"What can I ever do to repay you?" she asked, looking sincerely into my eyes as we sat in the front seats of her SUV in a mall parking lot. I had just helped her (at her insistence) in a technological manner to move a legal matter forward.
My immediate reaction was to reassure her there was nothing needing repayment β that's not how true friendships work. However, Mandy insisted there must be *something* she could do. I gave it a couple minutes' more thought as I appraised her, the situation and our long-lasting friendship. Mandy was very easy on the eyes β so much so, I absolutely loved being seen in public with her, where there was a chance people would wonder how someone like me (a bit nerdy, to be honest) could land a woman like Mandy. Striking brown, shoulder-length hair with auburn tints, beautiful, deep brown eyes with little flecks of gold when the light hit them just right, a smile to die for and a pleasantly-full (but not over-full) figure.
It was certainly true I had been in two minds about providing this service for her β I was uncomfortable about a lot of things with the situation and this latest act was really pushing the boundaries of a reasonable friendship. I had been in doubt about my willingness to carry through with it right up until a few minutes before I acted. But now it was over with and a palpable sense of relief filled the SUV, the windows starting to fog over as we sat in the rainy parking lot.
A security vehicle drove by in the distance and Mandy turned the engine on briefly to dissipate the fog from the windows β we didn't want mall security nosing into why we were sitting here so long. We'd been platonic friends for quite a few years (I'd wanted to be somewhat more than platonic on a few occasions and I thought perhaps Mandy had, too, but never both of us at the same time, so nothing ever progressed), but both married to others until very recently. Mandy was in the process of divorcing, while my wife and I had come to an "arrangement" whereby our mutual sex life was deemed dead (she had no interest and hadn't had for several years) and I was free to quietly do whatever (the less said, the better).
As I gazed at Mandy, a couple potential "repayment" methods did rise to the forefront of my mind. Would she go for either of them? Probably not β but was there any real harm in asking at this point? Even if she declined, our friendship was too deep to suffer β we'd still be friends for life.
"Do you have any ideas, yet?" Mandy questioned, bringing me abruptly out of my trance-like state, as she turned the engine off again, the windows now clear and revealing the fairly torrential rain spattering off the parking lot and the hood. The drumming on the roof was somewhat muted by comparison β or I had just learned to tune it out by now.
I looked Mandy directly in her hypnotic eyes β even her glasses had been a little fogged-up before, but now I could make good eye contact, also making sure to flash her my all-too-absent-these-days smile. I answered hesitantly "Well, I do have a couple ideas, but I'm not sure you'd go along with either of them?"
Mandy smiled back at me β she truly did have a beautiful smile β it changed her whole face and overall appearance, strengthening her jawline and drawing me in toward her. The wide console in the SUV prevented the *physical* drawing-in, of course. "Try me!" she suggested.
"Okay", I went on, making sure to speak very slowly and precisely so there was no chance she might mis-hear or mis-interpret. I was perhaps only ever going to get one chance at this. "I would very much like for you to let me familiarize my lips and tongue with your womanly parts, your mons, your labia, your vagina, your clit. I want to caress your intimate parts and taste your intimate juices, right from the source." I stared Mandy in the eyes throughout my request. She never even blinked until I paused.
Mandy glanced down at her hands, twisting in her lap, before raising her gaze to look at me again. "I..., I don't think I can quite do that. That would be crossing a line I don't think I want to cross right now, at least until my current situation is finalized."
She must have seen my expression sadden, as she quickly added "That's not to rule it out from ever happening, but not at this point in time, I'm sorry." I noticed her smile had faded, too, as she pursed her lips and furrowed her brow a little, as if trying to think of some other solution.
My request had obviously thrown her for a bit of a loop, as she didn't ask for my alternative suggestion right away, so I quickly raised it: "I do have an alternative...", causing her to brighten up and look me in the eye again.
"And that might be?" she asked, expectantly, face almost glowing with that smile again, obviously eager to provide something in the way of encouragement for me.
"How about you let me see you in your underwear, maybe lingerie? No touching, no pictures, no video. Just let me gaze upon your beautiful body, up-close, for a few minutes?"
Mandy again hesitated, casting her eyes downward, "Ummmm...I'm not sure. I was expecting something more along the lines of a nice steak dinner or something like that? You know I have to come across as squeaky-clean for a few more months..." As she completed her reply, she raised her eyes to meet mine once more and gave me that smile I can never refuse, dazzling me into submission. She could play me like a well-loved musical instrument, manipulating me every time to meet her desires. And even as I knew this was happening, I continued to let her do it to me. The alternative (no Mandy as an important part of my life) was unthinkable.
I put on my happier-than-I-really-was face for her. "Sure β a steak dinner works too β just remember that one will be in *addition* to the one you already promised me for my birthday in a few weeks."
Flashing her most awesome smile of the day, Mandy said "Great! Now, we'd better both get going before traffic gets too busy, what with the weather, it being Friday, getting toward rush-hour, etc."
She reached over the ridiculously-wide console for a hug and I responded in like. It did mean we didn't really hug properly and it took considerable effort to NOT let my right hand cup her left boob. It was just an overall awkward angle for a hug. I buried my face in her neck and breathed that lovely aroma only Mandy possessed, my lips resting on the flesh just below her right ear.
All too soon, hug-time was over and I let myself out of her SUV, jumped down to the parking lot, closed her door, opened my own driver-side door and entered my own car, trying to minimize the effects of the pouring rain on myself. Once in, I started the car, waved across to Mandy and off she drove. I was extremely crestfallen, dejection sweeping over my demeanor. I sat in the lot for a couple minutes before gathering myself and heading out into traffic.