Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 61422 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 307(@200wpm)___ 246(@250wpm)___ 205(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61422 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 307(@200wpm)___ 246(@250wpm)___ 205(@300wpm)
“It’s not what NMB has ever really been about,” he confirmed. “That’s a legacy of Selecta’s heritage.”
“Right,” I said, smiling. This couldn’t have gone any better, I started to realize. I had actually prepared for precisely this point in the conversation, going back into the fascinating, sometimes arousing, often embarrassing, real history of Selecta—a history only executive-level staff could access, though it seemed they rarely did, judging from my interactions with my colleagues. “The Institute’s clientele are definitely not from this segment.”
To my delight, Stuart actually laughed.
“No, I think it’s fair to say the Institute managed to make hundreds of billions of dollars without even thinking about needy submissives already in relationships. When they used that capital to start a megacorp, no one thought about how to extend the market for assets like NMB.”
I nodded. “Right,” I said again. “So…”
I tried to read Stuart’s face, but I ended up having to look away because the sight of his gorgeous blue eyes studying me so minutely threatened to derail my train of thought so completely I might not recover.
“So, frankly,” he said, pausing slightly as if to make sure I felt the suspense, and understood how thoroughly he intended to control the conversation, “it’s brilliant, Melissa.”
I swallowed hard, heat flooding my cheeks. I risked a glance at him, part of me needing to make certain Stuart didn’t mean to mock me. The appreciation on his face told me, to my joy, that he was absolutely serious.
“This is precisely the kind of unconventional thinking I’ve been hoping for, from you. Even if it turns out that this market doesn’t materialize, or the c-suite thinks it’s not a good fit, the idea is a good one—and, even better, a bold one. You can go ahead and ask Mandy to set up a meeting for the whole team, so that we can start drafting something to take upstairs.”
I felt a flush of pride and pleasure at his words. “Thank you, sir,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. “I really believe this could be a flagship project for Selecta, showcasing our commitment to innovation in the stories we tell on NMB.”
Stuart nodded, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “I agree. We’ll need to hammer out the technical aspects, of course, but you’ve given us an excellent foundation to build upon.”
He paused, his eyes still fixed on mine. I could feel something change, as if in the very air of the office. A gear engaging, or a step forward being taken. When Stuart spoke again, his voice was low and intimate.
“You’ve done exceptional work here, Melissa. I’d like to celebrate your achievement. However preliminary it is, I think it’s worth honoring. Are you free for dinner this evening?”
My mind reeled at the invitation. Dinner with Stuart? Outside the office? I felt a dizzying mix of excitement, anxiety, and arousal flood through me. To my paradoxical distress, I felt a sudden surge of gratitude that I had remembered to get my pussy waxed over the weekend. Again the idea of how he had already dominated me so thoroughly and shamefully—without the slightest idea of something civilized like a dinner date had—rose into my mind.
“I… yes, of course,” I managed to stammer out. “I’d be honored, sir.”
Stuart’s smile widened slightly. “Excellent. I’ll send a car for you at seven.”
When I greeted Joe, the evening doorman of my building, he asked me to wait a moment, and then fetched a package from behind the reception desk.
“Came by courier an hour ago,” he told me, with a knowing smile that brought some heat to my cheeks. My heart raced as I recognized the sleek black box from an exclusive lingerie boutique downtown.
“Hmm,” I said, trying to brazen through the embarrassment despite my blush. “Must be the power drill I ordered.”
Joe laughed, and I used the opportunity to flee for the elevator, with a wave that I hoped looked confident and airy.
In my apartment, I set my work bag down and carefully opened the box. My breath caught as I lifted the tissue paper to reveal the contents. A set of pristine white lingerie lay nestled inside—a delicate lace bra, matching see-through panties of mesh lace with floral accents, a garter belt, and sheer white stockings.
My cheeks flushed hot as I ran my fingers over the silky fabric. The pieces were exquisite, clearly expensive and of the highest quality. I couldn’t help but wonder if the pure white color held any special meaning. Did it symbolize innocence? Purity? Or perhaps it was meant to emphasize my role as a new initiate into Selecta’s unique culture.
Or… I thought suddenly. Or Stuart intends to…
To… claim me. To take my only remaining virginity.
Heat seemed to fill my whole body. I pushed the idea as far away as I could, though all my memories of Jacob and Grace, of Georgette and Michael… and more distractingly, of Stuart and me, in his office… those vivid mental pictures seemed to loom just outside my immediate consciousness.