I have been trying to find a way into this story for a long time. I've been desperate to tell someone else all the things that have happened to me in the last year, things that I could not have believed would happen. Up to now I just haven't been able to find a way in. I've started at the beginning, I've started in the middle. I've even tried to start at the end but I don't know how it ends yet. So, I think it's time I just told it how it is, and you can make your own mind up.
Everything I am about to tell you is true. A while ago I wrote two stories for the Literotica website; I invented an alter ego for myself and told the stories in the third person. They were fiction, but based on my own experiences. This story is different; it is about me, and it really happened. The only things I have changed, out of fairness, are the names of the other people involved. The final thing- I'll get to the story in a minute, be patient- this is most definitely a love story. Don't worry- I know what you want to hear, and you won't be disappointed, I promise. It's just that this is not just about the sex, and I want you to know that up front. It's important to me.
My name is Christina. I am 41 years old, and I live in a large town in the west of England. I have- or rather, I had- been single for six years, after the break-up of an eight year relationship with a lovely guy that deserves more than a single sentence here. Maybe I'll tell you about it one day. Anyway, it all went a bit sour at the end, but I've been enjoying myself a lot since then. Lots of guys, no commitment, I've worked hard on my career, and here I am, a manager in a large insurance company. It's ok- I'm not going to bore you with any details. You just need to know that I work in a large office building- and that's where I met her.
I met Juliet... well, to be honest I can't remember the first time I actually met her. It was about 18 months ago. She works in my office building, but not for the same company. The building has a rest room on the top floor where many people eat their lunch, or just read and chat at lunchtimes. I like to read alone, giving my mind a complete break from work for a little while. I first noticed her voice, if you can believe that. She has this kind of knowing, ironic humour in it, but she doesn't take herself too seriously. We got chatting one day about (forgive me) workplace politics. Easy enough when you don't work for the same company. I gave her a couple of ideas; soon enough, we were meeting regularly at lunchtime to complain about our bosses.
This is all quite difficult to explain; how do people become friends? Why don't I tell you about Juliet instead? She's 36, five years younger than me. She's tall and elegant; she wears clothes incredibly well, the only person I know who can wear figure-hugging dresses to work and look unbelievably sophisticated. Most of this is in her cool, calm confidence, and absolutely the greatest walk you ever saw; she just glides across the floor. Just about everyone is drawn to look at her; I've seen it in action many times. Soft green eyes, long, straight hair, naturally brown but often dyed a deep red, and a wonderful figure, full breasts without being too large and long slim legs.
Me? Yes, well, I thought you'd want to know that too. I have always been happy with my body. Big breasts, big hips, but at five foot seven I can get away with it. I go to the gym a lot, and obsess about keeping a flat stomach. I love my work outfits, fitted blouses and skirt suits generally. I have shoulder length, very dark brown hair and dark brown eyes. Next to Juliet, though, I sometimes feel a little awkward.
Soon enough, we were firm friends- both single, both with our own places, we started going for drinks, meals, the cinema, theatre... intelligent and funny, she was the best friend I'd probably never had. I asked her, of course, if she had ever been married and I asked her about boyfriends and she always deflected questions with a smile, and I never thought to ask her about any other possibility.
This time last year, give or take; it was a Saturday, an unusually warm day as it happens. Juliet and I had arranged to go shopping in town. She was out to buy a new summer dress; I was looking forward to the trip, figuring that lunch and a bottle of wine might also be on the agenda. Well, what else would you do at the weekend?
As it happened- and you'll have your own opinion on how fate conspires- I'd overslept a little, and I was running late, so when Juliet rang my bell, I was only just out of the shower. I wrapped a towel around me and buzzed her up. I may have mentioned it before, but a towel doesn't exactly hide my large breasts very well or anything much below my bum. When I opened the door I saw her eyes widen, but hand on heart, I thought nothing of it. Knowing what I know now, would I have done things the same? Pretty much, I suppose.
"Hi," I said breathlessly, "really sorry, I overslept. I won't be a minute, I promise. Make yourself comfortable." A strange smile played on her face.
"It's no problem at all," she said. "Take your time." I hurried off to the bedroom to get dressed. I can move quickly if I need to, and five minutes later I'd thrown on a dress and I was ready to go. Juliet was, as always, dressed immaculately in a linen skirt and simple cotton blouse.
"Ready!" I said brightly as I entered the sitting room. She was examining the CD shelves intently. She turned towards me, and I noticed immediately something had changed in her. She looked troubled.
"Everything ok?" I asked.
"Don't you know?" she said. I looked puzzled.
Juliet dropped her eyes to the floor.
"I'm crazy about you," she said quietly.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing. When I thought about it later- much later- it was obvious. But right then that minute, I was stunned. Time seemed to stand still, and in the silence her meaning could not have been more obvious. Lost for words, I mumbled,
"I...umm..."
"You don't have to say anything." I could barely hear her, and I thought she might be about to cry. "I thought you knew."
"Honestly, I had no idea," I managed to blurt out. "How... how long have you felt like this?" There was another silence.
"Almost as long as I've known you," she said. A little of her usual confidence was returning. She shook her head. "I should have told you... about me, but I was scared. Scared like I haven't been for years. I think about you every minute of every day and I didn't want to lose you."
"You won't lose me, I promise," I heard myself saying. "You're probably the best friend I've ever had..." Even as I was saying it, it felt like a stupid thing to say. It wasn't what she wanted to hear. Neither of us spoke for a minute.
"I'd better go," Juliet said simply. "I'm sorry. I just couldn't help it. You looked so..." She tailed off without finishing the sentence.
There was no point in arguing. There was nothing more to say at that moment. As she went through the door she turned and looked at me and I wanted to tell her that it was ok, I wanted to tell her not to go, but I couldn't find the words.
"I'll call you," I said limply. She smiled briefly, then disappeared down the stairs without looking back.
*
Now, I suppose it's time to reveal a little more about myself to you. You see, I'm not exactly totally inexperienced in this area. In fact, I've had sexual experiences with two other women in my life. When I was 20- and then I was inexperienced, believe me- I was seduced by a work colleague more than ten years older than me. Whilst I was pretty drunk. Which sounds awful, but in fact it wasn't; it was warm, and comforting. Diane touched me- and, yes, used her tongue on me- in ways that I had never felt before, and she was so gentle, and it felt so right. It was just one night, and I enjoyed it. I certainly didn't feel bad about it afterwards. But she moved away almost immediately, so there was no likelihood of a repeat.
Fast forward two years, and although there had been a few guys in that time, it was nothing serious, and I think that in my subconscious there was some unfinished business. Well, in the light of what's happened to me this last year, it was clearly something more than that, but I didn't know that then. Anyway, I was 22, out clubbing every weekend as you do at that age, and I met Laura, who was a friend of a friend. Laura was- is- very upfront, a real laugh, and crucially just as keen a clubber as me, although she was a very petite, lithe fitness instructor and I, well, wasn't. Don't get the wrong idea; I was a very happy size 12, not unhappy with my weight and fairly fit, but compared to her, I felt huge. We'd been out a few times, and one night, pretty drunk and danced out, we ended up at her place at about three in the morning.
There was no pussyfooting around as far as Laura was concerned. She unsteadily handed me another vodka and looked me straight in the eye.
"Wanna go to bed?" she said.
I can't say I was surprised. I knew she was very tactile with me, yet she showed no interest in the guys who danced clumsily round her in the clubs. I raised my eyebrows in what I probably imagined to be a drunken "I beg your pardon?" look.
"Go on," she said. "It'll be fun."