InstructionbySeduction (12 page)

As the pressure built within Leah she desperately wanted to
tear off the blindfold. She wanted to see him, to watch him pleasure her. She
reached down and tried to tug on the tie that covered her eyes. Suddenly Hale
stopped moving.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“I could ask you the same thing. If you take it off, I’ll
stop.”

“No.” The whine in Leah’s voice proved just how much she was
enjoying herself. “Don’t stop. I’ll leave it on.”

“That’s my girl.”

That’s my girl
. Leah suddenly found herself back on
the floor of the Mayfaire’s store. Isn’t that what Scott had said?
That’s my
girl
.

Blindfolded she couldn’t see Hale, couldn’t watch Hale. It
could be anyone right then and there, fucking her senseless.
Scott
, she
thought. She wondered what he would feel like doing the same thing to her, or
how he would do it differently. She wondered how his lips would feel caressing
her knee. She imagined how his voice would sound when heated, filled with
desire and whispering her name. Those soft but rough hands of his, how would
they feel against her breasts, squeezing her nipples or holding her ass?

Leah moaned, the images of Scott taking her in every way
Hale had ran through her mind. She saw his blue eyes, heard his soft voice.
God
he would feel like heaven inside me,
Leah mused, then lost herself to the
ensuing orgasm. Her bound hands clung to the rods of the headboard, desperately
trying to hold herself in place while Hale thrust, finishing her off. She felt
him come again inside her, every sensitive nerve ending she had broadcasting
every pulse and twitch and release of his cock.

“Hale,” Leah whispered. “I’ve never come so hard in my
life.”

“I know.” Hale gave a small laugh. He pulled out both
himself and the vibrator. Leah lowered her legs, only then realizing how sore
she was going to be. She rested for a moment, regaining a normal heartbeat and
breathing pattern but she couldn’t remove the grin from her face. It was just
too good.

Finally she felt Hale move over her and begin removing the
blindfold. His eyes met hers the moment he peeled it away. He tossed it to the
side. “Who were you thinking about?”

Leah lost the perma-grin and a cascade of apprehension swept
through her. What would he say? What would he do? Would he be angry? Leah
rubbed her wrists together where the bonds held them in place.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

Hale lowered himself over her, still meeting her eyes in an
intense gaze. He slid his arms underneath her body and held her close to him.

“I mean exactly what I asked. Who were you thinking about
while I was fucking you?”

Leah swallowed hard. All her work to calm herself down was
for naught as her heartbeat sped back up and she threatened to break out into a
cold sweat. Could she lie to him?

“You,” she whispered. It was true enough.

“And?” Hale’s smirk appeared and disappeared before Leah’s
eyes.

“And…”

“Yes and don’t lie to me.”

Leah stared into Hale’s green eyes. She found no menace
there, no jealousy, no anger. Only a search for truth.

“Scott,” Leah whispered.

“That’s what I thought.” Hale smiled. “Is that why it was so
intense for you?”

“I think it helped.” Leah still fought her nerves. What was
he going to say?

“I felt the shift within you,” Hale said thoughtfully,
breaking their gaze. He bent his head down and began softly kissing and sucking
Leah’s breasts. She shivered.

“How so?” she asked.

“It’s been all about you since I came here,” Hale said.
“I’ve been your very willing participant in every sexual encounter you could
fantasize. You wanted to get fucked, suck and be sucked, worked over and worked
out into one body-wrenching orgasm after another. But tonight…tonight…”

Leah didn’t know what to say. It was all true and it sounded
incredibly selfish but there was no discontent or accusation in Hale’s voice.
Where was he going with this?

“Tonight,” Hale said again, “you were thinking about
yourself but not one hundred percent. When the thought of him entered your
mind, you softened. You spiraled down into a place where sex was more than just
flesh on flesh. It was a melding of bodies and spirits. Are you in love, Leah?”

Still mostly speechless, Leah swallowed. How could he
possibly know all of that?

“How could I be?” she asked. “I hardly know him.”

“Ah, but you feel something you’ve never felt before.”

Hale kissed one of her nipples and raised his head so their
eyes met once more. “Don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“I think you need to pursue it. Find out.”

“What about…I mean…” Leah’s voice faltered.
What about
us? Is there an us? What
is
us?

“This thing we have going on?” Hale asked. Leah nodded.
“This has nothing to do with anything you do with someone else. Rest assured
you won’t come home to find a jealous Hale. Do you think I came here to be your
boyfriend?”

“Well…no,” Leah said. That much was clear.

“Do you think I’m here solely for the purpose of helping you
get what you want?”

“Yes.”

“So why would you think I’d be upset by you thinking about
what you want? On the contrary, I’d be very interested in hearing all about it.
Talking about it. Offering to satisfy your craving if you haven’t already
scratched that itch.”

Hale smirked, the devil in his eyes. Leah laughed lightly.
It was a bizarre concept but as she thought about it, it was the only one that
made sense.

In the weeks that followed, Leah continued to apply every
lesson that Hale had taught her, both at work and in her personal life. She
called on him every few days, particularly after rough days and he never failed
to make her feel better in every way.

She finished writing her speech for her public speaking
class and had butterflies in her stomach for a full week before it was time to
deliver it. But inevitably the day arrived and she found herself standing in
front of the class wearing her nicest suit. Mrs. Larson had just introduced her
and it was time to speak.

Leah had practiced the speech a hundred times in front of
her mirror at home. But there, standing in front of her classmates, she
suddenly froze. What was her first sentence? She had the stupid thing
memorized.
Fuck, fuck, fuck!

Hale told her she would feel better if she smiled. So she
did. She beamed her very best customer-service smile to every student in the
classroom and immediately she felt a weight lifted off her. She remembered her
first line.

“Have you ever had an opportunity to do or say something and
for whatever reason you just didn’t do it? Then for days or weeks or even years
afterward you kept thinking how badly you wished you would have done it. It’s
been said that it’s not the things we do that we regret the most—it’s the
things we don’t do. That’s why I’m going to talk for a few minutes this morning
about seizing every opportunity.”

With her opening out of the way Leah started to freeze up
again. She started out strong then felt someone pull the plug. If she didn’t do
something soon she was going to be circling the drain. Leah thought of the
dynamic speaker from her management course. What made her so engaging? She
believed in what she was saying. She loved it. She was desperate to communicate
that message to the people in the classroom.

And Leah found her reason. She lifted up her hands to make
points. She raised and lowered her voice for emphasis. She used the entire
front of the classroom as her stage, moving from one side to the other, making
eye contact with the students and doing everything they’d discussed all
semester long to make an effective speech. They needed to hear it. They needed
it and all Leah wanted to do was tell them all about it. She wanted to share
with her classmates how they could transform their lives as she had.

Leah smiled at her audience and delivered her final lines.

“For years I let great opportunities pass me by. Don’t make
the same mistake. Seize every opportunity. Just think—today could be the day
that you change your life.”

The speech was finished. But no one was clapping. Instead
the students stared at Leah like she was the second coming. Then finally, someone
began to put their hands together. Clapping swept through the classroom like a
wildfire. Then someone stood. Then another person and another until the entire
classroom, including the teacher and the jerks who had made the rude comments
earlier in the semester.

Leah just looked around at them, unable to comprehend what
was going on. They were clapping for her? They were giving her a standing
ovation? She looked over at the teacher who was just giving her a knowing
smile, nodding her head as she clapped. Tears threatened to overtake the
moment. Leah smiled and headed back to her seat.

When the noise died down and the next poor soul who was up
to give a speech was heading to the front of the classroom, the person sitting
behind Leah poked her with his pencil and said, “I think you’re going to get an
A. Glad I don’t have to follow that act.”

* * * * *

Leah floated into work the day after her triumphant public-speaking
final. She couldn’t believe it had been her up there acting like a pro. She
couldn’t believe she’d gotten a standing ovation from her classmates. But most
of all she was stunned by the fact that she’d actually enjoyed herself up
there. This revelation had caused a whole turnaround in Leah’s mind about what
the hell she was going to do with the rest of her life.

“Are you on something?” Kelly asked Leah as she practically
skipped by. Leah turned and smiled at her.

“I feel like it,” she said with a laugh. “I see the light at
the end of the tunnel and it’s beautiful.”

Kelly looked at Leah as if she were completely insane. Leah
grinned and batted her eyes at Kelly, then sauntered off to the office to meet
with Bob.

“Oh Leah, come on in,” Bob said as he saw her approaching.
“I was just finishing lunch.”

This time Bob was downing a ham and cheese sandwich from the
store’s deli counter. Leah wondered if he ever ate at home.

“What’s going on, Bob?” Leah asked as she plopped down in
the chair next to his desk.

“Leah, I just got the final stats in, and since you began as
shift manager sales are up ten percent.”

“Are you serious?” Leah asked, stunned. Up ten percent
because of her? Coincidence?

“I certainly am. We haven’t seen growth like that in a single
month since that cabbage-soup diet craze.”

Leah giggled. She remembered that.

“So needless to say I am impressed,” said Bob. “Even better,
the area manager is impressed. We want to send you to a trade event next month
in Kansas City.”

“Really?” Leah asked, not knowing what that was—but it
sounded fantastic.

“Yep. It’s really a mid- to-upper-level management event but
with the way you’ve handled things since your promotion we think you’re going
places and we want you to go.”

We think you’re going places
. Leah repeated the
phrase in her head like it was a prayer. Someone thought she was going places.

“Wow, thank you!” Leah said. Could the week get any better?
Only
if you see Scott
, she told herself then realized where Bob said the event
was. Kansas City. Much nearer to Scott than Wichita.

“I’ll get you the details in a couple of days. We’ll get you
a room at the hotel where the show is located and I think you’ll need a rental
car, right?”

Leah thought of her reliable but unimpressive Honda.

“A rental car would be nice,” she agreed.

“Done. And well done. Honestly, I knew promoting you was the
right decision but I didn’t know how right. After you get back from the show
come see me and we’ll revisit your compensation.”

Leah grinned from ear to ear, thanked Bob again and headed
out of the office to the floor.
Revisit your compensation
, she mused.
That
sounds like a great idea!

Leah was still flying high when she returned home that night
and she couldn’t wait for Hale. The greater her personal and professional
successes, the more she wanted him to reward her. She was practically soaked
and panting by the time she made it into the bedroom to open the box.

Holding her breath, Leah waited for Hale’s signature banging
at the door. Finally she had to let it out and inhale again. What was keeping
him?
God, last time he took this long there were two of him
. Leah
grinned wickedly. They might have trouble keeping up with her that night if
that were the case.

Finally she heard the sound she longed for and went running
for the door. She flung it open, flushed and excited—and nearly peed her pants.
She saw Hale’s signature black suit and tie but instead of Hale’s dark hair and
green eyes she saw Scott’s blond hair and blue eyes.

“Scott,” she whispered, aghast and shocked.

“Hey,” he said with a nod, then pushed past her with a
smirk.

Leah nearly choked. She looked around outside to make sure
no one had seen, then shut the door and locked the deadbolt. Leah spun around
and watched as her guest visited the refrigerator and took out a beer. He
opened it as if it were old hat, then turned to look at Leah.

“Don’t wet yourself,” he said. “Isn’t this what you wanted?”

“Hale,” Leah breathed, more of a statement than a question.

“Of course.” He shook his head like she should have known
all along. “Who else shows up on your doorstep at the opening of a box?”

“But you…you…”

“Well yes. You’ve only been dreaming of him every time we
fucked for the last month or so. I thought I should give you what you want.”

Leah’s head spun. Of course she wanted Scott but like this?

“Sit down before you fall down,” Hale said.

Leah nodded and took a seat.

“How do you do this?” she demanded once she was sure she
would not faint.

“Same way I do everything else,” Hale answered with a shrug.
“I get it from you.”

Leah shook her head.

“I’m confused.”

“I know. But don’t worry, before long you’ll have it all
figured out. Look at you. Feeling good about yourself and taking care of
yourself. Being successful and making your company successful. Straight As this
semester. Before long you won’t even need me.”

Leah looked up at him, stricken with panic.

“You’re not going away, are you?”

Hale laughed then reached out and touched Leah’s arm to
comfort her. She looked down at Scott’s hand and was not calmed.

“I’ll only go away when you tell me to,” he said.

“Never.”

“You will. Someday you’ll be ready.”

Leah was unconvinced but didn’t argue any further.

“So you were in a spry mood when I showed up,” Hale said,
moving on. “And…ready. Am I right?”

Leah felt herself turning red. Of course he was right. He
always was.

“Think we should do something about it?” he added.

“I’m afraid.”

“Why? Because I look like Scott? You should welcome the
opportunity. Pretend I’m him. Get some practice in for the big event.”

“You’re embarrassing me.” Leah covered her face with her
hands.

Hale laughed. Leah lowered her hands and said, “Fine. But
you have to do what I say.”

“Always.” Hale’s humor was gone, his jovial tone replaced by
something darker, hungrier and a lot more heart-palpitating than lighthearted.

“If I ask you to role-play are you going to feel like a
moron?”

“Yes.”

“Good, me too. Maybe we can skip to something better.”

“Nah, I have an idea.”

Hale threw back a long swallow of beer, deposited the bottle
on the table and turned to Leah. He took her hand and lifted her up off the
seat.

“Leah.” He took her face lightly in his hands. “I’ve wanted
to do this for a long time.”

His kiss was more passionate than Leah had ever felt from
him. Their encounters were so physically driven that they barely paid attention
to the emotional aspects of what they did with their bodies. But this kiss had
more affection, more desire and more intimacy than anything their naked bodies
had done together in the past.

When Hale released her and Leah moved back a few inches, she
stared into the blue depths that belonged to Hale but reflected all the things
she was drawn to about Scott. She put her hands on the back of his head and
drew him back to her, desperate for more of that softhearted touch.

The kiss was explosive. Leah thought she was going to cry as
they touched, hands exploring like they’d never touched each other before. Hale
pushed her up against the wall and pressed against her. Leah suffocated under
the intensity of his every action, every touch.

Their lips separated and Leah caught the depths of intensity
in Hale’s eyes.

“Gentle,” she said. “Passionate. Make love to me.”

Hale nodded his understanding, then pulled her away from the
wall and took her up in his arms, lifting her like she weighed nothing. He
carried her into the bedroom and laid her down on the bed.

Hale came down over her almost immediately and they touched
and kissed like brand-new lovers. When he finally unzipped her jeans, she was
more than ready. Leah moved to loosen his tie, then released the buttons on his
dress shirt.

Leah greedily explored his chest, finding everything she
hoped Scott would have under his shirt. As they proceeded to undress each
other, Leah found herself feeling much less demanding, less urgent than she’d
felt when Hale looked like himself. With Scott, she wanted to draw it out, to
suck out the nectar of each moment like it would never happen again. So instead
of ripping off his clothes, she savored every tug of cloth and loosened button.
She basked in the sounds of labored breaths and soft moans of desire.

When Leah was naked and Hale had shed the last stitch of his
attire, he moved over the top of her. Leah put her hand flat against his chest
to stop him. He didn’t even look confused, just paused and waited for Leah. She
smiled, taking in the glory of the sight before her, Scott’s nude body over
hers, preparing to seal the bond between them that amusingly began in the
produce department.

Leah wanted to say something poetic and memorable but all
that would come out were the most basic of desires, the simplest of requests.

“Make love to me, Scott,” she whispered.

Hale didn’t even look disappointed that she called him by
the other man’s name. After all, he’d taken on his flesh—why not take on his
name? Leah dropped her hand away and let Hale lower himself over her.

When he touched the tip of his member to Leah’s warm opening,
he met her eyes, Scott’s beautiful ocean-blue eyes gazing deep into Leah’s
green ones. As he entered her slowly, he never broke the gaze, never severed
the connection. They connected on every level as he pushed his hardened flesh
deep within her.

“Scott,” she breathed, then gave herself over to the
pleasure. Hale drove into her slowly but firmly, with purpose, rubbing her deep
and hitting every pleasure center possible. Leah didn’t even want to close her
eyes. She just wanted to watch Hale/Scott feel her from the inside out…in every
way.

Leah briefly thought of her other “plain vanilla” sexual
experiences. They happened the same basic way—man on top, kissing, touching,
plain old screwing. How could it be the same activity and yet feel so very
different? Leah thought of the discomfort and disappointment she remembered
during those other experiences. The pressure, the feeling of being used and
neglected. None of it was present here. All she felt was warmth, passion…love?