If there was one thing Jak did not want to do during his term of slavery, it was live in Iris' pocket. Again, he was being given an order he had no difficulty in complying with. And if there was another thing he liked, it was getting something for nothing. To his free accommodation had been added free clothing. Which he'd wear with pleasure. Therefore, his reply, which he guessed might have surprised her, was an immediate acknowledgement and a firm statement that he would comply.
He was not sure if she wanted him to talk or not, so remained silent through the first course - a lobster bisque. However, by the time the main course, a concoction made of chicken and lime, arrived, he reasoned that he could hardly spend the whole evening - and the rest of his servitude - in silence. The problem was, however, what could he say? Complimenting her on the food would be ridiculous - after all, it was unlikely that she'd cooked it - and he was in no position to discuss the affairs of the company. And he was sure that anecdotes of his life in the streets, or jokes current among his recent circle, would not find favor. Nor, for that matter, would an account of his time in the remand cell!
It was hard to make her out. Sometimes she seemed in the verge of opening a conversation, only to apparently think better of it and turn back to her food.
He looked at her surreptitiously. She'd discarded her work clothes, and now wore only light make-up. While she didn't look as drop-dead beautiful as she had done in her executive clothing, he had to admit that in the loose blouse and denim shorts she did have a certain "girl next door" charm - well, in a sense, she was the "girl next door" he thought, and grinned - then hastily covered up the grin as she looked at him. She might think he was still thinking about the sight of her in her ridiculous underwear, and while he had no objection to embarrassing her in principle, he knew that he had to build on his advantage subtly rather than overtly. Enraging her to no purpose would simply show his resentment, and hand the mental advantage back to her.
He was playing it very cleverly indeed. The loose blouse she was wearing tended to gape at the neckline, when she bent to her plate, giving him a view that most males would have envied, and he deliberately avoided looking. For that matter, the brief glimpse he'd had of her before she'd sat down had shown his that those denim shorts were maybe a size smaller than would have fitted her perfectly.
When the plain maid came to clear away the debris of the main course, and was turned away from Iris, she winked at Jak, and mouthed "She's taken off her granny panties,", then deliberately composed her features when she turned back to Iris. With a shock, Jak realized the chauffeur must have talked, and presumably what had happened in the car had flown around among the menial staff like wildfire!
To stop himself bursting into uncontrollable laughter, he had to open a subject of conversation. Anything.
"So, Iris, it must be very difficult relaxing, after how hard you work," he tried, thinking that was at least a safe subject. "I can't blame you, getting into comfortable clothes." He cursed himself. Though he hadn't meant it, she'd think he was referring to her Spanx again. "I mean, business clothes must be a hassle. Heels and stuff." Then it suddenly occurred to him she might think she looked dowdy. "Not that you don't look pretty in casual clothes, too."
He was not sure if she wanted him to talk or not, so remained silent through the first course - a lobster bisque. However, by the time the main course, a concoction made of chicken and lime, arrived, he reasoned that he could hardly spend the whole evening - and the rest of his servitude - in silence. The problem was, however, what could he say? Complimenting her on the food would be ridiculous - after all, it was unlikely that she'd cooked it - and he was in no position to discuss the affairs of the company. And he was sure that anecdotes of his life in the streets, or jokes current among his recent circle, would not find favor. Nor, for that matter, would an account of his time in the remand cell!
It was hard to make her out. Sometimes she seemed in the verge of opening a conversation, only to apparently think better of it and turn back to her food.
He looked at her surreptitiously. She'd discarded her work clothes, and now wore only light make-up. While she didn't look as drop-dead beautiful as she had done in her executive clothing, he had to admit that in the loose blouse and denim shorts she did have a certain "girl next door" charm - well, in a sense, she was the "girl next door" he thought, and grinned - then hastily covered up the grin as she looked at him. She might think he was still thinking about the sight of her in her ridiculous underwear, and while he had no objection to embarrassing her in principle, he knew that he had to build on his advantage subtly rather than overtly. Enraging her to no purpose would simply show his resentment, and hand the mental advantage back to her.
He was playing it very cleverly indeed. The loose blouse she was wearing tended to gape at the neckline, when she bent to her plate, giving him a view that most males would have envied, and he deliberately avoided looking. For that matter, the brief glimpse he'd had of her before she'd sat down had shown his that those denim shorts were maybe a size smaller than would have fitted her perfectly.
When the plain maid came to clear away the debris of the main course, and was turned away from Iris, she winked at Jak, and mouthed "She's taken off her granny panties,", then deliberately composed her features when she turned back to Iris. With a shock, Jak realized the chauffeur must have talked, and presumably what had happened in the car had flown around among the menial staff like wildfire!
To stop himself bursting into uncontrollable laughter, he had to open a subject of conversation. Anything.
"So, Iris, it must be very difficult relaxing, after how hard you work," he tried, thinking that was at least a safe subject. "I can't blame you, getting into comfortable clothes." He cursed himself. Though he hadn't meant it, she'd think he was referring to her Spanx again. "I mean, business clothes must be a hassle. Heels and stuff." Then it suddenly occurred to him she might think she looked dowdy. "Not that you don't look pretty in casual clothes, too."