“Are you implying that I offer ‘my services’ to one of the men here in return for the pawn? You must be mad.”
“Well, you suggested it not me, but it does sound like a good idea. I mean who would resist a good looking woman like you.”
“I’m not some cheap prostitute, willing to sell myself to gain an advantage.”
“I’m sure you’re not and I wouldn’t have thought you’d need to go that far anyway, and you can still back out of the whole thing you know.”
“Oh, you’d like that wouldn’t you? Seeing me fail at the first hurdle. It wouldn’t be me refusing anyway, Andrew would never agree to it.” Her statement made Weston smile to himself. She was already considering doing whatever she needed to, she just had to get approval.
“So who is it. Who’s got the pawn. Come on tell me.”
There was a brief pause before Weston spoke again. Laura assumed he was considering just how much information to give away. “Consider your options. Who have you got working there?” Her mind raced through the possibilities. Some she couldn’t imagine doing anything with, others wouldn’t be such an ordeal, far from it in fact.
“Is it David?” She asked, trying to sound casual rather than hopeful.
“I don’t know do I.” Weston said.
“No of course you don’t. You don’t know anything do you.” She made no attempt to conceal the sarcasm in her voice. “Well is it?”
“You mean the young man in accounts?” So he had done his homework, she thought, that meant that she was on the right lines. He continued. “The good looking one? I bet that wouldn’t be so hard would it?”
“Don’t be disgusting. This is not my choice remember. You’re forcing me into it.” Her resolve to remain calm was eroding fast, making her aware of how whiny she was beginning to sound.
“I’m not forcing anybody into anything. We all have options.”
“Yes of course we do,” she snapped. “So you’re saying that I have to ‘be nice’ to David to get the pawn.”
“I’m not-” As Weston began to answer she interrupted him abruptly.
“I know, I know, you’re not saying anything are you. You’re just helping me consider the possibilities.”
“There is that, yes. But what I was going to say was that perhaps you need to consider the degree of hardship involved. I mean this pawn’s quite valuable to you isn’t it? So providing a bit of oral service on a good looking young man could be considered pleasure rather than payment.” There was a long pause while she digested his meaning.
“I’m not doing more than oral if that’s what you mean.”
“Then maybe you should consider a more demanding recipient then. You know, pay the price so to speak.”
“Like who?” Her mind mulled over the unpleasant options until it stopped at the obvious. “You don’t mean Shaun Cooper. He’s horrible. That’s disgusting.”
“Now if your description is accurate it sounds like he would be a very suitable candidate. Forgive me Laura, I don’t want to sound rude but I’m already late for a meeting. Let me know what you decide or how you get on. Cheerio.”
Laura slowly moved the phone away from her ear. Her fingers gripped it tighter and tighter before she finally slammed it into the cradle. The arrogant prick, she thought, how could he expect her to do that–with Shaun Cooper of all people. She felt like screaming. This was not what she had bargained for. Shaun bloody Cooper. She wouldn’t want to touch his bits let alone have them anywhere near her mouth, no way. She wouldn’t do it, she couldn’t do it. She swore that she would rather give up the shares than degrade herself in such a manner. But, deep down, she knew that she would have to do it, look what was at stake. What would it be like doing that to another man especially one as gross as Cooper. What if he told somebody. Would it matter? No, who would believe him.
During the two remaining hours before she left the office, her thoughts continually drifted back to the conversation with Weston. It took a while to realise that her outrage had given way to more practical considerations. Firstly how to break the news to Andrew and, more importantly, how to complete the task whilst retaining some level of dignity.
Before finalising her thoughts and devising a plan of action the phone rang, it was Andrew.
“Hi, did you call him?” he asked with a hint of excitement in his voice.
“I did, yes.” She paused, unsure of how to proceed.
“Well, what did he say. Are you going for stripper of the month?”
“Not exactly, no. They were false leads. Nothing to do with this after all.”
“Oh, right. So where does that leave us. Did he point you in the right direction?”
“You could say that. But I’m not doing it.”
“You’re not doing what?”
“He’s given the pawn to somebody here at work and expects me to earn it back.”
“Earn it back, how?”
“It doesn’t matter because I’m not doing it.” She tried to sound convincing, certain of her decision. She felt the brave defiance to be a pertinent step before eventually submitting to the inevitable.
“You’re not doing what?” He pressed again.
“Give this person a blow-job.” Laura waited, curious to hear his reaction.
“That’s not so bad is it?” His almost approving tone shocked her. “I mean you’re open minded on these things and you’re no prude. It could be worse.”
“Could be worse!” she screamed. “It’s bloody disgusting Andrew, and you’re my husband you should be outraged and… well I don’t know… threatening to thump somebody or something.”
“What I think doesn’t matter now does it. What you think is important. You’re the one who has to decide what you’re going to do.”
“You mean you’re happy to see me go through with this. Do that with somebody else?”
“I wouldn’t say I’m exactly happy with it but it was something that was on your list wasn’t it? Being used by somebody else.”
Laura’s mind whirled. The content of their fantasy exchanges flooded back. They often confided in each other, opening up those secret places. It was true, she had said it would be exciting to be handed over to a stranger and made to perform for him. She remembered his initial shock then played down the importance of it. And to her it was important, she’d had the fantasies since her teenage years, often using them to fuel her early experiments with masturbation. But she didn’t think it fair to throw them back at her like that. They were just that, fantasies. Perhaps he was bluffing, lightening her mood.
“You do realise what I’m saying don’t you.” She reiterated the point, “he wants me to earn back the pawn by having oral sex with somebody else.”
“Yes, you said. Who is it anyway?” She couldn’t believe how casually he was taking it. Did he really want her to go through with it. And to cap it all she suddenly had disturbing feelings of guilt. Were they because she’d be unfaithful or because she was secretly pleased to have his approval to act out one of her fantasies?
“It’s Shaun Cooper.” She emphasized the name as though it would finally convey to him the abhorrence of the task.
“Oh dear. You’ll certainly earn it then. Look, I’m just about to leave. We can discuss it later, okay?”
Well that confirmed it, he would be happy to see her go through with it. She felt betrayed. He was willing to hand her over to be used by another man. How could he do that?
Despite her initial disappointment at being cast off in such a casual manner she had to concede to the slight thrill the situation had evoked. A tiny part of her welcomed the challenge. Did she really want to be made to degrade herself in such a distasteful manner? The happily married business woman said no, the fantasies said yes. The conflict ran on in her mind; the dread and the arousal battling it out.
Laura was now fully aware that she was committed to seeing this through. She had the approval, and support of her husband, so all she needed was the determination to toughen up and beat Weston at his own game.
10
Walking slowly along the corridor Laura took deep breaths, desperate to reduce the thumping in her chest and calm the rapid breathing. Pausing in front of the door she used her fingers to fix her hair one last time, then reprimanded herself. Why the hell was she doing that, she wouldn’t normally.
The night before, once she and Andrew had discussed the possible scenarios of how it might pan out she had gone to sleep satisfied in her ability to accomplish the task with some decorum. Andrew had been supportive, encouraging even, reminding her that she was the cool self assured woman who could stand before a group of executives and give a detailed presentation with hardly a second thought. So it should be a breeze.
In the cold light of day her confidence and courage began to rapidly disappear. She knew that if she didn’t do it there and then she might never return.
She opened the door. Shaun Cooper sat in front of a computer screen. Even though well into his late thirties he still dressed in the typical geek wear of jeans and sweatshirt. He didn’t lift his overweight frame from the black padded swivel chair but did turn to face the door whilst continuing to tap away on the keyboard. Realising it was Laura he stopped what he was doing and removed the headphones from his ears.
“Hi Laura, is everything okay?” His worried manner was justified. A personal visit from his boss was unexpected, she usually sent her P.A. “Is this about the new account? I’ve been giving it some thought.”
She’d run through her lines a thousand times, getting the phrasing just right. Now she couldn’t even remember the opening line.
“Er…no, not really. I have something else I need to see you about.” She saw the worried look return to his eyes. She assumed that he probably thought he was about to be fired. That pleased her in some sick way. At least she could feel superior for a couple of minutes before her reputation and dignity were abandoned forever.
To gain some thinking time she wandered around the room casually picking up small cables with odd shaped plugs, handling computer mice and tapping keyboards. Even with her back to him she knew that his eyes never left her.
“We both know I’m here because there’s something I have to do.” He said nothing, just waited. “You can’t tell anybody about this, do you understand? If you do I’ll find out and there will be consequences.”
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