Caught between a rock and a high heel 13

Tottering into Tom Watkins's outer office on Monday morning, ready for their daily meeting, Kieron was greeted by the bubbly Gina. Smiling as the crossdressed man approached, she excitedly informed him that Mr Watkins was out for the day. Upon hearing the news, Kieron's face lit up with a sudden smile as the thought of a much-needed 'easy day' crossed his mind, but that idea was quickly erased.

"The boss wants you to write a review on the salon you visited over the weekend," Gina said with a gleeful grin spreading across her face. "And, may I just say, your hair looks fantastic, by the way!"

"Thanks," Kieron replied, caught off guard by the compliment. "But what do I write about? I thought I was only reviewing fashion stuff!"

"From my experience, the job is whatever Tom desires," Gina replied with a playful giggle. "But I have no doubt you'll smash it out of the park," she added with a confident nod.

Kieron forced a smile, thanking Gina before turning on his stiletto heels to leave. Although the news wasn't exactly what he wanted to hear, he was still determined to find a quiet spot to hide away while he thought about what to write.

"Hold on, that's not all," Gina called out as Kieron's expression fell. "After lunch, Tom wants you to go into the city to meet that woman who has been providing you with those clothes and shoes you're reviewing."

"What?!" Kieron exclaimed, spinning around too fast and nearly losing his balance. "Why?" he muttered, steadying himself.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Gina replied with an unconcerned shrug. "You'll find out when you get there, I suppose. I'll send the details over via email."

Kieron nodded slowly, trying to hide his frustration as the disturbing sensation of his real hair tickled his neck. What could this mysterious woman possibly want with him? He wondered. Whatever it was, his gut was telling him that nothing positive would come from it.

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"Keira, I presume?" A poised and polished blonde woman, a few years Kieron's senior, greeted him as he stepped out of the taxi.

"Yes, that's me," Kieron answered, gingerly navigating the curb in his heels before readjusting the skirt of his tight dress around his pantyhosed legs.

"Fantastic!" the well-dressed woman, exclaimed as she extended her hand. "Let me introduce myself. I'm Ruth Lamont, the founder and CEO of Fenton Limited. How much have you heard about our company?"

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Lamont," Kieron replied, mustering up all the confidence he could, as he reached out to shake the older woman's hand. "Not much, I'm afraid. Mr Watkins didn't tell me much."

"Typical Tom," Ruth rolled her eyes and chuckled. "Well, let's walk and I'll bring you up to speed."

With a flick of her wrist, Ms Lamont spun on her tall heels and led the way towards the entrance of a magnificent building, expecting Kieron to follow closely behind. As she glided gracefully, Kieron stumbled along, in awe of her ability to walk so effortlessly in heels that were equally as tall, if not taller than his. Meanwhile, Ms Lamont rained down facts about Fenton Limited, the umbrella company for some of the most coveted and sought-after designer products on the market.

Stepping into the building, Kieron found himself in a shopping centre unlike any he had ever seen before. The interior was a masterpiece of architecture, from its elaborate central water feature to its glass ceiling that allowed the warm winter sun to flood in, illuminating the Italian polished marble floors below.

Breathless from trying to keep pace with Ms Lamont, Kieron paused on the escalator to take it all in, feeling out of place among the well-dressed customers strolling around the four floors of gleaming glass balconies and row upon row of high-end designer stores.

(See image 25)

"So, what do you think of your outfit?" Ms Lamont quizzed as the fashionably dressed pair stepped off the escalator. "And be truthful, I have little time for false flattery."

"To be honest, it’s like totally awful!" Kieron candidly admitted, giving Ms Lamont apparently what she wanted. "This dress is so suffocating, Its heavy fabric has no give at all. This jacket is really garish and isn't even warm. And don't even get me started on these shoes! They're like pure agony to walk in. If you told me to toss them in that bin right now, I'd do it without a moment's hesitation."

Ruth Lamont abruptly halted, spinning around to fix Kieron with a piercing gaze. As the poised woman scrutinized him, Kieron's nerves skyrocketed. Perhaps he shouldn't have been so truthful. After all, she was the one who had supplied the outfit!

As the moments ticked by, the pressure continued to mount. Kieron's knees trembled, and a droplet of sweat formed on his brow. But just as the skirted man thought he couldn't take much more, Ruth Lamont beamed with a broad grin.

"Interesting," she proclaimed, nodding her head in approval. "I can see why Tom likes you. You speak your mind without hesitation. And seeing as you were so forthcoming, I will be honest too. Up until this moment, I had my doubts about this project. But having seen the online reaction to your first review and now hearing your thoughts in person, I'm feeling much more optimistic. With a little refinement, we could turn you into a dazzling diamond - albeit one with a sharp wit and an unwavering sense of honesty."

Kieron's heart was pounding with a mixture of relief and confusion as he struggled to keep up with the determined strides of Ruth Lamont. And as the loud clicking of their high, designer heels echoed in unison across the gleaming marble palace, Kieron was left to ponder the meaning behind her cryptic comment of turning him into a diamond. Would he end up shining bright, or had he just dug himself into a deeper hole?

As the expensively dressed pair arrived at their destination - a large, sparse shop floor with just a few shelves of clothing and scattered mannequins displaying luxurious outfits, Kieron was struck by the reverence the staff held for Ms Lamont as she strode by. As they bowed and cowered in her presence, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of empathy for these brown-nosers, but at the same time, he felt strangely proud of himself for speaking his mind earlier and not kowtowing to authority.

Escorted upstairs to a lavish office resembling one of those luxury penthouses you only ever see on TV, Kieron was offered a steaming cup of green tea and invited to take a seat. As he sipped the molten hot drink, he engaged in a lively, open conversation with Ruth Lamont. She asked his thoughts on various topics like the societal pressure on women to look good and wear makeup, the impact of high fashion on the planet, and the peculiar designs dominating the catwalks that season.

With permission to be blunt, Kieron didn't hold back, unleashing his candid opinions on the absurdity of it all. As he spoke, Ms Lamont hung on every word coming from his lipstick-covered lips, captivated by his refreshing perspective – one that could only have come from a man with just a few weeks' experience living in a woman's world.

Suddenly, Ms Lamont's phone rang, interrupting a lively debate on whether or not men should give women special treatment in a world where equal rights supposedly existed. When the phone call ended, so did the meeting as Ms Lamont called in her assistant, telling her to escort Kieron downstairs to fit him out with some new outfits. And before the crossdressed man could protest, the forceful CEO thanked him for his time and the entertaining discussion before quickly hurrying from the room.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Kieron was escorted by the rather attractive assistant downstairs, where he was subjected to a whirlwind of high-end fashion. From tailored skirt suits to outrageously glamorous gowns, Kieron felt self-conscious as he was dressed and undressed, with the assistant even styling his hair for the most extravagant looks.

(See image 26)

As Kieron stepped out of the luxurious building and saw the waiting taxi on the curb, a wave of exhaustion washed over him. Another gruelling day had come to a close, but this one had brought with it something unexpected - overflowing bags of unwanted high-end designer shoes and clothes.

Gazing over as one of Ms Lamont's employees effortlessly loaded armfuls of branded bags into the back of the taxi, Kieron couldn't believe the sheer amount of wealth in front of him. The products in those bags, worth tens of thousands of pounds, would surely bring ecstasy to many young women. However, he was not a young woman! And the thought of wearing some of the over-the-top garments out in public was enough to make him feel physically sick.