Finally, The Payoff

Monday comes and so does the grind. Madam Odette is back to check, work, and teach me once again. I predicted this situation though. In the middle of her lesson, there was a knock at the cabin door. We paused so I could address that. One of the badgers who guards the door pointed me to four rather large boxes that had shown up with my name on them. I thanked him and dragged them inside.

They would be dealt with later. Madam Odette demanded my attention. She looked rather displeased that her lesson was interrupted but that's real life. Things happen that disrupt class all the time. My explanation didn't seem to sit well with her. But we continued until her day was done.

As soon as she left I started going through the boxes. I could tell that the largest one was the table I had bought. It was a thick, sturdy build that went together easily and could be taken down just as quickly. The other boxes were assorted knick-knacks. Utensils, some plate ware, my candle sticks that I thought looked fancy at the time. I'll still need to borrow the kitchen but it shouldn't be too difficult to commandeer a few things like a pan and oil.

I did figure out what to do for food. I found a service that packs and ships pre-planned meals. I put in what I wanted and paid a little extra for delivery on a specific day. It should show up about midday, then I can cook it later. I tuck the stuff away for now. I don't need it. I have about a week left to go before my plan comes into action. I still need that something special though! That's driving me nuts.

The week goes on in a routine that I'm growing accustomed to. This is kind of what I thought it would be like when I first showed up. Madam Odette was to teach me magic and theory. It started with an odd take on getting me ready for it but here we are. The weekend comes back around again like it was nothing. I've gotten almost all my boxes. The last one arrives Tuesday and that's for the food.

I've dodged every attempt by her to nose her way into my items. She's been respectful about it but very curious. I can't blame her. I would probably do the same.

Thursday comes and that's when I have to play my cards. Madam Odette comes in to begin classes for the day. I meet her at the door as is our usual but step out instead of letting her in. She's got a book clutched to her chest acting as the only thing keeping the two of us apart. I don't tower over her but I do have a few inches to where she has to loop up.

We both just stare at one another for a moment while the cold chill from outside starts to set in. I give her a sincere smile, "I have a question. Can we cancel today's lessons?" I was blunt but maybe a bit too much. Her mouth cocked to the side, "Do you think that's a good idea?"

"Uh, well, no, but…" How do I word this? "I'll make you a deal. I know you've been curious about the stuff showing up. You give me this and I'll let you in on it."

It's for her anyway. She doesn't know that yet. Her poker face is pretty solid. I can't tell what she's thinking. She's got a few tells that she's thinking. I'll sweeten the deal for her, "If you give me today, I can show you about 6… No, 6:30 pm. I just have to get stuff together." I can see the wheels turning now. "I will be back here at 6:30 sharp."

Not another word from her as she turned to head back to the manor. I know she'll play fair. She's a woman of her word. I can work without fear that she will try to sneak a peek. I have quite a bit to do today.

Most of it is just going to be unpacking boxes. I need to build the table, get it set up, clean the cabin and make room, and lastly get everything cooked. That package better show up today. The tracker on it says it was sent out on its delivery route this morning. I'm expecting to be here about midday or possibly into the afternoon. The recipe I chose should only take about 15 minutes. I cleared it with Penny to make sure that they left two burners for me.

Time to get to it!

The table was super easy to put together. It was just bulky but being solid wood, it was sturdy. I moved my desk as far out of the way as I could, giving me more space. Nothing else can move. It's already as far against the wall as it can be. I tore through the boxes looking for the next pieces. Tablecloth and runner for the center. I bought new utensils as well that can stay here. They're very similar to the ones the kitchen uses. I will have to borrow plates.

The table is set! Fire is roaring to make sure everything is comfortable. My box arrived right on time with the dry ice still good. I need just a few hours before I can sneak into the kitchen and get the best bit going. I take that time to ensure that everything is perfect. I keep touching every little thing, adjusting it this way or that way. I need to relax a bit.

I wasted the time I needed to. I grabbed the box of dry ice and food to bring it to the kitchen. I'm stopped at the doors by the guards and let them know I'm on my way to the kitchen. I get a bit of skepticism from both of them. I'm not with Anne. I'm not there to help and I have an odd box. They both relent and let me in. I make a B-line to the kitchen where I'm greeted by Penny.

She starts unpacking the box and getting me the pans and whatnot that I'll need. I started reading the sheet that came with everything. I pour over the directions and start my own planning. I have a very small window of when I need to have this finished so I can make my way back to the cabin before Madam Odette arrives.

The two burners that were reserved for me are in an odd spot near the back. I'm going to have to stand to the side of the stovetop to work. It's a super simple dish though. Honey-seasoned chicken over rice. I get the pan hot for the chicken and quickly sear it before bringing the heat down. The spices they provided were already mixed so I threw that into the pan with the chicken and made sure that they were coated in it.

The water for the rice started bubbling so I took that off the heat and threw the rice in to sit. I grabbed another pan and started getting the glaze or sauce or whatever it is together. Everything timed itself just right. The rice was fluffy when I put it on the plate. The chicken was to temperature when I plated the rice. The glaze was warm enough that it poured like cream. I got them set aside to grab what I had used but Penny shoved me out of the way, "No. You go. You have your own thing to do."

But… Fine! I have a strong feeling that she's going to hold this against me. I'm on a time crunch as it is. I check my watch before I grab the plates. I should have enough time to beat feet back to the cabin and make it before she arrives. Even have a little time to double-check everything.

I move through the cold doing what I can to protect the food from it. I even made an air barrier around my paws to hold the air still around them. I finagle the door open and get them on the table. I looked outside once more to see if she followed me. My watch says I have about two minutes left. I figured that I would be able to see her walking this way. It would take longer than that to walk that distance. At least it did for me. Madam Odette moves around this place like a ghost.

I still have some time. I throw the shirt I was wearing out of site as I grab an undershirt, a dress shirt, and my nice suit jacket. I was smart and wore the dress pants. I took the risk while I was cooking but I knew that I would not have the time to fully change when I got back. Undershirt! Dress shirt buttoned! And a jacket over everything! I look spiffy, but is it up to Madam Odette's standards? I hope so. She helped pick this out.

I look at my watch again. Where did the time go? It's two past when I told her she should show up. Did I misspeak? This is very unlike her to be late. And why am I so panicked about it? My nerves change when I hear the knock on the door. It's a different panic. I shake until I open the door to find a familiar face bundled up in her red and gold coat. "Good evening, Red. I came at your request." I smile as I let her in.

She shakes off the cold as she makes her way inside, "Please excuse me for being late. I had to make an unexpected stop on the way here." Before I can even offer to take her coat, she has made herself at home. It must be a habit for her now to hang it up. She stands upright with a slight smile on her face. I'm a bundle of nerves but I do what I can to keep myself together. "Madam Odette! Happy Birthday."

I motion to the table with the candles burning. The fireplace provides plenty of light for the rest of the cabin. She tries to stifle a laugh, "Oh Red, thank you. You set this up for me?"

"I did!"

I beam with pride. I can see that she appreciates it. "Did you know that you're missing something?" And that brought it to a halt. I look over at the table and how everything is set. Utensils are where they need to be. The food isn't cold. I can still see the steam rising off of it. Glasses at the ready and everything is spaced where we can see one another. I turn back to her as she begins rummaging through her coat. From one of the many deep pockets, she pulls a bottle of wine. A bottle… of wine…

"Ah-hah-haa! You idiot! You forgot to get something to drink! How could you?! You planned this for weeks and you forgot to get wine! You absolute moron!"

I may go deaf from my own internal screaming. Through the ear-shattering noises, I hear her speak again, "Come on you, let's have a seat." It's enough to bring me back. I take her chair, get her to the table, and take my seat across from her. I take one last look at everything, bringing myself down to a more calm and collected level. It's going to be fine.

"Dig in while it's warm." I get a nod as she grabs her knife and fork. I go for the wine bottle, getting the cork out with ease. I remembered the corkscrew! I may never let that go. She takes her first bite as I set her glass down. Her eyes seem pleasantly shocked. "Red, did you make this?"

"I did. Not from scratch but I threw it all together and cooked it."

She finishes her bite with a smile. "You did well. It looks like a simple dish but it's got a good bouquet of flavors." I can't tell if she's just being nice or if she means it. I take my first bite and it hits me. The rice was lightly seasoned but the honey sealed it all. The chicken was still warm giving the seasoning a nice smell. It was a lot better than I expected. I wish I could put something together like this. The spices and seasonings they included were the perfect combination for this. I picked well.

The wine that Madam Odette picked paired well with it. We both had two glasses without plates before we both cleaned them. I let her know not to worry about the dishes. I will deal with them. She can sit back and relax for now. Enjoy the after portion of the meal.

She takes a spot on my bed while I shuffle the recliner to face her. She stretches out with a small grunt before she goes limp. "That was good. Thank you, Red."

"You're welcome. How long did you know about it?"

She rolls onto her side to look at me, "I didn't. I was caught off guard." Not this time! I know you found out about it somewhere along the way. "Ah, so you just happen to always carry a bottle of wine that pairs well with a meal you don't know you're about to eat?" Busted!

She tries to keep herself collected but she gives in, "It's only been a couple of days. I caught one of the labels on one of the boxes when they were brought to you. I didn't mean to spoil it for myself but you were sneaking around raising suspicion." That was one of the things I was worried about. If I'm honest with myself, I know that she has eyes and ears everywhere. There's nothing that goes on here that she doesn't know about it. I'm glad she tried to play along though.

She rolls herself onto her stomach to face me, "But that doesn't make it any less special." Her head rests near the foot of the bed as she looks up to keep eye contact, "I'm going to guess you only knew because you found my employee information in the library." I already admitted to it before, "I did. I didn't mean to but it was there."

"Just please be careful. Not a lot of people know this information."

Is she referring to her birthday, her age, or something more sensitive? She murs and groans as she rolls around on the sheets getting herself comfortable. I kick back in the recliner groaning. This was the first day in a while I wasn't given a lecture, taking notes, or practicing magic. It was kind of nice to focus on a project of my own that allowed me to "unplug" from magical studies for a day. "Red, you didn't happen to think of a dessert did you?"

"I tried to find something. Nothing seemed to match or took too much time to fit in with the tight schedule."

She seemed a little disappointed, "That's a shame." I nod in agreement, "It is. I tried really hard to find something that would work but with you riding me so hard with these extra lessons I wasn't able to make it happen." The room fell silent for a brief moment. I heard her rolling over on the bed to look at me once again. "You think I've been riding you hard?"

I said something I shouldn't have. I look down my nose as I stay leaned back in the chair. She's got her gaze locked on me. "You think I've been riding you too hard?" She sits herself up so I can see her face. I don't know how to answer her. "If you think I've been riding you hard then you'd better brace yourself because once you get on this bed, I'll show you how hard I can ride you." The angry face she had disappeared to be replaced with a sultry smile. I am so confused!

She didn't give me any more words. None were needed. She curled her finger at me telling me to come to her. No matter how hard I try, I cannot refuse this siren's call. I get my knee on the bed when she grabs me. She pulls me up and throws me on my back, pinning me to the bed. "Thank you again for dinner. It made me feel really special. Now!" She traces a claw along the vest, "I'm going to make you feel special."

This week I started mastering a spell that allows me to cover short distances quickly but the real magic is Madam Odette's ability to make clothes disappear. Her dress was discarded with ease before she started undoing the buttons on my vest and shirt. Once they were open she buried her nose into my chest rubbing violently against me. I could hear my belt rattling before its embrace was gone. I barely had to shift my weight as Madam Odette stripped me to almost nothing. She sat herself to look down at me.

There's a hunger in her eyes. "I have to admit, Red. I don't advertise my birthday to my staff. I worry that they'll try to do something for me and I don't like being the center of attention." She leans forward bringing her nose to mine, "But I do like to feel spoiled. I've found this out with you."

She doesn't show this personal side of her very often. And I feel special that she shows this side to me. Visually, she's very appealing. I can see why there are so many others who have tried to get her hand for themselves. Her interest in me has always had me questioning a lot. Even as she explains it, I'm still at a loss for words.

I'm overthinking this. Especially right now. I need my head on something else. I have a lovely woman pressing her weight on my hips demanding my attention. She's already got me standing at attention. That's not that difficult to do but now that she has, I better provide her with the attention she demands.

My palms caress her hips as her body instantly reacts to my touch. She's been wanting. I have a strong feeling she hatched her own plan when she found out about mine. "Happy birthday to me. I got to unwrap you as my gift." She lifted her hips grabbing me at the base. With one smooth motion, her body swallowed me whole. She bit her lip as I watched her eyes roll while she sat on me. I felt her legs twitch as she settled herself, "Oh my god. It's been too long."

I don't think I can behave. I've been so busy with my studies that I haven't had much time for anything else. She's been focused on my teachings. She's been giving me a structured class so it's been rather difficult for me to see her in any other light. Now, in the dim light of the fireplace, it's a change that I can support. She's a beautiful woman with a beautiful body.

I ask myself a question often about the two of us. Is it love, lust, or something else?