Jules 02 - Bar Games

Author's Note: This is a chapter in a multi-part story and is not intended to stand alone. This is my first attempt at publishing anything, erotica or otherwise. As such, feedback is highly encouraged.

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As I make my escape from the sandwich shop, I take stock of my appearance. I'm missing the top three buttons of my blouse. If I'm not careful, my bra will slip into view. Overall, the look is not really appropriate for the office and certainly out of character for me, but not likely to get me fired or show up in the tabloids. People wear worse in public all the time. People other than me, that is. I'm not a prude or anything. I just tend to dress more conservatively and not try to draw too much attention to myself.

I work as a developer for a small software company that serves the financial services industry. It's certainly nothing glamorous, but it pays the bills. I work on a five person dev team that sits in a mostly forgotten corner of the building. Best of all, our manager works in another city, so we're mostly left to our own devices. Kim, the only other woman on the team, is the first to note my wardrobe distress.

"Hey Jules, what happened to your shirt?" She asks a little too loudly for my comfort.

"Oh, I caught it on something over lunch and pulled off a few buttons." It was the best I could come up with on the spot.

"I figured Davis was in town and you're gunning for a promotion or something." She quipped, still loudly.

"Nothing so tawdry." I roll my eyes. Several heads pop up from neighboring cubes to watch the commotion, which I suspect is Kim's goal. Despite being teammates for over a year, I haven't been able to get a good read on Kim. There seems to be some unspoken tension between us. I don't know if I did something to offend her, if she views me as competition as another woman, or if she just generally doesn't like me. But she is definitely not as friendly towards me as to the others on the team.

"Do you want a safety pin or something?" asks Rick, the youngest member of our team. Rick is a genuinely nice guy and I took this as an honest attempt to help preserve my modesty.

"I think she shouldn't need to hide from you guys. If you can't handle a bra strap, that's on you." Kim is addressing the guys, but looks directly at me as she says it. It feels like a challenge, but I'm still frazzled from my lunchtime encounter and can't be bothered to try to decipher her bullshit.

"Don't sweat it," I reply. "I'm not worried about it if you're not." And truth be told, I'm not worried about it. The guys on the team are pretty harmless. Rick is the only one who isn't married and, like I said, he's a good guy. He's young and a bit socially awkward, fitting the computer geek stereotype a little too closely. I catch him stealing glances down my blouse a couple of times, but it's more endearing than creepy. I've never heard him mention a girlfriend, and suspect he is pretty inexperienced with women. The fact that he keeps trying to catch a peek, and then seems embarrassed by it, feels like a harmless little ego boost.

Jacob and Dan, the remaining two team members, don't seem to care about my wardrobe issue. At one point I forget myself and bend forward in front of Dan, giving him an eyeful. But he looks away pretty quickly and doesn't say anything, so I don't mention it.

There's more to it, though. The encounter with J over lunch has me pretty worked up. And by that, I mean horny. The little teases that I've given to Rick and Dan have stoked those fires a little more. But the office is not the right place for such thoughts. I'm not generally one for casual hook-ups so I vow to spend some quality time with myself when I get home.

The rest of the day passes without issue. As I'm head down, finishing up my work for the day, Kim walks up behind me. "Hey Miss Wardrobe Malfunction, are you coming to Barry's with us?" The team has a Friday afternoon tradition. We push hard during the week so we can usually knock off a bit early on Friday afternoon. Those who can will head to the neighborhood pub, Barry's, for a happy hour. I haven't been in the last few weeks. After breaking up with Paul, I just haven't been feeling very social.

Kim sees me grimace at her joke and softens. "Hey, sorry. I'm just yanking your chain. You should come out. First rounds on me." I'm not convinced of her intentions, but we've always managed to be civil in the past. And given this day, and the last few weeks, a few drinks and some camaraderie sound like just the ticket.

"That actually sounds really good, but I've got a couple of things to finish up. You all go ahead and I'll meet you there."

An hour later, I walk into Barry's and spot the rest of the team at our usual booth. It's rare that all five of us make it, so it's a bit of a squeeze at the table. Dan and Jacob, being the biggest of the team, are on one side. Rick and Kim are on the other. As I arrive, Kim heads to the bar reminding me that she owes me a drink. Everyone else is deep into their first round.

I sit down next to Rick and join the conversation. Before long, Kim returns with a pair of beers and a pair of shots. I scoot closer to Rick to let her sit at the end of the booth. She puts one beer in front of herself and slides the rest in front of me.

"You have some catching up to do." She offers. I look at her dubiously. "I know you've had a rough time lately, so consider them a peace offering. Anything to get you to relax." I still don't know what she's up to, but I feel the need to cut loose a bit. I down the first shot and chase it with a sip of beer.

"Besides," she says as I grab the second shot, "Rick is hoping to get a few drinks in you and get you the rest of the way out of that shirt." Dan and Jacob snicker, but Rick looks like he's about to panic.

"I didn't... I'm not..." he stammers.

"It's okay Rick, it's just a bad joke" I say soothingly before turning to Kim. Kim tends to have a big mouth, and not much of a filter. We all usually just ignore her, but today I decide to fire back. "I don't know, Kim. You're the one who seems obsessed with my blouse. I think you're the one trying to check out the goods." Dan and Jacob laugh loudly, but Kim seems to darken at the slight. I don't know if she just doesn't like being the butt of the joke, or if I'm hitting a little close to home. Kim has never really talked about her dating life, but her aggressive personality and tomboyish style are enough to get her labeled as a lesbian in some crowds. I suspect she either is one, or is tired of being called one. Either way, it's none of my business.

In an attempt to make peace, I hold up the second shot glass. "Here's to losing my shirt!" Dan and Jacob whoop enthusiastically. Rick laughs, but I catch a little redness in his cheeks. Even Kim seems pacified. Mission accomplished.

We all talk, drink, laugh and carouse. I still catch Rick paying a little too much attention to my blouse. Kim still makes cracks at my expense, but it seems more good natured than before. I'm normally pretty reserved at these gatherings, choosing to keep things on a professional level. I also usually limit myself to a glass of wine, or two at most. I definitely feel like I'm stepping out of my comfort zone today. I don't know if it's the alcohol, the attention to my exposure, or the emotional hangover after my breakup with Paul. But I can feel the usual walls of propriety tumbling down and I make a conscious decision to relax and enjoy myself.

Soon Dan and Jacob finish their drinks and leave to join their families, but the remaining three of us decide to have another round. Rick volunteers to switch to soda and act as their designated driver. He's been nursing a single beer all afternoon anyway. I head to the bar to get the drinks and that's when I see her. In the mirror behind the bar, J smiles back from behind me. I turn to face her, but she's not there. No one is. I scan the pub. It's still pretty early, probably 3 PM or so, and the place is almost empty. Aside from our table, there's only one group of four guys that I vaguely recognize as regulars. No J to be found, and not many places to hide. Weird.

I grab the drinks and return to the table, wondering if I'd lost my mind or just had too much to drink. I had intended to sit in one of the seats that Dan and Jacob left open, but Kim stands up and motions for me to take my previous spot between her and Rick. "Did you guys see someone that looks like me, only... you know... hot?"

Kim laughs, trying not to spit out her beer. "This is you fishing for a compliment, right? 'Oh no, you are the hot one'. I'm not falling for it." Rick seems to want to defend my honor or something, but holds his tongue.

"No, nothing like that." I reply, still looking around. "At lunch today, I met this woman. She goes by 'J'..."

"J?" asks Rick.

"Yeah, J. She looks a lot like me, only like the version of me that I wish I was. Like if I imagined my best, most badass, beautiful self." As I say this out loud, I start to realize how crazy it sounds. "I thought I saw her in the mirror at the bar, but now I don't see her."

"Let me get this straight. You met a woman, with the same initial as you, who is your perfect version of you, then you saw her in the mirror, but now you don't see her?" Kim was trying to stifle her laughter.

"I know it sounds crazy..."

"I think you lost your marbles when you lost your buttons!" Kim cackled. "Did I mention you need to relax?!?"

My cheeks went warm thinking about how I lost those buttons. I am typically one to keep any hints of sexuality under wraps when in public. The display I made at J's hands over lunch and my subsequent exposure to my coworkers, mild as it may be, is new territory for me. Moreover, I feel the reawakening of my own desires. I had grown accustomed to the increased level of sexual activity with Paul in an attempt to save our relationship. When that relationship failed, my sexual outlet disappeared with it. I had buried my desires under layers of self-doubt, self-pity and generally self-destructive emotions. Now, I feel them start to push back up to the surface - in a big way.

I shake my head to clear these thoughts. Perhaps I do need to find a new boyfriend to scratch that itch, but now I'm out with coworkers. Who knows, with our new found camaraderie, maybe I'll even call them friends.

By this point, I'm riding a bit of an emotional high. Compared to the darkness of the past month, I'm in paradise. I'm also a bit tipsy. I reach out and take Rick and Kim's hands in my own.

"Hey guys, at the risk of sounding too corny, I'm having a great time. Things have been a bit rough for me lately and this has been exactly what I need. Thanks."

"Yeah," Kim says with a casual smile. "This is fun. We've certainly seen a side of you that we haven't seen before."

"I think it's safe to say that Kim is trying to see a side of you she hasn't seen before." Rick adds.

We're so surprised that Rick would make a joke like this that there are a couple of beats of silence. Then Kim and I both crack up.

"Well played" she quips. "But it's purely for your benefit, I assure you." Rick looks embarrassed again at Kim's response, and all seems right with the world.

"Speaking of which..." Kim says with a sly grin. I'm still holding hands with both of them,, enjoying our newfound kinship. Kim reaches across with her free hand and opens another button on my blouse.

"KIM!" I shriek, and then catch myself. I don't want to call undo attention to my predicament. Kim is still holding my right hand tightly in hers and I'm too shocked to untangle my left hand from Rick. My blouse is now open almost to my navel.

"Oh, relax. It's nothing we haven't been looking at all afternoon." She giggles. I manage to free my hands and clutch my blouse closed. She fixes me with a mischievous grin and says "I dare you to leave it like that."

"What's gotten into you?" I try to glare at her, but through the alcohol fueled good vibes I find myself giggling instead. "Oh, what the hell. I suppose Rick deserves a little thrill for offering to DD." With that, I turn to face him and pull the lapels of my blouse wide.

My chest isn't large, just a b cup, and my bra is more utilitarian than enticing. But my tummy is flat and Paul used to tell me my 'tits are nice and perky'. Regardless, Rick's eyes go wide and his cheeks flush deeply at my display. I allow myself a moment to bask in the attention and then pull the blouse closed.

Holding my blouse closed with my hand, I turn to give a coy look to Kim. "But no show for you, young lady, until you learn to behave." Kim pouts sarcastically as I excuse myself to visit the ladies room. I drop my hands to my side and walk tipsily to the restroom. I don't even consider closing my blouse.

I spend a few minutes in the bathroom stall reliving the last few moments and relieving my bladder. Once finished, I open the stall door and stop dead in my tracks. J is sitting casually on the bathroom counter, idly swinging one foot back and forth. She hops to her feet and begins to walk slowly towards me. Her eyes flick down to my open blouse and her wicked smirk returns.

"Hello, my Little Butterfly," she purrs. "I see you have been busy spreading your wings." With that, she tugs the sides of my blouse wider and eyes my chest appraisingly.

"J? What are you doing here?" My arms, which should be covering my chest,, hang limply by my side.

"I was just in the neighborhood. Imagine my surprise to find you here... like this." I don't believe that for a moment and begin to sense danger. But I remain passive as she guides me to the mirror and stands behind me.

"I think you're ready for the next round of the game. But you can't be a true butterfly looking like this." I raise my eyes to the mirror, and am surprised at just how disheveled I've become. Strands of hair have pulled loose from my ponytail and stick out in all directions. My sensible makeup is looking a bit road worn. Not to mention my blouse, which hangs open lewdly. "Let's get you fixed up."

Seemingly from nowhere, she produces a makeup bag. I stand limply as she goes to work, occasionally cooing approvingly in my ear. Soon, my lips are a deep shade of red, my eyes lined and shadowed with a dusky tone. Mascara and blush are tastefully applied. The transformation is striking. I usually wear as little makeup as I can get away with. But the woman staring back in the mirror belongs on a runway.

J drops the makeup bag into my purse and pulls out a hairbrush. She hands the brush to me and takes her place behind me. I hold the brush limply and she pulls the band off of my ponytail and runs her fingers through my hair.

"Getting better..." she whispers as she guides my hand with the brush up to my head. I'm in a daze and I begin to pull the brush through my hair. My surroundings fade away and J is the only thing I'm aware of. A sense of longing swells inside me. I long for her approval... for her touch.

"Beautiful." As I brush my hair dreamily, she slides her hand around to the remaining buttons on my blouse. Time slides forward as she nibbles on my now bare shoulder. My senses drift through a fog of alcohol, arousal and whatever sway she has over me.

"Mmmmm..." she murmurs as my blouse and bra fall away completely. "Come with me" she pulls me towards the stall, brush still in my hand. She closes the toilet lid and sits me down on it.

"First things first..." She pulls my phone from my purse and I'm barely aware of unlocking it for her. "Here's my number. Now, smile..." CLICK. I hear the shutter sound of my camera. She brings my empty hand to my bare breast and I start to grope and squeeze.

"Yes..." I'm not sure if that is my voice or hers. I feel her tongue lightly play over my nipple, bringing it to a point. CLICK.

"You want this..." My consciousness feels detached from my body, like I'm viewing the scene in third person. Through the fog, I see J's fingers at my waistband. She guides me to lift myself slightly and I feel my pants slide off of my hips. CLICK,

"You need this..." My panties pool around my ankles as I feel J's breath on the inside of my thigh.

"It's been so long for you..." I look at her dreamily, as she takes hold of my other hand - the one still holding the hairbrush.

"Shhhhh... close your eyes" I have no choice but to obey. "Give yourself the release that you deserve." I feel something warm and hard at the opening of my sex. I realize she is guiding the handle of the brush, still in my hand, inside of me.

"Just let yourself go..." I let out a small gasp as the handle pushes past the lips of my sex. I pause for a moment with the brush inside of me before I slowly start to move it back and forth.

"That's it. Enjoy yourself. You've earned it." And with that, J fades from my senses. My eyes are still closed tightly. My whole body focuses on the brush sliding in and out of me. On my fingers pinching and pulling my nipples sharply.

I feel my desire build within me. I've been pushing it down for so long, and all of the repressed urges overwhelm me. I feel my pulse quicken, my breath become ragged. I'm pistoning the brush at a steady pace as a squelching sound fills the room. I move my other hand from my breasts to my clit and start to rub it furiously. My long denied orgasm is building quickly, pushing past any defenses that remain.

I rush headlong towards the relief that I need. All of the sadness, anger and frustration from the past weeks is focused to my core. I'm teetering on the edge, closer and closer to my release. Eyes still closed, I feel rather than see the clouds part, the sunshine on my face, the breeze against my skin.

As my orgasm crashes over me, all of my senses fade to black. The last thing I hear as I slip from consciousness is the sound of Kim's voice.

"Jesus, Jules, What the fuck!!?!"