Standing Room Only (2023 Redux)

This is a slight re-edit of my first complete erotica story, Standing Room Only. There were elements about the original I wasn't comfortable with and, as was pointed out by a few of the comments at the time, the conclusion was incongruous to the mood of the story. Not much has changed, just a few details and wording here and there, with fresh dialogue for last scene. I feel much happier with the continuity now and hope you will agree, whether or not you liked or even read the original.

Christina surveyed herself in the full length mirror adorning her wardrobe door. 37 years old, recently divorced, the mother of one daughter, aged 19, was relatively pleased with what she saw. After six months of Tai Chi and a healthy diet, she had finally shed the last few pounds of marital comfort weight she'd been carrying around for a number of years. Now on this fateful Monday, she was starting a new job in the city and felt ready; moreover, she looked ready.

Her dark chocolate hair cut into a sharp bob, neck length at the front, rising to just above collar length at the back, framed her elfin face well. The kitten flicked green almond eyes in the mirror smiled out at her as she looked herself up and down.

The summer heat had chosen her outfit for her and she hoped it wasn't too much for a first day; a light cotton dress in emerald green with a mandarin collar, figure hugging, 2 collar buttons with a slit showing a glimpse of cleavage from her 34C breasts. Sleeveless to show her shapely and nicely toned arms and a mid-thigh length hem showing just enough equally toned and shapely bare leg. A pair of leather peep toe shoes with a two inch slender French heel finished the look. At 5'4" she considered herself a nice height and rarely wore heels much more than 3 inches.

"Mum, you look amazing!" came an enthusiastic voice from the bedroom door.

"Thank you, darling." She looked at her daughter, the younger version of herself and grinned cheekily. "Haven't felt this nervous since I was pregnant with you, monster."

They laughed easily together. They'd both been so much more relaxed since the divorce; Eleanor's father was an angry man and the last few years in the house had been stressful for both girls.

"Gotta go. Knock 'em dead MILF!" Eleanor laughed as she turned and skipped lightly down the stairs.

"Hey! Less of that, please!" she called after. There was no sternness in her voice however; her daughter generally knew the limits of what was acceptable in their mother/daughter dynamic.

"BYE!" came the final call as the front door closed.

Christina gave herself a last once over, picked up her bag from the bed and headed out. Although she did own a car, the commute into the city would be horrendous. Living only a five minute walk from the train station and the new office another ten minutes from the station at the other end, it made more sense to get the train. She pondered on that; it must be at least 12 years since she'd ridden the train and she hoped it wasn't too crammed; in the heat of this summer that could be unpleasant.

Putting all negativity from her mind, she was out of the door and away, walking briskly but unhurriedly, enjoying the slight breeze, casting her mind to the unknowns ahead of her on the first day in a new job. Soon enough, she was on the platform and the train drew in to a squeaky halt.

Planning ahead, she had waited at the far end of the platform so she could board the very last carriage, being generally the quieter choice. Or used to be once, she mused. As the door slid open, she surveyed the human throng within in dismay; it didn't look as if a single seat was free. Just prior to the seating in the carriage was a luggage area. Although people were already standing in it using the rails at the edge of the shelves as supports, there was one space at the end nearest the door, just behind the partition between the luggage area and the doors.

No-one else had got on with her at this end of the train so there was no competition. She looked at the gap and the person standing next to it. A woman, that was good; she didn't particularly want to be squashed in next to a man while dressed this potentially provocatively. She wasn't a man-hater per se but being married from 18 to an angry bully had made her slightly bitter and wary. The woman had her back to the gap Christina wanted to occupy and she moved to position herself there, regarding the woman as she did so.

Similar height and weight to herself, she estimated. The auburn hair was long and held in a single high set pony tail. The cream cotton blouse, sleeveless was tucked into a light chocolate skirt that ended slightly above mid thigh. Toned arms said health conscious and spectacular legs backed that up. Christina's eyes lingered admiringly on the legs as she moved closer and turned her back to the woman to take her place behind her.

Taking hold of the rail at the edge of the luggage shelf, Christina's mind drifted away again to the perils of starting in a new office. The doors closed, a whistle was blown and the train began to move, lurching slightly as it did so. The woman behind swayed backwards a little, her firm bottom pushing into Christina's. She felt the woman's ponytail brush across her own hair and shoulder as she turned her head.

"Sorry, it's a little intimate in here," came the apology. She liked the sound of the voice; smooth, slightly husky. She couldn't guess at an age but having seen her hair, figure and the smooth toned arms and legs, no more than 40, surely...?

"No problem at all," she returned, also turning slightly. Her bare upper arm touched the woman's as she did, which oddly elicited a slight tingle in her tummy.

They each turned away again, the woman rebalancing herself and ending the brief contact of butt cheeks, though Chris could now feel the ponytail against the back of her neck and hair. There was no room for her to move out of the way, being almost face-up to the partition in front. She didn't mind the contact in truth and just hoped the woman didn't think she was being rude. It was a 30 minute train ride and in heat and close quarters, people could be oddly aggressive at times.

The journey continued, the train swayed and rocked, occasionally causing further collisions of butt cheeks and bare shoulders, albeit fairly brief. No more exchanges took place however, each woman accepting the inability of the other to stop the inevitable. Christina felt the train begin to slow as they approached the next stop and steadied herself waiting for the brakes to be applied.

It wasn't enough and when the braking came suddenly, sharply, she was caught off guard and pushed firmly into the woman. She stepped back with one foot to stop herself but it was too cramped and her heel stopped as it hit that of her fellow traveller. Bottoms squashed together again, Christina's bare left calf pressed against its counterpart, shoulders braced against each other, and the woman's ponytail cushioned the press between the backs of their heads.

Two heads turned simultaneously, now pressed together at the side.

"I'm so sorry," said Christina quietly. "I'm not used to this; I haven't been on a train in a long time."

The woman laughed softly. "It's ok honestly. I've felt worse things pressed against me and at least you're fragrant."

Christina chuckled quietly. "Thank you, same to you on both counts."

She felt more relaxed now, knowing the woman wasn't angry or unreasonable. The train had stopped and she shifted position again now momentum wasn't pressing them together. She could feel the cloth of her skirt brushing against the woman's and the ponytail still caressing her neck; Christina blessed her luck that her fellow traveller was such a pleasant example of humanity.

No further commuters joined at their end of the train and the doors closed, the train once more jerking into motion. Inevitably, the two women were pushed together again. Christina braced herself to steady them both as once more, two firm shapely bottoms met suddenly and the woman's right foot moved backwards, meeting Chris's left heel to heel. Their bare calves kissed as they shifted their weight and Christina started to focus more on the contact between them. The train picked up speed and as acceleration eased, neither woman moved away this time.

Chris had worn a silk g-string so as not to spoil the line of her figure hugging dress and she could feel the press of their butt cheeks with some sensitivity through the thin cotton. She was guessing her involuntary travelling companion was similarly attired from the sensation and it gave her a little thrill to think of those toned satin smooth cheeks separated by only two gossamer layers of cloth. The back of her upper left arm lightly rubbed its opposite as the train rocked along and Chris wondered if the woman was having similar thoughts.

While part of her mind became preoccupied with this unexpected yet pleasant physical contact, the imminent tingle in her loins held her in wonder. She had never had lesbian tendencies, no school-girl crushes or experimentation at college. She found attractive women pleasant to look at but that had been the end of it. Being in such close and unavoidable proximity to another such pleasing example of femininity, she had to admit, was becoming quite titillating.

The train jerked over a set of points, momentarily increasing the pressure between them. Chris moved her right hand further back on the rail where it met another hand doing precisely the same. They re-gripped the rail, now touching lightly, bringing the whole length of their bare arms also into contact. Did she imagine it, or were their bottoms now even more firmly pressed together? She involuntarily flexed her butt cheeks against their opposites, almost instantly feeling the same in response.

Her tummy fluttered.

Are we playing the same game here? she wondered.

She was about to move her right foot further back to bring both their calves into contact when pressure against her heel stopped it, the other woman beating her to it. With both of their calves now braced against each other, Chris had no doubt they were indeed on the same page. The tingle in her loins began to grow in intensity and she stifled a smile. Facing away from the rest of the carriage as she was, this was still a busy train and she had no idea what spectacle they may be making for any voyeuristic travellers observing them.

She leaned into to the woman, flexing her butt cheeks once more. The reply came immediately and they were now pushing against each other about as firmly as their positions would allow. Chris' sex began to grow moist and a slight distracted concern reminded her that this was the morning of her first day in a new job. It could be a long day ahead and a sticky one at that.

Very sticky indeed, she joked with herself silently, stifling a laugh. She was enjoying this closeness, there was no denying it. She would take the day as it came.

I've never even seen your face, she thought at the woman now so firmly pressed to her. I hope it's as lovely as your ass.

As if in answer the woman wiggled against her almost imperceptibly, her left arm touching a little more firmly as their free hands brushed against each other. Chris hooked her little finger gingerly around that of the other hand, felt it respond, tighten. The tingle in her loins also responded in kind, the moistness becoming a wetness she was starting to enjoy.

The rest of the journey continued much the same, with occasional flexing of conjoined bottoms and rubbing of smooth calves. Christina's silk panties were quite wet by the time they pulled into the city station but by now she didn't care and wanted only to see the face of her travelling companion, wishing fervently to find it pleasing, hoping too that the woman liked what she saw. The train drew to a halt and without needing further encouragement, the two women interlocked the fingers of their free hands firmly, ensuring they would not be separated in the melee as the passengers disembarked.

The doors opened and they quickly turned and exited, with a brief hesitation as their bodies moved away from each other, a coldness remaining in absence of their contact in spite of the summer heat. Holding hands tightly, they moved through the crowd with deliberate purpose seemingly knowing what each was thinking. As they drew away from the throng of commuters, they stopped and hesitated, the moment upon them. Chris gripped the soft hand tightly, felt the slender fingers respond and slowly they turned towards each other.

Christina kept her eyes low, almost not daring to look as the two women, hand still locked together, stood facing each other, bodies so close their breasts brushed against each other ever so lightly. She raised her eyes slowly from the gently kissing breasts to the smooth neck then flicked them up to finally gaze upon her mysterious companion's face. A small gasp escaped her lips.

The face looking back at Chris was beautiful by any standard and probably early 30s as she had guessed. Grey eyes, large and bright, and with an almost oriental slant that now studied her own features as she did those of their owner. Curved, full, not overlarge lips with a pronounced cupid's bow smiled at her from that perfect face. Round cheeks, high boned and delicate, Christina drank in the sight of it with unexpected ardour, fed by the sensations their games on the train had inspired.

She opened her mouth to speak.

"Shh!" the woman gently chided, placing an exquisite finger against Chris' lips, the seductive mouth smiling, grey eyes narrowed with purpose. She glanced briefly to the right and Chris followed her eyes, then met her gaze again and nodded.

They entered the female bathroom as one, quickly surveying the space for occupants before hurriedly making their way into the empty cubicle at the far end. Chris pushed the door shut behind her, locking it deftly with one twist. They released the tight grip of their hands and turned to face each other.

The woman teased up her skirt to above her hips, her full shapely thighs and hips being no less perfect than expected. In one fluid motion she then began to push down her pants, which as Chris has expected, were a silk g-string. She nodded towards Chris to copy her as she continued, grey eyes looking deep into the green. Not hesitating, Chris mirrored her, sliding her tiny pants down her thighs. As they got lower, they had to bend and pushed against each other, their foreheads meeting as they did, knees bumping, before they could slide their pants free so as not to drop them on the cubicle floor.

The woman raised the hand that held her pants and Chris could see the wetness, smell the sweet aroma of female sex. She did the same and the two hands holding their sticky sexy smalls came together. With eyes locked and in still silent communion the two women smiled, their long soft fingers carefully and deliberated exchanging gifts and parting, leaving them now holding each other's g-strings.

In reverse of removal, each now slowly drew the other's pants up their long delicious legs and settled them in place, pressing gently against their neatly trimmed crotches, feeling the wetness of each other there, adding a little more wetness of their own.

Her skirt still raised, the woman softly placed her hands on Christina's hips, making her shake a little. Chris reciprocated, knowing the intention and in unison they gently pushed each other's skirts back over their hips, soft fingers caressing as they did, then smoothing each to straighten them. They were very close together now and Chris could feel the breath on her lips.

Still with their hands on each other's bottoms, they pulled gently but insistently until their bodies came together, softly moulding to each other as they did. Chris felt nipples harden against her own as the pull became a hug, arms sliding around each other's waists. Eyes still locked, they slowly pushed their slightly parted lips together, firm and unhurried. They let some moments pass, enjoying the sensation, pulling each other's waists, the firm press of bodies as pleasurable as the meeting of their butt cheeks had been on the train. The kiss still lingered as they enjoyed the softness of each other's lips, the moistness... one moment more, two.... they pulled away slowly, smiling warmly, slightly lustfully.

With one more squeeze, they let their arms drop, touched foreheads for a moment before Chris unlocked the door and they left the cubicle. Still without a word spoken, they walked out into the station and with one more longing look eye to eye, turned away and made their way in opposite directions, heading for different exits.

The day passed thankfully free of incident and was pleasant enough. The job was not demanding, the office atmosphere friendly, relaxed. She shared an office with three other women, two in their mid 20s, one early 40s and all three were professional and unobtrusive; a refreshing change from some offices she'd worked in and their soap-opera-esque dramas. She settled in after brief introductions and began to familiarise herself with the customer base, ongoing projects, made some phone calls for how-do-you-dos.

In the quiet moments between, her mind kept drifting back to a pair of beautiful grey eyes and long toned smooth legs. She crossed her legs as such thoughts stole their way in, squeezing against the still damp gusset of her mysterious companion's sexy pants.

As the day wore on the memory became more distant, almost dreamlike, like the fond recollection of a holiday in years gone by, the details becoming blurred, just the feelings remaining, the smells and pleasures. By lunch time she could almost believe it was indeed a dream, that she'd fantasised it all on the ride in. What a strange and unexpected twist it was to realise such lesbian fantasies, embrace them even. Blushing to herself, she stared unfocused out of the window and tried to eat her lunch without dropping it.

A voice broke in to her meandering thoughts.

"Someone looks happy." It was Michelle, one of the 20something girls; pure Afro-Caribbean colouring, strikingly beautiful, lithe and athletic and, as Chris was discovering, a keen observer.

"Huh?" Slightly surprised out of her musings, Chris had forgotten Michelle was in the office, the other two having left for a lunch out.

"Smiling to yourself as you stare a 1000 miles out the window... Looks like a bad case of love to me," teased the younger woman, smiling warmly. "Or lust," she added with a wink.

Chris flushed furiously but laughed as she did. I hid that well.

"Well, I wasn't intending to put it on display but yes, I have recently met someone. I'm only recently divorced and honestly wasn't looking for anything...." she trailed off, picturing those shapely hips, the silken smoothness of the skin.

"The best finds are the ones we aren't looking for," said Michelle with conviction. "Surprise gifts are the most fun to receive."

Chris nodded around a mouth of sandwich, determined to eat at least some of it before it fell apart in her hand. She smiled with her eyes and Michelle met her gaze knowingly.

"So what's his name?"

It was a risk these days to just assume someone was purely heterosexual but Chris wasn't ready to admit anything to herself yet, let alone someone she'd only just met and had to work with. The encounter with the mysterious grey eyed woman was a unique experience and for all she knew, they may never lay eyes on each other again.

"You know, I have absolutely no idea," she answered, in wonderment of the truth of that statement. Here she was dreaming about a brief, albeit intense, physical encounter with a woman with no name.