A New Innocence

Annie stepped aside to welcome the girls into her apartment. Her husband, Dan, was away on business, and this was the new bride's first opportunity since the wedding for a 'girls' night out'. Joss, her maid-of-honour, smiled tentatively as she entered, followed quietly by the three bridesmaids, Leah, Krissy, and Mallory. The subdued atmosphere felt strange. Joss, Leah, Krissy, and Annie had grown up buds. They had gone through school together, and, in many ways, were as close as sisters. Mallory was a younger friend from work. Usually bubbly, her restrained demeanour seemed out of place.

Annie's wedding had been three weeks ago, followed by a week's honeymoon in Mexico. But her staggette had been the week before the wedding. And that was where it all happened! That was the current 'elephant in the room"!

Annabelle 'Annie' Fairchild was everything her name suggested: wholesome and genuine, with a charming country-girl innocence. Not glamorous, she was slim – small, though not really short – and small-busted – shapely, with long, wavy, off-black, slightly auburn hair. The roots of much of her family tree had been in India, although its branches had spread, first to Fiji, and, several generations back, to Canada. Pretty in a homey, honest sort of way, she had a cute figure. But her real beauty danced in her eyes, and in her gorgeous smile. Annie was, however – or had been, anyway – naïve to a fault – almost to the point of being pathetic – but not quite.

Engaged to a truly nice guy, so happy, she had been walking on air. The first of her close friends to get married, she was also the first to get taken on a 'staggette'. Her friends teased her: "How could Miss Innocent end up being the first to tie the knot." "Maybe she has some secrets she's not sharing!"

While it was all in good fun, her best friend, Joss, the one who arranged the bachelorette party, harboured just a tiny bit of resentment.

Fairly tall, with an athletic build, Joss had shoulder length, mousy brown hair. She carried herself with a sort of sharp, no-nonsense poise – a kind of mask, covering up a deep insecurity. Big-busted, she generally wore baggy or shapeless clothes to disguise her bosom. Often more a spectator than participant, she often seemed rather stand-off-ish, radiating a don't-mess-with-me attitude; notwithstanding, her friends knew that she was, in fact, a real softy beneath the hard-shelled exterior she presented to strangers.

Maybe because she'd been disillusioned too many times, had bailed out of repeated bad relationships, Joss was feeling kind of tired of Annie's effervescent smile and ever-sunny disposition. Although she knew she shouldn't be, Joss was jealous of Annie's enduring innocence.

— — — — — X — — — — —

The staggette night's activities were to be a session of 'boudoir' photography with a professional photographer. A friend of a friend was apparently experienced with that sort of thing and had a studio in Gastown. "But," Joss had announced, "we'll have to start of with a few drinks, just to loosen everyone up a bit!" And so they did.

Annie had found herself getting increasingly intoxicated, almost uncomfortably so. Her condition was, in no small part, due to the fact that Joss had surreptitiously spiked her drink – along with Mallory's.

Mallory, the new-kid-on-the-block, was somewhat of an unknown among the group. She had really just met the other bridesmaids, and felt a little intimidated by their age, shared history, and experience together. At 23 years old, Mallory was small, and young looking, but with a great figure. Her small breasts boasted large, prominent nipples – often conspicuously high-beam. Her long, wavy, ebony hair, framed a cute face – suggestive of an alluringly innocent Hispanic heritage. Mallory was excitable – almost hyper – and gullible.

For whatever reason – Joss told herself she was just assisting the two innocents in tempering their inhibitions; and it probably was mostly innocent – Joss had secretly conspired to drop a little GHB into a couple of their drinks. So, especially for Annie and Mallory, the night had been a whirlwind – a miasma of lights and sensations. Indeed, all of them were still coming to terms with the whole thing.

In the end, nonetheless, the boudoir album had turned out great. Rather naughty and sensual, but classy and tasteful. It had been viewed somewhat apprehensively by the girls, just prior to the wedding, while they were getting dressed. They all agree that, in and of itself, it was pretty tame – pretty harmless. And though all five girls had found it a little awkward, the wedding had gone off without a hitch.

"You know," Annie began, as much to break the self-conscious silence as anything, as the guests looked about and chose a seat, "I took the boudoir album on our honeymoon."

"You showed Dan?" Joss asked, a little skeptical.

"Yep."

Leah asked the question on everyones mind. "How'd that work out?"

"I was more than a bit worried, but he liked it. He was impressed with the quality and professionalism. He liked the studio logo – Bedroom Secrets." Annie shrugged in a kind of 'who knew' sot of way. "He was really almost proud of me, it seemed. He actually chuckled about me 'displaying a bit of a wild side!'"

"If you only knew," she remembered thinking. But, she'd decided then and there that guilt achieved nothing; what's done is done. She intended to go on from there – but first they'd all see what really happened.

Joss interrupted her reverie by holding up two USB keys and asking, "Out-take album or video?"

"Video," came the unanimous reply. Then they all sat, uneasy, agitated, as Joss approached the TV. None of them had seen it yet. They really had little idea what actually to expect.

They all sat, waiting in a charged silence as Joss inserted the flash drive, and returned to join Leah and Mallory on the couch. When they were settled, Annie, beside Krissy, on the love seat, pointed the remote and started the video.

— — — — — X — — — — —

It began with, as they remembered, the only staged scene; them arriving at the door of the studio, and being welcomed into the foyer, by Grant and Simon, the photographer and his assistant. Grant was a friend of a friend of Leah's.

Relieved of their coats, they were escorted onto the studio floor, and seated on couches, while the gentlemen explained how the 'Boudoir shoot' would work. That was the extent of the staged part. The rest of the video was real! During a quick Q&A, very professional titles began to roll up the screen:

A New Innocence:

A Visual Record of the Staggette for Annabelle Fairchild, June 23, 2015;

Starring – Annabelle, Jocelyn, Leah, Kristin, and Mallory;

Also featuring The Three Musketeers – Arthos, Porthos, and Aramis.

Everyone gasped softly at the title, and the last line elicited deep blushing – and flushing – on all five girls, but no one made a noise, save for Mallory's nervous giggle.

They watched as Annie was led up a step of what amounted to a low stage, in the centre of which stood a nicely made-up bed, complete with crisp, clean sheets, a matching duvet, pillows, and frilly bolsters. Annie was presented with a selection of clothing, – sleepwear, lingerie, lounging wear, and more seductive clothes, and Grant explained that the pics can get as racy as they dare, assuring all the girls – Annie especially – that all the 'out-takes' would be kept entirely separate, in an out-take file. Watching their memories unfold before them in living colour, all five, collectively, held their breath as the image of Annie disappeared behind a fabric screen to change into the first costume.

That first outfit was a classic peignoir set, consisting of a robe, a negligee, and bikini panties, all white and sheer with lace accents, shot with silver – looking fresh out of a 1950s film. Hints of Annie's well-trimmed bush, and dark areolas were visible as vague shadows through the fine fabric.

Grant directed the poses – posing Annie on and around the bed for tastefully suggestive and glamourous pictures – and moved about the stage snapping pictures while Simon, as had been explained earlier, spooked about in the background recording video. Annie giggled self-consciously as she followed directions, basking in the attention of the camera, and accepting the teasing encouragement of her entourage. Smiling and laughing, Grants comment, "As racy as they dare," circulated through Annie's thoughts, indeed, through all of their thoughts.

Standing proud, chest out, one knee resting at the turned down sheets, Annie managed to look positively sultry as she seductively peeled the robe off her shoulders and shrugged it from her arms, depositing it in a puddle on the floor. For an instant, between clicks of the camera's shutter, all was silent. Everyone watching was amazed at how natural she looked – how comfortable.

"Come on," Leah shouted, "Let's see some cleavage!" thrusting out her own chest and pulling her blouse partially open in demonstration.

Leah was a short, pleasantly plump, 2nd – or 3rd, depending on which way one counted – generation Korean-Canadian, with thick black hair in a cute page-boy cut. Generally extroverted, she was almost embarrassingly proud of her huge boobs. A bit overbearing at times, Leah was a good friend – lots of fun, and always well-meaning.

To everyones surprise, as Leah shook her massive tits, Krissy tentatively stepped up onto the stage and reached for Annie. The other girls looked on, in awe, as a bold determination seemed to sweep over Krissy, replacing her usual furtive shyness. Straightening Annie's neckline, and fluffing her hair, Krissy took on the role of dresser, or costume/makeup mistress, although, it was becoming evident that it was a thinly disguised excuse for her touching Annie. Still, Krissy checked wordlessly with Grant, the de facto director, for guidance. As she finished adjusting Annie's bodice, Leah called out, "Show us your tits!"

Mallory virtually buzzed out her concurrence, "Yeah, it's showtime!"

"Now, now, girls. Behave yourselves," Krissy reprimanded with an, albeit false, air of propriety. All the while Joss watched intently, suspicious that there was something else going on here – something that she didn't quite understand.

"There," Krissy nodded to Grant, "Beautiful!" Leaning back, she admired Annie's wonderfully displayed chest. As Krissy backed off the stage, Annie let her eyes shift over to grab onto Grant's lens, as he captured the well posed exposure.

Flushing at Krissy's boldness, the supporters became more and more excited, vociferously encouraging Annie to be increasingly revealing. Chanting, "Give us some nipple!" their carefree laughter began to charge the atmosphere with a sort of wild abandon. More intoxicated than she was, perhaps, used to being, and somewhat overwhelmed by the situation, Annie could feel an air of seduction gathering around her, eroding her inhibitions.

So, with a sudden resolution, Annie hooked a finger over the frilly neckline, and pulled down to expose a crescent of her areola. The girls all hooted and hollered. "Holy shit," she thought to herself. "What's got into me?" Then the flashing of the camera brought Annie back into focus. Pouting into the lens, she figured, "In for a penny; in for a pound!" and tugged down a little harder, allowing her bare nipple to peek over the frilly edge like a little gumdrop – red and cheeky. The girls went wild.

"Okay," Grant managed, when they finally settled again. "Let's try another outfit," and he guided Annie back behind the screen.

The second kit was a black basque with scarlet accents, over scarlet thong panties – tied neatly with bows at each hip – thigh-highs, and heels. Once again, Grant directed Annie in posing on and about the bed. The poses became increasingly racy and suggestive, and Annie's looks more sultry and mischievous.

While the lights flashed, and Grant's camera clicked – all the while Simon's video lens taking it all in – Krissy stepped, once again – and this time more confidently – onto the platform, eyes locked onto Annie's. She reached forward, and, not detecting any resistance, cupped Annie's bosom, weighing her breasts gently. After a brief pause, she murmured, "Now, let's help this bustier do its push-up thing." She gently gathered Annie's boobs together, lifting them into well-defined prominence, high on her chest. "There," she announced, satisfied, "that's it. That accentuates your cleavage!" The others suddenly let out a breath, and voiced their appreciation with ooohs and aaaaahs.

Slowly, reluctantly, releasing her grip, still for a moment, Krissy held Annie's eyes as Annie's own hands settled under her own boobs, replacing Krissy's, lifting her bust to display her smooth fleshy globes, and holding the exaggerated cleavage for the camera. Krissy stepped back off the platform as the camera snapped again and again. Then Annie found the video lens with her eyes and coyly stuck her tongue out as she bounced her tits, highlighting chest's 'baby's bottom'.

To start, Annie had only been marginally aware that the whole thing was being videoed, but now she was noticing the video camera, more than Grant's, and playing up to it. And she was gradually sobering up – emerging from the effects of the drinks, and, unbeknownst to her, the drug, and it was becoming clear to her that, besides a softly erotic, general consumption picture album, there would be a digital 'out-takes' album, and a video of the evening. She felt a tingle of excitement in the anticipation of that.

Caught up in the exhibitionism of it all, a small part of her still wondered what was going on. "How did this happen?" she asked herself. "What have I allowed them to do to me?" Still, in some calm part of her brain, Annie knew it was basically all in fun. Any inner argument had become so muddled as to be meaningless. So, unknown to the others, she just accepted that there had been no ill-intent or malice, and surrendered herself to the fates of the situation. "Okay," she murmured, under her breath, "let's go with the flow!"

Gazing into the video camera, she languorous, yet brazenly pulled the crotch of her panties aside to flash her beaver at the girls – and the cameras.

The response was thunderous! "Whooo hooo!" The girls fist-pumped and stomped their feet. Grant even smiled as he clicked multiple exposures; Simon whirled to catch an angle. It was only a moment. Annie grinned widely as she let go, letting the tiny gusset snap back over her vulva. She patted her pubis through her panties as she waited for the uproar to subside.

After a brief interval of stunned and satisfied silence, Grant suggested, "How about another outfit?"

Annie's disappearance behind the screen gave her audience a moment to recover, yet, when she reappeared they were all surprised. The third get-up she had chosen was relatively modest – loose, steel gray, satin pyjamas, with a large-lapel, button-front top, and baggy bottoms with a tie-string above a buttoned fly-front.

Still ostensibly in the 'boudoir' mode, there was a definite air of expectation. Grant held back his direction, and Annie's ad libbed poses, quickly became more daring, flashing cleavage, loosing buttons and ties; with threatening reveals the session seemed to be pushing the boundaries.

After a flurry of pictures and poses in varying degrees of modesty, there was a brief, natural pause. Simon, the videographer, broke the silence. "Let me explain, ladies, that at this juncture clients often want to throw in a little bit of X-rating."

"Oooh!?" They girls paused to listen. The silent consensus was that it was Annie's call, and, perhaps, she had already made it, what with the bit of flashing she'd already done.

"A little bit of 'playing' – with fingers or toys or whatever – we have a collection of toys available – 'playing' intensifies the aura, and allows the subject to radiate sexuality. Believe it or not, as imperceptible as it may seem, the camera can pick up these subtle, sensual changes – whether in the eyes, on the lips, in the blush, or in the body language. Our clients often find that the pictures turn out just a little bit more sensuous – while maintaining the requisite modesty, of course – when there has been a wee bit of erotic stimulation during the session." 'Often' may have been a bit of over-selling, but there was, indeed, a germ of truth in what he said. "Let me assure you that any pictures of said stimulation are just for the out-takes album." He smiled, letting the video recording wind on without notice, while adding, "No pressure, at all."

Nodding in agreement, Grant added, "And only as far as you're comfortable. Nothing more."

All eyes were on Annie. It seemed everyone else had subconsciously sensed the change in Annie, and waited to see what would transpire. The girls leaned slightly forward in anticipation, as one, willing Annie to respond. Annie's eyes scanned her audience, her stare stopping briefly on each flushed, excited face. She was curious to find that she was without protest or resistance. Letting her gaze come to rest on the video's lens, Annie slowly, teasingly, allowed a cheeky smile to creep onto her face. She felt a shift in the very core of her being. The innocent, prude persona she had lived with for twenty-seven years seemed to vapourize before her mind's eye. Without warning exhibitionism seemed more inviting than modesty – lascivious adventure more appealing than inhibition.

"Well?" she asked, benignly.

"Show us your tits!" Leah yelled again, and they all began laughing hysterically, chanting through the laughter, "Yeah, show us, show us, show us!"

Suddenly Annie couldn't stop laughing. Her nervous energy fed an, albeit brief, hysteria that scared the daylights out of her. She couldn't catch her breath, and momentarily became paralyzed, as, somewhere in the back of her mind she asked herself, "What on earth am I doing?" Then, with a sort of sob or hiccup, she found the answer. "It's all in good fun." And that was enough.

Her uncontrolled hilarity slowly settling, Annie coyly flipped open the unbuttoned top teasingly revealing a glimpse of her breast, before pulling it closed and turning away. "Tease! Tease!" the girls cried. Still laughing, but more quietly, Annie deliberately bared both boobs, weighing them with her hands before slipping her hands forward to catch each stiff nipple and pinch it between index fingers and thumbs.

Quickly scanning her surroundings, she captured Mallory with her eyes, and, smiling at the look of bewildered incredulity on her young friend's face, fastened it with a sultry look, while twisting and twiddling her own buds.

Moving on, she panned the studio until she found the camera's lens. Holding it firm in her sight, she stopped, cocked her head and pursed her lips seductively, then pinched and pulled her own nipples until the sensation of pain swirled into the miasma of excitement coursing through her body.

Grant and Simon, moving about ghost-like, faded in and out of the background, seemingly disappearing – waiting until one or both caught Annie's eye. Most of her attention was on her girlfriends – her audience, and soon Annie was taking suggestions – accepting requests without hesitation.

As the photo shoot went along, the party feel became progressively more libertine; the chanting more insistent.

"Take it off!"

"Play with it!"

Krissy tentatively leaned onto the stage, and reached for the tie-string, subtly, gently untying Annie's bottoms – letting the fly front gape, before easing back to her seat.

The friends responded in a frenzy of cheers and whistles; "You go, girl!" pulling at their own garments to cool themselves as the heat of their vicarious arousal overtook them. Pulling open chemises, lifting camisoles, and loosening bra cups, the studio almost steamed up with the vented heat emanating from the ladies.