Chapter 2

The next day was Friday and she was too happy to let her obnoxious boss or annoying co-workers get under her skin. At lunch, Tom materialized and took her out to eat. He held her hand for a while after they finished. She felt a little uncomfortable at first, but after asking Tom if it made him happy and him returning the query, she realized she liked it (after some thought on the subject). When Tom admitted that it made him quite happy, it became her favorite thing to do in the whole world.

With lunch over, she was shocked to discover that her boss was demanding that she go on a business trip with him over several nights next week. She almost gave her notice on the spot but decided to ask Tom what he thought that night over dinner.

"You really are too good for that job," he said.

"But I need that job ... as much as I hate it ... as much as I hate my boss and know he is just going to use the trip as a chance to try to get into my pants."

"I wouldn't like that," said Tom.

"If it would make you happy, I won't go."

"What would make you happy?" he asked.

"For me not to go."

"Then that makes me quite happy," he smiled.

Vanessa smiled. Tom's reaction immediately put everything in perspective for her and she instantly felt better having made her decision. "Well, I guess I really don't want that job. As much as I need it, I don't want it even more."

"That, my dear Domina, is why I love you so," he grinned.

Vanessa felt a strange warmth begin to spread across her body. She knew she should not feel this way about Tom, but the affection she was feeling was overwhelming. She wanted to be his 'Harriet', 'his Domina' ... his... "Tom?"

"Yes, my love?"

"Would it make you happy for me to love you? To desire you? To give myself to you, as a woman would a man?"

Tom sighed. This was the hardest part of the process. He could just say 'yes' and take her home. She would then bend over the table and let him take her from behind. The problem would be that would be all she would be able to do. He had twenty-nine women throughout the world who would do that whenever he wanted. They would do anything they could to make him happy. The problem was that they were limited by his failure to keep their personalities intact. After each failure, Tom had managed to mute their obsessions whenever he was not around them. Still. he knew if he came back into their lives the obsession would return with a vengeance. These women would do anything to make him happy. This happiness would come at the expense of any other relationship they had since formed in their lives, no matter how stable.

It had saddened Tom that he could not pursue a relationship with one of these women. They were unable to give him the one thing he needed: Their real love. He was down to his thirtieth and last chance to find the love he needed to replace the one that had wrongly been taken for him. The aliens responsible for his tragedy had given him this power, but the caveat only allowed him thirty chances. It had taken him a while to figure out how to make this all work. Now, to ensure his future happiness, this must work.

He responded the only way that would give him that chance. "I want you to be happy, Domina. That is all I've wanted since the moment we met. I hope I've helped."

A pained look crossed Vanessa's face."You have, Tom. You're the sweetest man I've ever known. I really want to be your 'Domina', your 'Harriet' ... your ... Your wife ... I just don't know how to be those things," she said as a tear ran down her cheek."

Tom reached out and hugged her and gently kissed her gently on the lips. After breaking the kiss, he smiled into her tear-stained eyes. "There's no rush, Vanessa. You will have plenty of time to learn how to be any or all those things and I'll have plenty of time to get to know you."

"Even though I may lose my job?"

"Don't worry about that. I'll help you until you can find another job ... one that is worthy of your mind and talent."

Vanessa hugged her body tightly to Tom's and he felt Tom's erection against her thigh. "I guess I really do make him happy," she thought. I bet I could make him happier. "Tom?"

"Yeah?"

"Would it make you happy if I touched your thing?"

"Do you want to touch it?"

"I do, if it would make you happy, I'd like you to touch me down there too," she smiled.

"I'd only be happy if you were happy..." he started before realizing his mistake.

"Then I guess I'm happy," she smiled as she pulled him into her apartment.

"Shit!" thought Tom. I manipulated her into being happy because of my happiness. "Stop!" he cried.

"What Tom?" she asked with a look of panic.

"I think you misunderstand what I mean. I only want you to touch me, if you want me to ... I mean REALLY want to," he clarified, hoping that he had not blown it.

"I do want to. It makes you happy so I want it," she said.

"But I only want it because it makes you happy. I don't want you to so it if is not what you want."

"It doesn't make you happy for me to touch you?" she said with concern.

Tom stopped. "For the moment, let's not talk about what makes me happy. Let's talk about what makes you happy."

"Being with you makes me happy," she smiled.

"Good. Making you happy is important to me."

Vanessa was confused. Was not it her job to make HIM happy? "It is?"

"Yes. You want to make me happy right?"

"Yes. Your happiness is the most important thing in the whole world," she said, never uttering a truer statement, though not really having a choice either.

"Well, I feel the same way because I love you."