Wrap It Up - A Tickling Story

PART I

The day was winding down, and her evening had proceeded like so many others before. The mild, overcast afternoon had changed to evening during her walk home, bringing with it a cool Autumn breeze and a bright, full moon that climbed steadily higher into the night's sky, periodically obscured by lingering grey clouds.

Heavy dew clung to short blades of yellowing grass as Emma made her way up the path toward her house, dried leaves crunching loudly underfoot as she walked beneath the large red maple outside her bedroom window. Dropping her bag at the door and making her way upstairs, it wasn't long before she found herself in the shower, eager to rinse away the day's stresses.

Steam began to fill the bathroom while she continued to fidget with the handle, attempting to find the perfect water temperature, her body absorbing the heat like a sponge. It was a meditation of sorts, simultaneously boosting her senses while alleviating residual muscle tension. She found it to be infinitely calming after a long day on her feet, especially as her body wash filled the humid room with a fresh fragrance, invigorating her skin. But like all other relaxing moments, it was fleeting.

The twenty-two year old girl exited the steam-filled bathroom, blonde hair wrapped up tightly in her blue bath towel, with another cloaking her body. The air in the hallway was much cooler in contrast, and a chill ran through her petite frame, causing her pace to quicken as she walked swiftly to the bedroom.

A table lamp sitting atop her nightstand provided just enough light for the small room. And although its temperature wasn't any different than the hallway, she'd already begun to feel warm in the cozy space.

After drying off, she donned a pair of light pink pajama pants and a white tee shirt. Although still slightly chilled, she was looking forward to slipping into bed and soaking up the blanket's warmth. Before sliding on her slippers, she made sure to squeeze a dab of moisturizing body butter into her palm, rubbing a light coating over her bare feet, ensuring it had been spread evenly across both top and bottom, massaging deeply.

This particular pair of slippers resembled moccasins, and were lined with Berber fleece, for maximum comfort. The fuzzy material felt perfectly soft as she wiggled her perpetually cold toes inside. It was as if the room's temperature had risen several degrees simply from slipping them on, as their wooly interior provided soothing warmth that was nothing short of euphoric.

Instinctively reaching across the dresser to grab a hairbrush, her hand instead caught the edge of her makeup kit, sending it sailing to the hardwood floor below, its contents scattering every direction.

"Oh, come on," she muttered to herself, unenthusiastically dropping to her knees to begin gathering the fallen items.

The long day had taken its toll, and although she didn't feel especially tired, her brain just wasn't firing on all cylinders at the moment. A quick glance at her alarm clock on her way across the room to obtain a powder brush - having rolled quite a remarkable distance - served as a reminder that her boyfriend, Dave, would be letting himself in the front door sooner than later. But there was no hurry, as tonight would give them time to unwind. Perhaps some snuggles and Netflix would be in order, but whatever they decided to do with their time together it would be the perfect end to the day, there was no doubt.

No sooner had she finished the thought did she hear a rapid knock on the door downstairs, followed immediately by a short squeak of its hinge, and a deep, familiar voice.

"Hey, babe! I'm here!" he shouted, in order to be heard from the second floor.

"Okay, I'm upstairs!" she replied, still inspecting the kit, counting the cosmetic items to determine if she'd overlooked anything.

Believing that she'd located every wayward brush littering the bedroom floor, she turned her attention back to the task at hand. Her hair wasn't going to brush itself, and she wanted to be under the covers as soon as humanly possible.

Releasing it from the towel and letting damp locks tumble over her shoulders, Emma began the next step in her bedtime routine. Moments later, she heard the distinct sound of footsteps travelling her direction, growing louder as her boyfriend made his way upstairs. Carefully picking up her brush from the dresser, she turned to greet him.

Upon entering the room, Dave gave her a sly grin, admiring her slim figure.

"Aww, it looks like I'm too late. Wish I had caught ya in the shower. Not that I'm unhappy to see this pj-clad beauty, of course,"

"You flatter me as always," came her reply, partway through brushing out a small tangle. "Did you happen to bring any snacks? Cause that would be amazing right now."

With a slight delay he replied, " Oh, yeah! I bought you some chips, I set them on the counter downstairs. Just one second,"

And with that he turned on his heels and bounded down the dimly lit stairs.

*

According to her phone it was now 10:54pm, as the sleepy girl picked it up off the nightstand to check a message from her friend, Kelly. Noticing the message, Dave ran a hand through his short, brown hair and asked, "How's Kelly doin'?"

"Oh, she's all moved in. I guess it didn't take that long, since she had plenty of help," she replied, while reaching for another old-fashioned barbecue chip.

Now that the small, two-bedroom house was entirely hers, Dave would no doubt be moving in, although that hadn't been carved in stone quite yet. For now, she was content with having him sleep over a few nights per week, and this just so happened to be the first night they'd be completely alone.

Emma's gaze turned toward the television sitting atop a small desk in the corner of the room. It was early in October and that meant two things; pumpkin spice everything, and Halloween TV shows. Rather than watching a horror movie, she opted for a Halloween-themed baking show. Right now, Frankenstein's monster was putting the final touches on a series of chocolate cupcakes.

"Don't they look good?" Emma asked, folding over the bag of chips, setting them on the nightstand nearby.

"Yeah, for sure. I'm gettin' hungry,"

"You're always hungry. Maybe we can make some tomorrow?"

"Sure thing, babe," he replied, reaching across her side of the bed to give her a little poke, his finger finding a soft spot between two ribs.

"Eeeek!" she squealed, recoiling at his probing finger. "Get outta here!"

"Make me," he replied, his arm reaching toward her again, this time sneaking under her shirt to gently pinch her bare skin.

"Pffftheehee!" giggled Emma, her arm dropping down swiftly in order block his tickly attacks. "Man, quit it!"

"Oh, sensitive tonight?" he teased, giving her a quick wink.

"No, I'm not," she said in a groggy tone of voice while rubbing her eyes. "I'm just sleepy, is all."

Emma removed the blanket from atop her body and swung her legs out of bed. She slid her dainty size sevens back into her moccasins without letting them touch the chilly hardwood floor and began shuffling out of the room, pausing briefly as she turned back toward the bed.

"I'll be right back, I just wanna brush my teeth. Maybe we can wrap it up soon, and go to bed?"

Dave nodded in agreement, watching her slip out of the room, leaving him to finish the spooky cupcake segment of the show by himself.

*

The television had been switched off, and a sense a tranquility overtook the small bedroom, with the exception of wind rattling the nearly-naked limbs of the maple tree outside in the darkness. Emma was laying on her side, phone in hand, its gentle glow illuminating her face. Although she was growing sleepier with every passing minute, it was still too early to kill the lights and close her eyes for the night.

The small girl was completely covered by her large, grey comforter. It was down-filled and exceptionally warm, which was important in her place as the heat never seemed to rise the way it should in order to sufficiently warm the rooms on the second floor. On a cool Fall evening such as this, it was the only place to be.

She heard the ambient noise of running water coming from across the hallway, the squeak of a tap being twisted closed, then nothing. A light switch was then flicked off and Dave entered the room moments later.

"Sleepy yet?" he asked, looking at her motionless body while rubbing the stubble on his chin.

She stirred, taking a sideways glance in his direction, still preoccupied by her phone.

"Umm, yeah kinda. I'm just enjoying the quiet, I guess," she replied, her head sinking back into the pillow. "Waiting for my brain to shut down."

Dave uttered a grunt of acknowledgment while his eyes gazed down upon her blanket-cloaked body. Her small frame was completely dwarfed by it, as she wasn't nearly tall enough for her feet to reach the end of the queen-size bed, which took up a large portion of the tiny bedroom, adamantly refusing on several occasions to purchase one that would better fit the small space. Regardless of bed size, she always enjoyed having one foot outside the blankets simply to help regulate body heat, and tonight was no exception.

"Are you gonna join me, or what?" she asked, her attention elsewhere.

"Oh, yeah. I'm heading in that direction,"

From his perspective, standing in the doorway, the only visible parts of his girlfriend were the top of her head, and a single bare foot jutting out from one corner of the colossal blanket. He removed his black-framed glasses, and used the bottom of his tee shirt to clean the lenses. After placing them back on his face, he leered at the motionless appendage, mesmerized by its delicate appearance. Unsure of how long he'd been standing there gawking, her voice pulled him from the daydream.

"Stop watchin' me, creep. Get into bed,"

"Sounds like a plan to me,"

Stepping forward, his socked foot caught the edge of an unknown object, causing it to skitter across the hardwood floor, sliding to a halt near the foot of the bed. Looking down, it appeared to be a small wooden brush, no doubt from one of her makeup kits. There was one in the bathroom, and one larger kit she kept on her dresser, next to an assortment of creams, perfumes and other items of similar nature.

"What was that?" she asked, perking up.

"Oh, nuthin'. Just one of your makeup brushes, I think," he replied, bending over to pick it up.

"Oh, okay. I dropped a bunch of them earlier, thought that I'd found them all. I'm clumsy tonight. Could you set it on my dresser, please?"

"Yeah, for sure,"

After returning the item to the dresser, he turned around to find himself within arm's reach of her exposed, bare foot. Deciding it best not to become distracted again, he took a single step to the left, watching the light from her phone shimmer in her pale, blue eyes. Although her demeanour this evening was cheery, it was obvious that she was getting tired, and bedtime would be right around the corner.

"What ya watchin'?" he asked, still focused on her eyes.

"Kelly sent me some TikTok's, a couple were really funny, do you wanna watch them?"

She shifted her body within the confines of the blanket, her foot moving ever so slightly, but enough for Dave's eyes to dart in its direction. His attention was split, and he let out another grunt to acknowledge what she'd asked, his eyes continuing to linger on the lone foot for a time. It was as if displayed for him alone, utterly unobstructed and asking to be caressed. Her toes had been painted a vibrant shade of orange, as to fit in with the season, although black would've also been acceptable. As if willed by his wandering thoughts they curled ever so slightly, causing a multitude of little wrinkles to appear on her precious sole, then just as quickly uncurled, causing each one to instantly vanish.

He stepped to the right, back within reach of this pleasant distraction. His mind drifted, which wasn't uncommon. A lack of verbal response to a question or statement wasn't typically intentional on his part. In this case, his fondness for a cute pair of feet was the direct cause of his absentmindedness. For someone like Dave, this was a sight to behold.

They hadn't been dating long, having met over the Summer via a mutual friend, immediately hitting it off and spending quite a lot of time together. He felt all too comfortable around her, and if the need arose to discuss a specific topic - uncomfortable or otherwise - he never shied away, finding that she constantly put him at ease. But, there was one particular topic that he hadn't brought to her attention, at least not yet, and whether it was due to a lack of courage or a sense of vulnerability, he couldn't say.

"What're you doin' down there?" came her voice from the other end of the large bed.

Perhaps he'd lingered a bit too long. Responding to her questions with actual words rather than noises would've also been wise. Regardless, his silence in the relatively quiet environment was noticeable.

"Ah, nuthin' in particular," he said. "Just thinkin' about stuff."

"Oh? What sort of 'stuff'?"

"Nuthin' too important, really. Ya know what I'm like. Guess I zoned out, it's been a long day,"

He knelt down, now eye-level and inches away from her breathtakingly beautiful sole. This wasn't the first time he'd been up close and personal with her lower extremities, as he stole a glance whenever the opportunity presented itself, always taking the time to admire every nuanced detail of her gorgeous feet.

She had marshmallowy-soft heels that rose into high, silky-smooth arches. They were milky-white, whereas the rest of her foot had a slight rosy hue. His eyes then travelled over the ball of her foot to her deliciously suckable toes. All ten digits were slender, elegant, and perfectly proportioned. They were begging to be played with, as her entire foot was sublime; decadent in its softness.

This was due to a foot care routine second to none; she regularly applied lotion, typically followed by a pair of socks or slippers, which helped retain moisture, ensuring they remained immaculate. Her current body lotion of choice was a blend of vanilla bean and fresh orange blossom - which he knew only from examining the bottle on her dresser - giving her feet a sweet, yet fruity scent. Pedicures were a frequent occurrence as well, as she had a good friend who was a beautician. This meant a cost savings, which equaled pedi's more often, which naturally translated to lusciously tender feet nearly all the time, no matter how many hours she was on them.

"Where'd ya go?" she asked, swivelling her head to look for her absent boyfriend.

"Uh, just taking a look at somethin'. I got distracted,"

His eyes were transfixed. It was as if her foot had been disconnected from the leg, severed at the ankle and left to lay there all on its own. Though if he were to reach out and touch it he was betting he'd see just how attached it was. There was little rational thought factoring into his next decision. Continuing to stare, engrossed by its beauty and letting instinct guide him, his hand began moving of its own accord, reaching out and descending toward the unsuspecting target.

"You do get distracted easily, that's true. And it's definitely been a long day. Why don't you--aieheehee!"

Her words were cut short, replaced by a high-pitched squeal. He'd caught her completely by surprise. The electric shock flowing from the bottom of her foot to her brain was instantaneous, stimulating countless nerve endings, and causing her petite foot to retract back into the relative safety of the blankets, hidden from sight.

"Frig off, idiot! Don't be ticklin' me!" she spat, a half-grin lingering on her face.

"Why not? Your foot was essentially on display. What did ya expect me to do, ignore it?"

"You're such a tickle-fiend tonight! I gotta stay on guard around you,"

The sound she made when his curious finger had grazed the bottom of her foot was music to his ears. But it was all over as quickly as it had begun, and Dave was left with a feeling of longing, wishing she'd reveal it to him again.

Emma was ticklish; excruciatingly so. He'd found out several weeks earlier, near the end of Summer when they'd paid a visit to a local beach. They'd been in and out of the crystal-clear water all day, and she'd been sunbathing when he finally worked up the courage to give her feet a test. With the bikini-clad beauty laying on her beach towel, oblivious to his intentions, he ran an index finger up her sandy sole, producing an adorable little laugh. Unfortunately, there'd been too many people around to continue at the time, although he'd love nothing more than to bury her in the warm sand and tickle her helpless feet for hours, not unlike what happened to her friends, Kelly and Morgan, not too long ago.

However, tonight was entirely different. Tonight he wanted to explore, as this was a prime opportunity to push her limits while enjoying the one thing that he desired more than anything else; pampered, ticklish feet. This was going to be a blast, hopefully proving to be an evening he wouldn't soon forget.

"Sorry, I couldn't help myself. Won't happen again," he lied, without the slightest effort to sound convincing.

"I hope not, you really caught me off guard. Are you coming into bed, or what?"

"Yeah, soon. I bet you're warm and cozy all wrapped up like that," said Dave, not yet standing up, his eyes still lingering on the empty space where her foot had once rested.

"Yup, I'm super cozy in fact. So, will you be joining me sometime tonight?"

"I'm on my way," he replied, slightly disappointed that her little foot hadn't yet reappeared.

With that he stood, the room's silence interrupted by groaning floorboards underfoot. Dave climbed up onto the bed, but instead of crawling under the covers as requested, he instead turned around and kneeled yet again, this time on the bed with his back toward her.

As if prompted by his thoughts, she shifted around behind him, stretching her leg back out once more. And to his delight, her exquisite bare foot made its second appearance of the evening.

Emma was now laying on her belly, propping herself up on her elbows while absentmindedly scrolling through TikTok, blissfully unaware of her boyfriend's steady gaze, and evil ambitions.

The foot, having now rematerialized, was currently upturned, jutting out from under the big blanket; cute as a button and as tantalizing as ever. He marvelled at its soft appearance, not a single imperfection to be found; as if carved from a block of pure marble. Perhaps those slippers she'd been wearing earlier were not only designed for comfort, but had a magically-imbued lining designed to keep her feet as satiny-smooth as possible.

A laugh interrupted his thoughts, snapping him back to reality.

"Oh, you gotta see this one!" she giggled, continuing to stare at her phone.

"Oh yeah? Funny one, was it?" he replied, still fixated on what he longed to touch.

She responded, but it went in one ear and out the other. He couldn't focus on anything else besides the lonely sole that was calling his name, practically begging for attention. It looked so phenomenally tender, a softness so profound it would make cashmere feel like sandpaper. This was clearly an open invitation, one he simply couldn't pass up. His hand travelled toward the inattentive girl's sole, his fingers mere inches from making contact, but it wasn't meant to be.

In an attempt to adjust herself within the sheets, she'd managed to withdraw her foot once again, pulling it just out of reach, effectively hidden from the outstretched hand. Having been cheated out of his prize yet again, and frustration mounting, it was time to get this fortuitous situation under wraps.