"It's that toad, Justus." Charisma said. "He has a large harem with nothing to do all day but make toys. Maybe they're of lesser quality than mine, but he has a wider selection on any given day." She sighed. "I just can't compete, Teresa."
"Any ideas why he suddenly moved to this side of town?"
Charisma rolled her sky blue eyes and grimaced. "He wasn't exactly up front about it, but he came by shortly after he opened and hinted that he'd be more than willing to let me work for him if I found myself needing 'help.'"
"And I suppose it doesn't hurt that the holidays are coming," Teresa said, wryly. Her forehead wrinkled and she shook her head. "So, what are you going to do now?"
"I don't know, Teresa. I don't know." Charisma sighed again and looked around at the bare walls and empty tables. "This shop was my dream."
Teresa patted her hand. "You could always join Rolf and me." She paused and licked her pouty pink lips. "We'd be delighted to have you."
"Thank you for the offer, my friend, but I've always chosen my lovers, and I don't relish changing that." Charisma flipped her dark curls behind her shoulder and smiled. "It's not you; it's your relationship with Rolf...it's
all
his relationships. They're always one-sided. He gets to decided who, when, and what unless he
allows
you to choose."
She put her hand up, palm forward. "Not that I'm judging! I just—I hope you understand. And I won't put myself there."
Teresa nodded, but her lower lip puffed out in disappointment. "I can't blame you, but remember that the offer stands indefinitely."
She stood and adjusted her bodice slightly lower over her large breasts until the edge of her dark nipples showed.
"I wish I had more time to try to change your mind," she continued, "but I'll have to take my special order and get back. If I'm late for our 'appointment,' Rolf will take all day punishing me. As delicious as that thought is, I do get tired of never being in charge...and I really wanted to try my new toy today."
Charisma's husky laughter filled the room as she crossed to the back of the store and grabbed the lone, plainly wrapped package on her workbench. She handed it to Teresa then let her hand drop to the tops of Teresa's breasts.
"If you ever decide to amend that offer to you alone, let me know," she said, caressing the satiny skin under her hand. "I'd take you up on it in a minute."
Teresa shivered and leaned in to press a kiss to Charisma's full, red lips. "I'll keep that in mind."
Charisma watched the sway of Teresa's hips as she left the store. She loved a nice thick cock between her legs most days, but something about Teresa's plump, round ass really got her juices going.
She turned back to her workbench, forcing from her mind lusty images of her limbs entwined with Teresa's. She had work to do and it wouldn't help to have her mind on other things.
The scarcity of materials on the tabletop before her brought a frown to her lips. They were good materials, but business had been slow and she'd been forced to undersell most of her goods. And this was all that was left of her profits.
"Enough raw materials to make one final, quality product," she whispered to the air. "My last toy."
She probably wouldn't be able to stay open till the holiday season was in full swing. Perhaps if she'd had enough to go on till then she might have made enough to avoid closing shop, but she'd be lucky if she could buy another group of materials with the proceeds from this sale. Maybe she could squeak through until sales picked up, but she didn't hold out much hope.
Many minutes passed in empty wishes before she realized she was still staring at the workbench. It was no good to try working now. Her usual joy in the task had gone.
"Might as well turn in and get a start on it in the morning. Perhaps I'll feel better then." She shrugged her shoulders, heaving a long sigh. Waiting wouldn't make it any easier, but at least she could pretend things were okay for one more night.
*****
The next morning, Charisma woke with only slightly less dejection than the afternoon before.
"Time to work," she told herself with forced enthusiasm.
She dressed, ate a quick breakfast, and brushed her teeth, then ran a comb through her dark curls and went downstairs to her store.
At first, she didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. She moved across the room and unlocked her door as she did every morning and then she turned back towards her workbench. And just stared with her mouth hanging wide open. For a second, she'd been sure she'd been robbed, but she'd never heard of someone robbing a person by bringing
more
stuff.
It was amazing. The table tops and shelves each held a few toys. She couldn't be sure, but she thought she had one of every kind. She moved to the nearest shelf and picked up a vibrator, caressing it and turning it over in her hands. The quality was at least as good as she'd always provided her customers.
Charisma's brow wrinkled. She knew Justus would never have done this for her and Teresa wouldn't have been able to. She looked around, expecting someone to jump out and take credit for this miracle.
As she stood in stunned silence, the bell over her door jangled and a bored-looking society lady came in to browse. Before Charisma could recover herself enough to offer assistance, though, the customer came running over with a Pleasure Hound, a wagging tongue sure to please even the pickiest lady: and an item Charisma hadn't previously carried since it usually took a large portion of her materials.
"I'll give you eight gold pieces for it," the woman exclaimed. "I've been looking all over for one of these." She caressed the toy. "And such superb crafting. It's sure to be a pleasure in every way."
"Uh, would you like it in a plain wrapping?" Charisma asked, trying to cover her surprise. "Or would you prefer it gift wrapped?"
"Ooh, gift wrapped, if you please." The woman grinned devilishly. "It'll be so much more fun that way."
Charisma smiled and took the toy. She'd barely finished gift wrapping it and cheerfully seeing the customer out the door before two more customers came in.
By the end of the day, Charisma had sold every toy and had enough money left from paying her outstanding bills that she was able to purchase quite a few more materials than she'd had the night before.
When she'd laid everything out on the table that evening, she looked around and wondered if her nightly benefactor would come again. While she had made enough to stay open for now, she knew she wouldn't last long unless she could make enough to get through the holiday season and bring on a few helpers.
With a dizzy hope building in her chest, she stepped back from the workbench, forcing herself not to look around again, in case her mysterious helper was shy. A small smile and a kiss good luck blown at her materials was all the time she took before she practically ran up the stairs to her living quarters. She hoped fervently her gamble would work; if she went to bed and nothing happened, she would lose a whole workday and potentially all the customers she'd gained today when word got around that she had had an empty shop.
*****
The next morning, Charisma didn't have to force her enthusiasm, though. She knew she wouldn't be let down. So, she rushed through her morning routine and bounced down the stairs to find three of everything she could possibly think to stock.
Giddy laughter welled up inside her, and she quickly opened the door to a line of eager customers. Time passed in a blur of satisfied clients. At the end of the day, she was delighted to see Teresa's face peer into the room from around the door.
"I hear you're doing a brisk business," she said with a smile. "What happened? Early holiday rush?"
Charisma grinned and pulled her friend into the store, shutting and closing it behind her. "You'll never believe it."
"Believe what?"
"I have a mysterious benefactor!" Charisma practically jumped up and down, barely containing her excitement. "Every night, I lay out my materials and in the morning, they are replaced with a large assortment of toys...really good ones, too."
Teresa blinked in surprise and looked around wordlessly. Charisma pulled her over to the workbench, sweeping her hand to indicate the pile of materials spread across the surface.
"See? I was able to purchase even more materials today and I'm leaving it all out again tonight to take advantage of my good fortune."