Ascending Lauren Ch. 02

Something about the guy's mannerisms put her at ease, so much so she decided now to offer her name. "I'm Lauren. I see what you did there. Thank you."

"I saw your friend watching you the minute you walked through the pool gate," Jack offered, "so I figured it would just be a matter of time. He used one of the oldest tricks in the books, didn't he? Not my style."

Lauren laughed. "And your style is?"

"Riding up on my trusty steed and playing knight in shining armor, of course," he quipped.

"Does it work?"

"You tell me."

Lauren blushed. This was not at all what she had anticipated when she decided to get some sun. After a couple awkward moments, she continued the conversation. "So...31, huh? Isn't that where the penthouses start?"

"That's right," Jack confirmed, taking a sip of water.

"Fancy," Lauren smiled.

"It serves its purpose."

"Nice car, too. Do you drive it often?"

Jack smiled back and explained, "I work from my home office most of the time, so not much, but it is fun to drive. When I do need to go to the office, I usually just catch a ride. Besides, this wonderful neighborhood, it has two grocery stores, great food and drink, galleries. Everything within walking distance."

Jack seized the opportunity to sit down on the lounge next to his neighbor's. From behind his dark sunglasses, he gazed at the woman lying in the shimmering blue one-piece before him. Compact, petite body, toned legs, great abs, not in her 50s like him, probably early to mid-thirties. Nice package.

"Maybe you'd like to go for a ride sometime? In the Bastion, I mean."

Lauren blushed again and gently deflected. "Your offer is very flattering. It's a beautiful machine and all, but I don't think my husband would much care for me cruising around with another man in such an expensive car."

"I get it," Jack laughed. "Will your husband be coming to the pool soon? I'd like to meet him."

"Unfortunately, no. We are moving down from Des Moines, and he stayed to finish some business. We're in transition right now. I'm sure he'll be coming down to visit soon. I can introduce you then."

"Perfect," Jack said, watching the now rather loud game of water polo in the pool. "Well, it was genuinely nice to meet you. I hope you have a wonderful rest of your weekend, Lauren."

"You as well."

Jack made the long walk back to where his towel was laid out. Lauren leaned into the chaise and shook her head. What was with Miami? First, a stranger gropes her butt in a bar, then college boys with raging hormones ogle her, one of them trying to pick her up. And now some rich guy flirting with her. She hadn't seen that much attention aside from Corey in two decades. Admittedly, it made her feel good, since she didn't get much in the way of validation these days. And if Lauren was completely honest with herself, the attention was starting to make her feel a bit horny. A surprise, since it had been a very long time since she felt aroused in the absence of her husband. This felt peculiarly exciting.

+++++

Lauren and Amy could not have had a better time at dinner where they resumed their conversation. So much so that it turned into regular weekend outings to sample different restaurants and bars. As their friendship grew, the two seemed to tolerate well their obvious differences. Amy was in all her youthful glory and had an exuberant personality which just oozed sexuality. Lauren was more demure, content to have already sowed her wild oats years ago. Amy tended to dress provocatively, clearly advertising her assets, which prompted endless invitations to dance. Lauren dressed conservatively, happily playing the married "wing-man", satisfied to either dance with Amy alone or guard a coveted table. That is not to say Lauren was ignored. On the contrary, she could have filled her dance card plenty of times, but always chose to gracefully decline.

This latter behavior frustrated Amy a bit. As much as she liked her new friend, she had to shake her head when Lauren begged off offers from men to dance. She wanted her to loosen up and enjoy herself. "Dancing with a guy doesn't mean you have to fuck him," Amy had told Lauren in her straightforward, no filter manner. She didn't push too hard though, wanting to respect her friend's boundaries. Lauren realized Amy was just trying to be helpful, but she felt guilty enough as it was, going out and exploring new places while Corey was sitting at home alone watching TV.

+++++

Lauren and Corey continued to talk on the phone every day. It had now been eight weeks since he had left, and their desire to be together was excruciating. Knowing there was to be a lull in his construction project over the upcoming Labor Day weekend, they made plans for him to fly down so they could spend the three days together. He wanted the visit to be special, so they browsed Miami's upcoming events for festivals or concerts to coincide with his stay.

Lauren mentioned there was a pub crawl that weekend, complete with street vendors and stages promoting local musicians. Both agreed that would be a perfect way to reconnect, and as a bonus, it was within walking distance from the apartment. Corey booked his flight immediately, and Lauren purchased two tickets to the Saturday event. Neither could wipe the smiles off their faces. It was clear they were both very much looking forward to seeing each other.

Lauren decided to update her wardrobe with a Miami flare, with a specific emphasis on finding something fetching to wear on the pub crawl. She knew Corey was forever encouraging her to show off her body, which Lauren usually dismissed as part of his silly kinks. This time, however, she really wanted to show him her appreciation for working long hours and being stuck in dreary Iowa. If dressing a little risqué would make him happy - and perhaps buy five more minutes of his hard penis inside her - so much the better. Unfortunately, Lauren had not been in the "slut wear" department for a very long time. She only remembered Corey having a penchant for thigh high stockings and stiletto heels, but beyond that, she needed help. And she knew exactly who to ask.

+++++

That week, Lauren and Amy spent their lunch hours browsing the area apparel stores. Bright and colorful clothing seemed to be the trend in Miami. After finding some cute pedal pushers and maxi dresses, she started drifting into the more daring sections of the stores, much to Amy's delight. Nothing, however, appealed to Lauren's sensibilities. Then, on the day before Corey was to arrive, the women took a short cut through a small street on their way back to work. There, nestled between a smoke shop and a shoeshine stand, was a small clothing boutique with darkly tinted windows. Intrigued, Amy and Lauren pressed their faces to the windows, shielding their eyes from the sunlight to catch a glimpse inside. The two friends looked at each other.

"You been here?" Lauren asked Amy. Silently shaking her head, the younger woman grabbed Lauren's hand and pulled her through the entrance. Their nostrils were greeted by an intense incense, reminding Lauren of the head shops she used to visit in the 1970s. The merchandise was primarily leather in nature. Skirts, tops, pants, and purses in all colors lined the walls, with several rows of clothing also displayed on 4-way fixtures throughout the tiny shop. After rummaging through most of the offerings, Amy stopped and removed a black lambskin leather miniskirt from a fixture. It had a delicate shimmer to it, with a snap in the back and gold zipper running down the entire side of the skirt.

"You would look fantastic in this!" Amy bubbled.

Lauren held it to her waist. It was clearly made for women with tiny hips and great-looking legs. On her, the bottom fell somewhere mid-calf.

"Uh, I don't think so, Amy," Lauren protested. "My legs aren't 26 anymore."

"Just try it on, please?" Amy begged, batting her eyes at her friend. "Trust me on this."

Lauren looked at Amy appreciatively, knowing she was only trying to help, then sauntered over to the dressing room, which was not more than a doorless area of the store with a curtain strung across it. Lauren shrugged off her work dress and wiggled into the tight skirt. She snapped it into place. The gold-plated side zipper extended from just below the waist band to the bottom of the skirt, allowing for one to show as much or little thigh as desired. Lauren lowered the zipper, closing it completely. The skirt was taut from hip to hip, and the back curved around the bump of her buttocks. In other words, it was a perfect fit. Much sexier than Lauren was used to, but it did look good on her toned body. Unfortunately, her legs, toned as they were, still presented a problem.

"Amy, I..." Lauren started, and then stopped abruptly as Amy burst through the curtain as if on cue. She was now standing nearly naked in a room with her coworker. Lauren joked nervously that while the skirt fit well, it simply would not go with the lovely blue shade of her legs' veins. Amy considered this for a moment, then disappeared into the main area of the shop. Lauren continued looking in the dressing room's mirror, rotating, admiring how the skirt showed off her curves, especially her small round behind. It fit like a glove. Lauren compared it to some of the short leather skirts she had seen hookers wear in the movies. Corey would certainly take notice of her in this. I bet Jack would even extend another offer to ride in his snazzy sports car, she chuckled to herself. Lauren shook her head. "I'm almost fifty. I have no business wearing this," she said aloud. Just as she was talking herself out of the skirt, Amy came rushing back in with several other articles of clothing and a box of shoes.

"I don't think this is my speed," Lauren continued her protest. Amy gave her friend the once over.

"Nonsense, you look super-hot in leather. You just need to accessorize!"

Amy guided Lauren to a small stool in the corner of the room and sat her down. The younger woman pulled her own skirt up slightly, allowing her to kneel in front of her friend. Gently lifting Lauren's left leg, she took a pair of black nylons from a package and slowly threaded the left foot into the opening and proceeded to unroll it the length of the leg. It was a very sexy thigh high with a black lace top. Lauren recoiled slightly as Amy's hands pulled the nylon top high on her thigh, snapping it into place. Amy let her fingers linger for a few moments, causing the older woman to raise an eyebrow. Was Amy looking at her skirt, or up her skirt? Continuing with the second stocking, Amy pulled it up and onto the right leg. Finished, she held up another prize found on her scavenger hunt. It was a tiny gunmetal mesh crop top, which was sure to show off Lauren's tight abs.

"You wear this outfit and Corey will jump your bones on the spot. I guarantee it."

Eying the top warily, Lauren stammered, "I...I don't know, Amy. I mean, you can see right through it."

Amy sighed. "You wear a bralette underneath, dummy. C'mon, you said you wanted to make a statement. I can assure you; this makes a statement."

"I think the statement is I'm a hooker."

"So the fuck what? You'll be Corey's concubine for a night, big deal. Men eat that shit up," Amy said assuredly. "Believe me, every single one of them wants an angel in church and a whore in bed."

Before Lauren could react, Amy was beside her, pulling the top over her head and smoothing it down around her friend's arms and breasts. The small lattice work of the mesh was truly transparent. From behind Lauren, Amy laid her chin on a shoulder, and placed warm hands on her friend's tummy. Lauren could feel Amy's hot breath on her cheek.

"And if Corey doesn't buy what you're selling, maybe I will," Amy whispered in her ear, lightly tracing her forefingers across Lauren's bare, well-defined abdominal muscles. Lauren felt heat build between her legs. Facing the mirror together, their eyes locked on each other's reflection for what seemed an eternity. Amy continued to caress Lauren's exposed skin. She swore Amy's piercing sapphire eyes were able to see into her very soul. Why was she getting wet? It was one of the most surreal moments Lauren had ever experienced.

Amy finally broke the silence. "And the piece de resistance," she proclaimed, twisting away and dramatically pulling a pair of three-inch black leather corset heels out of the shoe box. They resembled a traditional body corset and similarly laced up the front of the foot and tied high above the ankle. The heels themselves were a bit blockier than stilettos, but still had the same sex appeal. After all, one had to still be able to dance in them. Gently slipping them onto Lauren's feet, she proceeded to lace up and tie them off.

"There," Amy grinned, helping Lauren rise to her feet. "You said Corey had a thing for stockings and heels, right? This will knock his socks off!"

Lauren looked at herself in the mirror. Her friend wasn't wrong; Corey would salivate. She looked many years younger, with jet-black hair falling over her small breasts swaying loosely under the sheer metallic mesh crop top, black leather skirt hugging curvy hips, skintight thigh highs, finished off with goth-like corset heels. This outfit was pure danger.

"Well, what do you think? Will he like it?"

Still reeling from the moment - was it a moment? - the two had just shared, Lauren replied slowly, "I, um, yes, I think he will love this. I suppose I can be his whore for one night. Give his kinks some life." Her eyes shut. Did she just say that out loud?

"That's the spirit!" Amy roared. "We'll break you out of that shell yet. Now c'mon, we have to get back to work."

Lauren changed back into her work dress and paid for the clothing. Pleased with the purchases, the two friends hurried happily down the street towards their firm's office building. It was a happiness that was not to last.

+++++

"Damn it, Corey," Lauren cried into the phone that evening. "Can't you get someone else to do it?"

Corey knew his wife would be upset; it was better to remain silent and listen to her vent. He had learned earlier in the day that HVAC work on the medical center was being moved up to the holiday weekend. The huge chillers had to be flown over the building for installation and the large Huey helicopter would only be available that Sunday. He would have to stay in town.

"I'm really sorry. I have no choice," Corey lamented.

Lauren sat back on the couch in her apartment and sighed. She was used to him working crazy hours. "I understand, it's just that it's been two months, Corey! Two months! I need you here with me!"

"I need you too. I'll make it up to you, I promise."

"I know, but now I'm stuck with a hundred dollars in non-refundable pub crawl tickets."

"Yeah, I was really looking forward to that too. Can you sell them?"

"It's in two days. I doubt it. And I'm not going to stand on a street corner like some scalper."

Corey thought for a moment. "How about taking Amy? I'm thinking a pub crawl is right up her alley."

Lauren closed her eyes in defeat. She really had wanted this to be her and Corey's big night out, alone. The couple sat silently for a couple minutes, commiserating telepathically.

Finally, Lauren opened her eyes. "I suppose I can ask her to go with me. It sure would be a waste of money otherwise." Eyes watering a bit, she added, "And I had even bought a new outfit for the crawl."

"You did?" Corey asked curiously. "Can I see it?"

"I don't know, it was a surprise and all," Lauren said, sighing heavily. "Should probably wait until you're here."

"Please?"

She paused. "Give me a second."

A few minutes passed and Corey's phone lit up with a photo message. Lauren was wearing the outfit she purchased that day, obviously taken using the mini tripod he had given to her as a birthday present. Hands on hips and one leg bent in a model's pose. Corey's eyes widened when he saw her. Another photo arrived, and then another. Lauren was showing off from all angles, the front, sides, and rear. A royal purple bralette clearly showed through the gunmetal black mesh top, and much of her mid-section was exposed. And the black leather skirt, and those stockings and heels! She reminded him of some porn stars he had beaten off to over the years. The last photo arrived showing his wife with one foot on the bed, bending over to adjust the corset heels.

"Fuck me," Corey exclaimed aloud. He quickly called Lauren back.

"Like what you see?" she answered the phone playfully.

"Who are you and what did you do with my wife?"

Lauren giggled.

"You look like a goddess," Corey exclaimed.

"You mean like a hooker."

"No, but very erotic just the same. You are so hot. Can you send more pictures?"

"Down tiger. These go back in the closet until you are here."

Corey grew silent, then spoke. "No don't. You should still wear them to the pub crawl."

"What? Hell no, Corey!" Lauren fired back into the phone. "Why would you want me to do that?"

An eerie silence fell over the two. Slowly, Lauren had an epiphany. Guardedly, she asked, "It's because you want men to look at me wearing that, isn't it?"

Corey stared into his lap, his cock twitching.

Lauren's eyes narrowed and her voice turned dark. "It's part of your weird fantasy, isn't it? The only reason you'd want me to go out wearing those clothes without you is so I'd get hit on. Am I right?"

"Lauren, I just want you to be happy."

"Oh, so it's all about me huh? It's not like you wouldn't get off thinking of your wife being ogled in bars."

Her husband said nothing.

"I know the depths of your soul, remember? Hello? It's me! I've listened to all those stories. I'm right, aren't I?" Lauren demanded.

"Maybe a little," her husband croaked. He knew she was getting upset, but the conversation was so arousing.

"Uh huh. I thought so. And I bet you wouldn't want them to stop there, would you? No, you'd really get off if I danced with them, allowed them to put their hands on me. Am I right?"

Nothing.

Lauren was clearly miffed. "Maybe you could jerk off thinking of me making out with them in some dirty alleyway, too!"

Corey could no longer mask the flood of emotions flowing through him as he listened to his wife talk this way. "YES! Lauren, I'm sorry, but yes."

The two sat in silence for what seemed an eternity.

Finally, Lauren spoke. "Okay, I'll do it," she said flatly.

Corey coughed. "Uh, you mean take Amy to the crawl with you?"

"Yes, and I'll wear the outfit. The one I bought. Only I won't be wearing it for you, I'll be wearing it for other men."

Corey suddenly felt a pang of jealousy instantly mix with his excitement. His dick was fully erect now. He gasped audibly.

"You seem to like that idea, don't you?" Lauren asked sarcastically, not knowing if she loved or hated her husband at that exact moment.

"I just want you to be happy. To be satisfied. That's all I ever want."

"You have a strange way of showing it."

Having had enough of that particular conversation, Lauren ended the call without saying goodbye and sank back into the couch. She wanted more than anything to make her husband happy, to meet his emotional needs, but she didn't understand this fetish which he seemed to be taking to new heights. Lauren was horny too, but she wanted that itch to be scratched by Corey. Well, and The Chairman. Her head spinning, she dialed Amy's number and asked her to the pub crawl. Amy felt sorry for her friend, knowing how much she was looking forward to going with her husband.

"I'll go with you on one condition," the younger woman said. "That you get up off your ass and dance. And not just with me. You don't have to go home with anyone, but you need to live a little, and hopefully I'll be busy with some cute stud of my own."