The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

Answers

“Shit!” I shouted. I knew who wrote the damn cards. All of a sudden, I had a bunch of questions, and I was going to get some answers. I got up and ran to the door. It wasn’t until I was nearly to the house that I realized I wasn’t wearing anything on my feet.

Where would Linda be? I bounded up the back stairs. The bathroom door was partially open—nobody in there. The privacy sign was off my door. I knocked on Linda’s door.

“Linda? You in there?”

“Yes—come in!” she replied.

As I walked in, she was bending over putting on her bra. She wiggled her shoulders a little and straightened up, wearing only bra and panties. The smile on her face quickly changed to a look of puzzlement and concern—undoubtedly brought on by my dress.

“After working and talking with Kendra,” I told her in a no-nonsense tone of voice, “I’ve started to figure some things out. I think I’m owed an explanation.”

She sighed and stepped back to her bed, halfway between leaning and sitting on it. She gave me a slight smile.

“You were given a tailored virus which targets joints, musculature, and connective tissue, resulting in your sudden and dramatic increase in flexibility. Suzanne was supposed to get it, but a number of things happened to cause us to do you first.”

Holy shit. “Without my consent,” was all I could think to say.

She nodded, a sad look on her face. “This is the first time Bernadette and I have been involved in administering it without clear and complete consent. Rob, I’m sorry—I hope you can forgive us.”

I started to speak; I don’t know what I was going to say, but was interrupted by a knock on the door.

“Yes?” both of us said.

Ellen and Kendra came in, closing the door. Ellen looked concerned, as did Kendra, who was also a little winded.

We sort of looked at each other for a moment. I broke the silence.

“I was just about to tell Linda that I figured out who had been doing the green cards.”

Linda got a funny look on her face—not knowing whether to laugh or cry, I guess. She dropped her head forward and held it in her hands.

“And?” Ellen said.

“And I have a few questions that need answers. I did the cards, or part of me did, or something like that. I was hoping Linda could explain it better.”

Linda looked up, a warped smile on her face.

“How did you figure it out?” she asked. “Knowing will help me in working with you.”

I walked over to her slowly. She was still leaning against the bed, looking more apprehensive as I approached. I reached out, slowly, and took her in my arms. I hugged her, and she hugged me. I heard sighs from around the room.

I walked over to her desk, pulled out the chair, spun it around, and sat on it backwards, facing the three women. Panic flashed through me—I’d placed myself on the opposite side of the room from them, the three of them between me and the only way out of the room.

“My nightmares were the clue,” I said.

Linda nodded, moving on to her bed, sitting on it cross-legged to face me a little more.

“Rob, how do you feel right now?” Linda asked.

I shook my head. “Don’t know—confused, hurt, scared.”

She nodded. “Quite understandable. Thank you for coming to me, rather than running for the gate. Now let me ask you, or rather the seven-year-old in you, how does he feel?”

I closed my eyes for a moment. “He feels ... He needs to be held. He feels ... different, not as distant, more a part of me somehow.” I opened my eyes.

Linda smiled now. “You still don’t remember a lot about your childhood, do you?”

I had a creepy feeling when she said that. “I don’t want to...” I replied.

She nodded. “Yes... And rightfully so... Rob, I’ve been doing a lot of deep work with you, with that seven-year old, and with the teen-ager. We hit a critical point last week, and they became very frightened and rebellious. That’s when the cards started appearing.”

I nodded. “The weird feelings I had at some meals—wanting to sweep vegetables off my plate, tearing crusts off bread—little rebellious things I did as a kid...”

She kept nodding. “Yes, that was part of it—I didn’t know about those. Then ... when you were sick, feverish, things came to a head. I worked long and hard, and together, you and I, we healed a lot of old wounds. We still have a ways to go—we made great progress yesterday—but we’ve covered an awful lot of ground, and made tremendous progress.”

I sighed, reflecting momentarily. “Yes, we have. Yesterday and today I felt more open, not only physically, but—I don’t know—emotionally, I guess. More observant as well.” I turned to Kendra. “Well?” I asked her.

She leaned back against Linda’s chest of drawers. “I popped a surveillance camera in your office to catch the culprit. I saw you—you became a different person for the span of a few seconds as you scrawled on that card. I went right to Linda.”

I turned back to Linda. I took a breath, smiling. “The nightmares I was talking about—while I was doing the CPA boards, I had this recurring dream where I was writing the boards, but the only thing I had to write with was a potato. I couldn’t get it sharp enough, and I was pressing so hard, I was surprised I wasn’t tearing the paper, and my writing was so big, so crude... That’s what led me to figure it out...”

Linda smirked and shook her head again.

I looked to Ellen and Kendra. “Crisis over—nothing else to see here...” I told them.

Ellen looked to Kendra, then to Linda, then to me. “You’re not upset?” she asked me.

I shrugged. “At what? At who? I knew, at a number of levels, that things were happening, that things were going on. I think a higher level of informed consent would have been nice, or at least an invitation to provide me with more information and to give me the opportunity to make a decision, or at least the illusion of participating in the process.”

Linda gave Ellen a stern look as she nodded her head. Ellen sighed and raised her eyebrows.

Linda turned back to me. “Rob, I want to assure you that I do not share the details of what goes on in sessions with anyone. I would leave the family before I violated that confidence.” She gave Ellen a sharp look. Ellen nodded.

“Thank you, Doctor. As I said earlier—I trust you. I have to—even more now, the alternative truly is madness.”

Ellen gave Linda an inquisitive glance, one with a management edge on it.

Linda smiled. “Ellen, I’ll tell you right now the same thing I’ll tell you in private. Rob is incredibly resilient. I have confidence in him, I hope I still have his trust, and I hope to demonstrate to him that his trust in me is not unfounded.”

Ellen nodded. “Okay... Rob, thank you. I’d like to talk to you later.” She looked around the room. “Never a dull moment around here, is there?”

Kendra said, “You’d be bored if it was any other way.”

Ellen sighed. “Yes, I suppose I would. So now I’ll get back to my other crisis...”

I stood up and walked over to her. We hugged. I hugged Kendra. I felt a hand on my back, and turned to hug Linda once again. She held me, and I held her, rocking gently. I rested my head on her shoulder, smelling her hair and kissing her neck. I heard the door open and close behind us.

She slid her arms down around my waist. We both leaned back a bit. She gave me that wry look again. “What a surprise you are...”

I chuckled a little. “You provided most of the surprises...”

She nodded. “Yes, I really spilled the beans... I’m not mentioning that to Ellen, by the way...”

“That’s fine. I will drop by and talk to Bernadette some, though.”

She nodded. “You should. We both think you deserved more information, and argued strenuously for it.”

I shook my head. “It’s the same in so many areas—we continually fought that battle with Banister—if you expect us to make decisions, draw conclusions, operate professionally, then you need to provide us with information, or at least give us the opportunity to decide whether we want more information or not. He never got it.”

She nodded, then smirked. “And when we try to hide things, you try to figure them out...”

“That’s the business I’m in—looking for problems, looking for things that don’t add up, don’t make sense.”

She rocked her hips. “What now?”

I sighed. Oh, how I wanted to be held... “I want to talk to Bernadette...”

She nodded. “Go easy on her...”

“I will, beautiful...”

I closed my eyes and pulled her into a kiss. With a squeeze and a sigh we separated. I thought about throwing her back on to the bed, plowing her... No, Bernadette and Suzanne first.

“I’ll see you later. Be gentle with me this afternoon—I’m still a bit rattled.”

She smiled and shook her head. “We’ll take very good care of you.”

I stepped out into the hall. T-shirt and shorts—my sweats, socks, and shoes were back in the fitness center. Oh well...

I walked over to Bernadette’s office. Her door was open. I closed it behind me. She gave me quite the puzzled look.

“Where are your shoes?” she asked.

“Fitness center,” I told her as I sat down in the chair in front of her desk.

“How are you feeling? What can I do for you?”

I leaned back a bit. “Well, I thought you could explain this tailored virus that you gave to me rather than Suzanne...”

Bernadette is a dark-skinned beauty. A great deal of color drained out of her face, and very quickly.

“Ah... How...” she managed to say.

“Part I figured out, part Linda told me. Nobody else knows that I know, though. Linda won’t tell, and neither will I. I also know who wrote the green cards—we talked about that with Ellen and Kendra.”

She shook her head. “Let’s go next door...” She got up. I stood and watched as she hung the privacy sign on the outside of her office door.

We walked next door; I was in the lead. Walking into that little room was strange, the room where I’d spent three days in a fever, the room I came to in the afternoons for bodywork...

“Oh, Rob...” I heard Bernadette sigh behind me.

I sat on the bed and pulled her to sitting next to me, holding her hands. She put her arms around me, her head on my shoulder. I held her.

“Oh, I wanted to tell you,” she said, almost sobbing. “Will you forgive me?”

I held her, moving a hand to the back of her head. “Yes, of course. Tell me, please...”

She held on for a couple of minutes, not saying anything. I held her just as silently.

“What did Linda tell you?” she finally asked, sitting up a bit.

I scooted back. “That it was a tailored virus, it was Suzanne’s turn, not mine, but things conspired to do me first. Is that why you watched me so closely Monday and Tuesday?”

She nodded. “That’s part of it. Suzanne hasn’t had it, and we don’t want any of the staff exposed, although it’s damn hard to transmit—it pretty much has to be by blood, or very intimate contact.”

“Okay, that makes sense. Linda said it affected primarily muscles, joints, connective tissue?”

Bernadette nodded. “Yes—giving you the flexibility and responsiveness you’d find in a six or seven year old. Did you talk about your ... dreams?”

I smiled a little and nodded. “Nightmares? That’s what made the connection, that and I figured out who was leaving me the little green note cards...”

She sighed and shook her head. I pulled her arm to get both of us reclining on the bed.

“Hold me,” I asked softly.

“Oh, gladly,” she replied in a whisper, moving to her side and wrapping me up, pulling me to her.

“What can I expect?” I asked, then nuzzled in.

She held me, squeezed me. “You need to be careful—I hope Kendra has told you that.”

I moved my face a little out of her bosom. “Yes, only stretching and such with her help so I don’t strain anything.”

“Good,” she said, then slipped a hand behind my head and pulled me back to her. I moaned and my arms started going soft around her. “You’ll need to be careful for two or three weeks. You’ll be increasing strength as well as flexibility. You may notice some other side effects, such as changes in hair and beard growth. We’re monitoring your diet—so if you wake up starving in the middle of the night, come wake me before you raid the kitchen.”

I took that as an invitation to press more against the side of a breast; I was hungry for her.

She sobbed softly. “Oh Rob—I wanted to tell you first, and so did Linda. We argued, we yelled—we were told there wasn’t time. Dammit, Rob, when I graduated from Harvard Med school, I took a oath...” She held me closer.

“You gave it your best,” I told her. I wanted to let go to her, stop thinking, and just be there in her arms.

She squeezed me again. “Oh, I don’t know... I could have...”

I snuggled in more. My stomach threw in its opinion, grumbling loudly.

She chuckled, shaking me. “You’ve had another interesting morning.”

I sighed and pulled her over more on top of me.

She pushed herself up on her arms. “You need to get something to eat. Where are your shoes?”

“Fitness center,” I said, then moved to nuzzle a breast.

She lowered herself a bit, filling me with her breast. “You’re not going to get anything there, I’m afraid,” she whispered to me after a minute or so.

That thought sent a shudder through me...

She moved a hand behind my head, holding me. “Oh, I thought so—you’d like that, wouldn’t you...”

She pulled away. “Let me help you up...” She chuckled a bit as she helped me to my feet.

“Tonight?” she asked.

“I need to talk to Suzanne,” I told her.

She nodded. “I understand.”

“When will she get it?”

“The virus? Not for a month at least. Timing is more complex with women. Why?”

“You watch everyone as carefully as you did me?”

She smiled and nodded. “Oh yes, we do.”

“Then I’d like to help watch her, when it’s her turn—if she agrees, of course.”

That brought a broader smile, and a hug. “That sounds like a good idea.”

We hugged quietly for a bit.

“We’re forgiven?” she asked.

I sighed. “I think so. It’s Ellen I don’t know about now...”

“Oh, she supported us—completely, loudly. And she had the difficult job of telling us the decision had been made, and to go ahead. Go easy on her, Rob.”

I nodded, but I wasn’t so sure.

“Why don’t you go to the kitchen, and I’ll go pick up your things. I’ll have black coffee and a lightly toasted plain bagel.”

“Okay,” I said, then pulled her close for another hug.

Eduardo and Janice were in the kitchen. They raised eyebrows at my dress, but that’s all.

I decided to have a big glass of orange juice. As I moved more into the kitchen, Janice took a pointed glance at my feet, and “offered” to help. I smiled and had a seat. Janice started two bagels toasting, poured a cup of coffee, and a large glass of juice.

Bernadette showed up with my clothes. I got dressed; my feet were cold.

As we finished our breakfast, Bernadette asked, “What’s next?”

“Get cleaned up and dressed...” I said.

“Good idea,” Kathryn said, coming in to fill up her coffee cup.

I smiled—she always dressed quite well. “Then drop in on Ellen.”

As Kathryn stirred cream into her coffee, she told me, “She’s tied up on a phone call—it will probably last until lunch.”

I sighed and shook my head. “Better her than me, I suppose. Thanks—if you could, drop her a note that I’ll stop by this afternoon.”

“Okay, I’ll do that,” she said with a smile.

Bernadette stood up. “See you at lunch.” She put a hand on my shoulder.

I got a glass of juice to go.

I “dressed up,” with pants, a dress shirt, and a pullover vest. In the office, I started cross-referencing documents. Things were somewhat complex, but looked manageable, and more important, everything looked completely above-board.

“Knock knock?”

I looked up to see Linda in the doorway. “Come in, please,” I said, putting down a notepad.

She shut the door and had a seat. “How did your chat with Bernadette go?”

“Pretty well. So Ellen wanted you to tell me as well?”

Linda sighed. “Not at first. But we talked to her, and we thought she was convinced. She talked to Lucerne—we were party to some of those conversations, but not all of them. She backed us. But...”

“So the nominal sequence is different than what I’ve been through?”

Linda rolled her eyes a bit. “Oh yeah—you’re different, that’s for sure.”

“Hope I’m worth it—I don’t understand why.”

“Rob, you are worth it. And you’re making us rethink our assumptions, the way we do things.”

I chuckled and shook my head.

“What?” she asked.

“Like answer questions?”

She nodded, that wry smile returning. “Must have been my guilty conscience.”

“I guess—still, I came in looking for answers, and got more than I asked for.”

“Yeah, the old ‘be careful what you wish for’ deal... How did Bernadette take it?”

I shook my head again. “Surprise, relief, wondering if she could have or should have done more. How did you take it?”

She nodded. “About the same—relief, glad the charade was over... Then disbelief that I’d let the cat out of the bag.”

I gave her a steady look. “What does Ellen need?”

She sat back again, smiling. “Interesting... Why don’t you ask her?”

I smiled. “If I have to tell you what my fantasy is, if you did it, would it still be a fantasy? There’s a difference between having something happen, and asking for it.”

She nodded. “True...” She gave me a sultry look. “But I could ask, and you’d never consciously know...”

That brought out a sigh. “Yes... And that’s part of the lure of this place, your lure...”

“And what do you think of that?”

I shivered. “It’s terrifying and so seductive at the same time. You’ve talked about making me ‘part of the family.’ That first weekend, I don’t know how long ago it was any more, when you and Ellen asked me, I gave myself to you, body and soul.”

She nodded. “Yes, you did—and you did to a degree that Ellen, and I, still find difficult to believe. Yet one of us understood—she told us that’s what would happen, and she was right.”

“Suzanne?”

“Yes, Suzanne.”

“I hope I haven’t hurt her.”

“She’s a complex person. I’m available to her, if she approaches. Speak to her.”

“I will. But what about Ellen? What does she need?”

She laughed. “Let me think about it. The best answer, especially for you, is to follow your instincts and act from the heart.”

“At times around here, I don’t feel it’s my heart that is in control...”

“True, too true—but isn’t it exhilarating?”

I looked at her, feeling so hungry... “Oh, this morning it would have been so nice to push you on to your back, take you right there and then...”

She smiled. “What was that you said about having to tell someone your fantasies?”

I nodded. “We will have the time...”

She stood. “You must make the time for the things you consider important.”

I nodded once again. “Yes dear—some times you remind me of an aunt.”

Something brief but intense washed over her face. She held out her arms. I stood and we hugged.

“It’s one of the many lessons you’ll learn as part of the family,” she whispered to me.

She left, and I returned to work.

Bernadette stuck her head in the door. “Lunch time?”

I capped my hilighter and used it as a bookmark. “Great idea! Let me stop next door for a moment.”

I used her little bathroom. She was waiting outside for me. I took her in my arms, holding and kissing her. For a while I pressed her against the wall, and then turned so she did the same to me.

When we separated, she asked with a smile and a sigh, “What brought that on?”

“Someone told me that I need to make time for the important things.”

She brought my hands to her breasts. “Ah, very wise counsel...”

I enjoyed the sensation. So did she, the way she let her head lean back, her eyes closing, the smile on her face.

“What about lunch?” I asked.

She sighed and raised her head. We kissed once more. “I’ve got you later this afternoon. Let’s go.”

“Yes, dear,” I whispered.

Part way through lunch I asked, “Where’s Ellen?”

Kathryn spoke up. “Packing—she’s headed to Sedona this afternoon.”

The murmur around the table told me this was an unusual occurrence.

“I need to talk to her—how about I drive her to the airport, or did she have other arrangements?”

Kathryn nodded eagerly. “That sounds good to me—I wasn’t looking forward to the drive anyway.”

From what little was mentioned, I gathered we were having contractor problems at the Sedona site. I knew from document review we were doing building and renovation there.

I stuck my head in Ellen’s office after lunch. She had a bag sitting near her desk. She was standing, looking over some papers.

“When do we leave?” I asked.

She looked up, blinked, then forced a slight smile. “Thanks for volunteering—about a half hour. Check in with Deb on the routine—now, please.”

I nodded, turned, and headed over to Deb and Annette’s office. Deb was in, with Annette nowhere to be seen.

“Ellen says I’m supposed to check in with you on the routine,” I told her.

She nodded and pointed to the chair. I had a seat.

“You already know to check in with one of us if you’re going to be leaving the site.”

“Yes dear, very much...”

She smiled. “You don’t have a cell phone, do you?”

I shook my head. “Nope. No business need—my old employer would have made do with goose quills if he could.”

She chuckled. “We’ll give you one. When you leave, you turn it on. When you get back and check in with me, or Ellen, or Annette, you turn it off.”

“Sounds simple. Anything else?”

“Call in if you’re going to be later than expected, need to make stops, that kind of thing.”

“Okay. My car or a family car?”

“Ellen likes the Mercedes.”

I nodded. “Then I’ll drive the Mercedes.”

“Fine. Annette is bringing it around. Where will you be?”

“I need to visit the plumbing once more, then I’ll head to Ellen’s office and wait there.”

She smiled, a smile with a promise of something more in it. “Thanks. Have fun.”

I nodded and headed back to the main house. I used the bathroom on the first floor, then went to Ellen’s office. Her bag was there, but she wasn’t. I looked around a bit. The prints she’d chosen were up, displayed very nicely.

“Ready to go?”

I turned to see Ellen in the doorway, holding a set of keys. I walked over and picked up her bag. “Sure. Car out front?”

She nodded, handing me the keys.

The trunk was already open.

“Put it in the back seat—that will be easier for us at the airport,” Ellen said.

I opened the passenger door for her. She gave me a big smile. “When Kathryn or Annette drive me, I have to take care of the door myself.”

I chuckled and closed the door for her. I plopped the bag in the back seat, then walked around and got in. I adjusted the seat to my liking—a nice seat, in a 5-series Mercedes.

“Where to?” I asked.

“America Worst, San Francisco,” she said in an exasperated tone.

The cell phone was in a cradle on the dash. It was already turned on. We had a full tank of gas. “Away we go...”

After a few minutes, she said, “Thanks for doing this. How are you doing? Kendra was quite concerned this morning.”

“I’m doing okay. I appreciate it when people level with me. I find I make better decisions that way as well.”

“Point well taken,” she said. “And I agree—let’s see if I can get some others to agree with me as well.”

I nodded. I’d seen some references to Sedona in the documents I’d skimmed. “What’s the crisis, if I can pry? Construction related?”

She sighed. “Yes—I don’t know what it is about this damn contractor. If someone isn’t breathing down his neck...”

“We have a holdback?”

“Oh yeah—we’re holding back 20% until we’re satisfied. That doesn’t seem to bother him.”

“Can we get rid of him and bring in someone else?”

“We could, but I’m not sure what good it would do. The general isn’t the main problem—it’s a couple of his subcontractors. I really don’t know what they need to see to get the idea.”

I nodded. “Someone with balls? Sorry to be crude, but some guys don’t respond when the client is a woman. Maybe Linda could explain it—when I was at the big accounting firm I helped one of the female partners who was in a similar pickle. A sub on her house was acting up. I spent a few days watching the job and yelling at people, and things straightened up. One of those dog things, I guess.”

She nodded. “Dog thing? What’s that mean?”

I chuckled. “You’re getting me at my erudite best today. It’s something my writer friend told me—why does a dog lick his balls?”

She gave me a strange look, one of distaste but curiosity. “I don’t know. Why?”

I smiled and glanced over to her. “Because he can. Sometimes that’s about the best explanation I can think of for some behavior—why the hell is he doing that?”

She nodded. “Because he can. Makes a lot of sense.”

“Yup—one of those chromosomally-linked disorders.”

She laughed at that. “That may have made the trip worthwhile. Oh, I’m glad you’re with us, Rob.”

“When do you fly back?”

Another sigh. “Sunday or Monday; we’ll see. You don’t have to pick me up—one of the others can take care of that.”

“I wouldn’t mind... I’d been thinking that we should get to know each other better—you might like a distraction...”

That brought a sigh and a chuckle. “Oh how right you are—Linda said you could be perceptive when you wanted to be... But the way things are happening, mid to late next week would be our chance.”

“I understand. Let me know.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, believe me...”

We both went quiet for a few minutes. “Have you spoken with Suzanne recently?” she asked.

I sighed. “I will this afternoon or this evening. I don’t know what I said...”

“Have you considered that it might not be your problem?”

“No,” I replied quickly.

She laughed. “It’s something you might want to do. Just because you’re male, it doesn’t mean you’re wrong all of the time...”

I laughed as well. “Can I quote you on that? I’m not sure my sisters would agree.”

I dropped her at the airport. She gave me an unexpected but very nice hug and kiss. The drive back was uneventful; it did look as if we had a storm approaching.

I had enough time to drop off the car keys and the cell phone, change, and make it to Kendra’s domain.

I wanted to talk; she wanted to run me ragged. Still, I felt quite strong running.

While we were stretching afterwards, I asked her, “Do you want to talk about this morning?”

She paused, easing up on my leg a little. “I suppose so,” she answered.

“I’m sorry if I startled you—that whole thing had been bugging me.”

She increased the pressure on my leg, stretching my hamstring and calf. “Yeah, that’s what Linda explained to me. You really didn’t realize you were doing it?”

“Not at the time, not at all. Even now, knowing I did it is like knowing something I read in a book—I still don’t remember doing it at all.”

“Deep breath, good, now let it out. That’s better. It was pretty wild—I showed Linda the video. One moment you were standing there, and then the next moment, it was like there was someone else in your body—you moved differently and everything. Then after you closed the desk drawer, you were normal again. Very freaky.”

“I’d like to see that.”

“Sorry, Linda erased it in front of me.”

I sighed and tried to let go as she pressed more. “Okay... Guess that makes sense.”

“Linda told me you’re doing fine. Are you?”

I chuckled a little. “I think so. I feel a lot better, thanks to the help and attention I’m getting from you and others.”

“Thanks. Roll on to your stomach and let’s give some attention to your psoas and hip flexors.”

I moaned and rolled over.

When I walked into Bernadette’s office, I came to a full stop just inside the door. Bernadette and Linda were both there, and the smiles they had on their faces when they saw me were ... unsettling... “Ah, good afternoon, ladies,” I said hesitantly.

They approached and took me by the arms, leading me to the other room with the massage table—and bed.

“Why don’t you get undressed and on the table, where we can take good care of you,” Linda cooed.

They helped me strip down. As I lowered my head into the face cradle, that scent filled me. I moaned and took a deep breath. I felt hands on my back, and the back of my head...

I woke on my back, a little surprised—I was alone, unmolested! A light cover was on top of me. I felt very relaxed and refreshed. I knew somehow that Linda had just left the room. I looked around—Bernadette was sitting in a chair. As I watched, she raised her head, taking a deep breath. She looked to me with that semi-glazed look and smiled.

I moved to sitting. “Hi there,” I said.

She stood up, stretching. I knew that look. Linda had been up to something.

“Been somewhere nice?” I asked.

She chuckled as she moved closer to me. “Oh God, it was nice... And you’d better get out of here while you can!”

I sat there. “Why would I want to do that?”

She chuckled. “Because we’d both miss dinner!”

“Yes, dear!”

By the time I got dressed, she’d gone.

I rolled my shoulders as I stood in the shower. I felt pretty damn good. I felt as if I had a freedom of movement I hadn’t had before. Was that mentally as well as physically? I felt healthy, relaxed ... and horny... When I dressed, I put on one of my turtlenecks. We only had a few minutes until dinner—Linda had kept me, us, for a while...

At the foot of the back stairs, I practically ran into Suzanne.

“Can we talk for a minute, please?” I asked her.

She had a complex look on her face, but it resolved into a slight smile. “Sure,” she said.

We walked to the rear parlor, the small one next to Ellen’s office. I closed the door part way behind us, but not completely. She sat in the small chair. That brought a small smile to my face, and some understanding. I opened the door a little more.

As I sat on the loveseat opposite her, she took a brief glance to the door.

“Suzanne,” I said, leaning forward a bit, “I’m sorry if I’ve said something to upset you. You are very special to me. What can I do?”

Oh such a complex look on her face... “Rob, it’s okay... I’m just... I’m trying to figure it out myself.”

I nodded, and waited until I was pretty sure she didn’t have anything to add. “I understand now why they were keeping me isolated for a while. Bernadette and Linda told me that you were scheduled for it, but they did me instead...”

She nodded, her lips tight, but in a slight smile.

I sighed. “And they didn’t explain it to me beforehand, or ask me...” That seemed to surprise her. “I talked to them about it this morning—don’t know if you heard about me running around or not, but that was one of the things involved—it’s still pretty quiet, I guess a lot of things are kept quiet around here...”

She gave me a grim nod at that.

I looked into her eyes again—sparkling green, so full of life. “And I offered, it’s your decision of course, but when you go through it, I’ll be there to watch you, to sit with you, if you want.”

She sighed and smiled at that, nodding her head slightly. After a bit she said, “Thanks... Rob, I really appreciate that. I will want you there. I appreciate you talking to me, forcing me... I just have some things that I need to work out. I’m sorry if I’ve been so stand-offish...”

“Don’t be—but don’t hold things in, please—talk to Linda, talk to the tree, or the koi in the pond, but don’t hold it in. If I’m learning anything here, that’s it.”

She nodded, smiling a bit more. “Now you’re the one giving the sage advice...” She looked at her hands, fidgeting a bit, then looked back to me. She opened her mouth as if to speak, but paused and closed it again. “Rob,” she said eventually, “it’s not your problem—I’ll figure it out.”

I nodded, trying to be supportive. “Let me know what I can do to help—all you have to do is ask.”

She nodded, frowning a bit. “I know. I wish ... I wish sometimes I didn’t... Ah well, it’s too late for that.” She stood up, smoothing her skirt. “Would you escort me to dinner?”

I stood up. “Of course—I’d love to.”

She put her arm in mine as we walked down the hallway to the dining room. As we entered, she stopped. “Hold me, please,” she whispered.

I gave her what I hoped was my most affectionate, caring hug. I kissed her neck. “Any time you want,” I whispered. She wrapped her arms around me, squeezed me, and sighed.

As we separated, I looked to the table, and was reminded again of the new world I was in. There was an empty seat between Deb and Annette—Annette looked surprised and a little upset. Deb looked wistful, maybe hopeful as she glanced at Annette. Bernadette gave me a look of lust, and Linda looked highly amused as she glanced around the table.

I helped seat Suzanne next to Annette. Annette gave her accusing, almost injured looks. I went to the other side of the table, sitting between Linda and Bernadette. After putting my napkin in my lap, I touched their thighs, pressing gently. Hands grasped mine, squeezing gently.

Deb raised her wine glass, nominally in charge. After looking around the table, her wistful look became more amused. “Good evening, all,” she said, and took a sip of her wine.

Penny and Kathryn had both joined us for dinner, sitting on the other side of Linda. Kathryn reminded me I had an art show the following weekend, and wanted to know if I’d like any help working it.

“Thank you, that would be nice,” I answered. And it would be—Tina had helped me a number of times. “But I’ll warn you—it’s boring as hell. If I remember correctly, this one is at a winery, which means well be in a fairly cool room the whole time. I’ll have to check my records, but I think it’s one of the shows with not a lot of people, but one which brings in quite a few orders.” Thinking of her sitting in one of the high chairs wearing a long wool skirt and a warm top—she’d certainly help bring in people.

Penny looked a bit miffed. “How big a booth do you have?”

I took another sip of wine—a French wine, a Sancere. “Oh, it’s about ten by ten feet. Three sides showing larger prints, two chairs, bins for smaller prints, and a table for orders.”

Eye-daggers passed between Penny and Kathryn—yet both smiled.

“When we move into spring and summer, I’ll have opportunities for practically every weekend. If you’d like to help, I’m certain there will be plenty of opportunities—for both of you.”

I don’t know if that answer made anyone happy. Ah well. “Vivian handles my schedule for those—we should talk to her in a month or so...” I caught a glance of Deb out of the corner of my eye. I turned to her, raised my glass, and added, “With the approval of management, of course.” I gave a nod to Deb, who gave me an Imperial smile in return.

We talked a little more about shows, the good and the bad—big orders coming from flea markets, kids dribbling ice cream.

Linda took my arm after dinner, leading me back to my office.

“Well,” she exclaimed when we were in my office with the door closed, “That was an interesting meal... I gather you spoke to Suzanne?”

“Yes, just before dinner.” I sighed, shaking my head. “What a complex group!”

Linda nodded. “Yes, but how is Suzanne doing?”

I shook my head again. “I don’t know—she says it’s her problem, something she needs to figure out. Suggesting I’d be there to watch when she goes through it, that was the right thing to say. Still, I can’t help but feel there are wheels within wheels still hidden from view.”

She shrugged, a wry smile on her face. “Not too much hidden at the dinner table tonight.”

I furrowed my brow. “So many surprises—Suzanne asking me to hold her, there in front of everyone, the reactions, and the reactions to the reactions... Wow... I wonder—is it always like this, or have I just not paid attention to these things in the past?”

Linda leaned back a bit, smiling. “We should be doing this in the parlor, with cognac...”

“Well, let’s go, then,” I offered.

She shook her head. “We’ll stay. Rob, would you say that you’re an emotional person?”

I sighed. That question stopped me in my tracks. I thought for a bit before I could answer. I reached for her hand and held it.

“You know, if someone had asked me that question last year, or even a few months ago, I’d have told them that I was a creature of intellect, of reason. I’d have said that proudly, confidently. Yet I’ve had hints, so many hints over the years—the way some images move me, even the memories of them—some songs...”

She smiled and nodded. “And so what would you say now?”

“I need to be held, that’s what I’d say. That intellect, that reason, is a thin shell, like the shell of an egg, covering something so much larger and stronger. And emotion is part of it, but it’s more than just emotion—it’s, I don’t know, soul—something larger. My strength is in that larger part.”

Her smile broadened. “And your intellect?”

I shook my head, smiling slightly. “Just another tool—to be used some times, not others. I know when I’m composing images in the camera, part of the work is done here,” I pointed to my eyes, “but what gives an image impact, soul, comes from here,” I touched my heart.

“And what’s changed?”

“I’m still me, the world must have changed,” I said, laughing. She laughed along with me. “No, I’ve changed. You’re changing me—this place. I’m more aware, just a little, but more aware.”

She shook her head. “It’s that old light bulb joke...”

“What?” I asked.

“How many shrinks does it take to change a light bulb? Just one, but the light bulb has to want to change.”

I sighed, nodding. “I don’t know that I wanted it at first, but I certainly do now. Thank you for your help.”

“You’re quite welcome. It has been fun, if you haven’t noticed.”

I noticed her nipples... “Oh, I’ve noticed that too...”

“And what did you notice at dinner tonight?”

I shook my head, sighing again. “So many things—Suzanne affirming to others that she still cared for me. I’d guess Suzanne and Annette are currently together, from the look on Annette’s face—surprise, jealousy, something like that. And Deb, wistful, hoping to get Annette back, or something else. Bernadette not sure what it meant, then Kathryn and Penny—that was almost funny.”

Linda nodded. “I didn’t catch the look on Deb’s face. Remember—there’s a strict line between family and staff.”

“I know—that’s why I deferred to Deb.” I sighed. “I know that on my own, I’m safe—that’s the other weird thing these days—I’m so full of dichotomies. I’ve never felt stronger, better—yet I also feel so vulnerable. I know that you, many of you, could touch me, caress me, and I’d be lost—all yours.”

“How do you feel about that?”

“More dichotomies—scared and excited both. I want it—with you, with Bernadette, with Suzanne. Yet I fear it—what would happen if Kathryn caught me? Would I be able to resist, or would I give in, let go, give myself to her like I do to you?”

Linda nodded. “You aren’t that vulnerable—you aren’t at risk from anyone walking up to you on the street...”

“I guess I’ve used that emotional part all along—working for Banister, and before that—I’d have the feeling that something didn’t smell right, and I’d dig further until I found something. That part was there helping, if I listened to it.”

“You’re changing the subject,” she chided.

I smiled. “Yes, I guess I am. It’s troubling, new-found strengths and weaknesses. And what’s supposed to happen tonight?”

She smirked. “Such a suspicious person!”

“That’s me,” I replied.

She chuckled and pulled two small perfume sprayers from a pocket, one silver the other gold. She put them on the desk. “She will respond quite well to the silver one. The gold one will affect you both.”

I picked them up. I held up the silver one. The metalwork was the same on the pair, except for the colour. “So this is the one I should use with you, so I can pleasure you for hours...”

I saw her nostrils flare, saw her chest expand as she took a slow breath.

“Yes, tomorrow night in the tea house if you like—we don’t have to get up early the next morning...”

I felt her eyes burning into me. I hope I was returning her gaze watt-for-watt. “I’d love to,” I rumbled.

“Good,” she replied, holding my eyes in hers. “I’d hate to spend the night alone there...”

We let the lust build for a bit. I felt my body responding, aided by watching her nostrils flare, and her nipples perk up.

“I’d better leave while I still can,” Linda said, standing up.

I stood up as well, not shy about my tented pants. “What’s your hurry?”

She chuckled. I stepped over to her, putting an arm around her waist and pushing her against the closed door.

She pulled me to her eagerly, tilting her head back so I could bite her neck.

“Oh, let’s get out of here,” she moaned.

“And go where?” I asked between nibbles.

She laughed. “You have an assignation...”

I moved my hands up to her breasts, feeling gently. “If you insist...”

She pushed me away playfully. “Oh, it would be nice—but I can wait for tomorrow night.”

I kissed her hands. “I could get the sprayer...”

She chuckled. “And I could drop you in your tracks...”

I sighed. With one more kiss of her hands, I let go, then turned to the desk to pick up the sprayers. “Silver for her, gold for both of us, right?”

She nodded.

“And what colour is the one for me?” I asked.

She reached into a pocket, pulling out one in a dark metallic blue.

I sighed. “Oh, tomorrow...”

She nodded. “I know—take good care of Bernadette.”

“I’ll make you proud...”

That brought a low laugh. “I’m sure you will...”

It was just a little after eight when I headed upstairs, alone. I packed my little bag with clothes for the exercise class in the morning, then visited the bathroom for my evening routine. I ran the shaver over my muzzle once more. My whiskers seemed to be a bit softer, hard to tell.

What to wear? I had my sweat pants on, nothing underneath, bare feet. I grabbed the dark grey velour turtleneck—that had been one of Tina’s favorites. I had an idea for making it Bernadette’s favorite as well... I dumped the sprayers in my pocket and headed over to her room.

Her door was partially open. I knocked, no answer. A peek inside—nobody home. There was a light on in the bathroom across the hall. “Hi sweetie,” I said, knocking on the door.

“Give me half an hour,” came Bernadette’s reply.

“Okay—be back in half an hour.”

I went back to my room. What to do? I turned the clock on my nightstand around so I could see it, then settled down on the floor to stretch. It was amazing how flexible I’d become. I took it easy, remembering the admonishments I’d been given. Oh well, I can still do leg-lifts and abdominal work.

“You in there?” asked a sultry voice at my door.

“I’ll make a pit stop and be right over,” I said.

“I’ll be waiting...”

I stood up and my heart took off racing for just a moment. What a trip! I grabbed my bag and went across to the bathroom. Heading down the hall afterwards, I patted my pocket—and turned around, back to my room to get the perfume goodies. I paused again outside her door. She had the “Do Not Disturb” sign up—this one was from the Meridian Hotel. I took out the silver sprayer and spritzed the top of my velour turtleneck, around the neck and shoulders. That should work—at least if she hasn’t done something similar! Only one way to find out.

I knocked lightly. “Hello in there...” I said softly.

“Please come in!”

I opened the door and stepped in.

The room was dark. I dropped my bag. Bernadette was standing next to her bed wearing what looked to be a silk robe. As I stepped forward, I saw her opening her arms for me. We pulled into a sensuous full-body kiss.

Her breathing changed to a sharp, deep inhale. I pushed her back to the bed, leaning her on to it. As we moved on to the bed, I pulled her head to my shoulder. She gripped me, her fingers digging into my back, as she inhaled deeply. She exhaled, moaning softly.

My right hand cradled her head. “I’ve got you—you can relax now. Relax and let me hold you. I’ll hold you, and protect you, as you relax and drift deeper and deeper...”

Linda’s voice was with me as I eased her into trance. As her arms fell away from me, I moved over a little, sliding my left hand into her robe, stroking her soft, warm skin.

I paused and sat up. I peeled off my shirt and draped it over her face. I took the two sprayers out of my pocket, and moved to place them on her nightstand.

And there on the nightstand was another one... From the dim light in the room, I guessed it was dark blue—for me. I moved a bit more and picked it up. From the glow if the clock, it looked dark. And all three looked the same, enameled metal filigree cases...

I dropped the silver one in my pocket, then took the caps off the two others, gold and blue. Yes, the caps interchanged. How about the bottom pieces? Yes, nicely... The blue sprayer case now held the gold one’s contents... I moved off the bed and put the silver and gold units in my bag, then returned the blue one to the nightstand. Surprise, dear...

“Oh so good... It feels so good...” I started whispering to her again as I sat between her legs and ran my hands over her body. Linda’s voice in my mind helped again as I brought pleasure to Bernadette, exciting her, caressing her.

I moved my shirt away, leaning forward over her, laying on top of her, kissing, holding her head again. She responded eagerly, her arms moving to hold me, but without much strength.

I started kissing my way down her body. Her nipples were so distracting—how I loved to be held to her breasts, feeling her weight on top of me. I told her that as I kissed her nipples, then moved to suckle in earnest. As I settled in, I was rewarded with deep sounds from her, and her arms moving once more to hold me.

I gradually became aware that she was moving very rhythmically, and I was sucking in response to her motion. I slid a hand to her other breast, pressing gently in time. She moaned. I slid my hand down between her legs. I barely touched her, and she came with a shudder and a moan.

I quickly kissed my way down her body, nestling between her legs. I closed my eyes, luxuriating in the warmth radiating from her, and in her scent. I slid my arms under her legs and moved in.

Her legs grasped me, tightly at first, but her strength diminished along with the intensity of her moans.

I moved up her body again. As I reached her nipples, I slid out of my sweatpants, and flipped the sheet and blankets on top of us. Her nipple was cool as I took it in my mouth. She moaned and her arms moved around me. After a while her hands helped me move to her other nipple. I spent a while there, then moved up.

As I kissed my way up her chest and neck, I slid into her. She was so warm and tight! Her head moved back and forth a bit. I held her shoulders and kissed her, joining at both ends.

One of her hands was on the back of my neck, the other found its way down my back. She seemed to awaken more, throwing her legs open, holding me tighter, moving more. I held on, our lips together, soon coming inside her.

She fumbled for something as we slipped apart. She tucked something between her legs as I slid up to her side. With a sigh, she pulled me to a breast. I slid closer, she leaned over, and we connected again. One more sigh, a deep breath, and I was asleep in her arms.

The alarm went off—but it was still dark out. I was confused, and put a hand on her side as she rolled to her nightstand to silence the alarm. She moved up on an elbow.

“Oh, you’re going to get it now,” she whispered.

I heard the soft sound of the sprayer...

“Oh you!” she moaned. She rolled to her back and pulled me to her. As I was drawn to her again the scent caught me—that spicy scent I’d experienced in the tea house. I wrapped my arms around her, latched on to a nipple, and breathed deep as I devoured.

I was filled with fire, and I think she was as well. We rolled around, kissing touching, squeezing. Her hands were all over me, as mine were all over her. I did something, and her nipple tightened in my mouth, becoming oh so much more tasty.

As I sucked, she held my head and moaned, “Oh, don’t stop that...” I was lost in her arms.

She squeezed me as she came, a hand reaching down my stomach to my cock. She rolled me to my back and impaled herself on me. “The other side,” she said, moving my head.

We both moaned as she rode me, the bed joining in the chorus. I felt it approaching, building so strongly. Her rhythm changed as well, and with a shudder she cried, “Oh, now, please!” A few more strokes and I complied with her request. We collapsed together again.