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“Punishment?”
“Yes, my sweetness. And tonight you’ll see what it is.”
“I’ll remind you,” I whisper, “that the punishment you imposed in Barcelona was to get me all hot at that swingers’ bar and to leave me burning.”
He smiles and sniffs my hair.
“You never know what it’ll be, Jude; you never know.”
He separates my legs with his hand. He touches the elastic band on my panties.
“Your punishment awaits you in my hotel room,” he murmurs in my ear. “When you leave the office tonight, come right over.”
Eric retrieves his hand from under my skirt and steps away.
“Very well. You can get back to work now.”
Excited and annoyed by his cool treatment, I start to go, when I feel a slap on my behind. I turn to protest, and then he pulls me to him and kisses me passionately.
“I love you, sweetness ...,” he says, and smiles that unsettling smile.
The Zimmerman Effect takes over. My wariness vanishes, and I smile like a fool while he hugs and kisses me, dominating me completely.
“Miss Flores, will you please stop provoking me and let me run this company?”
That makes me laugh. After straightening my skirt, I leave the archive room, grinning all the while, and go through his office, back to my desk. Tonight I will definitely tell him what happened.
Julio hurries by me with the coffee. “Goddamn it,” he whispers to me, “he’s driving me bonkers today!”
That amuses me, but I try to concentrate on my work.
When I leave the office at six o’clock, I’m nervous, but I do as I’ve been asked. I pick up my car and drive to his hotel. When I arrive, Tomás is waiting for me at the door and beckons me over. I brake and lower my window.
“Mr.Zimmerman is waiting for you in his suite. I’ll take care of your car.”
Feeling good now, I leave him the keys and enter the hotel, my excitement growing with each step. I haven’t played since we were in Zahara de los Atunes, and I’m a little eager. The elevator operator greets me. We go up in silence, and when the elevator opens, I’m surprised to find Eric waiting for me in the vestibule.
“Hello, love.”
“Hi,” I say as I appreciate how handsome he looks in black pants and a sky-blue shirt. Quickly, he kisses me and guides me into the suite. There’s music playing in the living room. Someone else is here, but I can’t see who it is. Eric takes me directly to his bedroom and shuts the door.
“What I want you to wear is laid out on the bed. Shower, and when you’re ready, come out to the living room.”
With that, he leaves me alone.
Surprised, I walk over to the bed. Black silk sheets. Wow! Then I see what he’s left for me: a very elegant and very short black silk nightgown and a pair of shoes with skyscraper heels. No panties, but a delicate G-string. That makes my mouth dry.
My eyes still on that accessory, I undress and head for the bathroom. I shower and enjoy the water all over my body. I dry myself and dress as Eric has requested.
I open the door to the living room. Eric sees me and waves me over to him. When I reach him, I see a couple. She’s dressed like me.
“Judith, meet Mario and his wife, Marisa. Friends of mine.”
The man gives me a pair of kisses on the cheek. In the light, I realize the woman is Marisa de la Rosa. Why does she act as if she doesn’t know me? She gives me two kisses too.
“Hi, Judith, so good to see you.”
“The same,” I say, but I’m confused.