“That would be quite a blatant lie. The floor of my basement is probably still soaked with how much you came.”
My boss knew me too little if she thought I'd let her forget about her wild abandon and hide in the illusion it had all been a dream. Lina blushed at the reminder and continued with slightly shattered confidence.
“All right, it was sexually enjoyable, but please don't tell me you seriously considered giving me any kind of therapy at any moment. Just admit it was a ploy for you to fulfill your sexual fantasy of bringing your boss down to her knees. It was nice not to be in charge for once so I can't say I blame you.” Her voice sounded nervous and she clutched her cup for dear life. “You wanted to fuck me and you did it. If I’ve got to be honest, I’ve also had occasional sexual thoughts for you. Can we just accept we are two adults who enjoyed themselves last night and move on? You're one of my best programmers and I don't want things between us to get awkward because of a night of kink.”
It didn't surprise me that she used the ‘you only tricked me so you’d get in my pants’ trump card. The funny thing was Lina sounded as rational as if we were leading a negotiation. Right now, though, I had to make her face reality.
“I understand why you may think so. I won't lie, I was being manipulative and part of my plan was to arouse you and earn your sexual submission.” She trembled as I placed my hand on top of hers. “But my initial motivation was to help you take care of your cigarette problem. Believe it or not, I...” Suddenly it was so hard to find the words. Maybe being too close to her made me think with my other head. I'd spent years lusting after this woman but I wasn’t sure if my feelings for her ran deeper. Leading her on or scaring her wasn't what I wanted. “I... well, I really care for you. It wasn't a lie that I helped my previous girlfriends. It was much easier with them because we were in relationships and they identified as subs.”
“This may be the root of the problem, Thomas.” Lina stared at me with determination and uttered slowly, “I don't think I’ve got it in me to be a submissive. I’d much rather have control of my life than have orgasms.”
I nearly burst in laughter. It was always cute when a woman like her tried to deny the obvious. However, I knew enough of human nature. If I made any attempts to persuade her, make her face who she was that would make her fight back with the ferocity of a wild cat. Lina would have to reach the conclusion by herself.
I brushed a lock of hair behind her ear and caressed her cheek as she waited for me to strike. Clearly, my boss expected me to try to bully her into confession. When it didn’t happen, she was at a loss for words.
“Then why did you have such a great time yesterday? I remember you didn't even mind me calling you 'pet'.”
“It was... conditioning.” She lowered her eyes to the cup of coffee. “It's biology. Our bodies are designed to respond to erotic impulses and stimulation. I'm a normal, red-blooded woman.”
“You don't say.” I smirked at her. Watching her plan her moves was almost as much fun as having her naked and at my mercy. Almost.
“So, yes, I guess you're simply great at pushing those buttons and turning a woman into a drenched slut.” Lina said the last word in a casual manner. It was still too early to decide if it was bravado or if she was getting over her slut issues. “We're made of flesh and blood. Practically anyone can become a panting sex slave in the appropriate conditions.”
“I don't know, Lina.” She looked disappointed when I moved my fingers away from her face. “You admitted you had a hard time climaxing...”
“Anything I said–”
“...and yet you were on the edge so many times last night. You confessed no one had made you feel like that before. Let's say you were under duress then and not responsible for your words. How about now?” I got up from my chair and moved to the other end of the table. “Did you ever have such an... enhanced, biologically conditioned orgasm?” I chuckled.
“Listen. Remember how you asked me why I was taking the risk of starting my own company instead of working as a highly paid Silicon Valley techie?”
In other circumstances, I wouldn't have let her get away with not answering my question, but this was an interesting twist to our conversation. I rubbed my chin, feigning deep thought, and gave her a carefree smile.
“I do remember very well. You never gave me a satisfactory response whenever I asked, but that is fairly typical for you, boss.”
“Don't push your luck.” She rolled her eyes and looked amused for a moment. “So, you want answers. I'll tell you why. I'm no good at following orders. At every company I worked for I was the smart ass black sheep who questioned everything and argued with her managers.”
I laughed out loud and inclined further, holding myself by the stomach. Lina looked at me with a raised eyebrow. Her expression was more confused than irritated.
“Sorry. The irony of you calling me 'brat' all those years was just too much.”
“Anyway,” she uttered through gritted teeth, “the most frequent replies I'd get were to start my own company if I thought I was better than everyone else. That’s exactly what I did. I set my own rules and play only according to them. Independence is something I've always craved. This is who I am, Thomas, a control freak. Not a cat on a leash. This will never work.”
The walls around her feelings couldn’t be torn down by weapons of war. She was too strong and even thousands of climaxes per day wouldn't change that, but I didn’t want to take her by force or brainwash her with pleasure. It would count as a victory only if Lina gave me the key herself.
“You know best who you are, Lina.” I raised my hands in pretend defeat. “If you say you're not submissive, I guess you're not, but tell me...” One step backward. “Didn't our play from last night have any effect on you? Do you feel any different?”
Lina blinked in bewilderment at my question. I must have completely defeated her expectations. Otherwise, she'd never have allowed herself such an obvious display of surprise. The shock faded quickly and Lina rested in her chair, not even wincing in pain at the shift in position.
“Well, I must admit this was the first morning for ages when I didn't wake up wanting a cigarette as soon as possible.” Panic rushed in her voice and she squeezed her cup so tightly it nearly broke in her hands. “But maybe it was because I was too busy getting over the fact I'd been dominated by you. It means nothing.”
“True.” A thrill ran through my body as I recognized a nearly invisible crack in her armor. I tried to stay focused but it was impossible to not get excited with how close I was. “But you use cigarettes as a coping mechanism for stress. Doesn't it make sense you would have wanted one before facing me? You didn’t even ask me to give you the pack. You were ready to flee from my house without saying goodbye but the thought of smoking didn't occur to you? That’s interesting.”
Lina looked down and I used the pause to enjoy one of those rare times she was at a loss for words. I returned to her side and placed a hand on her shoulder.
“Listen. You may not be the submissive type but my therapy seems to be working. I have a proposal for you. The next two months, come back to my house on Friday evenings and stay until Saturday morning. We'll engage in extensive play and some intense scenes. You'll be punished for every lapse in your habit, but if you succeed in quitting, you'll receive more pleasure than you've ever felt in your life. You'll keep the safeword you chose last night. All your hard limits will be respected, but you'll have to accept that you're not the boss in these scenes. I'll also demand partial control during the week.”
“Partial control? Oh, no, I'd never let you do anything to me in the office.” Lina paled and looked at me in horror. “I can't afford to be humiliated in front of everyone.”
“Relax.” I leaned forward and kissed her forehead while rubbing the side of her neck. “I'd never do anything to discredit you, Lina. I told you I care for you, but I have to make sure you're not smoking in secret. All my orders during the week will be subtle and I'm sure you'll
love them. Give me two months and I promise to help you deal with your addiction.” I pressed my lips to hers and let my tongue sink deep into her mouth. She raised her tender palms and placed them on my chest, as if in an attempt to push me away. I sank my teeth into Lina's tongue and her low, sensual growl of pleasure reverberated inside me.
She must have felt my intense heartbeat and known I was just as nervous as she was. What if I failed? What if...
I broke the kiss and dragged her bottom lip down with my teeth. Lina was panting and pressing her thighs together. She no longer looked in pain or discomfort.
“What do you say, Miss Riley?”
“I... need to think about it.” She composed herself and looked at me. The desire in her blue eyes was in contrast with her harsh words. “But if I agree, you must know it would be just a business arrangement. It won't last more than those two months and we will never have a relationship. I'll only play the part of your pet.”
I was prepared for her to say something like this but it hurt nonetheless. The anger and insecurity made an attempt to take control of my actions. I brushed them off with a shrug of indifference. We were just at the beginning.
“Fine by me,” I said and took my hands off her seductive, warm body. Hopefully, I'd get to touch her thighs again soon. “Take your time and think about it, but I want you to call me tonight and let me know what you’ve decided. We'll talk in details if your answer is yes.”
“I guess I'd better get going then.” She slipped her feet into her high heels and got up from the chair. I understood her urgency to get away on an intellectual level but I hadn't expected to feel so disheartened.
We walked down the stairs together.
“Are you sure you don't want to eat something or at least take a shower? No offense, but you look like hell.”
“I'll be fine. I need to give your offer the time it deserves. And I can't think clearly when you're around.”
I decided not to comment on her last statement and sent her to the door. While she was leaving, I called after her with a cheeky smile.
“Bye, beautiful. Who knows, someday you may want to stay.”
ChaosTech Solutions was buzzing with activity through the week. There were lively discussions on every corner, in the different break rooms, conference halls and departments. People started coming in at about 9am through the big elevator doors and rushed to their respective offices or cubicles. The beehive was coming to life with the first wave of arrivals. The earliest birds were the administrative assistants and accountants who typically worked until the end of business hours. The IT departments had a more flexible schedule. I'd given them the go-ahead to arrive and leave their place of work whenever they pleased, as long as they weren't slacking on their assignments. Plenty of them would show up at lunchtime, stay late and tie up any loose ends at the weekends.
Sometimes, their freedom provoked bitter remarks from some of the other office employees but it was expected. The success of the company depended on my engineers and it didn't cost me much to keep them as happy as possible.
Last year we had released a work schedule mobile app, a great way for me to keep tabs on the different projects and follow their progress. It helped me catch those who were slacking way too much. I believed in creative laziness but there were limits. I didn’t have cases of misconduct often. In spite of my heavy workload, I stayed true to my policy of always hand picking the people who would work for me. I guess I was doing something right since those who became my employees were efficient and passionate about their jobs. However, there were the occasional geniuses who thought they were too smart to work. I wasn’t a slave driver but a good leader needed to be familiar with all the levels of their organization. The IT specialists had enough freedom to apply their skills and ideas, they were well paid, and they kept to deadlines. It was a win-win situation.
This week would be challenging, though. During the Friday meeting, the representatives of our new client – a big media corporation – claimed they were satisfied with our business plan and happy with the quality assurance. One of their non-negotiable conditions was that we provided twenty-four seven support. Currently, we had support staff who operated and provided aid on different products from nine to five. I'd had to hire new people, invest time in their training and expand the office space. The real estate agent I'd spoken with a few weeks before insisted we needed to finally go over the construction plans of the buildings in progress. We were gaining new clients and activities so quickly at one point that an independent office building for ChaosTech Solutions was becoming a necessity rather than a luxury. Sometimes it amazed me how far we had come in less than a decade.
When I was through interviewing all the applicants and we’d expanded the IT Support department, ChaosTech Solutions would turn into a round-the-clock beehive. Meanwhile, I had other projects to consider and approve. The representatives of another big company had also showed interest in our products, and that would take serious research and pitching.
I loved my job and was proud of the successful working environment I'd established, but sometimes the early retirement option seemed awfully seductive. In reality, though, I'd probably be bored by the end of the first few days.
Whenever I expected my week to be such a nightmare, I would arrive at the office during the wee hours on Monday. There was no one there except the janitors going through their morning routines. The peace and quiet of the office was a balm to my anxious brain and a great way to recharge, but today, even the solitude at dawn couldn't give me the comfort I longed for.
I nodded at the cleaning lady who was wiping the floor in the break room. She was swaying to the rhythm of whatever she was listening to on her headphones. She looked fully focused on her activity, paying no attention to anything beyond her scope. I envied her for a moment since I could have used some focus myself. My brain was all over the place.
There was one more reason I had arrived at nearly 7am. Today would be my first day as Thomas's sex pet.
I walked to my office, unlocked and closed the door behind me with a sense of rising panic in my chest. Ever since my caffeine had kicked in, I hadn't stopped tormenting myself over the decision I’d taken. Why? Accepting his proposal made no sense and could lead to my personal and professional ruination. If anyone learned about our kinky little arrangement, I risked losing everything I’d spent years working on. Of course, sex scandals in the tech world were nothing unusual, and those involved didn't generally suffer serious career repercussions. The key difference was that I was a woman in a male dominated industry and people might not be so forgiving in my case.
It was much easier for Thomas. He could always say I coerced him into an unnatural relationship or that I promised him a promotion in exchange for sexual favors. He could even accuse me of blackmailing him. It wouldn't matter that I made the decision to advance his career long before our heated encounter. Perhaps Thomas really valued me and wouldn't throw me to the wolves just to save his ass, but life had taught me enough of the dirty side of human nature.
I crossed the distance between the door and the desk in small steps. Then I pressed my palms on top of it, trying to catch my breath and calm down. The urge to light a cigarette would resurface every now and then when fear became too intense. The craving faded away quickly since the welts on my ass would take some time to fully heal.
I sighed. The truth was no matter how advanced we were, how much we developed our intelligence and morals, most of the time we were primal in our reactions. Our survival instincts prevailed over the system of values, friendship or love. I'd give everyone a fair chance but never extended my trust to one hundred per cent. Most of the time, I’d give them enough rope and they’d hang themselves.
Hell, I didn't even fully trust in myself.
So why was I always willing to take such a huge leap of faith when it came to Thomas? First, when I’d hired him years ago, and now I'd decided to let him guide me through the scary world of submission? Once you gave someone su
ch power, you had to be sure they wouldn't abuse it. Would Thomas resist the temptation?
He'd always have the upper hand and that was meant to drive any self-respecting control freak like me way out of my comfort zone.
Those reasonable arguments kept bouncing through my sore skull during the entire Saturday until I dialed Thomas's number with trembling hands. At first, the plan of calling him was to reject his offer, to tell him to play his games with someone else.
However, everything inside me froze at the thought that it would be all over with a simple ‘no’. I felt sad as I imagined him walking away and not attempting to dominate me again. What had happened in his 'dungeon', though, was not right from the moral point of view. Perhaps it went against women's rights and my life’s work. I’d been fighting for respect too long.
No other lover had made me feel so alive, relaxed and pleasured, though. It was the first time I’d been released from the pressure of a thousand worries, doubts, and fears. Thomas had pushed all the right buttons and allowed me only to feel regardless of any inhibitions. The rope he’d used to bind my wrists was nothing but an aiding device and the pain was just the other side of pleasure.
My sex life before that night had been like a series of gray sequences, sad cookie cutter images, laced with fake orgasms and others I’d achieved with great effort. I longed for more of what he could offer and my wish to quit smoking was a convenient excuse.
When I called Thomas on Saturday night, he sounded tense at first, as if he had spent the day just like I had, pacing back and forth with increasing anxiety. Once he got my consent, however, his voice went back to his signature mischievous tone. Without further ado, Thomas went ahead and explained the rules of our arrangement.
We would have no contract or written agreement but the rules were firm. For the next two months, I'd arrive every morning at exactly 7am, leave my office door unlocked and wait for him to enter, with my hands on the desk. Thomas insisted on a dress code, which was rather painful for me, given how much I loved setting up the schemes of my outfits. Luckily, he wasn't too specific and just insisted I wore skirts since, “a good pet always provides easy access”. Hearing those words provoked a familiar throb of longing through my clit. Dampness began to gather between my closed legs.
[Unorthodox 01.0] Unorthodox Therapy Page 13