A Temptation to Substitute

Nervous swallowing started when the hand wormed its way under the loosened cup and casually gathering up her startled breast. She soon became aware of a surreal sensation: the feel of her own heartbeat thumping away nervously against the warm skin of Laura's palm.

Amelia's eyes dashed around the room again. Good. Her T-shirt was concealing most of what was going on underneath. The best course of action would be to stay calm and get this over with.

To her horror though, she spotted Julie coming over towards them, wine bottle in each hand. Laura looked up too. But the only change in the model's demeanour was to offer up a warm smile as Julie stood over them. Amelia began to panic inside. What on earth would her best friend deduce from what she could readily see?

"Getting acquainted, you two?" though was all she heard Julie ask breezily. In fact, her way of solving what she saw as Amelia's main problem was to fill up her waving wine glass.

"We're in the middle of comparing boobs," Laura explained in a rather matter-of-fact tone. Amelia felt the invading hand retreating. Her initial relief however was short-lived. A quick brush and it had her bra cup right off, loosely cupping her breast again.

All Amelia could do was to sit there in a state of disbelief, looking up at Julie with wide appealing eyes for help, struck dumb, unsure how to act. She felt sure Julie could tell from the T-shirt movements what was happening. But the expression on her friend's face did not suggest she thought she was watching anything particularly unusual. There was no reaction even when Laura's hand began its gentle clenching action, the model nonchalantly keeping her gaze upon Julie throughout enquiring how the rest of the party was going.

Amelia tried to just sit there quietly and keep her composure. This included trying to actively repress the feelings being generated by the sensual contact as Julie informed them she would be putting on some dancing music in the front room. Amelia was even able to smile and nod her assent knowing that trying to utter one word would give away how affected she was.

With a parting smile, Julie floated off to nearby groups to top up their drinks. Still wanting to appear unruffled to those about, all a helpless Amelia could do was to sit still and watch her friend disappearing behind a group of guests in the neighbouring room.

Now Amelia realised that Laura's hand was pulling back, but only to slide her thumb and soft fingertips out along the curve. She felt her nipple stirring, anticipating direct contact.

Fearfully, she looked at the eyes opposite intensely guiding the hidden hand. They flicked up into Amelia's, signalling downwards, hinting at hers to follow. The instant she did though, all of the recent sensations that had been building up from minutes of slow stimulation burst and rushed into her mind. Her willingness to interrupt or offer any real resistance plunged to zero.

Her lips parted and her eyes began to close. Swallowing furiously in the welcome darkness, she quietly surrendered and began secretly enjoying the sensuous exchange going on between the sensitive peak of her breast and the teasing fingertips, creating volatile surges in her lower belly. She had forgotten her impediment altogether until the exploring fingers suddenly paused.

"What's this?" she heard Laura ask herself in a very low, curious voice. Amelia had got the familiar tell-tale warning earlier but had decided to ignore them and let these glorious stirrings go on.

"My God, Amelia!" Laura quietly added, leaning slightly forward. A thumb brushed the surface of her impediment as she continued "I can feel it still growing."

"I guess that's what I'd describe as my oddity," was all Amelia could murmur.

"You call this an oddity?" murmured a disbelieving Laura as a finger and thumb took it. "No, this is what anyone would call amazing, unbelievably sexy."

Amelia heard her almost envious tone in utter disbelief. She opened her eyes and was staggered by the look of wonder flowing into her eyes from Laura's beautiful face.

"You lucky thing! I bet all the guys just drool when you get like this," Laura purred as she kept caressing. "And how jealous their girlfriends would be."

Amelia stayed still, eyes open now and rejoicing. The subtle finger-stroking was keeping her squat aroused nipple at its almost two centimetre maximum. Inside, she was overcome, so grateful to hear Laura describing her discovery with genuine admiration.

Her eyes widened when Laura's fingers stopped and moved sideways. Taking hold of her upper arm through the loose sleeve of her T-shirt, they began gently ushering Amelia's elbow up from inside. Unsure what the intent could be, Amelia trustingly assisted. Soon the whole slender arm had been guided through and guided down to the bottom of her T-shirt.

The reason for all this only dawned when Laura's hand emerged and grabbing the side of her T-shirt, rode it up the outside of her arm. Once it was over Amelia's shoulder, it was released there and the loose bra cup fell away. The whole left side above Amelia's slim waist was now bare. Amelia's free arm started to rise in a late effort to make herself more modest.

"Please don't," Laura almost begged, softly catching the wrist firmly for an instant on its way up but immediately letting go.

Amelia looked in confusion back into Laura's glowing eyes. She watched them take on an adoring look as they lowered to the thick brown-red gland thrusting outwards and slightly upwards like a small accusing finger.

Amelia's hand wavered in its mission to cover herself. Then submissively it lowered to her side.

"My God, just look at that," Laura purred appreciatively, in such a reverent tone that all Amelia could do was to obey. "What an unbelievably beautiful sight!"

Amelia looked down in time to see Laura's finger and thumb closing in pincer-like from opposite sides at the base of the thick jutting flesh. In unison, barely touching its surface, they began a series of slow deliberate outward caresses.

Amelia heard the long, almost inaudible sigh of delight escape from the back of her mouth. She held her breath as a sudden rush of heat filled her head, and let her eyes quietly close again. There, she became entirely focused on the delicious cocktail of erotic impulses surging back into her body from the expert stimulation. She had always loved any part of her body being stroked, but this was just so new and slow and sensual.

The inside and top of her mouth started to tingle. She started swallowing continuously and clenched her thighs, secretly thrilling at the exquisite moisture building up between them. A soft feminine hand gently tilted her erect nipple slightly upwards and she could sense the lovely mouth lowering. Holding her breath, Amelia steeled herself, a raw groan starting to build at the back of her throat.

They both jolted apart at the crash. Someone had dropped a glass, smashing it.

A man's surprised swearing broke the spell.

Amelia's eyes had sprung wide open, as though rudely disturbed mid-dream.

Across from her, Laura was sitting up. Amelia began hurriedly easing her arm up and back into its sleeve. By contrast, Laura started calmly re-gathering and fastening the bra. Amelia took her lead and unhurriedly lowered the T-shirt, as she began checking whether anyone had seen what had just occurred.

Quite a few had been obviously watching. Indeed they still were. But their faces showed expressions of light fascination or friendly interest. There was no sign of any disgust or excessive voyeurism to be seen.

She mentally raised her eyebrows in disbelief. The only person with any real potential to be greatly offended or shocked by what's just happened here is you, she thought.

She was surprised when no pangs of guilt appeared. Quite calmly, she knew she could have resisted this more, especially in the early stages. And she was in control of the hand that had withdrawn and left her bare breast so vulnerable. God, would the stiffness and the tingling in her denied nipple never die down?

And what would Rob have made of this? He would have been disturbed if he had come across Amelia with her hand on Laura's breast in the early stages. Having been told the context, she knew he might have understood later. He may even have accepted that his young wife might have felt obligated to allow her breast to be felt up in return. But she knew he would have suggested that, innocent girl-thing and all that this was, it should have taken place in a much more private place.

But he certainly would have been stunned at her offering so little resistance as she was rendered bare-breasted in full public view at a party! His modest young wife, who wouldn't go topless on a deserted beach in case someone could see her? His shy Amelia, eyes closed and lips curling, letting a beautiful woman play with her aroused nipple let alone with strangers around? And seemingly willing to venture on to an even more daring level of exhibitionism.

But before she had much more of a chance to dwell on these thoughts, Laura had grabbed her hand. She allowed herself to be yanked up off the lounge.

"Enough tit play," she heard Laura announce dismissively. "There's good music on. Let's dance."

She was dragged out of both the room and her thoughts at the same time. In seconds, they were in the middle of a cavorting crowd two rooms away. Laura turned about and faced her, and began lithely moving about in time to the energetic music.

As she started to dance, Amelia's arousal level began to come down a bit. They shared an occasional period of eye contact during a couple of rock and roll numbers. Each time Laura looked away, Amelia admired the beauty of her dancing partner. If caught, she found herself shyly smiling. As she watched Laura's breasts bob about rhythmically, she marvelled at how easy it had been for the model to get her to overcome her inhibitions just minutes ago.

Inwardly reflecting, Amelia began to feel at one with this group. Laura and Julie included, they all given her a healthier outlook on what constituted abnormal or unseemly behaviour than the one she brought to the party. When a slow number began. Laura held her hands out. Glancing about, Amelia noticed they were surrounded by all sorts of unconventional couples moving closer together.

She slid forward, letting Laura's arms position their bodies so they just touched. The two began slowly waltzing on the spot nose against nose in affectionate unison. Towards the end of the number, she leaned back and smiled up warmly into Laura's eyes, a new-found sense of closeness and peace all over her face, appreciating the caring look radiating back.

God, she is so beautiful Amelia couldn't help but think over and over, returning a smile to Laura's loving eyes. The song came to an end. They stood body to body, eyes closed now, foreheads meaningfully together. Another slow ballad started. Amelia didn't hesitate, nuzzling into the side of Laura's neck and taking in her subtle perfume. One of the model's arms brought her body closer, and loving fingers started stroking Amelia's hair and the side of her face.

"So lovely, so beautiful, so sexy," Amelia heard the tender complimenting whispers over and over again. She felt so serene, so loved. She moved her face out and mouthed a grateful 'Thank you', leaving her rapturous face upturned as one tender kiss after another began softly raining all over it.

A nearly delirious Amelia closed her eyes when the parted lips brushed hers invitingly. As she responded eagerly, the tip of the incredible tongue warily crept into her mouth. Amelia opened her mouth slightly wider and ran the tip of her own tongue along its underside. The kissing began to intensify and a little more moist tongue entered and began systematically exploring her mouth, making its whole roof tingle.

Amelia found herself floating, awed at the sensuous effect from what tongue she knew had been fed in, and knowing a lot more was probably being just as skilfully withheld.

The song was finishing. Amelia had long abandoned any fantasy that she was in Rob's arms. She sensually ended the kiss by encircling Laura's tongue tightly with her lips and sucking back along it as their mouths moved apart. Both sets of eyes opened towards the end. For the first time she noticed she had a firm hold of Laura's breast through the silky top.

The music had come to the end for the moment. They both stood there, close. Laura nibbled her ear, making goosebumps rise on her inner thighs, before whispering that it was just past eleven and that she had to go. A disappointed Amelia inched back.

Tenderly prising Amelia's hand from her breast, Laura used it to tow her to the front bedroom. Others were there, gathering their things too. Putting a soft brown leather jacket on, she walked out hand in hand with Amelia to the waiting taxi.

There, the two women entered each other's numbers in their phones and promised to call soon. They enjoyed one more light kiss and a parting hand squeeze. Then Laura was off into the night, waving and blowing kisses through the lighted back window.

With a spring in her step, Amelia returned inside. On finding Julie, she spent the rest of the night at her friend's side chatting to the ever-dwindling array of guests for the last hour. She wondered if anyone could tell each time her loins randomly tingled as flashes of the petting and kissing crept back into her mind.

When the last guests were wandering away from Julie's doorway, she helped Julie break the back of the tidying up. They sat down for one last glass of champagne.

"So," Julie began with a grin. "What's your impression of Laura?"

"She's stunningly beautiful, isn't she? And so interesting and personable. She was just the greatest company," Amelia enthused.

"Company? You two looked like you needed a private room from what I saw of you," Julie scoffed, an amused look on her face.

Amelia felt herself starting to blush deeply, concerned at the impression that she, as a supposedly happily married woman, must have made on her best friend.

"Look I'm joking, but only in part," Julie continued, noting Amelia's discomfort. "Don't you remember telling me recently you were missing the sheer joy of being slowly aroused. Can I therefore, as your best friend, make a controversial admission?"

"Of course," Amelia replied without hesitation.

"I left you with Laura knowing full well what she may be getting up to," Julie ventured. "But I sensed a slight chemistry growing. Besides, you're an adult. And just between you and me, one or two past girls bedded by her have told me in confidence that she really knows how to play a woman's body."

"I can confirm that," a blushing Amelia admitted. "So Laura is ... a lesbian?"

"I prefer to call her my friend," Julie answered. "Look, I love her like a sister. But yes, she's only into women. It's been ages since she's had a nice steady relationship. Is she's physically interested in you? From what I saw, probably. If so, she'll get in touch if I know her. Provided you two don't get too emotionally involved, maybe you could be good for each other. But remember, in the end, it's got to be what you yourself want, Amelia. Rock your inhibitions a little, sure, but be sure to keep asking away in the back of your mind whether your long-term future with Rob is in danger. Enough said?"

"You never thought to interrupt us once," a curious Amelia asked.

"Look, we're best friends and normally you know I'd always look out for you," Julie went on. "But tonight, I noticed you initially hesitate then allow yourself to be skilfully guided into enjoying a nice safe level of sexual stimulation. So, ask yourself this honestly. Aren't you glad you were taken there? Personally, I think you'll need more times like that to make it through the next five months."

"But what about Rob?" pleaded Amelia. "He's my husband and I do love him."

"I have never doubted at any time tonight that you do," Julie countered. "What's your point?"

"Surely I can curb my appetites better," Amelia suggested. "It's been hardly two days since he's gone and I'm already so desperate for affection that I've allowed myself to be stripped half-naked in public and felt up? By a woman?"

"You have to stop thinking of yourself as just a normal woman, like an auditor or an ordinary shop assistant," Julie thoughtfully responded.

"What do you mean by that?" a thoughtful Amelia shot back.

"You're like almost everyone else here tonight. You naturally have a different mindset altogether from the majority of non-creative people," Julie explained.

"But Julie, does that justify what I let happen?" Amelia persisted.

"Amelia, listen. Tonight, you simply took advantage of a unique set of circumstances. Your creative side pushed aside a few of your past inhibitions. It allowed your senses to be explored in what I imagine was a highly sensual but, when you think about it, a very safe experience for you," Julie offered.

"It got a bit too intimate though, surely. Wasn't I betraying Rob?" asked Amelia.

"Well, the two of us went out together last week, had a good meal, enjoyed a great film then spent most of a night sharing some very personal thoughts, didn't we?" Julie pointed out. "That was very intimate too. Did we betray Rob then?"

"No," Amelia said, thoughtfully. "But that was more on a mental level. She reflected a little, then asked: "Physically, at what point do I become unfaithful then?"

"I remember you saying that very night we stayed up that he'd be devastated if you were ever intimate with another man," she hinted, looking into Amelia's troubled face. "Look, the facts seem to be these. Rob's away, and not back for five months. You're realising you have powerfully strong physical and emotional needs that are not being met. Feed them a little, satisfy them somehow, or you may well wilt while he's away. And that could be when you do end up betraying Rob with some fellow, and lose him altogether."

Amelia left soon after with Julie's advice echoing in her ears. She had just got inside her bedroom door and thrown off the last of her clothes when she stopped and switched the mobile phone on. She was thinking about texting Laura a quick thank you message when the beeping started. Was it Rob? Heart in mouth, she clicked onto the message.

"Hi. Ring me tonight? I'd love to hear from you, whatever the hour."

Laura! Amelia remembered what Julie had said. She thought about it a little. There was no harm in just calling her back surely, but her fingers were shaking. She was reaching for her nightie under the pillow as she heard an excited hi after one ring.

"Hi, Laura. It was really great of you to call," an excited Amelia exclaimed, laying her nightie over her lap. "You're still awake too?"

"I sure am. When I got back to the Grand Hotel, there was a message saying that my shoot has been postponed for days due to a bad storm. After a few calls, I find I'm to hang around here at least another four days until they find another location," sighed Laura. "So I'm here on this bed in my robe, recalling a wonderful time I had just a few hours ago."

"The Grand Hotel?" Amelia sighed. "I'm so envious of you staying there. Rob and I treated ourselves to one night at a five star hotel once. But we were on a budget and probably stayed in a much smaller room than yours." There was a long pause.

"Amelia, can I make a suggestion?" Laura began, breaking the deadlock. "We're both alone right here and now due to things beyond the control of either of us. What say we make the best of our overall situation and treat ourselves? Why don't you pack some things while I buzz reception to send a cab to your place from the hotel? Come and stay with me here for the next two days."