Surrender: Fantasies Unleashed 3 (8 page)
In front of everyone.
But the most rage-inducing part was that, for the majority of the points he’d raised, I agreed.
“Bennett.” Settling my shoulders, I raised my chin. “You’re coming at all these points with the benefit of hindsight. How could I have arrived at the final strategy sooner? My team couldn’t have possibly known what the focus group would say
before
we held the focus group meeting.”
“Gina,” Bennett said, “As I’ve told you multiple times. If you’re unsure of anything, just ask. My door is always open.”
I gripped my pen so hard, I nearly broke it. “If you know all the answers beforehand, why do we even hold focus groups?”
His crystal blue gaze bored into mine for what felt like a frozen eternity. It was so hard not to look away. It seemed criminal for one man to have landed the genes giving him blue eyes, a full head of dark brown hair, and impossibly long lashes. He was beyond beautiful. Kind of like a taller version of that guy who played a vampire on that teen TV show. Finally, he broke our staring contest and turned to the rest of the group. “Can we move on?”
My cheeks burned that he’d called me out in front of the other five senior consultants in the boardroom. His favorite thing was to hold me up as an example of what not to do for the others. I’d worked here for nearly two years, and if I was honest, it had been the two best years of my career so far. What I’d learned from Bennett Gold in the past twenty-three months and ten days outweighed the almost daily humiliation and frustration.
Almost.
Whenever he discussed my work, he had this way of making me feel like I was a kid being scolded—more like spanked. And if I was totally honest about
everything
, the humiliation that rose from his criticisms was increased tenfold by the other feelings he aroused.
Sexual feelings. Degrading sexual feelings. Bennett made me feel totally exposed, like he was bending me over his knee, my ass bare, his hand stinging my flesh in front of everyone in the room. I felt like he was having me stand in front of everyone while discussing my naked body, tweaking and probing me in front of the others.
At least he’d moved on to criticizing Peter, now, but he was never as hard on the others as he was on me. With them, his critiques seemed dispassionate, impersonal. In contrast, every word he spoke to me could strip me naked, lash into my bare skin and penetrate my body and soul.
Only halfway listening to him, I reached for my water to douse the hot flames rising inside me. I knew how I felt around Bennett wasn’t entirely his fault, but admitting it didn’t make me any less frustrated.
This too shall pass, I thought. In another year, two at most, I’d be ready to head out on my own. I’d launch my own marketing consultancy and be out from under the heavy thumb of Bennett Gold and never have to see him again. Or better, I’d trample him. Win contracts against him. Reverse the humiliation game. Make
him
feel small.
Yes! I’d give him a taste of his own medicine.
I could picture it right now. I’d do it here in this room with its glass walls so all the junior staff and admin assistants could watch; I’d take him down a few dozen notches; I’d relish seeing him as vulnerable in front of this group as he makes me feel.
If I were his boss, I’d make him crawl naked across the table for me. I’d tease and torture him, tickling and slapping his balls and cock until he was ready to explode. Then I’d shame him if he did.
“Pants off,” I’d say, and the whole room would watch, secretly overjoyed with schadenfreude as he got his comeuppance. They’d respect me for not only my superiority in business, but also for my control over Bennett. I’d be doing what each of them had only imagined.
“But Gina,” he’d plead. “I did my best. How was I to know that the client’s mistress didn’t like kittens, and she’d force him to reject the entire campaign after we’d spent hundreds of thousands on the artwork and television spots? It’s not my fault, Gina. Most people
like
kittens.”
“Bennett,” I’d say, standing and leaning onto the table, “if you need help, just ask. How could you possibly order artwork without first reading the minds of everyone involved? Reading the minds of their spouses, families and lovers?”
I’d shake my head and shoot him a shaming look. “Bennett, it’s important that you learn your lesson so you won’t make the same mistake again.”
He’d keep his gaze on me, his expression contrite, as he undid his belt and fly and stepped out of his pants to reveal the thick, long bulge in his briefs to the rest of the room. I’d make him reveal his dirty secret: how much he wants me in spite of my scolding. How he worships me in spite of my derision. How my constant admonishments have made him so fucking hard.
I’d make him feel like I always do.
“Underwear?” I’d say, staring at his crotch. “Do I need to tell you
everything
?”
Cheeks flaming, he’d continue to watch me as he removed his red briefs—no, leopard print—his cock leaping forward to divide the tails of his white dress shirt.
“On the table.” I’d walk toward him. “Kneel. Hands up behind your head.”
Like a dutiful servant, he’d mount the table, kneeling up with his hands laced behind his head so his biceps would flex. I’d lift the back of his shirt to admire his ass, kneading the tight muscles, slapping them a few times. Then, lifting a ruler I’d smack that taut butt, making red marks on the muscled flesh, watching his cock bounce as I delivered each blow.
If he so much as whimpered or moved, I’d do it again and again until he learned to stay still, until he’d learned his lesson, then I’d balance the ruler on his cock, and leading him by his tie, I’d make him shuffle around the table to present himself to the others. Each time the ruler dropped, I’d slap his cock with it. He’d spend time in front of everyone, and I’d let them tug, or lick, or slap his hard cock and ass.
And through all this, I’d continue the meeting as if he were merely office equipment, something useful in the room, but inconsequential. I’d hold everyone’s rapt attention with my marketing genius, while tapping his cock with my pen instead of my tablet, and I’d slap or grab his dick to emphasize my most salient points.
By the end of the meeting, he’d beg me to suck him off, or to let him fuck me or even touch himself. I’d deny all requests. And if he dared defy me, the punishments would be swift, humiliating, degrading. I’d make him sorry for every time he made me feel small, for every second he made me feel completely and utterly under his control. I’d make him sorry for how fucking much he turns me on.
“You okay?”
I jumped as Alex, sitting next to me, touched my arm.
Pulled out of my revenge fantasy, I realized everyone else was standing, packing up their things and leaving the room.
I turned back toward the head of the table. Bennett was staring at me with what I swore was heat in his eyes—heat and a knowing, predatory grin as if he’d been reading my mind.
Instinctively, I crossed my arms over my chest, feeling like my breasts were exposed instead of being covered by my conservative blouse and suit jacket.
“Do you need me for something, Gina?” he asked.
“No.” I stood, pushing my chair back.
“Don’t be so proud,” he said. “If you’re ever having difficulties, my office is open. Don’t ever hesitate to come.”
To keep reading, order
Humbling the Boss
now
Titles by Mara Leigh
Dirty Business, Fantasies Unleashed 1
Bedded by Strangers, Fantasies Unleashed 2
Surrender, Fantasies Unleashed 3
Humbling the Boss, Fantasies Unleashed 4
If you like steamy reads, here are some other authors you might enjoy!
Complete Bliss, A Her Billionaires novella
, by Julia Kent
Have Me, A Stark Ever After Novella
, by J. Kenner
He Watches Me, The Seen Trilogy Part One
, by Cynthia Sax
