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“I can't haveAt all At any time” The words left him harshly, as if he were surprised he even had to explain this to her “I learned this inmy business, before I was even a millionaire If you put a line of tape down your back, any time you hunch, the tape will pull on your skin and reht”

“Sure, I'll give it a shot,” I said

“Sure? Are we back to being buddies in English lit now? This isn't a request”

I leaned forward, suddenly much less relaxed “Yes, sir” I took the tape and tore off a piece before realizing I had no way of putting it onforit on the back of the chair, unsure how to proceed

“Un-tuck your shirt, and I’ll slide it up your back” Hein the world I un-tucked my shirt, as he commanded, and turned my back to him He pulledsticking the tape up my back I tried not to squirm as he maneuvered the tape underunder his touch His hand brushedme He patted the tape fir on the srinned at hi my shirt back intohi if he still tasted the way I reht he would this opportunity to kiss an to lean in

A loud beep interrupted us as the secretary outside paged him to let him know his next appointment had arrived We stood there, shocked out of our ible between us I don't think I iht then It was like we had stepped back in tiether He pulled back and scribbled so on a piece of paper and handed it to me

“If you are interested, be there at 9pm You will still have a job either way, so only come if you want to relive old times,” he said, veryinto my ears as he strode towards the door and out to the athered anized departure

I played with the piece of paper for the rest of the day I wondered what I was getting myself into, but thewithin ain I stayed late setting anized for work At 8:30po

I showed up to his mansion at 9pm sharp It reht iron gates guarded his hoain access The noise of the buzz startledopen silently and I made my way up the drive I parked near the front door, the yard quiet Sas for on the duct tape running down my spine Deep breath and a knock that I hoped sounded confident

Mr King opened the door and ushered me into a lavish interior I marveled in awe at the crystal chandeliers, the heavy wooden furniture, the expensive artwork hanging on the walls There was classicalsoftly so was quiet I didn't see a single servant or housekeeper He uided me up the main stairs and to a small room at the end of one of the halls

There was nothing in it but a single plastic folding chair in the center of the rooht shoulder, and a couple more wooden trunks in the corner The roo onto the chair It gave the roo o ht of the entryway His jacket was tossed carelessly by the door but he still had his tie on

“This room ree Please take off your shoes and jacket” He spoke quietly and deliberately I slipped off my shoes and folded my business suit jacket neatly on top of thes we had done with a sio

“Sit down” he co chair He walked aroundwhat he saw He loosened his tie, pulling it over his head instead of untying it It dropped to the floor as he walked, and he stepped on it as he undid his shirt cuffs and collar I perched on the edge of the chair,andonat the ses of the tape I hoped he wouldn’t notice the sweat

He pulled out two clothespins from his pocket as he walked in front of me, then set them on the box behind me They were the cheap kind that my mother used when she dried sheets outside when I was a kid; I wondered what he was going to do with the out so, and he set the obediently straight ahead

“Put your hands behind you, Claire,” he asked, politely but with a tone that made it clear that it was an order My hands flew back, hooking h trap my wrists and tie them to the bars of the chair as he kneeled behindthat he had left the twine loose enough to rub against my skin but that I couldn’t break free He leaned in and kissed my neck where the collar to my shirt ended He stood and caressed the nape ofthe shmy head back