Celina leaned back in her leather swivel chair and she scrolled through her inbox, the stream of messages a temporary distraction from the impending meeting. But her thoughts kept drifting to Dani anyway.
Celina had once found Dani simply cute--not in a sexual way, just endearingly awkward like many employees under the executive team's gaze. No matter how much she tried to ease the tension for such workers, it was the nature of being new and young. But something had shifted last week. Now, Celina was mesmerized, replaying every interaction, Dani being a mystery she wanted to solve.
Despite her shyness, Dani had a knack for perfectly timed one-liners. In one tense meeting, after the CEO told Celina to push her team harder on sales, the team had looked worn down--many were already pushing hard, Dani especially, regularly her top performer. It had been the middle of winter, and Celina kept wiping her running nose, which she apologised for. Dani, deadpan, said, "Better go and catch it." The joke was like a glitch. A few other reps had chuckled, Celina had laughed despite herself. "Get out of here, Dani" she had smiled, throwing another tissue in the bin, before moving on.
Sometime later, at team drinks, the memory came back. Dani, tipsy and bold after spending most of the night with the other reps, wandered over and playfully pretended to steal Celina's nose. "Now you don't have to catch it," she grinned. Celina had laughed again--but the moment landed differently now.
And since then, Jo had noticed Celina's interest in her employee growing, even though she'd never met her. Over breakfast that morning, she'd encouraged Celina to go for it.
"She sounds hot," Jo said, spooning some yoghurt into her mouth. "You've got that look in your eye again."
"What look?"
"The one you get when you want to fuck." She was right - but up until now, it had only been Jo, that Celina had fantasized about.
Celina had taken a slow sip of coffee. "She's my subordinate. I have to tread carefully."
"Then tread carefully," she said easily, reaching for her bags. "But don't let that hold you back. You don't get that feeling for just anyone... you said that about me too." She had then kissed Celina goodbye, then smiled slyly. "Remember, I've been your subordinate many times. Consider me a character reference, if you need it."
A knock interrupted her thoughts. The door creaked open a second later.
Dani stood in the doorway.
Today, she wore neatly ironed black slacks and a forest green blouse that complemented the pale glow of her skin. Her ash-blonde rested halfway between her shoulders and breasts. And she held her posture with deliberate poise.
Celina shut her laptop with purpose. "Come in," she said. "Close the door. Lock it."
Dani obeyed without hesitation. The door lock clicked into place. Beneath her quietly confident exterior, she was nervous; Celina could see it in the way her eyes darted about. She hoped it was the right kind of nerves--the kind that came from wanting more of what Celina had given to her last week.
Celina stood and, with practiced ease, crossed to the windows. She tugged the blinds shut, the slats hissing softly into place. The office dimmed just enough to shift the mood. She knew the executive in the next office wouldn't be back until mid-afternoon--she'd double-checked the shared calendar that morning. Still, she preferred certainty over assumption.
"Take a seat," Celina instructed, as she took her own again. Dani crossed the room and sat across the desk, legs together, hands resting neatly in her lap.
"How are you, Dani?"
"I'm good," she replied. "I hope my numbers are finally to your satisfaction." There was a shy hope in those words.
"We'll get to that," Celina replied. "Firstly, though, last week we had a... supportive conversation about your wellbeing. How have you been since?"
The younger woman paused. "I'm in a better place now."
"Good, good. It shows. Randall and Viv mentioned seeing you back in the staff room."
"I missed Randall's terrible jokes. They make me feel funnier than I am."
Celina had to smile at that. "I've noticed a skip in your step again."
"Yeah, I feel... much happier, thankyou. But honestly... I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you."
Her blue eyes glinted. That was daring.
Celina returned a measured look of her own."Your numbers have improved. Considerably, actually." She paused, letting the silence stretch just long enough to see Dani's pupils shift, "But not to my expectations."
She watched Dani's posture tighten, her hands flex slightly in her lap. That was the response Celina had hoped for. She stood and rounded the desk, stopping behind Dani.
"And when your performance doesn't cut it, I will find ways to inspire you to improve."
She placed her hands gently on Dani's shoulders.
Dani went still beneath her touch. As she stood there, she recited Dani's numbers out loud, intentionally flat and faintly disappointed. Both of them knew she wasn't far off at all. But that wasn't the point. Celina noticed everything else unfold like a line of dominoes tipping in slow motion: a quick exhale, the flush crawling up Dani's neck, pushing her fingertips against each other.
"Stand up." she ordered. And Dani did. Celina leaned in, her lips brushing the shell of Dani's ear, catching the scent of coconut. Celina watched, listened and felt for the smallest signs: a pull away, a tightening of the shoulders, any subtle shift that said stop. None came.
She reached forward and gathered Dani's hair to one side, letting it fall over her shoulder in a silky wave. From her angle, she could see Dani's lips were slightly parted, her cheek faintly blushed.
Celina's mouth hovered next to Dani's ear. "Is this what you want, Dani?" she whispered.
"Yes."
Celina's hands slid down Dani's arms, slow and controlled, fingers grazing the inside of her wrists before curling around her hips. She let them wander--testing her weight against Dani's curves, pressing firmly against the curve of her ass.
Dani exhaled shakily, her need began to break through the composure. She unconsciously leaned back into Celina.
"I notice everything." Celina murmured, her palms moving up Dani's stomach, tracing the outline of her blouse, ever so slowly. She wasn't just talking about numbers now.
When she cupped Dani's breasts, she took a moment to feel their weight through the blouse. Dani breathed out through her slightly parted lips and gently leaned her head back onto Celina's shoulder.
"You've been trying so hard for me." Celina whispered. "I've noticed."
She pinched gently, thumbs circling firm nipples beneath fabric. Dani's body shivered under the touch. She rolled her head to the side, her nose resting next to Celina's neck.
"Do you like that?"
"Yes... I do..." Dani breathed into Celina's neck.
My God, she is precious, Celina thought to herself. She could have unbuttoned the blouse and devoured her right then and there. "But we had an agreement," Celina said, lowering her hands back down to Dani's stomach. Control makes the payoff sweeter, she reminded herself.
The younger woman's whimper of protest was instant. "Oh.. Please, Celina..." Dani's eyes gently opened and looked up, as Celina stroked her hair.
She kissed her forehead and said with mocking sweetness. "How will you learn if there's no consequence?"
A frown threatened to surface on Dani's face but she held it back. For now. Celina was disarming her, slowly but surely.
