This story contains characters from other stories but is intended as stand alone. Its a bit on the short side but sets the scene for the longer stories that will follow,
All comments and feedback are gratefully received as I'm hoping the feedback will encourage improvements in my work. This is a work of fiction from the deep dank recesses of my mind and any resemblance to real people is purely accidental.
This story contains lesbian sex, if this not to your liking, please visit some of my other submissions, otherwise I hope you enjoy.
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Susan found trade shows a double-edged sword. As CEO of a large lingerie company, she was expected to make an appearance and in the past she and her team had made some useful contacts, but it was hardly as astronomical as the event's organisers liked to make out. Her company had started out in traditional paper catalogues, transitioned in the internet age to online catalogues to back up and eventually largely replace paper catalogues and had now embarked into the era of the social media influencer.
The previous six months had seen the company's sales increase gradually. Each new customer coming through the door was given a special promotion code that they had heard about the company through the first influencer, Shirley, who had helped Susan and one of her team come up with a strategy and the young redhead mum was enhancing her own social media content thanks to the efforts of Susan and her team with photography content, company insight, special offers and product premiers. Shirley had regular contact with Dawn who was a young member of Susan's workforce tasked with liaising with the influencer and a variety of departments within the company.
Susan had left the company's exhibition stand in capable hands as she made her way around the various stands to see what the competition were up to and see how other companies marketed themselves. As she was going round, she came across a small refreshment area, so she decided to take a seat and get herself a drink. Sat at a neighbouring table was another woman, Susan guessed a couple of years younger than her at early forties who was busily working away on her phone. The woman sighed heavily and placed her phone down so that she could take a sip of her own drink. The woman noticed Susan watching, she smiled and said, "People see the social media posts I put up and think I'm sitting there in my pyjamas with nothing better to do."
Susan's expression showed she hadn't fully comprehended the woman's comments and so the woman reached over her hand and introduced herself. "I'm Carrie. My job, such as it is, is to post content across a variety of platforms and sometimes people get the wrong end of the stick when all I'm really trying to do is make the world more aware of the role woman have in its progress."
Susan shook the offered hand and replied "It's a pleasure to hear your making a stand for our gender. I'm Susan, my company is one of the exhibitors. I take it you are one of those influencers?"
Carrie winced and replied "That's the general banner I fall under although I don't like the term but yes, I have a few thousand followers but rather than influencing I prefer to say I'm an activist. For too long the woman's voice has been shouted down and I'm doing something to correct that in my own little way."
"Pleased to hear it" was Susan's response. "Through my company I too like to encourage female empowerment, although instead of burning their bra's I'd rather they buy them from us to enhance their femininity as our ranges are invariable designed by women, for women and through my team, sold largely by women. I wouldn't say I have a positive discrimination policy but employing mostly women has paid off substantially. We've not long dipped our toes in the influencer market and so I don't associate the term with negative connotations as the initial results have proved very positive for both of us and our initial influencer."
Carrie nodded thoughtfully asking "So it's proving beneficial to both you and them? Does it pay well as I don't make much money off the back of it and wonder if others do."
Susan pulled a strange face and replied "We've only just started with our first lady. Yes, we have seen an upturn and our lady does get a percentage of those sales, but she is mainly in it for the content we help her with and some fringe benefits that we also offer in her case, but I'm open to discussions."
Carrie smiled and said "I don't suppose you're looking to take on others, are you? It sounds as though your company's philosophy overlaps very nicely with my agenda" suddenly interested in the way the conversation was headed.
Susan raised her eyebrows and added "Well, we have recently said we want to try a second instance if you are interested. I'd like to know more about your circumstances, what your aspirations are plus your philosophy and how you think they overlap with ours." This new lady had a very warm, welcoming smile that meant you couldn't help but like her. She was average height but obviously worked out judging from her slim, trim figure.
The conversation went back and forth for a good 45 minutes where Carrie showed a range of her online posts before Susan agreed that Carrie was indeed someone she could work with and invited her to see the companies stand. The mousey haired woman was married to a very prominent public speaker and so could afford her lifestyle without the need to sell her soul to the highest bidder that would otherwise have diluted her message. In fact, the small percentage of sales that Carrie would be getting was initially rejected once she heard that Susan's staff will provide Carrie with as much help with generating content as they could although she did say she'd have to think about Susan's offer for her Art Director to photograph Carrie in some of the ranges, even though it was okay for Shirley, Carrie wasn't convinced that she was ready for that step. She liked the way that the models used in the company's paper and online catalogue were members of staff; knowing that they preferred real women to fake models really resonated with Carrie's ethos.
It was agreed that she would share new product launches with their original influencer as Shirley and Carrie had different audiences. They also made arrangements for Carrie to come to the office so that she could meet key members she would be interacting with and take a tour of the facilities so that she could see that the company were a considerable operation on the up and up. A young girl with curly shoulder length blond hair greeted Carrie in reception, she beamed one of the most dazzling and welcoming smiles Carrie had ever seen as she introduced herself as Dawn. That was one of the names that Susan had specifically mentioned and the two made their way up to Susan's spacious office. The brunette stood from behind her desk and came over to Carrie, wrapping her in her arms and giving her a genuinely affectionate hug before escorting the two to some soft furnishings Susan had to one side of her office.
A tall strikingly beautiful brunette also stepped into the office and offered to make the three a drink. "This is my assistant Gemma, if ever you can't reach me Gemma, or my secretary Bea, will be able to get a message to me" Susan said as the tall beauty stepped towards Carrie and shook the offered hand. Once drinks had been dispensed and consumed Susan had set out what she wanted Dawn to show Carrie as she escorted the older woman around the offices. The intention was that, as it was at the far end of the building, the tour would conclude at the Art Directors office and would include a brief fashion show to demonstrate to their visitor some of the range that the company offered.
Carrie was very impressed with how friendly and welcoming everyone was that she met and, although she had seen a couple of men on her way around, all of the people she was introduced to were women and all seemed to have 'Head of' before their job title or 'Director' after it. The exception she had been told was John, the Art Director, photographer and general IT whizz making him Susan's right hand man. Carrie found him very charming and very easy company. He took her around his studio explaining the process of finding a suitable pose, even taking a couple of sample shots of Carrie sat at a dining room set and how the selection process went into trimming down thousands of images to just a few hundred for the paper catalogue; the online catalogue allowed him a freer rein to explore his artistic tastes.
As their talk wrapped up while they were sat down at a kitchen table, Susan came walking into the studio followed by four younger women including Dawn and Gemma who she had been introduced to earlier. John made his excuses as he had an errand to run, and Susan introduced the other two young women. A very pretty ebony girl with a dazzling smile was first "If you get any problems with getting hold of stock then Faith here will be more than happy to help smooth things out." The dark stunners smile broadened as she shook hands with Carrie. "And this lovely lady is Andi from our Finance section who will help with if you encounter any payment problems" another brunette stunner with the face of an angel stepped forward and shook Carrie's hand before pulling the older woman forward and wrapping her arms around her, hugging her closely.
Susan sat down at the table, patted the seat next to her and said "You've seen how we operate and so I think it's about time to see some of the lines we offer. Andi, would you take you top and skirt off for me." Carrie was a little taken aback when Andi, without a moment's hesitation, lifted her top over her head and shimmied her skirt over her hips and down her legs. The brunette stunner stepped forward so that she was close to Carrie as her boss said "Now feel the quality of the material. This set is one of our best sellers and is a mainstay of our offering."
Andi took hold of Carrie's shaking hand and ran it over the elasticated waste of her panties saying "These are some of my favourites. We get to keep the items we model, for hygiene's sake more than anything else, but I always request this line if possible. Carrie had to admit that the material felt very nice but still felt a little strange running her fingertips against another woman's warm smooth skin. Andi took another leap saying, "You must feel what it's like on the cup" lifting Carries hand until it cupped her nearest breast "I have sensitive nipples and this material feels way softer than silk or cotton in my opinion." The other four woman watched engrossed as their visitor ran her fingers over Andi's covered breast, not in the least surprised to see the little nub pop out at the touch. They had all enjoyed Andi sexual appetite and knew first-hand how sensitive her nipples and clitoris were.
Carrie sat entranced as her fingers worked along the material feeling the definite presence of Andi's nipple under her touch. Her mind was spinning, her clit was throbbing, her pussy was decidedly damp at the touch of another woman's skin and quite frankly it frightened her. She had never been attracted to another woman and yet the ease with which this young woman had first disrobed and then encouraged the older woman to touch her was making Carrie lightheaded.
