by K. M. Scott
If you agree to this offer, all you must do is sign the contract I've left with Rogers. Whatever you choose, you must do so before you leave this house today and your choice will be final. To prove I'm sincere, I've also left a $20,000 advance check for you. If you prefer to have it deposited into your bank, simply tell Rogers and it will be done by end of business today.
I believe your talents are far more than ordinary, Nina, and hope you will take me up on my offer. Whatever happens, know that the night we spent together likely meant more than you can imagine.
Always,
Tristan
I stood staring at the sheet of stationary in my hand, stunned at what it said, as the dread unraveled inside me. I could have the job as assistant curator if I wanted it, but I had to agree to work for him for at least six months? What an odd length of time. Would I be sleeping with him during that time? Or was the previous night all there would be to our lovemaking? He'd said our time together had meant something to him, so maybe we would continue dating?
Questions multiplied in my mind the more I thought about his offer. Of course I wanted the job, but he hadn't even mentioned a salary. I quickly dismissed this concern as ridiculous considering how much I was getting paid by Sheila. Tristan hadn't come across as cheap, so he'd likely pay me better. If only all the other questions I had about his offer were so easily put aside.
Why hadn't he spoken to me personally instead of leaving a note and having me deal with his butler, who I knew only as a faceless voice that had interrupted a very hot moment? And why had he included the stipulation that I must sign the contract that day, which meant I wouldn't be able to have anyone else look at it before I committed to everything it entailed?
I'd been worried that a note after a night of sex with him meant goodbye. Now I was worried about what it meant if I decided to stay in his life.
Maybe Rogers had Tristan's cell number so I could talk to him before making my decision. Sure this could help me, I walked down the hall to the main part of the house to find the butler. He was standing in the foyer, almost as if he were told to wait there for me, and nodded as I approached.
Rogers looked like every butler I'd ever seen on television, and as I prepared to speak to him, I had to push down the urge to giggle at how stereotypical he appeared. He wore a dark suit, and his steel grey slicked back hair sat atop a head that showed he was at least in his sixties, I guessed. His face was long, not naturally but from what appeared to be years of frowning, if the lines around his mouth were any indication. However, he didn't look unfriendly. Just unhappy.
"Hi," I began, unsure how to approach this situation with a man who must have known I'd slept with Tristan the night before. I wasn't embarrassed, but I liked to keep my romances a bit more private.
"Miss, the master has left your contract to sign, if you so choose," he said in a deep voice as he handed me a pile of papers followed by a very expensive pen.
I looked down at the contract and pen in my hands and then back up at the butler. "Yes, about that. Would you be able to give me Tristan's cell phone number? I'd like to speak to him before I do anything."
Punctuating my request with a smile, I waited for Rogers to give me the information, only to be turned down.
"I'm sorry, miss, but I do not have that information."
"You must have his phone number. You work for him," I said in disbelief.
"No, miss," he said definitively, making it clear there was no room for discussion.
Well, if I couldn't discuss it with Tristan, I at least could discuss it with Jordan. She'd be able to help. Whipping my cell phone out, I swiped my finger across the screen and saw the No Service message staring back at me.
Terrific. I was on my own for this one.
"Is there somewhere I may sit, Rogers? I need to read the contract before I decide whether to sign it or not."
The butler extended his arm toward the living room off to the right. "Of course, miss. You may take all the time you require. The living room is at your disposal. The master has indicated, however, that whichever way you decide, you must do so before you leave."
"Got it. Thanks."
I took a seat on the very formal sofa and sat back with the contract in hand, determined to read the entire thing from the first to last word. Then I began reading it. I remembered signing the student loan papers when I was in college, and this contract made those look like crayon scribblings. Clause this and part that and on and on it went until by the end of page one I'd read enough.
By that point in the stack of papers, I knew my salary would be $60,000 for the six months and I was obligated to stay in Tristan's employment for no less than those six months. I would be given health, dental, vision, and life insurance and his company, which I found out was called Stone Worldwide, would contribute to a 401K plan, matching my contributions for as long as I was employed by the company.
I knew I should continue reading as the contract went on for six pages more, but as far as I was concerned, I had all the information I needed. I would be paid, have great benefits, and finally, for the first time since graduation, I'd be able to put some money in the bank. All of this and I'd get to work for Tristan in an art gallery. That I wasn't sure what I'd be in his personal life made me wish he and I had talked about it, but I had hope that his note had been evidence of his interest in me. With a deep breath, I prayed I wasn't making a mistake and signed my name on the last page. I looked up and Rogers seemed to have appeared out of nowhere and handed me a second letter from Tristan.
"Miss, do you prefer a check or the money deposited into your account?"
"I think the deposit would work since I assume I'm going to be paid that way. Just give me the papers to fill out," I said with a smile.
"No need, miss." And with that, Rogers turned and walked away. No need? How was the money to be deposited if I didn't give my account number? Before I could ask the very same question that was in my mind, the butler was gone. Unsure of what to do, I opened the note and read more from Tristan.
Dear Nina,
I'm happy you chose to accept my offer and look forward to your involvement in Stone Worldwide for the upcoming six months. You're going to need a new wardrobe for your new position, so please allow my driver to take you to Le Ciel. I have spoken to Sheila about your resignation and she's happy to hear you've found another position. I believe she's going to miss you.
Always,
Tristan
I began to think this might be all right and wandered out the front door to find Tristan's driver standing next to a Town Car. He wore a driver's uniform and appeared as stoic as the butler. I approached him and extended my hand. "Hi, I'm Nina. I guess you're supposed to take me to Le Ciel. Where is that?"
He opened the door, bowed slightly, and replied, "Yes, miss. We'll be in Midtown shortly."
An hour later, I was standing inside a Midtown Manhattan boutique and feeling like Tristan in The Last Drop. The only difference was no one at my local bar had looked at him like he was an outsider when he walked in.
Two women walked toward me as I stood in the dress I'd been wearing for far too long, and I so wished I'd changed clothes before going shopping. Feeling self conscious, I avoided meeting their gazes, instead looking out the window at the activity on the sidewalk.
"You must be Nina," the blonder one announced. "Mr. Stone told us to expect you. We have everything picked out and if you follow me, I'll take you to a dressing room."
I did as she asked and found myself in a dressing room almost as big as my entire apartment. A dozen different dresses, outfits, and business suits hung around the room. I looked at the price tag on one of the dresses and my mouth fell open.
My portion of the rent on my apartment was only slightly more. I couldn't afford these clothes.
Immediately, I opened the door and stuck my head out to find the blonde who'd escorted me to the room. She stood with her back to me hanging clothes on satin covered hangers, and I said, "Excuse me. Miss?
"
She turned around and flashed me a toothy smile. "Is there something I can help you with?"
I was embarrassed to say I was too poor to afford anything in her store, so I whispered, "I think there's been a mistake. Mr. Stone didn't mention how..." I hesitated and stumbled over my words until I finally blurted out, "He never said they'd be of such high quality."
Thankfully, she seemed to understand what I had so clumsily referred to because she gave me one of her supermodel smiles and nodded. "Oh, that's been taken care of, miss. Mr. Stone will be paying for everything."
She returned to her work, leaving me alone in the dressing room that could house a small family, my head spinning from what she'd said. Not only was I now employed as an assistant curator for Tristan Stone, but now he was buying me an entire wardrobe so I could be ready for my first day at work?
It all seemed too good to be true.
I tried on one outfit and then the next, impressed that the women who worked at Le Ciel knew my size just minutes after I walked through the door. I hadn't stood there for that long, yet the clothes fit me perfectly.
As I twirled around in front of the three way mirror, swinging the black skirt that matched perfectly with the grey see-through blouse, my cell phone rang. I didn't recognize the number, but I was in such a good mood, I broke my usual rule and answered it.
"Hello?" I sang happily to whomever was on the other end.
"Good morning, Nina."
My heart began pounding wildly at the sound of his deep voice. Tristan.
"Hello."
"I'm so happy you agreed to sign the contract," he purred into my ear. "Are you happy with my choices for you?"
I looked down at the clothes I wore and then around the room at all the beautiful outfits hanging there just waiting for me to love them. "You chose these?" I asked, stunned.
"Yes."
"Oh. I don't know what to say."
I didn't. It was all at once exciting and overwhelming to know he'd taken the time to come here and pick out clothes for me.
"What are you wearing, Nina?"
"The black silk skirt and grey see-through blouse. It's very nice."
"I'm sure you look beautiful in it. I want you to take it off," he said in a distinctly commanding tone.
"Do you want me to try a different outfit on and tell you if I like it?"
"No."
Confused, I did as he ordered and stood in my bra and panties, just as I had done in front of him the previous night.
"Okay. I took it off."
"Are you wearing only your pink panties and bra I saw you in last night?"
"Yes," I said with a smile as the memory of our time together flashed through my mind.
"Good. I want you to sit on the large ottoman in the middle of the room."
I did as he desired. "I'm sitting, Tristan."
"Good. Lean back and lie down."
I did as he ordered, loving the sound of his deep voice telling me what to do. "Okay."
"I want you to close your eyes and think about how it felt with my mouth on your pussy."
An involuntary moan escaped from my throat at the sound of his words entering my ears. This was the most he'd ever spoken to me, other than telling me about his plans for his house, and I loved hearing him talk like this.
"I love the taste of your juices on my tongue, Nina. Do you want me to make you come like that again?"
"Yes," I whimpered as I remembered his mouth on my body taking me to such exquisite heights of pleasure.
"Or would you prefer me to fuck you, my cock buried deep in your cunt?"
"God, yes," I answered breathlessly.
"I wish I could be there right now, Nina. I want to fuck you until you cry out in ecstasy, loud enough for the Le Ciel women to know what I've done to you."
I wished he could too. I wanted to feel his hands on me, his lips touching mine as he brought me to the edge of everything my body wanted and held me as I tumbled over that precipice.
"Since I can't, I want you to slide your fingers inside your panties and finger that pretty cunt for me, Nina. Will you do that for me?"
"Yes," I answered quietly as my hand moved down my body and below my panties. My finger slid through my soft folds and easily found its way inside, as he'd commanded.
"Imagine my tongue gently dragging over your clit. I love the feel of it on the tip of my tongue, Nina. It's swollen and eager for me to take it into my mouth and suck on until all those tender nerve endings explode in your orgasm."
As he spoke his sensual words, my finger rubbed in tiny circles over my excited clit, creating soft waves of sensation that felt almost as good as his mouth had on me.
"But I want to feel you surrounding my cock, the soft walls of your cunt gripping me tight as I slide in and out of your willing body. You're sitting on top of me, riding my cock as you've never done with any other man."
"Yes," I whimpered as my fingers moved faster over my pussy. "Yes."
"Bend down and kiss me, Nina. Bring that beautiful mouth to mine and let me feel your kiss while I fuck you. You're getting close, aren't you?" he whispered low into my ear.
"Yes."
"Not yet, Nina. You can't come yet."
I slowed my finger's movement against my clit to stop from coming, loving the feel of holding off until he told me I could.
"I slide my hands over that pretty ass and squeeze as my cock slides into your needy cunt again. Tell me what you want, Nina. Say it."
My finger slid over my clit again, sending a spike of pleasure through my body, and I whispered, "Fuck me."
"Louder, Nina."
"Fuck me," I said in my normal voice.
"I want to hear it louder. Tell me what you want me to do to you, Nina."
In a voice no doubt loud enough for anyone outside the dressing room door to hear, I said on a near sob, "Fuck me! Tristan, I want to come. Please fuck me."
"You feel so fucking good on my cock, Nina. Time for good girls to come. Let me hear you come for me, Nina."
My finger circled tightly on my swollen and needy clit as my thighs began to tremble. I moaned softly as the first curl of pleasure came over my body, opening my legs wider as my orgasm took over.
"Oh, God! Yes, don't stop!" I cried as every inch of me shook from my powerful release.
"I love hearing you like that," he moaned as the final quakes of my orgasm waned. "Thank you, Nina."
Feeling almost boneless, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath in, loving how good he made me feel. "I've never done anything like that before," I quietly confessed as I sat up and looked around to see if anyone was standing outside the door.
"There's that honesty that I love in you. Maybe we'll do something like this again. Would you like that?"
His voice made me want to do something like that again right now. "Yes." Needing to know what this was to him, if anything, I asked, "Tristan, this isn't how you are with all your employees, is it?"
The question sounded silly as soon as I heard the words out loud, but when he chuckled on the other end, I didn't feel so stupid.
"No, I don't have phone sex with anyone else who works for me, Nina. But you're not like my ordinary employees. Now I want you to buy the clothes I picked out and whatever else you like and I'll see you back at the house later."
"I can't go back upstate, Tristan. I don't have any of my things I need if I'm going to be away for more than one night," I protested. "I need to go home to get some stuff."
The phone went silent for a long time and when he finally spoke, his tone was markedly colder than I'd ever heard from him. "Nina, you signed a contract to work for me. For the next six months, if I tell you to do something, you do it. Do you understand?"
His words stung and all the frustration I'd experienced days earlier because of his behavior bubbled up inside me. "Are you saying I have to obey you twenty-four hours a day for six whole months?"
"Nina, everything comes with a price. This was part of the deal cl
early spelled out in the contract that you signed."
I sat there stunned. "What are you saying? I'm some prostitute you paid to have for half a year?" Suddenly, all the clothes hanging around the dressing room looked ugly, like everything about this made me feel ugly.
"Nina, you wanted a job where you could show off your skills and love of art. I wanted to give you that. I'm willing to make sure you have the clothes required for the position and many other things that can make you happy, and all I ask is that you agree to a few simple things to make me happy. I have a contract that stipulates you're obliged to do these things, but I'd love to think that you want to make me as happy as I want to make you."
What was I supposed to say to that? I'd been foolish in not reading the entire contract, and now I was going to be forced to pay the price. As I gathered up the clothes to take them to the register, I told myself there were worse ways to spend a few months.
At least I'd be getting paid handsomely to be someone's indentured servant.
Chapter Six
The driver carried the almost $10,000 worth of clothes Tristan had purchased for me into the house and disappeared like Rogers had hours earlier. I stood in the foyer unsure of where I was supposed to go and feeling no better after stewing over the situation all the way home.
"Nina, come. I have dinner waiting for you."
I turned to see Tristan standing in the doorway of the formal dining room. He was dressed in his suit and tie and looking like he had all the times before, except now he was my jailer or my owner. I hadn't decided which title sounded better.
He extended his hand and smiled that warm smile that had never failed to charm me. Even now, it had the desired effect and I walked toward him, almost as if my legs were controlled by him directly.
I attempted to walk past him into the dining room, but he stopped me short with his arm in front of me. Turning to look up at him, I saw a look of hurt in his eyes. As if he had something to feel hurt about!
"Did you enjoy shopping?"
I didn't know how to answer his question. I had enjoyed it and everything we'd done in that dressing room until I found out I had signed my life away, even if it was to someone as gorgeous as him.