Hello all,
This is my first real foray into erotic romance, so please be kind with proof-reading mistakes. It's more heavy on the romance, so it will take awhile to get to the sexy parts, and there probably isn't as much of that as you're used to. A few other notes: This was drafted before Covid, so the setting is a little out of date, and Colorado may have removed common law marriages since I began writing, but at the time they were valid law. This work is fiction, and any resemblances to real persons is strictly coincidental. All characters are over the age of 18.
I hope you enjoy!
-Sophie
Chapter 1 -- Road Trip
I'm having a pretty good day, on the whole. I get to go shopping with my best friends, and then we're going to a lake and going swimming. I try not to think about the fact that I have to endure her dumbass boyfriend and pals for the whole trip. You'll have to deal with them anyways, no use fretting about it beforehand.
On my right sits my best friend and current favorite person in the world, Jessica, Jess for short. We've been inseparable since freshman year of college, despite our many differences. I'm short and strong, and grew up rather poor. I keep my hair short, a must for my job as a surveyor. Jess on the other hand, is the spitting image of her beauty queen mother: tall, thin, blonde, and with a smile that could light up a room. I've often been envious of her effortless beauty -- I'm not sure that either word has ever been used to describe me.
Jess is texting up a flurry as we drive, instructing our other friend Whitney on where to meet us for shopping, her boyfriend Sam on the status of the cabin we're all sharing, and least but not least, her mother. Eventually she drops phone exasperatedly on her lap.
"Why is it so hard to coordinate seven people to get somewhere? It's like herding cats!"
Well, you aren't supposed to be organizing it in the first place. It's your no good boyfriend who's causing the problems. I don't actually say that though, as much as I'd like to."I think everything will turn out fine Jess, don't stress it."
Jessica squeezes my arm. "You're such a comfort," she replies. "I know at least you're going to show up, and I can't have a bad trip if you're there!" Her fingertips stroke down my exposed bicep, sending tingles down it from the light contact. "And wow, those muscles are really coming in."
I laugh and jerk my arm away, careful not to steer into oncoming traffic. "You tramp, you'll go for anything with a 6 pack. Also, cut that out, or we won't even make it to the shop!" Jessica laughs with me, and bats her eyelashes at me playfully.
I can't help but smile as we pull into the lot. When Jessica's smiling, it's hard not to join in. She knows that too, and most certainly used it to her advantage this time. "Looks like we made it, no thanks to miss touchy-feely in the passenger seat."
Jessica sticks her tongue out at me and blasts out of the car door to wrap Whitney in a big hug. The third member of our long past college dorm room is nearly knocked off her feet despite her size advantage.
"Woah there girl, you keep running like that and you won't have any energy to swim this week. Hey Lauren," I earn a smile as well. "Say, weren't you saying you were going to get a new car soon? Why are you still driving that beater?"
I sigh a little, smile fading. "Can't afford a new car, that shit's expensive. It gets me where I need to go." I glance self-consciously back at my beat up little Subaru. "Besides, a new car would just end up looking like this anyways." Whitney shrugs, obviously not too concerned about my car choices. As we had been talking, Jessica had already darted into the shop, and Whitney follows her in. I pat my car on the hood before leaving. "It's okay lil' guy, you're still good enough for me." Maybe it's stupid sentimentalism, but that car has taken me a lot of places.
As I step into the shop, I immediately feel out of place. The shop is more of a boutique, and decked out with the latest fashions in summerwear. "This place looks expensive," I whisper to Whitney as we comb through the racks for new swimsuits. Whitney shrugs again. She never really seems to care about spending money, even when Dean, her husband, gets on her about budgeting.
Jessica is the first to find something she liked, and sprints to the changing room. Not one minute later and she struts out. "All right girls, what do ya think?" It's a strappy black one-piece, with generous cutouts to show off her body.
"Girl, you look hawt," I blurt out. "Wear that and you'll boil the lake dry!" It may be an embarrassing outburst, but I'm right. It accentuates her perfect legs and lovely hourglass figure. I realize I've been staring and, follow it up with a lame afterthought. "First one and you've already got a winner."
"Seems pretty good to me," Whitney concurs. "Quickest shopping trip ever, am I right?" Jessica merely laughs and pops back into the changing room.
"I'm not nearly done, and you guys haven't even picked anything! Nice try."
Whitney gives a hearty laugh, before returning her attention to the racks. I poke through idly, not finding much to wear. My mind keeps returning to Jess's body in the swimsuit, and I feel myself blush. Stop being jealous Lauren, I remind myself. You can't help your genetics.
I'm pulled out of my thoughts as Jessica squeaks out something, before slamming the changing room door again.. "I think she may have browsed here before," Whitney remarks sarcastically.
"I heard that!," an indignant retort floats out of the enclosed space. She bursts out again this time with a racy bikini that doesn't leave much to the imagination. "Well?," she asked imperiously, striking a mockery of a pose, making me laugh nervously.
"Really Jess, you look good in anything. You wear that on the beach though, and we'll never get any time to ourselves, if ya know what I mean?" I'm not big on unsolicited attention -- I'd much rather just spend the time with Jessica, not fending off boys. You'd think it'd be the opposite, given my struggles with dating, but Jess is my favorite person in the world, who wouldn't want to spend time with their favorite?
Jessica beams at me, before bouncing back to take off the suit. I catch Whitney rolling her eyes and offer a sympathetic smile. She snorts, and returns to the racks. So much for that apology. She's the next to find something, a suit that showed off her curves, a good match in my mind.
I however, am not having an easy time. For one thing, the suits are very revealing, which isn't my style. Then there's the price. The cheapest thing I'd been able to find is nearly $100! I don't know if you know how much a surveyor makes, but it's not $100 on a new swimsuit money.
Jessica notices however, and grabs something from another area and practically pushes me into the changing room. "Try it, I think you'll like it. It's your favorite color isn't it?" She's right of course, it is my favorite color, a beautiful emerald green. Reluctantly, I strip down to my underwear and pull on the suit. It fits perfectly, which makes the scary tag hanging off that much worse. At least if I'm spending money the money, it looks good. I see my stocky frame in the mirror, and wince a bit, but for once I actually like how I look
"Well, let's see it!" Jess's voice spurns me to action, and I step out tentatively. "Oh, my god Lauren. You look ahhhmazzzinggg!," Jessica screeches as soon as she had sight of me. She licks her lips in fake desire. "You look good enough to eat."
I can feel my cheeks warm, and I look at my feet. "Get a room you two!" Whitney calls out, making my face even warmer. I run back into the dressing room before getting catcalled further. Jess cackles like the Wicked Witch of the West while I slam the door shut. By the time I'm dressed, Whitney's already at the register, with Jessica waiting behind. "So, are you going to get it?," Jessica whispers conspiratorially.
I glance down at the suit in my hands. I really can't afford this right now, but it did make me feel sexy... Jessica obviously noticed my indecision and whisked it out of my hands.
