Page 15 of My Forbidden Boss

“Tisha… Did you…”

“Yes! Okay! I was a little wound up, obviously. And I… decided to relax. Alright?”

“You dirty girl! Oh, that is so sexy! I mean, I’m as gay as they come, sweetheart, and even the thought of that makes me want to find a paper pile to get lost in.”

“Oh, stop it!”

“Are you embarrassed? Why…?!”

I struggled to find the words. “Because it’s… personal. You know? I’m not repressing anything or regretful, not like that. I mean, sure, I feel my dignity slowly slipping away right now, but I think that’s just because somehow you are so much of a pervert that you jumped to that conclusion out of nowhere.”

He looked thoughtful for a moment. “We can shut up about it right now if that’s what you want. I don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable at all. I’m sorry if I embarrassed you, honey. I honestly didn’t even know what I was stumbling into until I was already there. If it helps, dignity doesn’t have much to do with it as far as I’m concerned. The only reason that you could feel your sense of self-value deteriorating would be if you consciously or subconsciously thought that you, as a woman, as a person, do not deserve to be completely gratified by whatever makes you feel.”

I was still swirling the dress, mostly due to my nervous pivoting of my weight from foot to foot. “I… I really don’t mind talking about it at some point; it’s just, I don’t know… I feel totally comfortable around you. I don’t want you to think it’s that. That… stuff just isn’t something I am prone to talk about openly. I’m not saying I won’t do it, but maybe when we’ve known each other a little bit longer?”

Brandon nodded and held his palms up in a show of non-hostility. “That is perfectly fine with me, girl.”

I nodded, feeling myself blush again as a quiet silence ensued.

My eyes flicked up, and I caught Brandon slyly squinting my way. He broke the awkwardness with open lasciviousness.

“Tell me this, at least…”

He didn’t finish. Still feeling somewhat exposed, my nervousness abruptly prompted me to probe the issue.

“Tell you, what?”

He grinned slyly. “How good was it?”

I blushed but smiled, as I could see that Brandon was not at all judging me. In fact, he seemed to only be offering what looked a lot like pride.

“It was very… It was very welcome. Nothing spectacular, of course – I was exhausted. But it was just what I needed to let go and release some stress. You know, relax a bit.”

He nodded agreeably, smiling in approval. “Good for you, Tisha. You deserved it.”

I smiled, still feeling unsure but no longer uncomfortable.

Nonchalantly, Brandon changed the subject, saving me from having to do it on my own.

“Now! Let’s talk about that dress. It isn’t terrible. But I still feel like we can do better. What do you think?”

I smiled and felt all of my remaining self-consciousness drain away.

“I agree. Shall I try on another one?”

Brandon nodded in confirmation and, crossing his legs as he sat on the sofa, flicked his wrist and waved me back to the bedroom to change.

Hollis

“You done with that one, Dad? You want another beer?”

He shook his head slightly, mumbling something under his breath. I could tell that he was distracted, so I stood and took his empty plate to the sink. Grabbing two fresh bottles from the fridge, I returned to the table, still waiting to hear some kind of response.

“Dad… You alright?”

“Huh? Oh… Yeah, Hollis… I’m okay. Thanks.”

I tilted my head and took a sip, waiting for the moment when he would inevitably let me in. When nothing further was offered, I pushed his unnoticed beer closer to his chest and quietly prodded again. Dad flinched and finally took the perspiring bottle with a morose, “Oh… Right.” Patiently I waited, letting him realize on his own that he had already accepted my petition to barter.

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