Submitting to Her(57)

"But - I do have my concerns," our CEO said, looking at us each in turn as we hung on her every word. "Of course, my first concern is with the company. If your relationship changes for the worse, or breaks down in any way, it will affect your work."

"No, Ms Jenkinson," Zoey said quietly, carefully. "I don't believe it will."

"You're saying it won't affect your work at all?"

"I'm saying our relationship won't change," said Zoey. I felt a little warm tremble of contentment at that, I can tell you.

Ms Jenkinson nodded, considering. From this distance, I couldn't really read her eyes. I wonder if that was one reason why her office was so large - keep visitors guessing.

She said, softer this time: "I worry about you personally as well, Zoey. After what happened with Brandon…"

I flinched at the name as soon as it passed our CEO's lips, my chest flaming up in shock, jealousy and a little hurt that whatever it was to which Ms Jenkinson now referred, Zoey had kept from me. What had gone on between her and that blond meathead?

"It's not the same," Zoey said. "I'm not like that any more."

Our chief nodded again, in her slow, pensive manner. "I thought we decided you weren't going to get hung up on a particular guy again for a while, Zoey. You were so badly hurt the last time."

"It won't happen this time," Zoey insisted.

Ms Jenkinson sighed, then actually laughed. She said: "I thought you were going to have a little fun, Zoey. Not start anything too serious. But the way you two are, I can see you getting really hurt again."

"That won't happen this time, Ms Jenkinson."

"Because you're in control of the relationship?"

"Because I'm not consumed by the relationship."

I felt burning resentment toward Brandon, though I tried not to react visibly to it. Whatever had gone on, it had affected my relationship with Zoey. She seemed to be projecting an image to our CEO of a young woman protected from vulnerability, which made me feel she was closed off to the kind of love I felt for her. Had everything that had happened the previous night been an act?

Zoey seemed so cold standing there in front of our chief executive.

"I want to believe it, Zoey," Ms Jenkinson said, gazing at my vice president as though the two of them were the only ones in the room.

I had no idea what was going on. I realize I'm not the brightest bulb in the box, but it was as though there was some deeper conversation going on telepathically between these two razor-sharp women, and I simply did not have the super powers to engage.

But were our jobs saved? Ms Jenkinson's softer tone did lead one to suspect that they might be. Nevertheless, Zoey's face was not filled with relief in the way that might confirm that the worst was over. She seemed pale, yet there was also a slight pink flush in her face.

Then Zoey looked at me and said: "Take off your clothes, Jones."

I gasped, and at first, thought I'd misheard. Zoey turned to give me a stern glare, her arms folded, exuding authority. I glanced over to Ms Jenkinson, who offered only a half smile, and a slight nod to suggest her consent, but gave the impression under the surface of being quietly pleased that I had looked to her for confirmation, that I recognized her ultimate authority in this room, in the corporation.

Was this a test? Zoey showing her boss the level of control she had over me?

I had no choice, of course, and let's face it: it wouldn't be anything our CEO hadn't seen already, considering her recent intrusion into our coupling. I had a mild sense of deja vu as I began unbuttoning my shirt, recalling the first time in Zoey's office, trying to save my own job. Well, this time it was both of our employments on the line. And my sense of humility was somewhat different, after what I'd been through since that first time I'd stripped down within this building.

It was suddenly so very cold in there, I was struggling to breathe as my nerves returned with a vengeance.

Oh God - the first time I'd really been in the presence of the chief executive, in the hallowed ground of her office, and I was having to strip naked. Despite our previous exposure, pulling off my shirt, and then unfastening my pants, I felt a flush of humiliation wash over me. I had to remember that at any point, at a moment's notice, this attractive 40-something blonde in her power suit could probably fire us, and leave our careers in tatters.

My underwear dropped to the floor, leaving my semi-erect cock bobbing slightly in the conditioned air, and I felt as though I was living an old childhood dream of diving into a public swimming pool only to find I hadn't brought my trunks. The huge office seemed distressingly vulnerable with its floor-to-ceiling windows, although relatively high up, there weren't any obvious windows in buildings nearby that might be able to see inside.