“You’re too petite for that,” she said to Christy once, about a shelf corset, “especially up top. What do you think of this instead?” She held up a red satin and lace corset with a matching pair of panties.
“Ooh, I like that,” Christy said. “What do you think, Paul?”
“I think it’d look great on the bedroom floor. But what do you think? Does it make you feel sexy?”
Amber nodded. “He’s right. How’s it make you feel when you think about wearing it?”
“Very naughty.”
“Add it to your collection?”
“Yes, please.” She beamed before she made the mistake of looking at me. “Oh, sorry. Better not.”
I’d been adding up price tags in my head, and my expression probably reflected it. Christy had already said yes to at least two hundred dollars’ worth, and we hadn’t even made it out of the lingerie section.
Amber looked at me.
“Do you want just lingerie?” I asked Christy. “Or other stuff too?”
“Um… can we do other stuff too?”
“Sure. Then pick three or four outfits here.” I’d meant to say two but had changed my mind at the last moment. I’d made things worse by saying three or four, which, of course, meant four.
Christy bounced up and gave me a kiss, and I mentally doubled my budget.
“And what about you?” Amber asked Brooke. “Would you like to pick out a few?”
“I wish. I can’t afford it.”
“Don’t worry, I can,” the little head said through my mouth.
You treacherous little shit!
It’s your own fault, he said. You should’ve given me some attention this morning. Now it’s going to cost you.
Christy covered her mouth but couldn’t hold back laughter.
“Did I miss something?” Amber said.
Christy was comfortable enough by then to explain, “He talks to his penis.”
“I see,” Amber smirked.
“And I think he’s the one who said he can afford it.”
“Is she serious?” Amber asked me.
“Sadly, she is. He… um… has his own priorities.”
She winked and smiled. “That’s okay. Most of them do.”
I wished he had his own bank account too, but it was too late for that. Besides, I could imagine the looks he’d get if he tried to sign a credit card receipt.
“Do you really mean it?” Christy asked. “You’ll get some for Brooke too?”
I glanced at the redhead, who was torn between excited and anxious.
“On one condition,” I said to her.
“What?”
“No strings attached.”
She frowned uncertainly.
“I mean it. Whatever happens this weekend—or doesn’t happen—is up to you. The lingerie and anything else is just something special because you’re Christy’s girlfriend. Okay?”
She shot a furtive glance at Amber, who wasn’t the least bit fazed by the comment. Then she looked at Christy, who clasped her hands and beamed hopefully.
“O-okay,” she said at last. Then, a bit shyly, “Thank you.”
I nodded once, and the girls headed toward a rack of bra and panty sets. Amber hung back and watched silently.
“Christy’s with me,” I replied to her unasked question. “Brooke’s her girlfriend.”
“I worked out the first part, and the second’s obvious now that I know. How long have you been in the lifestyle?”
“A while,” I answered vaguely. “Christy’s… new to it. This is Brooke’s first… um…”
“Experience,” Amber filled in smoothly.
“Yeah, good word. What about you? If you don’t mind me asking.”
“I don’t mind. I’ve tried it, but I’m more into monogamy these days.” She glanced up at me. “You don’t sound like you’re from around here.”
“I don’t have that much of an accent, do I?”
“Not really. Somewhere in the south. Texas, maybe?”
“Brooke’s from Texas,” I said.
“Oh, in that case,” Amber revised, “maybe Alabama? I dunno, Kentucky? I’m just guessing,” she added. “I can’t tell any of ’em apart. I just know you’re from the south.”
“Georgia, mostly. But we go to school in Tennessee.”
“The Bible Belt?”
“’Fraid so. But we’re a little more open-minded than all that.”
“I can tell,” she said with a grin. “You seem like a cool guy.”
“Thanks. I try.”
“Well, you haven’t hit on me or tried to convince me to make your threesome a foursome.”
“Um, no. I didn’t get that vibe from you, so…” I shrugged by way of apology in case I’d been wrong.
“No, you’re right,” she said. “I have a guy I’m pretty happy with at the moment.”
“That’s cool. I thought it was someone, but I wasn’t sure if it was a guy or a girl. Well, not until just now.”
“I like girls occasionally, but mostly guys.” She smiled at me again. “You’re down with everything, aren’t you? That’s pretty radical for a guy from the south.”
“Eh, we’re not all bible thumpers and prudes. Besides, California has its share of those, I’m sure.”
“Yeah,” she laughed, “but they’re all up in Orange County!”
“Fair enough.”
“I’d better get back to the ladies.” She gave me an appraising look. “You won’t take it the wrong way if I offer to give you my employee discount, will you?”
“Absolutely not!” I said with relief.
Brooke eventually picked out four pieces of lingerie for herself. Amber took them and Christy’s to the register and then returned.
“What next, ladies and gentleman?”
“Maybe… the… um… bondage stuff?” Christy looked at me.
The little head answered for me, “Sure.”
“Right this way,” Amber said. “What’re you looking for? First-time gear or more hardcore?”
“Um… first-time.”
“Okay, so blindfolds, nipple clamps, maybe handcuffs?”
“Oh my gosh, all of it.”
“But no paddles, whips, or gags?”
“Maybe just the first one?” Christy said.
Amber nodded and then winked at me. “What about you?” she asked Brooke.
“Nothing for me, thanks.”
Amber looked to me for confirmation.
The big head kept adding things up, but the little head overrode him. I reminded myself that it was only money.
“Get whatever you want,” I said to Brooke, although the big head managed to add, “within reason.”
“Thank you. Maybe just a blindfold.”
Christy was a little nervous at first, but Amber worked her magic and made everything seem perfectly normal. She helped Christy pick out a pair of steel handcuffs, a set of padded wrist and ankle cuffs, a pair of nipple clamps with a chain, and (much to my surprise) a leather collar with nipple clamps. Then she and Brooke chose matching masquerade masks.
“Don’t forget the paddle,” I told them. Or the little head did. By then I couldn’t really tell the difference between what he wanted and what I did.
“Yes, sir,” Christy said immediately.
“Do you want to try it first?” Amber asked me when the girls had chosen one.
Christy looked at me with a mixture of fear and barely concealed arousal.
I held her in suspense for several heartbeats before I said, “No, it’s fine.”
She breathed again, and Brooke shot me a grin.
“Okay,” Amber said, almost conversationally, “what’s next? Are we ready for toys?”
Brooke looked momentarily hopeful, until Christy scrunched her nose and shook her head.
“It isn’t the same now that I have the real thing.”