Chapter 18

Jack and Jennifer arrived at FI on Monday morning a bit apprehensively. Jennifer had monitored Ms. Cooper over the rest of the weekend, and reported that once she had gotten up the nerve to try the oral sex simulator, she made a good attempt at wearing it out. As far as the discovery of her secret went, Jennifer reported that after agonizing over it for much of Saturday, by Sunday she had calmed to almost a gallows resignation regarding Jack and Jennifer's knowledge. She was ok, otherwise, and they decided to let her be until work on Monday.

And then they decided to let her be at work on Monday. They would treat her in exactly the same friendly fashion as they had through Friday, to help indicate and reinforce that they thought just as much of her after 'discovering' her secret as before.

Thus, they made their way to their office/closet, dropped off Jack's laptop bag, and started getting the equipment set for another day of shooting titillating product demonstration photos. Ms. Cooper appeared a few moments later, looking uncharacteristically self-conscious, among other emotions running across her face. They both greeted her warmly and cheerfully. "Good morning, Ms. Cooper! Where would you like to start today? I believe we left off working with some of the light bondage stuff," Jack said.

She stared at him for a moment, and Jack could almost read her thoughts from the expressions passing on her face; anger that he could so easily dismiss the torment - some of it pleasant, admittedly - that he (and Jennifer) had put her through over the weekend; relief that they both seemed to be treating her the same after discovering her secret and not with the disgust and ridicule as she had come to expect; hope at an irrational thought that, with them treating her completely normally, perhaps the whole weekend had actually been a dream, and her secret was still safe?...

"Uh, yeah, sure, wherever you guys left off."

She stood around as they got started, looking uncomfortable and as if she felt a little out of place. Jennifer stripped down casually yet proactively (as always), then picked up a set of nipple clamps with vibrating weights attached. These were the same items she had so much 'fun' with during their photography for the demo website a couple of weeks before. She tilted her head and looked sternly at Jack. "I am NOT going to wear these things going at full power for a half an hour while you futz around again. Besides, it wouldn't be professional for me to lay here orgasming on Ms. Cooper's time."

As intended, this shocked and intrigued Ms. Cooper, distracting her from her discomfort and confusion about how to now interact with these two. Jack grinned. "Of course not! Half power should do just fine." As Jennifer rolled her eyes and started attaching the clamps to her nipples - which were erect and welcoming, no matter what she said - Jack continued silently, You said last week that those things are pretty uncomfortable if you aren't, I believe the term was, 'revved up'. Would you like to be revved up while we shoot this stuff, or would you rather suspend any discomfort for the duration of the shoot, perhaps?

I think you know what I would prefer, but if we do that I'll soon be lying in a puddle and this whole place will smell of wet and horny Genie. So, I think I'll take you up on your offer of suspending the discomfort, thanks.

Jack gave a theatrical sigh of regret, and got an odd look from Ms. Cooper. Oops! Ok, make it so.

Thank you Jack. You're so thoughtful.

Isn't that in the realm of something you could do for yourself, now?

No. I can use my powers autonomously with and for you, as we discussed before, but not for myself. In this case I'm not allowed to relieve myself magically of such discomfort without my Master's say so.

Oh. Well, as Jennifer can you ask me to have you do such things.

Yes, I can do that.

Please do then.

Her response was filled with overtones of appreciation and affection, Thank you, Master.

You're welcome.

They had been communicating silently long enough to start to look a bit odd in front of Ms. Cooper, so they resumed their verbal banter and lighthearted jousting as they moved efficiently through the morning's photography, including Ms. Cooper in the chatter as they could without making any comment that might affect her rising comfort level.

As lunchtime approached, Jennifer asked enthusiastically, "Ms. Cooper, would you care to join us for lunch?" It had earlier been agreed that Jennifer would direct the day's interaction with Ms. Cooper, as a bookend to Jack's meeting with her on Friday, and because of Jennifer's much greater empathic understanding of Ms. Cooper's needs.

Ms. Cooper's anxiety level visibly increased, but she said after a brief pause, "That would be nice. I'd love to," apparently figuring she would have to face the firing squad sooner or later.

They picked a fairly nice restaurant where, by unspoken agreement, they could get a private table. As they were seated, Jack asked, Can your anonymity powers be used to make sure no one will eavesdrop?

Yes.

Cool. Do so, please.

They placed their drink orders and then made a bit of small talk, slightly strained, as they chose from the menu and gave their food orders, after which they could be fairly sure of a little privacy for awhile. Once the waiter left, Jennifer asked with little preamble, "Would you like for us to start?"

Ms. Cooper looked at her with some trepidation for a moment, and then nodded curtly.

"Ms Cooper..."

Ms. Cooper held up her hand with a wry smile. "I think at this point you can call me Susan."

Jennifer smiled warmly in return. "Thank you, Susan." She continued, "I can't really say why," she fibbed, "but I get the feeling that your situation has brought you a lot of pain and loneliness. Is that true?"

Susan looked down at her hands clasped in her lap and nodded.

"Do you mind telling us a little more about yourself? Nothing too personal. We just want to get to know you a little better."

Hesitantly and self consciously, Susan told them about her childhood; growing up with parents who were very supportive, but were too poor to pursue any medical or psychological help for her. So she had hidden behind her skirts and her books and had done well in school on the reservation - her father was American Indian and her mother was of mixed South American descent - well enough to receive a scholarship to college. She earned a degree in marketing, graduating at the top of her class. After several positions where she had done well but hadn't been very happy, she had come to FI.

With Jennifer's gentile guidance, she spoke in general terms about her physical situation; basically she was completely female physically except for having a penile appendage where her clitoris would normally be. Although Jennifer and Jack didn't press her for any detail she wasn't ready to give, she seemed surprised that she was talking about this at all, displaying an expression the entire time, one that Jack recognized as having been on his own face frequently as of late, that said 'I can't believe I'm discussing this so freely and comfortably with this woman.'

Jennifer finally replied, "Well, I'm sure Jack said something similar on Friday, but I want to reiterate that we are coming to think of you as a friend, and although it may not be exactly appropriate with regard to our business relationship, we would like to deepen that friendship. At the risk of belittling what you may have gone through, your situation is irrelevant to us, at least in wanting to be your friends. On the other hand, as you become more comfortable with us, which we certainly hope you will do, please feel free to discuss anything you like with us." Jennifer chuckled, "As you have probably already noticed, we are both fairly open, and not much bothers us. Oh, and as I am sure Jack promised, we will never discuss your situation with anyone without your knowledge and approval. How does that sound?"

By the end of Jennifer's statement, Susan wasn't crying, but her rich brown eyes were glistening, and she had to blink rapidly several times. "That's... very nice. Thank you, both. You have given me a lot to think about." She didn't add that thinking about it was almost all she had already done all weekend.

"That's good, but you'll have to do it later," Jennifer replied, grinning conspiratorially, "because right now I want to know what you think about the little toy Jack gave you."

Susan's eyes widened at the change of topic, and her dark cinnamon skin reddened several shades, "Uh, it was very impressive."

"Impressive?!" Jennifer scoffed. "You can do better than that. Tell me about your experience." She leaned over and said softly, "Jack tells me it's very realistic."

"It was... incredible..." She went on to discuss her experience with and impressions of the simulator, again initially very hesitant and self conscious, but eventually becoming a little more comfortable with Jennifer's continuing gentle guidance and enthusiastic interest. However, she also continued to display the 'I can't believe I'm talking like this' expression.

All in all it was a pleasant and somewhat provocative lunch, interrupted more frequently than usual by visits from the waiter, due no doubt to Jennifer's automatic, continuous and apparently unconscious flirting. This wasn't the first time that Susan had witnessed Jennifer in action, and she was watching closely, perhaps even taking a few mental notes. At least they couldn't complain about the service, although Jack had to remind the guy a couple of times to fill his tea glass, too.

Near the end of the meal, Susan said, "Oh, and Jack, I think Nick is a little miffed that you didn't wait until he got back to show us the, uh, simulator."

Jack raised his eyebrows. "You told him? How much did you tell him?"

It took a second for her to realize all the implications of his question. "Oh, I didn't tell him any of that part! I guess I shouldn't have mentioned it at all. I was just a bit distracted and, um, excited about the thing at that point... in more ways than one, I suppose. Anyway, he'll want to know why you did it that way, I guess. What do you want to tell him?"

"Well, the truth, up to a certain point; I was so excited about the thing that I couldn't wait, and since you are the product manager, I thought I'd give you a little sneak peek. Also, I figured you would want as much time as you could get to come up with ways to incorporate it into your promotion for FI's new look and direction," he concluded with his own naughty grin.

Susan gave him a flat stare. "Thanks, Jack. Why is it that you always come up with extra work for me to do?"

Jack gave an exaggerated shrug of innocence. "Don't blame me. You're the one that blabbed to Nick instead of waiting for the slick presentation I'm going to present when he gets back."

Her look turned to one of exasperation. "You didn't mention that before!"

"Oh? Yeah, well, I guess I was a bit distracted at the time, myself."

On the way out to the car, Jennifer pestered Susan until she agreed to go out for a drink after work, first silently passing the idea by Jack.

Uh, you sure that's a good idea? Jack asked.

Why wouldn't it be?

Well, you know what happened over at Skip and Sharron's...

She snorted, earning her a curious look from Susan. Don't worry, I'm not going to drink that much again. Besides, if you'll let me drive, my protection abilities will cover anything that might come up.

Well, Okay, Jack said, still a bit doubtful.

So, this left Jack contemplating what to do with his first free evening since he'd opened Jennifer's puzzle box. He decided he would call up a few single friends and see if they might like to grab some pizza and catch a guy flick, or perhaps hang out for a few video game football matches. This led to another thought... under one condition.

Hey, you already agreed to it! Jennifer protested in amused offense.

I'm going to see if a couple of the guys want to grab dinner and hang out, and I need a few candid shots of you in a skimpy bikini, maybe one or two while hanging all over me. Otherwise my friends will never believe me when I tell them how incredibly hot my girlfriend is.

Oh. That's ok then, she replied, hiding a flattered smile from Susan. Would you like wallet size, or... ?

Jack hid his own grin. How about digital photos on my laptop, with copies on my PDA, and perhaps even a little video clip showing you almost but not quite flashing your breasts, just to really make them jealous?

Susan had gone on ahead of them by this point to check her voice- and e-mail before rejoining them at the 'photo booth, ' so Jennifer could snort and roll her eyes freely in feigned exasperation. However, when Jack later checked her handiwork on his PDA, he found that she had enthusiastically gone above and beyond. He was forced to walk around for several minutes to try to deflate his boner.

... not that it mattered. The afternoon was spent shooting demo photos of the casual and not so casual bondage items in FI's catalog. Even though the camera wasn't capturing her above the chin, Jennifer made appropriate faces for all the scenarios each item or items brought to mind (she suggested they also shoot some of the items together to show how they might be combined as 'ensembles'), along with silent comments along the lines of, wouldn't you like to use these on me at home, Master? I'd be completely immobile and helpless. Jack was hard all afternoon. So was Susan, even without the continual suggestive monolog, until she fled lest she reveal herself to someone else.

After work they went home for a few minutes to change, and for Jennifer to grant Jack's requested of a quick but satisfying screw while she was bound spread-eagled on the bed, immobile and helpless thanks to a carefully selected 'ensemble', in return for her cock teasing all afternoon. Jennifer happily complied, then departed to pick up Susan after reassuring Jack again that she would be fine, and that they could be in constant contact if he wanted. Jack found himself a little lonely until his friends came to pick him up twenty minutes later.

They complemented him on his new physique in the usually guy fashion; they gave him grief and called him a pretty boy. They then absolutely refused to believe that Jennifer was his girlfriend, regardless of his new looks and the proof of the photos and video. They accused him of using his graphic artist skills to doctor up photos of some centerfold of the year, adding himself in. Miffed for a moment, Jack then decided to use this to his advantage. It might be a bit slow going making his fortune using Jennifer's powers, but at least she could earn him some free meals. He bet each of the guys dinner that she really was his girlfriend. After some discussion, they decided that proof would entail her coming out with all of them and answering questions about Jack which a girlfriend would know. Jack was tempted to make it happen right then and there, but ultimately decided that it could wait. He took out his more immediate revenge on them by thrashing them at video football, instead.