Pretty in Pink Ch. 02

"Well, that's unusual," Susan purred, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. "Our own powerhouse paralegal, all quiet and demure during the sound-off meeting? Now that just doesn't make sense." Grabbing both sides of my chair, Susan eased her obnoxious face into view. Personal space had never been her strong suit.

Why god? Why? I asked the heavens, full well knowing there'd be no answer. Why now, of all times?

I looked over at Susan and gave her my most condescending glower, but she wasn't buying it. Susan never did. We were apparently "best friends" and that made it her responsibility to look after me. Her attention was both a blessing and a curse. For all the grief Susan had given me—mostly by being way too nosy and then way too nice—she was my only real lifeline in this crazy place. Within a month of joining Bertrand & Bilk, I'd earned the title of "Office Ice Queen" and had been shunned by pretty much the entire floor. Except for Susan.

Susan was a big girl with a big personality and absolutely incredible fashion sense. Drop-dead gorgeous, too: blue eyes, blonde hair, amazing cleavage. It wouldn't surprise me at all if one day Susan was found in alleyway with her tits just...gone. Whisked away by some psycho determined to start a brand new, tittytastic life somewhere much warmer. I had learned to like Susan eventually, but it had taken a while. She was loud—very, very loud—and she was smart—very, very smart. Too smart. Creepy smart.

Susan had this strange, almost supernatural ability to read people. It was downright dangerous to look her in the eyes. You could spend five minutes just shooting the breeze and even if you did little else but talk about the weather, afterwards, Susan just knew you. All of your hopes, your insecurities, your fears—they just made sense to her. It didn't matter how skilled you were at hiding your emotions; Susan's insights were always on point. For someone like me—with a whole lot of secrets and no interest in sharing them—it was very disconcerting. But Susan had no interest in petty office politics or power grabs. She never used her incredible powers for evil, though she'd certainly had the chance. Instead, she became like the big sister I'd never had and wasn't sure I wanted. Like I said, Susan's attention was both a blessing and a curse.

"So, Princess Meanie Pants, what's gotten into you?" Susan prodded. I narrowed my eyes at her. Again. But the patent-pending glare that worked wonders on everyone else didn't even leave a dent. "Come on, Erin, you can tell me. What's so important that you neglected your morning round of brown-nosing?"

"Weird evening," I tried, hoping that'd be enough. Lying to Susan hadn't worked well for me in the past, so now I resorted to being honest, but vague as a compromise. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a noon deadline."

"Alright." Susan rolled her eyes, as dramatic as ever, and backed away from my desk with her hands held high in surrender. "But I'll be back after lunch."

Of course you will, I thought, and then I remembered the time. Oh, fuck.

Truth be told, I actually did have a noon deadline to keep and even though it was only 10am, I was already behind. Thomas had a rare day off and kept distracting me. I'd given him permission to raid my wardrobe and every ten to twenty minutes, he'd send me pictures of himself wearing something provocative: a black lace teddy I'd never gotten around to wearing, a light blue chemise with crystal clip-on earrings & a matching necklace, even the maroon evening gown I'd once worn to a friend's wedding reception. I had a gorgeous man at home putting on a sexy fashion show—a fashion show just for me!—and it was such a change from the usual monotony that was my work day, I just couldn't help myself. Every time my phone vibrated in my pocket, I could feel my heart race, just a little bit. It was like Christmas, but with endless dick and lots of lace.

Suddenly, my phone buzzed. First, just once, then another three times. Four photos in a row? I could barely contain my excitement. If I'd been anywhere else, I might have started squealing like a school girl. Visions of bubble butts and string thongs started to dance in my head, but I didn't dare open the photos at my desk. I was just getting up to go to the bathroom when I noticed the wall clock in my peripheral vision and groaned. I really, really couldn't afford to miss this deadline. Dammit.

Grumbling to myself, I turned off my phone and turned my attention back to my monitor. I tried my hardest to focus, but I couldn't completely get Thomas out of my head. One minute, I'd be running numbers and the next, I'd be rummaging through my closet in my mind, trying to figure out which outfit Thomas would be trying on next. The rose print summer dress? The yellow and gray bikini? The rhinestone panties I'd once bought on a whim? It was pure hell trying to stay focused enough to meet my deadline, but I did. Barely. And then, I was off to the bathroom as fast as my god-forsaken heels would carry me.

I decided on the bathroom one floor up—the creepy one with the flickering lights—because, let's face it, nobody wants to risk pooping in a haunted toilet. I checked under the stalls to make sure that the coast was clear, then ducked into the handicapped stall and sat down on the toilet seat. When my phone finally finished booting, I could see a whopping ten new text notifications and felt myself grinning like a maniac. Good things come to those that wait and boy, had I waited. Now it was time to reap my well-deserved rewards.

The first photo was of Thomas in full makeup and the rose print summer dress, sitting on our couch with his legs tucked neatly underneath him and his toes painted a bright red, the very picture of femininity. All he needs is a blonde wig and I'll have my very own housewife! I thought with glee. The next few photos were of Thomas in that same outfit, but in different positions. In one, he had lifted up his skirt, revealing a pair of black lace panties, his cock only half-hard and slightly curved beneath the fabric. But my favorite photo was taken from behind, with Thomas bending over, his round, pouty ass facing the bathroom mirror. He was glancing over his shoulder with his phone clutched above his head—so as to get a decent shot—and I just about died, he was so fucking cute.

I couldn't help myself; I remembered the clip from last night and caught myself wondering if Thomas was a virgin. I mean, I knew he wasn't a "for real" virgin, but had he ever been fucked in that tight little ass? Picturing the pained, lustful expression that would bloom onto his face as I ploughed into him...Damn. As I eased my hands past my skirt and into my panties, I pictured Thomas face down on the bed, ass pointed in the air, & cheeks spread. I'd spank them with the back of my hairbrush until they were cherry red and then—

Suddenly, the bathroom door banged open and in a panic, I dropped my phone. I tried to catch it before it hit the floor, but fumbled, then watched in horror as it slid underneath the stall. The rest was a blur as I yanked my hand out of my panties and ran for door. When I finally finished fighting with the latch and opened it, Susan—motherfucking Susan—was on the other side, my cellphone in her hands and an obnoxious grin on her face.

"Damn, that boy is fine," Susan purred and I narrowed my eyes at her, furious, but also not sure what to say. "I admit, if I had a piece of ass like this waiting for me at home, I'd be distracted too."

"Susan," I warned. "Give it back."

"Of course, I was only trying to make sure it wasn't cracked," Susan explained, handing back my phone rather nonchalantly. "I was going to McGuffin's for some sandwiches and wanted to see if you wanted one, that's all."

"Oh, uh, sure. The usual's fine."

"Okay, great. See you in fifteen."

"Susan, wait!" I cried, just as she was about to leave. "You're...not gonna tell anyone, are you?"

"Jesus Christ, no!" Susan laughed, looking back at me. "But, you know, if you ever wanna take it outside the bedroom and get involved in the local community, hit me up."

The local community?

Given last night's date, I now knew that there were plenty of like-minded freaks out there making crossdressing femdom porn and plenty more watching it. But a whole community dedicated to it? Right here in my backyard? That was a bit of a shock, but it quickly gave way to curiosity. What did it mean, to be part of a "community"? Were there really local women out there—women like the dominant from the video clip—who could teach me how to embody the confidence I craved? Women who could teach me how to bully a man? Or tie him up? Or wield a whip? After that first video clip, Thomas and I had spent hours combing through his collection and there were so many things I wanted to try—things that could be very, very dangerous if I didn't have someone to help guide me. I already had so many questions! Where the hell did you buy spiky boots? How do you clean leather panties? Do they even sell heels in men's sizes?

There's no way it's this fucking easy, I thought, still staring into space and letting all the possibilities wash over me. They don't just have femdom crossdressing clubs, do they?

I turned back toward Susan, only to see that she was gone. Fair enough, I'd been standing there awkwardly for at least a full minute. But as I headed back towards my desk, I realized I couldn't wait until the end of the work day. Between Thomas' texts and this most recent bombshell, I'd never get anything done. I had to get this out of my system before lunch was over. Cursing under my breath, I rushed down three flights of stairs to the ground floor of the building, hoping I could make it to the parking lot and catch Susan before she left.

I don't know why I bothered; Susan was already waiting for me by the front door, wearing over-sized sunglasses and smiling down at me from the driver's seat of her orange SUV.

It was so...ugly.

"What took you so long, sourpuss?"

"You're doing that thing again," I told her, feigning frustration and climbing into the passenger's seat. "Stop it."

"What thing?"

"You know what I mean. That creepy mind-reading thing. Stop it."

"Right," Susan smirked, pulling down her glasses just enough to let me see the arrogance in her eyes. "Because you would so much rather I drive away without you and let you suffer through the rest of the workday, dreaming about boy butt parties and wondering if they exist."

"There are boy butt parties?!?!"

"Bless your heart, honey. Of course there are boy butt parties. Why else would god have given us squats?"

I had a play date with Susan and I wasn't sure how Thomas would take the news. He was welcome to come, of course, and if I was really being honest with myself, I desperately hoped he would. But in spite of our little talk last night, I was still worried that I would freak him out by showing too much enthusiasm too soon. No matter how many times Thomas insisted that he was on board with all this kinky new craziness, I still didn't believe him. Not completely. I mean, who could honestly want their girlfriend to dress them up in lingerie and beat on them? Besides, porn and sexts were one thing, but an actual for real play date? And how the hell would I explain the situation to Thomas? It wasn't as if Susan and I had spontaneously decided to discuss our sex lives with each other.

"Hey, babe," I called, easing open the front door and tentatively stepping into the apartment. "I'm home."

I didn't have to wait long for an answer. Thomas was already waiting for me, lounging on the couch in full makeup and a strapless black dress, his bright red toes curled underneath him. As soon as I spotted him he winked at me seductively and patted the spot beside him, but I shook my head. I wasn't in the mood. I was far, far too nervous.

"Erin?" Thomas asked, confused and obviously concerned. "Are you okay? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's...necessarily wrong," I tried. It didn't matter that even I wouldn't buy such obvious bullshit. "How was your day?"

"Erin, seriously. I thought we were having fun? Tell me what's the matter."

"Okay, okay...promise you won't get mad?"

"Why would I get mad?"

"I have a friend at work..." I began, before deciding to just spill all the beans at once and worry about the consequences later. "...and she's part of the local kink community and I have a play date this Friday night and do you want to come?" Thomas just stared at me blankly and immediately, I could feel the panic start to rise up in my throat. "Well?" I squeaked. "Aren't you going to say something?"

"How...how did that happen?"

Shit, I thought. I knew it had been coming, but it still sucked. There's no way out of this.

"Uh, I...I dropped my phone and one of my coworkers...picked it up."

Thomas' face went pale and then immediately turned bright red. It was hard to watch—too hard to watch—and I could feel myself cringing. All I could think about is how lovely it would be to crawl into a hole and die. But this was about Thomas—not about me—and I quietly waited for him to regain his senses and lay into me. It was deathly silent; all you could hear was the second hand on the clock ticking by gently. I wasn't sure if Thomas was unable to speak or if he just didn't have anything to say. Who could blame him? How did you even respond to something like that?

"Who was it? The coworker who picked up your phone?"

"Susan."

"Wow, really?" Thomas asked, and he seemed to relax. "That's actually kinda hot."

Kinda hot? That hadn't been the response I was expecting and as I replayed the words over and over again in my head, I began to feel a strange, intangible emotion take over me. He thinks it's fucking hot?

"What the hell?" I spat, before I could stop myself. "Are you serious?"

"Getting caught is a huge turn-on, Erin," Thomas explained, though I could tell he was confused. "Plus, Susan's cool. I know she won't blab."

"Does that even matter?" I cried, and whatever emotions I had been trying to ignore took form and gave way to anger. I was furious. Absolutely furious, and I didn't know why. "What if it had been my boss? What if it had been the floor manager?"

"But it wasn't—"

"But it could have been! I fucked up, Tommy, okay? You trusted me with your photos and I...I ruined it!"

"You didn't do it on purpose!" Thomas cried. "Erin, come on. It was an accident! Those happen. There are risks when you decide to do this sort of thing and I knew that when I sent you those photos."

"It doesn't matter!"

"What's really going on, Erin? You're acting crazy. What are you so scared of?"

What am I so scared of? It was a good question, good enough to calm me down for half a second and force me to take a long, hard look at myself. Thomas was right; I was acting crazy. I was usually the cool-headed one, the voice of sanity and reason. But for some reason, I'd turned into a lunatic. Maybe I'm just out of my element here...no, that's not it...

"I'm terrified, alright?" I admitted. "I've been thinking about last night and I know what I want now. I want to get mean. Really, really mean. How long until you start to resent me for it?"

"Erin," Thomas frowned, looking at me like I was the most pitiable thing he'd ever seen. "I already told you, I'd love if you turned out to be a huge pervert, especially a mean one!"

"Okay, well, what if I'm not good at it?" I mumbled, staring into the floor and absolutely refusing to make eye-contact. "What if I accidentally hurt you for real? I mean, I already have." I could feel tears in my eyes now, though I desperately tried to hold them back. Fuck. "You sent me your photos and I couldn't even keep them safe for a single goddamned afternoon!"

"We're a team, Erin!" Thomas sighed. "And we're going to have to fumble our way through this together. That means celebrating our victories together and learning from our mistakes together. But no matter what—the good and the bad—we'll do it together. Besides, is an adventure really any fun without conflict and setbacks?"

"No..."

Thomas was up and out of his seat and suddenly, my hands were in his. I could see his perfectly manicured nails against my skin, bold and bright and blood red. It had really taken guts to dive head first into this thing with me. I'd been told that a lot of girls would have left their man—or worse—over a kink like this, but Thomas had trusted me with this side of himself anyway. In that moment, I truly admired him: his bravery & his resolve. Here he was, exposing all his most vulnerable parts to me and blindly trusting me to embrace them. And yet, I was too much of a coward to even meet him halfway. It was pathetic and it was unacceptable. Thomas was right: we were in this together and now that he'd shown me his dark side, it was time to show him mine.

"Alright," I told him. "Wanna join me on a play date?"

Susan lived in the middle of butt-fucking-nowhere.

Honestly, I couldn't see the appeal. I mean, sure, there were lots of trees and bushes, but could that honestly outweigh having access to Chinese takeout? I'm sure Susan had a least a few other reasons—probably some bullshit about the city having "too much light pollution" and "wanting to connect with nature." But there wasn't a single liquor store within a ten mile radius, so as far as I was concerned, we were basically stranded in the wilderness. Normally, I wouldn't allow myself to be pulled from the city limits for any reason other than an impending alien invasion, but apparently boy butt parties were a thing.

Susan's property was a solid seventy-five minute drive outside of the city and when we arrived, it was almost dark. The sun was just starting to set, lighting up the horizon and turning the sky a lovely shade of cotton candy pink. In the distance, I could just barely make out the outline of a large house and beside it, one of those old, wooden barns you still find in children's story books. Getting there required us to navigate a mile-long driveway, which at first I'd mistaken for a road. But nope, it was a driveway. One of the many folksy charms typical of butt-fucking-nowhere country.

"It's huge!" Thomas breathed.

I had to admit, it was impressive. Susan's house was a gigantic, three story brick home and probably over a century old. You could see where it'd been modernized and where the original structure remained, giving it an eclectic feel. It was very—Susan. There was madness, surely, but enough method to make up for that. I parked the car, grabbed our overnight bag from the backseat, and as the front door burst open, stepped outside.

"You came!" Susan cried, and she ran down the front steps, her enormous tits jiggling inside the confines of a gorgeous black & red latex dress. Cue the self-consciousness. By comparison, I looked like a stuffy old librarian. I hadn't had time to change after work and was still wearing the same old white blouse and black pencil skirt I always wore. But I didn't have time to dwell on it for long. Within seconds, Susan was slamming into me and I was being forced into an uncomfortably friendly bear hug. "I'm glad you found it okay!"

"I mean, me too, it's in the middle of goddamn nowhere," I groaned, then gasped as Susan's grip tightened and the air left my lungs. "If the zombie—Jesus, let me breathe!—if the zombie apocalypse ever does happen, we're staying at your place, okay?"

"Of course," Susan replied and she turned toward Thomas with a warm smile. "And Tommy, how are you, honey?"