Rick knew that his boss was going to be pissed. He had promised her that the report would be on her desk the first thing in the morning, but there had been no way that he could have known that the train would break down. He was almost an hour late as he briskly made his way to her office. He didn't stop to remove his coat and leave it in his office because he didn't have the time.
Rick knew that he was in trouble as he came around the corner near her office. Ms. Pittman was speaking with her secretary and the look on her face told it all. She spun on her heels as Rick came into sight.
"Where the hell have you been? You assured me that the proposal would be ready by this morning. I just sat through an entire meeting with our new clients and nothing to show them." She said in a very dangerous and measured tone.
"It is ready, but there was a massive power outage on the train. I've been stuck on the train for almost two hours." He tried to explain. He knew she was not going to be placated by any excuse.
"Well, you're lucky that I'm not sending you back on that train. It was all I could do to fake my way through that meeting and your lucky that I came up with a advertising strategy that they liked." She said with a great huff.
"It's no excuse, but I really didn't mean for this to happen." Rick said in apology.
"Well, you're not off the hook. You're going to be putting in a lot of work on this campaign, and you better not disappoint me again." She told him. She was calming down a bit, but Rick knew that she meant every word. Talia Pittman was on top of the advertising game, and she was known to quickly drop anyone who couldn't produce.
"I want you take that coat off and come with me. You can leave the report on my desk." She said as she turned away. Her heels clicked loudly on the tile floor as she strode down the hall.
Rick pulled his coat off and sat it on the visitors' chair in her office and dropped the report on her desk. He quickly caught up with her and followed her into the boardroom.
"Close the door and lock it. I don't want to be interrupted while I lay this campaign out." She told him.
Rick did as he was told. He had prepared the rates package, but as of yet, he still did not know who the client was. He eyed a box on the glass table, and figured that he would soon find out.
"The idea came upon me quickly, and I think it will be a hit. The client offered to help with the work, but I think it will be better if it doesn't have too much of a 'professional' look." Ms. Pittman explained.
Rick was still in the dark as to what she was talking about, but he also knew that he was lucky to even have a job. He watched as she checked the two video cameras that were stationed in the corners of the room. They were often used for video conferencing and even video for promotional work. She was adjusting the angles to make sure that conference table was in clear view, and Rick was somewhat puzzled by her actions. He gave up trying to figure it out, and figured that she wanted to tape the brainstorming session.
"Go ahead an take everything out of that box, so that we know what we have to work with." Ms. Pittman told him as she adjusted the lights in the room. Rick complied, but was shocked as he opened the box. It was filled with all sorts of sex toys! Rick was caught off guard, but did as he was told. He wasn't inexperienced by far, but these were not the standard variety of sex toy. A lot of the items were made out of leather or latex and looked like something out of a science fiction movie. There were items that he knew, but there were also those that he didn't. His face was a deep crimson by the time he emptied the box.
"That's good. Now lets see what we have here." Ms. Pittman said as she examined the items. "Our client wants to branch out into the mainstream, and I think I have just the advertising strategy to do that. We are going to push the everyday aspect of these items. They are a common and useful part of a healthy sex life, and there is nothing to fear. We are going to show that everyone can use these, and that they are not just for the 'sexually perverted' as some people think." She explained.
Rick was still shocked, but his instincts for work were taking over. "I see what you mean. We could have testimonials from people that society would consider 'normal'. We could use housewives, teachers, doctors and possibly ministers. After all, sex between married couples does not have to become routine." He said enthusiastically.
Ms. Pittman smiled. "That's exactly what I had in mind. I knew I would not regret firing you right on the spot this morning." She said as she browsed through the toys on the table.
She selected a pair of leather wrist cuffs and approached Rick. "Let's put these on and take a few close up shots of your hands. I think that might be an eye-catching, lead-in image. Rick was feeling a bit uncomfortable about the offer, but knew that he was in no position to refuse. She had already made it clear that she had considered firing him for his earlier issue. He held out his hands and she buckled the first cuff around his wrist, but instead of doing the same with the other, she pulled his hand behind his back.
"It will look better with your arms behind your back. Give me your other hand." She told him. Rick was even more uncomfortable, but complied none the less. He felt her fasten the second cuff and then step away.
She came to stand around in front of him. "Try and pull your hands out. Let's see if these are actually as good as they claim." She instructed.
Rick twisted and pulled his arms. He flexed the muscles in his back and tried to pull the cuffs apart, but the leather and chain held firm. "I can't budge them. These things are pretty strong." He told her finally.
"Good, now lets test these other ones." She said as she retrieved another pair of cuffs from the table. Rick was expecting her to remove the first pair, but instead, she slid down to her knees and began fastening them around his ankles. When she was done, she stood and looked at the total effect.
"See if you can kick out of those." She ordered. Rick tried with all his might, but just as with the first pair, he was not able to break the second.
"Nope, it's just as strong as the others." He said.
"Well, we at least know that we are working with a company that isn't lying about the quality of their merchandise. I hat trying to put a good spin on inferior goods." She said as she perused the table. Rick was hoping that she would get on with taking the pictures and let him out of the restraints. There was something weird about being tied up in front of his boss. It was both strange and exciting all at once, and he didn't want that excitement to show.
"Now this is an interesting piece." Ms. Pittman said. Rick watched as she fingered a leather strap that had a silver ring attached. She picked it up and walked around behind him.
"Lets see how this fits." She said from out of his sight. Rick didn't know what the item was, and was surprised when her hands came over his head and into his line of sight.
"Open up." She said, and he was so surprised that he did so without thinking. He caught a flash of the silver ring before it was placed in his mouth. He found that the ring was had four legs that kept his mouth open, and to his greater shock, he felt the leather strap tightening and being fastened behind his head.
His mouth was held open by the tightly fastened ring, and his eyes were still wide in shock as Ms. Pittman came back into view. She was smiling smugly, and Rick was getting a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.
"That's just what I had in mind. What is more normal than the corporate male in his natural habitat?" She said. "The manufacturer wants to go mainstream, but not in the way you were thinking. We can never come up with an ad that will play on television for the masses. What they want is to sell to the common adult who already buys the 'vanilla' toys, but has been leery of getting too extreme."
Ms. Pittman touched the intercom on the table and dialed her assistant Sue. "Sue, make sure the phones are set to go directly to voicemail, and come down to the boardroom." She said. Rick was horrified as he watched her walk unlock the door. He didn't want to be tied up and he sure as hell didn't want anyone else knowing about it.