Author's Note: This is a chapter in a multi-part story and is not intended to stand alone. This is my first attempt at writing erotica, so feedback is highly encouraged.
*****
"Fuck!" I watch the button rattle around in the sink briefly before sliding down the drain.
A knock at the door brings reality crashing in. "Jules, are you okay in there?" Kim's voice calls as the door begins to open. I hastily fasten my jacket and shove the scissors back in my purse.
"Yeah," I answer, trying to sound natural. "Just freshening up."
Kim comes in and her eyes give me a discerning once over. "You sure? I thought I heard voices. It sounded... heated."
"You caught me," I chuckle. "I talk to myself sometimes. Does that make me crazy?"
"Not any more than the rest of us." She smiles warmly. Well, warmly for her. But, she's still looking at me curiously, so I change the subject.
"Hey, uh... Thanks again for your help on Friday. That was embarrassing. I'm still not really sure what happened."
"Don't mention it. We've all been there." Then her smile turns predatory. "I mean, we haven't been naked in the bar with a hairbrush up our twat..." I stare at her with wide eyes, stunned speechless. "But we all have our moments." She lets me stew in my shock and humiliation for a moment before continuing. "I will admit, I was surprised you decided to send me those pictures on Saturday. I thought you were trying to put the whole thing behind you."
Double Fuck!!
"Oh, I wanted to tell you," Kim stands directly in front of me and places a finger on the exposed skin at my collar. "I really like your new fashion choices..." She starts to slowly drag her finger down the smooth flesh of my torso, slightly off-center so my shirt gapes lewdly in its path. "I think you should keep it up." Then she turns and exits the restroom, calling "Don't be too long, we have work to do."
FuckFuckFuckFuckFuck! I'm too panicked to try to expand my vocabulary.
"J?" I call out in a whisper. Nothing happens, so I try a little louder, "J!"
"You rang?" she chirps from behind me, making me jump. I think she enjoys startling me.
"You sent the pictures to Kim, too?"
"No,silly, you did." She smiles. "I'm just a figment of your imagination." Seeing my exasperated expression, she continues, "Oh come on. She's a lot more fun than Paul. Besides, it's nothing she hasn't already seen. She found you at Barry's, remember? And how do you think you ended up in your nightshirt?"
"That's not the point," I say, trying not to let my mind drift to J's question. "Now she has pictures. I don't trust her. She could ruin my career."
"Don't be so dramatic. Embarrass you, yes. But hardly ruin your career. You obviously wanted her to have them or you wouldn't have sent them to her. Why do you suppose that is?" I give her an impatient shrug. "I think you secretly love these situations. You get off on people telling you what to do." My mind reels with this suggestion. "For now, I suggest you play along until you figure out how to get them back. Or, at least, keep her quiet."
My brain is spinning a million miles an hour, as I try to process all of the new information. "All weekend, that was really all me?"
"Every deliciously naughty moment." J's behind me again, whispering in my ear and opening my jacket.
"The sandwich shop?"
"All you." Her fingertips glide lightly over my nipples.
"Oh God, the mall... the pictures..."
"You handed them out as soon as you got there." Her hands cup my breasts, squeezing them gently. "You even told them how to bargain." The warm flush of my shame mixes with the gentle torment of her touch. She kisses my neck softly. "This is fun, but you need to get back to work." J fades from view and I stand before the bathroom mirror, groping my own boobs.
"What the fuck is wrong with me?"
I return to my desk to at least look like I'm working. Kim stops by shortly, looking more upbeat than normal. "All set for tonight's deployment?" Crap, I had forgotten. We finished up our latest release on Friday. Hence the celebration. But we never push to production on Fridays. So tonight will be a long night at the office. We rotate the deployments around the team, to keep things fair. I check the schedule, and confirm my fears. Kim and I are scheduled for tonight's run. "By the way," Kim continues. " I asked Rick to stay as well, I figured the experience would be... enlightening. It should be quite the party." I groan inwardly at the double-entendres.
The rest of the afternoon passes without incident. I'm careful to keep my jacket closed. If anyone else on the team notices my state of dress, they don't mention it. Kim makes frequent stops by my desk making idle chit chat. I figure she just wants to gloat. I need to corner her alone and find out what her game is, but the opportunity never presents itself. Shortly after 5, Dan and Jacob head home and the remaining three of us gather in my cube.
There's really precious little work to do, assuming things go well. A more modern shop wouldn't make us stay late at all, but here we are. The deployment itself is automated, as is the test suite. Just press go, wait for your green checkmark at the end, and be on your merry way. It's when things go wrong that you earn your keep. This is a large deployment, but not overly complicated. It will take a while, but I'm not expecting any trouble. No trouble with the deployment, at least.
We take a moment to talk through the steps for Rick's benefit, and soon are underway. "Alright, it's all hurry-up-and-wait from here," Kim says. She nods to me, "You order the pizza. I'm going to the corner for some beer." The pizza is on the company. The beer is technically forbidden, but no one seems to care.
"Hey Rick, would you mind calling the pizza in? I want to go on the beer run with Kim. Girl talk." Rick nods his assent, while Kim eyes me curiously.
Once we're out of the building, Kim turns to me. "Okay, spill."
I'm not really sure how to start. As I mentioned, Kim is a hard person to read. She always comes off a bit gruff, but our encounter earlier felt threatening, or at least ominous.
"What was up with what you said in the bathroom?"
