"I want to be sure," she said.
"You want something done over the weekend?" I asked. "I'll see that it's done - you'll see. I can catch up, I'll stay late."
She walked slowly around the desk.
"I want to see you do whatever I say, without question."
"Whatever you ask. I'll do it. Honestly."
Now she took a few more paces over to the door, and I was suddenly petrified she was just going to walk out of there, go home for the weekend, leaving me fired. Or perhaps open the door for me to make a final, irrevocable exit.
"Really, whatever you need," I pleaded, terror quivering my voice a little.
She locked the door of her office.
I didn't even question it, I didn't even think at the time how strange it was that she should decide to lock us inside her office. I was sitting poised on the edge of my chair, waiting for her to tell me what she wanted me to do. I was so determined to carry out her every order without even a hint of hesitation.
"Take off your clothes."
* * *
Chapter Three
Okay, so that was strange. She had to allow me a slight pause on that one, it would have been unreasonable not to.
I re-examined her face, seeking out signs that she was joking.
Her face was impassive.
Maybe this was all a giant prank to put me in my place, but she wasn't giving any impression it was a joke. A moment later, and she was already looking impatient, her face tightening into the kind of stony glare that anyone in their right mind would take to be a threat.
Slowly, steadily, giving her plenty of time to step in and tell me to stop being ridiculous, of course it was a joke, I stood up.
Still, she did not stop me. I faced her, looking her straight in the eye as I removed my tie and slipped off my jacket, depositing them on my chair. Showing that I could do this. If she was taking this further, I would show I could handle it.
Hell, even if there was some kind of Candid Camera somewhere - some direct streaming link to YouTube - better I fall for that than lose my job. I could take a little humiliation, I deserved it. But in this economy, I needed employment, and if that wasn't to be, I would need references.
I unfastened my shirt and pulled my shoes off, leaving myself in only my pants, underwear and socks.
Zoey stood in front of the door, arms folded in front of her chest. She wasn't reacting visibly to my exposed flesh, though she was watching me closely, taking in the firm lines of my torso.
If she did get me to take off all my clothes, what would she want then? For me to demean myself in some way, like some kind of college hazing? What if this was merely a final twisting of the knife? She'd reduce me to a public joke, and then I'd get fired anyway?
Ordinarily, I was comfortable enough stripping off in front of an attractive woman - I was a regular gym user. This time, I was trembling like a leaf as I unbuckled my belt and popped the fly of my pants. My skin was rising up in goose bumps from the cool conditioned air. My socks came off, and now I stood in nothing but a pair of gray CK boxer shorts.
Standing quietly forlorn in my underwear, I waited for her to tell me what a jerk I'd been - and what an idiot I was to be stripping down in front of her now. Then, suitably chastened, I was sure she'd hassle me out of the office to start my weekend.
She didn't.
She said only, "Those too."
I swallowed, took a deep breath, wishing to God that the creatures crawling around my stomach would stop moving.
Then I put my fingers into the waistband of my boxer shorts and with a little flick of my wrists, the cotton was slipping over my butt and down my thighs, leaving me standing to attention in front of my department head, naked as a jaybird.
Jesus.
This young woman, who for six months had been merely a junior member of my team - and now had the power to end my career, put me on the bread line - and I was completely exposed to her, as though I'd stumbled into some teenage nightmare.
What was she going to do? I felt my cock twitch in the air, out of pure anxiety.
I had to have looked so ridiculous.
"What do you want me to do?" I asked now.
"I don't want you to talk unless you're answering a question, understand?"
"Understand."
"You can take that as a new rule, whenever we're alone."
She took a few steps toward me, and I could feel her eyes running all over my body, peering at me, examining me, assessing me as though I was a farm animal, or perhaps a slave at market. Slowly, she wandered around, just looking at me.
I was guessing this was some kind of trick designed to make me completely compliant to her every command from now on. I'd comply, though part of me was thinking how she must be breaching dozens of corporate sexual harassment rules. The rest of me was still scratching about for ideas on what kind of job I might get with my qualifications and no references if she was still planning on humiliating me before firing me.