What Would You Do?
PREAMBLE:
I sat in my boss's office with the most stunned look you could Imagine on my face as my boss, Carol King, expectantly stared at me, waiting for my answer.
"But Carol, I am a happily married woman. I can't do that," I protested.
"Look, Tina. If you don't, I'll be forced to lay off half our staff. Now, I'd do it myself if I could. But he specifically asked for you."
"Surely... There has to be a better way, Carol."
"No Tina, there's not. I did it myself the first two years he demanded it. Then, last year, he specifically asked for Sally. And this year, he asked for you."
"But she's single, and I'm married."
"So am I Tina. And very happily, I might add. But I just couldn't bear to lay off so many loyal, hard-working people," Carol proclaimed, then paused to take a deep cleansing breath. "And I don't regret it, Tina. I know it seems insane, but he's not that bad in bed, and it was over in less than two hours. Honestly, the hardest part of the whole thing was kissing him. And don't get me wrong. He's not a bad kisser. It was just so intimate and personal and the one thing that made me feel truly guilty."
"I don't know Carol. How long do I have to think about this?" I asked.
"Well, he wants an answer by five today, and it's a little after four," she replied, tapping her watch.
"But why me? Why does he want me?"
"Look..." she sighed. "Don't let this go to your head, Tina. But you're hot! Hell, to be honest, I want a copy of the tape you two will be making!"
"It's being recorded?" I gasped.
"Yes. But it's for your protection. Just in case he tries to back out of signing the contract. Plus, we have a record of what he's demanding of us," Carol assured me.
"So, will I get let go if I refuse?"
"I don't have to answer that. But then, if I don't let you go and word gets out that you could have saved everyone's job that does get let go, you won't be very popular around here."
No shit Sherlock, I thought. But cheating is cheating, and agreeing to go to a motel room with one of the firm's customers, regardless of how important he was, is cheating.
"Oh, all right. I'll do it," I said before my guilt outweighed the thought of so many of my friends, coworkers, and possibly myself losing our jobs.
Then I stood, contract in hand, more than ready to leave.
"Hold on, Tina," Carol said, then opened a folder and handed me another legal form with a pen.
"What's this?" I asked.
"It's an NDA. And you need to sign it. I can't have you airing my most important clients dirty laundry," she stated.
Being a legal secretary, I knew what a non-disclosure agreement was for. And, all things considered, I wasn't surprised Carol wanted to cover her ass.
"Fine, whatever," I grumbled as I signed it, then handed her the document.
Carol raised her finger in a hold-on gesture. Then she opened her bottom desk drawer, pulled out a large brown paper bag, and handed it to me.
"And what's this?" I impatiently asked.
"It's the outfit he wants you to wear on your date," she replied. "Go ahead. Open it," Carol said with a sheepish cringe.
I opened the bag, took out an envelope, and read the note. It was the address and room number of a fancy downtown hotel, and said I must be there by 5:30. But, what really caught my attention were the instructions.
"You must wear the enclosed garments, and only these garments; no bra or panties. And you must leave your wedding ring on."
I put the letter on her desk and proceeded to pull out a white blouse, a short black skirt, black seamed lace top stockings with a matching lace garter, and a pair of black patent leather platform pumps with six-inch stiletto heels. Everything was my size, and I rolled my eyes at Carol, sure she had a hand in planning all this, as I stuffed the expensive high-end garments back in the bag.
~~~
I called my husband, Bryan, and told him one of our biggest clients had a problem and that I'd be working late. Then I told him I'd be eating at the office, so he was on his own for dinner and said I should be home by ten.
Next, because I wouldn't have time to change after work, I went to the ladies room and put on the outfit Mr. Downs required his whores to wear. And yes, I felt like a whore! Then, on my way back to my desk, I stopped by Sally's cubicle and asked if we could talk privately.
When she saw how I dressed, Sally knew what I wanted to discuss. Yet, she was reluctant to say much, and I assumed she, too, had signed an NDA. However, Sally did assure me there would be no rough sex and said it would more than likely be quick. Then, as I was about to leave, she added. "Oh, and just in case you're worried about it. He doesn't want anal!"