Read Chambers of Desire: Opus 1 for Free Online

it.
    Oliver flipped open the folder, retrieved a legal pad from the desk, and made a few notes.  I couldn’t see what was in the folder.  Should I say something? Ask something? Questions didn’t go far here… I was trying to formulate something, anything to say, when Oliver spoke.
    “Is that natural?” he asked, breaking the silence, head still down.
    “Excuse me—is what natural?” My eyes searched the top of his head for a clue, but there was nothing to indicate to what he referred.
    . He looked up, impatience stamped on his sharp features.  “Are you naturally blonde, Ms. Clarke?” His tone seemed to imply that he hoped I was the stupidest person he’d interact with today.
    Instinctively I reached up, feeling for a blonde curl. Normally, it was stick straight, but this morning hair curling had made its way to the top of the priority list, and the coil felt foreign between my sweaty fingers.
    “Yes,” I stammered. “Well—no. I mean, yes, but—” The question confused me. I couldn’t see what my being naturally blonde had to do with the terms of the contract.
    I took a breath and started over. “I have it highlighted now and then.” I tried out a smile.
    He jotted something down.  No response to the smile, not even a flicker.
    “All right,” he said, after a moment. He set the pen down and sat back, appraising me.  “Let’s go over how this is going to work so I don’t catch you off guard again.  Please answer the questions directly and honestly, and yes, they may be questions you weren’t expecting.  If my interview is satisfactory, you’ll be interviewed again, by Mr. Chambers.” He paused, until I nodded.  “If Mr. Chambers is satisfied with that interview, the contract will be finalized.”
    I nodded hesitantly. Finalized? I thought it had been finalized before I left.  Interview?  I had tried to prepare myself for all sorts of events today, but interviews hadn’t factored in.  Well, I was here now, so… “Okay.” I said, with another nod.
    “I must stress that you be honest in your answers,” he said, looking back down at his file. 
    I nodded quickly, then realized he wasn’t looking at me, and squeaked out another “Okay.”
    He flipped though the file quickly, brows knitted.
    “The receptionist didn’t give you anything to sign?“
    “Um, no,” I said.  “I mean, the visitor’s log…” 
    “Did she give you the NDA?”
    “The what?”
    “ You don’t know what an NDA is? The non-disclosure agreement.”
    Oh.  “No, no she didn’t.”
    “Well, thankfully I have a copy here,” he said, reaching into the desk and sliding it across to me, accompanied by a heavy silver pen.  Something in his voice indicated he didn’t have much use for the receptionist, anyway.
    As I skimmed the paperwork, he said, “This agreement dictates that anything discussed, anything that occurs, or anything that you discover, is entirely confidential,” he repeated. “Any breach whatsoever terminates the relationship, and our lawyers will contact you. Understood?”  It sounded like something he’d memorized.
    Fine by me. I thought, and signed.
    Oliver took the contract and placed it in an official-looking folder before locking it in his desk. “All right, Ms. Clarke, let’s begin. What kind of relationship do you have with your family?”
    I snorted, mostly to myself, “Well… right now… it’s a bit tense.” “Elaborate.” He returned to his note-taking, apparently glad to be on track.
    “My parents are very—,” I sniffed, trying to find the appropriate word, “—disappointed with my choice to participate in the auction.” If he wanted honest, he’d get honest.
    ”Both of them?”
    ”My father is pretty angry. My mother… I don’t know if she’s angry at me, but she always takes my father’s side. I doubt she’d be happy about it even if he wasn’t in the picture, though.”
    “Understood. Now tell me…what turns you on?” The tone of his voice