Without Strings

"Hi there." the young man said as walked in and waved at Kyle. "I'm Travis."

"Nice to meet you, Travis. I'm Kyle."

Travis took a seat across from Kyle and began to speak. "So, Randy tells me you're the new boss. I'm not gonna lie, I was hoping for someone with a little more experience. Not that you're not savvy in the advertising sector..." He paused and glanced around the room. "We do more digital media over here."

Kyle nodded and smiled. "Yes, I know. I'm familiar with the division's work. And while I may not have as much experience as some, I am eager to learn and grow with the team. I'm sure we can find ways to make this work." He paused, then added, "Besides, I have a pretty good mentor in Randy."

Travis giggled. "Yeah, don't count on it." he said with a grin. "Randy is not very hands on. He pretty much doesn't even come around much. I'm pretty sure that's why he pushed for your transfer."

"Really?" Kyle replied a little put off as this is not what he thought this would play out. "So, he doesn't get involved very much?" Kyle questioned.

Travis shook his head. "Nope." He shifted in his seat and leaned closer to Kyle. "Honestly, I'm not even sure how he landed the position he has."

As the day went on, Kyle continued to meet the rest of the team. They all seemed skeptical of his abilities but were polite enough not to voice their concerns directly. He took note of their strengths and weaknesses and began to formulate ideas on how he could lead them.

As Kyle collected his things in preparation for the subway ride home, there was another knock at the door with a tall, lanky gentleman walking in. "Hey." the man said as he walked into the office.

Kyle began to think no one around here waited to be let in and was rather surprised they even knocked. Kyle faced the man, "Hey."

"I'm Seager." the man said shaking Kyle's hand. "I know I'm a bit late for the meet and greets, I was just working on our latest client's magazine shoots" Seager smiled as he spoke, almost as if he was bragging.

"Oh, I see." Kyle said as he put the last of his things in his briefcase. "So, that would make you the photographer?" Kyle smiled back at Seager.

"Yes, yes I am. Not to brag, but the best in all the burrows." Seager chuckled when he spoke.

Kyle was not sucked into Seager's meager attempt at bolstering his own worth. "I see. So, you've won the Kenzie Medal then, eh?" Kyle questioned, knowing Seager had not. The Kenzie Medal was the most influential award in New York's art side. Only the best have ever won it and Kyle had never heard of Seager before.

Seager looked surprised at the mention of the award. "Oh, uh, no. Not yet. But I'm working on it. I think I have a shot this year."

"Well, good luck with that." Kyle replied with a smile, already thinking of how he could use Seager's skills in the advertising department. "I think we could use your talents to help boost the digital media side of things. With your experience in photography, you could create some really eye-catching visuals for our campaigns."

"Yeah..." Seager looked perplexed at Kyle's comments. "I kind of already do that" he said with an expectant look on his face, expecting Kyle to know he pretty much already runs the show.

"Oh, sure." Kyle said grabbing his briefcase off his desk. "I believe you do; we'll get deeper into this tomorrow. I'm gonna be late for my train.

With that Kyle patted Seager on the back as he walked out of the room.

Kyle found a seat rather easily as the subway was not that packed. It was a Monday evening, and he was traveling after rush hour had already wrapped up. His brownstone was only a few stops from his office, so about a half an hour subway ride, and he was home.

When he walked in, he saw Gwen sitting on the couch, watching television. Hearing him close the door she looked over in his direction. "Oh, hey babe. How was your first day as a big shot boss man?" she asked, obviously joking.

"It was... interesting." Kyle said, removing his jacket and hanging it up on the hallway coat rack. "There are some... unique personalities there."

Gwen smiled. "I'm sure you'll handle them just fine." She paused for a moment, then continued. "How did everyone react to you being their new boss?"

"Most of them seemed skeptical, but polite enough." Kyle said as he walked over to the coffee table and poured himself a glass of wine. "Travis seemed the most surprised though. He kept saying he didn't understand how I got the position."

"And Travis is...?" Gwen asked looking confused at Kyle's vague response.

"Oh, sorry. Travis is the IT kid." Kyle said, taking a sip of wine. "He's been with the company for a while. I guess he's just used to things being done a certain way. I'm sure he'll come around."

"Well, it's your job to make sure he does." Gwen smiled and took a sip of her wine. "So, what are your plans for tomorrow?"

"I'm going to have a meeting with each of the department heads, just to get to know them and their teams. I also want to discuss some of the challenges they've been facing and see how I can help." Kyle said, sitting down beside Gwen on the couch. "How about you?"

Gwen leaned her back onto Kyle's chest and continued talking while laying her head on his shoulder. "Well, I got the twelves starting tomorrow. So, I'll be gone when you get home and probably not return until after you fall asleep. I took a few extra shifts at the hospital to make sure I would get the vacation time approved."

"That's good, hon. I appreciate you working extra." Kyle said, rubbing Gwen's back gently. "You know we didn't have to take this trip so soon."

"I know, but I wanted to. And it's only for a few weeks, right? We can manage." Gwen smiled, turning her head to look at Kyle.

Kyle tried to notice if Gwen was acting any different. If the devices he used last night had any effect, or if it would take several uses. He didn't really have any guidebook on those things. Just what the shaggy man told him. Maybe he could stop by the shop tomorrow after work and see if he can get more information.

"Well, I hope you have a good day at work tomorrow. You know you can always come home and talk about it with me." Gwen said, looking up at him.

"I appreciate that. And I promise to make it home in time to give you a proper goodnight kiss." Kyle smiled, then took his phone out of his pocket to check the time. "Oh, wow. Is it really that late already? I should probably get some rest if I want to be fresh for tomorrow."

"Go ahead, hon. I'll see you in the morning." Gwen smiled, giving him a quick kiss on the lips. "Night."

As Kyle walked down the hallway to their bedroom, he thought about his conversation with Gwen. He felt a mix of excitement and nervousness about starting his new job. On the one hand, he was confident in his abilities and ready to make a difference. On the other hand, he couldn't help but feel a bit overwhelmed by the responsibility of leading a team of people.

Walking into the room he pulled his phone out of his pocket, setting the alarm so he could wake and use the device on Gwen again.

When the alarm woke Kyle, he looked over at Gwen. She was sleeping soundly, and he figured he wouldn't have an issue applying the device again.

He carefully slipped out of bed and moved over to where Gwen was laying. The device was already set to the right frequency, so all he had to do was press it against her temples. He winced slightly as the cool metal contacted her warm skin, but she didn't stir.

As he stood there, watching her sleep, he couldn't help but feel a sense of awe. She was so beautiful, so peaceful. He did feel slightly guilty for what he was doing to his wife. He was literally manipulating her. Bending her to his whims. Then again, he thought as he tried to rationalize his actions. He's just giving her little nudges. Into a more open attitude. Allowing her to do anything she would ever want without fear of judgement or jealousy from him.

He took a step back, trying to give her some space and allow her to sleep. But as he looked at her, he couldn't help but feel drawn to her. He wanted to touch her, to hold her. With a sigh, he walked back over to the bed and carefully slipped in beside her, spooning her from behind. She mumbled something in her sleep and shifted slightly but didn't wake up. He ran his hand over her stomach, feeling the softness of her skin.

When Kyle's alarm went off, he quickly glanced over to Gwen's side of the bed. She was still sleeping, which calmed him. He quickly, softly, and quietly removed the devices from Gwen's temples and put them in his nightstand. He then got dressed and went off to work.

At work, Kyle found himself more focused and efficient than ever. He had a newfound sense of purpose and direction, which translated into better results for the team. His colleagues noticed the change in him as well and began to seek his advice on various matters. Kyle was humbled by their trust and confidence in him, but he also felt a sense of responsibility to live up to their expectations.

Kyle felt as if work flew by on that Tuesday and before he knew it he was sitting in his front room on his couch, flicking through streaming stations looking for something to watch. Gwen was off at the hospital and wouldn't return till late, he then remembered to set his alarm late enough that she would be sleeping, and he could apply the devices again.

He set his phone to play a random series of tones that would hopefully not alert her if she were to wake up. Once he was sure everything was in place, he picked up his phone and started to browse social media. He came across a post from one of his old high school friends. They were talking about how they had found a new hobby and how much they enjoyed it. Kyle felt a pang of envy. He had never really found anything that interested him outside of work. He decided that perhaps he should try to find something to occupy his time in the evenings, something that didn't involve just sitting around the house.

Kyle heard his alarm going off that night, and saw that Gwen was in their bed, fast asleep. He quietly, and quickly grabbed the devices from his nightstand and applied them like before. Then, jumped back to his side of the bed. While lying there, trying to fall back asleep, he laughed to himself. This whole thing was becoming sort of a routine for him.

The next day at work, Kyle was visited by another member of the department. Tyler. He was in a different section so not really and underling of Kyle's but, he did chat with him previously. "Hey, Kyle, am I bothering you?" he asked while giving the door a little knock and walking right in. Kyle laughed to himself. Well, it wasn't just his department that entered like that, then.

"No not really, what can I do for you, Tyler? Kyle questioned as Tyler sat at the other chair in the office.

"We're starting a cross client portfolio later this week." Tyler said with a faint hint of pride in his voice.

Kyle nodded, not having a clue as to what the man was talking about.

"You see, my side will prep all the article content and your side will handle the imagery and digital end." Tyler pushed forward in his seat and rested his elbows on his knees. "So, the finding a model is on your end." He said with a very cheesy smile.

Kyle nodded. "Got it. I'll take care of it. Thanks for letting me know." He said, feeling a little more confident in his abilities. He was good at his job and was sure this would be no sweat.

Later that afternoon Kyle received a text from Gwen.

"Hey babe. Just checking in on my super advertiser! Hope all is well; I'm loving you from afar."

He smiled to himself as he read her text.

"Hey, you. Thanks for the kind words. I'm good, just finishing up a few things for the day. How about you? What's new at the hospital?" He replied, wanting to keep the conversation going.

"Oh, super busy today. I even had to help out in the ER. Horrible crash off Broadway."

Gwen's reply made Kyle's heart skip a beat. He knew about her interest in medicine, but he had no idea she was so close to it. "Oh wow, I'm sorry to hear that. Stay safe out there, okay? I hope you get some rest tonight." He texted back, feeling a mixture of concern and admiration for her.

She replied with only a kissy lips emoji. He smiled to himself as he put his phone away and began to dig back into his work.

Should he have mentioned the needing for a model to Gwen? He thought to himself. He wondered if she would be willing to try it out. She was sexy as hell and had no problem turning heads all over town.

Kyle tried to shove the thought aside. He'd see what models they had in their pool and also check out some scouting websites. Not putting the possibility of Gwen completely out of the equation... just see the other options first. As he was sure, if she would even be willing to do it, it would take a lot of work from him to make it happen.

The rest of the night went the same as the others had. He came home to an empty brownstone and wasted time on television before setting his alarm and going to sleep. Waking up in the middle of the night, placing the devices on his wife's temples and returning to slumber himself.

The next morning, Kyle arrived to work early and went straight to the computer. He opened up the internal modeling database and started searching for potential candidates. He spent the better part of an hour looking through the profiles, narrowing it down to a few promising options. Next, he logged onto the scouting website and began browsing through their extensive collection of models. He spent another hour or so going through their portfolios, making notes of the ones that caught his eye.

As he was about to move on to something else, he paused for a moment and thought about Gwen. She was, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful women he knew. And she certainly had the confidence and presence to pull off a modeling gig. But would she be interested? And more importantly, would she be willing to do it? He sighed, realizing that he had no idea how to bring up the subject with her.

The more he thought about it, he began to worry about what the other guys might think. He'd be playing favorites if he got his wife to model this big deal and she had no experience. Then, he had a eureka moment. He could present her as a friend. Not a very close friend, just a former college. Then, no one would think anything of it. She was obviously attractive enough; they would agree to work with her and help her out.

He was beginning to feel more confident about this plan. He laughed to himself. He was concocting plans and using hypnotizing devices on his wife. He felt sort of like a mad scientist from some trashy comic book.

Deciding to take the plunge, he sent Gwen another text. "Hey babe, I've been meaning to ask. You know that friend of yours from college who's been talking about getting into modeling? I think she's perfect for the job I've been telling you about. I just need a name and a few numbers to set it up." He paused, feeling a little guilty for not mentioning that he was talking about her. "Let me know if you can help out."

Gwen's reply came through almost immediately. "What are you talking about, dear?" She was obviously confused as he had just made all this up on the spot. "I don't have a friend interested in modeling."

Oh. That was not the reaction he was expecting. He thought about how to phrase his next message carefully. "Well, I meant hypothetically. You know, just pretend there's a friend and I can get her the gig. It's not a big deal, just a favor for me. I'm sure you'd make someone's day by being a part of this. Please say you'll help me out."

Gwen's reply came a few moments later. "Alright, dear. I'll do it. Just give me the details." He could feel a surge of relief washing over him. Now all he had to do was make sure everything went smoothly and she nailed the audition. He quickly sent her the necessary information and then set about finishing up his work for the day.

When Kyle arrived home, he called out for Gwen. "Babe, I'm home."

"In the bedroom, dear." she called back.

He found her on the bed, browsing through a magazine. "Oh, hi honey. How was your day?" she asked him, not looking up from the pages.

"It was fine. I was just thinking, now that you're going to be doing this, I should probably get you a new wardrobe. You know, for the auditions and such." He said, trying to sound casual about it.

"Oh really?" she replied, looking up at him with a smile. "That's very sweet of you, dear. But I already have plenty of clothes."

"Nonsense, you deserve to have something nice. It'll be our little secret," he winked. "Besides, it'll help you feel more confident. And who knows? You might just end up being the next big thing."

Gwen giggled. "Alright then, if you insist. But let's make it a surprise. I'll go through my old clothes and see what I can find that I haven't worn in a while, and then we can go shopping together. Deal?"

"Okay." He said as he sat next to his wife on the bed. "What cha reading?"

She showed him the magazine, which was one of the top fashion magazines in the world. "Oh, just looking for some inspiration." She said, not meeting his eyes.

He took the magazine from her and flipped through the pages, taking in the beautiful models and the elegant clothing. "Well, I'm sure you'll do just fine. And who knows? Maybe you'll get discovered and become a supermodel." He teased, trying to make light of the situation.

Kyle noticed a slight change in Gwen's demeaner and attitude. She jumped onboard with the whole modelling thing really fast. That was totally out of character for her. The devices must be working. Was her lust or just her inhibition rising?

With that thought Kyle excused himself as his mind began swirling with ideas and new plans. While shopping with Gwen for new outfits, he would pick out the most daring and sexiest ones that the boutique sold. Then, he could gage her reactions and maybe get a barometer of how well the devices were working.

Later that night, they went shopping at a high-end boutique. Gwen seemed to be in a great mood, laughing and joking with the sales associates as they helped her try on various outfits. As she modeled each item, Kyle couldn't help but feel a surge of pride and desire welling up inside him. She looked stunning in everything, and the more revealing the outfit, the more confident she seemed to feel.

He noticed that she didn't object to any of the more daring options, and even seemed to enjoy showing off her body in them. As they walked around the store, he couldn't help but steal glances at her ass, which was now accentuated by a pair of tight black pants, or her cleavage, which was on full display in a low-cut top. Her hefty D cup breasts bounced almost as eagerly as Kyle did watching his wife strut her sexiness.

He then had another thought. "Hey, babe. Let's skip the train and just walk home. It's a nice night and we haven't really had a chance to share a lot of quality time together lately."

Gwen looked at him with a smile and nodded. "That sounds lovely, dear. It's always nice to spend some time with you." She took his hand as they walked out of the store, the cool night air brushing against their skin.

The New York streets were bustling with people doing their own thing, as usual. Kyle's thoughts turned more sinister as they walked. He wondered if they could find a less crowded area and he could get Gwen to flash some strangers. She had really nice boobs, and was not embarrassed by them at all... it just wasn't something she would usually do, but with the help of his devices... who knows?

They walked a few blocks, and eventually found a small park with only a few benches and some trees. It was the perfect spot. "Hey, Gwen. Let's sit down here for a bit, take a breather." he said, guiding her to one of the benches.