Author's Disclaimer: All characters depicted are over 18, etc. etc. Enjoy!
Author's Note: This story is based on real events, but not mine.
=====================
Ashleigh started climbing the steps to the second level of the Starbucks and paused. What was she doing here? The beating of her heart and the stiffness of her nipples testified to how nervous and excited she was. This was not a date, she kept telling herself, even though she had fussed over what to wear. She had eventually decided on a conservatively sexy look. On top, was a tight, white, button-down that showed off her slim figure and a hint of cleavage. The lower half included a short-ish black skirt that accentuated her legs along with a pair of sheer thigh-high stockings and high heels. But this was not a date! They were just going to talk.
Ashleigh was still trying to figure out who she was sexually. She thought that she might be on the submissive side, maybe a lot, but she wasn't sure. Many of her fantasies, these days, involved being bound in some way and increasingly included a woman. Ashleigh had always been attracted to women as well as men, but, at nineteen, she had never really had an opportunity to pursue it further than some flirting and making out.
She had gone onto the fetish website, originally, just to see what was normal. More specifically, was she normal? Ashleigh expected a small community of like-minded people whom she could talk to and, possibly, find someone with whom she could explore. What she discovered was a huge community of diverse backgrounds and kinks. It was almost overwhelming. Quickly it became clear that there was no such thing as 'normal'. Every single person seemed to be unique in what they liked and disliked. The fact that they all seemed willing to talk about it and weren't ashamed gave her courage.
While most of the people on the site seemed nice, one woman, in particular, seemed to be knowledgeable and friendly in a way that made Ashleigh comfortable with asking her naive questions.
She DMed the woman, Liz, trying to be as polite as possible. The woman had been very nice and willing to talk openly. Ashleigh would ask only one or two questions per message not wanting to be too greedy with Liz's time. At the same time, the two had gotten to know one another. Liz was thirty-one and they both lived in the London area.
After a few messages of one-off questions, Liz suggested that, since they were both in the same area, they have coffee and Ashleigh could ask all the questions she wanted. That sounded reasonable, Ashleigh thought, very efficient, not a date.
She took a deep breath and continued up the stairs.
=========
Liz had seen the pretty young woman cross the street in front of the coffee shop from her vantage on the second floor. The blonde hair and bare legs showing from underneath her coat were clues that this was the woman Liz was here to meet. She smiled to herself that the girl had chosen to wear a skirt like that in the dead of winter.
A few seconds later, the woman's head appeared coming up the stairs looking around. She was cute with her sharp hazel eyes and long blonde hair. Liz made eye contact and saw the girl smile sheepishly and approach.
The older woman noticed Ashleigh checking her out as she came closer. Liz had shoulder-length brown hair sprinkled with a heavy bit of natural blonde highlights. She was wearing a tight tan turtleneck and a knee-length brown skirt with a slit in the front. That slit was currently allowing a significant amount of leg to show including the top band of her hose.
"Liz?" she asked.
"Ashleigh?" came the response as Liz stood.
Relief poured into the younger woman's face and she stepped closer arms spreading. Oh, this was going to be a hugging introduction. It was more than just a customary hug too, this was almost a long-lost friend hug. The older woman was unphased but noted it as a statement about the other's personality. The girl seemed so happy to have found someone she could confide in.
The hug broke up and the two sat down across from each other. There was a long silence as the two just looked at each other for a few moments before Liz spoke up.
"Oh, right," she started. "I got you a coffee."
Liz handed over a cup.
"Mocha, double espresso, right?" the older woman asked.
"Wow," Ashleigh responded, surprised. "You remembered."
"It was only two days ago that you mentioned it," Liz pointed out as she leaned back taking a relaxed posture.
"Thank you," the girl said lifting the cup to her lips and taking a tentative sip.
The girl was clearly nervous and was holding onto the cup like it was going to protect her...from Liz? At the same time, her eyes kept looking at the older woman's body while acting like she was engrossed in the drink.
"Relax, dear," Liz said. "I'm not a predator."
Ashleigh laughed nervously and put down her cup. The older woman saw something in her eyes for just a moment. Was that disappointment?
"I...I'm sorry. I just didn't know what to expect," she started. "Or...what you expect."
The blonde's eyes dropped back to look at the cup on the table.
"I only expected that we would talk," Liz assured.
Ashleigh smiled, but Liz could still feel her tension.
"So you're a student, right?" the older woman began. "What are you studying?"
The girl visibly relaxed at being asked a mundane question. They talked about their lives and families for a while until Liz felt like the younger woman had settled down to a point where they could get back to the original purpose of the meeting. At a lul in the conversation, she broached the subject once again.
"So, I believe you had some questions for me?"
"Oh, my, right," Ashleigh said, quickly finishing her coffee.
The poor girl looked around the room gauging the distance between them and anyone who might overhear. Then she picked up her small purse from the seat next to her and pulled out a folded piece of paper. Liz's eyebrows rose.
"You wrote down your questions," Liz observed. Ashleigh looked up sheepishly.
"Well, um, yes," she said, unfolding the paper. "I...didn't want to waste your time trying to remember all my questions or ask something stupid."
Liz chuckled and crossed her legs.
"Of course, hun, go ahead," the brunette encouraged.
"O..okay, uh," the girl began. She seemed distracted. "You're very pretty," she finally said.
"Well, thank you," Liz replied. "Or was that a question?" The older woman gave Ashleigh a smile in an attempt to make her feel a little more at ease.
"Ha, no, sorry, I..." her voice trailed off.
"Don't worry, hun," Liz said. "I won't bite...unless you want me to."
Liz regretted that last bit as soon as she said it. That was not going to ease the girl's tension.
"Oh, huh," Ashleigh laughed nervously and looked back down at the paper in her hands.
She looked back up at Liz, smiled, then back at her paper.
"These...sound really lame now that I'm here," she finally said.
Liz held her hand out to the girl.
"May I?" she asked indicating the paper.
"Sure," Ashleigh said with some relief, handing over the sheet.
Liz took the list of questions and scanned down the page. There weren't that many and they were all focused on the physical.
