PURRFECTLY PLAYFUL by Erozetta

Feature Writer: Erozetta

Feature Title: Purrfectly Playful

Published: 18.10.2024

Story Codes: Halloween

Synopsis: A nickname leads co-workers down a beautifully messy path

Purrfectly Playful

“He calls you Kitten,” Jen said with a derisive laugh.

“And?”

“It’s literally a pet name. Kat, I could see. Even Kittie could work, but Kitten is…”

“Cute.”

“Sexy,” Jen groaned. “Jesus, Kate, it’s a sexy pet name. And you’re trying to play it off like he’s calling you ‘sis’ or something.”

“He doesn’t mean it that way. It’s just a cute nickname he said once, and it stuck.”

“It stuck because you turned ten shades of red and hid behind him for half an hour. It got you closer to him and he’s been wielding it strategically ever since.”

I crinkled my nose. “You’ve seen the girls he dates. Pert little blondes without a brain cell between them. Are you saying I’m like them?”

“No, I’m saying he dates them because they’re easy. You’re too smart to act this dumb. You know what’s going on, you just don’t want to admit it.”

“Admit what?”

“That Tommy wants to grab your hair and bend you over to give you a good, hard dicking.”

I laughed at that. “He doesn’t.”

She pulled out her phone and dialed up a number, which I immediately recognized as Tommy’s. “What are you doing?”

“Proving it,” she whispered.

After a couple of rings, a sleepy-sounding “Hello?” emerged from the speaker.

“Hey Tom, it’s Jen.”

“What fucking time is it?” he asked with a groan.

“Like one or something. It’s fine.”

“We have to work tomorrow.”

“Do you want to fuck Kate?” She said it so casually as if she just went around asking everyone that.

He was quiet for a long moment. “Are you fucking kidding me? You woke me up to ask me that? You’re a psycho.”

“Just answer the question.”

“Why?”

“Because how you answer will determine the next thing I wanted to ask.”

He groaned. “Kate is someone I’m never going to fuck, Jen.”

“Why?”

“Because. Because I’m not. She’s too sweet to ever see her like that. It’d be like fucking a nun or something.”

I cringed at that. What the fuck?

Jen laughed. “Is that why you call her kitten?”

“That’s what this is about?” He groaned, and I could picture him sitting in his bed, his head shaking as he lifted his hand in a vague gesture. “I call her Kitten because she’s like one. All innocent and needy. And because it makes her blush, which only adds to the innocent image.”

“So, you’ve never pictured her, like, say, in a nice little white bra and panty set, with a white lace kitten ear headband, her hair up in pigtails and a little collar with a bell around her neck?”

I smacked her leg and lifted my hands while scowling, the universal gesture of what the fuck was that about?

Tommy was silent. “Well, now I have, thanks for that. I didn’t need sleep anyway. It’s not like I have a big meeting tomorrow that might just determine my entire future or anything.”

Jen cocked her head as she looked at me. “Do you want to fuck me?”

“Yeah, sure. Swing by in the next twenty minutes and I might still be awake.” The note of annoyance in his voice before he hung up made me tip my head.

Jen looked at me, her mouth quirking as she sucked air in through her teeth and arched an eyebrow. “Do you want to fuck him?”

I shook my head while biting my lower lip.

“That’s not convincing, Kitten.” Her tone was biting, and I shrank back.

“No.” I lifted my head and held her gaze. “I’ve never thought of him like that.”

Jen looked at her watch, then back at me. “I’ll be back in like an hour.”

“I’m gonna head home. I have work tomorrow, too.”

“Up to you. Gonna give you details tomorrow anyway.”

I nodded and smiled, forced as it was. “Of course you will.”

We left at the same time, her taking a left at the main door and me heading right. It was an uncomfortable walk home. A little too cold, too dark, too alone.

It wasn’t that she was going to fuck him – that didn’t phase me at all. It was what he thought of me. I’m like a kitten? Needy? Innocent? I thought he knew me better than that.

What had I done to give him that impression?

My sleep was fitful. Lots of dreams about collars and kitten play outfits, petting and purring. Enough so that, upon entering the office the following morning, I walked over to Tommy and grabbed his coffee, swallowing two or three quick mouthfuls that burned as they went down.

It wasn’t my first time doing that. But he knew it meant I’d had a rough night, overslept, and hadn’t had enough time to pick up my own on my way to work.

“I’m gonna have to start getting two of those,” he said as he pulled the drink from my hand.

“Less sugar, more milk in the second,” I quipped.

He smiled, then covered it by taking a sip.

“What?” I asked, tilting my head.

“A drop of coffee in a saucer of milk?” His legs were spread apart, as they often were when he sat at his desk, and he held one hand up between his thighs, as though a saucer rested in his palms.

I smiled and took the cup back from him. The flash of a thought made me blush. I turned around and returned to my desk with the overly sweet pilfered coffee.

Maybe that’s why he thought I was innocent. I blush at just a thought. Though, when the thought centers on your best friend holding a saucer of cream between his legs while you kneel, hands on his knees, and lap it up, I think a blush is warranted.

Oh, no, what has Jen done! Thoughts like that didn’t happen about him. James down in accounting, absolutely, but Tommy? No.

“Mr. Miller is hosting a Halloween party at the hotel by the waterfront. You’re my date,” Jen slid into my office with a whisper.

“Not Tommy?” I asked as I took another drink of his coffee and lifted my eyes to my only other friend.

She looked toward the door then back at me. “That’s not gonna work out.”

“Oh?”

“Mmm hmm.” She offered no further information.

“Because?”

“He wants to fuck you.”

I groaned, and she grinned. “You heard him yourself,” I said.

“I heard the words he said. ‘Kate is someone I’m never going to fuck.’ He didn’t say he didn’t want to fuck you, just that he wasn’t going to.”

“It’s the same thing.”

“No it’s not. Besides, last night I asked him if he’d call me Kitten ’cause I thought it was hot and he kicked me out.”

“So you didn’t…”

“Nope. Because he wants to fuck you and you want to fuck him, and I’m gonna convince you both to admit it at the Halloween party.”

“What if I don’t go?”

She took the coffee cup from me and took a big swig of what had become lukewarm, sugary mud at best. Her nose crinkled, and her lips puckered. “Oh, gross…”

I laughed. She turned it around and noticed ‘Tom’ written in heavy black across the back. “Yeah, you’re going. And you’re gonna wear the sexiest, yet cutest kitten outfit I can wrangle up.”

Images flashed through my mind at her words, and I swallowed. “What are you going as?”

“Your pimp.”

I raised my eyebrows.

“Not like that.” She laughed as she waved a hand dismissively. “I’m basically going to force Tommy to admit he likes you by getting a bunch of other guys talking about you. Lusting after you.” Her grin was wicked. “As soon as it sounds like one of them is going to make a move to take you home, he’s going to swoop in and try to convince you to go with him instead.”

“What makes you think I want any of this? Tommy’s a friend, nothing more.”

Jen smiled and leaned over my desk; her lips brushed my ear, her voice a whisper. “Picture him naked, his fist wrapped tightly with a leash connected to a collar on you and tugging you closer to him. Tell me that doesn’t turn you on.” I shivered at her words. “The thought of your hands on his hips, fingernails curving into his bare flesh, indenting as he guides you, your mouth open, tongue out. Him pushing his thick cock past your lips.” Her breath was warm against my ear. “That won’t make you blush, right?”

My cheeks were probably six shades of red when she pulled back and looked me over. I stared straight ahead, my hands curled into tight fists, and held my breath.

Fuck. I squeezed my thighs together, and Jen slid her slender fingers beneath my chin, lifting my head to make me look at her. “And then, after he’s pumped his cum down your innocent and needy throat, he’s gonna cup your jaw like this—” she demonstrated with a firm grip, “—then he’s going to wipe his thumb across your lip and breathily whisper, ‘Good girl.'”

I gasped and forced myself to meet her eyes. There must’ve been such desperation in my gaze as I barely eked out a soft, “Please stop.”

Jen smiled, obnoxiously cheerful as she stood upright. “He said the same thing, but I think he came first because he was shuddering by the time he reached a breaking point.”

“You said he kicked you out.”

“I lied, Kitten. I didn’t fuck him. Didn’t even undress him, just straddled him and made him think of that overwhelmed face you get, looking up at him, your hands pawing at him as he slowly and easily pushes his dick down your throat…”

I whimpered and clenched my thighs. “I like being his friend. I don’t want to ruin that, Jen…”

“You two are endgame, Kate. It’s not going to be a one and done.”

“What if you’re wrong? What if he doesn’t want to? What if he—”

She cut me off, her voice rising. “Trust me just this once. By Halloween, he won’t have anything else on his mind. Once he’s had you and hears the little delighted cries you let out, no one else will ever be on his mind again.”

She waved her hand as she slipped back out my door.

How was I supposed to work after that? By lunchtime, I was feeling nauseous. The thoughts she’d put in my head made it difficult to interact with anyone.

Then Tommy came by my office, a huge grin on his face. “Drinks after work?” he asked.

“Okay, why?”

“Got the promotion. Celebrating. You’re paying.”

Ah, that’s why the grin. “Hey, wait, if you got the promotion you have money to burn, not me.”

He leaned against the door jamb, and his smile was difficult to look at. “The one celebrating doesn’t pay for his own drinks.”

Leaning back in my chair, I smiled at him. Happy that he seemed normal.

I couldn’t help but wonder if Jen had lied about teasing him like she’d been teasing me. It wouldn’t be the first time she worked me up for it to basically amount to nothing.

“Fine, but when I get a promotion I expect dinner with the celebratory drinks.”

“Deal, Kitten.”

He said it so easily, but his eyes widened after, and his cheeks flushed. That wasn’t normal. Not for him, anyway.

“Black Rose?” I asked, not drawing attention to his unexpected reaction.

“Yes! Dinner too, or is that pushing it?”

“Dinner, too. I’d say we can catch a show after, but then I’ll miss the train home.”

“So stay at my place tonight.” He looked down to the floor after saying it, but he quickly adjusted his posture to stand straighter and directed his gaze at me again. Definitely not normal.

I’d stayed overnight with him before, but now it seemed weird. Goddammit, Jen.

“We can catch a show on Friday? See what concerts are going on, there’s always something.”

“Yeah,” he said, looking out the door and down the hall. “But drinks and dinner tonight still?”

“Mmm hmm.”

Lunch was rough. Nothing appealed, so I grabbed an ice cream cone from down the street and rushed back to the office. It maybe wasn’t the most professional of lunches, but it tasted good and refreshing. Besides, a simple vanilla cone always settled my stomach.

I tossed the wrapper in the trash on my way back to my desk. And waved to Tommy and his little cohort of guys as they seemed to be having a pre-celebration at his desk.

He came over and sat on my desk, right next to me. “I have it on good authority that you’ve once again had a lunch that consisted of absolutely nothing nutritious.”

“And?”

“If you don’t feel well we can postpone the celebration.”

I smiled. “I’m fine. Just couldn’t figure out what I wanted and ran out of time.”

He reached over to me and swiped his thumb below my lower lip. “You’re such a messy eater.”

I blushed and grabbed a tissue to wipe my mouth. “Jesus, you could’ve led with ‘Hey, Kate, you have a big glob of ice cream on your face’.”

“I could’ve. It’s fine, I got it. But next time bring me one, too. Make up for all of the coffee you steal from me.”

“Stolen food tastes better.”

“I wouldn’t know, my food is the one always being stolen.”

“‘Cause you’re nice. If you were one of those big burly alpha-types, you’d never allow me to just walk up and take your coffee like that.”

His brow lifted, “If I was one of them, I’d…” Whatever he was about to say trailed off unfinished. He gave a little shrug. “Anyway, back to work.”

 

~

 

The Black Rose was a mid to high-scale pub on the waterfront. I had dinner there at least every other week, usually with either Jen or Tommy.

I grabbed a seat near the back, away from the stage, and ordered a bottle of Benziger Chardonnay. It was a cheap white wine with an expensive price tag in the pub, but we both liked it. Besides, with me buying dinner, I knew exactly what he was ordering.

He arrived shortly after me, and I poured him a glass as he approached the table.

“Okay,” he said, his hands raised in an excited gesture. “So, I got the promotion, right?”

“That’s what you said…” I looked at him curiously.

“I just found out I get to hire whoever I want as my assistant project lead…”

I tilted my head and sipped the wine.

“And we’ll each get a twenty percent pay bonus if we can get the project up and running in two days.”

“Two days? Didn’t you say it would take at least a week just to get up to speed on where Dale fucked it up?”

“Normally, yeah. It would take a lot of back and forth with different departments that have bullshit turnaround times, but now that I have the project in my hand, I realized I only have to get you and Jen up to speed.”

“Okay, so what’s with the big, excited grin on your face?”

“I want you to lead the project with me. Your department is the most involved with the minutiae, and you’re already in the know on most of the project goals.”

I set the wine glass down. “Twenty percent of what, exactly?”

“Twenty percent of the eighty-five k base salary for being an assistant project lead.”

I arched my eyebrow. “Eighty-five? That’s…”

“Already a boost of fifteen for you.”

“Why me? Jen’s just as in the know on this project as me.”

“Because, as much as I like Jen, she’s a fucking bitch and if I had to work with her every day, I’d strangle her.”

“She might be into that.”

He laughed and slid into the bench beside me. “Come on, Kitten. Say you’ll accept a really good raise and prestigious new title. We’ll have offices right next to each other. You lead meetings, I get the work done, easy peasy for both of us. It’ll even be easier to steal my coffee…”

“Fine.”

He took my wine from my hand and downed it. “Hey,” I snapped, reaching for the glass.

Tommy handed it back, his shit-eating grin even bigger than before. “You’re right, stolen drinks are better.”

“It’s not stolen if I bought it for us to share.”

We ate and laughed for over an hour. Then drank a bit more Jameson than either of us could actually handle. By the time we stumbled out onto Proctor Street, my arms were wrapped tightly around one of his. Maintaining an upright position wasn’t so much a struggle as it was a personal challenge.

“Walk down the pier?” he asked as he pulled me closer.

“Yeah.” Maybe it’ll sober me up.

The air was crisp, not really freezing yet, but cold enough to make me shiver, particularly as we silently strolled along for nearly an hour.

“We’re going to have a lot of long workdays over the next few weeks, huh?” I asked.

“Tomorrow and Friday for certain, at least if we want to hit the ground running come Monday.” Tommy pulled his suit jacket off and draped it over my shoulders.

I smiled and pulled it a little tighter around me. It smelled like him. I don’t think I’d ever noticed his scent before. Rum, coffee, almonds, and chocolate wafted off the fabric. His cologne, perhaps?

“We should head home if we want to be of any use at work tomorrow.” I wanted to keep walking with him. It was comfortable without Jen there to ruin it with her stupid little quips and suggestions.

“Yeah, I’ll call us a ride.”

Fifteen minutes later, I was at home, draped across my bed with one high heel still on and the other on the floor. Work in the morning was going to be rough.

 

~

 

“G’morning, Kate!” Jen was loud, obnoxiously so. And with that, I knew Tommy had shown up looking as rundown as I felt.

“Mornin’,” I grumbled.

“So, I saw Tommy this morning and—”

I held my hand up, quieting her for the first time in our years long friendship. “Nothing happened. We celebrated his promotion with a bottle of wine and too much whiskey after dinner, then we each went back to our own apartment to sleep it off.”

Her shoulders slumped with disappointment. “Did you at least masturbate to the idea?”

“I was kinda focused on keeping dinner down, Jen.”

“Alright, drinks Friday. If you won’t hookup with Tommy, then you’re gonna at least—”

“No. Have plans Friday.”

“Funny, Tommy said the same thing. Is it a date, I wonder?”

“Not a date. Just friends hanging out. Please knock it off. Stop trying to make me feel insecure and second guessing this friendship.”

“It should be so much more than just a friendship, Kate.”

“Yeah, I wasn’t talking about my friendship with Tommy. You’re fucking with my head, and I don’t know why. Why is it of any interest to you what Tommy and I do or don’t do? What do you gain from us fucking? Or lose by us not fucking?”

She shrank back as I stood a little taller, a little surer of myself. “Tell me, Jen, what do you get out of this?”

“Nothing. I just… you two always seemed like you should be more to each other.”

“We’re friends. That’s all we’ll ever be, so get this notion out of your head and get back to work.”

She pulled her hands back and dropped them to her sides. Great. Now I’ve hurt her feelings.

“Alright. Tom said you need the error logs from the Raven project. I’ll go get them.”

“Thank you.”

“You’ll still come to the Halloween party with me, right?”

I nodded. “Maybe not as a cat, though.”

Her smile was tight and appeared forced. “Okay.”

With Jen off my back, I went to talk to Tom to get the actual rundown of office changing and, hopefully, to steal a coffee.

He didn’t look as rundown as I felt, and I was a bit miffed at that. He looked perfectly normal and well-rested.

“What the fuck, Tom? Do you have some sort of hangover miracle cure or something?”

“We had the same amount of drinks last night, but I’m bigger and stronger than you and your tiny little… constitution.”

I laughed, and he held up a cup of coffee. I might’ve reached for it a little too excitedly because he pulled it back at the last second. “Nada Surf is playing Friday. We’re going, right?”

I nodded. “As long as I get that coffee in me, I’ll do whatever you want, Tommy.”

“Wow, you’re fiending, huh?”

“I have a massive headache.”

“Oh, so, that means I hold your key to success and a massive bonus here in my hand, huh?”

“Key to your bonus, too,” I pointed out.

He put the cup to his lips and tipped it back. Ugh. My coffee!

“Give!” I whined and moved closer.

He made an exaggerated “Ahhh,” and took another sip.

“Tommy, come on!*

“What? This is my coffee, Kitten.”

“Please?” I pouted.

He sat up straighter and tilted his head. “Whatever I want, huh?”

My cheeks flushed a little as he straightened his tie.

I nodded, clasping my hands behind my back and biting my lower lip. “Mmm hmm.”

“That’s putting a lot of trust in me…”

“Well, I do trust you.”

He motioned me closer, and I took a few steps toward him. “Meow,” he said with a big grin.

“What?”

“If you meow, like a cat that really, really wants something, I’ll give you my coffee.”

“I could just take it, like I normally do.”

“You could certainly try.”

Oh, I didn’t like the way he said that. Well, I did, but I didn’t. My cheeks and chest flushed pink. With a quick glance back at the door to his office, my voice was low, but I basically whispered a quick little, “Mrraow.”

He smiled. “You can do better than that.”

“Tommy…”

He reached out and ran his fingertips down my arm, “Come on, Kitten.”

I huffed and rolled my eyes, then leaned back on his desk and crossed my arms beneath my breasts. I rolled the r and let the sound rise from the back of my throat, “Mrrraeuw.”

Tommy shifted in his seat and handed the coffee to me.

Greedily, I took it and drank heavily, savoring the warm creamy goodness.

“Jesus, Kate, take a breath.”

I held my hand up, one finger lifted as I continued to gulp down the drink.

He reached up and took the cup from me, “Okay, you’re gonna pass out if you don’t breathe.”

“I was breathing.”

“Gulping air doesn’t count.”

I wiped the spillage from my lips and shrugged, “It’s not that hard to alternate swallowing with breathing.” I snatched the coffee back and left his office, completely forgetting what I had originally gone in there for.

 

~

 

By late Friday afternoon, we had settled into our new offices, and we had the team up to date on goals while working out our plans to reach them. We were ahead of the two-day deadline, and our supervisor was both impressed and annoyed. Maybe he’d hoped to get out of paying that hefty bonus.

Tommy and Jen met me in the lobby, and I may have looked at her with uncertainty as she stood beside him. I hoped she’d gotten the message earlier.

“Turns out I have a ticket to the concert tonight, too.” Her jovial smile was off-putting. When I last showed her a Nada Surf song, she wasn’t impressed.

“I thought you didn’t like them?” Looked like she hadn’t got the message.

She shrugged. “I don’t, but I met this hot guy down by the docks and he invited me, so I said sure. I’m supposed to meet him by the big tree out front and then I’ll stay out of your hair, promise.” Alright, maybe she had. I could only hope.

“Well, let’s get going so we aren’t late,” Tommy said as he gestured toward the door.

We set out, stopping along the way for ice cream, but otherwise headed right to the venue. The hot guy was real and had a similar vibe as Tommy, tall and muscular with a face that made him look like he stepped out of a sexy magazine for women.

His name, which evidently Jen hadn’t remembered, was Brian. He introduced himself as Jen slyly apologized for not making the introductions. With that, we went inside. It was dark, with a multitude of tables of varying heights and couches scattered around the sides. Down the center was a bar, and a wooden dance floor went from behind the bar right up to the stage.

It was also stiflingly hot.

“We should’ve gone home to change first. We have an hour to kill and both of us look like corporate stooges,” Tommy said, leaning in close so I could hear him over the music.

“You and I both know we woulda said fuck it and not come back. The train twice a day is bad enough, aiming for a second run is just a mood killer. Besides, I thought ahead.”

I sat my bag down and pulled a few little items out, handing them to him. “They have lockers here, right?”

“If not, I’ll run down the street and grab us a room for the night. Might do that anyway so we don’t have to take the late train home.”

“Meet back here in like twenty?”

He nodded. “You never cease to amaze me.”

I smiled, then we headed off toward a dark hallway following the ‘restrooms’ sign. I broke away and disappeared into the ladies’ room, all black tiles and gold fixtures. There was a small sitting area with floor-to-ceiling mirrors and a couple of women not much younger than me kneeling on a couch as they fixed their makeup. I gave them a polite smile and continued within.

The alt vibe of the patrons set me at ease with the outfit I’d chosen to bring. I slipped into a stall and hung my bag on the back of the door. Then I pulled off my very respectable work clothes and pulled out the little blood-red crushed velvet skater dress I’d packed. It slid on easily, the long sleeves welcomed in the cool air of the bathroom. I was definitely going to regret the sleeves once I got back to the bar. Next were black thigh highs, which made me giddy as I slid the delicate fabric up each leg. I didn’t know why I liked the feel of them so much, but the silkiness was such a thrill.

I pulled out a couple of necklaces, a choker, some dangly dagger earrings, and a couple of bangles for my wrist. Accessories could make or break an outfit, and I’d packed accordingly. But I failed to work up the courage to pull the final piece out of my bag. Another time, perhaps.

What I couldn’t pack was a hefty pair of boots, which is why I’d worn a cute little pair of heeled ankle booties to work that morning. I slid them back on, then packed my work clothes in my bag and headed over to the mirror to make sure my makeup was still halfway decent.

One of the girls watched me wipe what remained of my lipstick away, and she tsk’ed me. I crinkled my nose and looked over at her. “What?” I asked.

She rummaged in her bag and pulled out a small tube. “Can I do your makeup?”

I tilted my head. Her glamorous visage denoted a certain skill, and she had the right vibe. “Why?”

“Your face looks like you just stepped out of a board meeting.” Ouch. But not inaccurate.

I pouted a little. “Isn’t sharing makeup unhygienic?”

“Extremely.” She waggled the tiny tube in her hand.

I looked at her friend then back at her. “Okay, what’s the con here?”

She twisted her lips then smiled a little. “I’m building a portfolio as an artist and want to take a picture to post on my website.”

“So you hang out in club bathrooms looking for women to doll up?”

“Basically. What have you got to lose?”

“My eyesight, for one.”

She held open her bag and lifted it to me, “Look, single use applicators. I’m a legit makeup artist, I just don’t have a client base yet.”

There were little Ziploc bags full of tiny brushes, sponges, and puffs. “How long will it take?”

“Fifteen, twenty minutes, tops for a quick club look.”

“Fine, but if I don’t like the pictures you can’t post them.”

“Deal.”

They pulled me down on the couch. The girl set about covering my work makeup with a different look. She wasn’t wrong; it only took her about ten minutes to change my look by focusing her efforts on my eyes and lips. The base already being done saved her a lot of time, I’m sure.

She motioned me up, and I turned to look in the mirror. It was the vampiest look I’d ever worn in my life. My lips were glossy and blood-red. It definitely matched my dress. My eyes were smoked out with deep reds and browns, and she’d even added a little highlight and blush, making me look almost dark pixie-like.

I took her business card then returned to the main area of the club, feeling much more confident while wearing a smile that brought out the dimples in my cheeks.

Tommy was sitting on a couch, changed into his t-shirt and jeans, but still wearing his suit jacket from work. He was looking around as though he were bored.

“No lockers in the women’s. Anything in the men’s?” I asked as I plopped down next to him.

“Yeah,” he said absently before turning to look at me. “I’m sorry. Do I know you? See, I came here with my very demure and business oriented best friend and you are most definitely not her.”

I smacked his shoulder playfully, and he held his hand out to take my bag. “Be nice,” I scolded before handing it to him.

He gave me a grin. “Be right back.”

His reaction made me fuss with my dress. I gave it a quick tug to try and pull it closer to my knees, then tilted them to the side and held the dress down, which caused the babydoll-style top to stretch.

Tommy came back a few minutes later and plopped on the couch next to me. “I’m gonna need a drink,” he said as he turned his head toward me and smiled.

“Oh… my ID is in my wallet in my bag…”

“Motherfucker…”

He got up and headed back toward the men’s room. Jen came over and sat on the couch next to me. “How come you never dress up like this for me?” Her finger slid beneath my lip, and I pulled away.

“It was the only thing that fit in my bag after getting an outfit for Tommy in there, too.” That wasn’t at all true, but she didn’t need to know that.

“You coulda packed less makeup and more dress.”

I scowled at her. “I didn’t pack makeup. There were these two girls in the bathroom doing impromptu makeovers to drum up some interest in her skills as a makeup artist.” I motioned vaguely toward the bathrooms.

“Seriously? You let some random person put their makeup on you?”

“She had disposable applicators. Seemed really professional, if a bit young.”

She still seemed unsure, but shrugged it off. “How’s the date with Tommy going?”

“It’s not a date. We both like the band and we like doing friend things, like watching movies and having dinner and going to concerts.”

“Yeah, that doesn’t sound like a date at all. Definitely doesn’t look like you dressed up for a date…”

She quieted as Tommy came back over, and my cheeks flushed as I saw something dangling from his outstretched finger. “What’s this?” he asked.

I looked up at him, my mouth slightly agape in surprise. “You went through my bag? The wallet was right on top”

He stretched his other hand out, dropping my ID into my lap and wiggling the black metal headband on his finger. “And this was right beneath it. Kitten, what’s this?” His brow twitched upward as he tried very hard not to smile.

“It’s for Halloween. I’m going to the work party with Jen, and she thought I should go as a cat. And… and I’ve been trying out cat ears.” The black lace ears sat atop the red headband. It was designed to blend into my hair.

Jen was fucking grinning. “Oh, Kate! Put them on!”

“No. You said you’d leave us alone once you got inside.” My cheeks felt like a furnace, and I had to lower my gaze from them. My stomach warmed and tensed. God… If Tommy asks…

But he did one better. He lifted the headband to his head and slipped it on. “She can’t. I’m wearing them.”

My smile must’ve been full of relief as Jen rolled her eyes and Tommy plopped on the couch next to me.

“Can I call you Tomcat?” I asked, smiling and looking at him with my eyelashes batting playfully.

Jen grinned, and I ignored her.

Tom blushed and seemed to trip over his response before muttering, “Well, I guess, but it’s not very fitting is it?”

“How so?” I asked.

He shifted in his seat and ran his hand up the back of his neck, mussing his hair. “I haven’t exactly been on the prowl the past few months.”

“Well, she could call you Gib,” Jen interjected.

We both looked at her with curiosity, but it was Tom who asked, “What’s a Gib?”

Jen made a scissoring motion at her crotch as she nonchalantly said, “Neutered.”

Tom’s face flushed, and I stifled a chuckle.

“Well, that’s even less accurate!” he complained.

“Then prowling sex beast it is,” Jen added.

He glanced at me then back at Jen. The discomfort on his face was unmistakable, but it was the almost pleading look he gave Jen that piqued my curiosity.

“Alright, that’s enough of me interrupting your date. I’m gonna go find ‘hot guy’ ’cause I still don’t remember his name.”

I tensed up as both Tom and I blurted, “It’s not a date.”

Jen just smiled and nodded, “Right. Tomcat and Kitten aren’t on a date.”

Tommy pulled the headband off and cleared his throat.

“I don’t think of this as a date,” I said as soon as Jen had left before looking at him with my brow crinkled in concern. “Do you?”

He shook his head and quickly said, “No. No, of course not. We’re just friends.” Then he reached over and slid the headband on my head.

Tommy didn’t do a good job. Half of my hair was pushed forward toward my face, but I didn’t fix it; I just smiled and looked up at him. His finger lightly trailed over my cheek as he tucked my hair behind my ear. “Looks much better on you.”

“Drinks?” I asked, my voice seemed so meek with the loudness around us, and I wasn’t immediately sure he’d heard me. “Tommy?”

“Mm, yeah, drinks. You’re going to need to come with me so I don’t get accused of supplying an under 21 with alcohol,” he said with a smile.

I glared at him. “I’m twenty-five and you know it.”

“I know you claim to be twenty-five, but I’ve never seen your ID. You could be nineteen or thirty and I wouldn’t have a clue.”

“Now you’re just fucking with me.” The note of irritation in my voice seemed to make him smile. Or maybe it was the irritated look on my face.

“Ah, Kitten, when I’m fucking with you, you’ll know it.” He grinned with that and stood up, then turned around and held his hand out to me.

The bar was crowded, and more than once, I felt a hand on me. At first, I thought it was Tommy, and it made me bite down on my lip. But he was in front of me, and the hand was still on my lower back. I turned to find this smarmy-looking weasel of a guy standing there. Okay, he wasn’t smarmy-looking or weasel-like, but regardless of how attractive he might’ve been, the audacity of him putting his hand on me like that was off-putting.

I stepped away, closer to Tommy, and the guy behind me stepped with me, keeping his hand on my lower back. My stomach fluttered. Not in a good way. I was uncomfortable but didn’t want to draw attention. His hand slid down to the top of my ass. My breath caught, and my eyes widened.

The guy moved his hand down over my ass, and I glared at him while stepping fully in front of Tommy, nearly stumbling as I did so.

Tom helped me stay upright and looked at the guy behind us before looking at me again. “You okay?” he asked, standing a little straighter before he put his arm in front of me.

“Yeah.” I pulled the headband off and held it tightly in front of me. It felt impossible to lift my head, I didn’t want anyone to see that I was upset.

“She yours?” The guy asked. I lifted enough to see him nod his head in my direction.

“Well, I know she isn’t yours.” His voice was even and calm, his gaze focused on the louse.

“Could be.”

A man of few words, it seemed.

Tommy crossed his arms over his chest and stepped more squarely in front of me. “Don’t think so.”

The guy leaned around Tommy to leer at me. “Nice dress.”

I tugged at the increasingly uncomfortable fabric. Then I hooked my finger in the back belt loop on Tommy’s jeans and stepped closer to him, hiding behind him. My cheeks burned with the heat of the flush, and I nestled myself against his back. The cat ear headband was still clutched in one hand.

Disappearing would be nice.

“You can either turn around and walk away, or you can take a step closer,” Tommy’s voice was firm and deep, very authoritative. I quite liked it.

“Those my only options?”

“Yes.”

“I think I’ll take two steps forward.”

“You can certainly try.”

The way Tommy said that made me think he was glaring. It wasn’t at all like when he said it to me. He always grinned at me. It was always with an arched eyebrow and a tone of curiosity over my willingness to challenge him. That curiosity wasn’t in his tone this time. The statement sounded like a challenge.

I tugged on the back of his jeans, and he brushed his hand toward mine. “Tom, let’s just go, okay?”

I stepped out from behind him, and the guy was much closer, so I got between them. “Tommy!” I said it a little forcefully, and it drew his attention to me. “Let’s go.” My hand was on his chest, the other still clutched my headband.

Then I felt a hand on my hip, and I swung the hand that held the headband, catching the guy on the cheek and making a shallow slice in his skin.

My eyes widened, and I jumped back. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry, I… that wasn’t—” I couldn’t get any more words out. What the fuck was I doing? This guy assaulted me. The cut barely even bled. It wouldn’t scar at all. Nah, he deserved that.

Tommy pulled me back to him, and the guy clutched his cheek. “You fucking bitch!” He yelled before lunging toward me.

Tommy grappled him, nearly pushing me down as he moved around me. He got one hand on the back of the guy’s neck, one knee held down an arm, and his other hand held down the guy’s other arm, effectively pinning him to the ground. My friend looked up and around at the small gathering crowd. “Can we get security over here, please? This asshole assaulted my friend at least twice.”

So much for an hour to kill before the concert.

Thankfully, there were witnesses who backed up my version of events, and the guy was escorted out after I declined to press assault charges. The scratch was deemed self-defense, and Tommy and I were let out of the back room to go to the concert.

 

~

 

I’d like to say the concert was otherwise uneventful, but that wouldn’t be entirely true.

I’d put the cat ear headband back on and Tommy kept me close for the rest of the night. If I had to go pee, he waited outside for me. If I wanted a drink, he came with me to get it, and he watched the bartender with a keenly focused eye. He was worried about me. It was sweet.

Jen would’ve said him keeping his arm around me all night meant he wanted to fuck me. She would’ve seen intent for more than being protective and cautious. Our leaning in close to each other to be heard over the music would’ve been salacious. His wiping spilled wine from my lip with his thumb would’ve… ah, yeah. That was my realization. Okay, maybe there was a slight interest or curiosity from him. But it wasn’t at all as lurid as Jen made it seem. He cared about me, that’s all. I could prove it was nothing more once we got to the hotel.

There were no more disturbances from other concertgoers, but there was something in the look he gave me that made my heart flutter. So, yeah, the concert wasn’t uneventful, but the events that unfolded gave such mixed messages.

He draped one hand over my shoulder and held my hip tightly in the other, and we danced together. We indulged in more alcohol, and I began to find it difficult to concentrate with his hands on me and his body pressed so close to mine.

One hand slid up my side, around to my back, and my breath caught as his fingers grazed my neck. They slid into my hair, and for a moment, I thought I was imagining it. We’d both had too much to drink. Neither of us were in a place to make good decisions.

Tommy pulled my hair, tilting my head back, and he looked me in the eyes. My heart raced, and I desperately needed to take a breath, but I couldn’t. Especially as he leaned down.

I breathed hard when his lips didn’t connect with mine, but instead moved to my ear. His voice made me tremble. “Hotel room for the night?” he asked.

“Mmm hmm.”

He smiled and released my hair, then pulled me back to him again. My mind reeled. Fuck. Why didn’t he kiss me?

My thighs squeezed together, and I closed my eyes, melting back into him. The places my mind went for the rest of that concert, the duration of our drinks, the walk to the hotel, and finally, getting back to our shared room would make a sailor on shore leave blush.

I was wet and aching for him to grab me as we got in the door. Desperately wanted him to push me against it, hike up my skirt, rip my panties, and sink himself into me.

But that’s not what happened.

We got to the room, and I bit my lip. It was a nice room with a very large bed, and, instead of pouncing on me as soon as the door closed, he stretched and went over to the couch. I was… perplexed. He’d been so affectionate at the concert, but in the hotel, where we had privacy and could do whatever we wanted, push our boundaries to and past their limits, he just… went and laid on the couch? What the fuck?

I was flustered.

“We can share the bed,” I offered, my speech only slightly slurred.

He glanced toward it but shrugged. “I’m fine on the couch, but wouldn’t mind a pillow and maybe a sheet.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Share the bed.”

“I don’t mind, Kitten. You’ll rest better having the bed to yourself.”

“But, if you take the blanket, I’ll get cold. And I don’t want to sleep on the bed without the sheet…”

He looked over at me, and I cautiously approached the couch. “You normally sleep in my guest room when you stay over… I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.”

“I’m comfortable sleeping with you.”

His eyes widened momentarily, and he maneuvered himself on the couch to make room for me. “A movie to sober up a little?”

“Yeah. Though, nothing scary unless you want to spend all night reassuring me.” I sat in the space he made for me and curled up against him.

He wrapped his arm around me and scrolled through the movies. I have no idea what he picked. The mix of his scent, his warmth, and the alcohol in my system kept me entirely focused on fantasies.

Tommy brushed his fingers down my sleeve, and I wished I’d chosen something sleeveless, but I would’ve frozen on the way to the hotel. I shifted on the couch until he was laying behind me and my ass pressed against him. My head lay on his arm, and my hands held his in front of me.

I’d forgotten about my headband until he reached up with his free hand and pulled it off my head. He tossed it onto the coffee table, then put his hand on my thigh, just at the hem of my dress. My eyes closed. I desperately wanted to encourage more as two characters in the movie began a deep and sensual kiss.

“This okay?” he asked.

My ability to speak was questionable, but I managed a soft, “Yeah, of course.”

He began to massage my thigh, his breath was warm on my neck, and I had to fight the urge to squirm. I was reading into it. He was just being affectionate in a friendly way; he didn’t mean anything sexual by it. The kiss on the screen devolved into shed clothing and beautiful bodies writhing together. A blonde woman straddled the main male character in a bed, a sheet carefully wrapped around them, and Tommy’s fingers slid a little higher.

My heart raced, and sweat began to bead on my neck. I struggled to restrain my reaction. I could imagine more. My ass pressing back to him, his hand grasping my hip beneath my dress, his lips on my neck…

I wanted to moan. Needed to grab his hand and pull it where I wanted it, but I resisted. Swallowed the building moan and fought my body’s urge to tremble.

This was ridiculous. He hadn’t even done anything. I’d just let my imagination run wild and put intent that wasn’t there behind his touch. The climax of the characters on screen made me release my breath slowly, and I finally felt I could focus again, even with his fingers indenting my thigh with a firm grip on me.

He pulled me into a hug and whispered in my ear, “We should shower before bed. Get the alcohol and concert off of us.”

I nodded.

His hand slid to my ass, and he gave me a light swat. “Up with you, then,” he said.

Could I stand up? I hesitated and looked at him. “I don’t want to sleep in my work clothes or the concert clothes.” My voice had a tremble to it as my cheeks flushed.

His skin seemed a little redder, too. “You can sleep in your underwear. I’ll stay on top of the blankets.”

“I don’t want to do that, either. Can… can I sleep in your work shirt? If not, that’s okay, I just…”

“Yeah, Kate, that’s fine. It’s still in your bag right?”

I nodded. “You don’t mind?”

“No. If it makes you comfortable, that’s fine by me.”

I smiled.

“Is that why you felt so tense? You weren’t sure about asking?”

Well, fuck. “Mmm hmm.” My response was high-pitched and had the wrong tone. There was no doubt he knew I was covering something. “Umm. I’ll shower first.”

I got up, and he smiled as I glanced back at him. “If you take too long, I’m coming in to ensure I get at least some hot water,” he added while his smile grew into a grin.

I laughed with such nervousness that I almost tripped as I grabbed my bag and went into the bathroom.

 

~

 

The door closed behind me, and I slid down to the floor. What. The. Fuck? I dropped my bag, peeled my dress and bra off, then tossed them near the door. Unzipped and kicked my shoes off, then pulled off my stockings and panties. Finally, I put my jewelry on top of the pile. My panties lay below my jewelry. My very slick and wet, pretty black panties.

I pulled the panties and bra from the pile and lay them nearby, as though discarded in haste. I wanted him to know I wasn’t wearing them. I really wanted him to know.

Then I turned on the water and peeked out the door. He was still lying on the couch, but I couldn’t see him well from this angle. I could see his hair, and one arm seemed to be draped over his eyes.

I closed the door and headed to the shower. It did feel nice to get the makeup off of my face, but without an oil cleanser, the eyeliner and mascara removal was only mildly successful. My stomach clenched at the thought of Tommy sneaking in to get some of the hot water. It made me so tempted to take the longest shower ever, but I was really tired.

Still, my mind raced to possibilities. A week ago, I wouldn’t have had even a single thought about him like that. Jen fucked it up. She ruined a good, pure thing, and I wanted to cry. Grieving a friendship seemed okay, but maybe not when the friend in question was waiting for his turn to shower.

I washed up, letting the water loosen my muscles. Tempted as I was to grab the showerhead and offer my body some relief, I didn’t. I’d just go to bed still aroused and take care of it in the morning when Tommy wasn’t waiting for me to finish.

After brushing my teeth and drying off, I went over to my bag and pulled out his work shirt. It smelled nice and was a thin white cotton. It had been neatly pressed that morning, but it now held many crumples and wrinkles from being stashed in my bag. I buttoned it most of the way up; the top three undone exposed my clavicle, but little more than that. It fell just below my ass, which meant I couldn’t bend over unless I wanted my best friend to see… well, me, I suppose.

I did want him to see, but he had to want it. If I flashed him by accident, and he wasn’t interested … that would be so much worse. He’d made it clear he wasn’t interested when he plopped on the couch once we were in the hotel. He could’ve shown interest then, but he’d shown indifference. So, my certainty that he wanted me waned and my confidence fell.

Stepping out of the bathroom was so exposing. Like he could read my intent all over me, and I was trying a little too hard to be noticed. “It’s all yours, Tommy,” I said as I walked toward the couch and climbed next to him.

“Oh?”

“Yeah. There’s even some hot water left.”

“Oh. Yeah. Okay.”

I watched him walk toward the bathroom. He didn’t wait until he was inside to start undressing. His T-shirt got discarded along the way. His muscles were well-defined in an athletic way, not bulging like he pumped iron just for the sake of it.

His shoes were kicked off haphazardly as he walked, stopping just to shift them out of the way. He unfastened his pants as he made it to the door, but he didn’t pull them off until he was inside. However, he did look back at me before closing the door and smiled as he noticed me watching him.

I wanted to lay on the couch and relieve the ache of desire that had been welling within me, but I didn’t. I had no way of knowing if his shower would be two minutes or two hours, and I didn’t want to get caught.

So I waited. Impatiently, but I waited. And when the bathroom door opened again, I stared. He was only wearing his boxers. My brow arched involuntarily, and his cheeks flushed. “I can wear my pants if you want me to,” he offered.

I shook my head, my eyes straying from his chest to his face. “No, it’s fine. Promise. We should go to bed. It’s late.”

“It’s still Friday night.”

“It’s Saturday. It’s 3 AM, Saturday, Tommy.”

“It’s only technically Saturday. It’s still Friday night until we sleep, which makes it turn from Friday night into Saturday morning.”

I smiled, and he held out his hand as he approached me. His eyes didn’t even stray over my bare legs or the hem of the so-short shirt. Then I took his hand, got up and let him lead me over to the bed. God, I hated Jen for fucking ruining this for me.

He sat on the side of the bed and looked me over for a second. “You know…” he started, his expression shifting to one with a little mischief behind it as he lifted my headband in his other hand, “…kittens don’t usually get to sleep in their master’s bed.”

I glanced at the table where he’d tossed my headband earlier. “When did you pick that up?”

“I was wearing it when I went to shower, didn’t you notice?”

My cheeks flushed. I hadn’t actually made it above his back as I watched him undress before. “No…”

He raised it and put it on my head, then ran his finger beneath my chin. “You can be the exception to that rule. But there’s one condition.”

“What condition?” I just know my face showed some sense of distrust mixing with curiosity.

“I get to pet you until I fall asleep.” His hand came up and stroked down my hair, slipped to my cheek, and then down my neck.

I choked down a moan, which, upon reflection, probably sounded like a purr.

Tommy pulled his hand away then cleared his throat. “What do you say, Kitten?”

Human speech might’ve been beyond my capabilities at that point because I let my mind drift to drinking down the creamy hot coffee in his office, and I channeled that feeling again. Rolled the R, the sound came from deep in my throat, rising from my chest, and let out a very finely tuned “Mrrraeuw.”

His hand came back up to the side of my neck, and he pulled me toward him as he scooted back on the bed. I followed his lead and crawled up into the bed, placing my knee between his and my hand on the bed near his hip. He continued guiding me, and I continued crawling toward him, half straddling him as I did, knowing full well I wasn’t wearing any panties and he would be able to see down the shirt I wore if he lowered his eyes.

My dear friend didn’t lower his eyes, he just pushed himself back into the bed and gently guided me into position with him. I lay partially over him. My bare vulva on his thigh, my arm along his shoulder, fingers caressing his neck, and my head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. It sounded a little fast, and I squirmed against his thigh as he began stroking my hair, cheek, neck, and shoulder, letting his fingers slide just beneath the collar of the shirt he’d let me borrow.

What could I do besides lift my eyes to meet his gaze and purr in response to his caress? Surely he couldn’t resist that.

 

~

 

I couldn’t say when we fell asleep, exactly, but I think we both knew our friendship was teetering perilously close to an edge we couldn’t come back from. We didn’t topple into the looming gorge, no matter how much I tried to pull him in with a bashful look as I pressed myself against his thigh under the guise of seeking a more comfortable position.

The bastard resisted me. Even when I felt how hard he was as my thigh pressed against him, he kept his cool and only petted me, encouraging my soft purrs.

I woke well before he did.

My head was nestled against his shoulder, the bridge of my nose pressed to his neck. My knee was between his thighs, and his hand was on my ass, holding me so I stayed partially on top of him. I ran my hand along his jaw, then kissed his neck, and he stirred, gripping my ass firmly as he stretched. I moaned against his neck, and his other hand came down to my ass, squeezing me as he lifted his hips.

So fucking close to crossing that boundary. So close to shifting my hips and releasing his cock to let him push into me. But, before I could, he completely froze. His hands stopped lifting my ass as they squeezed, but he didn’t pull his hands away.

“Kate?” he whispered. “You awake?”

I didn’t answer, just moaned sleepily and shifted position, lifting my knee in a way that would’ve easily opened me to him. His movement was tentative, but he gently slid his palms down my ass until his fingers were on either side of my vulva.

“Kitten? Fuck. Kate, please wake up.”

I kept the facade up, and he groaned, lifted me and moved himself out from under me. He rolled me onto my side, facing away from him, and I allowed my body to stay limp, maintaining the illusion of sleep. Part of me wanted to kiss him, to ‘wake up’ and shift my body over his. Let him thrust into me. But if that barrier was to be broken, it had to come from him. Then the bed began to rhythmically tremble, as if with some repetitive movement. Even with restraining himself in an effort to not wake me up, it was evident he was stroking his cock while in bed with me. I should’ve moved so I could watch, but I had to make do with feeling his movement and listening to his breathing quicken.

I shifted myself back against him and he grabbed my ass, seemingly to keep me from scooting back any further, then gave a pained groan. My shirt had lifted up, and his hand was on my bare skin. The bed shifted and I opened my eyes a little. I didn’t want him to get up. How could I get him to stay?

I closed my eyes again and rolled onto my back. One hand lay above my head and the other lay next to my hip. The shirt bunched further, not quite up to my waist, but I could feel my bare hip, which meant I was basically on display for him.

He moved my hand onto the bed between us. I felt like he was watching me intently, like he was just waiting for me to wake up and get caught with his dick in his hand. Then he grunted, and it was strained. Wetness splashed my hip and hand. He groaned, some sort of relief mixed with an edge that again almost sounded like pain. Instant regret?

He stroked my cheek and whispered, “This is why kittens need their own bed…”

The mixed signals were shed, and it was clear then that he did, indeed, want to fuck me, even if he couldn’t tell me that. I didn’t know why he didn’t – fuck, but I wished he would. Was there ever a better time?

I wanted to mewl for him as he slid his cock into me. Wanted to scratch his back and feel him force my hips down to his. Desperately wanted to look into his eyes as he grabbed my ass and guided me on him while I moaned and purred for him. My hands should be kneading his shoulders as he fucked me.

Instead, I let this happen as I pretended to sleep. His pleasure fulfilled with a muffled gasp and streaks of rogue cum across my skin. It would’ve been the perfect time to let him watch me lick my hand clean, lapping at it like a kitten with her cream, but I was ‘asleep’, so I couldn’t without revealing I’d been faking.

His fingers slid across my hip and he unbunched the shirt, pulling it down to cover me. I moaned sleepily at his – possibly unintended – caress. He pulled the shirt a little more. Was he trying to clean me with it? I guess the only other thing available was the sheet and blanket and they were both bunched up beneath me. Apparently I’m a blanket thief as well as a tease.

“Fuck,” he whispered before trying to ease off the bed. He was moving slowly, trying to not wake me.

I rolled onto my side and sleepily raised my hands to my head. The one coated in his cum was resting quite close to my lips.

“Shit. Fuck. Why did I do that?” he cursed quietly at himself.

I still wanted to lick my hand.

Part of me expected him to either run to the bathroom to clean up or go all in and wake me.

I was fairly certain that with my arm under my head, the shirt I wore had lifted to barely cover my hips. I was on display before him, and it was all I could do to keep composed. Would he know my pulse was racing? Was my arousal evident to his gaze? I wondered how long I could pretend to sleep before he caught on. Would he get mad? Be relieved? Pounce?

I felt the bed shift and the slow wipe of soft cloth across my hand. Pity. I was hoping he’d go clean up, then I could sneak a taste. Maybe I could still manage it before he got my hand fully clean. I shifted on the bed and turned fully onto my stomach. I bent my right leg until my foot rested under my left thigh. My cum-coated hand was against my lips, but I couldn’t taste him yet. His cum smelled fresh, a little like a pool.

Then I realized what view I had just given him. My ass and pussy were on full display. It must’ve seemed so tempting and inviting. My face burned with redness. He would’ve known I was faking sleep at seeing that. His lack of teasing and reaction meant he wasn’t looking at my face.

I took a quick lick of my fingers.

The bed shifted behind me, and a moment later, the bathroom door closed. Then the muffled sound of water carried over to me. I smiled and opened my eyes, then licked my hand more. He’d stopped cleaning my hand before he left. Must’ve gotten distracted by something.

Salty, sweet, just slightly bitter on the back end. Creamy and light in texture. Slippery. Very slippery, actually. Went down quite easily.

The shower was still going. I’d have warning to stop before he came back out and I felt like this shower would take longer than the last one. I could just… maybe a little.

I turned onto my back and unbuttoned a few more buttons on my shirt, then lifted the hem and slid my cum-slicked fingers over my clit. My arousal from the night before hadn’t waned, or at least, if it had, there’d been a resurgence with knowing he was jerking off in bed next to me. My thigh trembled as I slid my fingers around, barely touching myself.

My clit was aching for attention, and I offered it, aided by the slickness of his cum. I considered not stopping whenever the shower ended. Let him see me with my fingers deep inside, knowing he hadn’t cleaned all of his cum from them. He’d have to wonder if I even knew he’d cum on my hand.

I let my shirt fall off one shoulder, breast exposed as I arched my back and slid my middle and ring fingers inside of me. His hands would feel so much better. Thicker and firmer, more of a disconnect between the sensation and knowing what would happen next.

The downside of masturbation was the lack of mystery. I knew my own pleasures. It was easy to get myself off. What I really enjoyed was the bonding experience of my partner learning what touches I liked. The fulfillment of him discovering things I had no idea I liked. Masturbation lacked surprise.

I hadn’t gotten off yet when I heard the water stop, and I hesitated to pull my hand away. I didn’t want him to see, though. Not yet, anyway. So I lay back on the bed, keeping the shirt open and off one breast. Then I closed my eyes and waited.

 

~

 

When Tommy finally came out of the bathroom, he whined. Then he came over and wiped my hand clean, then wiped away what must’ve been a smear of his cum on my lower lip as he dragged the cloth over it lightly. He even pulled the shirt back over me, his fingers delicately stroking my nipple and breast as he did, and buttoned it back up.

His voice was warm on my ear as he stroked my cheek and hair. “Kate, it’s time to wake up.”

I groaned and pulled my arms up over my head. “Don’t wanna,” I whined.

He laughed, his fingers still caressing my cheek as he whispered, “Come on, let’s go get breakfast.”

I opened one eye and looked at him. “How about you go get us breakfast and bring it back here?”

“We have to get ready to check out, too.”

“Let’s see if we can stay another night?”

“Really? We both live just a train ride away from here.”

“Yeah. Can we catch another show? Without Jen and bar assholes to put a damper on it?”

I stretched as I rose up, then quickly realized I was, once again, showing him my lower body. “Oh, shit,” I said before hastily covering up. My cheeks burned red.

“We have no clean clothes here. No proper pajamas…”

“Ugh! Fine.”

“Thursday is the Halloween party, right?”

“Yeah, what about it?” I asked.

“And it’s being hosted at the hotel on the waterfront?”

“Yeah.”

He smiled and climbed behind me on the bed, letting me lean back against him, even though he only had on a towel.

“Then how about I get us a hotel room for Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday? We can bring clothes and our costumes, have fun, make a big day of getting ready together, then we go and chill in our room after with a scary movie and some cuddling.”

His fingers massaged my neck and shoulders, and I melted back into him. “K.”

“Massage feels good, I take it?”

“Mmm hmm. Want me to purr to prove it.” I glanced back at him, he was smiling with a mischievous glint in his eye.

“After the party, Kitten.”

 

~

 

Leaving that morning had been difficult. He didn’t confess to what he’d done while he thought I was asleep, but he did seem like something was weighing on him.

We parted ways after the train ride home. I never gave him back his shirt. I just put my bra on under it and pulled on my work pants. We texted back and forth. Made plans for the upcoming weekend, which included both of us working from home for Friday and the following Monday. I was looking forward to it.

I spent the rest of the day relieving the ache that had built and gone unfulfilled in the hotel.

Things would never be the same between us, and I needed to adjust to that idea. It terrified me as much as it excited me. He’d been my best friend for six years. I’d supported him through multiple failed relationships. I listened to his fears and reassured him. He was there for me when my dad died and when I needed a boost of confidence.

We didn’t talk at all on Sunday. It made me a little sad but we both had lives that involved things away from each other. It wasn’t like we talked every day. Even at work we had days where we didn’t really get to interact. We had our tasks on projects; sometimes they overlapped, but oftentimes they didn’t.

With us heading up the same project, though, Monday was a little uncomfortable as we worked very closely with one another.

Tommy kept shifting. Like he couldn’t sit still and had something on his mind. I could’ve told him I knew what happened and I was into it, but that would require admitting to being deceitful.

At the time, I wasn’t sure what he’d do and never imagined he would take it as far as he had. Just looking? Yeah – he was a guy, and I was wearing a shirt that barely covered my ass without any underwear on. I’d wanted him to look. Touching had even been expected to a degree. Though, maybe not to the degree of splashing his cum on me.

As lunchtime rolled around, I walked into his office, leaned on his desk, and asked, “Wanna do a working lunch with me? I think we can finalize these reports in half an hour if we work together on it.”

“Yeah, but, can we talk first?”

I smiled and tilted my head. “Sure, what about?”

“I don’t think a hotel room this weekend is a good idea.”

“What? Why?” I asked, my brow furrowed in concern.

“Because it might look like I gave you the assistant project lead job under false pretenses.”

“Did you?”

“No, of course not.”

“Okay, then fuck what anyone else thinks.”

“Kate…”

“I had a great time Friday, Tommy. It was probably the best time I’ve had in years, to be honest. I don’t care what whispers get started over it. You’re my best friend. We shouldn’t have to tiptoe around that because we work together. If…” I drew a deep breath and tried to steady my voice, “…if you don’t want to, that’s one thing, but if it’s just about appearances… I don’t care. I enjoy spending time with you.”

“I want to, I just…”

“If you want to and I want to… why can’t we?”

He still looked uneasy. “I’m your boss. It’s not exactly the best look for me to put you in a vulnerable position.”

I chuckled lightly and lifted my gaze to meet his. “I trust you, Tommy. I don’t mind being vulnerable around you because I don’t think you’d take advantage.”

If ever there was an opportunity to make a passionate plea for forgiveness and confess to taking some liberties with a sleeping friend, that was it.

He got up from his desk and shut the office door before turning back around to face me as I sat on the edge of his desk. His brow was wrinkled, eyes lifted in a sorrowful expression, and he moved toward me. “Putting trust in someone can be a dangerous thing, Kitten.”

“It can also be freeing.”

He came over and put his hands on his desk, resting on either side of my hips. His gaze was intense, but I didn’t break eye contact.

My heart began to race; I had no hope of winning a staring contest with him, particularly with his thumbs caressing my outer thigh. “Freeing how?” he asked.

“Umm.” I looked away and started to slip from his desk. He grabbed my thighs and held me there.

“How is it freeing to trust someone who could easily hurt you?”

I kept my gaze on his hands caressing my thighs as he held me to his desk. “There’s knowing they could, and being confident they won’t,” I said in a meek little voice that barely carried from my lips.

He brought his hand beneath my chin and tilted my head up, forcing me to look him in the eyes. “What makes you certain I won’t hurt you?”

I considered how to respond for a moment before speaking. “I’m not certain you wouldn’t. I’m confident you wouldn’t. Certainty requires me knowing your thoughts at all times, knowing the ins and outs of your limitations and I can’t know that. Confidence is knowing my own limitations and understanding how your potential actions could affect me. I’m confident you won’t hurt me because I think the only thing you could do to accomplish that is to stop being my friend. My hope is that you don’t want that, so I’m confident that you won’t hurt me.”

“There are so many other things I could do, Kate.”

I smiled. “What do you think you could do that would hurt me?”

Tommy cupped my jaw. “I could… insult you.”

“You could. Do you want to?”

His thumb stroked my cheek, and it took all I had to not lean into him. “No,” he said, his voice quiet.

“Do you want to hurt me?”

“Not like that.”

I was about to say something else when his office door opened. He pulled away from me as Jen walked in. She was looking down at a paper in her hand. “So, I think our best bet on this is to…” her eyes lifted and took each of us in.

The feeling of being caught doing something inappropriate, whether we had or not, weighed heavily on me. I’m certain it showed in my expression as I adjusted my skirt and slid off of his desk. Making eye contact with her felt like staring into the sun.

She was grinning wide and looked to Tommy, “Naughty boss to have your office door closed with a subordinate sitting on your desk, Tom.”

“It’s lunch time, Jen. What do you want?” He was terse, and she grinned wider.

“Have you told her yet?”

Tommy shook his head and clutched his stomach. He looked like he might get sick. I turned my attention to Jen. “Told me what?”

Jen glanced at him then back to me. “The project is ending on Monday. We only have a few more days to prove we can get this working, or they are shelving the whole idea and going in a different direction.” She looked at Tommy. “Right?”

He nodded, and no longer appeared on the verge of hurling.

“Oh.” I didn’t believe that was the entirety of what he was meant to tell me. “Well, what are the consequences if we don’t finish?”

Jen shrugged. “Probably get assigned to a different project and things carry on like usual. I actually need your help with my laptop, Kate. I think I got a porn virus again.”

I sighed. “Personal or work laptop?”

“Which do you think?” she asked with an arched brow and dastardly grin.

I walked over to her and shook my head. “Are you just trying to get fucking fired or what?”

“Obviously. If I get fired I can collect unemployment for a while and sit on my ass waiting for you two to get off work.”

“Not if they have cause to fire you. And porn on work property, let alone virus-laden porn, is cause.”

“Yeah, but Mr. Daily sent it to me. I innocently opened an email from my superior and was assaulted with vile nudity and gratuitous penis in vagina cum shots. He obviously fired me for rebuffing him.”

We left Tommy’s office and headed next door to mine. “And does Mr. Daily know he sent you porn?”

“Not yet.”

“You know I can trace badges to know where in the office he was when it was sent, right?”

“He was in his office. Asleep, but he was in there…”

“Oh my God, Jen. You can’t tell me that!”

She plopped on the corner of my desk and smiled. “Oh, but I can. What I can’t tell you is how upset Tommy was the other day. He did a bad, bad thing Saturday night, Kitten.”

“Oh? If you can’t tell me, then don’t.”

“But I need to! I’d be a horrible friend to keep that to myself.”

Shit. Did he tell her what he did?

I sat in the chair near her and looked up, barely meeting her gaze. “What did he do?”

“He made a dreadful mistake. Let his lust get the better of him.”

“What does that matter?” Shit. He could confess to anyone but her…

She scoffed. “He cheated on you, Kate. Got some chick to fuck because he was tempted by spending the night with you. How did he word it… he ‘needed to nut so bad’ that he went to a bar and picked up the first redhead he saw, fucked her good and hard to try to get you out of his system…”

Jen continued, but my heart sank a little, and I couldn’t focus on her words. At least he didn’t tell her he’d cum on me while I slept, which meant I didn’t have to confess that I was awake and disappointed he didn’t do more. “We aren’t dating. He didn’t cheat on me,” I said abruptly.

“…was afraid…” She stopped her previous train of thought and chuckled. “He kinda did. And for the worst reason, too. He said he didn’t trust himself around you. He said he almost gave in and fucked you while you slept next to him.”

I tried to keep a neutral expression. “And? He can fuck who he wants, Jen. We’re just friends.”

“No, you two are fucking soul mates and it’s irksome that you refuse to see it.”

“So, is that it? He fucked some random girl?”

“That’s it.”

“Okay, that was none of my business. Do you really have a porn virus?”

“Not on my computer.” She got up and walked out, a swish to her hips as she looked over her shoulder at me. “You’re gonna fuck him, pet. And neither of you will ever be able to look at anyone else for sex again.”

 

~

 

Jen tried to goad me into acting jealous for days. Truthfully, I was a little jealous. I kept glancing at him, wondering why he’d go and fuck some imposter when all he had to do was make a move. If he wanted me, I was right there. Hell, I’d been practically naked in his bed, covered in his cum.

To add insult to injury, Jen stopped by my office every day during lunch after that to present me with pieces of the costume she was putting together for me. She knew I wouldn’t be able to work with Tommy after without picturing him reacting to the costume.

She began the reveal on Monday night, dropping by my apartment with a cute little black box tied up with a pink ribbon. Inside was the start of my costume.

The gloves with short, spiky silver claws made me tremble as I ran my hand over them. Silky smooth, sharp, so sharp. They would make such pretty marks on his back. A beautiful crushed black velvet fabric. There was a matching cat ear headband, black wire-shaped little crushed velvet ears with soft pink silk interiors.

On Tuesday, she presented black thigh highs and a garter belt, a pink silk corset and thong, and black suede and silver stilettos. There was a part of me that was concerned that would be my outfit, no skirt, no covering for the corset. Just lingerie and a hope that it didn’t get me fired.

On Wednesday, she presented me with a dress, and I was relieved. Black velvet, stretchy and with more coverage than I expected from her. It had a sweetheart neckline with long bell sleeves attached only at the underarm. My shoulders would be bare, exposing my cleavage, but unless I bent forward at the waist, nothing else would be on display.

It was actually a cute outfit she’d pulled together, and I was excited to see what my makeup artist did to bring the look together.

Then Thursday rolled around, and she popped into my office with a new box. “You ready, Kitten?” Her tone was mocking.

“There’s more?” I asked, tilting my head.

“Just two pieces. But they are the best parts.”

I undid the ribbon and opened the box. My eyes widened as I looked inside. There was a big fluffy black tail inside. I stroked my hand down it. It was so soft. I couldn’t help but smile.

But I didn’t see how I’d attach it to my costume. “Does it pin to the dress?”

“No,” she said as I picked up the tail to inspect it closer. “It goes under the dress.”

Then I saw what she meant. On the thinner end of the tail was a pretty silver metal. My eyes widened, and I looked at my friend. “Jen…”

“It’s small, don’t worry.”

“That doesn’t look small!”

“Well, it’s big enough that it won’t fall out if you sneeze, but…”

“Jen!”

She laughed. “Oh, come on, it’s cute and will look a sight better than those stupid floppy tails that attach with a belt or pins.”

“It’s a fucking butt plug, Jen. I don’t even own one of those!”

“You do now. And it’s cute! So soft, right? And look at that quality. That tail will be the talk of the party!”

“Because it’ll be protruding from my ass and lifting an already short dress even higher!”

Jen grinned. “Tommy will have to protect you from all the bad men who want to see where the top of that tail is hidden.”

My eyes watered. “I can’t wear this!”

“I’ll help you put it in.”

I shook my head. “That’s just it, you can’t. Tommy and I were going to get ready together. I… I don’t know how to put this in, Jen, and I’m not asking Tommy to help.”

Jen laughed, her smile wide with glee. “Oh, but you should. Just tilt that pretty little ass of yours at him with your head down low and hips popped up and ask him to lube it up and ease it in for you. He’ll even get to see how aroused you get by him just looking and being close to you.”

My chin quivered, and she stroked my cheek. “Make sure you mewl when he runs the lube over and into your tight little asshole, Kitten.”

I glanced back in the box, but it was empty. “You said there were two pieces…”

“Oh, yeah.” She held up another small box. “But this one I’m giving to Tommy. You don’t get to see it until… well, I thought you’d only see it at the party, but I guess you’ll see it when he gets too curious and realizes how much he wants to use it.”

My stomach churned. I wanted to throw up. This stupid party was going to ruin my life. It was going to ruin my friendships. I’d never be able to forgive Jen for destroying what might be the most honest and understanding friendship I’ve ever had. Why was I even friends with her? She was such a bitch to me. Oh, I thought at a sudden realization. She was the definition of toxic, but she’d also been the one to introduce me to Tommy, so I felt obligated to continue being her friend. Fuck me, I guess.

She wiped the tears from beneath my eyes, and her smile took on a sad quality. “Don’t worry, pet. Tommy wants this as much as you do.”

“Oh,” she added as she turned back toward my office door, “I’m going to write a note on this that he isn’t to open it until you’re all dressed, including the tail.”

“I can go pick up a different tail…”

“You could, but you won’t. None of those stupid little cheap costume tails compare to the quality of this one, and I know you, Kate. You want him to see you as the innocent little Kitten with the pretty, silky, full tail. You want him to pet you and soothe you, so you want to feel embarrassed in front of him. Don’t you?” She wasn’t really asking. It was an affirmation of her belief that she knew exactly what I wanted. And she wasn’t wrong.

I didn’t respond to her. “Please leave.”

She continued out the door, a little wave of her hand over her shoulder, and bid me goodbye.

I ran my hand over the tail. It was sturdy and well made, and a heavy wire beneath the fur allowed the tail to be posed. And so soft. A chill coursed down my spine as I imagined how it would feel if someone stroked it while I wore it. No, not just someone. Tommy.

Fuck.

 

~

 

I had the costume pieces with me as I waited in the hotel lobby for the makeup artist. Tommy was still at the office, but I cut out early to check in to the hotel and start getting ready. I was grateful when she agreed to come to the hotel to do my makeup.

She was friendly as ever, her smile radiant as she approached. “So, tell me about your costume and what our goal is for the look.”

“Kitten…” I hesitated to continue but cleared my throat as we stepped into the elevator. My voice was quiet, “A kitten in heat.”

Her brow lifted in surprise, but she smiled “Oh, I can do that. Are we talking first heat or queen of the streets?”

“First,” I choked out.

“Really first, or just for the costume?”

“Just for the costume. Jesus, I’m not that precious.”

“I was just curious. You seemed a little new to things at the club.”

“Not new to ‘things’, just a new view on an old friendship.”

We made our way to the hotel, and she set up her kit at the small desk. She stared at me for a few minutes. Her mouth twisted, and her eyes narrowed. Her head tilted, then she tapped her chin as she contemplated. Finally, she got to work.

She was silent, moving my head, pulling my lips and eyelids this way and that. Tipping my head one way then the other. Wands and brushes and puffs and sponges were moving swiftly, then slowly, then swiftly again.

Then she stepped back and began packing up her supplies. “All set.”

“Really?” I started to get up, and she put her hand on my shoulder.

“Stay. Let your face set before you go making weird expressions examining everything. Two minutes. By the time I pack up, you can go look, pay me, and I’ll be on my way.”

She went back to work packing, and I obeyed her. When she was done, she smiled and nodded. “Okay, go look, tell me what you think.”

I got up and went into the bathroom. The mirror reflected an image I didn’t recognize. It was soft and dewy with meticulously drawn lines mimicking a kitten’s facial shape, while the rest of the makeup was especially human. Soft, pink, fresh and light.

She made me look like I’d just stepped out of my high school graduation with a cat mask on. It made me feel oddly bubbly and cheerful. The sadness of Jen’s earlier antics felt a million miles away. This artist was worth every penny and I was certain I would be using her services again.

Tommy arrived a few minutes after she left. I was already in the undergarments Jen had arranged for me, but lacing the corset myself was proving difficult. I looked up as he came into the room, then spun around and pointed to the laces and said, “Tighten them, please.”

“Well, you’re getting right into it, huh?” he asked with a chuckle.

I glanced over my shoulder and smiled. “Just get over here and help me into my costume, please.”

“How tight should it be?”

“If I pass out, it’s too tight.”

He grinned. “How do I do this? Is it like tying shoes?”

“Mmm hmm, but only if you tighten your laces enough that your foot looks stiff and uncomfortable when you walk. I’ll tell you if it’s too tight, just pull the laces right up the back and tie it off at the top. Then grab the scissors and cut the excess ribbon off and burn the cut end so it doesn’t unravel.”

He began to pull the laces tight, and I about fell backward with his first tug. “Ohh. Hang on.”

I looked around the room, then grabbed and pulled on a couple of furniture pieces. They seemed to be bolted to the walls. The desk was higher than the bureau, so I leaned over it and grasped the back edge. “Okay.”

He cleared his throat. “Umm…”

“Don’t make it weird, Tommy. You’ll pull me over if I don’t hold something sturdy. A pole would be better, but you failed to request the bachelor party room for us.”

He laughed, discomfort evident in the tone of it, then came over to me. His hands felt a little less certain as he pulled the laces. He was gentler and didn’t pull nearly as tight as he had with that first tug.

“You have to pull harder than that.”

Tommy released an unsteady breath but tugged the laces again, and my body was pulled back to his slightly. I closed my eyes and found myself thinking wicked thoughts. “Can you move closer so you can’t pull me back as hard when you tug?”

He took a few steps closer, and his body pressed to mine as he tugged the laces. My body didn’t shift as much. He became a physical barrier to how far I could move. Another tug of the laces pulled me back to him again.

My hands trembled a little as I felt him hardening against my ass with each tug of the corset laces. I was in a very vulnerable position, and I quite liked it. Another tug brought my ass against his bulge, and I moaned slightly.

“You okay? Is it too tight?” The concern in his voice was so fucking endearing.

“I’m okay, not too tight, keep going.”

It was three more tugs before he tied the ribbon at the top of the corset. Typically it would be tied at the bottom, but the design of this corset meant it had to be tied at the top, which meant it would stay tighter at the waist as the bow loosened with time and movement.

He cut the excess ribbon, then burned the cut edge. Then his hand slid over my shoulder and around my neck. For a moment, I thought of nothing but him pulling my panties aside and sinking himself into me right there. But he didn’t. He caressed my neck and gently guided me upright.

“Is that okay?” he asked softly.

“Mmm hmm.” An uncomfortable silence settled between us.

I couldn’t look him in the eye, but needed to say something, “What are you dressing up as?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Jen gave me those boxes,” he motioned toward the bureau’s edge. “Little one can’t be opened until you’re fully in your costume. She said she’d make me ‘rue the day’ if I opened it early. And to tell you the tail is mandatory.”

I laughed and lifted my gaze to him. “How would she know?”

He smiled and grabbed it. “If I rue the day, I’m gonna take it out on you,” his threat seemed more like a promise than a punishment.

Tommy opened the little box and peeked inside. His head tilted, then he laughed. “Okay, this is for you.” He tipped the box so I could see.

Inside was a small pink silk collar with a silver bell dangling from a metal loop at the front. My cheeks flushed, and I lifted my eyes back to him. “Well, I am a cat for the night.”

He pulled the collar out of the box and unfastened the latch at the back. “No, not a cat. A kitten. Small, innocent and cute.”

His hands grazed my neck as he positioned the collar. It fit perfectly. Snug without being tight. I turned around and tipped my head to the side. “What do you think?” My hands lifted in a gesture toward the current costume layer.

“I think you need more costume.”

I laughed. “There’s a dress and gloves.”

“Alright, let’s see it all together then.”

I grabbed the dress and slid it over my head. It fell along my body easily, draping a little loose with the corset beneath. Then I grabbed the headband and slipped it over my head and pulled on the gloves. “Well? Do I still exude kitten energy?”

“Oh yeah. Definitely.”

I smiled, and my cheeks flushed as I sat on my knees on the couch and excitedly watched him. “Let’s see what she has you wearing.”

He opened the larger box from the bureau and laughed. Inside was a T-shirt that said ‘Animal Control’ and a black velvet leash with a silver clasp on the end. He pulled out the leash and immediately moved to hook it to my collar. There was no hesitation as he pulled me closer by it.

“We might be late by the time I change into my costume,” he said.

I tilted my head and nodded. “It does seem way more complicated than mine…”

His gaze slid over my body. “Wait… what about the tail Jen mentioned?”

My eyes widened with fear. “Umm… no…”

“What?”

“I’m kinda scared to wear it.” I said, looking away from him as I bit my lower lip.

He chuckled. “Scared to wear it? What’d she do, get you one of those butt plug tails?”

I lifted my gaze back to him, then quickly away again as I blushed, and he swallowed hard. “She didn’t… right?” he asked.

“It’s Jen… of course she did.”

He nodded as I looked up. “Right, well… you take care of that, and I’ll go get dressed.” He rushed toward the bathroom with his box.

I sat on the edge of the bed. I wasn’t going to wear it. Besides, she never gave me any lube, and I certainly wasn’t going to try to insert it dry.

Tommy came out of the bathroom a few minutes later, his cheeks flushed. “Jen is a bitch.” He thrust a bottle of lube at me. “It was under the shirt.”

I grabbed it and threw it on the bed as if it were a live grenade. He chuckled as I snapped, “I’m not wearing it!”

“Mmm, you have to. Can’t judge how good a kitten you are without the full costume.”

I pouted, my brow furrowed. “Tommy!”

“Come on, it’s the last piece. How bad can it be?”

My chin quivered, and he sat next to me. “I… don’t actually know how to put it in… I’ve never… I don’t…”

“Oh,” he replied, seemingly realizing what I was trying to say. “Umm. Okay… I know how.”

I whimpered.

“You don’t have to wear it, Kitten.” He stroked my cheek, and I looked up at him, my eyes glistening with tears.

I knew some parts of it. I did read up on expectations and methods. I did prepare to wear it. “I want to, I just…”

“I can help,” he offered.

My cheeks flushed even brighter, but I nodded.

“It doesn’t have to be weird. It’s just a costume. No different than helping you into the corset.”

I laughed lightly. “It’s a little different.”

“Only a little.” He looked around. “Are you ready, do you… need to do anything first?”

“I… I’m ready.”

He motioned to the bed. “Okay, kneel on the edge. It’ll be easier if you aren’t wearing the panties, nothing in the way to get caught…”

I nodded and reached under my skirt, pulling them off. Then I climbed on the bed and bent forward, supporting myself on my forearms. He lifted my skirt over my hips. We both stood there a moment before either of us realized the plug wasn’t readily available.

“Where is it?” he asked, a sheepish tone to his voice.

“My bag,” I motioned vaguely toward the door and lowered my head to my forearms to cover my blush. I had let my friend look directly at my naked ass for a solid minute before the actual task at hand came to either of our minds.

I watched him retrieve it, and I saw the faintest smile on his lips as he looked at the metal end. I reached forward and grabbed the lube, then slid it back beside my ankle.

He came back over to me and lay the tail down next to me. “I have to lubricate you first, is that okay?”

I nodded and bit my thumb.

He picked up the bottle, and I yelped and pulled away as the cold, thick gel hit my warm body. Tommy grabbed my hip and pulled me back. His thumb began to rub over me, pressing the gel inside.

“You need to relax, Kitten. Lower your head, try to lay your chest as flat as you can and lift your ass more.”

I did as he asked. My chest and head lay against the mattress, and my arms stretched out. The position made my ass lift higher, and his thumb seemed to move into me easier. He squirted more lube onto me and worked it inside, then he picked up the tail. The cold metal made me tense up as he rubbed it through the lube still on my asshole.

More lube, more rubbing and twisting the metal against my skin to coat it in the lube. It was such an exposed position. I felt vulnerable, but I also felt my own arousal rising and the slow drip of evidence sliding down my inner thigh.

He held my hip and began to press the metal point against my ass. I resisted a little, tightening unintentionally. Tommy rubbed my hip, his voice soft and soothing. “Relax. You trust me, right?

“Mmm hmm,” my voice was a little more high-pitched than normal. I tried to relax, and he began to push again.

I pulled a deep breath and tightened my hands into fists as the metal spread me open. I didn’t clench, I tried to stay relaxed. But I knew he could see my pussy, too, and I knew that he knew I was aroused by this. I whimpered and lifted my feet a little, arching them and curling my toes as he pushed a little harder. One of those ‘little cries’ Jen had teased me about escaped my lips and he tightened his grip on my hip as he pushed forward with the plug.

It slipped into place, and I gasped. He wiped away my arousal with a cloth, then wiped up the excess lube. “All done,” he said with a light pat to my ass before lowering my skirt back down over me.

I stood quickly and bent over to pick up my panties but he grabbed my wrist before I did. “Leave them off.” It was the first time in weeks that he sounded like himself. Not worried or scared. No uncertainty in the words. It almost sounded like a command.

I curled my fingers as he held my wrist, and I nodded. And just like that, our entire dynamic changed.

“We’re late for the party,” he said as he pulled me a little closer. He released my wrist and ran his hand down over my ass, adjusting my skirt around the tail. Then he grabbed my leash and tugged me closer. Let’s go, Kitten.”

“My shoes…” I said gently.

He looked at the heels and grabbed them. “Sit down.”

“Umm… how?”

He chuckled and ran his hand beneath my chin. “Right. Okay, stand and grab my shoulders.” I did and his hand caressed my ankle and cradled my foot as he lifted it. My skirt shifted and he gave my pussy a glance as he slipped the heel onto my foot. I was still aroused, and the evidence of such continued to drip down my inner thigh. Tommy wiped it away with his thumb and my thighs tensed.

“Better?” he asked as he tugged my leash.

I nodded.

He repeated the gesture with my other heel, and again, his finger trailed up my inner thigh, wiping the drip of arousal from my fair skin. He wiped a little higher than before, and licked his lips before he stood up, letting his hands slide up my body to no objections from me.

Tommy seemed intrigue by my lack of complaints. He smiled and ran his finger over my glossy lower lip. “Right.” He parted my lips slightly and leaned forward, his cheek grazed mine as he whispered, “Time to take Kitten for a walk.”

I flicked my tongue against his thumb and closed my lips. He smiled then moved his hand to cup my jaw. “We’ll keep it short,” he said, his hand moving to the back of my head and pulling me into a hug.

We arrived in the ballroom of the hotel just a few minutes later. Tommy kept me on a short leash. A short walk became a long one as he seemed to get a rise in showing me off. Many of our co-workers seemed envious as he tugged me close in a dance between giving me more slack on my leash and telling me to twirl for our co-workers, which I did, my skirt lifting slightly higher each time as I began to get a thrill out of the idea of someone catching a glimpse of the fact I wasn’t wearing panties and my tail wasn’t attached to a belt beneath my dress.

After one enthusiastic twirl, he grabbed me and pulled me to him, tugging the top of my dress down slightly as he guided me toward a dark corner. “Is my kitten enjoying the attention?” he asked.

My cheeks flushed, and I noticed a glint in his eyes as he smiled. His hand slid up my inner thigh, then his fingertips grazed my pussy. I shivered and pulled away slightly. He held me close, his grip firm even as his touch beneath my dress was light.

“I noticed something on that tail, Kate. Did you see the branding? Look into it at all?”

I shook my head, and he smiled. Tommy pulled out his phone and tapped something. I immediately reached out to him as the metal end of the tail began to vibrate. My hands clutched his shirt, and I moaned as his fingers slipped between my labia. “T-Tommy…” I whimpered.

“Yes, Kitten?”

“Mmm…” My hips pressed toward his fingers and he lazily circled my clit. He smiled and I tried to say something, “I…”

“We aren’t leaving yet.” He tapped something else, and the vibrations stopped.

Then he pulled me back out toward our co-workers. He got me a drink, and I downed it. Then another, and I choked for a second as he turned the tail back on. My cheeks were crimson as we approached Jen. I wanted to beg him to take me anywhere else. He could fucking finger me in front of our boss while the plug vibrated my ass to orgasm, just not in front of Jen.

But he pulled me right over to Jen, who was dressed like a dog, and turned the plug on, pushing the intensity high enough that he was the only thing holding me up as my knees buckled as my face contorted in surprise and pleasure.

“Having fun?” Jen asked before sipping her drink.

Tommy smiled. “I certainly am. Kitten?”

He looked toward me. I was grasping his shirt like my life depended on it. “Mmm nnn.” Words were beyond me and I couldn’t even indicate with my head. My hips simply rolled and I let loose a strained cry of pleasure.

Without warning, Jen’s hand slipped beneath my skirt. She wasn’t as reserved as Tommy. Her middle finger pushed into me, and her thumb rubbed my clit and I grabbed her wrist with a whimper. Our boss was less than fifty feet away, and tears slipped over my cheeks. The restraint I had to show was both thrilling and overwhelming. I couldn’t scream, couldn’t beg, couldn’t do anything but endure. I could tremble and gasp, could whimper a little, but only a little. I began to silently question my life choices as my two best friends seemed to take great pleasure in my public torment. But… then again, I’d never been more turned on in my life. Her hand beneath my skirt as Tommy watched made me think even wickeder things. Does Jen want to fuck me, too?

“Oh, Tom… feel,” Jen said with a big smile.

His hand slipped over my ass, and he pushed his finger into me as well. My thighs tensed, and I gasped as my eyes closed. Tommy groaned as I began to tighten rhythmically on their fingers. “Fuck,” he whispered as he pulled his hand free and wrapped his arm around my waist to keep me from falling. My face and chest were red, my chest rose and fell rapidly and my legs fucking quaked.

Jen cocked her head and licked her lips. She looked at Tommy and didn’t even acknowledge me. “I can get her ready for you.”

He grinned and cupped her jaw, “Not a fucking chance, bitch.” Then he pushed her away from me. He tapped his phone, and the vibrations stopped.

I gasped and panted. Tommy cupped my cheek and lifted my head. “Kitten looks tired, Jen. I think she’s had a long day and is all tuckered out.”

Jen was still pouting about being denied, and that made her fume. “I did all the work,” she grumbled. “You said…”

He glared at her, and she quieted. Her arms crossed over her chest, and her lips pursed. Oh, she was mad.

She glared at me, then back at him. “He jerked off while you slept next to him,” she said, a self-confident grin on her face.

Tommy’s eyes widened as I looked up at him.

My voice was weak, but I still declared, “Mmm hmm. Wasn’t asleep. Wanted more.”

Tommy’s brow furrowed, and he reached down and scooped me into his arms. “I think she’s had too much to drink,” he said as he quickly walked past Jen.

I looked over his shoulder at her, and she pulled out her phone. The vibrations started back up, and I writhed in his arms. The intensity made me cry out and he covered my mouth with his hand to quiet me. It didn’t hurt, I just couldn’t let myself fully enjoy it. He practically ran from the party with me, and the wait for the elevator was excruciating. He could’ve turned the tail off, but he chose not to. Instead, he watched me sweat and gasp, my body twisting against him. My head lolled and he moved his hand from my mouth to my neck, supporting me.

He got me into the elevator and he kissed me. I cried out against his lips, and he tightened his grip on me. “Does it hurt?” he asked.

“N-no…”

“Good.” He watched me with great interest as I gasped and whimpered.

It was messy getting me back into the hotel room. He had to put me down, and I whined, pulling at his pants with the clawed gloves made it difficult to actually accomplish anything. The door opened, and he pulled me back up into his arms. My legs locked around his waist, and my hands grasped my forearms behind his head. He slammed the door then pushed my back against it. We didn’t undress, he just unzipped his pants and pushed upward as he pulled my hips down. The immediate relief that coursed through me was intense.

I cried out, and my metal nails dragged along the back of his shirt as he pushed into me. I was certain I’d shredded the fabric. He kissed me to quiet me. I moaned into his mouth and he pinned me to the door harder. As I reached another peak, I trembled in his arm, my hands grasping his ass and pulling me to him as much as him to me. My hips rolled and I tightened on him, completely losing control of my orgasm.

Tommy’s movements were hurried and borderline violent. He gripped my ass and thrust hard and fast as I tightened and squeezed him within me. He pushed his tongue beneath mine and his hands tightened on my ass while our bodies connected forcefully.

He slid down to the floor with me then pushed deep and grunted against my lips. His hands cradled both my ass and my head as he reached his own release. After a moment to catch his breath, Tommy fumbled in his pocket for his phone. The vibrations stopped, but my body still vibrated, throbbed, and tightened with the rhythm of overwhelming pleasure. He pulled out of me then fell back on the floor, breathing hard.

I trembled from head to toe, but still crawled forward and took his cock between my lips. He groaned and got his hands in my hair, pulling and guiding my rhythm as I licked and sucked on him. My hands tensed on his thighs and he tasted so good. He felt absolutely wonderful on my tongue. His hands in my hair, tugging and guiding, made me moan on him.

It only took a few minutes to get him back to full hardness. Then I turned around and lifted my ass, my tail tickled my lower back as I arched my back and put my head on the floor. He climbed behind me. His movements were slower, less erratic and needy as he slid himself back into me.

“Fuck…” I whispered, my feet lifting and toes curling.

“Does kitten like this?” he asked.

I pushed my hips back, taking his cock deeper into me, and mewled my pleasure at him filling me.

He pushed at my dress, and we worked together to get it over my head. He pulled his shirt off, then undid the laces of the corset until the back was fully open, and it simply fell off of me.

Tommy kissed my back, and his hand cupped my breast as his lips moved to my neck. He bit down on the crook, just below the collar I wore, and bucked harder into me. I smiled and reached back, my hand in his hair, holding him to me. His teeth bit down hard, and I winced but let him continue. His hands on my hips and the way he pulled me to him with urgency and need made me fully understand this wasn’t just sex but, to at least some degree, mating. He was claiming and marking me as his.

He let a growl build in his throat with his grunts and I lay still, submitting my body to him fully.