"Come on, Hope, let's have a look inside."
Crowds of people walked past as Ivy gestured towards the modern store on Oxford Street. The store she suggested we looked inside was called Harmony and the halo above the 'a' and the horns on the 'o' suggested exactly what type of shop this was. The writing on the window inviting shoppers to escape the cold and discover their erotic fantasy confirmed that.
A few weeks had passed since Ivy found me tied up with the letter I had written for her and the incredible night and day that followed; not only was Ivy supportive of my extra-curricular activities, but she was now also happy to be involved. Unfortunately, in the lead-up to the winter break, the university work started piling up and it was hard to find the time to continue from where we left off with studying and the part-time jobs we both had; though, that wasn't to say we didn't squeeze a little play in, let's just say Ivy hadn't had to do the dishes for a while.
Time flew while I was busy, and in no time at all, winter end-of-term had arrived and Ivy had persuaded me to join her for a short train ride into London to do some Christmas shopping. My parents had essentially paid for my first year of tuition and accommodation through their savings so I had managed to save up a fair chunk of money from my pay which I had used a little to buy my parents their Christmas presents. After a day out in London today, there was an end-of-term Ibiza-themed at a club close to the university on Saturday, then a day to recover on Sunday before my parents picked me up to go home for Christmas. I'd been looking forward to the break for a while, but with recent events, I was going to miss Ivy being around which was why I agreed to both this shopping trip and to join her at the end-of-term party.
Ivy beckoned me to look inside the adult shop and I don't know why I felt so awkward about it; this was a classy-looking store in the middle of Oxford Street and plenty of people were walking in and out. Still, I avoided anyone's eyes as Ivy held my hand and guided me inside behind the electronic screens on the front that hid the shop's wares from those who didn't or shouldn't be seeing them.
Inside, display stands were full of all sorts of adult toys and sexy clothes and it was clear that no one else around was that bothered by my presence in the store to be judging me. Feeling relaxed, I admired the rails of lingerie and sexy outfits and winced when I saw the price tags; 'maybe one day', I thought to myself.
We moved on to the toys and I ogled all the pretty leather cuffs and collars on display along with the premade harnesses and intimidating nipple clamps. I'd shopped online before, appreciating the discrete nature of it, but being here and seeing the items up close was much better. Ivy seemed as excited as a kid in a sweet store as she marvelled over the items on display and her eyes lit up when we reached the anal section.
"Didn't you say you needed a new plug?"
I appreciated that she asked quietly and that no one was nearby, though I still felt embarrassed. She was right of course, I had said that since the first one I bought was now slipping in with ease and I wanted to feel more full inside, but the idea of choosing one in a store full of shoppers and bringing that plug to the cashier filled me with dread. Ivy sensed my unease and pulled me close, saying I could order one online.
We left the shop, but Ivy told me to wait outside quickly as she wanted to pick up one of the outfits she liked. I knew she only did this because she was aware of my unease at approaching the cashier, even if I wasn't the one buying, and I silently berated myself for not having the confidence to do it. My nervous nature was the reason I had held off trying self-bondage for so long, and surely I should have learned by now that sometimes it was better to be brave and just go for it.
Minutes later, Ivy returned to me outside and we went to the local Wetherspoons for lunch. The corner booth we sat in offered us privacy and Ivy revealed to me the black, latex mini-dress she had bought for herself; the thought of seeing her wear it was causing my clit to throb, though that could also be because I hadn't orgasmed for a couple of weeks.
"I also bought you an early Christmas present."
Ivy passed me the bag and I looked around to check no one was looking before reaching into the bag and pulling out a box. The box contained a matching app-controlled butt plug and vibrator with a two-part harness made of thin straps that had adjustable vibrating rings at the front to sit around the base of the nipples and to hold the plug and vibrator in place. I remember seeing the promotional bay in the store we had just been in and thinking they would be cool to try, but of course, I didn't have the confidence to buy it. I looked up, dumb-founded at Ivy trying to find the words to say.
"Ivy, you shouldn't have. I haven't got you anything."
"Don't worry about that Hope, this present is as much for me as it is for you."
I wiped my face, feeling embarrassed by the tears forming. What good did I do to deserve someone like Ivy in my life?"
"Don't cry, you'll make me cry." Ivy joked to lighten the mood.
While waiting for the food, I felt Ivy spread my legs with her feet under the table, I looked up to see her face lit with a mischievous grin. Due to the end of the table being covered by a wooden pane bearing the pub's name and logo, no one would see what was happening underneath the table, but I was still very much aware of how busy the pub was.