"I'll keep that in mind," I said with a laugh, although I knew that wasn't really me. I could never do what Ruth did. It was a little too daytime chat-show for me.
"So how are things with your mystery man?" she asked. I swear I could hear her grin travelling down the phone line.
"Okay. Actually to be honest, I had a bit of a freak out, but it turned out I was just being an idiot. We talked it through, and things are good now... I think."
"You think?"
"Well, he had to fly to Melbourne for work the day we made up. We've texted a little, but I haven't actually seen him since then."
"Ah bummer. Oh well, absence makes the heart grow fonder and all that crap."
"It's not his heart I'm interested in."
She laughed. "Ah, well it can make that grow fonder too. Trust me."
I didn't sleep well that night, and the next morning I arrived at work in a foul mood. However, it didn't last long. Resting in the centre of my desk when I walked into my office was a neatly wrapped box. There was no postage stamp or delivery address. Instead, on the face, in elegant, flowing script, was a single word. Sophia. My heart leapt. I'd only seen that handwriting once before, in the Royal Bay, but everything about that night was etched permanently into my brain.
I walked over and picked it up, weighing it in my hands. It wasn't particularly heavy, but there was something solid within. Shutting the door to protect from wandering eyes, I sat down at my desk and slowly peeled away the ribbon.
Rather than containing the object itself, inside the first box was another box. On top rested a note. I found myself grinning. Games within games. That was so like him.
Dear Sophia.
I'm sorry I've been gone so long. Things here are still messy and I have to stay until we can sort them out. Please forgive me.
I know I promised you a way to make up for the other day, and as much as I would like that to involve me being inside you, it will still be a few days until I return. Fortunately, I've come up with an alternative that I think you're going to enjoy.
Today I have a task for you. After you finish reading this note, I want you to sneak off into the bathroom, lock yourself in one of the cubicles, and masturbate through your panties. Play as long as you want, but our rules still stand: you're forbidden to come. Take the second box with you. When you're done, open it. There will be further instructions within. Have fun.
-S
A tingle rolled through me as I read. The request was both exciting and risky. Aside from Sebastian's kiss the other week, I'd never so much as fooled around in the office before. My job was just too important to me, and I didn't want to do anything that could come back to bite me. But the fact that Sebastian had commanded me to do it made it much more alluring. I could hear the words in his voice as I read, that strong, implacable tone that seemed impossible to resist. It was as though he was right behind me, leaning over my shoulder, strong hands lightly caressing my body as he whispered in my ear. And I felt compelled to do as I was told.
Glancing out into the corridor I saw that the building was still largely empty. Most days I tried to arrive before the bulk of my colleagues; I found that first hour of silence before the daily office buzz began was my most productive. And at that moment, it provided the perfect cover. Picking up the smaller box, I slipped casually out the door and headed for the ladies' room.
I passed a few other early-birds as I went, nodding greetings and trying to look calm. Were their smiles just friendly, or was there something smug behind them? It seemed impossible, but I couldn't shake the feeling that they knew what I was up to. It was like the fabric store all over again. I knew it was all part of Sebastian's game, but that didn't make it any easier. I clutched the box to my chest and began to walk faster, my cheeks burning with embarrassment, or excitement, or some baffling combination of the two. I'd never thought of the threat of being exposed as appealing before, but I was quickly learning that there was something strangely thrilling in that fear.
I made it to the bathroom without anyone crying foul and slipped into a cubicle with a sigh. Giving my heart a moment to settle, I sat on the toilet seat and inspected the smaller box. It was made from the same dark cardboard as the larger one, and as I tilted it from side to side, I could feel the object inside sliding around through the thin walls. Like a child on Christmas day, I began to try and guess what lay within. Judging by his request, it was probably something sexy, maybe a vibrator? Or something I might have to wear? I was incredibly curious. It took a lot of restraint not to simply tear the lid off then and there. But he'd asked me to wait, and so I did.
Instead, I reached down and hiked up my skirt, exposing my intricate pair of black lace panties. Like most girls, my underwear collection ranged from stuff I didn't wear out of the house to a few Victoria's Secret pieces I saved for special occasions. Normally for work I wore something in between, but since meeting Sebastian, my sexier pieces had been getting all the attention. As much as I hated the idea of grooming to please a guy, with his spontaneous appearances and unconventional approach, I never knew when I might need to look my best.
Masturbate through your panties. It seemed like an odd request, but I'd already learned that with Sebastian, the specifics were often important.
After listening once more to make sure there was nobody else hidden away in another cubicle, I reached out and ran a hand tentatively across my shrouded sex. Even through my underwear, I could feel how turned on I was. My juices had already begun seeping through the sheer cloth. I had no idea how he could do that to me with a simple letter, but I wasn't about to waste time considering it any further.
I began to stroke myself in a slow, steady rhythm. I was no stranger to a little fun for one. When you work the kind of hours I do, you just don't have time to seek out the real thing as often as you'd like. But this was a totally new experience. Being in a public place gave it a frenetic edge that seemed to heighten every sensation. At any moment, one of my workmates could burst in and catch me in the act. After just a minute, my heart was thundering in my chest and I could taste something sharp on my tongue.
It felt a little like I was putting on a performance. Sebastian wasn't there to see of course, but nonetheless he knew what I was doing. He knew that sometime that morning I'd be in the office bathroom, just thirty feet from my colleagues, pleasuring myself at his command. I imagined him doing the same thing, stroking that magnificent cock and picturing me. That thought drove me wild.