Awaening

It was a day not unlike any other. I had stayed up late the night before, as usual, and slept in till around noon. I woke reluctantly, refusing to acknowledge that the insistent chirping had anything to do with me.

Fighting my way from beneath a mountain of cozy blankets, I braved the cold, one arm flailing about in search of the phone. I took my time, half hoping that whoever it was would give up after the twelfth ring or so, but no luck. On the fourteenth ring I located the ruthless machine, and silenced it by hitting the talk button.

"What?" One eye cracked open as I whined into the phone.

"Late night?" The voice at the other end giggled and I muttered under my breath. She laughed, and it sent a bolt of pain through my head. Great, another migraine.

"What's so good about it?" I fairly hissed in response to her bubbly good morning. She giggled again and reminded me of the day's plans.

"That's today?" I sighed and wrapped a sheet around myself as I dragged myself out of bed. "Fine, I'm up... I'll be in the shower."

I vaguely heard her saying something about not falling asleep again, but the phone was already on its way back to the cradle. I cracked the other eye open experimentally, then relaxed when the light didn't immediately send another bolt of pain through my head. I glared at the phone accusingly as I stood up "Traitor"

I grabbed a bottle from the medicine shelf, popping three of the pills into my mouth, hoping that they'd kill the day's headache before it had a chance to take residence. Sipped a handful of water from the sink to wash it down, and turned on the shower.

I longingly eyed the jet controls on the giant spa tub, but decided against it. Cheryl's warning about falling asleep had been a wise one, and I wasn't really in the mood to drown today. I wandered back into the bedroom, turning on the stereo as I tossed the sheet back in the direction of the bed.

I wandered down the hall to unlock the front door, knowing that my friend would be here before I was finished in the shower. Cranked up the heat on the way past the thermostat, and headed into the shower.

It was bliss, the water coming down around me in sheets, plastering my hair around my shoulders. I closed my eyes for a few minutes, imagining that I was in the rain forest, and the distant pounding could almost be mistaken for thunder.

I sighed as I relinquished the fantasy, knowing that the pounding had, in fact, been Cheryl letting me know she'd arrived. I poured vanilla scented body wash over the scrubby and lathered myself up with slow, gentle strokes. Once I was covered in bubbles, which quickly slid away from my skin at the water's insistence. I reached for the shampoo as the bathroom door opened, bringing a rush of cold air which sought out my nipples.

"Morning, Dopey." Cheryl giggled as she closed the door behind her.

"Same to you, Dippy." I smiled at the childhood nicknames, and leaned back to rinse the water from my hair. A series of rustling movements from the other side of the shower curtain told me I was about to be joined. I opened the curtain in invitation, knowing it wasn't necessary.

Her flesh was dotted with goose bumps as she slid close to me, seeking warmth. She nuzzled my neck as her hands slid down my sides to my waist, pulling me against her. I leaned close and brushed a kiss across her lips. "I have a surprise for you." She whispered against my mouth before deepening the kiss.

I wanted to ask what it was, but somehow the thought slipped away from me as her hands began to wander. I followed suit, feeling obliged to warm her up.

The shower was our private island, the center of our universe. It was where things had begun between us, shortly after I moved into the apartment two years ago. She had spent the night at my place, after having yet another fight with her, then, not quite ex husband.

The next morning it had seemed perfectly natural for me to invite her to join me in the shower. Perfectly natural for us to wash each other. For her hands to cup my breasts so possessively... So when she had knelt at my feet, pressing my thighs apart, her hot breath blowing across my clit as she parted my lips with fingers which slipped inside... It had all seemed... perfectly... natural... Just as it was natural for things to continue on that level afterward.

We had never talked about it, had never told anyone about it, had never let it change our friendship in any real way. We had just made a step beyond friendship into becoming lovers.

MMM... Speaking of which... I shook away the thoughts and reached for her again, but apparently she had as much as she wanted for now. She was opening the shower door, reaching for something on the counter. "Sit on the edge of the tub." She said as she pulled the shower sprayer from its handle, and knelt at my feet.

I smiled for a moment, thinking I knew what was up, but she shook her head. "I told you, I have a surprise."

I shrugged and leaned back, spreading my legs wide as she pushed my thighs apart, liberally covering my mound in a thick soapy lather. I shivered as she revealed the surprise, a straight razor I had been eying during a recent visit to an antique shop.

"Don't even breathe." She muttered as she lowered the blade and began to scrape away lather and hair. I tried hard not to move, but I couldn't suppress a whimper as I watched her. She knew what knives did to me, had often taken advantage of the fetish. This was torture, sheer torture, and I wouldn't pass up on an instant of it.

Every movement of the blade sent a shudder through my body. I could feel her hot breath blowing across freshly shaved skin. The muscles in my belly and thighs tensed as she rinsed and inspected her work first by running her fingertips, then her lips and tongue...

My entire body shuddered, all the more intense because of the unfamiliar sensations against shaven flesh... as well as having had to exert such willpower NOT to squirm as she worked. The reward was well worth it.

It was nearly three by the time we made it out of the shower, shivering in spite of the heat. Given my own choice, I'd have fallen into bed, but she had nothing of it. She wrapped a towel around herself and had me stand, shivering, in the center of the room.

Gently she rubbed vanilla lotion everywhere, then wrapped a towel around me and sat me on the edge of the bed. With a quick kiss to the tip of my nose, she left the room. A moment later she returned with a larger package. "Late Christmas present" she smiled as she handed it to me. "Open, open!"

I had to laugh as she stood there grinning at me. I tore the box open, half afraid she'd do it for me if I wasted any more time.

I nearly dropped the box. The fabric was something silken, soft and clingy. Of a deep burgundy. A black garter belt and stockings. A black bra. She produced a pair of heels, and a jewelry box full of silver hearts.

I stood again at her urging, and submitted cheerfully enough to being dressed. After nearly a lifetime of trying, she had finally convinced me to play Barbie doll. I had drawn the line at excessive makeup, but given her carte blanche for anything else she wanted to do.

Half an hour later I was sitting on a cold chair, fighting the urge to squirm and demand underwear. I'd argued with her earlier, but she'd reminded me that I had given no restrictions aside from makeup. "Besides," she'd smirked "What's the point of shaving, if you're going to cover it up?"

I laughed and gave in as she set about placing the hearts. Several at random points, nestled among red curls. One linked around my ankle, a pair dangling from my ears. A set of chains, one resting in the hollow of my throat, the other nestled in my cleavage. If I moved quickly, or leaned my head back, it would brush across the top of my breasts.

"Done" she proclaimed after several moments of intense study, ordering me to spin and twist so that she could check angles and whatever. Personally, I thought she was just checking out my ass, but was swatted when I said so. I was giggling as she turned me to the full length mirror.

My heart stopped. I forgot to breathe. With wide eyes I turned to Cheryl, then looked back to the mirror. I was dazed, amazed, and quite frankly turned on by what I saw. "Jesus" I muttered, unable to tear my eyes away from the vision before me.

"Sexy" she said, coming up behind me. "I can't wait until the party tonight."