do. I have arranged things.’
‘But ...’
‘Enough. You are our employee; consider this one of those “other duties” in your contract. Now, please remove your outer garments; there is no way you can exercise in those.’
Shooting a look of uncertainty towards the doors in case anyone else was about to come in, Jess reluctantly slipped off her shoes and began to undo the buttons of her shirt.
‘Don’t worry, I’ve locked the doors.’ Miss Sarah went over to a pile of mats in the corner and pulled out three, laying them together on the floor, forming a softer surface on which to work. ‘Hurry up, girl, we only have an hour and then you have a stock take to do.’
Peeling her shirt off and tugging down her trousers, Jess stood in her white satin underwear, her arms crossing self- consciously over her chest.
‘For goodness sake, girl, after six months working here, seeing you semi-naked is hardly going to shock me.’
Acknowledging that for the truth it was, Jess forced herself to lower her arms.
‘Right, come here please.’ Miss Sarah pointed to the spot directly in front of her on the mats.
Her body shaking, Jess obeyed, her bare feet sticking a little against the plastic surface.
Placing her hands on Jess’s elbows, Miss Sarah then levered her arms up so that the clerk was standing with them out at right angles to her body. ‘I want you to keep you arms there. You are not to move. While it is important to tone up that stomach and shave some fat off those hips and your arse, it is equally important to increase your upper body strength, but without decreasing that generous chest of yours.’
Without taking her eyes off her student, Miss Sarah reached for a water bottle, and filled it from the cooler before taking a long swig. ‘Hydration is very important.’
Jess, her arms already aching from being held stiff at an unaccustomed angle for so long, could almost taste the chilled liquid as it ran down Miss Sarah’s throat.
‘Two more minutes and I’ll let you have some water.’
Sitting down cross-legged on the mat in front of Jess, the other woman looked up at her thoughtfully. ‘I bet you’re beginning to feel all hot. I might let you take your bra off in a while. It’s a shame to keep that chest hidden away. I’ll see how well behaved you are – we could call it a reward for doing as you’re told.’
It hadn’t occurred to Jess that her chest was getting warm; she’d been concentrating so hard on not putting her arms down and relaxing the muscles, which had begun to scream for some relief, she hadn’t thought of anything else. Now the idea had been put into her head her breasts felt clammy, and her nipples began to chaff at the inside of her bra cups.
‘One more minute.’ Miss Sarah looked calm as she sat sipping the cold water, watching the perspiration that was gathered on Jess’s forehead.
The clerk couldn’t believe how much staying perfectly still was hurting her. The longing for a drink battled with the need to lower her arms as she shuffled her feet a fraction, trying to shift some of the tension that was coursing down her back.
‘You moved.’ The other woman sounded more resigned than cross. ‘Shame, you won’t be rewarded with free tits now.’
‘I couldn’t help it! This hurts so much.’
‘Good. Your stamina is pitiful and needs improving. You have 20 seconds left.’
Counting down in her head, her teeth gritted, Jess kept her feet firmly glued to the floor.
‘Time up.’
Jess found she couldn’t lower her arms as quickly as she’d have liked to. Her muscles had seized, and the only way to manoeuvre them was slowly.
Miss Sarah rose from the floor and passed over the bottle, ‘Here, you must keep your fluids up.’
Gratefully, Jess glugged back some water, flexing her feet, legs and shoulders as she did so.
‘I’d like you to lie on your back on the mats now, with your arms stretched out above your head and your knees bent.’
Glad to at least