He hobbled over to a chest of drawers and withdrew a leather-and-ring contraption, moaning and whimpering as Laura fitted it over the hard erection, restraining it in the silver hoop.
“Now the butt plug.”
He bent over obediently as she lubed him up and slid the large rubber plug into his twitching arsehole. Then he was ordered to pull his underpants back over his tender bottom and dress himself for the office.
“Now, then, my darling.” Laura stood and held him close so that the trapped cock dug into her pelvis. “You are going to the office like that, and you are giving your editor your resignation. When you come back, you will apply for jobs in London. And then, if you’re a very, very good boy, you might get to come. How does that sound?”
“I can’t…go to the office…like this…” Jeremy gasped, staring down at his incriminating trousers.
“Yes, you can. You will. It’s not as if you’re going back there, is it?”
“What about my reference?”
“You’ll get your reference. I’ll get on the case. Don’t worry.”
Jeremy, strung so taut with frustrated lust that he could barely speak, flapped hands at Laura. “You’re not…that influential…are you?”
“Oh God, Jeremy, really. For a journalist, you don’t know much, do you? Lawrence Francombe was my first boyfriend, you know.”
“My editor?”
“Oh yes.”
“But he’s…”
“Old enough to be my father, with grown-up children and a wife on the council? Yes. That’s why he likes to do what I tell him, darling. If I ask him for a reference…”
“Christ, Laura. You’re…”
“Incredible? Yes, I know. Now get yourself down to the office. And tell Francombe I sent you.”
Jeremy fell to his knees and kissed Laura’s shiny feet with grateful passion.
She reached down to ruffle his hair.
“You know, I hate to say it, but perhaps that Flipp creature did me a favour after all.”
“How’s your head, soldier?”
“How about you come here and I show you?”
“Sounds like an offer.”
Flipp edged over to where Rocky crouched, checking the oil on his bike in the car park of the Travelodge where they planned to spend the night.
He reached a gloved hand back for her, capturing her wrist and bringing her down onto the tarmac where they wrestled briefly until she was overpowered. The natural next step was a kiss, but their matching motorcycle helmets foiled nature.
“Perhaps we should check in?” Flipp suggested, giggling as their rounded heads clashed.
“Is that a euphemism?”
“No.” She flapped a hand against his leathery chest, then allowed him to pull her up off the ground and into Reception.
The room was basic but still more luxurious than anything either of them had experienced for some time. Flipp’s tiny bedsit had reeked of mould, while Rocky’s flat was dark and full of flimsy rickety furniture. In the Travelodge, the bedding might be threadbare, but it was clean, and it clothed a full-size, comfortable bed.
“So here we are,” announced Flipp, putting down her bags and bouncing onto the mattress. “In a Travelodge, miles from Goldsands, miles from Cordwainer and Pete, miles from all our troubles. Weird feeling. I don’t know if I can get used to it.”
“Freedom,” Rocky mused, sitting down next to her and taking her hand. “It’s new. To both of us. What shall we do with it?”