A New Way of Seeing Things

This story takes place in a fictional world with fictional people. Any similarities to people or things in the world we actually live in is coincidental.

*****

"Mrs. Nelson?"

The voice on the other end of the line sent a rush of adrenaline coursing through Gwen that Monday morning as she sat behind the office's desk. She recognized the voice...

"Yes, this is she."

"Hi Gwen, its Sandra McCall. Is now a good time to talk?"

The startled woman knew the trucks had left a couple of hours earlier and that she was the only person in the shop, but she looked about anyways before answering in a low voice that it was.

"Great! I know these are a gift, and I wanted to make sure the lucky man receiving them wasn't nearby. How are you?"

"I'm fine, how are you?" Gwen replied, willing down her impatience and not prompting the woman to what she hoped was the point of the call.

"I'm well," the woman replied easily. "Barry wanted me to let you know that your proofs are ready, and would like to know when might be a good time for you and he to sit down and decide what the finished product should look like."

"Oh, I wouldn't know anything about that," Gwen answered nervously. "Can't he just pick the ones he thinks are best? Or are there not enough good ones to fill an album?"

Sandra laughed. "On the contrary. Barry thinks that if he were to include all the good ones, the album would be too heavy to pick up. Besides, he normally meets with the model so she can decide exactly how naughty she wants the finished product to be. He really likes the way these came out, but wants to see if you agree. So, when would be convenient for you to come to the studio?"

Gwen tried to frame an answer. "Well, I, uhh, I'm not sure I can come this week..." She knew she didn't want to go alone. Natalie was the obvious answer, she was the one who had suggested this whole thing, but her sister-in-law was just back from vacation, and most almost certainly getting things back in order in her own life.

"I'm sure Barry wouldn't mind coming to see you some time this week, if you'd rather," Sandra suggested brightly.

"No, no," Gwen responded quickly, the idea of bringing him to her home striking her as too risky. She briefly considered perhaps meeting him somewhere else, but a mental image of her scandalous pictures spread across a restaurant table while she reviewed them made that out of the question. "I don't want to take Barry's time like that. Let me talk with Natalie and see if she might be able to come with me."

"That sounds like a plan! Just give us a call when you decide. Weekdays are ideal, but we might have some time on the weekend, particularly for you. Barry was particularly pleased with these, and he really wants to hear what you think. You've got our office number, right?"

"I do. Let me check with Natalie and I promise to get back to you shortly."

"Sounds great! We'll talk to you soon."

Gwen's finger hit the disconnect button and began dialing her sister-in-law's cell phone in one fluid motion.

Natalie answered on the third ring. "Hey there! I was going to call you this afternoon!"

"Why? Is there something wrong?"

Her sister-in law laughed. "I wanted to tell you we were back and see how things were going."

The women reviewed their weeks, Gwen listening patiently and with genuine interest as Natalie recounted their stay at their beach home in Hilton Head. Her own report recounted the busy week at Nelson Plumbing and avoided being too quick to ask about Natalie's availability for a trip to the photographers, not wanting to seem too anxious to ask her to go look at naked pictures of her husband's sister.

"So, have you heard anything from Barry yet?"

Gwen was relieved that Natalie had brought the subject up. "Well, yes. Sandra called me this morning and said that he wants to show me the proofs so I can pick which ones I like. I was wondering, are you, uhh, free some time to go with me? I don't want to go alone."

"I would have been mad if you hadn't invited me." Natalie's voice made the prospect of her anger doubtful. "How about tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow? But don't you have to work?"

"Yeah, but if we leave early, I can get back in time. His studio is about a half-hour closer than Liz's place. We leave at 7:30, get there at 10, spend a couple of hours there, I'm back a half-hour before my shift. I'll pick you up at 7:30?"

The Lady reminded her of her obligation to at least be there until after the trucks had departed, but the urge to see what the photographer had taken overcame her sense of duty. "What do I tell Tim?"

"Tell him we're going to breakfast, then shopping."

Gwen's desire to go made the lie seem plausible. "Let me drive. We're going because of me, anyways."

"We'll compromise. I'll pick you up and drive there and you drive back so I can take a nap before my shift. Fair?"

There was no further debate, and the two wrapped up their conversation shortly after.

Natalie was there at 7:30 sharp the next day. "'Mornin', Tim," she called out as she stopped the vehicle next to where the trucks were being loaded.

""Morning, Nat. Gwen's got you out shopping for bridles? I'm not sure if you're blessed or cursed—she usually drags one of the girls along when she goes out shopping for those manure factories up in the barn."

"Oh, I'm a big fan of leather," she said with a smile and wink before slowly pulling the vehicle up closer to the house. Tim smiled and shook his head before returning to his loading.

Two of his apprentices watched the blonde emerge from the SUV and climb the stairs to the Nelson's deck. "I bet she'd look pretty good in leather," Jordan murmured as the pair made their way to the back of the shop to gather more PVC. "She's pretty hot for an older chick. A great pair of titties."

"Mrs. Nelson is pretty hot for an older woman, too," Andrew volunteered after checking to make sure there was no one else in hearing range.

"Mrs. Nelson? How can you tell? Shit, with the clothes she wears, I'll bet even Tim doesn't even have a good idea what she looks like naked."

"Yeah, but still..." The young apprentice's imagination had conjured up a pretty good idea. He had not forgotten the day she had applied ointment to his burn and become a fixture in his library of jack-off scenarios.

"Hey shithead, grab the other end of this and get your mind out of Mrs. Nelson's pants. She's probably got steel underwear, anyways."

Andrew snapped back to reality and again glanced around for anyone who might have overheard. With an embarrassed smile, he took an end of the bundle of pipes.

Natalie and Gwen waved to the crews as they made their way down the driveway and on to the road beyond.

"Nervous?"

Gwen smiled. "Well, yes. What if they're terrible?"

"I'm pretty sure they're not. Excited?"

A little."

By a quarter to ten, the SUV was parked in the driveway of a home in a residential neighborhood not far from the Inn. Natalie led the way across a gravel walkway and around the corner of the garage into a private backyard to where a larger building sat, a two-story barn-like structure. A woodcut sign announcing this as the location of Memories by McCall was attached to the white clapboard wall.

The women stepped into a lobby full of photos of sporting events, nature, weddings, portraits...everything but naked women, Gwen wryly noted. A door chime sounded as they entered, and Sandra hurried into the waiting area from a hallway.

"Gwen! Natalie! How nice to see you!" Hugs were exchanged, and the Sandra led them through a door into a large open area two stories high, the lighting and stagework making it obvious this was a photo set. Curiously, a faux bedroom stood in the middle, a brass headboard at the end of a crisp white comforter and pillows. Gwen had no time to wonder about its purpose, however, as they moved along to the far end of the building. It was divided off into smaller rooms, stairs leading to a second floor along which a balcony ran along the length of the open space. The first door on the right proved to be the office of Barry McCall. The room itself was nondescript, a beat-up desk and conference table filling most the space, no artwork visible save for 3 8x11s, one for each wall.

Gwen's eyes widened a bit. Here were the naked women. Each photo was an artistic nude, the model posed in such a way as to make any claim of pornography debatable. Gwen's eyes widened more as she recognized the model. It was Sandra—maybe a few years younger, but definitely Sandra.

"Welcome to my inner sanctum!" Barry boomed as he rose from the desk to greet them. "Please—sit down," he said, pointing to chairs at the conference table, "and we'll get started." The big man turned an oversized flat-screen LCD on the desk towards where the women were taking their seats, grabbed a wireless keyboard and mouse, and joined them.

"Gwen, I have to tell you, you make a hell of a model. Something in you jumps out at the camera—your eyes, your personality, like there's both an innocence and worldliness about you. So much so, I'd love to have you pose for me again." Gwen blushed, certain the photographer was just flattering her. Barry quickly navigated to a folder on screen and clicked. "Now, I really didn't do much touch up at all, and I can't believe how few of the shots I outright threw away. I think they're all great, and I have my favorites, but I want to see what you think before I say too much. Just write down the numbers of the ones you really like for the album. Don't worry, you'll also get a flash drive that has all of the ones you want to keep."

The first photo popped up on screen, of a fully clothed Gwen standing in front of the bedroom door, a nervous smile on her face, hands demurely clasped in front. "Before shot, not for the album," Barry murmured, and hurried through a couple more of the same pose before stopping at a shot of Gwen standing by the Inn room's bay window, the bright morning light outside silhouetting the woman, but not so much as to obscure her features and attire. Gwen breathed in sharply at the simple beauty of the scene and could not believe she was the woman in it.

"You alright?" Barry asked, concern in his voice. "Too much?"

"It's beautiful," she said softly, not taking her eyes off the screen, "You must have done quite a bit of touchup on that. It can't be me."

He smiled and patted her forearm. "It is you, and I toned down the light just a touch to contrast your lines some. And we're just getting started."

Gwen relived the day as the photos slowly moved forward, drawing another sharp breath at the first shot of her sitting on the window's ledge, legs slightly spread, lips peeking out from between the thin black band of panty that ran between them.

"Too much? I can crop that so the finished product only show from just above your, uhh, undies."

Gwen began to answer affirmatively, that yes, that would be best, but stopped. "No, that's fine. It's not like my husband hasn't seen me...down there...before." He's never seen you with your parts so lewdly displayed, the Lady harrumphed.

The photos continued to roll by, some with brief discussions, others with a moment to view and decide whether they were to be written down. Gwen was embarrassed to find her paper was filling quickly, not even noticing that Natalie was writing as well. The amount of flesh she was displaying both shocked and thrilled the model, and while her most intimate parts were quite often shrouded by a soft focus applied by Barry post-shoot, it was obvious what the lack of clarity was hiding. Gwen did not ask him to crop or remove any of it. The set ended the with her on her back with the bed's white comforter threatening to engulf her, looking upside down at the camera while her breasts remained just out of sight under her open corset and the small tuft of hair that remained above her sex visible, but out of focus.

Sandra chose this time to bring in coffee while the trio discussed the best of the best to be included in Tim's gift. Gwen astounded herself by speaking of her poses and nudity in the frankest of terms, as if she was speaking of someone else. Barry announced he felt he had enough to work with, and asked to begin the second part of the shoot.

Gwen found herself smiling at the ridiculous shirt and toolbelt she wore, the Slut suggesting that the shirt might be comfortable at home, too. She quickly sensed that where the first set of photos had been sensual and sultry, a part of her she never knew existed, Barry had done a masterful job in capturing a playful side, a side she was not sure even really existed. Breasts dangled in the shadows of her shirt as she bent over the sink "fixing the faucet" while her panties were slipped down far enough to mimic a "plumber's butt". Again her lips peeked out from either side of the panties riding between them while she "worked" under the sink in the most suggestive "come take me" position.

And then she was on to the shower, denim shirt quickly soaking dark as she held her ground in the spray that was hitting her face. The shirt was gone, and the sides of her breasts peeked out at the camera. Gwen had to admit that the photos showed just enough of the "naughty bits" without getting downright lewd.

She smiled again at the sight of her underwear lying on that ridiculous toolbelt, while right behind a well-turned leg attached to a firm buttock supported a body stepping into the tub. More shots, bubbles artfully placed to avoid any blatant displays, and then the final photo, of her forearms resting on the tub wall, her smiling face resting on her forearms. Her eyes misted.

"Too much?" Barry asked nervously. "I can tone 'em down..."

"Too beautiful," Gwen admitted. They're wonderful, thank you. You're a magician."

"I'd love to take credit, but I had a superb subject. But let's decide what's the best of the best for the album first."

Again the trio set to work, comparing notes, going back to the screen to look at particular shots, and a plan was finally set in place. Delivery dates were promised, and the women prepared to leave.

"Gwen, I'm really proud of these. I'd love to display the portfolio on my website—on the secure area of course, where Natalie's are—with your permission. I'd give you a hefty discount on the price of the package if you say yes."

Gwen was stunned. To have done this for Tim was one thing, to have them where others might see them, well that was out of the question. "You flatter me, but I'm not sure I could...I mean what would my husband say?"

"He's probably going to say 'that's my beautiful wife,' but I understand your concern. Once you give him the album, ask him if it's alright."

"I really can't—"

"Just think about it. And Natalie, my offer to you still stands, you know."

"Oh, I know. I'm thinking about it."

Thinking about it? Well, that's better than the no I got last time I asked. Keep thinking. They'd love to have you."

The women were on the highway a few moments later, Gwen insisting on driving, Natalie reclining the passenger seat for a nap.

"Gwen, those were incredible."

"He really does good work. It's like they're somebody else. I never knew that someone could take pictures of naked women and not make them look slutty."

"Yeah, he's good, and those are of you. No getting around it, girl, there's a hottie in there busting to get out. Let it loose."

"I thought I just did by having these photos taken?"

"That's just you getting started. There's so much more..."

Gwen wanted to know what more Natalie could possibly believe would come out of her, but resisted the urge to ask. "So, what was it you told Barry you'd think about?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing important. I'll tell you later."

Out of the corner of her eye, Gwen caught a movement down by her prone sister-in-law's midsection, followed by the sound of a zipper being pushed down. She was able to divert her attention from the road long enough to see Natalie's hand snaking into the front of her jeans and under her panties, her fingers languidly rubbing and scratching her mound before Gwen forced her eyes back on to the road.

She was in shock. Her sister-in-law was touching herself in front of another person on a public highway. It was an incredibly brazen act, and Gwen reluctantly did her best to pay attention to her driving.

"That took longer than I thought. Looks like we'll just make it back in time. I'm going to change into my scrubs before we get back to your house so I can just keep going after I drop you off," Natalie announced sleepily.

"Would you like me to pull over at some place with a bathroom?"

"No, I can change right here. Done it before." Gwen caught a glimpse of her sister-in-law's hand being removed from her pants and told herself that she had just been getting ready to change, nothing more.

Natalie sat up without bringing the seat back up and kicked off her sandals before raising her butt to slide the jeans and underwear off in one move. "But first," she announced, "I hope you don't mind, but I haven't gotten any since last Thursday, and I know the perfect fast-acting nap inducer." The half-naked woman undid the glove compartment latch and withdrew a large tapered metallic cylinder. Holding it up to the stunned woman beside her, she asked, "Would it freak you out if I take care of something? It won't take long...but if you think it's too far out there, just say so and I'll wait until later."

The Lady was in stunned disbelief. It was Natalie's SUV, and she had done Gwen a favor by coming along, and she did have to go to work, so to say no to anything her sister-in-law did in the comfort of her own car would be rude. But this wasn't just anything-she wanted to masturbate, right there and right now! I wanna watch, the Slut purred. Gwen dismissed her.

"Uh, no, no, go ahead. You have a full workday ahead of you—you shouldn't have to wait," Gwen babbled.

Natalie smiled and rolled to her side to reach for the blanket in the backseat, her bare sex nearly brushing Gwen's hand resting on the gear shift. The startled driver jerked her hand away. Rolling back, the bottomless woman spread the fabric over her lower half and pushed both hands and the vibrator underneath.

"No accidents, please," she said, closing her eyes as her knees came up and out under the blanket. "I really don't want to explain to the paramedics why I have genital contusions and a stupid smile."

Gwen smiled nervously, unable to resist the urge to cast sidelong glances at the seat next to her, wondering how a vibrator could make so little noise. Because it was off, the Slut chuckled as Natalie switched it on, the raspy hum quite noticeable before her sister-in-law planted it firmly against her clit, muffling it somewhat.

Her knees twitched under the blanket, the fabric over her crotch moving in time to what the hands and vibrator were doing underneath. The fact that Natalie could be this open about such a personal and erotic act astounded Gwen; the sighs, croons, and soft moans coming from her sister-in-law fascinated her. She had never heard so much noise during sex; even Tim seemed content with no more than the occasional grunt upon his release. But Natalie sounded like she was really getting into it, the volume and intensity increasing as her pleasure grew. Her sister-in-law felt some embarrassment at being a witness to such a private moment, but the eroticism she felt was greater.

The vibrator sang its own story, the buzzing sometimes more like a truck laboring up a hill as the woman holding it pressed it ever harder into her slit. Her grunting became rhythmic, as though some unseen lover was buried deep insider her working to his own release, before with a strangled cry her legs straightened out, thighs trapping the vibrator in place, and she orgasmed.