The Locket

My face flushed. I was glad I had chosen to wear my lacy purple number I had purchased on a whim from a lingerie boutique when I took a day trip to Los Angeles with a soccer buddy. "It's from Amoureux. A little shop in LA," I breathed.

She was moving across the large dressing room toward me, her head tilted in a much too serious expression, one soft hand outstretched, "May I?"

"Uh..." I was confused. I looked down at my average sized breasts, tucked into the bra in question so that I would have some decent cleavage. Then Riley's hand entered my field of vision. As her index finger gently began to trace over the lace, a thousand tiny bumble bees buzzed from her touch to the rest of my body. She gently cupped my right, then my left breast over the purple fabric. My jealous pussy ached for her attention. The feeling of her skin so close to mine made it suddenly feel like it was a thousand degrees in the room. Riley was practically groping me. Wait, she is groping me! My jaw had nearly touched the floor at this point. I slowly looked up at her curious green eyes; they remained focused on my chest. She was alternating slowly between gently tracing the outlines of my bra and lightly squeezing my breasts together. I unconsciously began leaning forward. Don't kiss her, you idiot! Stop! Stop! But my momentum kept its slow, steady crawl forward. My eyes were intent on her full raspberry lips. Closer. Closer. I could smell her spearmint breath. I was mere inches away.

A knock on our dressing room door startled me back to reality, "Do you two need any help in there? Can I get you a change of sizes or anything?" The high pitched voice must've come from the teenager back from her break.

Riley kept her hands on my bra and called over her shoulder, "No, thanks, girl. We're all good in here." We heard the girl shuffle away before Riley met my eyes. "It's nice. I'll have to go there some day. Amoureux, you said?" She gave my breasts an imperceptibly light squeeze before she turned back to try on more clothes. It wasn't until that moment that I noticed Riley had been in nothing but her bra and panties the whole time. Her ass cheeks peeked out of her boy shorts as she crossed the spacious dressing room. The moisture escaping from my slick pussy nearly tripled. I awkwardly turned back to the rack to select a royal blue dress to try next.

It was 1:50 by the time we had finished our browsing. There wasn't anything else we wanted to do, so we hid in the toy shop to wait for Scott's return.

"Chloe, would you mind rubbing my neck again?" It was the second time this week and probably the fifteenth time since we had known each other. She had been a passenger in a car accident several months ago and her neck and shoulders were constantly tight as a result. I never minded massaging it; in fact, it was a joy to have constant lengthy contact with her body, and she would occasionally let out the sexiest moans. Just thinking about it prompted a new wetness in my panties.

"Of course. Have a seat." Her white grin lit up her face as she quickly took a seat on the floor in front the computer chair I was sitting in.

"What would I do without you?"

I chuckled and brushed her long dark hair over her shoulders. We chatted about Christmas traditions as I worked on the tension in her neck and shoulders. She peered at me upside down when she confessed, "I absolutely love to decorate the Christmas tree. Give me a hot mocha and music and I'd go crazy on the whole house before too long."

I made a face. "I hate Christmas music."

"No, trust me I do too," she giggled. "Jack used to make Christmas mixes every year that were... not exactly Neil Diamond singing Little Drummer Boy."

"Like what?" It was not the first time I had heard Jack's name, so my stomach only dropped a little at the sound of it this time. He was her college sweetheart and they had dated nearly all four years.

"Oh, at first it was mainly just Metallica. He used to call it 'Metal Christmas' and started adding others like AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Van Halen. He insisted that I get in touch with my inner 80's, since we were born at the end of the decade..." She looked down as she trailed off, as if remembering some painful moment, "I broke up with Jack toward the end of college to date Taylor Davidson for like six months. Tay found all the CDs Jack made me over our Christmases together and broke them all before accusing me of cheating." She sighed and shook her head at the memory. "Anyway, I'm pretty bummed I won't be decorating a tree this year, almost as much as not being able to go home to see my family." Her shoulders slumped.

"Why don't you come to my apartment and we can decorate a tree together?" The question left my lips before I really thought of how wonderful an evening that would be. My chest immediately filled with hopeful anticipation.

She broke away from my hands to turn her big puppy dog eyes on me. "Really? That sounds perfect! Chloe, do you think we could do it on Christmas Eve?" She thought a second and added, "Unless you had other plans… I don't want to impose or anything."

"No, I actually hadn't made any plans other than a bottle of wine and some movies on Christmas Eve."

"Really! Oh my gosh, you have no idea how excited I am! I absolutely love Christmas! I'll stop by WalMart and get some decorations tonight!" She was on her knees in between my legs but managed to wrap her arms around my stomach for a tight squeeze. Her touch was immediately intoxicating. I leaned forward to squeeze back. Her hair smelled like cherry blossoms. With her face pressed to my stomach she added, "We should invite Scott too! Oh Chloe I'm so excited!"

Oh yes, good idea, let's invite Scott so you guys can have sex on my couch, I thought in a flash of anger, but I took a breath and replied, "Yeah, you should go ask him." I had said it with about half as much enthusiasm as she had. Funny, because I said it with twice as much enthusiasm as I have about the whole idea, but she didn't seem to notice: when she pulled back her too-big smile lit up her heart shaped face. She stood and fluttered out of the toyshop since it was already five minutes past two o'clock.

I peeked out the door and saw Riley bound up to Scott with a smile. They talked for a minute before Riley evidently began pitching the idea, gesturing excitedly toward the plastic Christmas tree we had set up in our North Pole. Scott smiled at her and put her arm around her back. Great. My hopes for a perfect Christmas with Riley were being crushed right before my eyes.... until Scott shook his head, 'no'. Riley's grin disappeared as she listened to him talk for a moment. No way. He has plans. I think he has plans! I watched as he evidently informed Riley of his previous arrangements. Yes! Yes! Yes! It didn't even bother me when he pulled her to his chest for a quick squeeze. My heart was soaring. I did a quick victory dance right there in the toyshop. When I looked back, however, they had their cellphones out and were exchanging numbers. My high sank a bit. Damn. Well, at least I'll get my night. I kept my chin up for the rest of the day. I had never really cared for Christmas all that much, but I was ecstatic to have a night with Riley, even if she would be running off to Scott in the end. At least he was a nice enough guy. I sighed and plopped back down in the computer chair.

A week and a half later, we were finishing our very last day of work together. The mall, which had been a zoo only a few hours earlier, was now almost completely dead. Scott had asked us to work until seven o'clock that night, but business was clearly not about to pick up again. We had finished packing up the entire North Pole by six. We changed into normal clothes and handed our outfits (minus the striped stockings) over to Scott. He wrote us our final checks that very hour, invited us back next year, and wished us happy holidays. We were practically skipping to our cars by 6:30. It was freezing out, even under my long coat. I could see Riley's breath coming out in puffs, but there was no snow on the ground yet. Big puffy clouds hung in the sky, hinting at the promise of a white Christmas. Riley and I couldn't decide if we were happier to be done with work or just for the fact that it was Christmas Eve. Well, I was more excited about the night ahead with Riley... but if Christmas is my excuse to spend a night alone with her in my apartment, here's to Christmas! We were giddy as we jumped into our respective cars.

Riley followed me to my apartment, and once inside I turned on my fake fireplace and began putting together the plastic tree I had bought the day before at the mall. Riley surprised me when she produced two bottles of champagne from her bag.

"It was two for one at WalMart when I was getting the decorations," she explained, "and I decided champagne would be a good Christmas present. One for me, one for you!"

"It's the perfect Christmas present!" I grinned, adoring her for her thoughtfulness. I had bought her a silver necklace with a heart-shaped locket a few weeks ago, but decided against giving it to her now. It might be a good excuse to get to see her again after she leaves.

She opened the sliding glass door that lead to the decent sized balcony and I heard her pop it open over the edge. When she returned, she exclaimed, "I didn't know you had a hot tub!"

"Oh," I laughed, as I took the bottle from her and poured each of us a glass, "Yeah, Phyllis, my landlady, said the last people didn't want it anymore. Apparently they thought it was broken or something and didn't want to pay to haul it out. They convinced her it would be a good selling point, and to just forget to mention that it didn't exactly work. I figured out it was just a problem with one of the pumps and managed to fix it with an online guide."

"Wow, that's so cool! A free hot tub!" She pushed our her bottom lip into a cartoon-ish pout,"I wish you had told me to bring my suit! It would be a perfect way to celebrate our last night of work!"

I glanced at her sideways, half imagining her in a bathing suit, as I began opening her boxes of bulbs. She followed suit and started winding gold and sheer ribbon around the tree, followed by a simple string of white lights. Between sips of champagne we hung bulbs and tied on bows. After a decent half hour's worth of work, we were beginning to feel a solid buzz and had completed our tree. She stretched up to top it with a gold and silver star. As she did I contemplated what I knew her ass looked like under her jeans. Butterflies built up in my stomach as I came up with a plot to see that ass again.

"You know, I do have an extra suit if you really want to get in the hot tub tonight. We could finish off this bottle of champagne in there. No reason to let it go to waste." A brief look of concern spread over her face, so I quickly added, "We can watch those movies I rented, too. By then if you're not up for driving, you can crash on the couch, if you want."

A smile gradually touched her lips and she happily agreed. I opened the sliding glass door and turned the hot tub on. It groaned to life and set to work heating the probably frigid water. I stepped back inside, closing the door behind me and walked down the hall to my room to fish out a skimpy navy string bikini for her. I knew I could have given her a less revealing bandeau top and boy shorts, but my mischievous side took over my normally conservative behavior for once. It was probably the champagne's work. I was a lightweight. I changed into my newer purple and gold bikini right there in my room and brought out the navy bikini to her.

"Sorry. This is the only other one I have," I lied. "The top might be a little small on you." I glanced quickly at the cleavage that was slightly visible at the bottom of her V-neck.

"I'm sure it'll be fine! Thanks Chlo." She took it from me and disappeared to the bathroom connecting to the living room. I sat on the couch and fidgeted nervously. I shouldn't have lied to her. I'm terrible. Then I contemplated how red my face would be for the rest of the night, and how difficult I knew it would be to keep from openly gawking at her.

When I heard the bathroom door swing open I glanced up and all my hesitation was instantly absolved. I nearly came at the sight. My bikini top looked like little more than two pasties glued over Riley's nipples. I know the girl has boobs, but you really don't get the full effect until they're uncovered. My cheeks flushed as my mind poured over the implications of that thought.

She didn't look up as she attempted to stretch the tiny triangles over her breasts, "Yeah, the top doesn't really fit me very well. But it's just us girls tonight, right?" She giggled as she used her hands to bounce her boobs up and down to indicate that they counted as two of the "girls."

"Yeah. Just us girls." I managed an awkward chuckle. My mind was flashing like a fast-forward game of Pong between images of the night with Amber and the gorgeous girl that was half naked in front of me, trying to render the visuals into a clear picture of what Riley would be like. Riley staring up at me from under thick lashes, purring on my slick cunt. Riley's juices dripping down my wrist. Riley grinding on my clit until I was came so hard I screamed. The memory of Amber's musky scent made my mouth water. I could literally feel heat building between my legs as the muscles deep inside me clenched in longing. It was not Amber that I wanted, however; it was to fill my nose with Riley's smell, my mouth with her wetness, her aching opening with my eager fingers. I shook those thoughts out of my head and took a deep breath to steady myself. Riley was straight. She was, until this evening, my co-worker. And she was arguably my best friend in town by now! I couldn't even admit to my family that I was a lesbian, there was no chance in hell I could make a move on Riley. Beautiful Riley. The same Riley whose tits were packed tight into my bikini top, the Riley that was re-arranging them right in front of me. Oh God.

Satisfied, she finally looked up and smiled that cute too-big grin. She let her fingers trail along my arm as she passed me on her way to the balcony. Goosebumps rose on my arm. Wetness was already soaking my bikini bottoms. I blushed lightly at the moisture coming from my pussy, but I still couldn't help but stare at her supple hindquarters and long, tan legs as I got up and floated after her, grabbing our freshly filled champagne glasses on the way out.

I stepped over the threshold into freezing December air, and set the glasses on a small table next to the hot tub. A light snow was just beginning to stick on the ground. As goose bumps rose all over my body, I quickly removed the bulky cover and, in the absence of steps, attempted to clamber over the side of the tub. The damn thing was so tall that I slipped and splashed into the water. Graceful as usual.

Riley chuckled and swung herself easily over the edge. She let out a little moan as she sunk slowly into the hot water, "Mmmm, this feels nice." She arched back to wet her long curls in the now pleasantly bubbling water.

"I never really use it," I commented as I stole a glance at her wet tits, straining against the scraps of fabric covering them. My aching pussy clenched at the sight.

"Why not?" she asked as she straightened, turning her head to the side with that serious look on her face.

I smiled, remembering how the habit was one of the first things I noticed and adored about Riley. It seemed like so long ago that I had first exchanged corny Christmas jokes with her before we got hired. "Oh, I guess it just seems weird to do it by myself. In fact, I rarely ever come out onto the balcony." I glanced around, for the first time noticing the view of the city between two apartment buildings to my left. "Wow, I never noticed that," I mused.

"Noticed what?"

I pointed. "The view."

Evidently her angle wasn't as pleasing as mine,because she crossed over to my side of the tub. I scooted into the corner to afford her some room, trying to look anywhere besides at her wet breasts. She leaned out over the side of the tub, her round ass peaking out of the bubbly surface, steam racing into the night. My mouth opened a bit at the sight. A light blush touched my cheeks as I realized I must look like a cartoon, my tongue hanging out of my mouth and with eyes the size of two moons. When I was able to force myself to look back at her face, it wasn't downtown she was straining to see, it was the stars. I remembered she had once told me over lunch how much she loved looking at the stars. When she was seven, she learned all the constellations and their varying locations in the night's sky by heart. I followed her gaze but could only see a few twinkles between the outlines of puffy clouds, heavy with snow. The night was quiet. It was that same holiday hush that seemed to permeate most December nights. For a moment, we did not interrupt it as we considered the twinkling stars and snow-laden clouds,

"I wish I could take you back to Rhode Island this summer," she said as she slipped back into the water, facing me. She unconsciously hooked one of her legs around mine. Both pairs of legs were freshly shaved and rubbed pleasantly on one another. "My hometown is a ten minute drive from the most beautiful valley near the coast. You'll never find a better place to go star-gazing in the middle of summer." I couldn't tell if it was butterflies or just the bubbles making my stomach feel so good at the thought.

We maintained our buzz with sips of champagne and talked about nearly everything, but especially our hometowns and the friends and family we left behind. She interrupted me about fifteen minutes into our talk to request another one of my patented neck massages.

"Sorry, I promise I will pay them all back someday!" She laughed as she positioned herself in front of me on the hot tub seat.

"Don't be silly, it's my pleasure." I considered just how true the statement was as I started to attack the knots in her shoulders and neck. "You really oughta see a doctor about it, though. You could have pulled something in your back."

"Mmmm. Oh, Chloe that feels amazing!" The heat in my body didn't know whether to go to my cheeks or my aching pussy at the sound of Riley's moans. "Who needs a doctor when I have you?" She leaned back to give me an upside down sample of her huge grin, and, inadvertently, a nice view of her cleavage, when she suddenly jumped and grabbed her neck.

"Oh sorry! Did I hurt you?"

"No," she said pulling at her neck, "it's this top! It's digging into my skin. I think it's time we face it, Chlo, it's waaay too small for me." I realized with a small gasp that she was not pulling at her neck, but untying the knot to her top. The mild tingling sensation in my nether parts amplified a thousand-fold as she whisked the top off and flung it onto the cement. It landed with a wet smack. As she settled back down she added, "Oh, you don't mind, do you?" She leaned back again to peer up at me upside down. Her pink nipples stood erect over the bubbling water. I tried, to no avail of course, to look away.

"Uh, no! It's just us girls here, right? Heh heh." Her smile widened and she relaxed in front of me. I tried to focus on rubbing her neck, but all I could imagine was running my tongue over her pink nipples. I couldn't help sneaking a peek over her shoulder every now and again to get another look, but they were always safely tucked under the bubbly water.

She had just finished describing how close she and her mom were when she pulled away from my rubbing to face me and asked, "Are you and your mom close, too?"

I frowned, "Not really.... I don't think I was really kind of girl she imagined when she planned her family." Feelings of innate inadequacy flooded over me. My shoulders slumped imperceptibly. I glanced toward the city lights to conceal the uncomfortable feelings.