Tell Me - Ashe Barker Page 0,35
was content to leave his further enquiries until the following day, observing that no one would be going anywhere, and he wanted to study the details in more depth himself first.
Tony had dragged his phone from his pocket and found Thea on speed dial.
That had been a few hours ago. After talking to her and convincing her to take the rest of the day off he’d spent the rest of the afternoon on the phone to his finance staff, asking them to return to work the next morning. Just before five o’clock he took a call from Shirley Reece who had no doubt been alerted by the finance grapevine that most of her colleagues had been reinstated. She apologised, said she had been out shopping and must have missed his call earlier, and asked what time she should come in the next morning.
“That’s quite alright, Mrs Reece. Thank you for calling. But we won't be requiring you back at work tomorrow.”
“Oh. When then?”
“We’ll be in touch soon.”
“Am I still being paid? I want my money. It’s not my fault. None of this is my doing.”
“None of what. Mrs Reece?”
“This. Whatever. I don't know. But there must be something up, else you’d not be carrying on like this. Just don't be trying to pin it on me, that’s all.”
“I can confirm that you are still on full pay, Mrs Reece. And we’ll be in touch with you in the coming days. Goodbye.”
He replaced the receiver. Such remaining doubts as he might have been clinging to—and those were slender enough—now dissolved. In his experience people never denied something they had not been accused of, unless they’d done it. Shirley Reece was in a lot of bother.
And he had a lovely submissive waiting for him at home, but first he had a couple of errands to see to on the way there.
Tony pulled up in his driveway alongside Thea’s car. He glanced up at the windows but saw no face watching for him. A good sign. The dining room was on the other side of the house. He picked up the carrier bag containing a takeaway selection of Chinese dishes and mounted the steps up to the front door to let himself in.
Silence. He put his briefcase down on the floor in the hall and sauntered along the polished wood floor. The dining room door was closed, but he knew she was there as surely as if the solid ash panel was made of glass. He carried on along the hallway to the kitchen where he deposited his carrier bag. His footsteps echoed in the quiet hallway as he strode back to the dining room. He turned the handle and pushed the door open.
Thea knelt on the floor, her back to him. She was naked, her slender back ramrod straight. Even so, her posture looked relaxed, practised. She was at ease in and with herself, and this pleased him. He didn't speak, but of course she was aware of his presence. He saw that in the slight tilt of her chin, the almost imperceptible clench of her fingers as they rested on her thighs.
He walked past her and sat on the sofa. Her head was bowed but he knew she watched him, her eyes following him as he moved. He removed his suit jacket and draped it across the seat next to him, then he loosened his tie. His cuffs were next. He unfastened them and rolled back his shirt sleeves, then he leaned back.
“Do you feel rested now, Thea?”
“Yes, Sir. Very. I had a bath too. I feel very pampered.”
“You earned it. So, Thea, how would you like to spend the evening?”
“With you, Sir.”
“Yet you offered to return to your apartment. Why?”
“You said you like to live alone, Sir. I don’t want to crowd you, if you need your space.”
“I have plenty of space here, whether you’re in the house or not.”
“Yes, Sir. I can see that.”
“So, just to make sure there’s no misunderstanding between us on this matter, you’re welcome to stay here as often as you like. You can sleep here every night if you want to.”
“In your bed, Sir.”
“Of course.”
“What about my apartment?”
“Keep it. Sub-let it if you want. Or you might want to sleep there sometimes too. I’m not the only one who said they like to live alone.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
“Why are you thanking me, Thea?”
“For being nice, Sir.”
Tony chuckled. “I wonder if you’ll still feel like thanking me when I have you tied to my bed and