Maria was called into the manger’s office at the diner where she worked. She was afraid that she was going to be let go, because the Diner had been so empty of customers lately. She was a single mom of a fourteen year old daughter, a senior in her last week of high school because she had skipped a few grades back in her grammar years; she’d always been the brightest in her class. Maria needed this job!

Carla, the other waitress, had been let go last week, due to a shortage of customers as traffic began taking the brand new bypass the city had just built, and deep in her heart, she knew why she was being called into Dan Malone’s office before her shift even started. He was the manager of this whole mall, not just the restaurant, and there were rumors that he owned the whole thing.

“I have to let you go, Maria,” he said, not even waiting for the door to close all the way. He held up his hand to stifle her protests before they even began. “Listen, I know how tough times are right now; especially for single mothers like yourself. That’s why I’m willing to make you another offer before you leave.”

“Another offer?” Maria finally asked, after biting her lip and fuming for a long moment. “What offer?”

“I want you to come live at my house. You won’t have to work an outside job; but I do expect my house to be kept clean,” he said.

“I have a daughter,” Maria said. He smiled and held up his hand, palm up.

“I know,” he said. “Her name is Sophia, and she’s just about to graduate high school. She lives with you, and she would be welcome to live with me as well.”

Maria just looked at him, speechless. Her mind was flying a thousand miles an hour, She didn’t know where this generosity was coming from. It wasn’t in his character to be this kind, normally. He was expecting something, and she didn’t know what.

“I… I don’t know… Why are you offering this?”

“You’re a beautiful woman, Maria,” he said softly. “I could never tell you that while you were an employee, but our relationship just changed three minutes ago, and I can be more free.”

“What? I don’t…” She watched, confused, as he stood up and moved towards her, slowly. He took her left hand in both of his and raised it gently to his lips.

“You would sleep in my bed, Maria,” he said, then kissed the back of her hand. “I’m inviting you into my home. I’m inviting you into my life.”

“I… I don’t know what to say!” she gasped.

“Say yes!” he encouraged. “Please, say yes! You’re so beautiful! I have to have you in my life, it’s all I ever wanted, to have someone as beautiful as you!”

“But.. my daughter,” Maria said, looking pained. “She’s her own person, really. I can’t make this decision for her!”

“She’s only fourteen years old and you’re her legal guardian for four more years. You can make this decision for her; you’re the only one who can.”

“I… I don’t know what to say,” she repeated, her voice even softer.

“Say yes,” he said again, smiling. “Maria, I want you! I want you in all the ways a man has a woman; I want you to love me as much as I love you!”

“You… you love me?” she asked, all the blood rushing from her face. “You don’t even know me!”

“You’ve been my employee for five years. In all that time, I have seen how hard you struggle with money. I have seen you work doubles and go without eating yourself in order to have enough at home. In all that time, I have never seen you do anything illegal, even when you had the opportunity to get away with it. I know you a little bit, Maria. I’d like to get to know you better.”

“I… yes,” she said quietly. “Yes, I’ll move in with you. I don’t really have any other options.”

His smile broadened, and he stood up behind his desk, then came around and took both her hands in his. “Now that you’re no longer my employee, I can touch you more in inappropriate ways and say things that I was not free to say before.”

“Sir?” she said, her voice confused and a puzzled look on her face.

“Call me Dan,” he said generously. “Except for when you’re on your knees, of course. But when you’re on your knees before me, you’ll be calling me “Master” instead of “sir.”

“On my knees before you?” she whispered, looking at him a little startled. “No, I’m not… I can’t see myself doing that.”

“I can,” he said softly, reaching up one hand and caressing her face. “I can imagine you doing it right now.” His other hand came up, and he was holding her shoulders.

He kept looking straight into her eyes, then he kissed her. He felt her inhale through her nose, sharply, and her back stiffened in surprise, but his kiss coursed through her shock as he awoke a brand new feeling inside her. It was very pleasurable, and she melted into his embrace as the kiss went on.

Their faces drew back, and he saw the sparkle in her eyes and knew what it meant. He kept looking into her eyes and smiled, then moved his hands down to the opening of her blouse and pulled the two sides apart, bursting all the buttons off and exposing her plain white bra.

She gasped and covered her breasts with both hands, looking at him in shock.