The doors opened and with a toss of her head, she strode out, taking a sharp left towards the toilets.
Natasha emerged from the lift with caution. Where was Barrie’s office? She half remembered. The long corridor in front of her led to Duggie’s office and she was pretty sure Barrie’s was on the left, before that. With the laptop case held at a strategic angle she fled along the corridor and lurched thankfully into the safety of his office.
On the other side of town, Barrie parked Natasha’s Mazda neatly outside 27 Back Street. It had always amazed him how Debbie and Natasha had managed to build a successful business from a rented Victorian terraced house. The small brass plate, screwed on the wall by the front door, was the only indication that DebTash traded there. He was about to ring the bell when he remembered the key. Natasha had told him she let herself in with the Yale key on her key ring, but always called out, to save any possible embarrassment. That comment had Barrie’s mind working overtime, had she arrived before and discovered Debbie and Helen having a lesbian romp? He tried to question her about that, but Natasha was intent on giving him a proper briefing. He unlocked the door and called out as directed, but not too loudly. ‘Hi, Debs, it’s only me!’ He closed the door, chuckling to himself and metaphorically rubbing Natasha’s hands together at the prospect of witnessing some first hand lesbian action. But he was to be disappointed. As he arrived on the first floor landing, Debbie’s bedroom door opened and she looked out, commenting on her early arrival. Barrie told her he could hardly wait for the presentation, which was true. He also told her he wanted to look at simplifying the French underwear designs, to make it easier for outwork production. Debbie fully opened the door to reveal that all she had on was a very brief pair of knickers. Barrie tried hard not to stare, he did not want her thinking Natasha was changing orientation. On the other hand, Debbie really was very tasty; he quickly noted the brown pubic hair struggling out from retaining elastic, before focussing determinedly on her rather square face, framed by what he now knew was dyed blonde hair. He looked past her into the bedroom and remembered Natasha saying she had not seen Helen for some time.
‘How’s Helen, haven’t seen her recently.’
Debbie turned and walked into her bedroom, signalling the person she thought was Natasha to follow. Barrie needed no second bidding.
‘We’ve split up,’ she said, reaching into the bathroom to take a robe from behind the door. ‘I could see it coming; we didn’t have much in common, apart from enjoying the same sex toys.’
The robe was made from very fine organza and Barrie could still see everything. She really was very attractive, very feminine and very tasty. What she really needed was a bloke who could give her a good seeing to – cure her for ever.
Debbie sighed. ‘These things happen Tash. Anyway, back to business. I’m really glad you’ve changed your mind about the French underwear.’
‘Tried them on this morning,’ lied Barrie, ‘they look and feel great.’
‘Everything looks great on you.’
Was there a trace of envy there? Or was it a lesbian come on?
‘I’ll need to put a warm iron over them before the presentation.’
‘Did the chemise arrive?’
‘Yes, got it here.’ Barrie held out the package, not knowing quite where to look as Debbie stretched forward to take it. Looking into her eyes, might give her the wrong idea so he focused on the package, which fortunately, only partially covered her tits. As Debbie shook out the chemise, he talked through the finer points, as briefed by Natasha. It had turned out as expected. The finish was excellent, but perhaps the rose motif could be a little lower? Debbie thought she would have to see it on to make a proper decision, but asked her to hold it against herself, to give her some idea. He followed Debbie’s directions as she stepped back to make her judgement. ‘I think you’re right, it could be a tad lower, but I don’t think we need to alter it for the presentation. Will you be wearing a bra?’
Barrie pondered on the question. Natasha had told him to keep on the underwear she had laid out for him; on the other hand, she had also told him to take Debbie’s advice. ‘I had intended to wear the same bra and pants under the chemise and slips, but what do you think?’
Debbie smiled a secretive little smile. ‘Knowing Davina Maypole’s reputation, I’m sure she would rather see them hanging free beneath the chemise.’
‘My breasts don’t hang,’ said Barrie, rather aggressively and definitely out of character for Natasha. Debbie laughed, she didn’t seem to notice.
‘Of course they don’t Tash, you have pert little tits.’ Barrie laughed with her, although he had never thought of Natasha’s tits as being particularly small. He glanced down at Debbie’s breasts, it seemed an ideal excuse.
‘Well we can’t all have big tits like yours.’
Debbie obliged by opening the see through robe and cupping her breasts. ‘Aha, I always knew you envied them; I’m very proud of my tits, there’s nothing droopy about these.’ She turned side on and took her hands away. The breasts dropped no more than a centimetre and held firm. Had she had a boob job? Barrie wondered if she would mind if Natasha touched them. Should he ask?
A mobile phone rang, probably a good thing. It was the theme from the ‘A Team’. His own mobile ringing in Natasha’s handbag.
‘New phone?’ asked Debbie, hands back on her breasts, caressing them as Barrie would love to. He fumbled in the handbag and fished out the mobile.
‘It’s Barrie’s, I must have picked up the wrong phone this morning.’ He looked at the screen. ‘It’s Natasha. No – it’s Barrie – on my phone.’
Debbie carried on fondling her breasts. ‘Well, you’d better answer it. Stick the kettle on when you’ve finished.’
She went into the bathroom and closed the door. Barrie stepped out onto the landing.
‘Hi Tash.’
‘No, you’re Tash, get it right Barrie. How are things going?
‘Fine, no problems, I was having a chat with Debbie when you called.’ Barrie though it best not to mention that he’d been admiring her breasts, or that Helen had left and Debbie told him that the only thing they had in common was a preference for the same sex toys.
‘Well, I’m pleased everything’s going fine for you, I can sum up my morning to date in three words. Penny, Betts and Shag.’
‘Oh.’ Barrie had not expected the shit to hit the fan quite so quickly.
‘Oh. Is that all you can say. How about an explanation?’
There was a long pause while Barrie desperately tried to think of one. ‘Er, it’s not what it seems, Tash. I’ve been helping out an old friend.’
It was his voice that spoke on the other end of the line, but the intonation was pure Natasha. ‘You’ve been shagging an old friend?’
‘Ah, yes, but that was how she needed help.’
‘Well, she wants helping out again, so am I supposed to shag her?’
‘It is very complicated Tash. I mean, it doesn’t mean anything, we finished way before I met you.’
‘But you’re still shagging her?’
‘Only to help out.’ There was a snort from the other end of the line, then silence; he stumbled on. ‘The fact is, she lets me in on lots of inside information, without it I’d be a goner. If she wants a shag, I’d give her one – if I was you.’
‘I know you would, but how about me? If I give her one, as you so crudely put it, I’ll be complicit in your cheating on me.’
‘It’s not cheating Tash, it’s, it’s…’