Bad Teacher
“She was mad I rejected her.”
“That’s no reason to use your panty addiction as extortion.”
I grimace. “Panty addiction?”
“Well,” she says, shrugging, “what else would you call it?”
“An eclectic taste,” I muse.
She snorts and smacks her hand against her mouth, preventing more laughter from escaping. “I’m sorry,” she mumbles. “It isn’t funny. But maybe a little.”
“It’s not,” I agree. “Panties are serious business. You should know. You sell them, right?”
“Right.” She nods, a little distracted. I wonder what she’s thinking about.
“You don’t sell them anymore?”
“I do, but I was thinking of quitting.”
“Tell me why.” I spin in my chair so I can look at her properly, and it captures her attention just the way it should.
“Why do you sound like you’re interested? You do realize this involves other pervy men?” she notes.
“Yeah, I’m not saying I like that part. On the contrary, I’d probably want to kill the son of a bitch who tries to get his hands on your panties.”
I already feel murderous when I think of it.
I take a deep breath to control my urges. “But it’s your business. I’m not going to tell you what’s right or wrong. I just want to know what’s going on in your head.”
“I don’t know. The panty-selling thing just doesn’t feel right anymore. And I’ve got this job now, so I can pay my bills.” She narrows her eyes. “Is it weird if I say that it feels like cheating?”
“No.” I laugh. “But I understand. You have to do what you think is best.”
“So you’re not going to give me any advice?” She bites the inside of her cheeks, waiting for my reply.
I point at myself. “Do I look like the kind of guy to give good advice?”
She smiles. “Good point.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
“What? You were looking for something else, weren’t you?”
“Well, you didn’t have to agree with it,” I say.
She grabs the pillow from her chair and throws it at me. “Asshole.”
I laugh, deflecting it by grabbing it midair. “That’s Mr. Asshole to you.” I throw the pillow on the floor.
“Yeah, right. Like we haven’t already gotten way past the point of no return.”
“No, that would be anal sex … so I guess you’re right. We have gone past the point of no return.”
She grins, a little too deviously, and I decide there and then it’s been way too long since I last fucked her ass, and I’m going to fuck it into oblivion the next time I get the chance.
But first, we have to deal with the matter at hand. I turn my head toward the paper again and swallow away the lump in my throat. “If I want to stay your boss, I gotta do something about this first, though. It’s not looking good.”
“Can’t you sue them?”
“No, because it’s actually the truth. I do collect panties.”
“But if there’s false information in there, you could, right?” she asks.
“Maybe, but that won’t solve the problem of my reputation being damaged forever.”
She grabs the paper. “Let me see.” Her eyes scan the words I’m too afraid to even read.
“What does it say?” I ask.
Lesley clears her throat. “It’s not looking good.”
I entwine my fingers as I lean on the desk with my elbows, staring ahead. “Give it to me straight.”
“All right. It says you’re a filthy panty hoarder. She says you had like thousands of them.”
“Lie,” I reply.
She continues. “Most of them were dirty. Yada, yada. You sniffed them while at work.”
“Lie,” I say. “Again.”
She briefly glances at me before continuing. “She says you intimidated her and demanded she gave you her panties or else she’d get fired.”
“Lies.” My fist slams onto the desk, momentarily scaring Lesley.
“Should I continue?” she asks.
I nod, rubbing my chin with annoyance. “Yes. I have to know what it says.”
“You sure? Because you seem upset.”
“Yes, goddammit!” I growl.
She sucks in a breath and arches back, and I regret yelling at her like that immediately.
“I’m sorry,” I say.
“It’s okay,” she mutters, still apprehensive. “Just don’t yell at me, okay?”
“I won’t. I apologize,” I say, gazing straight into her eyes. “Please continue.”
She nods and then opens her mouth again. “She says you also stole one of her panties from her.”
“What? How?” I cringe. “Like I’d ever just go into an employee’s home and steal their panties. Who in their right mind would believe this crap?”
“Apparently a lot of people since it’s even on the news,” she mutters, which makes me grind my teeth.
“Doesn’t mean it’s true.”
“I know that.” She cocks her head. “TJ …”
“Do you?” I ask, looking up at her. “Because everyone already thinks I’m the liar. Not her. She’s the innocent victim, right?”
She places the newspaper down on the desk and steps closer, despite me snarling at her. She should go before I do more damage. I might ruin her career too before it’s even started.