Chapter 1
"Show me that invitation again," Amelia Carmichael said, as she tried to adjust her breasts in the confines of her white catsuit, feeling extremely exposed in the clinging, wet-suit like material. Despite her best efforts to use toning lingerie, there was little left to the imagination with the way it stuck to every curve and bump on her body.
"It says sexy costumes mandatory. It's a Grand Opening Masquerade. In a sex shop," her best friend, Jessica Adams, replied, flashing up the elegant card in the mirror.
"Yeah, 'sexy'," Amy said, looking at her snow-angel costume through her judgmental brown eyes. White catsuit, silver stiletto heels and a pair of white and silver gauze wings lined with white feathers. "Not slutty." She taped the silver filigree eye-mask to her thick black glasses and figured the look would do.
Jessie scoffed and shook her head, her blonde ringlets bouncing against her lightly rouged cheeks. "Even if you had gone with the baby-doll -- which you really should have -- you still need to go out more if you think you look slutty. Besides, half of being slutty is the attitude and you definitely don't have that." She paused and turned to look at herself in the mirror, pouting and pushing up her breasts as she shimmied playfully, examining her sexy elf attire; it was essentially a dark green bikini with some tinsel added as a decorative trim, and a green Santa's hat. "I, on the other hand, am totally earning and owning my slut card." She zipped up the thigh-high, black leather stiletto boots and twirled again.
"So why are you dragging me to this thing?" asked Amy, placing the crooked silver halo on her head and trying to make it sit comfortably against her dark brown waves.
"Because you need to get laid. You've been moping for far too long. Time to find someone new. Or something. There are supposed to be some very good discounts on some very good toys," Jessie added with a wink.
"I genuinely don't get why you're so concerned with my sex life or lack thereof. I'm really not that bothered about it." There were definitely times when trying to reach that orgasmic high was far too much effort and not particularly satisfying even then.
Jessie sighed and affectionately hugged her best friend's shoulders. "Look, I don't know why, but you always seem happier when you have a man in your life, and I need my happy Aims again. Can't keep moping over your lost summer love forever."
"I'm not moping over anyone," Amy said crossly. The problem was not the lack of a certain man, so much as the fact that he had awakened all sorts of desires that she had not known were inside her. It had all been simple, and then he had made her want so much more. To be tied up, dominated, to be taken as and when he had wanted -- in the restaurant bathroom, the car, the elevator, in mountain streams -- it did not matter where they were, if he had wanted her, he had taken her and she had loved it. She had loved the freedom of giving herself to him and the excitement of how he would push her to feel and try new things whilst being safe within his arms. It had also highlighted the fact that most of the 'men' she knew were still immature boys.
"You sure?"
"Positive. He had his chance and he didn't choose me. End of," said Amy, a slightly sad faraway look in her eyes although she certainly meant every word that she said. "He's not worth moping over."
"So very true. Only a fucking idiot would pass up being with you," said Jessie, smiling at her and giving her a big hug. "We're just going to have some fun, okay?"
"Okay. I guess I can do that," Amy said, smiling back and linking her arm in Jessie's. "I'm sorry. I solemnly swear that I will attempt to have fun."
"That's all I want," Jessie said with an answering grin. "Well, that and someone hot to hook up with."
***
Sinful Things was tastefully decorated in shades of grey and red, sprinkled with dashes of greens, silvers and golds, all invoking a fun and festive spirit.
There was a small alcove, almost like a porch, with a strange machine to the left. There was a sign on the door to the shop that read 'Please obtain your card before entering'.
"Kinda weird," said Jessie with a shrug, standing in front of what looked like a strange, old carnival arcade machine.
"It's definitely plugged in and switched on," said Amy, looking at the back of the machine, feeling slightly creeped out by the staring, glowing eyes of the wizened old lady animatronic inside. She ignored Jessie's confused look -- she was too used to people not getting her pop cultural references -- and placed her right hand on the little glass window and pressed the button with her left. The eyes flashed through a sequence of red, yellow and blue before settling on red and spitting out a beautifully handwritten card. She took the card and read it, looking up and watching as Jessie obtained her own card.
"You hide behind more masks than others know," Amy began reading.
"Oh, mine says that too."
"You don't wish to be controlled so much as you feel the need for permission. You long for more. Open yourself to him and he will give you what you desire." Amy looked up at Jessie and shrugged.
"Well, the rest of it was different," Jessie said, handing it to Amy.
You hide behind more masks than others know. You enjoy sex but you fear love. You will never be truly happy until you let others in. If willing, you could find your ideal couple here tonight.
"Couple?" said Amy, looking at Jessie in bemused surprise as she handed back the card.
"Yeah," said Jessie, frowning thoughtfully. "Not sure about that, but the rest of it is probably scarily accurate."
A chill wind blew in through the door and a group of five heavily wrapped up revellers entered, laughing and shaking off the sleet of the cold winter's night.
"Evening ladies," said one of the male reindeer, shaking off the first flakes of sleet from his coat.
"Evening," said Jessie with a warm smile. "We'd hold the door for you, but you need to get your card first." She pointed to the message before opening the door into the store.
"Duly noted," said the man. "See you inside then."
"Maybe," said Jessie, grinning and winking.
***
They allowed the two near-naked men to take their coats, before they each took a glass of Prosecco from the trays being held by two gorgeous, near naked staff members.
"Feeling overdressed?" Jessie laughed, as they began to wander down the nearest aisle, scanning the already sizeable crowd.
"Strangely enough, still no," said Amy with a grin. Even though there was very little to her own costume, everyone else seemed to have even less. Although everyone had adhered to the masquerade aspect, there were very few that had decided to stick to the Christmas/Winter/Festive theme. There were several other angels and elves, a few Santas, reindeer and snowmen; gingerbread people, fairies, nutcrackers; as well as a lot of cowboys, cowgirls, devils, masters/mistresses with slaves, cats and other animal-esque costumes.
Most of the men were topless; a lot of the women had merely covered their nipples with glitter, some kind of decoration or clamps. There was an array of different bodysuits made of leather, latex or lace, exposing both male and female intimate parts, and an equally interesting collection of footwear. Despite some of the rather severe looking outfits from BDSM crowd, everyone seemed to be in good spirits, being polite, friendly and complimentary. A few people discussed the mysteriously accurate cards, openly talking about what was said and suggested to them, while others would change the subject.
There were many sprigs of mistletoe hung at different points on the ceiling, and Amy kept a watchful eye on where she was standing. She was perfectly willing to try and have fun, but that didn't mean she could just suddenly stop being choosy about who she was willing to have fun with; although she supposed there were one or two guys that she wouldn't mind testing out. Jessie had been flirting shamelessly with anyone and every one, but she was far from the only one, and no one seemed to be getting touchy about it. Not yet at least.
"Hot cowboy is totally into you," Jessie said, with a teasingly mournful sigh, breaking through Amy's far too serious thinking.
"Who are we talking about? There are a few cowboys here, after all." Amy had counted at least six cowboys, ranging in heights and looks and states of undress. All were wearing chaps, cowboy boots, a hat and an eye-mask of some description (in the case of three of the cowboys, that was all they were wearing); one had a vest and a scrap of material covering his crotch; one was sporting an eye-patch, holster and wearing what seemed to be a reindeer sock over his penis; while the last was wearing a tasteful pair of snugly fitting black-boxer briefs that barely covered his sizeable cock.
At least two of them were very clearly homosexual, and another was in a relationship with his accompanying cowgirl if their body language was anything to go by, which did not stop them being handsome by any stretch of the imagination, but it certainly dulled Amy's personal rating of their attractiveness.
Jessie laughed. "Yeah, but there's only one that I've seen you looking at every chance you get."
"I'm sure he's looking at you," said Amy, colouring slightly, as she looked over her shoulder to catch a glimpse of the cowboy behind them -- the one in the boxers, with the recognisable white Stetson with a brown leather band. She was quite sure that the red feather currently adorning his hat was not standard issue, looking far too big to be practical and far too similar to the ones on sale in the 'accessories' section for it not to suggest playful purposes.
"Honey, we both know that if he had, you wouldna see me for dust," Jessie said with a laugh. "Trust me, I've managed to meet his brown eyes several times, and all he did was tip his hat to me."
"I think you mean blue eyes," Amy corrected, her face flushing as she let her fingers trail over the lace baby-doll in front of her, trying to imagine herself in such an item, given that it was far more revealing than the one she had at home.
"Are you sure you're not interested?"
Amy mumbled something incoherently. Sure, she thought he was hot, but that was not really reason enough to stop Jessie from going after him if she wanted.
"So you don't mind if I go ask if he wants to get a drink or anything then?"
"Er, no, of course not," Amy said, forcing a smile, ignoring the flare of unbidden annoyance. She had no right to feel jealous -- Jessie had asked if she was interested in the guy and she had said no. Even if Jessie had no idea that she was lying (she rather suspected her best friend knew her too well), they both knew there was no way she would make the first move. Besides, he was more likely to want Jessie in any case -- most guys did, given her slightly smaller stature and bigger breasts and of course, her confident, carefree approach to sex.
"Okay, cool. Don't wait up," Jessie said with a devilish grin, wiggling her fingers in a farewell gesture and winking at her angelic friend.
Amy tried to keep her attention on the claret-coloured lingerie set that she was currently examining the price tag of, but she could not stop herself from glancing over at Jessie, watching as her friend confidently strode up to the hot cowboy, seemingly whispered in his ear and pointed to the sprig of mistletoe above their heads. She heard the teasing and gleeful 'whoops' of some onlookers, and blanched at the sight of Jessie with one arm around his neck, the other against his ass, while his hands rested upon her hips. This is so stupid. Why does this hurt when I don't even know who that guy is? The thoughts rattled and pinged inside her head like the bells of pinball machine and she breathed a sigh of relief as she managed to slip past the girl on fitting room duty and into an empty cubicle, pulling the red curtain behind her and muttering into her hands as she sat on the small bench inside.
