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| Site contents Copyright © 2005-2015 Bridget Midway All Rights Reserved |
Corporate Desires
Chapter 1
Who in the world would fuck an Edna Zulma? As Edna stood there staring at her reflection in the long
mirror, she wondered just that. Wearing sensible mid-heel black pumps, an ankle-length black skirt and
long-sleeve shirt that was buttoned to the neck, no way would she get any play in an outfit like this and with
her dowdy name.
Now a Madame Z.? That woman could get anything she wanted.
Yeah, like jail time, she thought. She shook her head. Enough of that old life. Time to start her new life. In
the outfit she wore, it felt more like a prison than her confinement behind concrete and steel. She adjusted
her collar, convinced she could feel heat billowing from underneath.
Edna smoothed her hand back over her hair that was pulled back tight into a bun. Despite wearing no
makeup, she still thought she looked great for being almost forty. Of course the makeup helped her not
look so close to that age.
She would have to thank her genes for not getting the telltale lines around her eyes and mouth. The old
saying of “Black doesn’t crack” fit her right now.
She wished she felt as young as the décor in her room. Back now in her childhood bedroom, Edna scanned
the walls covered in New Edition and Michael Jackson posters. This was the Michael Jackson from his Off
The Wall days, cute, dark-skinned, real. Then again, she couldn’t really comment on anyone’s authenticity.
She peered down at her shirt and attempted to close the front of her blouse, opening due to her size of her
breasts. So long as she could walk out of the house without a sermon from her mother, Edna would
consider it a good day.
New adjustments consumed Edna’s life now. Her small twin bed humbled her from sleeping in her huge
California king-sized bed for the last few years. If she really wanted to be humbled, she could think about
her days in D.B.’s Dungeon. A shiver traveled up her spine.
She took a deep breath. On the exhalation, her breath came out ragged.
“Come on, girl. No nerves.” She shifted her weight back and forth, a mistake considering the crusty
condition of her mama’s house.
The hardwood floors squeaked under her feet.
“Edna?” her mother called from the kitchen. “Eddie? Na-na?”
Edna rolled her eyes to the back of her head. She knew there was trouble when her mother started calling
her by the old nicknames she was given by friends and family as a child.
“Coming, Ma.”
Her new living situation was another crushing blow. After her incarceration, Edna lost her home, The Oh
Club, the money Sire Darin had given her when he passed, everything. She had to start all over from
scratch, which included her relationship with her mother, a woman she hadn’t seen since Edna ran away
from home at the tender age of seventeen.
Fuck this. And fuck her new life. The hell with starting that new job today. Edna unbuttoned the cuffs on her
shirt and started unbuttoning her blouse. Who needed the hassle of the daily grind?
Now in her old life, if she said “grind,” men winced; that’s what she wanted, what she needed. No, what she
really needed was a good fuck. Good luck getting that in this house with her mama watching over her every
second of every day. If not her, then it was J.J. Kresty, her parole officer. Hell, the man wasn’t even good
looking enough to imagine while she masturbated.
Edna laughed. Yes, maybe that was what she needed to take the edge off. She rolled up her sleeves and
peered over her shoulder to make sure her mother wasn’t going to barge in on her. To give herself some
extra time, Edna ducked into her walk-in closet full of clothes and shoes, unfortunately not any of her old
clothes or shoes.
She tripped over a toppled wedge heel before falling back against a rack full of clothes. Once on stable
footing, she lifted her skirt, quite a hike at its long length. With the skirt secured around her waist, she pulled
down her pantyhose. Damn, she missed her stockings.
Now who would be mentally fucked today? Edna closed her eyes. The first image that popped into her mind
was the one man she used to fantasize about for years and could never have: Winston Biggers.
She’d received letters from him while she was incarcerated. Actually, the letters had all come from
Maybelline, Mistress Mayai as Edna had known her, Winston’s new wife. But Edna was sure that May
wouldn’t mind Edna using her husband as masturbation material.
Edna slipped her hand into her panties. Her other hand eased into her bra cup. While her index finger
circled her nipple, trying hard to extract the pebble from its slumber, she desperately tried coaxing just a bit
of wetness in her pussy. Aside from its own natural moisture, Edna could easily classify her cunt as being
bone-dry.
"Come on, baby. Just a little for mama. Please.” She circled her clitoris with her thumb, then squeezed her
eyes closed. “I need it.”
Winston popped back into her head. The one she saw, the one she imagined, stood in his suit. As though
she’d asked him to, imaginary Winston started disrobing, slipping off his expensive suit jacket and lying it
carefully over the back of a chair.
Edna’s thumb worried her poor clit until it became almost painful to touch it. What the hell was wrong with
her? Getting wet and getting off had never been a problem for her. The problem was probably due to the
subject.
Never again would Edna fall for another corporate type. She’d fallen for that damn professor, Sire Darin.
Then she wanted Winston. Edna deduced that the more straight-laced the guy looked, the more twisted he
must have been. She’d been through enough weirdos in her life. She didn’t need to get involved with
another one.
Determined to have at least one orgasm before heading to work, Edna slipped her hand out from between
her legs, yanked her pantyhose down and off from one leg, then kicked that foot up and braced it on the
closet wall. She returned her hand to her pussy and tried again.
Edna closed her eyes again. Winston was already out of his shirt and now working on his slacks. In her
mind, she imagined Winston’s cock pressing against his slacks. When she just concentrated on his penis
and not his face, she felt herself starting to get wet.
“Yeah, that’s it. You’re getting it.”
Now with his pants off and boxers down, Edna really felt herself getting wet. She leaned her head back. Her
heart pumped so hard she heard the beats in her brain. Edna squeezed her tit, massaging it as her body
trembled.
“Come here,” imaginary Winston said.
In her fantasy, Edna was already naked. She took Winston by the hand, and he led her to a bed. He pulled
her down to the feather-soft mattress, then got on top of her. When he plunged inside of her in her fantasy,
Edna let out a yelp in real life.
She slipped in a second finger, creating a thickness she attributed to the size of Winston’s dick. The leg
supporting her body buckled. The last thing she needed would be to collapse in her closet, half-dressed
and with her finger in her pussy.
As the scene got intense, so did Edna’s fingering. So close. She could feel herself finally reaching that
peak. Her breath came out haggard. It didn’t take long for the imaginary part of herself to climax. Though
not right there yet, Edna wasn’t too far behind. She just needed a little bit more.
Imaginary Winston continued thrusting as he looked down at her. “I’m almost there.”
Damn it, so was she. Edna felt the slick walls of her vagina tightening around her fingers. The heat inside
seared her fingers, fusing them together to make one amazing piston, pumping hard inside of her.
Winston, with his arm around her waist, turned over onto his back, carrying Edna with him so that now she
was on top. Edna rode him hard, circling her hips and pushing him in deep.
“Oh shit!”
Just when she was going to come in real life, Winston said in a guttural growl, “I want you to get off and put
your mouth on my--”
“Edna!” her mother screamed.
But Edna was already there. As she pinched her nipple, her fingers delved deeper inside to hit her spot. “I’m
coming! I’m coming!”
“Good. Don’t want your breakfast to get cold.”
Edna bit her lower lip to suppress her scream just as an orgasm rocked her body. Every cell and nerve in
her throbbed as goosebumps coated her flesh. As soon as the fireworks display that had exploded in her
eyes dissipated, she eased her eyelids open. Taking a deep breath to slow her heart rate, Edna eased her
foot down from the wall and planted it back on the floor.
Shit, she couldn’t do that every morning, not with her mother around.
Before straightening out her clothes again, Edna wiped her fingers on the towel she’d used after taking her
shower that morning. She pulled her pantyhose back up and slipped her skirt back down. Time for
business.
After buttoning her cuffs again, Edna slipped on her jacket and tried to button it.
“Damn!” Even with the jacket, Edna’s recently enhanced breasts stretched the front so much that the shirt
gapped open, exposing her black lace bra. Knowing her mother, she would say something about her outfit
and she just wasn’t in the mood to get into it with her today. Not today.
After wiping her sweaty palms down her skirt, Edna grabbed the old glass doorknob and stepped out of the
bedroom. A heavy smell of bacon, fried eggs and toast hung in the air. Not surprising. Edna’s mother
always cooked like every day was Sunday. Big breakfasts and even bigger dinners were the norm for her.
Edna washed her hands thoroughly. Better than those drug-sniffing dogs, Edna’s mother had a warped gift
of being able to smell sex. Edna slathered scented lotion on her hands, just in case, before heading to the
kitchen. On the trek, she prayed in her head.
“Good morning, Mother.” As expected, Edna kissed her mother on the cheek.
And as Edna suspected, a plate filled with a heaping mound of yellow-and-white scrambled eggs, a half-of-a-
hog amount of bacon and three pieces of toast waited for her at the table. At the sight of the spread, Edna’s
stomach compressed. To calm it, she put her hand to her belly and rubbed it a bit.
“Ma, this is too much.” Edna sat down at the plate.
When she noticed her shirt gaping open, she curved in her shoulders to minimize the show. She would
have to do that all day at her new job.
“You’re going to need your strength for today.” Her petite mother wiped her hands on a ratty dishtowel that
should have been tossed in a rag bag years ago.
"I’m nervous enough as it is about today. I don’t want to put too much on my stomach.” Edna took a sip of
orange juice to coat her dry throat.
“Nonsense. A good breakfast will get you through the day.”
So would a good lay. Edna’s mind wander about thoughts of her former life, her former sexual life. As
Madame Z., owner of the hottest BDSM club in Norfolk, Virginia, she had men crawling on their hands and
knees to be with her. They would do whatever she asked them.
Wait. Asked? More like commanded.
“Lick my pussy,” she would say.
“Yes, Madame Z.,” they would always respond. If they didn’t, it was a sharp boot heel to a plump sac or a
twist to a tender nipple.
Edna crossed her legs to douse the smoldering flame. While in her mother’s house, all she would have
would be her vivid imagination. No sex. No fun. No luck. Maybe that was a good thing. After these last two
tumultuous years, maybe her reputation and body needed a break.
Edna lifted a piece of toast already slathered with enough butter to clog a rhino’s veins. She took a bite.
The crunch of the toast must have signaled her mother. The woman whipped around with a wooden spoon
in her hand and promptly smacked Edna on her knuckles.
Although her mother had lost some of her strength from back in the day when she used to hit Edna with her
trusty spoon, it still stung her hand nonetheless.
“Ow! What was that for?” Edna waved her hand back and forth as though the motion would ease the pain.
“You know better than to eat before saying grace.” Her mother set the spoon down on the table, sat in a
chair next to her and took Edna’s hand, still sore from the discipline.
Thank goodness the woman didn’t know what Edna was just thinking about or had done just moments
before. She would have probably gotten her belt and spanked the flesh off of her hide like she used to
when Edna was a kid. Some scars had a hard time fading.
Edna bowed her head. As her mother spouted a prayer on the spot, one that included a wish for Edna to
have a great day at her new job and come home safe, Edna prayed in her head to just be able to get
through the day.
Since Edna had never worked a “normal” job, a job that didn’t involve sex in any way, shape, or form, this
would be a whole new experience for her. She was definitely ready for that change.
“Amen,” her mother said.
Edna nodded. “Amen.”
“Now you can eat. And I’m making a lunch for you. You still like Spam sandwiches, right?”
While Edna’s mother’s back was turned to her, Edna made a face. She hadn’t eaten Spam in years, not
since she left the house. When her mother turned back to her, Edna masked her disgusted expression with
a smile.
“Sounds great,” she said.
"By the way, you look nice. Your aunt’s clothes fit you well. Good to see someone could use them after she
passed.” Her mother pointed to her then continued cutting large, thick slices of the processed meat and
frying it in her cast-iron skillet.
“Thank you.”
Edna wanted to say, “Thank you for making me the least attractive woman on the planet. Thank you for
stripping me of my identity. Thank you for making me into you.”
“You’re welcome,” her mother responded. She pointed to Edna’s chest. “I’ll see if I have any safety pins in
my room to close that up for you.”
Edna glanced down, not that she needed to look. Her shirt had gaped open again. She curved her back in
although at this point, there was no use in doing so. Her mother had already seen all that she needed to
see.
Maybe life would be better outside of the house, less judgmental. She could only hope.
* * *
More humiliating than the outfit, Edna coasted into the Bright Spot Rentals parking lot in her mother’s old
station wagon, complete with the fake wooden trim that was peeling and a squealing noise that sounded
whenever she hit the brakes, turned the steering wheel or turned on the air conditioning, which barely
worked. Basically the car squealed when someone looked at it. It was just another method to keep the men
away from her.
Perhaps instead of seeing all of these things as problems, Edna needed to be happy for the obstacles. In
her life, men and sex proved to be issues for her. If she could stay away from both, she would be fine.
Not knowing where to park, Edna backed into a spot in front in the corner. With the iffy transmission, Edna
decided backing into spots would be better than struggling to get out of one.
Glancing at her reflection in the mirror, she smoothed her hand over her hair, stick-straight thanks to a
neighbor woman who did hair out of her kitchen. Without makeup, Edna didn’t feel the same. A realization hit
her and she dove into her purse. At the very bottom, her fingers brushed something tubular.
"Ah ha!” Edna pulled out the item: a tube of clear lip gloss.
It wasn’t her old makeup bag full of MAC cosmetics, but it was something. Edna slathered the gloss over her
lips. She noticed right away how much better she looked, confident, younger, sexier. At the last thought,
Edna pressed her lips together to minimize the shine.
From the corner of her eye, she spotted a small nebbish of a man unlocking the front door and slinking
inside. Andrew Lipsky, with his strawberry blonde hair, freckles on his face and hands, and hang-dog
expression, was the first and only person to grant Edna an interview after her two-year incarceration.
Although she vowed not to work for another man once she got out, Lipsky seemed harmless enough. From
what she’d seen of him, he normally walked around with his head hung low. Everything he said sounded like
something a used car salesman would say. And when he smiled, which she noticed he did a lot, especially
when he was nervous, the jovial expression lit his face up like a red neon Krispy Kreme “hot now” sign.
Edna threw the gloss back into her purse, popped a mint into her mouth, released another long breath, and
decided now was the time to start her new life.
She stepped out of the car. Walking toward the building, Edna caught her reflection in the glass. Had she
always walked like that, her body twisting and turning like an exotic dancer’s body?
Edna stumbled and straightened herself. She tried to walk with some dignity and class. For her that meant
walking as though a stick impaled her ass. Tight, small steps. No more twisting like some beauty pageant
queen.
Edna opened the front door and a bell chimed. Looking around, the place hadn’t changed from when she
interviewed there a couple of weeks ago. It had an old bank branch feel to it. In the corner sat an office that
was surrounded by glass. Although it had a door, there couldn’t have been much privacy offered, even with
the long, vertical blinds surrounding it. The fact that Lipsky sat in there tipped her off that it was his office.
Directly in front as she walked through the door sat a small, metal desk. The legs of the desk were chrome
metal and the body of it was painted an off-white color. A fake pressboard top capped off the classic piece,
along with a gray chair. For however long she would be working there, Edna figured this would be her
working space.
Across the back wall behind her chair were brochure racks. From the way things were setup, it appeared
that Edna would be the one to explain the many vacation packages the rental office offered. That would be
fine. She had sold much more unusual items using much less than a colorful brochure and a sales pitch.
A small conference room sat next to Lipsky’s office. On the other side of the room, it looked like there was
another office. Strange. Edna didn’t know why Lipsky would have had more than one office there. Since he
was the only person she saw there, she assumed he was the only employee at this place.
With the door open, she guessed whoever sat in that office would have a great bird’s eye view of her. No
screwing up for her. This would be like jail all over again with a guard to watch over her constantly.
Edna took in a deep breath. With the business so close to the oceanfront area, a distinct saltwater scent
filled the air. She was sure Lipsky used that to his advantage to rent beachfront properties.
Edna turned to let Lipsky know she was ready to start her day when the man appeared out of nowhere and
was already there next to her.
“Oh my!” Edna put her hand to her chest. “I didn’t hear you walking toward me.”
“Sorry.” Lipsky beamed, increasing the number of lines around his eyes and mouth. “It’s these orthopedic
shoes. Rubber soles so I can pretty much sneak around anywhere.”
When he chuckled, Edna couldn’t help but laugh with him.
“Let me make sure I say this correctly. Edith Zula, right?”
Edna blinked. “Edna Zulma.”
He smacked himself on the forehead. “Sorry, I’m terrible with names but great with deals. Ms. Zulma, in case
your memory is as bad as mine, my name is Andy Lipsky.”
“Good morning, Mr. Lipsky.” She shook his hand.
Although he had a small hand, he possessed a powerful grip. She remembered his strong handshake the
first time they met, mainly because it seemed so out of place for him to have.
“Oh, you don’t have to call me Mr. Lipsky. Call me what everyone else does, Andy.”
Edna nodded.
“And can I call you Miss Z.?” He laughed again, this time punctuating his laughter with a snort.
Edna smiled politely. “Edna is just fine.” Any reference to her former life, even slanted, turned her stomach.
His mouth formed into a tight line and he nodded like a marionette with a manic handler. “No use waiting. I’ll
show you around the office, let you know what’s expected of you and get you working. Sound like a plan?”
“Sounds just perfect.”
Lipsky took her to her receptionist desk first. On his attempt to open the bottom drawer so she could deposit
her purse, it got stuck. The small man pulled on it several times, shaking the desk until the contents on top
like the computer and the phone all jiggled about. After one hard tug, the drawer opened.
“You can put your purse in here.” Lipsky ran his hand over his head as he panted from the workout.
Edna clutched the strap on her purse. “Why don’t I just hold onto it during the tour until I can get a good
look at that drawer. Maybe there’s a trick to opening it.”
Lipsky bobbed his head and looked down to the floor. At any moment, she was expecting him to spout an
“aw shucks.”
“Of course, you’ll be the receptionist and basically the office assistant. You’ll answer the phones, take
messages, greet people as they come in.” He pointed to the side next to the mysterious extra office. “You’ll
make coffee in the morning for our guests. Oh!” He snapped his fingers. “Remind me to get you a corporate
credit card. You’ll be responsible for getting fresh doughnuts every day and keeping the office stocked with
supplies. You’ll also set up meetings and make sure for those meetings that we have refreshments.”
All sounded doable. Edna nodded. “Got it.”
Lipsky started the tour at his office. He didn’t go inside. From the doorway, he pointed into his workspace
and announced to her that it was his office. Then he scurried to the conference room, the same place where
he had interviewed her, and he told her it was the conference room.
Edna noticed right away the cluttered mess inside. File folders littered the table now and cabinet drawers
were left open with papers spewing out from each of them. Either the place had been robbed or someone
was looking for something and left it in the shambles it was in now.
Since Lipsky didn’t seem to bat an eye on the room’s condition, Edna assumed this was the way the room
had always looked when he wasn’t interviewing someone or having a meeting.
Lipsky took her through another door. “In here is the supply room.”
The room was small with tall shelves full of supplies and papers. It, too, was in desperate need of being
straightened. Edna already saw a couple of projects for her to do and it was only the first day.
“Right here is the break room.” Lipsky lifted his hands to show off the dimly-lit room.
Besides a small card table, the room had a breadbox-sized white microwave, a short, slender refrigerator
and a sink. A vending machine sat next to the sink.
Lipsky continued on to the very back. “And this is a bathroom. Sorry, only one.”
Edna nodded.
“That’s it for back here.” Lipsky attempted to walk past Edna but the proximity proved to be too much for him
to take. He released a nervous laugh and refrained from looking in her eyes. “Oops. Sorry. Just need to get
by here.”
Edna stepped back as far as she could to allow him passage. Like a frightened rabbit, Lipsky nearly ran by
her to get back to the main office.
When they returned to the main office, he showed her the brochure counter. “You’ll be responsible for
keeping these stocked. I’ll give you the information to order these when they get low.”
“Got it. Not a problem.”
“I suspect for you, you wouldn’t have a problem with much of anything.” Lipsky’s cheeks turned a deep
crimson color. Embarrassed, the man looked like Howdy Doody.
“Oh, I’ve had my share.” Edna wouldn’t talk about her troubled past even though she had shared that
information with Lipsky the day of her interview. That was then. This was now. Honesty and integrity would
light her path this stage of her being.
“Meet me in the conference room. I’ll get you started on your benefits paperwork. Then I’ll teach you about
benefits because eventually you’ll be handling that as well.”
Edna nodded again. Sounded like a lot of responsibility for her meager salary. But it was a start. From this
job, she could finally figure out what she wanted to do. Sex wouldn’t be her only expertise. It couldn’t be.
As Lipsky was gathering the needed paperwork for Edna, she was clearing off a space in the conference
room for the two of them to work.
He handed her paperwork to start her medical benefits. “It’s just a regular HMO. Nothing special.”
“It’s better than nothing.” And Edna truly meant that. She needed to start taking care of herself, that
included working on her internal organs as much as she had to work on her external appearance.
“And this one is for your dental coverage. But you have great-looking teeth.” Lipsky snorted when he
laughed again.
“You noticed my teeth?” Edna didn’t mean to question the compliment. It sounded odd for him to say that
about her. What was she? A show-horse?
“Sorry. Bad habit. My father was a dentist. All we talked about at home were teeth.” He scratched his head.
“I understand.” She shoved the paperwork back to him. “So why did you start a vacation home rental
business instead of becoming a dentist? Didn’t that disappoint your father?”
Lipsky struggled to keep a happy countenance after she asked her question. His smile melted and he would
quickly firm it back up each time.
“I’ve always wanted to fulfill other people’s dreams. If getting them a deal on a great vacation spot did it, I
was happy. Eventually my family realized that I wouldn’t be content as a dentist and they let me do my thing.”
Maybe one day her mother would get off Edna’s back to let her do her own thing, whatever that may be.
Edna nodded and waited for the next benefits paperwork.
“So what about you? Don’t tell me your dream has always been to be a receptionist here.” He snorted again.
“I just want to do a great job. I have no other aspirations.” Edna hoped that pat answer would suffice.
The statement held some truth. Edna didn’t know exactly what she wanted. All she knew was that there had
to be something better waiting for her down the road. The Oh Club could not be her crowning glory.
From the way Lipsky shuffled his papers around to look for the next set for her to sign, her conservative
answer seemed to have satisfied him as well. He got her to sign papers for vision coverage and a form for
accidental death and dismemberment insurance.
“Who would you like as your beneficiary?” he asked.
The question made her think of her former Master, Sire Darin. Had he though about Edna when he was
reworking his will?
“My mother,” Edna finally answered. Her mother was all she had left in the world. Who else could she leave
anything to if something happened to her?
“You’re going to need her social for this form. Would you like to call her to get it?” Lipsky pulled a phone
over to her.
Edna shook her head. “No, I’ll take this one home to go over it with her. My mother is very funny about
releasing personal information. I’ll have to explain to her what all of this means.”
Lipsky nodded again. “Got it.”
The front door chimed just as Edna was signing the last of her paperwork.
“Oops! I guess I should be out at my desk to greet incoming customers.” Edna stood and gathered her
papers in her arms.
After glancing at his watch, Lipsky said, “More than likely, it’s just Burton. He’s the office manager here. It’s
about time for him to come in anyway.”
Burton? So that was the mysterious extra employee.
“Come on. I’ll introduce you two.” Lipsky walked out of the office first with Edna trailing not too far behind him.
As she walked past her new desk, Edna dropped her paperwork on the top. The desk wobbled under the
weight of the deposited items. Great.
Just as she thought, the office next to her desk was where the mysterious Burton worked. Lipsky stood at
the doorway and knocked. Edna planted herself behind him but tried craning her head around the doorway
to peek inside.
“Burton,” Lipsky began.
“Yeah.” His deep voice rumbled out of the doorway. “The Rowans called me early this morning to firm up
their reservations in Corolla. Man, I can’t wait until we get some help in here.”
Oh, shit! As though he triggered it with only his voice, Edna’s stomach flip-flopped and she felt herself
getting wet. Not a good sign. If he looked as good as he sounded, she would be in big trouble.
“Speaking of which--”
Burton cut off Lipsky. “And who parked that hunk of shit in front of the building? You want me to call a tow
service?”
Lipsky cleared his throat. The silence hurt more than what Burton had said about Edna’s mother’s car, not
that she didn’t think it was a piece of shit, too.
Suddenly a man appeared in the doorway. Burton stood a good foot over Lipsky. Then again, Edna was
about a half of a foot over Lipsky. Burton’s dark hair was shorn short, probably because of the hot summer
weather but more than likely he did it because his hairline was receding.
Burton’s strong jaw line flexed. He stared at Edna with hypnotic blue eyes. In his sky blue button-up shirt and
gray tie, and his dark blue slacks, he looked like he was ready for business. Good. She didn’t need any
temptation. His staunch business appearance proved to be enough of a deterrent.
The more Edna stared at him, the more she realized he could be more lethal than she realized. Although he
had this stuffy businessman look about him, there was something magnetic to him, something about his core
essence. It could have been the way he stood with his fists to his hips. Or it could have been the way he
never broke eye contact with Edna.
Please let this guy be married or gay or racist as hell.
“Burton McCutcheon, meet our newest receptionist, Edna Zooooo--”
Edna glanced at Lipsky before saving him, “Edna Zulma.” She put her hand out to Burton. “Nice meeting
you.”
He took her hand and held it tentatively at first. After a holding it longer, his grip got tighter and tighter.
“Welcome to Bright Spot.” He cocked a half-smile at the corner of his mouth. “Hope you enjoy working here.
If there’s anything you need---” Burton paused.
Edna took that moment to pull her hand free from his. As though not realizing how long he had been holding
her hand, Burton cleared his throat and put his fist back on his hip.
“I do have one thing.” Edna adjusted her purse strap on her shoulder. “Just where should I park my, um,
vehicle when I come to work?”
She refrained from calling it a piece of shit like Burton had. Watching his cheeks get red from
embarrassment, she assumed under that rough exterior existed a compassionate man with some humility.
“Employees should park behind the building. You’re fine where you are now.” Lipsky said.
“Thank you, Mr. Lip--, uh, Andy.”
Lipsky nodded.
“If you gentlemen don’t mind, I’m going to start working. You said coffee needed to be made, right?” The
faster she got away from Burton the better Edna would be.
Actually being busy would help her keep her mind off of the man and what his solid body looked like naked.
Shit, had she actually thought about what the man looked like naked?
Get your head in the game, girl. This is not The Oh Club again.
After starting the coffeemaker, Edna cleaned off her desk first. A thick layer of dust covered her workspace,
signaling to her that Bright Spot Rentals hadn’t had a receptionist in a long, long time. The fact that the
position went unfilled for so long made her wonder why did they need someone now?
Once her desk was straightened and she figured out the trick to opening her bottom drawer, Edna poked
her head into Lipsky’s office.
“If you don’t mind, I thought I would clean up the supply closet, straighten it out a bit.” Edna had to keep
busy, otherwise her mind would focus on Burton and what his cock must look like.
“Oh wow. That’s a daunting project. Are you sure?” Lipsky wrung his hands together as though she said she
was going to rewire the entire building.
"It looks like it’s been needing some organization for a long time.” Plus since no one had come into the office
the entire morning, cleaning the closet would at least give Edna some purpose for being there.
Lipsky nodded.
As much as she didn’t want to, Edna removed her jacket. She noticed when she was introduced to Burton
that his gaze dropped right to her chest. Recalling that look, Edna’s nipples tightened under her confining
bra.
Edna stood on a stepstool to retrieve items from a top shelf. When she pulled a stack of old forms down, a
cloud of dust fell on her.
“Shit! Great.” She set the stack on a shelf at eye level then wiped her hands off.
When she got her hands clean, she smoothed her hands down the front of her shirt to remove the dust from
there, too. She decided then that it would be better to do this job with some cleaning supplies in hand.
Just as she turned to get down off the stool, she saw Lipsky standing in the doorway. His silent shoes got
her again.
Startled, Edna put her hand to her chest. “You have to stop sneaking up on me like that. I didn’t even hear
you.”
Lipsky shut the door with him on the inside but didn’t speak. Edna’s heart raced out of nerves, a first since
being sentenced. She tried reading anything in Lipsky’s eyes. Did he have to tell her something in secret,
something he couldn’t say in front of Burton? Or was there another reason he was standing in the supply
closet with her?
Trying to act like everything was normal, Edna continued her conversation. “Are cleaning supplies in the
break room or in the bathroom?”
Edna couldn’t make it down the step fast enough before Lipsky lowered himself to his knees then bowed all
the way down to the floor, his arms stretched out in front of him and his forehead to the floor. That position
looked familiar to Edna.
Lipsky lifted his head. “I’m under your command, Madame Z. Anything you desire, I’ll do for you under your
stern hand.”
“Oh my God.” Edna put her hand to her head.
So much for her past lift not catching up to her present life.
Copyright © 2005 by Bridget Midway. All rights reserved.
Who in the world would fuck an Edna Zulma? As Edna stood there staring at her reflection in the long
mirror, she wondered just that. Wearing sensible mid-heel black pumps, an ankle-length black skirt and
long-sleeve shirt that was buttoned to the neck, no way would she get any play in an outfit like this and with
her dowdy name.
Now a Madame Z.? That woman could get anything she wanted.
Yeah, like jail time, she thought. She shook her head. Enough of that old life. Time to start her new life. In
the outfit she wore, it felt more like a prison than her confinement behind concrete and steel. She adjusted
her collar, convinced she could feel heat billowing from underneath.
Edna smoothed her hand back over her hair that was pulled back tight into a bun. Despite wearing no
makeup, she still thought she looked great for being almost forty. Of course the makeup helped her not
look so close to that age.
She would have to thank her genes for not getting the telltale lines around her eyes and mouth. The old
saying of “Black doesn’t crack” fit her right now.
She wished she felt as young as the décor in her room. Back now in her childhood bedroom, Edna scanned
the walls covered in New Edition and Michael Jackson posters. This was the Michael Jackson from his Off
The Wall days, cute, dark-skinned, real. Then again, she couldn’t really comment on anyone’s authenticity.
She peered down at her shirt and attempted to close the front of her blouse, opening due to her size of her
breasts. So long as she could walk out of the house without a sermon from her mother, Edna would
consider it a good day.
New adjustments consumed Edna’s life now. Her small twin bed humbled her from sleeping in her huge
California king-sized bed for the last few years. If she really wanted to be humbled, she could think about
her days in D.B.’s Dungeon. A shiver traveled up her spine.
She took a deep breath. On the exhalation, her breath came out ragged.
“Come on, girl. No nerves.” She shifted her weight back and forth, a mistake considering the crusty
condition of her mama’s house.
The hardwood floors squeaked under her feet.
“Edna?” her mother called from the kitchen. “Eddie? Na-na?”
Edna rolled her eyes to the back of her head. She knew there was trouble when her mother started calling
her by the old nicknames she was given by friends and family as a child.
“Coming, Ma.”
Her new living situation was another crushing blow. After her incarceration, Edna lost her home, The Oh
Club, the money Sire Darin had given her when he passed, everything. She had to start all over from
scratch, which included her relationship with her mother, a woman she hadn’t seen since Edna ran away
from home at the tender age of seventeen.
Fuck this. And fuck her new life. The hell with starting that new job today. Edna unbuttoned the cuffs on her
shirt and started unbuttoning her blouse. Who needed the hassle of the daily grind?
Now in her old life, if she said “grind,” men winced; that’s what she wanted, what she needed. No, what she
really needed was a good fuck. Good luck getting that in this house with her mama watching over her every
second of every day. If not her, then it was J.J. Kresty, her parole officer. Hell, the man wasn’t even good
looking enough to imagine while she masturbated.
Edna laughed. Yes, maybe that was what she needed to take the edge off. She rolled up her sleeves and
peered over her shoulder to make sure her mother wasn’t going to barge in on her. To give herself some
extra time, Edna ducked into her walk-in closet full of clothes and shoes, unfortunately not any of her old
clothes or shoes.
She tripped over a toppled wedge heel before falling back against a rack full of clothes. Once on stable
footing, she lifted her skirt, quite a hike at its long length. With the skirt secured around her waist, she pulled
down her pantyhose. Damn, she missed her stockings.
Now who would be mentally fucked today? Edna closed her eyes. The first image that popped into her mind
was the one man she used to fantasize about for years and could never have: Winston Biggers.
She’d received letters from him while she was incarcerated. Actually, the letters had all come from
Maybelline, Mistress Mayai as Edna had known her, Winston’s new wife. But Edna was sure that May
wouldn’t mind Edna using her husband as masturbation material.
Edna slipped her hand into her panties. Her other hand eased into her bra cup. While her index finger
circled her nipple, trying hard to extract the pebble from its slumber, she desperately tried coaxing just a bit
of wetness in her pussy. Aside from its own natural moisture, Edna could easily classify her cunt as being
bone-dry.
"Come on, baby. Just a little for mama. Please.” She circled her clitoris with her thumb, then squeezed her
eyes closed. “I need it.”
Winston popped back into her head. The one she saw, the one she imagined, stood in his suit. As though
she’d asked him to, imaginary Winston started disrobing, slipping off his expensive suit jacket and lying it
carefully over the back of a chair.
Edna’s thumb worried her poor clit until it became almost painful to touch it. What the hell was wrong with
her? Getting wet and getting off had never been a problem for her. The problem was probably due to the
subject.
Never again would Edna fall for another corporate type. She’d fallen for that damn professor, Sire Darin.
Then she wanted Winston. Edna deduced that the more straight-laced the guy looked, the more twisted he
must have been. She’d been through enough weirdos in her life. She didn’t need to get involved with
another one.
Determined to have at least one orgasm before heading to work, Edna slipped her hand out from between
her legs, yanked her pantyhose down and off from one leg, then kicked that foot up and braced it on the
closet wall. She returned her hand to her pussy and tried again.
Edna closed her eyes again. Winston was already out of his shirt and now working on his slacks. In her
mind, she imagined Winston’s cock pressing against his slacks. When she just concentrated on his penis
and not his face, she felt herself starting to get wet.
“Yeah, that’s it. You’re getting it.”
Now with his pants off and boxers down, Edna really felt herself getting wet. She leaned her head back. Her
heart pumped so hard she heard the beats in her brain. Edna squeezed her tit, massaging it as her body
trembled.
“Come here,” imaginary Winston said.
In her fantasy, Edna was already naked. She took Winston by the hand, and he led her to a bed. He pulled
her down to the feather-soft mattress, then got on top of her. When he plunged inside of her in her fantasy,
Edna let out a yelp in real life.
She slipped in a second finger, creating a thickness she attributed to the size of Winston’s dick. The leg
supporting her body buckled. The last thing she needed would be to collapse in her closet, half-dressed
and with her finger in her pussy.
As the scene got intense, so did Edna’s fingering. So close. She could feel herself finally reaching that
peak. Her breath came out haggard. It didn’t take long for the imaginary part of herself to climax. Though
not right there yet, Edna wasn’t too far behind. She just needed a little bit more.
Imaginary Winston continued thrusting as he looked down at her. “I’m almost there.”
Damn it, so was she. Edna felt the slick walls of her vagina tightening around her fingers. The heat inside
seared her fingers, fusing them together to make one amazing piston, pumping hard inside of her.
Winston, with his arm around her waist, turned over onto his back, carrying Edna with him so that now she
was on top. Edna rode him hard, circling her hips and pushing him in deep.
“Oh shit!”
Just when she was going to come in real life, Winston said in a guttural growl, “I want you to get off and put
your mouth on my--”
“Edna!” her mother screamed.
But Edna was already there. As she pinched her nipple, her fingers delved deeper inside to hit her spot. “I’m
coming! I’m coming!”
“Good. Don’t want your breakfast to get cold.”
Edna bit her lower lip to suppress her scream just as an orgasm rocked her body. Every cell and nerve in
her throbbed as goosebumps coated her flesh. As soon as the fireworks display that had exploded in her
eyes dissipated, she eased her eyelids open. Taking a deep breath to slow her heart rate, Edna eased her
foot down from the wall and planted it back on the floor.
Shit, she couldn’t do that every morning, not with her mother around.
Before straightening out her clothes again, Edna wiped her fingers on the towel she’d used after taking her
shower that morning. She pulled her pantyhose back up and slipped her skirt back down. Time for
business.
After buttoning her cuffs again, Edna slipped on her jacket and tried to button it.
“Damn!” Even with the jacket, Edna’s recently enhanced breasts stretched the front so much that the shirt
gapped open, exposing her black lace bra. Knowing her mother, she would say something about her outfit
and she just wasn’t in the mood to get into it with her today. Not today.
After wiping her sweaty palms down her skirt, Edna grabbed the old glass doorknob and stepped out of the
bedroom. A heavy smell of bacon, fried eggs and toast hung in the air. Not surprising. Edna’s mother
always cooked like every day was Sunday. Big breakfasts and even bigger dinners were the norm for her.
Edna washed her hands thoroughly. Better than those drug-sniffing dogs, Edna’s mother had a warped gift
of being able to smell sex. Edna slathered scented lotion on her hands, just in case, before heading to the
kitchen. On the trek, she prayed in her head.
“Good morning, Mother.” As expected, Edna kissed her mother on the cheek.
And as Edna suspected, a plate filled with a heaping mound of yellow-and-white scrambled eggs, a half-of-a-
hog amount of bacon and three pieces of toast waited for her at the table. At the sight of the spread, Edna’s
stomach compressed. To calm it, she put her hand to her belly and rubbed it a bit.
“Ma, this is too much.” Edna sat down at the plate.
When she noticed her shirt gaping open, she curved in her shoulders to minimize the show. She would
have to do that all day at her new job.
“You’re going to need your strength for today.” Her petite mother wiped her hands on a ratty dishtowel that
should have been tossed in a rag bag years ago.
"I’m nervous enough as it is about today. I don’t want to put too much on my stomach.” Edna took a sip of
orange juice to coat her dry throat.
“Nonsense. A good breakfast will get you through the day.”
So would a good lay. Edna’s mind wander about thoughts of her former life, her former sexual life. As
Madame Z., owner of the hottest BDSM club in Norfolk, Virginia, she had men crawling on their hands and
knees to be with her. They would do whatever she asked them.
Wait. Asked? More like commanded.
“Lick my pussy,” she would say.
“Yes, Madame Z.,” they would always respond. If they didn’t, it was a sharp boot heel to a plump sac or a
twist to a tender nipple.
Edna crossed her legs to douse the smoldering flame. While in her mother’s house, all she would have
would be her vivid imagination. No sex. No fun. No luck. Maybe that was a good thing. After these last two
tumultuous years, maybe her reputation and body needed a break.
Edna lifted a piece of toast already slathered with enough butter to clog a rhino’s veins. She took a bite.
The crunch of the toast must have signaled her mother. The woman whipped around with a wooden spoon
in her hand and promptly smacked Edna on her knuckles.
Although her mother had lost some of her strength from back in the day when she used to hit Edna with her
trusty spoon, it still stung her hand nonetheless.
“Ow! What was that for?” Edna waved her hand back and forth as though the motion would ease the pain.
“You know better than to eat before saying grace.” Her mother set the spoon down on the table, sat in a
chair next to her and took Edna’s hand, still sore from the discipline.
Thank goodness the woman didn’t know what Edna was just thinking about or had done just moments
before. She would have probably gotten her belt and spanked the flesh off of her hide like she used to
when Edna was a kid. Some scars had a hard time fading.
Edna bowed her head. As her mother spouted a prayer on the spot, one that included a wish for Edna to
have a great day at her new job and come home safe, Edna prayed in her head to just be able to get
through the day.
Since Edna had never worked a “normal” job, a job that didn’t involve sex in any way, shape, or form, this
would be a whole new experience for her. She was definitely ready for that change.
“Amen,” her mother said.
Edna nodded. “Amen.”
“Now you can eat. And I’m making a lunch for you. You still like Spam sandwiches, right?”
While Edna’s mother’s back was turned to her, Edna made a face. She hadn’t eaten Spam in years, not
since she left the house. When her mother turned back to her, Edna masked her disgusted expression with
a smile.
“Sounds great,” she said.
"By the way, you look nice. Your aunt’s clothes fit you well. Good to see someone could use them after she
passed.” Her mother pointed to her then continued cutting large, thick slices of the processed meat and
frying it in her cast-iron skillet.
“Thank you.”
Edna wanted to say, “Thank you for making me the least attractive woman on the planet. Thank you for
stripping me of my identity. Thank you for making me into you.”
“You’re welcome,” her mother responded. She pointed to Edna’s chest. “I’ll see if I have any safety pins in
my room to close that up for you.”
Edna glanced down, not that she needed to look. Her shirt had gaped open again. She curved her back in
although at this point, there was no use in doing so. Her mother had already seen all that she needed to
see.
Maybe life would be better outside of the house, less judgmental. She could only hope.
* * *
More humiliating than the outfit, Edna coasted into the Bright Spot Rentals parking lot in her mother’s old
station wagon, complete with the fake wooden trim that was peeling and a squealing noise that sounded
whenever she hit the brakes, turned the steering wheel or turned on the air conditioning, which barely
worked. Basically the car squealed when someone looked at it. It was just another method to keep the men
away from her.
Perhaps instead of seeing all of these things as problems, Edna needed to be happy for the obstacles. In
her life, men and sex proved to be issues for her. If she could stay away from both, she would be fine.
Not knowing where to park, Edna backed into a spot in front in the corner. With the iffy transmission, Edna
decided backing into spots would be better than struggling to get out of one.
Glancing at her reflection in the mirror, she smoothed her hand over her hair, stick-straight thanks to a
neighbor woman who did hair out of her kitchen. Without makeup, Edna didn’t feel the same. A realization hit
her and she dove into her purse. At the very bottom, her fingers brushed something tubular.
"Ah ha!” Edna pulled out the item: a tube of clear lip gloss.
It wasn’t her old makeup bag full of MAC cosmetics, but it was something. Edna slathered the gloss over her
lips. She noticed right away how much better she looked, confident, younger, sexier. At the last thought,
Edna pressed her lips together to minimize the shine.
From the corner of her eye, she spotted a small nebbish of a man unlocking the front door and slinking
inside. Andrew Lipsky, with his strawberry blonde hair, freckles on his face and hands, and hang-dog
expression, was the first and only person to grant Edna an interview after her two-year incarceration.
Although she vowed not to work for another man once she got out, Lipsky seemed harmless enough. From
what she’d seen of him, he normally walked around with his head hung low. Everything he said sounded like
something a used car salesman would say. And when he smiled, which she noticed he did a lot, especially
when he was nervous, the jovial expression lit his face up like a red neon Krispy Kreme “hot now” sign.
Edna threw the gloss back into her purse, popped a mint into her mouth, released another long breath, and
decided now was the time to start her new life.
She stepped out of the car. Walking toward the building, Edna caught her reflection in the glass. Had she
always walked like that, her body twisting and turning like an exotic dancer’s body?
Edna stumbled and straightened herself. She tried to walk with some dignity and class. For her that meant
walking as though a stick impaled her ass. Tight, small steps. No more twisting like some beauty pageant
queen.
Edna opened the front door and a bell chimed. Looking around, the place hadn’t changed from when she
interviewed there a couple of weeks ago. It had an old bank branch feel to it. In the corner sat an office that
was surrounded by glass. Although it had a door, there couldn’t have been much privacy offered, even with
the long, vertical blinds surrounding it. The fact that Lipsky sat in there tipped her off that it was his office.
Directly in front as she walked through the door sat a small, metal desk. The legs of the desk were chrome
metal and the body of it was painted an off-white color. A fake pressboard top capped off the classic piece,
along with a gray chair. For however long she would be working there, Edna figured this would be her
working space.
Across the back wall behind her chair were brochure racks. From the way things were setup, it appeared
that Edna would be the one to explain the many vacation packages the rental office offered. That would be
fine. She had sold much more unusual items using much less than a colorful brochure and a sales pitch.
A small conference room sat next to Lipsky’s office. On the other side of the room, it looked like there was
another office. Strange. Edna didn’t know why Lipsky would have had more than one office there. Since he
was the only person she saw there, she assumed he was the only employee at this place.
With the door open, she guessed whoever sat in that office would have a great bird’s eye view of her. No
screwing up for her. This would be like jail all over again with a guard to watch over her constantly.
Edna took in a deep breath. With the business so close to the oceanfront area, a distinct saltwater scent
filled the air. She was sure Lipsky used that to his advantage to rent beachfront properties.
Edna turned to let Lipsky know she was ready to start her day when the man appeared out of nowhere and
was already there next to her.
“Oh my!” Edna put her hand to her chest. “I didn’t hear you walking toward me.”
“Sorry.” Lipsky beamed, increasing the number of lines around his eyes and mouth. “It’s these orthopedic
shoes. Rubber soles so I can pretty much sneak around anywhere.”
When he chuckled, Edna couldn’t help but laugh with him.
“Let me make sure I say this correctly. Edith Zula, right?”
Edna blinked. “Edna Zulma.”
He smacked himself on the forehead. “Sorry, I’m terrible with names but great with deals. Ms. Zulma, in case
your memory is as bad as mine, my name is Andy Lipsky.”
“Good morning, Mr. Lipsky.” She shook his hand.
Although he had a small hand, he possessed a powerful grip. She remembered his strong handshake the
first time they met, mainly because it seemed so out of place for him to have.
“Oh, you don’t have to call me Mr. Lipsky. Call me what everyone else does, Andy.”
Edna nodded.
“And can I call you Miss Z.?” He laughed again, this time punctuating his laughter with a snort.
Edna smiled politely. “Edna is just fine.” Any reference to her former life, even slanted, turned her stomach.
His mouth formed into a tight line and he nodded like a marionette with a manic handler. “No use waiting. I’ll
show you around the office, let you know what’s expected of you and get you working. Sound like a plan?”
“Sounds just perfect.”
Lipsky took her to her receptionist desk first. On his attempt to open the bottom drawer so she could deposit
her purse, it got stuck. The small man pulled on it several times, shaking the desk until the contents on top
like the computer and the phone all jiggled about. After one hard tug, the drawer opened.
“You can put your purse in here.” Lipsky ran his hand over his head as he panted from the workout.
Edna clutched the strap on her purse. “Why don’t I just hold onto it during the tour until I can get a good
look at that drawer. Maybe there’s a trick to opening it.”
Lipsky bobbed his head and looked down to the floor. At any moment, she was expecting him to spout an
“aw shucks.”
“Of course, you’ll be the receptionist and basically the office assistant. You’ll answer the phones, take
messages, greet people as they come in.” He pointed to the side next to the mysterious extra office. “You’ll
make coffee in the morning for our guests. Oh!” He snapped his fingers. “Remind me to get you a corporate
credit card. You’ll be responsible for getting fresh doughnuts every day and keeping the office stocked with
supplies. You’ll also set up meetings and make sure for those meetings that we have refreshments.”
All sounded doable. Edna nodded. “Got it.”
Lipsky started the tour at his office. He didn’t go inside. From the doorway, he pointed into his workspace
and announced to her that it was his office. Then he scurried to the conference room, the same place where
he had interviewed her, and he told her it was the conference room.
Edna noticed right away the cluttered mess inside. File folders littered the table now and cabinet drawers
were left open with papers spewing out from each of them. Either the place had been robbed or someone
was looking for something and left it in the shambles it was in now.
Since Lipsky didn’t seem to bat an eye on the room’s condition, Edna assumed this was the way the room
had always looked when he wasn’t interviewing someone or having a meeting.
Lipsky took her through another door. “In here is the supply room.”
The room was small with tall shelves full of supplies and papers. It, too, was in desperate need of being
straightened. Edna already saw a couple of projects for her to do and it was only the first day.
“Right here is the break room.” Lipsky lifted his hands to show off the dimly-lit room.
Besides a small card table, the room had a breadbox-sized white microwave, a short, slender refrigerator
and a sink. A vending machine sat next to the sink.
Lipsky continued on to the very back. “And this is a bathroom. Sorry, only one.”
Edna nodded.
“That’s it for back here.” Lipsky attempted to walk past Edna but the proximity proved to be too much for him
to take. He released a nervous laugh and refrained from looking in her eyes. “Oops. Sorry. Just need to get
by here.”
Edna stepped back as far as she could to allow him passage. Like a frightened rabbit, Lipsky nearly ran by
her to get back to the main office.
When they returned to the main office, he showed her the brochure counter. “You’ll be responsible for
keeping these stocked. I’ll give you the information to order these when they get low.”
“Got it. Not a problem.”
“I suspect for you, you wouldn’t have a problem with much of anything.” Lipsky’s cheeks turned a deep
crimson color. Embarrassed, the man looked like Howdy Doody.
“Oh, I’ve had my share.” Edna wouldn’t talk about her troubled past even though she had shared that
information with Lipsky the day of her interview. That was then. This was now. Honesty and integrity would
light her path this stage of her being.
“Meet me in the conference room. I’ll get you started on your benefits paperwork. Then I’ll teach you about
benefits because eventually you’ll be handling that as well.”
Edna nodded again. Sounded like a lot of responsibility for her meager salary. But it was a start. From this
job, she could finally figure out what she wanted to do. Sex wouldn’t be her only expertise. It couldn’t be.
As Lipsky was gathering the needed paperwork for Edna, she was clearing off a space in the conference
room for the two of them to work.
He handed her paperwork to start her medical benefits. “It’s just a regular HMO. Nothing special.”
“It’s better than nothing.” And Edna truly meant that. She needed to start taking care of herself, that
included working on her internal organs as much as she had to work on her external appearance.
“And this one is for your dental coverage. But you have great-looking teeth.” Lipsky snorted when he
laughed again.
“You noticed my teeth?” Edna didn’t mean to question the compliment. It sounded odd for him to say that
about her. What was she? A show-horse?
“Sorry. Bad habit. My father was a dentist. All we talked about at home were teeth.” He scratched his head.
“I understand.” She shoved the paperwork back to him. “So why did you start a vacation home rental
business instead of becoming a dentist? Didn’t that disappoint your father?”
Lipsky struggled to keep a happy countenance after she asked her question. His smile melted and he would
quickly firm it back up each time.
“I’ve always wanted to fulfill other people’s dreams. If getting them a deal on a great vacation spot did it, I
was happy. Eventually my family realized that I wouldn’t be content as a dentist and they let me do my thing.”
Maybe one day her mother would get off Edna’s back to let her do her own thing, whatever that may be.
Edna nodded and waited for the next benefits paperwork.
“So what about you? Don’t tell me your dream has always been to be a receptionist here.” He snorted again.
“I just want to do a great job. I have no other aspirations.” Edna hoped that pat answer would suffice.
The statement held some truth. Edna didn’t know exactly what she wanted. All she knew was that there had
to be something better waiting for her down the road. The Oh Club could not be her crowning glory.
From the way Lipsky shuffled his papers around to look for the next set for her to sign, her conservative
answer seemed to have satisfied him as well. He got her to sign papers for vision coverage and a form for
accidental death and dismemberment insurance.
“Who would you like as your beneficiary?” he asked.
The question made her think of her former Master, Sire Darin. Had he though about Edna when he was
reworking his will?
“My mother,” Edna finally answered. Her mother was all she had left in the world. Who else could she leave
anything to if something happened to her?
“You’re going to need her social for this form. Would you like to call her to get it?” Lipsky pulled a phone
over to her.
Edna shook her head. “No, I’ll take this one home to go over it with her. My mother is very funny about
releasing personal information. I’ll have to explain to her what all of this means.”
Lipsky nodded again. “Got it.”
The front door chimed just as Edna was signing the last of her paperwork.
“Oops! I guess I should be out at my desk to greet incoming customers.” Edna stood and gathered her
papers in her arms.
After glancing at his watch, Lipsky said, “More than likely, it’s just Burton. He’s the office manager here. It’s
about time for him to come in anyway.”
Burton? So that was the mysterious extra employee.
“Come on. I’ll introduce you two.” Lipsky walked out of the office first with Edna trailing not too far behind him.
As she walked past her new desk, Edna dropped her paperwork on the top. The desk wobbled under the
weight of the deposited items. Great.
Just as she thought, the office next to her desk was where the mysterious Burton worked. Lipsky stood at
the doorway and knocked. Edna planted herself behind him but tried craning her head around the doorway
to peek inside.
“Burton,” Lipsky began.
“Yeah.” His deep voice rumbled out of the doorway. “The Rowans called me early this morning to firm up
their reservations in Corolla. Man, I can’t wait until we get some help in here.”
Oh, shit! As though he triggered it with only his voice, Edna’s stomach flip-flopped and she felt herself
getting wet. Not a good sign. If he looked as good as he sounded, she would be in big trouble.
“Speaking of which--”
Burton cut off Lipsky. “And who parked that hunk of shit in front of the building? You want me to call a tow
service?”
Lipsky cleared his throat. The silence hurt more than what Burton had said about Edna’s mother’s car, not
that she didn’t think it was a piece of shit, too.
Suddenly a man appeared in the doorway. Burton stood a good foot over Lipsky. Then again, Edna was
about a half of a foot over Lipsky. Burton’s dark hair was shorn short, probably because of the hot summer
weather but more than likely he did it because his hairline was receding.
Burton’s strong jaw line flexed. He stared at Edna with hypnotic blue eyes. In his sky blue button-up shirt and
gray tie, and his dark blue slacks, he looked like he was ready for business. Good. She didn’t need any
temptation. His staunch business appearance proved to be enough of a deterrent.
The more Edna stared at him, the more she realized he could be more lethal than she realized. Although he
had this stuffy businessman look about him, there was something magnetic to him, something about his core
essence. It could have been the way he stood with his fists to his hips. Or it could have been the way he
never broke eye contact with Edna.
Please let this guy be married or gay or racist as hell.
“Burton McCutcheon, meet our newest receptionist, Edna Zooooo--”
Edna glanced at Lipsky before saving him, “Edna Zulma.” She put her hand out to Burton. “Nice meeting
you.”
He took her hand and held it tentatively at first. After a holding it longer, his grip got tighter and tighter.
“Welcome to Bright Spot.” He cocked a half-smile at the corner of his mouth. “Hope you enjoy working here.
If there’s anything you need---” Burton paused.
Edna took that moment to pull her hand free from his. As though not realizing how long he had been holding
her hand, Burton cleared his throat and put his fist back on his hip.
“I do have one thing.” Edna adjusted her purse strap on her shoulder. “Just where should I park my, um,
vehicle when I come to work?”
She refrained from calling it a piece of shit like Burton had. Watching his cheeks get red from
embarrassment, she assumed under that rough exterior existed a compassionate man with some humility.
“Employees should park behind the building. You’re fine where you are now.” Lipsky said.
“Thank you, Mr. Lip--, uh, Andy.”
Lipsky nodded.
“If you gentlemen don’t mind, I’m going to start working. You said coffee needed to be made, right?” The
faster she got away from Burton the better Edna would be.
Actually being busy would help her keep her mind off of the man and what his solid body looked like naked.
Shit, had she actually thought about what the man looked like naked?
Get your head in the game, girl. This is not The Oh Club again.
After starting the coffeemaker, Edna cleaned off her desk first. A thick layer of dust covered her workspace,
signaling to her that Bright Spot Rentals hadn’t had a receptionist in a long, long time. The fact that the
position went unfilled for so long made her wonder why did they need someone now?
Once her desk was straightened and she figured out the trick to opening her bottom drawer, Edna poked
her head into Lipsky’s office.
“If you don’t mind, I thought I would clean up the supply closet, straighten it out a bit.” Edna had to keep
busy, otherwise her mind would focus on Burton and what his cock must look like.
“Oh wow. That’s a daunting project. Are you sure?” Lipsky wrung his hands together as though she said she
was going to rewire the entire building.
"It looks like it’s been needing some organization for a long time.” Plus since no one had come into the office
the entire morning, cleaning the closet would at least give Edna some purpose for being there.
Lipsky nodded.
As much as she didn’t want to, Edna removed her jacket. She noticed when she was introduced to Burton
that his gaze dropped right to her chest. Recalling that look, Edna’s nipples tightened under her confining
bra.
Edna stood on a stepstool to retrieve items from a top shelf. When she pulled a stack of old forms down, a
cloud of dust fell on her.
“Shit! Great.” She set the stack on a shelf at eye level then wiped her hands off.
When she got her hands clean, she smoothed her hands down the front of her shirt to remove the dust from
there, too. She decided then that it would be better to do this job with some cleaning supplies in hand.
Just as she turned to get down off the stool, she saw Lipsky standing in the doorway. His silent shoes got
her again.
Startled, Edna put her hand to her chest. “You have to stop sneaking up on me like that. I didn’t even hear
you.”
Lipsky shut the door with him on the inside but didn’t speak. Edna’s heart raced out of nerves, a first since
being sentenced. She tried reading anything in Lipsky’s eyes. Did he have to tell her something in secret,
something he couldn’t say in front of Burton? Or was there another reason he was standing in the supply
closet with her?
Trying to act like everything was normal, Edna continued her conversation. “Are cleaning supplies in the
break room or in the bathroom?”
Edna couldn’t make it down the step fast enough before Lipsky lowered himself to his knees then bowed all
the way down to the floor, his arms stretched out in front of him and his forehead to the floor. That position
looked familiar to Edna.
Lipsky lifted his head. “I’m under your command, Madame Z. Anything you desire, I’ll do for you under your
stern hand.”
“Oh my God.” Edna put her hand to her head.
So much for her past lift not catching up to her present life.
Copyright © 2005 by Bridget Midway. All rights reserved.