“Dan! The trash still needs to go out!”

Daniel groaned quietly to himself and closed his computer. So much for getting any work done today.

“I’m on it! Give me a second.”

“You had all day. I don’t know what was hard about taking two minutes to empty the trash can.”

He would have taken out the trash if he hadn’t been working on the plumbing all morning and god forbid he should ever ask for a hour of uninterrupted time to get a leg up on his office work.

“I’m taking care of it now!” He called back, hoping he was hiding his irritation. Joan walked into the kitchen, her tousled blonde hair frizzing up behind her and a washcloth in hand.

“Great,” she said without enthusiasm. “And don’t forget to scoop up the doggie cakes on the lawn while you’re out there.”

“Yes, dear…” he muttered. Dan picked up the dripping plastic bag from the trash can and rushed out the door, giving Porky, the couple’s French bull dog, a sour look.

How does a dog so small make so much shit?

After five years of marriage, Daniel and Joan could definitely say that the honeymoon was over. Aside from some strangled conversation on date night, most of the talking the couple ever did was bickering over chores and arguing. Daniel supposed he could be more attentive and proactive as a domestic partner. He tried once to cook a delicious lamb meal for his wife, but Joan micro-managed every step he took in the kitchen and all for a meal that was only so-so which failed to lead to sex afterwards.

Not that it was a huge loss. The couple’s sex life had become stagnant, boring even, in the last five years. As Daniel carefully picked up the hardened dog turds on his lawn, he found himself pining for something more…interesting in his love life.

And then, in the blink of an eye, his prayers were answered.

“Hello, Daniel.”

Daniel heard the voice before he saw the speaker. It was a dark, throaty, feminine voice that seemed to float around him, echoing in his head even after the speaker stopped talking. He looked up to see a thin, mysterious person dressed charcoal gray staring back at him with the deepest brown eyes he had ever seen. Their eyes found him and their gentle, firm gaze held Dan in place like a team of strong hands.

“I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d drop by.”

Daniel stared back at the stranger, his brain rapidly trying to place their silky-smooth voice.

“I’m sorry, do I…know you?” he asked.

In response, the stranger held up a long slender finger and started drawing slow circles in front of Daniel’s face.

“Yes…you know me, Daniel…you know me very well…you remember my voice, don’t you?...You remember what it does to you…you remember how it feels…to listen to my voice….and just follow my finger around…and around…and around…and down, down, down, fast asleep…sleeping on your feet…deep deeeeep sleeeeeeeppp….”

Daniel’s eyes spun with the finger until his head drooped down and his eyes shut, abandoning himself to the velvet embrace of his hypnotist’s voice. Hidden memories of nights at his computer, furtively listening to the sultry voice whispering to him as he gazed at a spinning spiral, letting this seductive stranger toy with his mind came rushing back to him. Each memory only pulled him deeper and deeper into his hypnotist’s spell.

How did they find out his address?

“Full attention, Daniel.”

Daniel stood up ramrod straight, his chest thrust out in front of him and his eyes open yet unseeing. The hypnotist smiled and draped their hand over Daniel’s shoulders, giving their toy a flirtatious kiss on the lips.

“Look into my eyes, Daniel. Gazing into my eyes and letting yourself sink deep, deep down…”

Daniel obeyed, feeling his mind sliding down into those endless, chocolate eyes.

“Now, you know who I am. You know you need to listen to me, to obey me. But, for today, while we are at your house, I am just your friend…I am your friend, Daniel…someone you knew from high school…you’re going to invite me into your house…you’re going to introduce me to your wife…you will act normal, but deep down you are secretly under my control and will obey all my instructions without question. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Owner,” Daniel said, reverting to his hypnotist’s usual title.

“For tonight, you may call me Cheri.” They planted another kiss on Daniel’s lips. “And…just for fun…whenever I give you a little kiss…whenever I whisk you away to give you a little smooch, it’s going to feel like you just took a warm gulp of Sherry. Your throat will burn with the fiery flavor and you’ll feel just a tiny bit drunk, just a little tipsy, every time I give you a kiss. What is my name today?”

“Cheri,” Daniel replied instantly.

“Good boy,” Cheri leaned and gave him another peck on the lips. Daniel smiled, tasting delicious liquor in his mouth, his cheeks flushing warm. Was he feeling just a little…dizzy?

“Daniel, honey?” Joan’s voice came from the front stoop. Daniel whipped his head towards her, a jolt of panic shooting through his veins. “Who is this?”

Cheri turned and nodded politely. Daniel’s mouth flapped a few times and then finally spoke.

“Oh! Baby! Uh…this is…Cheri! Uhm…yeah, they’re my good friend from high school…uh from the drama society. They were in the neighborhood and…I…uhm….”

Daniel could feel his pulse racing. Two parts of his life he never thought would cross paths were suddenly standing face to face with each other. The shock nearly short-circuited his brain.

Joan glanced at Cheri and then shrugged.

“Well…would your friend like to stay for dinner?”

“Oh, that would be wonderful, thank you Mrs. Koffman!” Cheri said with a dazzling smile.

“Please, call me Joan. Can I get you anything to drink? Water? Some juice?”

“Id love a glass of rosé if you have any, Joan.”

Joan gave them a bemused smirk, but nodded. “I think we might just have a little. Well, Daniel?” she asked, shaking Daniel out of his shocked stupor. “Are you going to come in and entertain your guest, or are you just going to stand around like a zombie?”

“Why not both?” Cheri whispered under their breath to Daniel as they sauntered into the house. Daniel shook himself, wondering what the hell was happening and then followed Cheri inside.

“Please make yourself at home,” Joan said, puttering around the living room. “I’m sorry the house isn’t in better shape. I don’t know why Daniel can’t make time to clean more.”

“Aww…don’t be so hard on the poor guy,” Cheri said as they flopped down on Daniel’s recliner. “Sometimes handsome men like him just forget how to use their brains.” They smiled as they curled their finger absently through the air. Daniel’s eyes followed it around like a magnet. “They just get so used to thinking with their big muscles that they forget about the little things like cleaning and organizing. Really, it’s not his fault he’s so dumb and handsome…”

Daniel only heard every third word. His eyes were gently swinging back and forth with the easy sway of Cheri’s finger. Joan gave him a sidelong look, her eyes urging him to say something.

“Anyway, he was probably just distracted. Who wouldn’t be distracted when they’re married to a beautiful woman like you, Joan?”

“Oooh! Flatterer!” Joan grinned, swatting a dishcloth playfully at their guest. “I’ll leave you two to reminisce. Dinner will be ready soon.”

She strolled back into the kitchen. Daniel glanced at Cheri and could see the mischievous glint in their eyes.

“You know I haven’t told her about us yet,” Daniel confessed sheepishly. “I keep meaning to, but I just don’t know how to bring it up.”

“Do you think she’d be upset?”

“Maybe, probably more shocked than anything else. I’m not sure if she’s ready to hear it yet.”

Cheri scooted forward, their hand landing on Daniel’s leg, stroking up and down as their voice wrapped around his ears.

“You don’t have to worry about that, sweetie. You can just let Cheri handle it. You trust Cheri to take care of all your problems, don’t you?”

“I…I trust you…” Daniel said, feeling his head start to float along with their words.

“Good. Now I think you need to loosen up. Why don’t you have a little kiss from your Cheri?”

Daniel was in no position to refuse as Cheri leaned in and softly kissed their sub on the lips. Daniel felt a wave of warm dizziness wash over him. Cheri’s lips tasted sweet and tangy, like delicious, sweet wine.

“Want another?” they teased.

“Uh-huh!” Daniel grinned, eagerly accepting a second kiss, then a third, then a fourth. Before long, Daniel was swaying drunkenly on the couch, his cheeks flushed warm and his body loose and noodley.

“See? You’re feeling much better already. So much more relaxed,” Cheri said cuddling up closer. “Aren’t you?”

“Yyyyeah! Wow! I’m so…oh, boy!” Daniel choked back a fit of giggles. “I’m jusht really, reaaallly glad you showed up! Oh, crap! Can I get another hit?”

Daniel stared lustifully at Cheri as they teasingly ran their tongue over their lips.

“You want another kiss, toy?”

“Hmmmmmmyyyeah! Can I pleash just have one more eeny weeny kiss?” Daniel pleaded.

Cheri glanced down the hall, double checking that Joan was occupied in the kitchen.

“What would you do for another kiss? Would you roll on the floor and be my puppy?”

Daniel smiled drunkenly. “I dunno! I don’t wanna embaar…embrash…embarrash myself.”

Cheri raised their eyebrows suggestively.

“Daniel, you will get on the floor and beg like a puppy.”

Cheri’s voice cut through the inebriated fog in Daniel’s brain, hijacking his control.

“Yesh, Owner!” Daniel said as he dropped to all fours and sat up on his hind quarters, his arms held out like paws as he whined and whimpered.

“Oh, that’s very good, my little puppy,” Cheri said, patting Daniel on the head. “Now, bark for me.”

“ARF! ARFF!!”

Across the room, Porky picked up her head and growled

“Dan?” Joan’s voice echoed down the hall. “Is everything ok?”

Cheri lay their hand on Daniel’s head, their thumb lightly tracing circles over his forehead.

“Tell her a lie,” they whispered to Daniel’s pliant brain.

“Just playing around with the dog, babe!” Daniel called without the least bit of hesitation.

Joan shrugged and continued preparing dinner. Cheri leaned over and gave Daniel another intoxicating kiss.

“Roll over, puppy. Who wants a belly rub?”

Daniel silently rolled onto his back, his arms and legs sticking up in the air like a dog. Cheri’s hand wandered around his muscular chest and tight stomach until it found its way down to Daniel’s crotch and the growing bulge in his pants. Cheri smiled evilly as their hand lingered and gently rubbed and fondled him through his pants.

Daniel began to pant in arousal while his leg started to shake and jiggle involuntarily.

“Mmm…you like that little tickle spot!’ Cheri gloated, giving him more stimulation. Daniel twisted on his back, his mind drowned in submissive pleasure. Down the hall, Joan’s footsteps grew louder and louder.

“Good boy! Now sit up on the couch and act completely normal but stay deeply under my power. Sitting up now, toy.”

Daniel jumped off the floor and sat down on the couch right before his wife poked her head around the corner.

“Dinner’s ready, everyone!”    

“We’ll be right there!” Cheri smiled innocently at Joan. Daniel just sat on the couch with a thousand yard stare on his face. Joan cocked her eyebrow at her husband but turned back to the kitchen.

“Go wash up, toy,” Cheri said softly to Daniel.

Daniel obediently walked into the bathroom, letting the warm water run over his hands on autopilot. He was rinsing off when he looked up to see Cheri’s face staring back at him in the mirror. Daniel turned, making room for Cheri at the sink until the hypnotist reached out and lay their hand on Daniel’s head, their thumb gently tapping his forehead.

Daniel’s eyes rolled back into his head and his mouth hung open, passively.

“At dinner, you will be alert and as charming as possible,” they said as their thumb traced gentle circles in Daniel’s brain. “Whenever you hear me or your wife say the word ‘hard’ you will feel a pulse of arousal shoot through your penis. You will start to get hard and you will find that whatever you were thinking of just slips out of your head. Whenever you hear the word ‘hard’ you will feel aroused and forget what you were thinking about. You will obey me, toy.”

“Yes, Owner,” Daniel said, fawning under their touch.

“Good. Waking up, nice and alert, ready to sit down to dinner.”

Cheri snapped their fingers in front of Daniel’s face. He blinked and shook his head.

“Alright! Let’s go eat!” he said before marching out of the bathroom.

Joan had set the table with a plate of meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and asparagus. Cheri complimented Joan’s cooking and gushed over the finely embroidered tablecloth and fancy napkins.

“Well, it’s not everyday that we entertain guests,” Joan said, modestly.

“Yeah, I think the last guests we had over was for Thanksgiving,” Daniel said through a mouthful of meatloaf. "Man, that was a tense meal, especially when your brother said that thing in front of my mom.”

“What did he say, exactly, Dan?” Joan asked with an edge in her voice. “Care to remind us?”

Before he could respond, Cheri waved their hand dismissively. “Oh, you don’t have to go into detail. I know that family can be hard sometimes.”

Daniel stopped chewing his food, a strange far away look crossing his face. He shifted slightly in his seat.

“I suppose you’re right,” Joan said, dropping the subject. “So, you two know each other from high school drama? I don’t remember Daniel ever talking about that.”

“Uh…well I never, uhm, took to acting very well. Cheri always had more talent.”

Cheri shrugged. “What can I say. I guess I’m a natural. But acting isn’t for everyone. A lot of people have a hard time with theater.”

Daniel sucked in a breath of air, his face turning a shade of red.

“I never knew. Why didn’t you tell me, Dan?”

Dan only blinked in confusion.

“uh…what?”

“You. Doing theater in high school. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Oh…I…uhm…” Dan struggled to think. “I guess…I forgot…”

“Really?” Joan asked as she cut her food. “It seems like a hard thing to forget.”

Dan bit his lip and open his legs, shifting uneasily in his seat.

“Dan?”

For the second time, Dan blinked and stared lost back at his wife.

“Huh?”

“Oh, never mind!” Joan said irritably. “You’re a real space case today, you know.”

Cheri grinned and scooted their chair closer to Dan. “Now that’s not really fair, Joan,” they said. “After all, Dan works so hard for you and the house. He’s always talking about what a hard time he has at work all so that you two can live the sweet life. It’s hard to keep up that pace day after day, don’t you think?”

“I mean that’s fine,” Joan said, staring wide-eyed at Cheri. “But if Dan was having a hard time at work he should have told me. Dan?!”

Dan was staring blankly into the table while his hands gripped his napkin for dear life. His breath came in ragged huffs and he had blank smile on his face.

“Dan?! What is wrong with you?” Joan exclaimed, waving her fingers in front of his face.

“Please, Joan. Just let that man of yours relax. It’s really so hard for him to find time to relax. Maybe that’s why things have been so hard for you two in bed recently.”

“Excuse me?!” Joan’s face was scarlet. Cheri was unfazed and put their arm around Dan’s shoulders while he continued to stare helplessly into space.

“Now, how would you like to see how I take care of your husband. He talks to me whenever he’s stressed or upset, and I soothe all his troubles away. That’s why he listens to me so well. Right, Dan?”

“Huh?...Oh! Right…” Dan mumbled, dreamily.  

Joan crossed her arms indignantly and glared at Cheri. “What are you? His therapist or something?”

“Therapist?” Cheri chuckled. “No, sweetie. I’m his hypnotist!”

Joan blinked, speechless.

“Let me show you,” said Cheri. They held up a slender finger in front of Dan’s eyes, waving it back and forth.

“Follow my finger, Dan. Watching it goes back and forth…back and forth… tick… tock… tick…tock…feeling your mind bouncing back and forth…back and forth until it gets tired and heavy….slow and sleepy…and you just drop.”

Dan’s eyes drifted close and his head slumped forward.

“Deep, deep down…deep asleep…listening to my wonderful voice… you are hypnotized now, Dan. Tell me you’re deeply hypnotized.”

“I am deeply hypnotized…” Dan slurred. Joan only gaped, astonished.

“Tell me and your wife that you’re hard, Dan. Tell us how hard your big cock is.”

“I…am…so hard. My huge dick feels like it will explode…Oh! I am hard as a rock, Owner.”

“Well, why don’t we do something about that?” Cheri teased. “Take out your cock and start jacking off. Put on a good show for your wife and I.”

Daniel’s hands jumped to his fly as he unzipped himself and took out his cock, already hard and pink with arousal. He gripped the base and slowly began rubbing himself up and down with an easy, unhurried rhythm. He closed his eyes and smiled from ear to ear, completely lost in masturbatory bliss.

“He’ll stay like that for as long I tell him,” Cheri gloated. “I made him edge for over an hour non-stop once. You should see it when he finally cums.”

Joan stood up, her face white with rage and her hands trembling.

“Get out. Now. I want you out of my house.”

Cheri sighed dramatically and cocked their body sideways over their hip. “Well! I can tell I’m not welcome, so fine. I’ll leave.”

They rose to their feet, placing the napkin on the table. “But I’m going to take my things with me. Daniel? Stop stroking yourself!”

Dan’s hands dropped to his sides, his cock bobbing desperately in the air.

“Go and get your things. Just your keys, wallet, and toothbrush. You won’t need any clothes where we’re going.”

“Yes, Owner! Right away, Owner!” Dan said, springing to life and brushing past his wife without so much as glancing at her.

“What the fuck!? DAN! Where the fuck do you think you’re going?! Dan! Listen to me!!”

But it was no use. Daniel had already ducked into his office to pick up his wallet and a wad of cash from the emergency folder in the back of his closet. He acted as if he couldn’t hear his wife’s complaints at all. To be fair, he had done that plenty of times without being hypnotized, but now he moved with a carefree cluelessness that made Joan truly doubt he was in his own mind. She just watched him, slack jawed, as he opened the bathroom cabinet to grab his toothbrush and then marched happily out the door like a wind-up toy soldier.

“DAN! I SWEAR TO GOD IF YOU WALK OUT THAT DOOR, THIS MARRIAGE IS TRASHED! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?!!”

Dan swayed slightly at the doorway, his head wobbling on his shoulders. Cheri leaned close and murmured in his ear. “Go wait in my car, toy.”

Dan’s head pinged straight up and he drifted out of his house and his marriage. Cheri just stared smugly back at Joan as the blonde woman fumed, her eyes shooting daggers at her husband’s hypnotic lover.

“You must feel pretty fucking pleased with yourself,” she hissed.

“Aww…there’s no reason to be bitter, sweetie. Trust me, I’ll keep him happy and cared for.”

“Fuck you! You stole my fucking husband!” Joan said, her temper starting to boil.

“No, Joan…” Without missing a beat, Cheri held up their finger an inch from Joan’s face. The woman recoiled and crossed her eyes, struggling to focus.

“…I’m not stealing your husband…you don’t want him…I’m not stealing him…you’re giving him away,” Cheri said, waggling her finger back and forth.

“What? Stop it! That’s…don’t fucking try that shit on me!”

Joan was yelling, but she wasn’t moving, except for the slight motion of her head as it continued to follow the finger. Cheri smiled, and waved their hand back and forth, up and down…

“I just want you to know that you don’t like your husband…I know you don’t like him…think of all the times he couldn’t measure up…think of the things you don’t like about him…you don’t like your husband…can’t you think of all the ways he annoys you?”

Joan’s eyes continued to move with the finger, her mind distracted by all the times Dan left the bathroom filthy for weeks, all the times he never cleaned up after dinner, or all the times he fell asleep watching baseball on the couch while she had to jill off by herself in bed.

God, she really hated her husband.

“You hate him…you don’t need him…you’re happy he’s leaving…you’re so angry right now…you’re angry at your husband…so angry with your husband now…”

Joan felt her heart racing, her blood pulsing through her body. She was angry! She was angry at her husband and wished he would just leave and never come back!

“You hate your husband…you hate his name…you hate his ring…you don’t want to wear that ring anymore…you want to give it to me…give me your ring and give me your husband…you don’t need them anymore…”

Joan felt herself nodding as she continued to stare at the finger moving up and down. Yeah, she didn’t need this ring. She was done with it. Just like she was done with her husband.

Joan twisted the gold band off her finger and dropped it into Cheri’s outstretched hand.

Good riddance.

“Good…you feel so much better now, Joan…so much more free…lighter…just take a nice breath in…and out…”

Joan obeyed, surprised at how much better she was feeling. Cheri’s voice was very soothing to listen to. She was so very grateful.

“Now you’re feeling all that emotional energy inside you…all that anger and jealousy and irritation…it has to go somewhere…so you’re going to feel it start to turn into arousal… the more you think about it, the more you realize that you’re insatiably horny…getting hornier and hornier by the minute…you’re horny now, aren’t you Joan?”

Joan clenched her thighs together, feeling a shiver running up her pussy.

“…yes.”

“Well horny people need to get off!” Cheri chuckled. “So go to your room and get off! Go rub and touch yourself. Feel all the anger you have for me, for your husband, all the self-loathing I know you harbor, and let it build and build up as you jill off. And when you can’t take it anymore, you’re going to cum harder than you ever have in your life!”

Joan felt her cheeks get warm. She wasn’t really following the finger anymore. She was just staring into space thinking about how much she wanted to rub her clitty right then.

“And when you cum,” Cheri continued. “You’re going to lose ever single memory of me and your husband. You were never married. You never had a husband. You don’t even have a ring. You’ll cum your brains out and then wake up as a fresh, new, single woman, ready to go and snag yourself a new man

“…yeah…” Joan said, her hand already lightly rubbing her crotch. “A brand new man…”

Cheri gave her one last cocky smirk and then snapped their fingers.

“Off you go then!”

Joan blinked and then marched into her bedroom with a single goal on her mind. Cheri flicked off the lights to the house and then left, closing the door behind them.