Just a bit of very specific sexual innuendo.

The next day, Jessica came over to him, because there was some situation with a client they had to deal with. He listened to what she was saying, nodded his head a few times and played along, as if he actually cared what she had to say. It took all his willpower not to daydream about her wearing a body harness.

As she had finished about how it was very important that the client did not get the wrong impression of their work, he nodded once more, and said: "I understand. We don't do tricks. We don't jump through hoops for them. You are not a show pony."

Jessica had already started to reply, but froze in her tracks, "Wh... what?"

He looked at her, all innocent smiles.

"We don't jump through hoops for our clients, right?" John said.

"Right. Right," Jessica suddenly seemed uneasy, as if he had triggered something deep inside her. John tried very hard to suppress a grin.

"They need to understand that it's not a question of equipment or money, it's about our knowledge and expertise, right?" he added, and found Jessica gaining back confidence. Time to throw her off again: "A golden bit gag doesn't make the horse any better, eh?"

Jessica blinked as is he had slapped her. John granted her another smile, as innocent and pure as he could muster, while he was secretly celebrating inside. He noticed some tiny beads of sweat on her forehead, and her hands clenched into fists.

"After all, a good horse is never a bad color, right?" he added. Jessica started shaking in spite of herself. He frowned and feigned sympathy, "Are you feeling okay?"

"I... I am alright", she managed to say. "That... will be all. Thank you."

The blonde woman turned around and walked away briskly from his desk. John chuckled and punched a fist inwardly. He was definitely on the right track. His information about Jessica was all correct. She was ****. More than that. She was like... an open door to a stable. A horse's stable.

And he would make her pay.