name?"

For a moment she looked terrified that someone was speaking to her, but she composed herself quickly.

"Anna, Sir," she said meekly.

"Anna," Jonathan said, saying the word almost like a caress. He gently tucked a stray strand of hair back behind her ear and brushed his knuckles over her cheek. "That's a lovely name. Tell me, sweet Anna, what brings you here today."

Anna shivered. "It's on my card, Sir."

Jonathan smirked. "Oh but I want you to tell me."

Anna drew in a shaky breath. "It excites me, Sir. This...this has always been a...a fantasy," she barely whispered and ducked her head as she blushed even more.

Jonathan chuckled and pet her hair. "I'll see you soon, sweetling." He stood to go back to his chair and paused as Garret crouched down to speak to Anna.

"Chin up there, sweetheart." He said as he gently pulled Anna's chin up. "No need to be frightened. Take pride in your actions, it takes a lot of courage to be where you are." He gave her a smile and a gentle caress of her hair before he stood to join Jonathan.

"I'll help with the bidding if she goes over your top limit," he murmured to Jonathan on their way back to their chairs. "She needs someone like you, many of the the others who would be drawn to her would start off too harshly and scare her away. Once they see me bid they'll back off, they know how I can get."

"I would appreciate that," Jonathan said with a grateful smile.

Announcements about the charity and rules of the event were made and the bidding began. Luckily they didn't go in order the submissives were brought in, so Anna was soon up. An assistant helped her to her feet and led her to the front of the stage. Anna seemed to have have heeded Garret's words and held her head up instead of trying to hid. The gavel was struck and the bidding began at $20,000, Jonathan immediately held up his card. To his chagrin, two other men started bidding. The price was quickly reaching $100,000 between the three of them bidding when Garret interrupted them by standing with his card and said in his best commanding voice, "$180,000," and calmly resumed his seat. The other two men grimaced and immediately put their cards down, backing out.

Jonathan grinned and stated, "$200,000." Garret laughed and gestured that he was done, and the bid went to Jonathan. Anna was led off the stage and the two men made their way to the back room where she was waiting. She gave them a small smile as they entered.

"Remove her restraints, please," Jonathan asked the assistant. She did as asked and brought Anna a small suitcase and some folded clothes and shoes.

"Enjoy, Sirs," she giggled and flounced away.

"Jonathan, a pleasure as always," Garret said with a his hand on Jonathan's shoulder. "I shall see you later. I expect a formal introduction soon." He winked at Anna before leaving.

Jonathan turned back to Anna. "Put on your clothes and we'll leave for my estate."

Anna quickly donned a dark blue dress and sighed as her nakedness was finally covered. She seemed much more confident as she straightened from putting on her shoes. Jonathan took her suitcase and offered his arm.

"This way please."

After a brief hesitation she took his arm and let him lead her to his car. He opened the front passenger door and let her get situated as he stowed her suitcase in the back and settled into the driver's seat.

"I live out in the country on a private ackeridge so we have some time to talk," he said as he pulled out of the lot. "I promise you that we will start by getting to know one another. I will show you the house and we'll go over rules and expectations along with limits. We won't go into anything sexual right away, how does that sound to you?"

Anna had relaxed visibly once he said there wouldn't be anything sexual right away. "It sounds like a good way to start, Sir."

Jonathan smiled and held out his right hand to her, keeping his left on the steering wheel, she took and they shook hands. "I'm Master Jonathan, my friend that you met today is Master Garret. He's a very good friend of mine so you'll see more of him sometime."

Jonathan kept talking, not wanting to make her feel like he was drilling her for answers. Along the way she started to open up and contribute to his conversation, asking a few questions here and there, before they got to his place. Her eyes widened when she saw the elegant two storey home. Jonathan helped her out of the car and kept a hold of her hand as he led her inside.

"I had it custom built. One of my top priorities was a music room large enough to fit a grand piano." He noticed her perk up at that. "Do you play?"

"I started playing in first grade. I mainly play for fun now as it's harder to learn new things on my own without an instructor."

"I'm sure something could be arranged."

"I would like that, Sir," she said and graced him with a beaming smile.

"I'll take you to your room then we'll have a tour."

He took her up a flight of stairs and led her to a door at the end of a hall. "This leads to your room. My room is just across the hall there." He turned and pointed to a door they had passed. "If you need something I'll be easy to reach." He pushed opened the door to her room and let her in. It was a spacious room with a queen size, four poster bed. To the right in front of a big window was a vanity and chair. A writing desk was against the wall near the door. A door to the left of the bed led into a master bathroom.

"This is where you will stay. While you are in this room I don't have the same control over you like I will in the rest of the house. I still expect rules to be followed, but this is your space to do with as you choose. Here I won't command you, or do any scenes with you unless you wish it. Come, I'll show you the rest of the house then I'll leave you to get settled."

He showed her the kitchen, dining area, his study, and all of the areas to the house. The last thing he showed her was the door to the basement.

"The playroom is down there, that is where I keep all of my equipment. I will not show you that until we have agreed to this year together. Because once I have you in that room, you are mine to do with as I please." He pitched his voice just slightly lower at that, and it sent a thrill up Anna's spine. "Go get settled in, I'll meet you in my study once you're ready."

Anna went on her own back to her room. She hung up a few of the clothes she had brought with her and put the rest in the dresser. She had been told she wouldn't need to bring much as whoever bought her for the year was to see to her needs. Anna freshened up in the bathroom, splashing some cool water on her face, then crossed back to her bed and sat. She wasn't sure what she should do next. Feeling restless, she wasn't sure she could wait a few days for things to start. Filled with determination she strode out of her room to Jonathan's study and knocked on the door.

"Enter," was Jonathan's only reply.

As she entered he could tell right away that she had something to say, so he stayed quiet and waited.

"Master Jonathan," she started, somewhat hesitant, "I would rather not wait very long to start things. With all due respect, Sir, you have purchased me. I am yours for the next year."

Jonathan raised an eyebrow. My this was a change from the frightened woman he had seen earlier.

"I see." He pushed some papers toward her on the desk." Look through these and answer the questions. Don't argue," he raised a finger at her as she opened her mouth to speak. "I heard you the first time. This must be done first before we do anything."

She took the papers and sat in a comfy chair across from him. He smiled and went back to his reading, noting now and then her expressions as she went through his list of rules and expectations. He had to hide his grin when she saw the questionnaire of likes and hard no's. After he had scanned a few chapters she returned to his desk and placed the papers back, a slight flush in her cheeks.

"There are a few things I didn't understand," she said meekly. "But I answered all the questions I did know."

He looked through her sheet of likes and hard no's, taking note of a few answers.

"That's all right, sweetling, I'll go through them with you as you learn. Now, kneel."

She looked at him, blinking in surprise.

He looked up from the papers and arched a brow. "I said, kneel."

With a squeak she quickly dropped to her knees. Jonathan strode around his desk and placed a padded mat in the center of the room. He tapped it with his shoe.

"Come here."

She made to stand.

"I did not give you permission to stand."

Anna froze, then crawled awkwardly to the mat and resumed her kneeling position there. He nudged at her knees with the toe of his shoe so they were shoulder width apart.

"Sit up on your heels," he commanded. "Place your hands palm up on your thighs and keep your shoulders back. Chin up. There. When I tell you to kneel this is the position you will go to. Failure to do so earns you a punishment. I will overlook your earlier reluctance just this one time. Do that again and I will take you across my knee. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes," Anna answered quickly.

"Yes what, pet?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Good girl. First thing is your safe word, this is one of the most important parts. I use yellow and red. Yellow is for when you need things to be less intense but you want to keep going. If you tell me red then everything stops." His voice resumed his gentler tone. "I don't want you to not use your safe word because you feel like it would displease me or that I will think you weak. This is an experience for you, and I don't want you to be hurt. Repeat those to me."

"Red to stop, yellow to slow things down."

"Now, it seems that I need to work on your patience. I want you to go to the music room and pick a piano piece to work on until I'm ready for you. I can hear the piano from every room, so don't think you can slack off. Understood?"

"Yes, Sir!"

"Then go."

Anna scurried off to the music room. He waited until he heard the first hesitant notes on the piano, then he smiled and set out to step up his plans.

Jonathan returned to her an hour later, his selected items in his pockets, all other preparations ready. He watched for a few moments as she went through a piece. She had good technique, though he could tell she was out of practice and not used to the piece. He spoke when she had finished.

"That was very nice, sweetling. Do you like my piano?"

She jumped a little and stood to face him.

"Yes, Sir, it is very lovely."

He smiled reassuringly at her. "Good. come, I've had a nice meal prepared for us."

She followed him to the dining room where a few dishes had been placed on one end of the table. Anna looked at him, confused when she saw only one plate. He smiled and took a strip of black, silk fabric out of his pocket. He moved behind her and laid it over her eyes and tied it securely in the back, being careful of her long hair.

"Hands behind your back, sweetling."

She complied and he tied them together at the wrist. He led her slowly by the elbow over to the table, then sat and gathered her on his lap so she was seated sideways on him.

"Your first lesson is one in trust," he said in a low voice knowing that she could hear him quite well. "Our time together is based completely on trust. Trust that I will care for your every need, your every want, your every hurt, your every desire. I will be here for you, all you need to do is trust."

The touch of something warm on her lips startled her, but she soon smelled a delicious aroma. She instinctively opened her mouth to receive the morsal. The explosion of flavor on her tongue made her make an appreciative sound, almost a moan. She slowly chewed the tender piece of steak, seasoned and cooked just right. As she swallowed the first bite another was waiting at her lips. She felt his finger and blushed as she realized he was feeding her by hand. They stayed like this for the meal. Her, trusting and waiting on his lap, anticipating each bite as he cared for her. Anna did moan when she opened her mouth for the next bite, and bit into a decadent chocolate covered strawberry.

"I thought you would like that little treat," he said as he picked up another one, waiting for her to finish. "The blindfold and the binding of your hands makes you anticipate and savor everything. You never know what will happen next." He gently grazed his teeth against the sensitive hollow of her neck. She gasped, her mouth opening in an 'O.' He placed another strawberry on her tongue and ran a finger along her lower lip. She shivered on his lap and bit into the strawberry.

Jonathan ran a finger along her thigh, slowly drawing the hem of her dress up. He traced his finger along the now exposed sensitive skin of her inner thigh. Anna drew in a shaky breath. Jonathan smiled as she slightly parted her legs for him. He took his hand away and fed her another strawberry, the resumed slowly stroking her thigh. She made a slight whimper as she finished her treat.

"Please, Sir, I'm full."

Jonathan traced her lips with his finger, leaving some strawberry juice. She opened her mouth to taste and he put his finger in her mouth. She curled her tongue around his finger and closed her full lips around him, gently sucking.

"Good girl," he whispered as he took his hand away.

Anna sat there, breathing heavy, not knowing what would happen next, not knowing what she wanted to happen next.

Jonathan took a drink from his ice water and held an ice cube in his mouth. He pulled Anna in for a deep kiss. He savored the feel of her, of their first kiss. She parted her lips in a breath and he seized the opportunity to pass her the ice cube. She gasped at the coolness but he swallowed that with his kiss.

"I think that's enough excitement for one evening," he whispered against her lips.

Anna pouted and he chuckled. "Now, now. We're not going to do everything in one night. I'll take you to your room and let you think."

Without removing her bindings or blindfold, he lifted her as he stood and carried her up the stairs. Being carried while blindfolded was very disorientating, but she trusted him. She took comfort in the feel of his strength. Suddenly, he was setting her on her feet, her toes sinking into the soft carpet. She felt him untying the silk binding her hands, and the blindfold was soon lifted away. Anna blinked at the dim light in her room.

Jonathan smiled and cupped her cheek in his hand, giving her a look of pride.

"You've done well. I'll see you in the morning, sweetling." With a kiss on her forehead he moved to the door. "Oh, and one more thing. You will not pleasure yourself tonight, nor will you ever orgasm without my permission. Another lesson in patience, pet." He grinned and shut the door behind him as he left.