I'd never been summoned to Lily Phillips' office before. I knew I was in serious trouble and no sooner had I shut the door behind me she wasted no time in reminding me.
"You know you messed up big-time, right?"
I knew, alright. I nodded. I'd got suppliers confused and almost had orders going to the wrong place which would have cost the company thousands of pounds had it not been picked up by a senior manager. I expected a bollocking, and probably a warning, even if the manager who sorted the issue out had been largely sympathetic. He seemed to understand that mistakes happen, and I'd done fine in the months previously.
Lily, however, was different. In every respect. In appearance, her tousled mid-length blond hair, manicured fingernails, and smart business attire. In her mannerisms, her straight-to-the-point delivery and ruthless decision-making left nobody in any doubt that she was the boss and it was always clear what she wanted. Or so I'd heard. This was my first encounter with the company's well-respected CEO.
"You must be punished. Do you understand?" she snapped.
I nodded again.
She flicked a switch and the blinds closed, making a whirring noise followed by a click as they reached their final position. Her eyes met mine and I could see her looking me up and down. I wondered what was coming next. She hadn't even asked me to sit down yet.
"I run a tight ship here. I don't like mess-ups. I haven't time for nonsense."
"Understood," I mumbled. "Look, I apologise for..."
"Shut up. I've heard it all before. This is simple: do as I say, follow my rules, and then fuck off."
Shocked, I did a double take, my widening eyes and quizzical look betraying my surprise.
Lily extended a hand and beckoned me towards her with one finger, the tiniest of smiles broaching her face. "On your knees, boy. You can be my footrest for a bit."
Down I went, obediently getting onto all fours and shuffling into position under her desk. How long would she leave me here? I could feel her scrape the heel of her black leather boots across my back before she settled her feet with her calves resting on the small of my back. I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to look at her, not least because I like feet and didn't want her to have any idea that this might actually be quite fun.