Mixing Pleasure with Business

Chapter 1

I could have been wrong about Laura Stevens, but I didn't think so. In the first two months I worked with her there were many hints she was sexually frustrated and in the right situation would submit to a strong man. She dressed just a shade on the provocative side and made little comments like "That guy seems like someone you don't say 'no'to."

My name is Jack Norwood, and I was a confirmed bachelor in my early forties. Well, not "confirmed" in the sense that I wanted to live by myself forever, but until I was sure I had found the right woman I was not about to upset a good thing.

Nature gave me a six foot three frame that I work to keep in shape. My dark hair and eyes go along with a somewhat stern countenance that seems to appeal to a certain type of woman, the type that likes to be bossed around in the bedroom. I am good at dominating them physically and emotionally, and usually they come back for more. A supposedly happily married friend of mine used to complain that I got more ass than a toilet seat.

My business is selling high tech products to the military-industrial complex. I am what is known as a "manufacturer's rep", a salesman who represents manufactures who are too small to have their own sales force. During the course of my fifteen years in Washington DC calling on the Pentagon I have developed strong personal relationships with senior officers and staff analysts. Because of this, even large defense contractors seek out my services.

There is a saying among manufacturer's reps that principals come and go, but the customers remain the same. My success rests on keeping my customers happy. This means giving them what they want, both in terms of reliable products and in terms of satisfying their personal desires. Monetary kickbacks and bribes are common at the lower levels, but in the stratosphere where I work, they are much too risky for both me and my customers. Instead I must provide attractive "intangibles" to keep my customers coming back.

Of course offering state-of-the-art, reliable products is important too. I am very selective about the principals that I take on. Manufacturers must sell me before I can sell the military. And this is where Laura came into the picture.

Laura was a very attractive petite brunette in her late twenties. She entered my life as the product manager for a new communications system developed by a small company in California. Laura was a rare creature: a beautiful woman who also had an advanced engineering degree and a first class analytical mind. Her husband, David, was one of the founders of the California company and brought her with him on his first visit to see me in Washington.

I remember it was early on a Friday afternoon, and we had settled into comfortable chairs in my plush office overlooking the Potomac. There's nothing like a luxurious, over-the-top office to impress clients. A pretty secretary helps too, and I also had one of those.

David was your typical genius nerd, a technical whiz who had absolutely no sales personality. He reminded me of my doctor, who was very competent, but totally lacking in what they call 'bedside manner'. As I looked at Laura's pretty face and terrific figure I wondered why she was with a guy like that. Maybe there was more to his 'bedside manner' than was evident in his conversation.

Without even commenting on the view from my windows, he launched right in. "Mr. Norwood, from what we have heard, you are the perfect person to help us introduce our product to the military," he said. "Laura is here to give you a brief technical presentation and answer your questions. We are hopeful that you will be interested enough to come visit us in California."

I was surprised that Laura would be the one describing the technical aspects of the product. There are very few women on the engineering side of this business, and virtually none as attractive as Laura. In fact just looking at her would have been enough for me to give them an afternoon of my time.

She was probably no more than five foot four, and even in her ultra high heels the top of her head was barely on a level with my chin. The tailored business suit she was wearing highlighted the presence of pert, saucy breasts, and a tight, dome-shaped ass. Her dark hair was piled casually on the top of her head, with little strands hanging down around her eyes and ears. A pair of rimless, fashionable glasses set off her light green eyes. The effect was to remind you of when you first saw the cute Sarah Palin, only this time you knew the woman was ten years younger and ten times as intelligent.

Laura set up her projector and began her PowerPoint presentation, showing the slides on the wall that was shielded from the sun. I was very impressed with their product. It allowed small groups of soldiers to communicate with a command center, in both voice and text, using a device about the size of a digital camera. A display on the device depicted a GPS map of the soldier's position relative to both enemy and friendly forces. Vectors showed the squad leader where he was supposed to go next.

The unit for the command center connected to a display the size of a portable movie screen. Its map showed the positions of all the units on the ground, as well as airborne assets like helicopters, drones, and gunships. The commander could see the big picture and direct his units one by one.

I imagined how this kind of system could have been used during the Normandy invasion. Units that were pinned down on the beaches could have been relieved by directing other units to attack the enemy from the sides. I knew some generals who were specialists in amphibious assaults and who would go for this product in a big way.

In order to test Laura's knowledge of the technical details, I asked her a series of questions about how the system worked, what frequencies and bandwidths were required, the effects of weather, what kind of underwater testing had been done, battery life, etc. She had all the answers.

When I seemed satisfied, her husband spoke up. "Laura participated in the development of this system and is well versed in all its aspects. If you take us on as a client she will be available to come to Washington anytime to make presentations and answer questions."

That sounded really good to me. "I am interested," I said. "If it works for you I could come to California next week to see your operation and meet the other principals."

"Excellent", he said, and Laura gave me a big smile.

Chapter 2

It took about a month and several trips to California for me to get all the information I needed and sign a contract. I spent many evenings with Laura and her husband, both of whom kept stressing how important my services would be to them. They stated repeatedly that Laura would be available to help me in my sales efforts.

On the day we executed the contract they took me out to dinner. Laura was dressed to kill, as they say, in a scoped necked number that showed a good four inches of steep cleavage. Her husband pointedly ignored my staring at his wife's boobs, but every time I dragged my eyes back to her face I found her smiling at me, her eyes sparkling. At the end of the evening she made a point of telling me that they both realized keeping me motivated should be an important part of their marketing program. I left them wondering whether the guy was offering me his wife in return for a big order.

Their system was not cheap. To outfit a battalion with this equipment would cost the Pentagon fifty million dollars. My sales commission would be twelve percent, and my mouth was watering with thoughts of the money, and of Laura.

Over the next month I arranged for Laura to make a number of presentations at the Pentagon. She was very professional and sexy at the same time. I kept waiting for a signal that she was ready to increase my motivation, but none came. Not that she wasn't friendly. We enjoyed each other's company, and there were times when I caught her looking at me in a strange way. I sensed she was struggling internally with some problem.

The presentations always went well. The combination of the attractiveness of the system and her sex appeal had her all male audiences on the edges of their chairs, and invariably they asked for follow up meetings. However, things were moving much too slowly for Laura and David.

We were enjoying a drink in my office late in the day after another inconclusive session when Laura opened the door to explore a different tact. I remember we were sitting facing each other on my couch, sipping on some very good whisky. Laura had let her skirt ride up over her knees.

"We don't have enough cash in our company to wait months for these bureaucrats to make up their minds," she said in an exasperated tone. "How can we speed things up?"

"The problem is that there is no senior officer demanding action," I explained. "We have been pitching the system to analysts who are making recommendations that are favorable, but their reports go into a pile to be considered for inclusion in the next budget."

"Isn't there some money in the current budget that we can get?"

"Yes, but it is controlled by a group of generals who use it only in very special circumstances."

"Do you know these guys?"

"Of course. The chairman of the group is a long time friend."

"Well......"

"Everyone is after this guy. My competitors fly him to exotic places for so-called meetings, and throw beautiful young women at him."

"Ah so... And does he like the women?"

"Very much. But he has become jaded. And since everyone provides them, including me on occasion, it does not result in a competitive advantage."

She was quiet for a long moment, twirling the whisky in her glass and staring at the revolving liquid like it contained some magic answer to her unspoken question. At last she looked up and reached out to take my hand.

"Maybe if he had a different kind of woman willing to do different kinds of things. If you know him so well, tell me what would really turn him on."

My mouth dropped open and I almost fell out of my chair. Up to that point Laura had never said anything as overtly sexual. Sure, she had been flirtatious as hell, but had always pulled back when I tried to take things a step further. Now it seemed like she had come to some kind of decision. Her thumb traced a circle on top of my hand, and together with the way she was looking at me, sent a message that she was ready to take our relationship to a new level. Their little company must have had very serious cash flow problems. Either that, or she wanted me as a lover, or both.

We both put down our drinks. I took her other hand and pulled her toward me. She held my eyes and waited. I could have kissed her then, but I decided to answer her question and see where it led.

"As a matter of fact, he does have a particular fantasy," I said softly. "Like many military men he is attracted to accounts of historic conquests, when great armies took over cities and the general had absolute power over the people. The general could have any of the women he wanted, and sometimes he would torment and humiliate them as part of his strategy to terrorize and control the populace. Of course my friend knows he could never do that in today's world, but he wishes he could."

Laura took a deep breath as the implication of what I was saying sunk in. Her eyes were wide open and sparkling. I sensed that I had touched a nerve, and I leaned closer, my eyes locked on hers.

"The general would love to play that kind of scene with a woman like yourself, a woman who is intelligent and accomplished, prominent in the community—just the type the barbarian general would have chosen to demonstrate his power.""

"Ahh....I see......"

I had to find out if I was right about her inclination toward sexual submission. My question was direct. "Do you think you could help the general with his fantasy? It might make a big difference."

Her breath quickened but her eyes never left mine. I could tell that she was excited by my suggestion.

"I was anticipating that I might have to sleep with someone to get this order," she said. "But I did not expect to have to play that kind of role."

"Does it repulse you?"

She took a deep breath. "Frankly, no. I have fantasies about being dominated sexually. My god, I can't believe I just said that!"

Now the cat was out of the box. I scooted closer to her on the couch and put my arm around her shoulders.

"It's about time we had a conversation about sex," I said gently. "You have been teasing me ever since we met. I'm getting tired of it."

"I know. I'm sorry. It's just that I like the attention. I get so little of it at home."

Her eyes teared up as she confessed her frustration. I put both arms around her and pulled her toward me, one hand in her hair to turn her head and press it against my chest. She was sobbing openly.

"Oh, Jack... I'm so confused. Never in a million years would I have thought I would respond the way I just did to such a suggestion. I am supposed to achieve with my mind, not my body. Ohhh...".

I held her and let her cry, sensing that the two sides of her were still in conflict—one wanting to be professional and proper, the other fueled by suppressed hormones. I suspected that she had been toying with her sexual fantasies for a long time, flirting and attracting men but always under tight control. Apparently her husband was not doing anything to relieve the pressure she had been putting on herself.

The fact that she was revealing herself to me was both flattering and exciting. And her admission of having submission fantasies made my blood boil. This was a woman I could relate to. Before we did anything with the General, I was going to push all her buttons.

Finally she grew quiet, although her body was still trembling. She seemed so small and delicate, and I found myself wanting to comfort and protect her almost as much as I wanted to ravish her. Keeping my arm tight around her, I kissed her hair.

"It's all right, Laura. You are going to tell me all about your life and your feelings. I am older and more experienced, and I will understand. You are a good person; that's the important thing. We all have to find our way through the sexual maize of our natures. Now... no more tears."

"I'm so embarrassed," she sobbed. "You are my business associate. I hardly know you and here I am babbling about my sex life."

"Laura, I want you to listen to me," I said earnestly. "I like you and want to help you, both professionally and personally. You can trust me. Anything we say or do will be just between us. Are you willing to let me be your friend?"

She smiled her eyes still moist. "Just a friend?"

"That depends," I said. "Why don't we start by you telling me how a sexy, accomplished woman like yourself ended up married to a guy like David."

"Oh, it's a long story," she said. "But I do need a friend, and I like what I do know about you. You are forceful and kind at the same time. And you seem to be interested in me. I do feel I can trust you."

"Good. Now let me freshen your drink to make the process easier."

"Oh my. It's already going to my head. I really shouldn't drink any more without eating something."

I did not want to break the mood by going to a restaurant. "I'll call for a pizza," I said. "We're not leaving here until I hear your story, all of it."

She gave me a look that said she was glad to have me make the decisions. I did not even ask her what kind of toppings she preferred, but went right to the phone and speed dialed my favorite place. "Go into my bathroom and fix your face," I said as I waited for the call to go through. "Your crying has ruined that sexy eye make up."

Chapter 3

It was late in the day and getting dark. I turned off all the lights except for the one on my desk and a table lamp in the sitting area. The soft illumination turned my office into a romantic lounge. Through the windows the river gleamed in the fading sunlight like a ribbon of sliver.

When Laura emerged from the bathroom, her eyes were clear, but her face was still flushed. The combination of alcohol and anticipation was evident in her demeanor. She was slightly unsteady as she crossed the room in her high heels to where I was waiting on the couch.

"You are a beautiful woman," I said sincerely

"Thank you kind sir," she replied.

"I like your use of the word 'sir'," I said. "From now on, when we are in private, you are to address me that way. Now sit down."

Her eyes widened, but she said nothing as she sat beside me. It was a critical moment. I had made it clear that when our relationship got personal I was going to be the boss. Things were moving fast, and I wanted to give them a nudge in the right direction. She had given me indications that she wanted to be dominated, but whether she was ready was another question.

When she did not react negatively to my commands, I went a step further. "Look at me," I said.

She turned her head and stared at me with hot eyes. Her breath came in short intakes. I leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the lips. "Now, start at the beginning," I said. "What made you become an engineer?"

"That was the sweetest kiss," she purred. "I want another.....please....sir.....

I laughed. "You are likely to get many more. But first, answer my question."

She picked up her drink. "My mother was a great beauty, but she was dissatisfied with her life. Men always gave her things, and she never had to use her intelligence or got to feel the sense of accomplishment that can only come from work. When I showed some aptitude for science and math, she insisted that I pursue it. She was a real 'women's libber'.

"I had lots of boyfriends, but they were secondary to my studies. The more I got into the wonders of electronics, the more I liked it. I put my social life on hold to get my degree. Right after I graduated I was hired by David to work in his new company."

"Were you attracted to him?"

"I was attracted to his mind. When you know the basics in a field and you meet someone whose knowledge and thought processes far exceed your own you can't help but be impressed. I was in awe of him. My mother and father thought he was going to be rich and famous, and when he proposed to me I accepted. There was little sexual attraction, but my mother had convinced me that sex only got in the way of what was really important in life."

"How long ago was it when you got married?"

"Four years."

"Are you happy?"

"What do you think? If I were happily married I wouldn't be sitting here asking for more kisses from a charming salesman."

I grinned and put my hand on her thigh. She was wearing a typical business woman power suit, with a pencil skirt, starched blouse, and jacket. In spite of the tightness of the skirt, I was able to push on her knee and open her legs a few inches. It was a symbolic gesture that brought a small gasp from her throat.

"So what are you going to do about this unhappy marriage?" I asked.

"I own 25% of the stock in David's company. Right now it's worth almost nothing. But if we get a big order from the government, it will be worth a lot, and then I can negotiate a good divorce settlement. David and I have discussed it. He knows the marriage was a mistake, and he wants to be rid of me."

That was a relief. I do not like breaking up marriages. "What will you do then?" I asked.

"I'll get another job, but I will be focused on meeting people. I know now that my mother's plan doesn't work for me; I need a man who will make me feel like a woman, not a technocrat. That is priority number one. Then I can pursue a working career."

"Children?"

"Later, yes, maybe."

There was a knock at the door and a voice calling for the person who had ordered the pizza. I got up and sent the delivery man on his way with a big tip. The pizza was hot and smelled delicious. I opened the box on the coffee table.