Thanks to Annafaye in particular for pointing out a few 'Britishisms' in the text here. I've updated and corrected it to get rid of these and a few typos I spotted, but the story's the same. I hope people enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. And again, if I've got the American vernacular wrong (do New Yorkers say 'really' or 'real' like they do in the West? Is it called a 'ladies room', etc?) please let me know. As anyone who has read 'Local is as Local Does' will know, I'm very keen to get the 'feel' right.
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It was my own fault. When my boyfriend dumped me I just couldn't keep two thoughts together for five minutes. I knew that the Solomon account was really important to Mr. Taylor, but I completely forgot to tell him that Solomon had called, wanting to talk urgently. It was hours later when Solomon called again. I put him straight through, only then realizing I'd forgotten to give Mr. Taylor the earlier message.
Ten minutes later, Mr. Taylor comes out of his office with a face like thunder. Normally he would have called me into his office for a chat, but he just leaned over my desk and pretty-well shouted at me. "Lois, that was David Solomon. He said he phoned personally and left a message this morning for me to call him urgently. You know what he's like -- he doesn't ask twice. You gave me no message, Lois. As a result, he's just phoned to say he's transferring his account to Schwarz and co. He's our most important client and you've let him slip away. You're fired! Clear your desk and get out!" Then he stormed back into his office and slammed the door.
And that was that. No "what was the problem, Lois?" No "can you explain, Lois?" Nothing. Four years' loyal service ended, just like that.
I was in tears as I shoved all of my things in a crate and made my way to the elevator. This was the best job I'd ever had. Mr. Taylor was demanding, but we always got on well enough. When I got home I cried for about an hour. No job, no reference, and no chance of getting another job as good as this one.
What could I do? I made my mind up to go to Solomon in the morning and explain. I'd beg, I'd grovel if necessary for them to keep their account with Taylor's. If they did that, then just maybe I could get my job back. I phoned Julie, David Solomon's secretary who I'd spoken to on several occasions, and, miracle of miracles, she was able to find me a 15-minute slot in his diary at 10:30 the next day. My one shot -- I had to make this work.
I dressed smartly and professionally, if a little bit glamorously. My best Dior business suit was a little tight across the hips and around the chest, but I felt that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. A smart white business blouse, my best (and only) Manolo Blahnik patent heels, and some carefully applied makeup completed the outfit. I took a long time over doing my hair, putting it up in a very professional-looking style, and took a cab to Wall Street, rather than take the Subway and get mussed-up.
I sat apprehensively outside David Solomon's office, occasionally glancing at my watch. At 10:36 Julie, who had sat behind her desk the whole time, told me to go in.
I'd met Mr. Solomon before, on two or three occasions. He was tall, with a strong, athletic body. Someone told me he'd been in the rowing team at Harvard, and you could believe it. His chest and shoulders were strong and broad, making him look pretty formidable. His jaw was firm and his mouth rarely smiled when I'd seen him in meetings -- though I now remembered that he had smiled a few times at me when I'd been bringing him coffee and showing him into Mr. Taylor's office. His thick black hair was swept back off his face, emphasizing his high cheekbones and those unfathomable dark-brown eyes. He ushered me to a chair opposite his desk, and treated me to one of his rare smiles.
"So Lois -- it is Lois, isn't it? What can I do for you?"
My throat was dry. I sat down, carefully arranging the flared skirt of my Dior suit. "Mr. Solomon. After yesterday's misunderstanding, I wanted to come here directly and apologize to you in person. I'm so sorry for yesterday's mix-up; it was entirely my fault. My boyfriend dumped me two days ago, and my concentration was completely shot."
"I accept your apology." Again, that rare smile. "So what do you want me to do about it?"
"Mr. Solomon, I'd like you to keep your account with Mr. Taylor. If you can please do that, then Mr. Taylor might take me back on."
"So -- Taylor fired you?"
I nodded. He fixed me with that inscrutable gaze. Then he leaned forward across his desk. "Lois. There's something I need you to do for me. Will you do it?"
"Anything, Mr. Solomon. That job was real important to me."
"Good. Go down the hall, into the ladies' room. Take off your bra, pantyhose and panties and put them in your purse. Then I want you to frig your pussy until you're good and wet. When you're ready, come back to my office. When Julie lets you in, come over to my desk, lift your skirt up, bend over my desk and ask me to fuck you. Can you do that, Lois?"
He said it as if he were dictating a letter or a list of jobs. I was shocked, and for a moment I didn't know what to say.
"Mr. Solomon, I..."
"You did say 'anything'. How important is the job to you now?" Again, that inscrutable look.
My head said "He's toying with you. Don't do it". My heart said "You need the job. It's only a fuck. It's not like you're a virgin." And my pussy said "Actually, he's pretty hot."
"OK, Mr. Solomon. If that's what it takes to get my job back, I'll do it."
He smiled and pressed a button on his phone. "Julie -- postpone my 11 o'clock meeting until this afternoon. Lois here needs to present something to me."
The ladies' room on the executive floor was pretty well-appointed, but I ignored all the colognes and stuff. I went into a cubicle, shut the door and leaned on it. My heart was pounding and my knees felt weak. I wasn't sure I could go through with this. Surely Julie would guess what was going on. Surely everyone would know that Mr. Solomon had fucked this stupid little bitch from Taylor's over his desk. Even if I got the job, they would smirk every time they called me up. But what other choice did I have?
So as Mr. Solomon had asked, I took off my jacket and unbuttoned the blouse. The bra was strapless, so it came off easily and I refastened my clothing, feeling the contact of the crisp cotton against my nipples. I removed my pantyhose and panties. I was a little surprised to find how wet I was already. Perhaps it was the power angle, maybe the fact that he was strong and handsome, but my body was betraying me. At some level or other, I wanted this to happen.
It got worse as I returned to his office. My tight jacket made the cotton blouse rub against my nipples as my breasts bounced. The cool air on my now naked pussy under my skirt felt weird and sexy. But most of all, the thought of what I was about to do made my heart pound and my head reel.
When I got back to his office, Julie was waiting for me. For the first time I noticed she was pregnant. "Hey, when's it due?" I asked, trying to calm myself with some small-talk.