She opened the door to his office without knocking, certain that he would not be there. She just had some paperwork to drop off, and she was running late for lunch. Kate froze at the tableau silhouetted against the window. He was standing, phone to his ear, back to the door. A woman was on her knees at his feet, zipping up his pants.

Kate coughed quietly but neither of them took note. The woman closed his pants, but remained kneeling. He patted her softly on the shoulder and made a motion of dismissal with his free hand. Turning, he made eye contact with Kate and pointed to the IN box. There was never a break in the phone conversation. She didn't understand a word he said. It was in Italian.

The woman went out the executive's side door, and Kate went back to the office. Gawd!, she thought, I can understand a quickie in the office. I've wanted to often enough. But it was like he didn't even take note of the woman. She lunched with her friend, as planned, but could not get her mind off him, and his manner with the woman. She had worked alongside this man for years, but had never thought of him this way.

"Kate!" Her friend's voice was sharp. "What the hell is wrong? Your mind is somewhere and you keep squirming in your chair. Did you sleep with some new guy last night?" She made a long, slurpy sucking noise with the straw in her diet soda.

"What?" Kate snapped back to the conversation -- suddenly aware that she had been picturing herself in the woman's place. "Hell no! It's been such a long time that I'm having horny day dreams, I guess."

Exactly one week later, she found herself in front of his door again, but 15 minutes earlier. She held some papers as camouflage, but she really wanted to know if this was a regular thing for him. That girl. Just dismissed like a ... a... but she ran out of words. He was a senior member of the firm, as she was, and it seemed impossible that he could be doing that regularly without anyone's knowledge. She took a deep breath, turned the knob and walked in.

He was seated at the desk, working on some electronic document. Uncharacteristically, she hesitated at the door before stepping in and closing it behind her. She took a couple of steps toward the desk, papers held out as if in offering. "I had these papers and... " her voice cracked. She licked her lips and fell to silence.

He looked up, considering her for a long moment. "Do you want to stay awhile?" She nodded, suddenly unable to meet his steady gaze. "All right, but you must be quiet and not interfere, no matter what." He gestured toward a leather couch along one wall.

She went and sat -- on the edge of the couch, knees and ankles together, back ramrod straight. At noon precisely there was a quiet knock on the door, and it opened. The woman came in and closed the heavy door behind her quietly. She turned to face him at the desk and then kneeled! For the first time, Kate could see more than a silhouette. The woman was young -- mid 20s perhaps -- with long dark hair, she was slender but shapely, and wore a business suit, she wore no shoes. The girl -- for Kate could not think of her as a woman -- looked at the carpeted floor, and was still. Kate held her breath.

The silence stretched for long moments. Then he turned to the girl. "Perhaps you would lock the door, as you should have last week. I am disappointed that you did not remember this simple task."

"I am sorry, master," was her only reply, as she stood and walked quickly to the door. She must have seen Kate, but her eyes were fixed straight ahead. "MASTER"??? Kate thought to herself. What is going on here?

The girl locked the door and turned, walking back to the desk on quiet bare feet. She went to the side and kneeled at his feet. Same place she was last week. I wonder if there are worn spots on the carpet from her knees. The funny image leapt to Kate's mind. It vanished almost immediately as he stood suddenly, looming over the girl. Still she kept her eyes on the floor, her hands resting quietly on her thighs. The only sound was the rapid thumping in Kate's chest. Kate found herself squeezing her thighs together tightly. She realized with a start that she was excited, breathing rapidly as she watched the man standing with the girl at his feet. She was more than excited, she was hot ... could feel the wetness in her sex.

The girl spoke in a soft, whispery voice. So quiet that Kate was not sure she had spoken at all. "Will you discipline me today, master?" There was an undercurrent of eagerness in the voice.

SLAPPP! His hand was a blur as he snapped her head to the side. The sound was sharp in the cool, darkened room. Kate jumped to her feet and took a step toward them.

He turned quickly to her, his voice low and calm. "You may stay or go, but you will not interfere. You may be sure that she is free to leave at any time, that she is an adult, and that she wants to be here and to stay for this." He met her gaze levelly, but Kate could see the intensity in his eyes.

In the silence that followed, Kate could hear only the pounding of her pulse in her ears, the thumping in her chest. Slowly, she sat again. Her mind was racing. I ought to call the cops. She just kneeled there and TOOK it. Like she wanted it. Christ! Why am I so fucking turned on by this. I must be as sick as he is ... as she is. She sat, pressing her knees and thighs together and let out the breath she had been holding.

He nodded and turned back to the girl. "I did not ask you to speak." His voice had taken a new tone, softer if that were possible, but menacing. "I will decide when and how much discipline you need. Do you understand?"

Her face had been snapped to the side by his blow and she had left it there, as if afraid or unable to move. He placed his hand on top of her head and turned it to the center again, tilting it up. She lifted her eyes to his. "Yes, master. I am sorry. Again." How could anyone speak so softly and still be heard? Kate wondered. Did she see the livid mark of his hand on her cheek in the low light, or was it Kate's imagination?

He unlocked the bottom drawer of the desk, bringing out a... a RIDING CROP?! Kate's mind screamed. Oh god, NO. He's going to beat her. I have to put a stop to this.