Duped Into Love

After her shower Tanya sat at her table sipping strong French roast coffee and ran through several scenarios of what and how to tell Hollie. None seemed better than just blurting out an apology. She did not want to lose her new friend but could not suffer the guilt. Hollie, too, had just sat down to her own coffee. She couldn't imagine how Tanya would react. Thus, there was no way to plan a response. Both women sat in lonely turmoil: Lost in thoughts of discomfiture at their actions. Harboring hopes that could easily be dashed.

Finally, Hollie accepted that she had to fulfill her promise. She picked up her phone. Tanya let out a yelp at the sound of her ringtone and answered.

"Hello. This is Tanya."

"Hey! How are you feeling this morning?" Hollie's question was all she could get out of herself.

"Oh, Hollie. I am so disappointed with myself."

"For what, Tanya?"

"After you left I had bad thoughts about you. You know. Sexual ones. I acted on them most of the night. Can you forgive me please?" The voice was quaking and sorrowful.

"Give it no worry, Tanya! I thought of you also -- it was a romantic date and we had a lot of wine." Hollie was feeling the fireworks going off inside of her. Fuck! It worked better than I had hoped.

"Oh, my! You just brought so much peace to me, Hollie! Bless you." There was a loud knock at her door. "Can you hold? There is someone at the door."

"Be glad to." Tanya went to sign for the package. She wondered: What next? The box contained two packages: One was a boxed set of the 150 best love songs of all time. The other was a CD labeled Lesbian Love Songs to Warm your Lover's Heart.

"Oh, God, Hollie! It's getting a little too much! I just got two packages." She told her what Hollie had packed into the packages. "The one that threw me was the lesbian songs. I guess there is a rumor going around about me being gay. You know after last night it might be more true than I ever knew, Hollie."

"I wouldn't make too much out of one night's fantasies, Tanya. At least give yourself a few days to come to grips with how you positively feel. I have to go; I have a showing to get ready for. Love ya." Tanya thought. What the hell does that last part mean? She got up and put on the lesbian music CD, intrigued as to what it might contain. By the time the first song finished, she was completely immersed in the music. By the end of the second song, her eyes were shut tight. Her fingers were at herself again and, in her mind, Hollie was seducing her, slowly kissing and stroking her face. Tanya lost herself in the image her mind created. The lovemaking was so addictive and beauteous she shook uncontrollably. The phantom Hollie possessed her. The songs filtered in to add to the effect. She was so wet, and her hips pounded into the cushions. Hollie was relentless, her mouth and fingers so talented. It was Hollie's voice and eyes that haunted her soul with the spell of lust and love. Tanya erupted in an orgasm from a deep place she never knew was contained within her. She experimented with prolonging the event. Her mind drove the convulsions deeper. There seemed to be no ending. Tanya forced her hand from her groin as another wave thundered through her. She fell and hit the floor, starting another deep spasm. The CD was ending when she floated back into her living room from her thoughts. She knew one thing for sure: She wanted to try Hollie. There was no way anyone could do that for real, but she wanted to try.

Tanya picked herself off the floor. She definitely needed to shower again She washed her clothing -- it smelled of her excitement. She put on another CD. This music was charming and made her warm inside, but it did not have the effect of the first CD.

She sat on the sofa after she cleaned the mess she had made and tried to reason out what to do. How long had she known Hollie anyway? It was over six years now, and she had never heard of Hollie coming on to anyone ever. Not a man nor a woman. Many attempted to possess her but Tanya knew of none who had prevailed. Could Hollie be asexual? After last night she doubted that, but it might be true. There wasn't any way she could be that innocent, so there was probably something or someone else. How could she approach this precipice without falling to her emotional death? She stopped to make a lunch and saw she needed to go shopping. That would take her mind off of Hollie for a time.

At the supermarket, as she looked at food, her thoughts were mostly Would Hollie like that? The excursion did not take her thoughts away from the ravishing woman -- she just focused on how to feed her. She slogged through shopping, finally getting what she needed but taking at least an hour more than she should have. When she arrived back at her apartment and put her groceries away, her mind was a jumble of silly ideas. She would just march up to Hollie and take her in front of the entire office. Shit. Where did that come from? She had no resolve for this task. She would wait out her SA. After all, it might be Hollie.

The television distracted her a little until an ad for their agency came on. Of all things! There was Hollie's face and voice! And she was delivered right back into her lust. She gave up and took herself to bed. Where she tried to rub her desire away. To no avail. Exhaustion took her in its strong arms, and, finally, she slept in a deep but disturbed manner. She had erotic dreams and awoke in a very agitated state. It was a supreme effort for her to get into the shower. Once there, the thought of Hollie with her forced a quickie. This is going to be a very difficult and long day. She ate a quick breakfast of a bagel and rushed out to catch her train. The ride went by without any sexy thoughts.

Tanya was deep in thought when Hollie walked by her desk. Her perfume shot directly to Tanya's amygdala and her limbic system lit up strongly. Tanya shot out the door to the restroom. It was her only outlet and she used it as much as she needed. She could not mask the pheromones that permeated her clothing but hoped no one else would notice. When she saw the box on her desk her anticipation rose. Maybe there would be a clue today. The expected card was attached to the top. She opened it just in case, but there was nothing new. The box contained Blu-ray discs of some of the most romantic movies of all time. Some were black and white -- others she had seen in the theater. There were two that she did not recognize. The covers stated that they were lesbian classics. She felt a hand on her back and heard Hollie's sultry voice. "Looks like a sexy movie splurge, Tanya." Between the voice and her scent, she was shivering in a lust-filled trap, but she couldn't run to the bathroom until she replied.

"I don't know if my psyche could survive all this at once."

"Maybe you should invite someone to be with you. Just in case."

"I have no time during the week for this anyway. Plus, I will have to get a player -- I only have a DVD player."

"What's in the box by your chair?"

Tanya had not even noticed it. She picked it up and opened the outer shipping container. Inside, there was a box labeled Cambridge Audio CXU. Tanya heard a gasp come from Hollie, then an excited voice. "Tanya, that unit sells for about a thousand dollars!" She dropped the box on her desk as if it was radioactive. The fire in her loins was gone and replaced again by fear. She did not think Hollie would spend that kind of money on her. It took a little time until the whole office knew what was in the boxes. A stunned receptionist greeted people for the rest of the day. It was a chore to get everything on the train that night. At least she found a seat. When she got home she struggled to set up the fancy equipment. Her frustration was almost overwhelming. There was a knock at the door. Through the peephole, she saw two men with a cart. They were there to install a new home theatre. They told her it was a gift and handed her a card with the now almost ever-present symbols. On the cart there was also a new HDTV. It took the men two hours to get the system working properly.

Dinner was a pizza. This day had rocked her foundations. She was so unsure of what was actually happening. Who had ever wanted her this much? She knew her parents hadn't. Sleep was fitful, with dreams of Hollie interspersed with nightmares of some sick man taking her as his slave girl.

It was with great disquietude that she went into work the next day. She was approached by a smiling Hollie. She asked if Tanya had had a chance to watch one of the films. Her answer was a blank stare, and then a reply came. She told of the second part of the gift. Hollie could tell she was about to crumble. Auspiciously, the day was slow so there was time to calm down. Until the box arrived. It had the card with the symbology but nothing else. Inside were 10 of the most romantic books of all time. Tanya looked at the titles -- she knew most of them except for the three lesbian classics. At least these were not as expensive as those from yesterday. Hollie came to look at the gifts. She thumbed through them, and Tanya heard the gasp. Hollie was looking at her wild-eyed.

"They are all signed first editions -- some of them are rare!" She set the book she had in her hand down with reverence. "That's some high-class reading to keep you warm at night." Hollie left her to her own tumultuous thoughts, and her fears returned. If it's not her, then who?"

That night she watched one of the movies. It made her cry. It was so filled with emotion. She felt better -- no evil person would send something so sweet. She cooked herself a simple pasta dish with a salad and listened to one of the music CDs. The quality of the sound was unbelievable. She sang along to the music, her fears being soothed away. Her dreams were totally about Hollie. Not so much sexual but loving and winsome.

In the morning she could not wait to get to work. She caught an early train and arrived just as Jason, the owner, unlocked the door. He was happy to see her blissful deportment. They said their 'hellos' and went about their daily routines.

When Hollie arrived she immediately saw the change in Tanya -- she appeared to have dispelled her demons. When the box arrived Tanya looked forward to its contents. After opening the card she slit the packing tape and froze. This gift brought back all her fears: Inside was a bra and panty set, both made from heart-shaped material. The bra cups were inverted and had embroidered question marks in silver thread. The front panel of the panties was also heart-shaped satin. There were two pairs of thigh-high stockings that were white with little red hearts with question marks all over them. To top it all off, there was a garter belt -- it was white but had red hearts with silver question marks. Hollie took one look and smiled. She looked right into Tanya's eyes. "Your admirer is a very romantic one. Wow, Tanya."

"I find this a little scary. What if it's a stalker?"

"I doubt it. Some of the gifts were very expensive and very well thought out." This logic had a calming effect. Tanya sat looking in the box. When one of the other ladies peered into it and saw the contents she blushed very deeply but smiled with a knowing glint in her eyes. Tanya would save these for her eventual meeting with the sender.

She warmed up leftover pasta for dinner and ate while watching another of the movies. Then she ran a tub and soaked. Her thoughts turned to what had happened at work, but she gave up her fright to the warmth of the water. Again she had very happy dreams about the woman on whom she was fixated and slept very soundly indeed. When she hopped out of bed, she was looking forward to her day. She showered and dressed in a sexy skirt and blouse. Of course she wore some alluring panties and bra no one would see, but she knew and it made her feel confident. She put on her new white seamed thigh-high hold ups and black four-inch pumps. She stopped at a little diner for breakfast, noting she was causing a stir among the male patrons. Kindly, they left her to her meal and she headed to work on the early train. Again she was let in by Jason who gave her the once-over.

"Big date, Tanya?"

"No, I just wanted to dress up today a little."

"Watch out -- I won't be the only one to notice."

"I will make an effort to fend off the wolves." She said in a laughing voice.

When Hollie entered she stopped dead: She could not believe that Tanya had found this inside of her. She went to sit at her desk but instead took the baggie from her purse and disappeared into the ladies' room. Tanya noted the flushed face and slight scent when she passed by. Could I have caused that? The day slid by. Everything was perfect all day. Around noon the courier arrived -- she had to sign twice for the small package. Strangely, there was no card. So the box was to be opened without. Fine with her: She pulled off the outer box. She was being watched by the whole office. When she saw what was within, she froze. This was too much for her mind to deal with. Then inner box was a jewelry box with the name 'Zelda's' on it. One of the finest stores in the city. She set the box on her desk. After an extended time, Hollie walked over and told her. "Open it! Everyone is interested!" Tanya's eyes scanned hers to find strength.

She slowly opened the box. It contained a ruby necklace in the shape of a heart. The rubies were heart-cut and were set in gold. The heart was two inches across. Inside the heart was a question mark of diamonds set in white gold. Each stone was a half carat. The necklace was on a gold chain with diamonds and rubies. It was 22 inches long, designed to hang between her breasts where her own heart resides. By this time the other women were lusting after the opulent gift. They waited for Tanya to put it on. She tried but her hands shook too much to work the clasp. She looked at Hollie, her face pleading for assistance. Hollie picked up the wonderment, noting its heft -- the thing was heavy -- and placed the jewelry on its new owner. One of the women handed a mirror to Tanya who beheld the splendor around her neck. Where will I ever wear something like this? She noted that the rubies were a perfect foil for her deep auburn hair. She had always been told to never wear them. The red gems made the red highlights show brightly.

"God, Tanya! That is so pretty on you!" Hollie stated earnestly while thinking I knew it would compliment her. So did Gabriella, the designer, when I showed her a photograph of you.

Lana, one of the other agents, sighed. "If you don't like it I will be glad to keep it safe for you." She had a smile that indicated her satire, but Hollie still shot eye daggers at her.

"That's a kind offer, Lana, but I think I can find a use for the necklace." Tanya's words were filled with surreal wonder.

The entire office was buzzing the rest of the afternoon until it was time to go home. Tanya was very concerned about wearing the necklace on the train home. She packed it back into the box it came in and hid it in her briefcase. She had a worried expression but did not let any more show that might let someone guess at her turmoil. She put on a brave face while she walked home from the station. There were a few people she waved at who were acquaintances. She was happy to open her door and lock herself in for the night.

She made a salad for supper. She thought she needed to get into shape for her new paramour -- they deserved her best. She took out her latest gift. She was afraid to put it on. She was afraid not to. She opened the case and focused on the magnificence. Whom did she know who could afford such a thing? She wondered how much Hollie made in commissions. How about Jason? No, his wife would know. Who else? She knew that Hollie was a top sales winner every month. She specialized in high dollar real estate. Why would anyone buy frumpy Tanya a gift like this?

She put on one of the lesbian movies. By the second scene her fingers were busy as she replaced one of the actresses with Hollie and the other with herself. She morphed the movie into her fantasy and could not get enough. Her eyes were glazed and climaxes were popping like kernels of popcorn. Her fingers got so tired she changed hands. In the end, she had given herself an hour and a quarter of continuous spasms -- her abs and back were sore. She filled her tub with the hottest water she could stand and soaked while she looked at the rubies and diamonds, still in their case. She put the case under her pillow and slept in the nude. She was in a state of bliss. She was sure it was Hollie. In the morning she dressed in a sexy but conservative white pencil dress that showed off her figure, while still being acceptable for work. She chose it for the deep V neckline that showcased the tops of her bosom. She wore her black thigh-high fence-net stockings. She put on stiletto heels, gold and four inches high. She felt sexy and she was showing it. She did not show the white silk bra and panty set but her brain would know. This was as racy as she dared to dress for the train but she chanced it. She packed the briefcase with yesterday's gift and caught the early train. There was a Starbucks on the way from the station to her work. She arrived at work with a bran muffin and a dark roast coffee. Jason stood holding the door and ogled her. He was impressed with her work before, but her new appearance was fabulous. She could make an agent to rival Hollie in sales.

Tanya set down her breakfast on her desk and went to the lady's room, where she put on the necklace. She straightened her dress and hair to showcase the jewelry. As she ate the muffin and drank her coffee, the office came to life. There were compliments on her appearance and even an offer of a date. She adeptly turned Donald down -- he was very married, but rumor had it that his wife liked three-ways with other women. Tanya was not into that kind of thing. She was very pleased when Hollie stopped dead in her tracks, mouth agape, eyes glassy, and at a loss for words. She had to tease a little.

"Good morning, Hollie. How are you today?"

"I'm not sure yet. I need to wake up. I'm still dreaming." Hollie managed to walk back to her office and plopped down in her chair. How was she going to make it through the day without trapping Tanya in a bathroom stall? It struck her that she needed to use one right now. She didn't need to void her bladder, but the chance to remove the edge from her lust was too attractive. As she walked back, she stopped to praise the outfit on her crush. She then sat and waited for the courier to deliver the next installment in her plan.

Just before noon he came in. Tanya had to sign twice again, and Hollie wandered out to watch. It was more jewelry from Zelda's. There were earrings that matched the necklace but were half its size. All the women in the office watched as Tanya put them on. The jealous looks made Hollie very happy. Jason came out to see what all the commotion was. He was dumbstruck by the vision that was Tanya. She had been a quiet, somewhat pretty woman before. Now she was oozing sensuality. He was compelled to ask.

"Tanya have you ever thought of getting your license? I think you could do very well selling."

"Sometimes I have, but I never seriously gave it much thought."

"I think you should. I bet someone here would be glad to help you." Hollie had worked her way over to listen. This was just too good. She watched as Jason walked away and turned to her desired one.

"He's right. You have a look that will help with sales. Your height demands rapt attention as well as the hair. Do you want to have lunch and we can talk about it?"

"I would love to lunch with you! What are you in the mood for?"