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FIONA

I ran orous motion

Afterward, I reached forit with a thick s The silky texture of creaue were subtle reminders of the effect the caffeine had on my nervous system

As I finished it off, I placed rab my pen, when I noticed it for the first time My hand shook as it hovered just above the desk’s surface Undaunted, I balled htenedthe hard plastic between e with focus

I licked an to scribble my notes once more, determined this time to not allow distractions to creep in and disrupt me I still had a bit of time before the staff arrived, and so while I had the chance to catch up, I needed toto keep focused on the long list of tasks in e more than about ten minutes or so of dedicated concentration before my mind wandered to my troubles

The irony was, of course, that my job at Hawkins Biotech was supposed to solve my problems, not create a half dozen more

I spent an entire weekend obsessing over e it was doing torandmother took notice even as I did my best to conceal it from her When she asked, I lied and told her I was under stress fro presentation I was scheduled to make She’d been so out of it over the weekend, it seemed as if she believed me

That was a good thing, because ti out on my charade

I glanced up around the still-es where I could get theed a ss had improved for the better

Although productivity was down a little, morale was up and it looked as if, for the moment anyway, A part of the reason for that was, so far, I’d ed to keep ossip between the tomen While I was sure they’d done their part to try and spread it as best they could, it hadn’t had the desired effect

At least, not yet

With respect to the presentation, I’d gone to a couple of local Toasts to learn how to be an effective communicator The simple fact was that I knew the material about the Link Protocol as well as could be expected Noas just amy fears

Unfortunately, one well I was ten—no—a hundred tih I didn’t yet know exactly when I was to give the presentation, based on where ere in the project, I figured it wouldn’t be long

So even though things ere going all right, the saan to feel less and less able to turn him ahen it came to sex This was partially due to the fact that I wasn’t altogether sure he wouldn’t fire an to feel like I couldn’t

Nothing could have prepared me for what happened to ether On the one hand, the way he’d treatedclose to humiliated On the other, what he’d done stimulated and excited me in a way I can’t explain

I racked hts and emotions in the silence of er nights, I wasn’t any closer to understanding the changes taking place insideat the same time I found myself in unfamiliar territory with no clear path forward All uide me, teach me, tell me…

What I ought to do

What I should study

What I need to say

Yet, in his office, under his control, I felt free in a way I hadn’t before My intellect failed , about what he did that would appeal to reason In fact, it should have been the exact opposite I should have been appalled at what he’d done—outraged After all, look at how he’d treated me…

He commanded me

He ordered me

He owned me

But ironically, far fro repulsed by it, the simple truth was I’d never felt more feminine in my entire life For once, for just a few moments, I wasn’t the one responsible I didn’t have to care for anyone, answer to anyone or tell anyone what to do Of all places, it was on his desk, being taken by hiinable, that I realized true bliss And I’h there was so away my power to have to choose, to make a decision

Unfortunately, asfound out would have the exact opposite effect With each day that passed, I grew more certainbetween us For his part, Gabe seemed unconcerned about such an outcome He’d put me in an impossible situation and the worst part of it was, some twisted part of me enjoyed it

I took a break froain, far worse than it had before Around the sahtheadedness overcaar, lack of sleep, or both, I had the sensation I o moist as clammy perspiration coated my forehead and the back of my neck

“Oh please, no,” I whispered, as I laid my head down on my desk