ran one
hand across her bottom, as if to make sure her skirt was in position, then took
another deep breath and knocked on the door.
"Come
in," a deep voice said. The tone caused a shiver to run up Rosa's
spine—this man had some sort of incredible magnetism that made every
employee want to please him. Of course, the fact that there were ways for the
Master of the Masters to encourage that desire helped a great deal.
Marshall
looked up from his desk, where he had been going over the last of the forms
needed before they were placed into files. Seeing Rosa, he smiled. "I was
just wondering where your papers were. I expected them before now."
"Um,
yes… I mean, yes, Sir," Rosa stammered, her face beginning to heat,
letting her know that the blush that always colored her face when she felt
embarrassed or guilty was well on its way to letting her boss know something
was up. Deciding that attempting to laugh off her concerns was not only not in her best interest, but would
definitely not please a man who insisted on honesty, she forced herself to step
up to the desk and meet his eyes. "I'm sorry. I know I'm late in turning
them in. I really don't have an excuse, and I apologize for making you worry. I
just… well, I just had…"
"Second
thoughts?" he suggested, his tone soft. "Rosa, I hope you know that I
think you are an excellent employee. Honey, I've had years of experience
working with a wonderfully diverse group of individuals, and feel I can read a
person accurately. I'm concerned that I'm not seeing the normally cheerful and
excited Rosa. Let's see if we can work out why you seem to be so uneasy."
He pointed to the chair in front of his desk. "Sit down, Rosa. Would you
care for some water?"
She
sank into the chair, shaking her head. "Um, no… no, thank you. I just want
coffee. I mean, I need to give these to you, and then Bess is going to… we're
going to get coffee."
Marshall
nodded, sat back in his chair and steepled his fingers under his chin.
"That's fine, Rosa, but I'd really like you to relax and just talk to
me."
Rosa
discovered that Marshall's magic extended to just listening. She began slowly,
but as she admitted her fears, her words started to flow more easily. "I'm
scared. I know that's silly, and I have comforted many a Little, but I can't
help it. What if I'm terrible at being a Little? What if someone pays money for
me and then is so disappointed, he'll never want to come back to the Castle?
What if I sell… oh God, just thinking of being sold blows my mind." Her
voice began to rise in pitch with her anxiety. "I don't want Don to be
disappointed. I liked him so much, but if I don't bring in enough, or no-one
bids on me at all, I'll feel like I've let him down. I don't want to ruin
everyone's fun or… or your business."
"Honey,
you need to stop fretting so much," Marshall said, leaning forward.
"You have my word that there is no need to worry about any of that—I
promise you will make Don proud. How about we go over your form one last time
to make sure you have everything just the way you want? You deserve to have the
best experience you can."
Rosa
was surprised at his request, but she nodded and laid the papers she had spent
hours going through down on his desk. She felt her face heat again, seeing how
crumpled and twisted they appeared. Flattening them with her fingers, she
mumbled another apology.
"That's
fine. We'll go through them and I promise by the time they get put into your
file, they will be as good as new. Shall we?"
They
spent the next half-hour going through the questionnaire. Marshall read each
line, and would not continue until she gave him a nod. When they reached the
section on what she would enjoy during the time spent with whoever purchased
her, she was smiling, and even giggled a time or two when he made a comment
about how she was sure to enjoy getting to choose clothing from their extensive
wardrobe department and play on the playground.
"I'm
sure you'll enjoy the Big
hand across her bottom, as if to make sure her skirt was in position, then took
another deep breath and knocked on the door.
"Come
in," a deep voice said. The tone caused a shiver to run up Rosa's
spine—this man had some sort of incredible magnetism that made every
employee want to please him. Of course, the fact that there were ways for the
Master of the Masters to encourage that desire helped a great deal.
Marshall
looked up from his desk, where he had been going over the last of the forms
needed before they were placed into files. Seeing Rosa, he smiled. "I was
just wondering where your papers were. I expected them before now."
"Um,
yes… I mean, yes, Sir," Rosa stammered, her face beginning to heat,
letting her know that the blush that always colored her face when she felt
embarrassed or guilty was well on its way to letting her boss know something
was up. Deciding that attempting to laugh off her concerns was not only not in her best interest, but would
definitely not please a man who insisted on honesty, she forced herself to step
up to the desk and meet his eyes. "I'm sorry. I know I'm late in turning
them in. I really don't have an excuse, and I apologize for making you worry. I
just… well, I just had…"
"Second
thoughts?" he suggested, his tone soft. "Rosa, I hope you know that I
think you are an excellent employee. Honey, I've had years of experience
working with a wonderfully diverse group of individuals, and feel I can read a
person accurately. I'm concerned that I'm not seeing the normally cheerful and
excited Rosa. Let's see if we can work out why you seem to be so uneasy."
He pointed to the chair in front of his desk. "Sit down, Rosa. Would you
care for some water?"
She
sank into the chair, shaking her head. "Um, no… no, thank you. I just want
coffee. I mean, I need to give these to you, and then Bess is going to… we're
going to get coffee."
Marshall
nodded, sat back in his chair and steepled his fingers under his chin.
"That's fine, Rosa, but I'd really like you to relax and just talk to
me."
Rosa
discovered that Marshall's magic extended to just listening. She began slowly,
but as she admitted her fears, her words started to flow more easily. "I'm
scared. I know that's silly, and I have comforted many a Little, but I can't
help it. What if I'm terrible at being a Little? What if someone pays money for
me and then is so disappointed, he'll never want to come back to the Castle?
What if I sell… oh God, just thinking of being sold blows my mind." Her
voice began to rise in pitch with her anxiety. "I don't want Don to be
disappointed. I liked him so much, but if I don't bring in enough, or no-one
bids on me at all, I'll feel like I've let him down. I don't want to ruin
everyone's fun or… or your business."
"Honey,
you need to stop fretting so much," Marshall said, leaning forward.
"You have my word that there is no need to worry about any of that—I
promise you will make Don proud. How about we go over your form one last time
to make sure you have everything just the way you want? You deserve to have the
best experience you can."
Rosa
was surprised at his request, but she nodded and laid the papers she had spent
hours going through down on his desk. She felt her face heat again, seeing how
crumpled and twisted they appeared. Flattening them with her fingers, she
mumbled another apology.
"That's
fine. We'll go through them and I promise by the time they get put into your
file, they will be as good as new. Shall we?"
They
spent the next half-hour going through the questionnaire. Marshall read each
line, and would not continue until she gave him a nod. When they reached the
section on what she would enjoy during the time spent with whoever purchased
her, she was smiling, and even giggled a time or two when he made a comment
about how she was sure to enjoy getting to choose clothing from their extensive
wardrobe department and play on the playground.
"I'm
sure you'll enjoy the Big
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