“My, how nouveau of you to suggest you run this company on gut feelings.”
“Your sarcasm is uncalled for,” Reggie said.
“Anything I say could be uncalled for,” she replied.
Reggie pushed away from his desk, and rose, walking toward the enormous windows that made up one wall of his elegant office. Staring out at the city, he was far too high up in the office building to see anything but tiny cars, and tinier people down below. Most of his view was of other gray and glass buildings; though on a less foggy day, he could see the Lake between the skyscrapers, and ships and even sailors and the clear blue sky beyond.
“I would hope that your study wasn’t clouded by a few moments in Tahoe,” he said, not bothering to look at her.
“I know my work, Mr. Harold. I’ve been in dozens of companies. You hired me because you knew something was amiss in yours. Whether I succeed with my work, and the company progresses from this point, is in direct proportion to the self-honesty of those in the highest levels of management. I’m sorry that you’re the highest in this company, but that is a fact that is painfully apparent. It starts with you.”
“This company is not suffering, Miss Killian. We’ve had the best year we’ve ever had, this last year.”
“But you’re not satisfied. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be paying me the big bucks.”
“I’ll take a look at your findings, and let you know how I want to proceed from there,” he said brusquely, as he returned to his desk. “I don’t see any further need for your services until I’ve made my own conclusions.”
Jocelyn stared at the devastatingly handsome face wondering how he could be so unfeeling.
“You’ve paid me for my work, I would suggest that you let me do it, and not let your ego get in the way.”
“You think it’s ego? I think it’s prudence. I’m not going to initiate sweeping changes with little thought, especially when profits have been good.”
“You want more than good.”
“I doubt you know what I want,” he said.
Jocelyn stared at the man for some moments, trying to think of some way to crack the ice.
“You know, Reggie, you are by far, the coldest mother fucking bastard I’ve ever had the opportunity to work with. I wonder that you could have a company here at all.”
Reggie looked up at her, startled by the unexpected reproach.
“That sounds personal,” he said.
“Believe me, it is,” she said, her eyes suddenly sparking, two weeks’ worth of hurt rising. Where she’d squelched the feelings like the pro she was, this little bit was now getting through. And she really didn’t care.
“Ah, to see those eyes flash again,” he said with a smile.
“You are despicable!” she said.
“And you’re out of line, Miss Killian.”
“Someone damn well better be around here.”
“This is personal, isn’t it?”
“My report isn’t biased, but this conversation sure is.”
“Then why don’t you get it out of your system, or we could have a difficult time ever working together.”
Jocelyn was ashamed of herself, but once headed down this path, there was little way she could suddenly turn about for any kind of graceful retreat.
“Tell me,” he prompted her.
“This is strictly between you and me,” she said. She took a deep breath not knowing how she was going to get through the next sixty seconds. Another deep breath and she could begin again. “I’ve met men in my life that have abused me one night, and then been cool in the morning. I’ve had my one-nighters, and my share of cads. But I’ve never had a night like the one we had, I’ve never connected with someone so magically, I’ve never shared the intimacies of my body the way I did with you to find there was nothing, absolutely nothing days later. I can’t believe you’re that heartless.”
“Then you’ve been talking to the wrong people.”
“I’ve talked to no one.”
“I think you’re missing the point, Jocelyn.” It was the first time since returning from Tahoe, that he called her Jocelyn. “Tahoe had its merits, but you need to understand, a relationship with me would never be that bed of roses.”
“Really?”
“I’m a sexual dominant. What I fantasize about for you is not so sweet as rolling all over a soft leather couch. If you thought the gentle spanking I gave you was a taste of my domination, you have a good deal to learn about me. I don’t think you have the temperament to face who I really am. And I certainly don’t think you’d find the man I am worthy of your love.”
She was totally amazed by his confession, but not persuaded. “And how do you know that?” she replied, intending to press her point.
“Lots of experience. I’ve known a lot of women in my time, a lot of submissive and dominant women. You’re not a sexual submissive.”
“But you don’t really know that. You don’t know what I’d do in a relationship with you. You can make all the assumptions you like, but you can’t really say for sure.”
“About this I can.”
“You know what I think? I think I really got inside you. I think I shook you up so much, you’re running as fast as you can to stay away from me.” The merry expression in her eyes was difficult for him to watch.
He stared at her for some moments, all cold on the outside, though there was an unexpected fire moving in him.
“You’re one haughty bitch, Jocelyn Killian,” he said. “I’d dearly love to tame your pride. Whip you into shape.”
“They why don’t you try?” she asked.
It was the same brand of taunting she’d used at the lodge, when she dared him to spank her ass. It was so damned appealing he couldn’t turn it down.
“You have no idea what I’ll demand. And when you go running away from me, I won’t shed a tear.”
“Maybe you should let me decide what I can take and what I can’t.”
He shook his head. “You don’t understand.”
“And is that a reason not to try something?” she said. “Maybe you don’t understand what you have to lose.”
Where his face had been so chilling in its cold resolve, it was thawing enough to allow a more amiable expression to appear. “You came in here despising me, why are you pursuing this so avidly?” About that he was bewildered.
This time there was no snappy retort. She took his question seriously, but had no easy answer.
“I don’t know why,” she said. “That’s as honest as I can be. The attraction is remarkable, the desire compelling, but I’ve had that before. So I really don’t know why I want a relationship with you. I just know I’d like to try.”
There was a softer expression on his face, the woman was breaking through his barriers again, and just as she didn’t know why she was inciting this affair, he wasn’t certain why he was allowing it. He never would have in the past, but then he’d never met anyone like Jocelyn.
“It’s eleven,” he said looking at his watch. It took him only a second to return to a cool, clipped demeanor. “We’ll go to lunch at one. Don’t be late.”
Completely perplexed, Jocelyn took too long to leave.
“You’re dismissed, Miss Killian,” he ordered her out. She was fast to exit the office, the strangest feeling of fear traipsing though her body everywhere.
***
She was in his office at ten minutes after one.
“You’re late. The first mistake of any good submissive,” he said.
“You can forgive me,” she said. “I was doing your company’s business.”
“I don’t really care,” he answered.
“Well then, you can spank me now,” she said.
“When you ask for it?” He looked as if she’d gone mad. “I’m hungry, let’s go.”
The two climbed into Reggie’s Porsche, taking a path that wound through the city streets to a quieter neighborhood where Jocelyn expected some small cafe. They stopped in front of a shop instead, Jocelyn perplexed by what seemed a change in plans. Examining the shop’s facade, she guessed it was some kind of women’s apparel store, but it was difficult to tell.
Inside, the two were greeted by a small woman, with eyes that lit up the moment she saw Reggie. While she must have been over fifty, she had a sensuous attitude that made her appear much younger. She wore her dark hair in a bun, and was dressed in designer suite that was perfect for her somewhat stocky build. There was a soft graceful smile on her red lips.
Approaching them, she went immediately for Reggie, planting an affectionate kiss on his cheek.
“Monsieur, how long it’s been!” she exclaimed. “No fine ladies to bring to me?”
“It has been a while,” Reggie conceded.
She looked at Jocelyn. “Ah, but this one?” She was definitely interested in the sultry auburn haired beauty on Reggie’s arm. “What would you like? Something lace? Or perhaps…” Her eyes were lighting jubilantly with her thoughts.
“A corset, Marie,” Reggie interrupted her spirited musings.
“Ah, mais oui. Something?” She eyed Reggie with a mischievous glimmer. “Very snug, I should guess.”
“Oui. Very snug.”
“To remind her of her place.”
Jocelyn stood submissively beside the man, in awe of him, Marie and whatever this device the two were concocting for her. The woman eyed her top to toe with beady eyes, making judgments all the way. “She’ll have to strip,” she said, as she moved to the opposite end of the shop and rummaged through several large drawers filled with old fashioned women’s under garments.
“Take off your clothes, Jocelyn,” Reggie ordered.
“Right here?”
“Yes.” There was no discussion in his voice.
Modesty was never important to Jocelyn Killian, but to undress in broad daylight, in the middle of a clothing store was going to extremes, even if it was a deserted shop, in a deserted neighborhood. But, it was a test. She read that clearly in the cool clear tones of Reggie’s voice. For an instant she wondered why she was doing this. But then she remembered, even as she doubted herself, that he turned her on so much she couldn’t think of giving him up, even if it meant sacrificing her modesty.
“Jocelyn, Marie can’t fit you properly unless you remove your clothes.” He was being firm but exceedingly kind, interrupting the conversation in Jocelyn’s head.
Casting him a squeamish smile, she began to unbutton the powder blue suit jacket she was wearing, revealing a lace teddy underneath. Marie had returned to her side, and she allowed her to take the jacket from her. Trying not to feel too intimidated, she reached around behind her and undid the clasp of her skirt and let the garment drop to the floor. There was just the teddy, thigh high hose and her heels remaining. Perhaps that was enough.
“We’ll see about the stockings, they’re rather pretty,” Marie said, approaching her, and playing with the satin roses on the top of the stockings. “Take the teddy off,” she ordered, looking up at Jocelyn. There was a pleasant smile, but it was laced with daggers in her eyes, a stunning contrast.
Lifting the shoulder straps, Jocelyn pulled each side of the teddy down, and though reluctantly, she finally pushed the stretchy fabric from her chest. She was naturally endowed with round firm breasts, with pink aureoles and small brown nipples. Naked in the cool air, the nipples tightened instantly.
“You’d be surprised how much the lace hides, Mademoiselle,” Marie said, as if that explanation was necessary to motivate the last revealing move that bared Jocelyn’s tummy and pubic mound.
The feeling of vulnerability was appalling. Stripped. Naked. Exposed. She felt as if these two could read her soul as easily as they could see her bare body.
Marie became instantly busy measuring her breasts, her chest, her waist and hips. The touch of her fingers made the yielding Jocelyn shiver.
“Perfection!” Marie exclaimed. She mumbled to herself in French. And at one point Reggie answered her back in French.
Pretty bold of them, assuming she didn’t know the language, Jocelyn thought to herself. Too bad she’d studied Spanish.
Scooting across to the other side of the room, Marie searched her cabinets again, and finally pulled out what she’d been looking for. Returning to Reggie and the bewildered woman, she smiled broadly.
“It will suit a novice,” she said. She immediately went about the task of putting the simple tailored corset around Jocelyn’s middle, fingers flying. The redhead was quickly surrounded by the garment with stays and hooks, and top to bottom laces in the back. Marie tugged at the laces from behind, pulling them with firm hard jerks.
“Ouch! I can’t breathe,” Jocelyn exclaimed.
“You’ll get used to it,” Reggie said, admiring the perfect fit. It made the hourglass of her figure more pronounced, her slender waist more slender, and laced as tightly as it was, the flair to her hips and breasts below and above gave her a most elegant line.
“Look in the mirror, mon cherie,” Marie purred.
Almost afraid to look, the headstrong Jocelyn hesitated. Her shyness came from the most unexpected feeling of surrender descending through her. The corset became a mantle of submission – a word and a state of mind that she was still unaccustomed to.
“Jocelyn, look at yourself,” Reggie prompted, a no nonsense sternness in his voice.
Raising her head to view herself in the mirror, she saw another woman staring back at her, not the one she saw each morning, not the one that undressed in her room at night. This one made her shudder. The corset had obviously struck a chord in her, one she was unaccustomed to play, though it felt good now.