Purely Professional (8 page)

“Honestly, I’d think the opposite. I like being in charge. I have a whole bunch of people who answer to me at work.”

Max continued to brush his finger distractingly down her neck. He seemed to be mapping a path between her freckles. “I’ve noticed that many submissives are in positions of power in the rest of their lives. When you’re in control all the time, I suppose it’s very erotic to have someone take all that control away from you. We’ll just have to see, won’t we?” He sat up. “I should go.”

“What about you?” She gestured to his pants.

Max looked down, then back up. “Don’t worry about that. This is about you. We’ll get to me soon enough. After all, we have a busy day tomorrow.”

“But I work tomorrow.”

He paused, tilting his head to the side. “Tomorrow’s Friday. I thought you only went into the office on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.”

She looked up at the ceiling, smiling a little at his cluelessness about telecommuting. “I work from home on Tuesday and Friday. And don’t
you
have to work?”

“Summer session doesn’t start until next week.” He furrowed his brow, making it clear that her schedule was upsetting his plans.

“I could probably do what I need to do later in the day. Or the evening.” Bridget bit her lip. Well, it was all in the name of research, right? This was, after all, part of her job.

His smile was so unguarded that she couldn’t help but smile back. “All right.”

“Where are we going tomorrow?”

“Shopping. I’m taking you out and buying you a few things.”

“Oh.” Bridget was taken aback. What was this, 1950? “But I can buy my own things, you know.”

“These are for me as much as for you. Be ready at nine.”

She was too intrigued to argue further. “All right. What should I wear?”

Max smiled more broadly. “Sweet of you to ask. Wear whatever you want.” He hesitated, then leaned over and kissed her, the first time he’d done so all night. With him sitting on her bed, cupping the side of her face, their kiss was more tender than she’d imagined it would be, more intimate, somehow, than even her orgasm.

He pulled away and stood up. “I’ll let myself out. You have a blog to write. And just in case you’re wondering what to do after I leave, the rules still apply. I hope you got enough of that just now, because you have to wait until at least tomorrow for any more.”

Really? What the hell. “Fine.”

“Good. Because I’d hate to start punishing you earlier than I planned.” Before Bridget could do more than open her mouth to respond, Max had walked out of her bedroom.

Chapter Eight

Bridget rolled out of bed at seven when her alarm went off, experiencing the same feeling of confusion she had felt the morning before. What was real and what was a dream? They all ran together in her mind. She staggered into the shower, feeling lazy and lethargic and satisfied, yet anticipatory and excited all at once. How could one woman feel so many things? She stood in the shower for far longer than normal, just letting the water pour over her body, warming her up and helping calm her mind. She was going shopping with Max.

Shopping for what? Would he be buying her clothes? Toys? Something else? She had no idea what to expect, and she wasn’t sure how she felt about that.

With a bit of time before he was supposed to arrive, she knocked out some work, answering emails and proofreading a short piece for the Dating Advice section of the magazine, aware of the irony of the situation as she did so. It was difficult to focus, though, and even though she sat at her computer for over an hour, she probably only got about a half hour’s worth of work completed.

Max rang the doorbell at precisely nine o’clock, perfectly on time, of course. After their encounter the night before, his timeliness seemed like just one more characteristic of his overall precision and restraint. This made her wonder what he looked like when he lost control, and she was surprised by an immediate urge to see that when it happened, to be the one to make him come undone.

“You look nice.” Max looked her up and down with a smile. Bridget had paired her blue jeans with a snug-fitting blouse that highlighted her figure, and her hair was loose around her shoulders. If she were honest with herself, she’d been hoping he would like her look. What was with this desire to please him?

“You too.” Max wore a button-down black pinstripe shirt with his jeans, and his slightly curly hair flicked up around his ears in a way she found adorable.

“Come on,” he said. “Time to go.”

As they pulled out of the driveway, he looked over at her. “Did you blog?”

“Yes.”

“Good girl. How did it make you feel to relive it all?”

She twisted the hem of her shirt. “Turned on. Is it your goal that I’m just horny all the time?”

“Maybe.” He smiled.

“Can I know where we’re going?”

Max looked over at her, then back to the road. “We’re going to a little lingerie shop I know.”

“A lingerie store?” Well,
that
was unexpected.

“You need lingerie. You don’t have anything. A woman should always have sexy lingerie, and your closet is sorely lacking.”

“My closet?”

“Metaphorical closet. I didn’t go snooping. I’m just going on what you told me the other night. It seems out for character for you not to own any, being the ‘sex-positive’ woman and all that.”

Bridget looked sharply at him, not sure if he was mocking her or not, the playful smile on his lips giving little away. “Never had much time for it. It just seemed frivolous.”

“What’s wrong with frivolity?”

“I don’t do frivolity.”

He chanced a glance over at her, then looked back at the road. “You’re a single woman with a king-size bed.”

“That’s not frivolity, it’s indulgence. They’re different things entirely.”

“So you’re all business.”

“In some ways.” She felt a bit defensive. “There’s nothing wrong with that. My career is very important to me. I worked my ass off to get where I am today. I’m going to make managing editor next, then maybe executive editor, and I won’t do anything to jeopardize that.”

“As you mentioned regarding your aversion to dating.” He nodded. “And your sparse collection of the most boring sex toys in the world.”

“Don’t judge me, Harlow.” Bridget smiled despite herself. “I’m here, aren’t I?”

“For your career, yes,” Max said. “Purely professional.”

“That’s what we agreed.” Bridget looked out the window. A few times, she felt him looking at her, but he didn’t push the conversation.

* * *

Eve’s Seduction looked innocuous enough from the outside. At least it wasn’t a seedy adult store: she didn’t see any neon signs, and you were supposed to park right in front, not in some hidden parking lot behind the building. It looked like the sort of place where you might buy housewares.

Inside, though, was definitely not a kitchen supply store. Bridget stood in the doorway for a moment, just taking it all in. Her experiences shopping for lingerie had been at the Frederick’s of Hollywood in the mall, and she’d never imagined that so many pieces of silk and satin and lace could exist all in one room. Selection ranged from the tame (silk pajamas like some she already owned) to the tawdry (a leather bustier with cut-out nipples? Really?) As she stood by the door in shock, Max approached the middle-aged woman behind the counter. She wasn’t an unattractive woman, her dark hair pulled back in a bun that managed to make her look serious rather than old, her lean face framed by very flattering cats-eye glasses that worked with the whole “retro” look of her pencil skirt and polka-dot blouse. She clearly had eyes only for Max, and from the smile she gave him, it was obvious they’d met before. Bridget felt a twinge of jealousy that surprised her.

“Hi, Suzanne.” Max leaned sideways on the counter. “Thanks for opening up early.”

She looked at him over her glasses. “I wouldn’t do it for just anyone, you know.”

“That’s my girl.” He flashed her a beaming Max smile.

Suzanne straightened up and set her book aside, then looked over to Bridget, who by then had moved halfway into the store. “Is this the woman you mentioned?” She hopped down off her stool. Bridget was surprised to see that she was only about five feet tall, slender and small boned, almost childlike in her shortness.

“She’s the one.”

“Oh, this will be lovely.” Suzanne looked Bridget up and down. “You have such wonderful skin tone. And that red hair.”

“Thanks.” Bridget still felt a little uncertain.

“Now, let’s see.” Suzanne held Bridget’s arms up and studied her form, then reached in and framed her waist with her hands. Bridget was so stunned by the unsolicited contact that she didn’t even think to speak.

“You have a small waist.” Suzanne moved her hands down to Bridget’s hips. Max seemed amused at Bridget’s discomfiture at being fondled by this saleswoman, no matter how professional. “Nice hips.” To Bridget’s relief, she didn’t grab her breasts, which Bridget surely thought was the next step, but she did peruse them over her glasses. “So, you’re a 36D?”

Wow, spot-on. “Yes, exactly. You do this a lot?”

She blinked up at Bridget. “Yes.” Her tone indicated it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Does Max bring women in here often for this?” She hadn’t meant to ask, but the question sort of slipped out. Why did she even care?

Suzanne shook her head, hands busy measuring spans of Bridget’s body. “Actually, no. He usually comes in here himself and chooses things. Asks for help, of course. Bless him, he’s still a man. But he comes in with the measurements and we help him out.”

She wasn’t sure why, but that made her feel better. She was the first girl Max had brought there. Maybe she wasn’t just another conquest.

“All right.” Suzanne clapped her hands together. She started to bustle around the shop, choosing items seemingly at random. Bridget walked over to Max, and together they watched Suzanne’s progress through the racks. It took her about five minutes before she scuttled off to the back room with her selections, then returned to her seat behind the counter and her book.

When Bridget didn’t move, Max nudged her with his hand in the small of her back. “Go on.” He kept his hand there, gently guiding her down a surprisingly long hallway to a set of two dressing rooms. In between the two wooden slatted doors, a comfortable chair sat opposite a half circle of mirrors.

Max’s hand slid down to cup her ass through the snug denim, and he murmured right into her ear, “I want to see everything you try on. I’ll be right here.” He settled down into the chair with a lascivious smile.

Suzanne had set out a neat pile of her selected items, and Bridget approached with some trepidation. The room itself was large, almost the size of her bedroom, with a trio of angled mirrors in front of her like the ones in the hall. It had been warmly decorated with wood paneling and soft yellow light.

The top piece on the pile was a baby-doll nightie in dark green. She was glad she’d worn cute underwear, because Max was going to be seeing a lot of it. Bridget stripped out of the rest of her clothes, feeling self-conscious even though there was no one around to see her in her panties…yet. When she slipped the nightie over her head and tugged it down, she wasn’t really surprised to discover it fit her perfectly. It flattered her breasts nicely, the soft, flowy material draping her stomach and ending midthigh. Really? Max wanted her to leave the dressing room in this? Well, she wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of getting embarrassed. Bridget took a deep breath, exhaled and went out to where he was sitting.

He said nothing as she walked out and, smiling, gestured for her to move in front of the mirrors. She did so, turning on the spot as he directed her with a finger. He looked her up and down, his gaze lingering on her ass, and nodded.

“Very nice. Next one.”

Bridget reentered into the dressing room, trying to rein in her self-consciousness, and picked up the next item.

The black lace chemise fit snugly over her hips and, although not quite transparent, revealed quite a bit more of her skin through the lace than the baby doll had. Only her nipples were covered, and just barely. She walked awkwardly out to where he was still sitting and performed the same turn as before, feeling more and more like a showpiece.

“That’s lovely. Next one.”

Bridget tried on four more pieces, paraded each in front of Max, and was told each time how lovely she looked, but no more. At the bottom of the stack, she found a black corset with garter belt snaps, and she fastened the busk in front of her. Since she wouldn’t be able to tighten it on her own, though, she opened the door a crack, holding the corset up around her body.

“Max? Can you help me with this?”

“My pleasure.” He hopped to his feet. Had he been waiting for her to ask? He followed her into the dressing room and closed the door.

Immediately, Bridget noticed the temperature in the room jump several degrees. Max turned her and began tightening the lacing on the corset, snugging it up with a practiced hand. It didn’t fit so tightly that she had any trouble breathing, but it made her stand up much straighter. As he laced the bottom half, she noticed her breasts had been lifted, barely contained by the top of the fabric. He tied off the bottom with a flourish, then put a hand on each of her hips and turned her away from him, facing her toward the large trio of mirrors on the wall of the dressing room. His gaze slid from the snug black corset that shaped her figure perfectly, down to the skimpy pair of underwear she’d worn, down her legs and back up to look her in the eyes. She suddenly felt very exposed with his eyes on her, lingering on her body, and her heartbeat quickened. He pulled her back against him, his clothing rough against her skin, drawing her attention to the fact that he was clothed and she was practically naked. She remembered fantasizing about him kneeling over her, pinning her down while he unfastened his trousers, and she felt her body respond with a hot flush.

“This is my favorite.” He ran his hands up and down the corset. “I love watching the way you move in it.” His breath felt hot as he murmured the words directly into her ear. Mesmerized by the sight of them in the mirror, she saw, then felt, as he kissed the sensitive skin below her ear. His hands wandered up from her hips to the sides of the corset, then up to where her breasts swelled from the top.

“Wait a minute.” Bridget pulled away, her heart pounding. She turned to face him, needing space, needing perspective, holding her arm out to keep him away, backing up so he was several feet from her. “Why are you doing this?”

“Doing what?” He thrust his hands into his pockets.

“Buying me lingerie.”

“I told you. Every woman should have lingerie.” He repeated it slowly, as if she’d suddenly gone stupid.

“But this is temporary. This—you and me—it’s not a relationship.” She ran both hands through her hair, trying to make sense of the tumult she was suddenly feeling. “You’re spending money on an experiment.” No, that wasn’t right. “No, not
even
an experiment. On a…a…a rental. Yes! You’re buying accessories for a rental car.”

“Is that what you think?” Max shook his head, his voice low. “Bridget Hartwell, you are not a rental car. You are a beautiful, alluring woman.” He began walking toward her, slowly, an animal prowl. She backed away from the intensity in his gaze. “I am buying you lingerie because it pleases me to see you wearing it, and since you want to play like my submissive, you will do what pleases me.” He caught her arm by the wrist, his grip firm, almost too tight, and drew her flush against him. “Whatever we’re doing might not mean anything to you, it might be just research, but while we’re doing it, I’m going to take it seriously. And right now, that means buying you some lingerie so I can see you in it when I fuck you. Now, is that clear, or do I need to take you over my knee and spank the argument out of you?”

His face was so close to hers that she could taste his breath against her mouth, his grip still tight on her wrist, his other arm wrapped around her waist. She could feel the hard throb of his erection against her stomach, and all words left her. Her tongue flicked out to moisten her top lip, and his eyes tracked the movement.

“I’m waiting for an answer,” he whispered.

In response, she leaned up and pulled his mouth to hers.

Max kissed her thoroughly, tongue brushing her lips before slipping past. Bridget tangled her fingers in his hair, kissing him back, losing herself to the feeling of his mouth against hers. Almost as quickly as the kiss began, it ended; he pulled away to look down at her. “Then let’s continue.” He spun her back around to face the mirror, tracing the tops of her breasts with his fingertips. Bridget’s head was still swimming, and her knees went weak at the sensation of his hands on her breasts again. “These are lovely. I think we need a little more access, though.” With a sudden, violent tug, he pulled the corset down a few inches. It was snug enough that it still fit tightly, but her breasts spilled from the top, her nipples tightening.