: Chapter 4
IN HIS KEEPING: TAKEN
Her face was scarlet when she peeked into his office. Most of her was hidden behind the door. All he could see was her head. Sylvie was beyond embarrassed. She was mortified! Why did she agree to this? Sure she was making a good salary. How could she forget? He reminded her of it every single day. Especially when she disagreed with him or was reluctant to do what he told her. Yes, he was a very generous employer, providing her with free room and board, a clothing allowance, weekly spa sessions and massages, a great medical plan, and a cute little BMW convertible to tool around in. But there were limits!
Her first week of employment had been, for want of a better term, traumatic. Basically, she wished she could crawl under a rock and hide! Every bit of research heâd assigned her had something to do with sex. Not normal missionary position type sex; weâre talking âtie you up, gag you, and then suspend you from the ceiling on a sex swingâ sex. Sylvie was scandalized! Her education in this area was sorely wanting. She had yet to have sex in any way, shape, or form. She was afflicted with a serious case of virginity, possibly a terminal case of it. When youâve never had sex and you contemplate sexual coupling in its more unusual and outlandish forms, it leaves you feeling perplexed and unhinged; and also, if the truth be told, a little curious.
Sylvie had to work up the courage to give her employer the reports heâd asked for on a variety of topics including remote controlled vibrators, silicone butt plugs, anal beads, nipple clamps, and various implements used in corporal punishment. The research wasnât the problem; it was presenting her findings. She was shy about sex. It wasnât something she was comfortable talking about, especially not to a man who also happened to be her boss. Sheâd mostly stammered, blushed, and refused to make eye contact with him during their meetings.
Connor found her reticence amusing and sort of charming for this day and age. He took an almost fiendish delight in watching her squirm. What kind of sex toys would the average dominant keep in his toy box to torture or arouse his submissive? It was Sylvieâs job to know such things. As far as Connor was concerned, his red-faced little assistant was the go-to person on all matters erotic: sexual practices, paraphernalia, fetishes, what have you. He liked teasing her. Heâd question her about a particular sexual topic until her face turned almost purple and she was so nervous with embarrassment that she got tongue-tied. He knew how to push her buttons. He thought it was funny. She didnât! Sylvie couldnât help thinking her father would have a heart attack if he had any idea what she was doing. Sheâd done what Connor asked up until now, but this crossed the line. She had half a mind to tell him to take the salary and the car and shove it up hisâ¦
âArenât you coming in?â he asked, looking up from his desk. He had a smug grin on his face like he was daring her. âA little shy are we?â
Sylvie glared at him.
âDonât dawdle!â he commanded. âCome in. We need to get to work. Did the sex toys you ordered come in?â he asked matter-of-factly. He acted as though asking about vibrating Day-Glo dildos, nipple suckers, spreader bars, ball gags, and hand-tooled leather paddles was the most normal thing in the world.
âTheyâre in my office,â she answered, cringing at the fact that sheâd have to show him what sheâd bought. Sylvie had spent over seven hundred dollars yesterday on sex toys. Knowing Connor, heâd make her give him a detailed explanation of what the items were and how they were used. He liked to rattle her cage, see her get flustered. She couldnât figure him out. He was a good five or six years older than she was, maybe thirty or thirty-one. He was rich, experienced, worldly. Who was he trying to kid? He knew way more about kinky sex than she did. In fact she had no problem imagining him as a dominant, hog-tying some skinny little model, then blistering her ass with a cane or a paddle.
âWell, are you coming in or not?â he asked impatiently.
She took a deep breath and opened the door. Her hands instinctively moved to cover her front.
Connor looked like he was going to burst out laughing.
âWhatâs wrong?â she asked, horrified at his reaction. âYou said that I should wear my underwear during work hours today.â The bastard had told her that prancing around in her underwear was necessary so he could better describe Sam in the book. He said it was the same as walking around the beach in a two-piece bathing suit.
âYour underwear,â he said, dissolving into laughter, âNot your grandmotherâs! I was thinking along the lines of a bikini or a thong maybe. And a cute frilly little bra. I was thinking sexy, not geriatric.â
Sylvieâs mouth dropped open. She could feel tears forming in the corners of her eyes. How dare he humiliate her this way? Why did he have to build himself up by belittling her, making her feel small? He was a cruel son of a bitch! Screw him! She was getting dressed!
âNow take it easy,â he said, realizing how upset she was. âI expected you to be in character. Sam wears sexy underwear, so Iâ¦â
âWell I donât,â she said, her eyes shooting daggers his way. âI wear Grandma drawers. Get used to it!â
The sassy little wench was really pissed. He didnât like her smart mouth, but he admired her spunk. Sylvieâs hands were on her hips; blue eyes spitting fury; the delicate features of her face set in rage. If she wasnât as skinny as a rail and barely five foot two heâd be running for the hills right about now. âIâm sorry if I offended you, but I expected a different look.â
She stared at him stone-faced.
âPlease order some underthings that go with the storyline and get them overnighted. Weâll be needing them tomorrow. Oh, and you might want to make an appointment at the spa for later today,â he said, pointedly glancing at her underwear.
âWhy?â she asked suspiciously.
âYou might want to neaten up down there. Maybe get a Brazilian. Bikinis look better without pubic hair peeking out.â
Her hands quickly covered the place where thigh and panty met. Sheâd never been so embarrassed in all her life. âYou first!â she retorted, her voice rising in anger. âYou lie on a table and have some sadist rip your pubes out by the roots. Iâll pass! Youâre not manscaped. Why should I beâ¦â she sputtered, not knowing the name for it, âladyscaped!â was all she could come up with.
âWell for starters, most of the female characters in erotic romances are ladyscaped as you call it. Sam, the character in my book, is ladyscaped; and since you are acting the part of her alter ego, you too will be ladyscaped.â
She narrowed her eyes and glared at him. Who the hell did he think he was ordering her around like this? He had some nerve! She wasnât a lawyer, but this sure sounded like sexual harassment to her. Sheâd half a mind to sue his ass!
âConsider it a condition of your employment,â he said sharply, letting her know in no uncertain terms who was in charge here. âAs for my not being manscaped, Iâm the employer. I get to make the rules. I donât have to be hairlessâ¦you do! Itâs just that simple. Have I made myself clear?â
âPerfectly,â she said, wishing she could slap that haughty condescending smirk off his face. âYou do know that some people believe that removing pubic hair from grown women makes them look like underage little girls which appeals to men who have a predilection to pedophilia?â
âThat will be all,â he said testily, dismissing her. âPlease see that you are in the proper attire tomorrow.â Miss Sylvie Jenkins was about to learn her place!
âIâll just put the underwear on your credit card then?â she asked, sounding very businesslike. âSince itâs required work apparel?â
âYes. Just give me the bill when youâre finished ordering it.â
âIâll get right on it,â she said, leaving the room. Sheâd done some research on designer lingerie yesterday and had spent an hour on the La Perla and Agent Provocateur websites. Their underwear was beautiful, but it was also very expensive. A pretty pair of panties could set you back $200, a push up bra $250, and a slip or camisole could cost $500. Mr. Connor Hudson might have thought he won the argument, but he had a big surprise coming. He may have won the battle, but heâd yet to win the war.
Sylvie was in agony. She couldnât believe that any woman in her right mind would volunteer to get a Brazilian of her own free will. Youâd have to be demented! Why would you willingly subject yourself to being tortured, unless you were a masochist? It was a painful procedure, not to mention humiliating, to have someone poking around in your privates. Sheâd never had anyone touch her female parts or her butthole before. She felt violated! Sylvie was sore! Theyâd taken every bit of hair off her; even in places she didnât know she had hair. Her crotch was itchy and throbbing. Why had she allowed that bastard to bully her into this? What she wouldnât give to rip out every single pubic hair on his cock, his balls, and his smug, arrogant ass. She walked through the front door ready to give Mr. Connor Hudson a piece of her mind; but he beat her to the punch.
Sylvie was surprised to see him standing just inside the door. He glowered at her, jaw clenched, arms folded across his chest. He didnât look like a happy camper. In fact he looked like a very unhappy, very angry camper! She wouldnât be surprised to see smoke come pouring out of his ears any second now.
âMy office Miss Jenkinsâ¦NOW!â
She walked quickly to his office, a satisfied smile on her face. Guess he saw the bill sheâd left on his desk!
âSit down,â he barked. âDo you mind telling me what this is?â he said, waving the invoice in front of her nose. âFive thousand dollars! You spent five thousand dollars on underwear?â He was fuming.
Sylvie was careful not to gloat. He looked really upset with her. âI thought you wanted me to wear the kind of underthings Sam might wear,â she said, trying her best to look wide-eyed and innocent.
He wasnât buying her act. Sylvie had done this to spite him. He felt like pulling her over his knee and setting fire to her ass. The devious little brat needed to be taught a lesson. âI wanted you to buy age appropriate underwear, something sexy. I never told you to spend five thousand dollars! You did this because you were in a snit and angry with me. You figured this was a good way of getting back at me. But I donât like hissy fits and temper tantrums little girl, especially not from my employees. And I have a news flash for you: Iâm not about to let you get away with something like this!â
âYou said I should dress like Samantha,â she countered, trying to justify her actions in some way. But it would take more than a lame excuse to dig her out of the mess sheâd gotten herself into. Maybe sticking it to Connor hadnât been such a good idea after all. âSam wears designer labels. Wouldnât that include her lingerie?â she asked nervously. âI just assumed that Elias would want her to look sexy, to wear silk, satin, and lace panties. Heâs rich. Heâd want her to wear the very best that money can buy! Wouldnât he?â
Connor was seething. He wanted to throttle her. His eyes kept looking over to the credenza where sheâd laid out the sex toys sheâd purchased. There was a small leather paddle over there that would work wonders in teaching this ill-behaved imp a thing or two! âFrom now on Sylvie, if you make a purchase that costs over five hundred dollars youâll get my permission first. I wonât put up with this kind of behavior from you. The next time you pull a stunt like this youâll suffer the consequences! Do I make myself clear?â
His words sounded ominous, like he was threatening her. But with what? Was he going to fire her? She was about to tell him to go to hell, but she didnât. She wanted to keep her job. She didnât like to admit it, but she really liked working for him. It was the best job sheâd ever had! Sylvie tried to appear contrite. âPerfectly,â she said; then added, âIâll return everything tomorrow. Iâm sorry if I upset you.â
He stared at her, then shook his head. What the hell, sheâd look a lot sexier in a two hundred dollar pair of panties than she did in her old two dollar ones. âNo. Keep them. But Iâm warning you,â he said, shaking a threatening finger in her direction, âThis had better not happen again!â
She nodded, suddenly feeling like a naughty child. In retrospect, it was a stupid prank. All sheâd managed to do was piss him off; but on the positive side, she was now the proud owner of five grand worth of upscale undies. Not a bad dayâs work!
He walked into her office and smiled a Cheshire cat grin. Heâd heard the delivery truck come over an hour ago. Now it was show time!
âMy, my, what have we here? Stand up!â he ordered.
If looks could kill, Mr. Connor Hudson would be dead right now. Sylvie pushed her chair back from the desk and stood up.
âAway from the desk please.â
She refused to look at him. She had work to do. She didnât want to play one of his stupid power games!
âTurn around please. I want to see what I paid for.â
Smarmy bastard! She did a slow turn. Her cheeks flushing. Her face cheeks that is. Her other cheeks were pale as milk and hanging out her underwear. These were the most modest panties sheâd ordered. What the hell was she thinking? Red satin tap pants with black lace edging the leg holes. âAss cheek holesâ was a more accurate description. They only covered half her bottom. The top half! The lower curvy half was completely bare and on display. The matching bra wasnât much better. After 25 years of wandering in the barren desert of the boob-deprived, the land of the little itty-bitty titty, wondering what it would be like to have real bazooms, she had finally found the Promised Land. Hallelujah! Through the marvels of modern engineering, underwires, and strategically placed spandex panels, she finally had cleavage. Cleavage in abundance. Her cup finally runneth over!
Connor couldnât take his eyes off Sylvie. He examined every inch of her. Studied her. There was only one word to describe the girlâ¦exquisite. Sylvie was a little slip of a thing. Her body slender, breasts firm, legs shapely, her little bottom a work of perfection. He could feel his cock straining against his jeans. This wasnât supposed to be happening. Sylvie wasnât supposed to be a distraction. She was supposed to be a plain little mouse of a girl whoâd work her ass off for him when he needed her to and then disappear into the woodwork when he didnât. He hadnât expected to be the least bit attracted to her. After all, a plain, Summa Cum Laude, English major from âdown on the farmâ was hardly his type. She was nothing like the leggy models and actresses he favored, with thick manes of blond hair and painted on faces. Arm candy in skintight dresses, with skirts so short they barely covered their pussies. Flaunting their bodies in tops so low cut their breasts spilled out and fabric so sheer you could see the tint of their nipples. Sylvie was different. Reserved. Shy. She didnât like showing off her body. Wasnât the type to throw herself at a man. Least of all him. Unlike all the other women he knew, she wasnât the least bit interested in seducing him. And yet there was something about her. Was it her smart mouth? Her sassy attitude? He wasnât sure what it was about her that he found so enticing. She wasnât cowed by him or his wealth. She was argumentative and outspoken. Both traits he abhorred in women. He liked his females compliant, submissive. In return for his attentions and generosity, he expected them to toe the line and do things his way. Most women threw themselves at him. They did everything in their power to curry his favor and do his bidding. But not Sylvie! She had a rebellious streak, challenging him at every turn. At 5â² 2â² she was hardly his match physically, but she refused to allow him to intimidate her. Her little underwear stunt was a case in point. He had the feeling that if he really pissed her off sheâd have no compunction in hauling off and belting him. While other women sought his attentions, she did everything she could to avoid him, preferring instead to closet herself in her office, eyes glued to her computer, immersed in her research. She was the best research assistant heâd ever had. Heâd hate like hell to lose her. But by the same token, he wasnât going to put up with her antics. He was the master of his domain, the unquestioned ruler, the head of the house. They werenât equals, no matter what she thought. Sheâd better get used to doing things his wayâ¦or else. A sassy little wench like her really needed to be taken in hand. Heâd love to see her blindfolded and on her knees, or, better yet, bent over his knee getting her pretty little ass reddened. But there was time for that. It might take him a while, but eventually heâd bring her to heel. Sylvie was about to meet her match. âVery nice,â he said. âI trust your other purchases are equally as flattering.â He wasnât looking at her face when he spoke. He was addressing her ass.
What a dirtbag! Sylvie refused to acknowledge him and instead returned to her seat.
âA bit churlish are we?â he asked, narrowing his eyes as though about to scold her. âOr perhaps youâre just out of sorts because youâre chilly?â
Chilly? Of course she was chilly; some numbskull had cranked up the air conditioning. It was freezing in here. She was about to tell him that when she saw what he was staring at. She gasped when she realized his eyes were fixed on her bra. Or rather the puckered skin and erect nipples visible through the thin red satin.
âI have work to do, Mr. Hudson. I donât have time for idle conversation!â she snapped, trying to resist the urge to throw something at him. She didnât care how much money he had; the man had no class! âIn 6 hours weâll have a house full of guests descending on us. I have to finish proofreading chapter 1 and typing the revisions for chapter 2 before they arrive. I hope you werenât suffering under the demented delusion that Iâd be greeting your frat boy chums in this outfit?â She arched her eyebrow and stared him down. âAinât gonna happen! I intend to be fully clothed by the time they get here!â
She was feisty. Heâd give her that. âPerish the thought! You donât have to be in uniform for my guests.â Grinning, he turned and strode from the room.
She was seething. Uniform! Uniform indeed! She should report him to OSHA. She was going to catch her death traipsing around like this. She looked down at her overflowing bra. At the very least a severe chest cold! And with so much skin exposed who knows what she might come down with: sunburn, slivers, chilblains?
Sylvie was dreading the weekend. Sheâd seen pictures of his friends and found the photos franklyâ¦disturbing. They were often standing or kneeling beside a dead animal theyâd slaughtered. Theyâd shot rhino in Africa. Bagged moose and bear in Alaska. Killed elk in the Rockies. There were photos of them with the bleeding carcasses of deer, antelope, pheasants, wild turkeys, quail, ducks, and wild boar. They looked like a bunch of grinning baboons, brandishing guns and mugging for the camera. They obviously fancied themselves sportsmen. But they had weapons. The animals didnât. Where was the sport in that? When they werenât shooting things with feathers and fur, they were sailing on their yachts and hooking unsuspecting fish. If the pictures and the heads mounted on the walls of his âGame and Gun roomâ and âman caveâ were any indication, Connor and his friends spent a lot of their time together killing things. Worse still, from the smiles on their faces, they enjoyed it! How sick was that? She disliked them already and she hadnât even met them.