Mark agrees to participate in a research project a few weeks before his wedding. At the same time, his relationship with his fiancé takes a strange twist. Is it all just coincidence?
CHAPTER 1: THE RESEARCH PROJECT
Mark Jones was savoring the rich taste of his coffee early in the morning when his phone rang. He glanced at the caller-id and did not recognize the number. 'Probably a sales call,' he thought. He decided to answer it anyway.
A cheerful woman's voice filled his ears. "Good morning Mr. Jones. My name is Isabella and I work for the Northstar Research Group. We are conducting a research project and your name was referred to us as a possible candidate to participate."
Mark did not want to be roped into a research project, but he was intrigued. Isabella was very pleasant and so he figured he give her a few minutes to explain and then he'd find an excuse to not participate. "A research project? What type of research?"
"We are studying the effects of hypnosis on people and the choices they make. The study will be conducted over a three week period and you will be paid $250 a week."
Now she had his attention. Mark glanced at his calendar. He was getting married in two weeks. He'd probably be busy in the last week but for $250 a week he'd make it work. He had recently bought a house with his fiancée and with the wedding expenses, he sure could use the extra money.
Before he could answer Isabella said, "Mr. Jones I'd like to explain the project in more detail with you. Why don't you come down to my office tonight?"
He was already hooked and so he easily agreed. "Sure I'd love to."
Mark arrived at Isabella's office promptly at 6:00. It was located in a corporate complex not far from where Mark worked. The parking lot was empty as most business people had left for the day. Mark found his way to Suite 250 and opened the large frosted glass door.
The foyer was very modern looking. The walls were painted a bold purple color and the ceiling was a deep black color. The foyer was dotted with small cone shaped lights which hung on long chords that stretched up to the ceiling. A receptionist sat below large silver letters that read Northstar Research Group. The receptionist wore a phone headset and sat behind a simple glass top desk. The only thing visible on the desk was a flat screen monitor and keyboard. There were no papers, pens, files, or writing pads. It was clear that her only job was to greet guests, take calls, and look sexy.
She was more than qualified for the sexy part. Mark could clearly see her slender stocking clad legs beneath the desk. The skirt she wore was so short, that as visitors approached it left them wondering if she was wearing anything from the waist down. Mark could smell her perfume as he approached the desk. He thought it smelled pretty and inviting. The blond girl smiled and cheerfully welcomed him.
"Good evening. You must be Mr. Jones. Miss Kiersten is expecting you."
Mark wanted to say something clever to the cute girl, but instead he stuttered slightly and said, "Ah, yes that's me."
From the side of the room, Mark heard a soft soothing voice that he recognized from the phone call earlier. "Thank you for welcoming Mark Chrissie." Mark turned to see a slender woman walking toward him. He was surprised at how young she was. He imagined a hypnotist to be an older somewhat strange person.
She approached Mark and extended her hand. "I'm Isabella. So nice of you to come down on such short notice Mark."
Mark shook her hand, "No problem at all. This sounds like an interesting project."
"It's is an interesting project and I know you are going to love it too. It will be a fun experience for you."
Isabella led Mark down a small hallway and into her oversized office. On one side of the room a small desk sat in front of a large book shelf that was filled with various journals. The remaining part of the office reminded Mark of a suite in a hotel. There was a couch and two plush arm chairs. A comforting blue oriental rug covered the middle of the sitting area. Isabella motioned for Mark to sit in on the couch.
Mark sunk into the couch while Isabella took a seat across from him. The cozy couch and dim lighting was comforting to Mark. While Mark relaxed, Isabella was all business. She sat upright in the chair and crossed her legs. Her blond hair was pulled above her head in a bun. Her writing tablet and the round thin-rimmed glasses she wore gave her a studious look. Mark seemed to sink deeper into the couch, giving the perception that Isabella was towering above him. It was a bit awkward for Mark, but the nice view of Isabella's legs made up for the awkwardness.
Isabella started, "Thank you for agreeing to participate in the study Mark. The study will last for two weeks and you will be required to come to my office two or three times a week during that time. Does that work for you?"
"That should not be a problem."
Their discussion was interrupted by the entrance of Chrissie. She walked in carrying two mugs in her hand. As she walked across the room, Mark could see that she was indeed wearing a skirt. It was an extremely short leather skirt. The lacy tops of her stockings were visible and Mark could clearly see the straps of her garter belt. He thought she looked incredibly sexy, but he wondered how Isabella could allow her to dress in such a provocative way at work.
Chrissie announced, "your tea is ready Miss Kiersten." She placed the mugs on a small round end table next to Isabella's chair.
Isabella offered one cup to Mark. "Try this tea Mark. It's so good and very relaxing."
Mark did not usually drink tea but he politely took the mug and sipped the warm liquid. It was just the right temperature and was smooth and full of flavor. Mark commented, "I love the flavor. I'm not a big tea drinker, but this tea tastes delicious."
Isabella smiled at his compliment. Then she dismissed Chrissie. "Thank you for making such wonderful tea. Mark is my last appointment so you may go home now."
Chrissie leaned over to give Isabella a kiss. "Good night Miss Kiersten."
Mark was delightfully surprised to get a nice view of her ass. The only fabric visible was a small black thong. The quick flash of her ass left an erotic impression on Mark. He was even more surprised when Chrissie leaned over to him and gave him a peck on the cheek. Her warm lips sent erotic chills through Mark. He also got a quick view down her shirt as she leaned forward. She was not wearing a bra and so Mark was lucky enough to catch a glimpse of her nipples. Chrissie sweetly said, "So nice to meet you Mark. Enjoy the rest of your evening."
Slightly stunned at her openness, Mark replied, "yes, ah..nice to meet you. Have a good night."
When Chrissie walked away, Isabella went right back to business. "Mark, as I said on the phone, this study involves hypnosis. You will be given recordings to listen to each night and I will also hypnotize you a few times. Throughout the project I will be asking you questions about some products and you will also be asked to try a few products. Have you ever been hypnotized before?"
"No."
"That's not a problem. It's really quite simple."
