Heidi wondered just what he was planning. Would he offer Andrea triple the price? The thought left a bad taste in her mouth, even though part of her was pleased he would be willing to pay more than Carvel for her designs. But they were hers, not Andrea’s, and Kaiser had no idea.
“Kaiser…” She cleared her throat and he glanced back at her, questioning. “Carvel was interested in my sketches.”
“Is that so?” He raised an eyebrow, turning in his chair.
“He said so…” Heidi shrugged, flushing. How could she possibly tell him? But even Carvel had noticed the similarities between her designs and “Andrea’s.” If Kaiser saw her sketches…
“Did he make you an offer?” Kaiser folded his arms over his chest. “And would you take him up on it, I wonder?” he mused, almost to himself, his eyes narrowing.
“I brought my sketches…” Heidi hadn’t really been listening—instead she’d quickly retrieved her sketch book from under her desk, holding it out to him with trembling hands. “I just thought…he seemed interested…so maybe you—”
The look on Kaiser’s face both shocked and frightened her. He stood, his voice booming. “Get into my office and bend over my desk!”
Heidi dropped the book to the floor, scurrying to comply with his demand.
“Pull up your skirt!” He stood behind her, impatient, waiting.
She glanced over her shoulder. “But…why? What did I—”
The incredulous look on his face got her moving and she pulled her skirt up high, putting her hands on the blotter, fingers spread, and didn’t have to wait an instant before his hand came down on her behind, making her yelp in pain and surprise. It was sudden and furious, and it reminded her of that very first spanking in the trailer bathroom. Kaiser worked her over until tears came to her eyes and her bottom sang with pain.
Her tears fell on the blotter, her mascara making a mess of his appointments, and it didn’t matter, he spanked her even harder, driving her forward into the desk. Her hand slipped once and the Bill Blass pencil holder went flying, spilling Cross pens all over the floor, and still he didn’t stop.
“Please!” she begged, sobbing, truly afraid of him for the first time. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Please just tell me what I did! I won’t ever do it again, I promise!’
“The gall!” he growled, smacking her again—WHACK! Her bottom was almost numb with pain now and for that, she was glad. “Insolent!” Again—WHACK! “Presumptuous little brat!”
He stopped, his breath coming hard and fast, and there was just that and the sound of Heidi’s sobs.
“I’m sorry!” she whispered against the blotter, her chest heaving, her breath catching. They both heard the elevator “ding” and looked up at the open door at the same time. Heidi saw him through prisms as he stepped off the elevator, but both she and Kaiser were frozen in place. Kaiser had forgotten to tell her to close the door, so of course the locking button he reflexively reached for did them no good at all.
“Hey there you are!” Lenny said, taking a step away from Heidi’s clearly empty desk toward Kaiser’s office. “I thought you might—”
He stopped, seeing her now, really seeing her, his eyes wide, his mouth working but no sound coming out.
“Go away, Lenny,” she whispered hoarsely.
“I’m afraid Heidi is indisposed,” Kaiser said coolly, stepping around the desk and closing the door in Lenny’s shocked face. This time the lock did work.
“Was that the young gentleman interested in your blowjob talents?”
She nodded miserably, drawing a shuddering breath.
Kaiser sat down in the chair behind her with a deep sigh. “Heidi, I’m sorry.”
His apology made her sob harder.
“I just…I want you to trust me. And this…” He pulled her skirt down, putting his arms around her waist and resting his cheek against her aching bottom. “Is not the way to get you to do that, is it?”
He stood, unlocking the door and walking to the window.
“Go, Heidi. Go find your friend and see if you can make some sort of explanation.”
She stood on wobbly legs, wiping at her tear-stained face with her palms. “Kaiser, please…don’t send me away…”
“Please.” He waved her out, looking disgusted. She had never heard him use the word please before. Ever. “Go.”
Reluctantly, she went.
“Lenny, I’m at work!” she hissed into her cell, looking around to make sure Kaiser wasn’t anywhere near. The models were all over back here in various states of undress and she had to weave her way through them like walking through a forest of tall flesh-trees.