Claire and the Boys Next Door Ch. 06

I was surprisingly calm after my experience at Tom's house. I'd checked to make sure their curtains were still closed before leaving, I didn't want the others realising I lived next door, then, when back in the safety of my house, got changed and tried to have a normal afternoon. I even arranged to see some friends and drove out to a local mall to hang out. I wore old style clothes, we chatted and it felt like before my new life. The pictures were at the back of my mind and to think of them gave me a thrill, but I didn't want to dwell. This was a new way of coping, I think, I wasn't blasé but I was beginning to accept my recent hobby as part of me that was here to stay, but not something I needed to deal with all of the time.

This carried on for another few days and I enjoyed myself immensely. I had an outlet for everything I had previously been keeping pent up so my normal, humdrum activities had a new freshness. I was loving life. By day four, though, the curiosity about the pictures had turned into mild worry. Why had they not sent me a copy? Had they distributed them far and wide and got in to trouble? Were they wondering how to deal with it before it got back to me somehow? I didn't think Tom would let anything bad happen, apart from seeming a genuinely nice person he would have to be a real idiot to jeopardise what he had going with me, but the more time passed the more the odd doubt crept in. I really was unrecognisable in them, wasn't I?

The fifth day was a weekday, I had no plans, and without particularly thinking about it beforehand when I got up I knew I wanted something to happen. I wasn't exactly sure what I would do to help it along, but I could feel the desire slightly irritate me like an itch. I began by dressing in a tiny thong, short shorts, and a bikini top with a light shirt very loosely tied over it. No one would really see me here (though perhaps a neighbour opposite might catch a glimpse form time-to-time) but it was a statement of intent and made me feel connected to my body again after a few days of shapeless clothes. I wanted to show off.

I idly read in the front room, wondering about sunbathing but knowing that even if Geoff or Tom saw me out there it felt a bit stale. I think I was building towards going to one of the local lakes and sun bathing there, but I still wasn't ready to acknowledge it. It was almost inevitable that people from school would be at any of the well known places on a warm summer's day, but going to a secluded spot defeated the purpose. I stared at the book but it wasn't really keeping my attention.

Around 11 I heard the letterbox bang, someone had posted something through. Ordinarily that wouldn't have been very interesting, but the postman had already been about an hour before. Intrigued I got up and went to the door, I wondered if the deliverer might be able to see me but as I passed a small window that looked up our drive there was no one there.

On the mat was a small, handwritten envelope with no stamp addressed to me. I opening it immediately and pulled out a short scribbled note, it was from Tom. I was really quite confused now, why didn't he just knock like he'd done several times before? I read on.

"Hi Claire,

Tom here, from next door."

I smiled, as if he needed to add that.

"I didn't know how to send you this as I didn't want to send it via facebook, but I have to let you know. I don't think it's bad but Matt has posted the pictures on the internet. There's definitely no way anyone can tell it's you, and he blurred all our faces too. Here's the link in case you want to check. Sorry we didn't ask first, but you know what he's like. If it means we can't come round again that's fine."

Below there was a url.

Obviously I realised that this might happen though it was part of what I had been not dwelling on these last few days. Before my new life I would occasionally spend time on the internet looking at pictures of women exhibiting themselves and getting quite excited by the idea, I'd never been anywhere close to doing it myself but given recent events I'm sure it would have occurred to me at some point. I was feeling curiously not angry that the boys had acted without asking, so I hesitated only very slightly before getting my laptop and typing the url. My emotions were the usual scared excitement but also a big dose of apprehension of what I would find. I needed to look, though, and the idea of being a desirable girl on the internet was immediately appealing.

It was a well known website that I'd been on many times before but never to a NSFW part. It seemed to be a section dedicated to "Teen Exhibitionists" which was clichéd but appropriate. It was the three pictures that had been taken with a bunch of comments and seemed to have been quite a popular post. I looked at the pictures first, I found them as exciting as I'd imagined I would. There I was, or rather there was my naked body with the boys looking on delighted. Even though I knew how I had come to let my nudity be enjoyed like that it still fired my imagination. I was right back there letting things go even further in my head, I could feel myself flush and my heart race again.

When I read them, the comments were even better. They were split into three basic kinds. Some were just excited and jealous of the situation, "lucky guys!" was a typical example. Some tried to work out what was going on, or called me out as a stripper, "wonder how much she got paid?" Or something like that. Finally, and the most exciting to me, were people commenting on me and my body. Everything from quick compliments like "great tits", through more detailed descriptions of how they enjoyed seeing me spread for them, to what should have been insults, like "what a slut," but which, in my already excited state, just turned me on more. I read through them again and again, I really needed something to happen now, I started thinking about replying and posting more pictures. I wondered how the people there would react and what they might ask me to do. As I edged towards it, though, I heard my phone ring.

I picked it up and saw it was a facebook call from Geoff, more unexpected contact. There was again just slight hesitation before answering, it would be the first time we'd spoken since I danced naked while he spoke to his wife.

"Hello?"

"Ah, hello, Claire. It's Geoff, are you OK to speak?"

"There's no one else here, if that's what you're asking."

He ignored that. "Right, well, I expect this won't be of interest, but I said I'd pass it on. Brad got in touch and he has a job for you. Today, in fact."

"Brad? A job?"

"Yes, I'm sure you remember him. He wants you in your, well, shall we say 'maid' capacity."

I did remember him, he was the friend of Geoff's who seemed most similar to my next door neighbour, quite confident and aloof but then, unlike Geoff, also overly hands on and a little bit crude. Not that I could blame him exactly, I was acting quite crude myself at the time.

I didn't reply, I had no idea what to say for now. Geoff continued. "I perhaps should have not even mentioned it, but he thinks you work for an agency, of course, and I hate to lie to a friend. I've made the request now, though, and I can quite easily just call back and say it's a no go. No need for you to trouble yourself.."

I found myself blurting out, "oh, no, maybe I'm interested." I immediately regretted it, but I didn't say anything more.

There was a pause in which I imagined Geoff's expressionless stare. "Oh, I see. He will be pleased. He'll pay you, of course. Don't concern yourself with that, I'll tell him the fee and I'll make sure it's generous."

This was now going very fast. "I, er, well. I mean, I .. I need to know what the job is first, I think, and.."

"I'm sure you can guess, Claire, but I don't have all the details, I was to tell you to call him. I know it's this afternoon in town and that he's entertaining clients."

"Oh, right." I paused again, I was really quite scared by what I seemed to be doing, but I was doing it anyway. At least I thought I might be.

"So, shall I give you his number?"

"Well." We both paused. "I mean, I might as well see what he has to say."

"OK then." I heard Geoff put his phone down, a large part of me wanted to do similar. Was I really going to travel across town to take my clothes off for money? I felt slightly queasy as I waited.

Geoff wasted no time and read me the number. "Probably best to hide your number. I'll tell him it's standard practice."

"OK"

"Well, Claire, I have to say I wish I could be there, but sadly I have a prior engagement. Maybe I'll have to hire you one of these days."

"I'll just speak to him for now." I paused again, wishing I'd at least made up my mind one way or the other and been more sure of myself with him. I still couldn't add anything else, though.

"Of course, goodbye."

He ended the call before I had the chance to reply. I looked down and saw I had typed Brad's number into a text document without thinking about it, it was staring back at me. With a trembling hand, but also acting automatically I typed it into my phone. I stared at it, finger hovering over the call button, could I do it? Did I want to do it? Suddenly I realised I hadn't added the prefix to hide my number to him. I frantically edited the number, feeling very relieved for having remembered.

That relief I'm sure contributed to why I then hit call without thinking, suddenly I heard the ring at the other end. I was terrified, what had I done? I held back for a second, the sound was excruciating and I had to stop it. I reached out to kill the call when, as often seems to happen, it was answered a split second before I could.

"Hello."

I said nothing.

"Hello, is that Claire?" Brad sounded calm, I couldn't help but reply.

"Yes, hello, Brad." I put the phone to my ear, I felt sweaty and hot but I realised I needed to at least sound like I knew what I was doing to him. I could still say no.

"Ahh, yes it's you. Though perhaps I should call you Yvette?"

"Claire is fine." It was already too late it seemed, so much for Geoff protecting my name.

"Right, so, obviously Geoff got in touch, he's just texted me in fact. Thanks for calling."

"No problems." This bit was fine.

"So, shall I just give you the address? If you can make it over for two o'clock we can go through the details here."

"Ah, right." I was again locked in hesitation. I was expecting him to outline what he wanted and ask if I was up for it, instead he was just assuming I was on board. What had Geoff told him?

"I do need you to be wearing the right thing, however. Do you have a short, black dress. Quite tight, obviously, almost the sort of thing a waitress would wear, but a bit more .. you know."

"Hmmm." I tried to maintain a confident stride. "Let me think." Thinking, though, was exactly the thing I was having trouble with. My head was filled with the sound of my heart beat.

"It's no matter if not, I have time and I need you to look just right. Tell me your measurements and I'll spend an enjoyable hour at the mall. May as well use that expense account for something."

I told him my dress size as it was at least something easy to say.

"And for underwear?"

In a way it was lucky I'd spent that time shopping a week or so back, I'm not sure I would have known otherwise. Before I knew it Brad had also got my shoe size and had given me the name of a restaurant in town. It seemed I'd agreed to be there for 2. He hung up with a cheery goodbye and I was staring at my laptop wondering what had happened.

I closed the lid and sat with an empty head for a little while, then, thinking that if I was to make the appointment I needed to eat my lunch I rose from my seat. As I did so I realised what I was doing. I wasn't actually going to go, was I? As soon as I thought about not turning up I imagined Geoff, for some reason I thought he would be disappointed in me. I should call Brad back, I thought, tell him an excuse. That seemed just as intimidating, what excuse could I have? As far as he was concerned I was a professional he'd just offered an everyday job to. At least I think that's what had just happened. Best to just turn up and get on with it, I figured. As ever I knew it was a bit silly even as I acted as if it weren't.

I stayed in that state for the next few hours as I ate, changed into a normal outfit, hung around nervously and then drove to the restaurant. It was one I'd passed many times but had never gone in, it was far too classy for a high school student. I realised I was still trembling as I got out of the car, but it was way too late at this point. I felt like it was my first day at school or, I guessed, a new job.

The restaurant was pretty empty, only a few tables occupied. I briefly wondered if anything would happen out here, it seemed a very unlikely venue but what did I know? I looked around and spotted a waiter already on his way over.

"Hi, I'm here to see Brad?"

He looked me over, I was dressed very normally in jeans, a top and a light jacket but it was of course possible he knew why I was here. I shivered a little at the thought of him perhaps anticipating me being naked in front of him. It was the first time I'd really considered that's probably what was about to happen.

"Follow me." he turned and set off to the back of the room, I did as he asked.

We went out of a fire exit and into a short corridor, there were two doors to one side and one at the end obviously into the kitchen. He showed me to the first one, "he's in there." He wasn't particularly polite but wasn't exactly rude either. I nodded my thanks and as he walked back into the restaurant proper I knocked on the door.

"Come in."

I went inside, Brad was sat behind a desk in a small office.

"Claire, welcome. Right on time, I see."

"Hi, Brad." I hoped my mild terror wasn't evident in my voice. I took a seat opposite him without asking, it felt more calming than standing up. He smiled at me and I steeled myself.

"So, what's the job?"

"Right, well, in about half an hour a new client from Japan is going to arrive. I need to make a good impression, and I know the sort of thing he will expect. We don't do this very often at all these days, but this company is a big account and he's still in love with the old style of client relations. Who am I to judge?" He looked at me brightly. "I mean, you know my own tastes in private, anyway." I nodded, it was easier to keep my nerves under control if he talked.

"So, he'll be here along with an interpreter. I think he understands English at least a little but doesn't want to be bothered with it in his 'downtime'. We'll be serving a bit of food, a lot of drinks, and some, well, 'entertainment'. That's where you come in, of course."

He stopped at this point, obviously expecting me to say something. "Right, so I'll come in and, er, take my clothes off?" I couldn't help it, I sounded a bit like a lost little girl. Brad looked a bit surprised, but carried on fairly smoothly.

"I wouldn't be so bald about it, but yes, I suppose that's essentially what I'd like you to do. I've asked for a few trays of canapés to be prepared, I was thinking you could come in with the first one fully clothed, go out for a while, come back with a little less on. You get the idea?"

I nodded, it was fairly obvious.

"I can announce your entrance each time, he'd get the idea after the second tray, I'm sure, and I could use the distraction to break up the general drinking. Get to know him, have an easy source of conversation, show I know what he's about but don't care, and so on. But you don't need to hear my office politicking, do you?" I shook my head, I didn't, though it helped to know what was expected of me.

"So, after a few trays you'll be naked, of course, and over to you how you keep everyone entertained.." he waved his hand "..put on a show and so forth. Having seen you in action I know you can handle that." He smiled again, seemingly completely genuinely, "does that sound OK?"

"Yes, great." I stammered, sounding better than previously at least.

"You don't need to do the stripping actually in the room, do you? You know, to have an act, as it were?"

"No, that's fine." I was letting the nerves talk and just agreeing with him. I didn't really have an act either way.

"Great, well." He checked his watch. "All seems in order, you're sure you're fine?"

"Oh, yes."

"All in a day's work for you, of course."

I nodded, smiling I'm sure thinly. He seemed to hold my gaze for just a little longer than needed and with a more serious air, then carried on as before. "OK. I've asked the kitchen staff to keep an eye out and to stick the trays on a table in the corridor for you. Now, about your outfit."

I'd forgotten until then that Brad was choosing what I was going to wear.

"I think I've done fine, I bought a few of each in sizes around what you told me to make sure we get a good fit, it will be easy to return the unused ones."

"Sounds sensible."

"Now, we'll do the fitting here."

He had stopped talking but I just looked at him. I was slow on the uptake.

"Oh, you mean now?"

"That's the idea."

I slipped my shoes off and started to half rise from my seat, Brad stayed where he was.

"So, I should undress?"

He nodded. "Yes, I've got the clothes here." He half gestured, half reached under the desk.

"Oh." I carried on standing up and pushed the chair inwards to give me more room. I felt very strange, despite having undressed for quite a few men at this point, including Brad, this felt a little weird. Dancers didn't get changed from their street clothes in front of their clients, did they?

"It's just, I..I don't usually get changed in front of people."

"What, I thought you got undressed for a living?!" His laugh sounded good natured but still slightly fake.

"Oh, yes, of course." I sounded weirdly defensive. He looked at me more seriously, I continued, "it's, just.."

"I know it's a little unorthodox," Brad cut across me, not too forcefully but certainly firmly, "but I do want you to look just right." He lightened up his tone again as he went. "This afternoon is for fun, but it is important that it goes well."

"Right." I looked around, it was really only at that moment that I properly accepted what I was going to do that afternoon. It felt bizarre, but it wasn't anything new, was it? I tried to get in the mood, I looked at Brad, I could still feel the shaky nervousness all over my body.

"It's not a big deal, Claire, I've seen you before, haven't I?"

It was true and Brad sounded perfectly reasonable, but he did have that cocky edge that had turned me off slightly the other night. Well, not really turned me off, just made me think he was maybe a little bit of an arsehole. I had still been happy to undress for him, though, no point in denying that. I tried to imagine what an actual dancer would feel like or say in this instance, they'd be a little put out, but I guessed they probably would think that stripping was their job and that he was paying.

I tried to sound more calm and as if I didn't care that much, "OK, fine, I suppose."

"Great" He smiled up at me.

I started to channel a tiny bit of something, "you took a few liberties the other night as well."

He laughed genuinely at that. "Ahh, memories! Now get your clothes off."

The latter was fairly playful, but I responded quickly.

"Watch it, Brad."

That I had already taken off my jacket and was untucking my top probably undercut whatever anger made it to my voice. He raised his hands in mock surrender.

This casual way was how I'd undressed in front of Jim the first time I was completely naked in front of a guy. That time Jim had started off not really watching, and it seemed to be the same with Brad. As I tried to breathe properly after my mild outburst I slowly raised my top. It obscured my view briefly as I saw him take out his phone and glance at it, as if checking for messages. I was wearing a nice, black bra and realised I had already anticipated his reaction to seeing my breasts in it, but he had his head down typing as I reached for my jeans button. I realised some more anger was creeping in, why wasn't he paying attention?