Tell Me (8 page)

Thea was nonplussed. “What? Now? I prefer to read it later. At home, or at the office.”

He shook his head. “No. You’ll read it here and now. And you’ll make notes.” He tossed a pen from his jeans pocket on top of the pile of papers. “I expect to see comments, and questions. Would you get on with that, please?”

“If we’re to have a business discussion, perhaps I ought to get dressed…” She peered at him, confused. And upset. Was this some sort of rejection? Why? What had she done wrong?

“Did I not instruct you to strip, less than ten minutes ago?”

“Well, yes. But…”

“In that case you can be certain I have no wish to watch you get dressed again just yet. Please stand up. Mrs Richmond. Come to the table and read this contract. Now.”

“I don’t want to. Can I look at it later?”

His gaze hardened. She had seen that look before. Not often, but enough to recognise what was coming next.

“Thea, on your feet. Now. Bend over the table.”

Still reeling from the conflicting thoughts ricocheting around her head, punishment was at least familiar territory, though Tony was not usually so unpredictable. Thea got to her feet and made her way to the table. She leaned on it, looking back over her shoulder at Tony.

He selected one of the spoons and slapped the palm of his left hand with it. “Bend over, arse in the air. You’ll be getting two slaps, one on each side. For questioning my perfectly clear instructions. Then I’ll tell you again what I want you to do, and I hope this time you won’t find it necessary to prevaricate. Are you ready?”

“Sir, I…”

“Are you ready, Mrs Richmond?”

Thea gave a sharp nod and lowered her torso onto the table top. Her breasts flattened against the cool, smooth oak as she lifted her bottom up for a punishment she didn't come close to understanding. This was developing into a scene she was finding more challenging than anything Tony had subjected her to at the club, and it had come out of nowhere. She was confused, off balance, desperately uneasy. Scared even. But even so, two strokes wasn’t much. She could handle that.

“Aagh!” The first slap sent her to her toes, the pain burning through her left buttock. The stripes from yesterday’s caning were still slightly sore, but pleasantly so. This paddling with Tony’s kitchen implements would rekindle that tenderness, and she knew there would be nothing pleasant about these sensations. He seemed really pissed off with her.

She managed to restrain her cries to a sharp hiss when he landed the second stroke on the right side. She was sure he’d spanked her as hard as he could, and it bloody hurt. She couldn’t tolerate much more if he was set on continuing like this.

“Stand up.” His tone was curt, dripping with authority. Thea pushed herself up on her hands and turned to face him. Tears blurred her vision.

“Do you feel more inclined to do as I say now, or should I repeat the lesson?” His expression was cold, his words clipped.

Thea’s confidence shrivelled. What was happening? She nodded and reached blindly beside her for the documents. “May I sit to read them?”

“No. You’ll stand at the table. I want you to place your hands on it and lean over, your feet spread as wide as you can. You’ll read your contract whilst showing me your pussy. And you’ll continue to read, and concentrate on what’s written there, regardless of what I do to you. Is that understood?”

“I don't think I can, Sir. Concentrate, I mean. Not like this.”

“Why not? The contract is written in plain enough English. Would you like your reading glasses perhaps?”

“I do wear glasses for reading, Sir.”

“You have them with you, I trust?”

“They’re in my bag, Sir. I left it in the hallway, with my clothes.”

“Go and get them please, then get back in here. Be quick about it.”

Grateful for the chance of a short respite in which to collect her thoughts, yet at the same time unwilling to be out of Tony's presence for more than the few moments it would take to retrieve her glasses, Thea whirled with a sob. She ran from the room and back along the hallway to the bottom of the stairs. A quick rifle through her bag located the spectacles. She rushed back into the dining room, her glasses case clutched in her fist.

Tony was exactly where she had left him, lounging against the table, the wooden spoon still in his hand. He caressed the implement, as though contemplating the prospect of using it again. Thea clenched her buttocks, her mouth dry as she removed her glasses from their case and perched them on her nose.

“Is that better?” His tone was almost conversational. Almost.

“Yes, Sir. Thank you.”

“Adopt the position I described to you then, and start reading. You can make notes in the margins.”

“Sir, I don't want to do this. I can’t.”

“I believe you can. And I’d like you to try please. You can take as long as you need, but you will have read and understood every word of that contract before you leave this room. Now may I suggest you make a start, or be prepared to present your bottom for further punishment? It’ll be four strokes if I have to remind you again about obedience.”

Thea turned to face the table and pulled the sheets of paper towards her. She flicked through them, counting. Just five sheets. She could manage to read and take in five pages, surely. She drew in a deep breath, held it for several seconds, then leaned forward. She widened her stance, spreading her thighs as far apart as she was able, and arched her back. If she was doing this, she would make every effort to ensure her Dom had no further cause for complaint.

Thea read through the first few lines quickly. Nothing unusual, just the general terms naming the company concerned and the principal parties involved in this agreement. Herself, Althea Richmond, and Anton diMarco.
Tony. Sir to her.
The next section outlined her principal duties at Dart Logistics, the purpose of her secondment there. She moved on to the next section, then yelped as Tony parted her pussy lips with his fingers.

“Did I hurt you?”

“No, Sir. I’m sorry.”

“Please continue reading.” He plunged three fingers deep into her drenched pussy. Despite her confusion and discomfort, there could be no mistaking Thea’s arousal at being made to pose for him in this way.

She closed her eyes, unable to help herself, and clenched her inner walls around his thrusting fingers.

“Mrs Richmond, are you concentrating?”

“Yes Sir. At least, I’m trying to. But it’s not easy when you do that.”

“I suggest you check the key terms one more time, Mrs Richmond. I will expect you to comply with the terms of this contract once we’ve agreed it.”

Something in his tone warned her. Fighting off the impact of his skilled fingers as they continued to caress her inner walls, Thea re-read the paragraph she just finished. And this time she spotted it. She was to be seconded to Dart Logistics for a remuneration of half her usual salary. This wasn't what she had understood would be the deal.

“Sir, this figure here…”

“If there are any amendments required please note those in the margin and move on. And pay better attention to the rest. I won't prompt you again, and you’ll have to live with any mistakes you might make.”

Thea bristled. Mistakes. She didn't make mistakes. At least, not of this sort. All her colleagues were agreed on one thing, Mrs Richmond’s attention to detail, to the fine print, was legendary. She picked up the pen and scribbled a note alongside the incorrect clause and figure, then gave her head a quick shake to clear her lust-fogged senses. She focused again on the sheet before her.

She found nothing untoward in the rest of that first sheet, and turned it face down on the table next to the pile of unread pages. She heaved a sigh of relief when Tony slid his fingers from her body and stepped away. The respite was short-lived.

Tony returned to the table and placed a saucer on top of her face-down sheet. Thea’s heart sank when she saw what it contained.

A long finger of peeled ginger root, a deep groove carved into the flesh about a third of the way along.

“We haven’t used figging in our play up to now, but I’m sure you know what it entails, Thea.”

“Yes, Sir.” She had read about this, and knew that he would press the plug of ginger into her arse. The natural juices would be in direct contact with her delicate inner tissues. It would feel to be burning, very uncomfortable.

“So, I’ll do this slowly so as not to hurt you. I won't use any lube as that reduces the effect of the ginger, but I’ll wet the root to make it slide in more easily. I’ll need you to remain still, and to co-operate. You’ll offer no resistance. Any questions?”

“About the ginger, or the contract, Sir?”

“The ginger. I’ll be coming to the contract in due course. Are you ready?”

As I’ll ever be.
“Yes, Sir.”

Tony inserted the tip of his finger first, testing her opening, swirling his digit to loosen the muscle a little. He seemed content to press on though with minimal preparation. Despite his admonition, Thea tensed as the tip of the root entered her.

Her reward was a sharp slap on her bottom. “Open for me. Now.”

With a conscious effort of will she relaxed her muscle to accept the intrusion. The root slid into place, and her sphincter closed around the grooved section to hold it in place.

“Good. Now, as long as you remain still and don't clench, it won't feel too intense. How are you doing with your reading?”

“Fine, Sir. I think.”

“Where have you got to?”

“Here, Sir.” She pointed to her place, about a third of the way down the second page.

“Excellent. Continue please.”

Thea carried on reading, and was pleased to spot an attempt to extend the period of her secondment to two years. She noted that in the margin, for later.

Tony resumed his assault on her senses by reaching under her to caress her clit. Her body convulsed, sending her arse into a throbbing frenzy.

“Oh God. Please Sir, don’t…”

“Carry on reading, Mrs Richmond. And concentrate.”

“It hurts. Please.”

“I know it hurts. That’s the idea. It’ll hurt a lot more if I have to spank you for your inattention to the task I’ve given you.” He continued to rub her swollen clit, and Thea wasn’t sure if she wanted to orgasm or cry.

“You can’t focus on this contract and have an orgasm at the same time. Get your priorities sorted, girl. If you come, I’ll spank you.”
Right. Crying it is then.

When she reflected back on this scene later Thea had no idea where she dredged up the powers of concentration she managed to find. She focused her vision on the words dancing in front of her eyes and read them. Re-read them. And scribbled in the margin that she would not accept a seventy hour week.

She finished the second sheet and turned that face down too. Tony moved the empty saucer to make room for it on top of the first one. Thea continued, her eyes boring into the third sheet as she battled to contain her rioting senses. This page gave rise to no further notes in the margin, and Thea skim-read it again to make sure. She discarded it onto the read pile and moved on.

The fourth sheet yielded two errors, one arithmetical, the other a spelling mistake. She corrected the first, and made a note against the second.

“What’s happening in your head, Mrs Richmond?” Tony’s voice was low, he was whispering in her ear. She loved it when he did that during a scene. But he shouldn’t be calling her Mrs Richmond, not while she had ginger in her arse and his fingers on her clit.

“I’m confused. Hating this, Sir.”

“But you’re doing well. You’re on page four.”

“When I finish reading, will you take the ginger out?”

“Who are you talking to, Mrs Richmond?”

“Don’t call me that.”

“It’s your name. I repeat, who are you talking to?”

“Sir. Sorry, but this feels all wrong.”

“Why would it? It’s just you and me, and this contract. And the ginger, of course.”

“I want to stop.”

“Use your safe word then.”

Thea shook her head. She was struggling, but not beaten. “No, Sir. I intend to finish.”

“Good girl. Let’s finish in style then. I’m going to spank you.”

“Oh God!”

“Don’t pray. Read,”

Thea groaned as he dropped a series of light slaps onto her buttocks. Ordinarily she would have loved this, but she was unable to help herself and was clenching her bottom frantically. The root embedded in her arse caused her to throb like a demon.

“Sir, stop. Please.”

“Safe word, or read. I’ll stop when you finish the contract.” He ramped up the pressure, raining spanks on each of her cheeks, alternating between left and right.

Thea sobbed as she scanned the remaining paragraphs. And narrowly missed a sneaky clause requiring her to greet her new employer on her knees each morning, on his arrival at the office. She was uncertain whether this was a serious requirement or not, in this moment she wouldn't exclude any possibility. She marked the lines with an asterisk and moved on.

“I’ve finished.”

“Good. Hand it to me then. Let me see your notes.”

“Sir, the ginger…”

“Your notes, Mrs Richmond.”

Thea collected the sheets together, turned them all face up and handed them to Tony.

“Thank you. Please remain where you are until I’m satisfied this task has been completed.” He strolled across the room to the sofa where he made himself comfortable to peruse the sheets.

Thea groaned. She removed her glasses, then laid her head on the table. At least now though he had stopped touching her and she could concentrate on her breathing, get her rampant senses under some sort of control. She reflected on the contract, re-running the main terms in her head. Assuming the rogue clauses could be re-drafted, she thought she might quite enjoy working with Tony. He had a sense of humour at least. Even if his approach to negotiations was highly suspect.

“This is a good attempt. You picked up on all but two issues which I would have expected you to query. So, whose work is this? Thea’s, or Mrs Richmond’s?”

She turned her head to look at him across the room. “It’s mine. You saw me do it. I don't understand what you mean.”