Barely Revealed

This is my entry for 2024's 750 word challenge. While tending towards erotic, there's no actual sex; consider it an introduction to something not yet written. Please enjoy.

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I felt myself turning scarlet.

He couldn't be serious!

"You've mentioned once or twice being excited by the thought," he said.

I had, of course, but there's a big difference between whispered pillow-talk fantasies and this very real proposal.

As embarrassed as I was, I couldn't lie to myself, couldn't say the idea didn't leave me excited. Karl's eyes dropped to suddenly-hard nipples under my t-shirt and I scowled at him. He grinned back, utterly unfazed, and I realized he'd done that to prove his point.

"Serve your poker buddies drinks and snacks while I'm stark naked?"

"Yes. Well, not quite naked. You'd be wearing heels."

"Heels."

Against my will, I found my mind considering which of my shoes would look best. My blush deepened.

"And," he smiled, "this, too."

The circular stainless-steel collar was very simple, no thicker than a pencil and adorned only with a small but serviceable tether ring of the same metal. It seemed a trifle, almost weightless and oddly, astonishingly pure in its simplicity. Still...

"Who?" I asked softly.

"Just the usual. Jerry, Mike, Felix. Maybe Max if he can get time off."

That was something, at least. They were all decent guys, Karl's usual poker pals, no creeps. They and their wives and girlfriends were part of our social circle, all our age and pretty open-minded. Pool parties were often topless -- no worries there.

But...

The collar, hanging off one finger, suddenly weighed about three elephants and a rhino. I had to grab it to keep it from falling.

"Just... just bringing drinks?" I whispered.

His finger tenderly lifted my chin until our eyes met.

How did he know me so well?

"You've told me how much of a turn-on it would be to be displayed," he murmured. "But it's only if you want, Brooke. There'll be no photos and absolutely no touching. Just drinks and nibblies, like every time they've been here before."

Another doubt popped into my mind.

"Have you already talked about this with them?" I said, uneasily.

Surely not?

"No. You know me better than that."

True.

I felt my thigh and tummy muscles tighten. I was deeply tempted. I closed my eyes, pondered the leaden weight in my groin. I so wanted this, but...

Karl could see my hesitation.

"No?" His voice was very gentle. "Then how about with this, too?"

The sequins covering the domino mask were royal blue except for a strip of scarlet surrounding the eye-holes. I felt my concerns ebb. A mask could be a cloak all by itself.

I knew deep inside that he was doing this for me, not for him. I took another breath, wondered at my daring.

"OK."

Karl always gave the most incredible hugs, hugs reminding me realize how lucky I was to have him in my life.

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Even in the warm apartment, the collar lay cold and heavy against my skin.

The look on his face was amazing, I thought. There was honest desire, of course, but also simple appreciation of my appearance, overlaid by love and reassurance:

"You can do this!"

I'd been to the salon of course, the full treatment - hair, nails, waxing, you name it. I'd taken extra care with makeup, too - bold, but hardly trashy.

I looked in the mirror, admired my figure, long legs, sweet features. Karl's arms came around me for a soft hug. I smiled at him, lifted his hands away.

"Thank you," I said, pulling on the mask, "but I want to see how I look."

He moved his hands to my bum, fondled softly.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered.

I shifted curly blonde hair off my shoulders to half-cover my breasts, smiled inwardly at my growing arousal, tried to focus on the reflection in front of me. I turned back and forth, shifted my hair again. My fingers went automatically to my ears, but I had deliberately limited my jewellery to the collar and my wedding ring.

I lifted my breasts with my hands, brushed agate-hard nipples. Karl chuckled softly.

"Perfect."

His hand swept gently over my face, love in every finger.

The doorbell rang and he kissed me quickly, careful of my lipstick, before stepping out of the bedroom, leaving me alone with my arousal and my hesitation.

I heard the door open. My heart began to hammer. I could still run...

"Hi, guys. I have a small surprise for you."

I watched the beauty in the mirror lick her lips.

I could do this.

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