"Look, I've been sent to talk to you about the opening in the junior executive position," Gary said to Sam.
"Really?" Sam said, trying to play it cool, because it was well-known that the junior executive position was near the top of the management line at Alphia Corporation. Sam was well-paid, but the executive-level compensation was rumored to start at north of a half a million dollars a year, plus other benefits.
"It is not much of a secret that we hire for our senior management positions from within," Gary said and Sam nodded.
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"But ... well for reasons having to do with HR compliance and employee liability, I need you to keep the remainder of this conversation strictly confidential," Gary said, pausing to give Sam enough time to agree.
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"I'm a little surprised by the request. You know that I keep business issues confidential," Sam said with a frown.
"Excellent!" Gary said, pleased, and he drained his beer. Catching the barmaid's eye, he raised the glass and she quickly brought over two more beers.
Gary grinned happily at Sam, who grinned back, eager and interested. Gary was the senior management team leader for 30 or so managers. All told, Gary was the indirect supervisor for over 250 employees. He was Sam's direct report, but he was only about than 10 years older than Sam's 29.
"Here's the deal, though, kid," Gary said, looking a touch more serious, "once we have this conversation, you and Carrie have forty-eight hours to agree with the outline of the potential employment terms. If you decline, you have to leave Alphia Corporation."
Sam's eyebrows rose. "Really?"
"You can decline to continue the conversation now, if you wish," Gary continued, "and Alphia will be pleased to continue with your current employment for as long as you wish to remain at Alphia and for as long as your excellent - amazing, really - work continues."
Sam looked at his boss, "... but ..."
"Right," Gary said, "there is a 'but.' This conversation is the start of your evaluation for promotion to the opening in the senior management team. If you decline to continue, you will not be considered for the promotion. Furthermore, this is a one-time opportunity. If you decline to start the process, your current position is the furthest that you will ever advance at Alphia. You will, of course, be entitled to annual increments and bonuses, but your base pay scale will always be at the middle management position and you will never be entitled to any of the ... advantages and obligations of senior management and you will therefore never have the opportunity to compete for a spot on the executive committee ... and any of the very significant perks that come with that promotion."
"OK," Sam said slowly, "and if after this conversation and corporate disclosure I decide not to continue, I have to leave?"
"Yes," Gary said gravely. "You also have to leave if you go through the process but decline the promotion."
"I am not sure that 48 hours will be enough time for Carrie and me to consider the offer," Sam said to Gary. "There is a lot riding on this decision."
"There is a LOT riding on this conversation, your decision afterwards and Alphia's internal decision on promotion," Gary said in agreement, "for both you and for Carrie. But if it comes down to the need for you and Alphia to separate, Alphia will provide one year full severance, health insurance, relocation and reemployment assistance and a glowing reference for your new employer."
"Wow," Sam said, "that does make the decision a bit easier but I really need to discuss this with Carrie before getting back to you."
"Unfortunately, that is not possible," Gary said, shaking his head at his younger friend. "The senior executive team, including the board of directors, has selected you for promotion - and yours truly has been instructed to explain your options - and the process has started, subject to your agreement as to confidentiality. Once I have that agreement, I am authorized to discuss the terms of the potential promotion with you and you then have 48 hours to discuss the situation with Carrie - but with no one else - and get back to me with your decision. For now, you either agree to keep everything confidential or we shake hands and return to work where you will have your exit interview with HR."
Sam frowned. "That is unfair," he protested.
Gary nodded. "I remember being in your place, seven years ago. I was interviewed by Brad Simpson, and I protested all the same. I can assure you that both Karen and I are happy with our choice, and from the information we have about you and Carrie, I think you will fit in well with the upper management and executive committee culture."
"OK," Sam replied. "I want to continue trying to work up the ladder at Alphia and I will maintain the confidentiality of our conversation."
"Excellent," Gary said happily, producing a single piece of paper and sliding it across the table to Sam. "We need to document the agreement, so read it and sign it, please." He took an expensive pen from his inside suit pocket and handed it over to Sam.
Sam reviewed it and quickly realized it was exactly what Gary had represented: a written agreement to maintain confidentiality of the promotion process. He signed it and pushed the page and the pen back over the table to his boss. "I'll need a copy," was all he said.
"Of course," Gary said, stowing the page back into the leather bound folder from which he had produced it. "We call it ... well, you can call it what you wish, but to get the heart of the matter, all Executive Committee members and above have full and complete access to the senior management member, and his or her spouse."
Sam's eyebrows rose. "Access ... meaning ...?"
"Correct, sexual access," Gary confirmed. "In recent years, what with the advancement of women in corporate culture and all, we have altered the arrangement terms to include sexual access to the senior management member and his or her spouse."
"Holy shit!" Sam said, his cock rock hard.
Gary chuckled as he looked around. "Keep your voice down," he chided, laughing. "We had to put in that change because Nancy Owens was so amazingly capable ... and attractive ... that we felt compelled to offer her the position."
"How did that conversation go?" Sam wondered aloud, flushed with excitement.
"With Nancy? Not terrifically well at first," Gary said with a rueful smile. "She was also the reason we put in the policy of getting the confidentiality agreement in writing. She was most upset, as you might imagine, but after a sit down with my wife, she and her husband, Tom, eventually agreed, as you now know."
"Wow," Sam breathed. And then he shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Look, I really need to discuss this with Carrie. Do you mind if I knock off a bit early to start the conversation? I really do not know what we are going to do with this offer, and we are going to need the full 48 hours to decide."
"Of course," Gary agreed. "I already had your secretary rearrange your schedule. I knew that one way or another you would not be coming back to Alphia today. I am glad to hear that you've decided to at least consider the offer."
"Well, Carrie and I had a few adventures in college," Sam admitted, understating their experiences by a very large degree.
"Really?" Gary's eyes gleamed. "Do tell!"
"Haha!" Sam laughed at his boss. "No sir! You'll just have to use your imagination."
"Very well," Gary smiled, "you can keep your secrets, but understand that there will be very little left to you or Carrie's imagination once you decide to join the team."
"My God," Sam said, "that is a lot to take in all at once."
"You seem quite interested," Gary said, looking at Sam carefully. "Does what I am describing to you turn you on?"
Sam hesitated. "Well, wife-sharing is something that Carrie and I have explored in the past. We both enjoyed it, but that ended in college."
"Maybe it did not end quite yet," Gary said, hoisting his beer glass in a salute to his junior report and friend.
"Who, exactly, would have 'access' to my wife?"
"The executive committee members, the board of directors and, at their discretion, clients, prospects and, less frequently, your colleagues on the senior management team who the executives deem worthy of a bonus," Gary replied. "But remember: both the senior manager and his or her spouse are both part of this arrangement."
Sam's eyes widened. "Well now ... that's interesting," he said, stalling for time, and then a question occurred to him and he gave Gary a questioning, embarrassed look. "Have y—"
"The women take the brunt of the attention, so to speak," Gary said easily, "but every senior manager can expect to suck cock every so often. I have not yet been required to yield my ass up, but many of my colleagues have. I've just been lucky so far."
"Seriously?" Sam asked.
"Oh yes," Gary said. "I can assure that the senior executive team - all of whom have gone through the program to get to their current position, take full advantage of the situation. You have noticed, right, that Nancy Owens knocks off at 4 every Friday, right?"
"Yes. I had assumed that she had worked something out with the company based on her child care needs," Sam answered, "but ..."
Gary laughed. "Yeah, that's not it. Steve Borges, director of her unit, sales, takes her weekly sales report in person, but he makes her slowly strip off all of her clothes while talking business and when they are done, he bends her over his desk to give her a good fucking, or puts her on her knees and makes her suck his cock."