I adjusted my rather sheer blouse, undoing another button. My lace bra would show a little, but that was the point. It was that time of night. I'd learned that on Friday and Saturday nights in particular, sales went up when I revealed a little more. Sometimes a female customer would get a little brusque, occasionally even downright frosty seeing it. But it was worth the risk. Of all the liquor stores to choose from in this little town, I wanted people to choose mine. Even if that took a bit of cleavage and keeping the heat a little higher in the winter, it was a fair trade.
Most customers didn't know it, but I owned the drive-through liquor store where I worked most nights. I had a couple part-time employees who could give me a night off occasionally, but I'd never ask them to wear anything revealing or flirt with customers. Of course not. But for me -- not only did I not mind, I got something out of it too.
Of course, multiple times a month I'd have a guy, usually a hopeful young one, ask to see my boobs. Especially as the clock inched toward midnight, I was never surprised to hear it. Sometimes he'd offer twenty bucks, fifty, or one time even a hundred. Sometimes it'd be the already-drunk guy in the passenger seat, aged around 55. I turned them all down. I'd just point to the camera over the window and mutter something about getting fired if the manager caught me. That was going too far, and I could lose my business license if word got out. But if wearing something tight, low-cut, or sheer helped pay the bills, I was in. Short skirts in the summer heat never hurt either, especially if I had to bend down and pick up a case of beer.
It had been a rather busy night with several customers an hour. Christmas was usually like this, with people stopping by for a bottle of wine on the way to a dinner or restocking their liquor cabinet before a party. My prices were a little higher than the big box stores in town, but I offered the convenience of a quality range of products with the ease of never leaving their vehicle. People were willing to pay for that.
It was about ten minutes to midnight, almost closing time. I'd be balancing out my drawer and falling into my warm bed before I knew it.
Then my favorite customers drove up. I recognized the SUV right away on the camera as it circled the building. I smiled and walked toward the window. They were reliable, often buying a couple bottles of wine or a bottle of liquor. I usually saw them every weekend, and occasionally on a weekday too. They were flirts, which made transactions more fun.
Tonight it was only the wife. She smiled at me from the driver's seat. A petite blond, her accent revealed she'd probably grown up in the South, and she always applauded my fashion choices, the kind of woman who spreads good cheer and kindness. I liked her.
"Hey darlin'. How's it going tonight? Great bra, by the way."
"Thanks, Sadie! Not bad. Lots of liquor around Christmas, as always. What can I get you tonight?"
"Actually, I have something different to ask for. You may think it's a strange request."
I laughed. "I get a lot of those. I can handle it."
"I was wondering. Christmas is next week. Are you planning to wear that sexy little Mrs. Claus outfit again, like you have the last couple years?"
I laughed. "Yes. It's a shameless attempt to get customers here on Christmas Eve, I know."
"Oh honey, I love it. And I don't blame you. But here's the thing -- my husband talks about that outfit for about two months after Christmas. It drives him insane."
"I'm sorry!"
"No, honey, I think it's funny. But that's what I wanted to ask you about. Hey, it's cold out here. Would you mind if I come in?"
"Sure, park around front and I'll let you in the back door."
"The manager won't mind? Catch you on camera?"
"No problem there." I smiled.
I'd interacted with Sadie a couple times a week for years now. I was happy to have a few minutes with her. I opened the door and waved her inside.
"I will never get used to this cold," she said. "I miss Georgia especially this time of year."
"Come in come in, I've got a sofa with blankets over here. There's a space heater too. That's where I sit and watch the cameras between customers. Do you want a drink? Some tea maybe?"
"No I'm fine, honey, but thank you."
"Let me turn off the outside lights and then I'll join you. No wait, I see one more customer sneaking in before closing time. Just give me a minute."
I took care of the customer, and then I closed down as he drove away, locking the sliding door and yanking the curtains. A decent night's work done.
I sat next to Sadie on the sofa. She was starting to warm up.
"Do your cameras capture audio? I don't want you to get in trouble from what I'm about to ask."
I smiled. "Well, I actually own this place. So I control the footage. And they don't do audio. But it's sweet of you to care about me. Are you sure you don't want a drink? I have an open bottle of scotch. I might be guilty of sneaking a sip or two on slow nights."
"I won't judge, Ms. Owner. No wonder you show a little boob to get the men here. And probably a few women, too. Gotta pay those bills. Sure, I'll take a wee dram."
I poured and handed her one.
"So what did you want to know about my Mrs. Santa costume?"
"Well," she said, taking a sip. "I was wondering if you'd be my husband's Christmas present."
I laughed.
"See, like I said, he talks about it nonstop for months afterward. It just does something to him. He's also got this thing where he wants to go to the Pacific Northwest just to see one of those drive-thru baristas in a thong and pasties."
"Oh that's funny. I've always wanted to experience that myself." I laughed.
"So I was thinking, what if you opened that corset and showed him your tits, your whole tits finally. I can't even tell you -- it would make his year. And I would be wife of the year for arranging it."
I laughed. "You don't know how often I get asked to do that. Well not exactly that, but close. I've never done it though."
"Aww. Well, I just thought I'd ask. Seeing how we get along and all. It's fine, honey..."
"Now wait a second. I haven't turned you down yet, Sadie. Let me think for a minute. Yeah, I'll consider it. You two are my favorite customers, after all."
"Oh please do!"
"Wouldn't you mind, though? I mean, you're his wife..."
"Oh we aren't like that. We appreciate other people, if you get my drift."
"I see. Would you want him to touch me, or just look?"
"Honey, you could go as far as you want. We'd both enjoy it. But if you don't let him cop a feel, I'll be hearing about that for months too."
This was a unique conversation, but I wasn't weirded out. Sadie's warm energy was contagious, and I was as comfortable with her as always.
"You know what -- it's been a long year, and Christmas is kind of hard, actually, like it is for everyone in retail. It would give me something to look forward to. You know I like you guys, and I trust you to keep this a secret."
"Oh you bet we would. You don't have to worry about that. I'd been hoping you could cover the camera for a minute or something, but knowing we don't have to worry about that is even better."
I hesitated, a little sadness probably showing in my face. I'd better just admit it.
"There's a little thing, though, Sadie, that I have to tell you. I may wear these shirts and try to look a little sexy, but it's an act, really. I haven't been with anyone in a long time. I just haven't had the energy for the drama, and I've got this place to run, and a couple bad boyfriends turned me off years ago. I'm kind of worried how I might react to being touched again. Unfortunately, it's been that long."
"Oh honey," she said, taking another sip of her scotch. "We don't judge. And I'm sorry it's been that long. Life is short, and you should use this great body." She put her hand on my thigh, caressing it.
Her voice was getting lower, but still sweet. "And I can help with that, if you want. As much or as little as you'd like."
"I might have some scotch myself, actually. Give me a moment." I also dimmed the lights, hoping to hide the reminders of my workplace all around me.
I poured myself a dram and sat back down, facing Sadie. I nodded. "I'm open to that. Maybe a little."
