2. Opportunity for Daniel
"Daniel, Ally isn't around this lunchtime - I wondered if you could do something for me? Are you free?"
"Anything." He thought; but replied, "Yes, of course, what do you want me to do?"
"I want to try on some clothes and I want a second opinion."
Daniel was delighted and excited. His approach of trying to develop Simmone's trust in him was working. Her friend Ally not being around, she had instead chosen him. He tagged along happily. It was of course disappointing not being in the changing room or changing cubicle with her but that would have been rather odd. He would like to have seen her in her bra and knickers - very much indeed. Daniel was however more than content with Simmone nipping in and out of the changing room showing him blouse after blouse, trousers after trousers, skirt after skirt. Not having experience of women he was amazed by the bother she took choosing the right item. It was certainly something he would not dream of doing. He would go into a shop, pick what he liked as quickly as he could, pay and be off. He had better things to do than shop - though helping Simmone shop was quite a different matter. He did his best to be objective and helpful. "Too baggy" (that got a pout - what had he said wrong?), "the colour doesn't suit you" (a frown), "that looks lovely" ("it looks awful"), "I like that" ("I don't"), "Pretty pattern" ("maybe").
The best bit came with Simmone trying on a longish white linen shirt. Daniel commented favourably (he hadn't seen the price) when Simmone had said that it would look really good in the summer pulled up and tied below her bust. She was obviously wistfully thinking back to her summer holiday. She pulled the shirt up and tied it, as she had described, leaving her midriff exposed. Daniel stared at her exposed tummy and prettily tucked in tummy button. The skin was so flawlessly smooth and still with its golden brown from the holiday.
"Well?"
"Yes, perfect - multipurpose, summer or winter, looks great on you, Simmone," he gabbled.
She seemed pleased and it was one of the things she bought.
The conditioning continued. Just a little bit every other day. The flashing light and the reinforcement.
"You can trust me Simmone, even with your personal thoughts. I am quite safe. You can talk to me about your personal thoughts - about your worries, about your boyfriend, about sex." Daniel had been a bit worried when the last few words came out. He had not meant to go so far so quickly but there was not a flicker of dissent: just a blank listening.
Simmone spent more time chatting to Daniel than she used to. Or, more accurately, she spent quite a bit of time chatting with Daniel: before the conditioning she used to spend no time at all chatting to Daniel.
"I'm going to a party Saturday, Daniel."
Was she asking him? Surely not - what about her boyfriend? His heart leapt unwisely.
"Some friends have asked us..."
Daniel knew what the 'us' meant and it didn't include him.
"... it's a fancy dress party."
"What pirates, spacemen, 1970s, celebs?"
"No, vicars and tarts."
"Ah," said Daniel, "the easy one for the blokes and the potentially embarrassing one for the girls."
"You've got to look sexy, but I don't see that as embarrassing."
Simmone obviously saw things a little differently from Daniel.
"Right."
"So what do you think I should wear?"
Daniel almost choked on his mug of tea, "You want my advice? My advice on how to dress as a tart?"
"I prefer sexy to tart. I was thinking of a naughty nurse outfit, you know suspenders and a skimpy uniform..."
Oh yes, Daniel certainly did and he could easily envisage Simmone in the uniform. Her long legs clad in black stockings, the exposed skin at the top of her long, strong thighs just peaking out beneath a short white skirt, the plunging neckline and the little white cap on her head. He was getting hard.
"... but Ally's doing that."
Daniel would like to see that. Ally wasn't that tall but she wasn't that short either.
"I liked the idea of the suspenders," she said.
"Yes," said Daniel, "just the thing for your long legs." He was momentarily in a panic - should he have said that?
Simmone smiled at the probable compliment, "a girl has to make the best of her assets and I can hardly wow everyone with my little boobs."