Stocking Tops Pt. 03

Paula waited for Janice's unwelcome replacement to arrive in a rather agitated state. Her grandmother had no right to order her around like this; on the other hand Paula accepted Martha could do whatever she wished. Well, she'd do her best, knowing that Martha would reward her if she managed to demonstrate great results, but how was one to make anything out of a snotty nosed kid was anyone's guess but she had to admit gangly teenage guys did grow up.

Unexpectedly, she was blown over when first sighting him, horrified that her thighs had pressed together in carnal excitement. What was happening to her? Far from being a snotty nosed kid he appeared much older than nineteen, had a mane of beautiful blond hair and carried himself with grace and an alertness that perhaps belied considerable strength, intellectual if not physical. What's more he was dressed as if he was the young business executive of the year. Her heart raced and she had the sudden fear she'd look rather dowdy with him beside her. Oh God. Was this a gift or was it trouble?

Although the bossy Mrs Todd irritated her by calling Lee Martha's protégé, Paula was smart enough to see that the almost unapproachable Mrs Todd obviously rather taken by the young man and when she turned to acknowledge his polite farewell Mrs Todd displayed a smile of rarely seen quality. Well, well.

Paula almost dropped the coffee mug she was picking up when he asked her age. The cheek of the interloper! She left she was on the back foot and guessed that was his intention so smiled slightly and said twenty-seven and then snapped back to show him who was boss.

He didn't blink when he bounced him and unexpectedly nodded submissively. God he was a cool one.

"Martha mentioned you were expelled from boarding school just three weeks before finishing but she didn't say why. Are you..."

"Found in bed with another senior student. Both of us were wearing stockings. Neither of us is gay but we found we both had this thing about stockings."

Paula listed in disbelief and then in dismay heard herself laughing lewdly.

He looked at her sternly. "I accept it was inappropriate behaviour but there is no need to embarrass me by laughing."

Paula sunk into her chair, muttered that she apologized and asked him numerous questions about women's apparel which he answered without effort so she tried tea-length dress (anywhere from just below the knee to four inches about the ankle) and quinceanera gowns and accessories (a Latin tradition sometimes known as Sweet Fifteen).

She frowned thinking perhaps he'd swotted up on the Internet last night.

"As a father, with your wife on a business trip overseas, how would you choose your daughter's graduation gown?"

"I guess the sensible way would to take her shopping accompanied by two of her closest and most sensible friends."

Paula then took him through current fashionable colours and again he answered impeccably.

Thwarted, she asked, "What do you think of my clothes and overall appearance?"

"What you wear is your business to be as your assistant. Now that I've seen you I'll dress down in future so as not to embarrass you."

Paula felt her cheeks burn but held back from hitting out. "How would you like to see me present myself?"

He looked away and said he had no wish to offend her.

"I find that unacceptable."

"Could I answer in another way?"

She gritted and said if he must.

"Show me around here, introduce me to people who count and then take me to lunch and after that place yourself in my hands."

"What?"

"I don't mean sex, I'll take you shopping."

"That's even worse."

"I did say in answering that original question I had no wish to offend you."

"Well, Mr Smart Ass," Paula said, in suicidal mood from suppressed rage, pulling her handbag from her bottom drawer. "Let's get this over with. We'll attend to the business end later."

Aware Paula was not enjoying the occasion, Lee spoke to here carefully, extracting information about Paula and her work, focussing on her completely and gradually she lost some of her resentment.

They came to a hairdressers and she laughed. It's 10:30, peak time and they require morning books here at least two weeks in advance. Can't you read?"

"Stay here," he grinned, as if talking to an underling.

She watched fascinated as the woman behind the desk scowled and shook her head. Then Lee said something and handed over money -- how much Paula couldn't see. He appeared at the door and called her.

"The owner says she'll do you herself as they are very busy. Two women are under dryers so I said I only require you to have a shaping trim."

"Oh, so I'm a call girl and you are my pimp?" Paula snapped.

"Almost," he said over his shoulder. "I said the boss sent me down from the advertising agency to get some styling into your hair and they have a crew waiting to film you pulling on stockings because you have fabulous legs."

"Legs? You know nothing about me legs and stockings? I never wear them."

"Don't tell Alexia that otherwise she will be disappointed in me."

"Alexia? She invited you to call her by her first name?"

"Not until I asked her what her name was."

Bewildered and almost over-awed by the cheek of him, Paula followed meekly behind Lee.

"Alexia, this is super model Paula Peach. Just trim her fringe back an inch and give her better shape, particularly around the back. Perhaps a razor cut."

"Yes sir, just leave it to me. You'll find men's magazines over in the far corner."

As Alexia obediently shortened the fringe she said to Paula: "Where did you find him dear? You're no more a super model than I'm a mother of eight and no way is he head of production at Butcher and Bennett International Ad Agency as he claims to be. He's no more than a day over twenty-four."

"Good spotting Alexia. My boss has forced him on to me as my personal assistant. He thinks I need smartening up to run an apparel business and..."

"He's on the ball there dear until your business is retro fashion. Even my near penniless juniors here dress above you, and just look at your dry skin and eyebrows that make you look like a TV comedian."

"A male comedian."

"Of course."

"Oh. Oh dear. You know Alexia, he's barely nineteen, just finished school?"

"And a con artist to boot. I feel he's going to go a long way so enjoy him while you can Paula. My impression is he really knows how to talk to women but at that age he'll feel as little embarrassed in sexually engaging so you are in the position to take him on a learning curve."

"Sex with him?" Paula gulped.

"Well, if that's a problem why don't you hand him over to me?"

"What -- you're twice his age."

"A little more actually but yum, yum. Remember my offer Paula."

Paula left the hair salon patting the side of her hair affectionately. "Is this what you wanted?"

"Yes, your face appears a little livelier and the reshaping makes you look more sophisticated."

"Me looking sophisticated?" Paula said in disbelief and then found herself being pulled into premises called Facial Systems.

"Good morning ma'am, I need to demonstrate to my hosiery model here that her eyebrows require severe attention as does that unnourished skin. Please have a beautician work on her for no more than twenty minutes and Paula here will pay in advance for four sessions of make-up instruction and purchase recommended product and accessories."

"Yes sir, certainly sir. Oh Isobel?"

Half an hour later Paula was lifted up in the reclining couch and looked at her reflection in near disbelief. She looked, well, attractive. "Thank you Isobel, you have performed a semi-miracle," she said tipping the beautician generously.

Paula and Lee went off to early lunch. "What?" she snorted, aware he was grinning at her.

"I'm enjoying seeing the transition from kindly frog to a promising beauty."

"You rat's ass," she said, entering the restaurant and checking her hair on the wall mirror, startled momentarily because a near stranger looked back at her."

"Ohmigod."

Paula came under more pressure after lunch but she had the benefit of two glasses of wine to assist her to relax.

First Lee made her try on a black business jacket and skirt and when the size was right for her and the skirt length was right for him -- three inches above her knees instead of her customary three inches below, he then persuaded her to buy three more suits and some colourful shirts.

"We run a wholesale apparel business," she complained.

"Yes, but I'm already afraid of what I will find in your stock lines," he grimaced.

At a stockings boutique he asked her about her favourite colours.

"Black or tan and not stockings, I only wear tights."

"Why?"

"Because they are easier to put on."

Lee told her to sit and he spoke to an assistant, not bothering to check out stock. Lee sat with Paula and chatted while the senior saleswoman gathered up a dozen packs of stockings and wrapped them.

"Go fetch and pay Paula," Lee ordered.

She went off and complained to the woman they'd be the wrong sizes and colours.

"Please step behind this screen ma'am and lift your skirt for me."

"Thank you, they will be a perfect fit. I confirm you do have lovely legs. He's so knowledgeable about stockings. He wants you to get used to stay-ups before graduating you on to suspender belts."

Outside in the street Paula snarled, "Is this humiliating stupid plot that's going nowhere except to land you and me in the inability to work together over?"

"Almost."

"Almost?"

"I have to take you somewhere to help you dress and to calm you before we return to work."

"Help me dress -- are you insane?"

"Just a little in persisting with you. You've cooperated with me to this point. Please let me finish the transformation."

Lee backed Paula against the shop window. She squirmed, both hands carrying shopping, and he pushed against her and ran a finger across her left breast. They both watched the braless nipple harden."

"Are you coming on to me?" she finally said.

"A little. But I'm not having sex with you until we have a secure sleeping arrangement."

"A what?" she choked, attempting to drown a contemptuous laugh.

"I was told you are not married and have two female flatmates. I live at home. Neither situation is conducive to screaming fun in bed. But once thing at the time -- we can talk about other things later. Today we concentrate on the new you arriving back at your office and taking me on a tour of your establishment."

Paula flared, "You conceited and arrogant bully. You have no sensitivity and..."

Lee applied a single stroke to the nipple again. Although Paula saw what he was about to do she made no effort to wriggle away. "This is not a time for sensitivity. I have been thrown into a position supposedly in which I'm meant to drown and there I have you trapped in a hole beginning to fall in on you so my priority is to bring up both to the surface and up and running."

"What hole am I in?"

"You company is the poorest performer with your division and has been so for the past three years, which includes the last two years under your management. Emotionally you are unstable and rather that stand up and fight you are resigned to coasting along until the inevitable happens."

"Has Martha told you that?"

"No."

"You father?"

"No."

"Then who?"

"No one. I just read three years of division annual reports, sighted you and assessed you and put two and two together. Come on, where can we go to dress you?"

"My apartment is within short walking distance. My flatmates will be at work."

They walked while Paula moaned about her caving into him like that and that was because he was such a bully and it would not happen again and she didn't care if he resigned his position when they returned to the office and..."

"You're such a loser."

"How dare you, you fucking wanker. God, you are unbelievable."

He remained silent until she burbled herself to a stop. Then he darted in front of her and pushed her against a brick wall. She was trembling with anger but did look at her left breast waiting for it to be stroked, but that thought was thwarted.

"Listen, you weak-kneed, brain-suppressed and unloved underachiever. You are locked between your demanding mother and grandmother, each with their own agendas. It's time to break out and find you own life."

She began crying so he held her. She tried to break away but gave up when his grip slackened and her shoulders slumped when he said he'd slap her mouth if she attempted to scream for help. "You are receiving long overdue help," he said, losing the menace in his tone.

"Are you going to rape me?" Paula asked, submissively.

Shocked, Lee let her go and walked off, angered by her inability to see outcomes, angry with himself for pushing her too fast and too hard.

He heard the clatter of her three-inch heels behind them and then her soft call, "Stop, Lee please stop."

"Take these two bags," she said and when he did so she reached up and stroked his face. In astonishment he heard her apologize and say she could be a stupid bitch at times and that all the time, deep down, she'd been aware of his intent of doing more than an external makeover of her."

"W-what do you mean?"

She said it so simply that he almost cried. "You are bent on saving me from myself."

Well, Lee had not quite pictured himself to the extent of being a White Knight but he recognized the truth in what she'd just said. Rather than reply he lifted the arm beside him. She placed her arm through his crook and they walked on with Paula taking her time to gently explain that in all the years she could remember her mother, in bouts of depression, would blame Paula's arrival as the turning point when her mother's promising life had been ruined.

When she'd finished Lee said, "I think this not altogether your mother's fault -- she probably did not received desirable counselling at the time she found herself pregnant and felt she was alone in dealing with it even though her mother stood alongside you."

"I know, and have known for some years. Even now she refuses to seek help. I do think she has improved somewhat since I moved out from under her feet and into a shared flat."

At the flat Paula looked at him solemnly. "I suppose you want to see me naked."

"No," he smiled. "You change in your room but call me in to help you with your stockings as they are somewhat finer than your choice of panty hose.

She withdrew with obvious relief. A few minutes later she called him in, looking a little distressed, standing in bra and panties and revealing the glorious legs that Lee knew would be there, having glimpsed much of them back on when she'd reached down for a coffee mug earlier that morning. She was watching his eyes so he showed wide-eyed appreciation.

"Trouble?"

"The bra size is much too tight."

Lee looked at the moderate size breasts now looking rather jaunty and licked his top lip for her benefit. "The fitter took my side in agreeing this was your size. What you wear when you wear a bra, probably only when in the company of your mother or grandmother, are probably a size larger.

"They are and feel far more comfortable."

"This is not only about comfort. Proper fitting is important to your health."

"If you say so. The panties are so small they feel as if they are about to fall off."

"They won't and you'll soon adapt. Those other things you were wearing were large male underpants. The fear of your stockings falling down will be your dominant thought."

"We purchased one suspender belt. Can't I wear that?"

"Around the home her until you feel comfortable with the straps and learn around tension and attaching the clips so the tension and alignment feels best for you. Your upper thighs are proportionately near perfect -- rarely have I seen better."

Paula turned pink. "Oh God, Lee. Is this feeling I'm experiencing actually me feeling I'm sexy?"

He grinned and nodded and then said, "Very sexy I would think."

Paula's cheeks and skin about her bra were now deep in blush.

"Do you feel your nipples are firming?"

She nodded.

"You have confirmation you sexy young woman."

Chapter 4

Paula had steeled herself for the return to her office suite, feeling the uplift in her breasts, the beautiful fit of her black suit enhanced by a bright red open neck shirt with matching red choker, the feeling of a draught up her legs because of the high skirt -- even three inches about the knees was a good six inches higher than what she was used to -- and catching the soft whisper of fine nylon on nylon at times almost made the hair on the back of her neck rise.

She quivered in a mix of embarrassment and excitement.

"No, don't put your sunglasses into your handbag -- push them up into your hair," her adviser said. Well the kind boy had presented her with the stylish Italian shades as he put it -- as a gesture of goodwill -- so Paula happily followed his request. He was such a kind boy and he'd already told her four times in the cab he was so pleased with the transformation. But why wasn't he touching her? She'd expected him to be all over her.

The first reactions were beyond belief. The jaws of the two receptionists fell almost beyond the point of return. The younger impressionable one, gurgled, "You've been made-over." Her older companion recovered to smile and say, "You look amazing Paula, truly amazing."

"Thank you ladies," Paula said softly. "This is my new personal assistant, Lee Peach. Lee, this is Nancy Jones, so you'll have someone around your age in the office."

"Hello Nancy," Lee nodded but the young woman stood and held out her rather warm hand. Through the glass stop he saw she was wearing a mini-skirt and those stupid multi-colour stockings that stopped just below the knees and short ribbons dropped from the tops.

"Lee, this is Nancy's senior Mrs Robinson but we all call her Juliet."

"Welcome to the company Lee. We expect you to look after Paula professionally as well as Janice White had done. We were so upset to learn she was being forced out on the whim of the big boss."

"For a reason Juliet -- Martha expects this young man really does have business balls."

Lee was appalled to hear that and hear the three women laugh. Until then the face of Juliet had remained passive but was now brightened with a big smile. He caught a movement below the glass and looked to see her knees part and sighted the beginnings of a lace-stocking top. He felt himself beginning to harden so quickly silently recited the law of cosines in Euclidean geometry and successfully reversed the surge of blood flow to his penis. He heard Paula say they were about to start a tour to meet department heads and later in the week would tour the four warehouses.

As they walked away Lee was aware of Juliet looking at him speculatively. He thought she would be thinking he was responsible for the transformation of Paula's appearance. The timing of that with his arrival would have pointed to that. Paula called him into her office saying he wanted to take her phone with her. As he entered she closed the door and swung him around by the arm to face her.

"Why haven't you touched me?"

He flushed.

"I mean kissed me. You know I'm so grateful and would do anything, well, almost anything to please you."

"I-I didn't know you'd go that far. But here's my thinking on this. We should not touch until I have bedded in here and our association appears strong enough to survive any development of a personal relationship."

"Well, I'd be foolish not to accept the wisdom of that comment. So how will I know when you're ready?"

"There is no need. When you feel you have developed a deep desire to have me lick your stocking tops you'll set me up to do just that."

"Lick my stockings. Yuk, how foul."