It was snowing.  Judy sat at her desk looking out the window, lost in thought.  A tall, lithe woman, at 5' 9" she kept herself in shape with a combination of yoga and at least nine hours a week in the gym.  Her left foot rested on a pulled out desk drawer, her right leg sprawled out, her foot resting against the wall.  It was snowing for the first time in nearly three years.  She guessed there was three inches on the ground and another inch would fall by night.  Judy loved the snow as only someone who rarely sees it can.  Sadly it would be gone long before Christmas; melted when the weather pattern changed and the wind blew in off the still warm Atlantic.
Tonight was their fifth anniversary, and she wondered if Master had something special planned.  She glanced over to see if the door of her office was open; it was.  Marty, the only other person in the office, couldn't see in.  Judy realized it didn't really matter; Marty already knew most of Judy's secrets.
Judy's hand slid under the hem of her short denim skirt.  The hand encountered steel.  She was wearing a chastity belt of unusual design.  As her hand explored the belt, wishing it could reach her always-ready sex, Judy smiled.  She eyed the chains adorning her naked feet.
She had always been a barefoot tomboy.  By the time she was ten, her mother had given up trying to keep either shoes or clothes on her.  In school, she was always in trouble for going barefoot.  Around each ankle was a fine but heavy stainless steel chain.  From the chains hung tiny bells, not unlike the anklets worn by hundreds of other women around the world.  That was the intention.  Judy's chains were different; she could not remove them.  The ends had been delicately welded together.  Angling down across the top of each foot was a second chain, just like the ones around her ankles.  Welded to the ankle chains, they ended in two rings.  One around her big toe, and the other, smaller ring around her second toe.  The chains made it impossible for her to remove the rings from her toes.  The chains had been her idea and Master really liked them.  Once in a while he used them to bind her.  And more important to Judy, they made wearing any type of shoe uncomfortable.  Most people didn't notice she was really barefoot; they thought the chain down the top of her foot was part of a sandal.  On the anniversary of their first year together, Master took Judy to dinner, and then took her to see a friend who fitted her with the anklets.  She had worn them ever since.
Judy's concentration returned to her frustrated hand.  Around her waist, she wore a flat, braided belt an inch and a half wide, made of stainless steel.  Very strong, but flexible and light, it hugged her, and unlike a solid steel belt, it moved with her.  Descending from the belt, just inside the points of her hips, were two smaller wires of the same design and construction.  They followed the crease between her leg and her pubis.  Just above the pubis, the wires were connected by a thin metal bar.  From the bar, two more wires continued down the insides of her legs.  Her labial lips had been pierced in two places on either side, and small rings inserted.  The lips had been pulled outward and the wires threaded through the rings, forcing the lips to remain open.  The wires once again connected by another bar below her slit.  A locked, but removable wire mesh panel fitted between her lips and covered the opening to her vagina.  Thus she could urinate, but could not touch herself or have sexual intercourse.
From the lower bar, two wires ran up the inside of her buttocks to end four inches apart at the belt.  A second rear panel, fitted between the wires, covered her anus and prevented entry, but permitted her to defecate.  The belt was locked on, and she could not open the locks by herself even if she had the combination.  The locks were two small designs on the back of the belt.  To the casual observer they appeared to be decorations.  To open them, one needed a sharp object like a finish nail.  The object had to be inserted into the correct hole and then the small dial rotated three times to match the combination.  Free and unbound, Judy could not see the dial or the numbers, so she would have had to try a seemingly endless number of combinations and hope luck was on her side.
Because the front panel locked separately, Master could have sex with her without removing the whole belt.  Like the ankle chains, she had worn the belt continuously for four years.
The phone rang, jarring her thoughts.  It was a customer, and she got on with business, selling houses.
Two hours later, Judy picked her purse out of the bottom drawer of her desk.  Before she left, she made a quick trip to the toilet.  In the toilet, she removed her blouse and folded it carefully, then placed it in her purse.  Naked from the waist up, she took the men's work jacket from the back of the door.  She slid it on.  Reaching into the right hand pocket, she found the two locks she had put there this morning.  Without hesitation, she slid the open hasp of one lock through her nipple ring and then into a matching ring on the inside of the jacket.  With a click she locked it.  Quickly she repeated the process on the other side.  Now she could not remove the jacket; she didn't have the keys.
After zipping up the jacket until the zipper was between her breasts, she picked her purse and left the toilet.  Every move she made pulled on her nipple rings.  Judy stopped to say good-by to Marty.  They spoke briefly, and then barefoot, she padded out to her car.  The snow was cold on her feet; she loved it, kicking up little plumes like a kid as she walked.  After unlocking the car, she got in and started it before she cleaned off the windows.  Getting back in, she drove off; small puddles formed under her bare feet as the snow melted from them.  Every time she turned the wheel, the jacket pulled on her nipples.  When she met an ambulance, its lights flashing in the falling snow, she wondered with a smile what the medics would think if they tried to remove her coat.  She had sold two houses today and life was good.  It was her business, and it was doing well.
Most of the time it was a twenty-five minute drive to the condo, but tonight it took a bit longer.  The powerful four-wheel station wagon had little problem with the snow, but there were a lot of crazy people on the road.  She was nearly there when her cell phone rang.  It was her husband, John.  They chatted about how their respective days had gone.  She told him how bad the roads were and all the accidents she had seen.  As always, on Wednesday night, they told each other they would be working late.  Both knew this wasn't true, but they felt better saying it.  They had been married for nearly twelve years.
Judy hit the up button on her zapper and the garage door slid up.  She got out of the car.  The keys to the locks on her nipple rings were on the bench in front of the car.  Retrieving them, she opened the jacket and unlocked the locks.  The jacket went on the back seat of the car; the locks went back in the pocket.  The car keys went on the front floor of the car.  Next, she removed her skirt.  Nude, except for the belt, she placed her skirt on the back seat of the car.  Lastly, making sure her car keys were on the floor in front of the driver's seat, she locked the doors.  The only way she could get back in was if Master opened the car door with his key.
Turning to the condo door, she punched in the access code on the key pad.  With a click the door unlocked, and she pushed it open.  Judy stepped into the mudroom and shut the door behind her.  It locked with a click.  She was locked in, she only had the access code to enter, not get out.  The condo was very clean.  Master owned it for only one reason, their Wednesday night meetings.
Judy padded down the hall past the various rooms.  All were nicely furnished, but unused.  At the end of the hall was their playroom.  It had been the living room, and now it was nearly empty; only a few items graced its nakedness.  Against the left wall squatted a set of stocks.  Next to it stood a wooden horse.  The stocks didn't bother Judy; in fact she enjoyed most her time in them.
The horse was her nemesis.  It both terrified and beckoned her.  She had spent many hours in delicious sex pain perched on it; her ankles tied to the sides so she couldn't stand to ease the pressure against her sex.  Most of the time, Master would tie her wrists to her elbows and then pull her arms up, forcing her to lean forward.  Always he would install his electric nipple clamps.  Molded into top edge of the horse was a flat piece of steel.  At his whim, he could send a shock through either the steel or the nipple clamps.  For Judy the steel was the worst, because she was always wet down then, and when she had to lean forward, her clit made contact.
Smiling at the memories, she turned and stepped back into the hall.  Turning left, she entered the master bedroom.  An old fashion brass bed graced the far wall.
"Lay Lady lay across my brass bed…" Judy hummed without thinking, she had spent many hours chained spread-eagled on it.  Turning to a dresser just inside the door, she opened the top drawer.  It was time to get ready for Master.
Judy locked leather covered steel cuffs around her wrists and ankles.  They fit snugly above the ankle chains and would not leave marks.  Next she inserted a black inflatable gag in her mouth, locked it behind her head, and under her chin.  Judy pumped the gag up until it spread her mouth painfully against the straps.  Then for good measure, she gave it another two pumps, bringing tears to her eyes.  With a click she removed the pump and placed it back in the drawer.  The short end of the hose still attached to the gag contained an automatic value.  Once the pump was removed, there was no way to release the pressure without the pump.
A four-inch steel rod came next.  Eyes had been formed in the ends, and two open locks hung from them.  Judy had just enough room to lock the locks into her nipple rings.  The rod was so short it pulled painfully on her nipples.  A ring in the center of the bar permitted Master to hang things from it, or as it was today, lock a chain to it.  The chain hung half way to her knees.  As she left the room she picked up her hood.
Returning to the playroom, she pulled a small square table into the middle of the room.  She knelt in the middle of the table, facing the door.  The table was so small her feet hung off the rear of the table.  Reaching between her legs, she slid the hasp of a lock through the ring of her left ankle cuff and the ring on the end of the chain that was locked to her nipples; then the hasp went through the ring on her right ankle, thus locking her ankles together as well as to her nipples.
Installing the hood was a chore, but it was Master's rule she wear it.  Folding it nearly inside out, she put it on her head.  She pulled down the right side first.  Attached to the flap was a small plug.  With care she fitted it in her ear.  Daydreaming, her hands fitting the hood automatically, she remembered when he had bought it for her.  He told her it would add more spice to their time together.  She had to agree, but it also meant that she rarely saw his face or heard his voice anymore.  Most of time he would guide her by touch.  After he whipped her or did whatever he felt like with her, they would make love.  Afterward he would cuddle her until it was time for him to go.  Then he would free her of the gag and bonds.  Most of the time she was so exhausted she would take a short nap.  When she woke, she would find the key to the hood on the bedside table and remove it.  But tonight, if she was lucky, he would remove the hood for her and take her out to dinner.  Quickly, aware she had been daydreaming, she finished with the hood, taking care to make sure it was tight when she closed the lock.
Reaching back, she locked her wrists together behind her back and then she locked her wrists to the lock securing her ankles.  She could not lean forward without pulling on her wrists, and she could not lean back without pulling on her nipples.
As she finished her ritual, she wondered when Master would arrive.  One night he had terrified her by not arriving until very late.  Sitting on her heels, she spread her knees until she could feel the edges of the table.  She had to be careful she didn't fall off.  Now she could relax until he arrived.  The pull on her nipples wasn't enough to get her off; besides, Master would really be pissed if she did.
Judy loved how completely helpless she was.  She thought about how she didn't have keys to any of her bonds, she didn't have the code to the door, and she didn't even have her car keys.  All of which turned her on.  With a sigh, she thought, "just another Wednesday night, but what a night it would be."
Sex with John had been good for the first few years they had been married, but after the kids, John seemed to lose interest in her.  True, she had put on a few pounds, but with a lot of work she had manage to sweat it off.  In fact, she was in better shape today then she had ever been.  Like many couples, they stayed married for the kids.  At home, they seemed more like roommates then a married couple.  It started six years ago, when they had gone to a party at a friends' house.  It was a small intimate party, and as soon as they walked in the door, it quickly was clear that Teddy and Terri were kinky.  This was the first party John and Judy been invited to at their home.  They were shocked when Terri met them at the door in a French maid outfit wearing handcuffs.  There were two other couples at the party, and both the women were dressed in very short skirts, barefoot, and wearing both handcuffs and shackles.  Judy found it a turn-on, but didn't dare say a word for fear John would get angry with her.
Later when she summoned up her courage and did mention it to John, he just shrugged and gave her one of his patented looks, which meant, "You have no clue what you are asking."  She could feel his underlying uneasiness with the whole idea.
After the confrontation, Judy began to wonder if it really was time for a divorce.  She believed that a marriage should last forever, but now was having second thoughts.  Even if she could get over the mental hurdle, now was not the time.  The kids were young, and she was just getting back to her real-estate business.
She began to visit Teddy and Terri often, and most of the time without John.  After six months, Terri told her she should find a Master.  Judy had no idea how to find a "Master."  She knew about the web and knew how to use it, but she also knew the dangers.
Over the next few months, Judy did a great deal of web surfing, but nothing compared to the real thing.  Terri took pity on her and began looking for someone for her.  Three weeks later, Terri set up a blind date to a scene party.  For Judy, it was a real eye opener.
The party was held in an old warehouse on the waterfront.  The large warehouse was a combination of apartments and artist lofts.  Once each month, one artist cleaned out her studio and hosted a party.  It was a low-key affair, more of a social event then a real B&D party, but still there were lots of ropes and chains in evidence.  After consulting with Terri, Judy went as a Harem girl, with nothing under the outfit.  That way she could go barefoot, something John frowned on.  Teddy drove them over.  Terri wore just a very long tee shirt.  Her hands were secured behind her back and shackles limited her stride.  They were met at the door by a tall well-endowed man wearing a hood, leather vest, and leather pants.  Terri introduced him as Master.  He took Judy by the arm and offered to show her around.
There were a few alcoves where masters put their subs through their paces, but for the most part most of the people simply stood around drinking and eating.  Judy did see one scene that really turned her on.  A woman was strapped to a horse and was being flogged.
Master was very kind to Judy and did not push her to participate.  He knew this was her first time and didn't want to scare her away.  Arm in arm, Master led her around and explained what each scene was about, and how the participants were doing.  Standing in front of the horse again, Master seemed to read her thoughts and asked her if it was something she would like to try.  Demurely, she said perhaps, but she wasn't ready tonight.  He just smiled behind his mask and nodded.
When Judy got home, she and John had a big fight, the biggest of their marriage.  Judy had stopped and changed at Terri's before going home, but still John knew something was up.  In the end, she had taken her pillow and moved into the spare room.  After that, they never slept together.  When Master put on her belt, Judy didn't think he even knew about it.  He did notice the chains around her ankles, but didn't comment.  Around the house she always wore baggy clothing, and he never touched her.  The kids, even as young as they were then, noticed the change.
She did not date Master after the party.  Frankly, Judy had to admit that she was scared.  Finally she talked about her fear to Terri.  Terri understood and explained it had been two years after they met before she would let Teddy tie her up.  But once she had tried it, Terri explained, she was hooked.
The following month, Teddy and Terri agreed to let Judy tag along to the party again.  Judy didn't want to do a scene, but she did want to meet Master again.  She wanted to find out more about him.  Terri had alerted Master that Judy wanted to see him again.  He met them at the door.  This time he stepped forward as soon as they met.  Gently he took her by the arm and spun her around.  Pulling her arms behind her, he handcuffed her wrists together.  Judy shuddered, but didn't protest.
Their clandestine party meetings went on for several months.  At first, Master would only cuff her hands.  Next, he removed her blouse and made it clear she should never wear a bra again.  She hated bras nearly as much as shoes, so this was an easy request to fulfill.  At first, it upset her to be topless in public, but she realized she was wearing more than many others at the part.  She liked what he was doing, but kept telling him to wait until next time.  Finally he told her it was time to put up or shut up.  She hated to admit it, but she knew either she joined in or she had to get out.
The party was held in late September.  The weather had been very hot.  Judy had worn torn cutoffs and a string halter-top this time.  Once again, Master met her at the door and locked her hands behind her back.  But this time he had a gag.  She didn't stop him when he put it in her mouth.  He also secured a collar around her neck.  Without hesitation, he led her to the alcove with the wooden horse.  Trembling, she stood as he removed her shorts and top.  He led her naked to the horse and helped her up.  Taking two leather cuffs, he locked her ankles to the floor.  Her toes did not quite reach the floor.  Pulling down a rope hanging from a pulley in the overhead, he tied the end to the lock between her wrist cuffs.  Stepping to the side of the alcove, he pulled the rope through the pulley, raising her arms up, forcing her to lean forward.
 Judy couldn't believe the pain between her legs or in her arms.  She was sure she could never come this way; she was too uncomfortable.  She steeled herself, not knowing what would happen next.  Then as the minutes slid by, to her surprise, despite the pain, she felt herself becoming aroused.  But nothing happened.
She looked around as much as she could, and he was gone!  Master had left her!  Other people wandered by, but she couldn't see him.  She began to cry.
Suddenly he was there, beside her, smiling down at her.  Judy collected herself and began to wonder what he would do next.  He had certainly scared her.
Master held something out to her.  It was what he called a flogger.  She looked up at him, horrified at the thought he was going to use it on her.  Against all odds, she nodded yes to his unspoken question.  When she was a snotty nose, barefoot tomboy, all the kids knew she was an easy mark for a dare.  This was no different; Master was daring her to take whipping and the pain.  She watched as he stepped back and began to strike her.  First, he was almost gentle; he didn't want to mark her.  But soon he was landing harder blows.
At first, Judy could think of nothing but the pain between her legs and the building fire in her back.  But suddenly she let go, just like when she had begun Yoga and had learned to meditate.  Now her mind was floating on top of the pain.  It was no longer in control; her basic animal sexual instincts had taken over.  She had never heard the term "sub space," but when she did a few months later, she instantly knew the definition.  She didn't realize that many women could never find it; she was one of the lucky ones.
In a blinding flash, she had the most incredible orgasm of her life.  Master had dropped the flogger and grabbed her; afraid she would hurt herself as she thrashed around.  Judy hung head down, unable to control her body, panting like when she'd delivered her children.  Quickly Master lowered her arms and removed her from the horse.  He laid her on a nearby couch, removing her bindings and gag.  After a few minutes, he brought her water.  She was ecstatic, it was better then she had ever dared hoped.  Judy was hooked.
At the night's end, he asked her for a date.  Judy hesitated, but finally said yes.  In all these months, she had never seen his face; she wondered what he looked like.
When he picked her up after work, he was as handsome as she could have hoped.  Without his hood, he was a dark Russian gypsy, with long black hair to match his black flashing eyes.  She couldn't help contrasting him with John.  John was English; his father's parents had come over in the 1930's like so many others looking for a better life.  His hair was a golden blond and he was so fair he burned in five minutes on the beach.  She had always had a thing about blond men and it was one of the first things that attracted her to John.  But Judy conceded that black hair was nice too when it crowned a beautiful body.
Master took her to a small restaurant and they had a great time.  Afterward, Master invited her to an apartment he had arranged to use.  Together, slowly they began to explore her limits.  They never made love, but that didn't matter to Judy, the horse was more then enough.  They also went to the party each month.  He would pick her up after work, then in the car he would hood, handcuff, and shackle her so she had to take 14-inch steps.  She would remain that way for the whole time at the party, blind and nearly deaf.  Sometimes Master would have her ride the horse, but they explored other forms of bondage too.
After six months, he announced that the apartment had been rented to someone, and they had to find a new place.  Within a few days, with her help, he found the condo and moved their stuff in.  It was closer to her house than the apartment, and it had a wonderful view of the bay.  It was ideal for their games.  The nearest unit was occupied by an elderly couple who spent most of their time in Florida.  Master added some new rules too.  He gave her a routine to follow, the same one she had followed tonight.  And he added love making after whatever bondage they did.  At first she was apprehensive, but then realized that he had to be horny too and it was only fair.  After all, if you are going to cheat, you might as well go all the way.
Judy faintly heard the door of the condo click open.  Bound and gagged, all her sense went into hyperactive mode.  She straightened up as she felt him approach her.
"Ah, Little One," he crooned as he walked around her,  "I'm pleased with you.  Do you remember what tonight is?"
Judy had to listen carefully.  She hesitated, trying to understand what he had said; when she did, all she could do is nod yes.
"Good."
Master unlocked her wrists and the chains from her nipples to her ankles.  Then he unlocked her ankles.  Taking her by the arm, he led her to the horse.  She could feel his hands between her legs as he removed the plate and folded the wire rope back out of the way.  With his help, she lifted her leg over and mounted the horse.  He lowered a rope from the ceiling.  After unlocking her wrists, he switched them from behind her to in front of her body.  He tied the rope to the lock.  Pulling on the free end of the rope through the pulley, he raised her arms until she barely touched the horse.  Quickly he tied the end off.
Next, he pulled each ankle up and secured each in turn to the horse in front of her so her toes pointed towards the ceiling.  This prevented her from gaining any leverage to lift herself from the horse.  With very small locks, he locked her pussy lip rings to either side of horse in front of her, forcing her clit against the horse.
Next he lowered her arms.  After unlocking her wrists from the rope, he locked cuffs around her upper arms and just above her elbows.  Bending her arms at her elbows, he locked her wrist cuffs to the cuffs around her upper elbows.  Then he raised her arms together and locked her arms together using the cuffs just above her elbows.  Her arms now formed an inverted W behind her head.  Quickly he installed a collar around her neck so he could secure her wrists to it, preventing her from pulling her arms in front.  Master took the rope from the ceiling and locked it to her elbows.  Now she could only rock forward and back, but when she rocked forward, she pulled on her arms, and when she rocked back, she pulled on her labia lips.
Leaving the room for a moment, Master went to the bedroom to retrieve a pair of electric nipple clamps and a flogger from the bedroom.  With the clamps installed and hooked up, he began to flog her.
His flogging was almost gentle, intended to inflame her, not mark her.  In his left hand, he held a remote that controlled the number, location, and severity of the shocks he chose to give her.  He had become very good with his timing.  When she rocked forward to escape the strike of the flogger, he would shock her between the legs.  Instantly she would rock back, and he would catch her with a down stroke of the flogger.  When he knew she was getting close, he would shock her nipples.  The new pain would throw her off her rhythm and she wouldn't come.  Then he would start again.  After nearly an hour, he let her come.  As she hung on the horse, he put away the flogger and the remote.  Gently he unbound her and removed her from the horse.  Scooping her up, he carried her to the bedroom, where he laid her on the bed and removed the hood and gag.  Exhausted, they lay together, dozing for nearly an hour.
"Get up and we'll get a shower," he told her.  "We're going out."
A bit sore, Judy got up slowly and head for the bathroom.  Master followed her in and they showered together.  When they finished, Master led her back to the bedroom.  On the dresser, she noticed several boxes.  Master dressed while she stood in the middle of the room and wondered what was in the boxes.
Master went to the dresser and picked up several small boxes.  Returning to the bed, he indicated she should sit.  Taking a box--it had a small number written on it--he picked up her right foot and held it on his knee.  From the box he pulled a gold chain, and held it up for her inspection.
"Wow, it's beautiful."
Master fastened it above her ankle chain.  The two chains complemented each other beautifully.  Next, he removed a diamond bracelet; he fastened it around her left wrist.  The last small box contained an exquisite diamond pendent.  After fastening it around her neck, he lifted her chin so he could look in her eyes.  Judy was crying.  John had never given her these sorts of gifts.  Finally, from the smallest box he pulled a pair of emerald earrings that complemented her green eyes.
Returning to the dresser, he opened the largest box and removed a beautiful, long green dress.  It too complemented her green eyes and red hair.  She jumped up and ran across the room.  Master handed the dress to her.  She stepped into it and pulled it up over her breasts.  He zipped it up for her.  Judy slowly spun around, alternately watching his face and herself in the mirror.  It was the most beautiful thing she had ever been given.  Judy didn't stop to consider that in it, she was a very beautiful woman.  When she looked up, she could see tears in her Master's eyes.  Silently he took her by the hand and led her out of the house to the little red car he always drove.  It was a vintage Datsun 240Z.  He had explained to her once that it was a 1970, and you could tell because of the way the 240Z was written in script across the rear post.  The snow had nearly stopped as they pulled out of the garage.  To her surprise, the sports car did very well in the snow.  As they drove through town, she thought the snow and Christmas lights made the small city look like a card she had seen once.
At the restaurant--their restaurant, she pretended--the Maitre d' led them to the same table they had used every year.  The table looked the same, with two candles flanking a bowl of flowers.  As soon as they were seated, the wine steward appeared.  Master ordered a nice Riesling, her favorite.
As soon as the wine steward left, Master said, "Give me your feet under the table."
She did and felt him slide a lock through her chains.  She wasn't going anywhere for a while.  Then he added something she had never felt before, thumb cuffs around her big toes.  The cool steel felt delicious against her skin.
Judy sat back, glanced around, and then turned her attention to her Master.  He too had been surveying the restaurant, before he turned and looked into her eyes.
"Along time ago," he began as he fiddled with his fork, "when you gave yourself to me, we talked about change.  We talked about how change was sometimes good.  I told you that someday we would need a change in our relationship."
He stopped and waited for her affirmation.  She nodded yes, tears in her eyes; she wouldn't leave John and the kids, and she was afraid of losing him.
"Well, tonight it is time for a change.  I know you are upset, but I think it will be better this way.  I've taken on a new sub, who is as new to this as you were; she needs me.  So I have made arrangement for a new Master for you."
"But I don't…"
"Remember the basis for our relationship?  Remember what you pledged yourself to?  No love between us, and I was the Master?"
"Yes," she mumbled, barely able to get the simple word out.
"Ok, as your Master, I have made the decision, and if you don't like it, then I can arrange for your new Master to teach you what it means to disobey!"  He spoke softly, but with great power.
She nodded her agreement, wondering how she could get out of this fix.
A shadow crossed the table; Judy glanced up it, was the wine steward.  Another man was behind him, but she couldn't see him in the dim light.  Master stood up.
"Have a nice dinner, Sweet, and remember to obey his every wish," he said as he slid from behind the table.  He shook hands with the man she couldn't see.
The stranger stepped between Master and the wine steward.  Judy was struck dumb.  "Busted," a voice in her head screamed; it was John!
Silently he sat in Master's place.  Judy had no idea what to say or do.  She couldn't even run with her ankles and toes locked together!  She could do nothing, but sit and watch her world shatter on the rocks of her lust.
"Good evening, love," he said as he settled in his chair and picked up Master's unclaimed napkin.  With a wave to the steward, John indicated he could pour the wine.
Numb and unable to respond, Judy could only watch, fascinated as John very calmly smelled the cork and insured that it was clean.  The steward poured just a sip in his glass.  The wine was a warm, straw color as he held it up to the light.  John spun the wine in his glass, watching as it sparkled in the candlelight.  Then he warmed it a bit with his hands to release its fragrance.  Carefully he inhaled the aroma.  A smile lit his face.  He glanced at her across the top of his glass as he took a sip.
When they first met, Judy had loved watching him taste wine.  It was something she had forgotten about him, then.  After swishing it around in his mouth, he swallowed it.
"Nice and clean on the palate with just a hint of fruit.  A good clean finish too.  Seems like an excellent wine."  At the wave of his hand, the steward filled his glass and then Judy's.
Finding her voice, she spoke.
"John," she started, but he cut her off.
"You may call me Master for the rest of the night."
"Ma-a-aster," she stammered, unsure of her role, unsure of his.  "Please, may I ask what is going on?"
"We are having dinner to celebrate our fifth anniversary.  Have you forgotten?"
"No.  But…" she let the words die.  Afraid to go on.
The waiter arrived to take their orders.  Judy asked for a Chef's Salad, too disoriented to order the filet mignon she had planned on.  John, knowing her tastes, ordered the steak for her.
"Judy?  Judy!"  John had to call her name twice before he got her attention.  "Do you need to ride the horse some more?  We could go for two trips tonight, it would be a first."  Suddenly he had her undivided attention.  "Really, after five years, I would think you had learned to pay more attention to your Master."
The voice in her had screamed in head again, "He knows about the horse!"
He paused for a moment.  "Now pick up your glass."
Judy did as she was told.  John reached across and touched her glass.  Their eyes met briefly; hers dropped to the table, he continued watching her.  Looking up again, Judy downed the wine in a single swallow the way a logger would down a shot of Scotch.  She wished it were Scotch.  Anything to escape this painful scene.
"Judy, we need to talk," John told her.  Judy stared at him, barely comprehending his words.  "You need an explanation, don't you?"
"How do you know about the horse," she asked.
"Did I give you permission to ask questions?"
John waited.
Finally she said one word, "No."
"Well, do you want an explanation or not?"
"Yes, please."
"In that case I'm going to tell you a story.  Stories are fun, aren't they?"
She was looking down at the table again.  He reached across, his wedding ring glowing in the candlelight.  Gently he slid his bent finger under her chin and lifted her head.  He stared deep into her eyes, noting the tears and the deep-banked fires that resided there.
"I love your eyes, please look at me when I'm talking."  He wondered for a moment if he had lost her.  Then he removed his finger from her chin.  She continued to watch him.
"Ok, here is your story.  Long ago and not so far away, there was a dinner party.  A not so young man took his very pretty wife to the party," he noted she was watching him intently.  "At the party, they discovered that the host, his wife, and some other people were playing a bondage game.  When they got home, the wife asked about bondage and seemed interested.  The husband understood his wife, but couldn't help her.  He knew nothing about bondage, but he loved his wife and wanted to help her.  He knew if he didn't do something, she would begin exploring on her own.  So he went to his friend and began asking around.  Soon he found a Master named Sam who would help him."
John took a sip of wine and refilled Judy's glass.  The waiter arrived with cheese and crackers.  Then John went on with the story.
"They came up with a plan.  Sam would meet the pretty wife, whose name was Judy, by the way, at a party.  He would court her and explore her limits.  He also agree to teach John, that was the husband's name, how to be a Master so he could keep the pretty young wife happy.  One problem they had was Judy would know when it was John, so they came up with a hood.  Sam would always make her wear it.  That way when Master John took over, she wouldn't know it.
"The plan went well, Master met Judy, and she was one hot 'chick maiden' as Shelly would have said.  After a few months, John was skillful enough to make his wife happy, but by this time they both were enjoying the game so much John didn't want to stop.  And they didn't.  At the end of the first year, Sam came back and took her out.  He also, at John's request, had Judy fitted with a special belt, rings, and chains.  At the end of five years, John decided to end the charade.  Oh, he loved what they were doing, but he wanted more.  He wanted his pretty wife to know who was whipping her on the horse and making love to her afterward.  So he arranged to meet her and Sam at the restaurant where Sam always took her on their anniversary.  But first, John had Sam give her some pretty presents, hoping it would make her happy."
John paused to sip his wine and study his wife.  He could only wonder what she was thinking.  And he wasn't sure he wanted to know.
"Now that you know the story, you may ask questions," he told her.
Judy just sat and nodded her head, staring into the candle flame and trying to come to grips with the shocking events.  John let her stew.
"Are you telling me that," she wasn't sure how to phrase it, "Sam never made love to me and I have not be unfaithful to you?"
"Yes, I have been there every step of the way.  Even at the party when you met."
She was dumb struck by the implications.  Maybe it was going to be ok after all.
The waiter arrived with the meal.  Suddenly Judy realized how hungry she was; pushing aside all the questions crowding her head, she picked up her knife and fork.  The steak was wonderful.  Master did know what she liked.
When they were done, John broke the silence.
"I love you more than ever; do you still love me?"
"Yes, yes more then anything else," she replied without hesitation.  Tears coursing down her cheeks.
John raised his glass.
"To us and the future."  He reached across the table to touch her glass.
Smiling at him, she echoed his words.  Yes, she thought, life was good, a bit strange sometimes, but good.  She wondered if he had the leather/steel cuffs in the car.