The Apartment

"The lady who had just left with the bob hairstyle - did she have that done here?"

"Well yes she did actually," came the reply.

"I was wondering if the person who did it had any spare appointments today and could fit me in?"

She checked her computer terminal.

"Actually you are in luck. Izzy has had a cancellation later on. If you could come back at 5pm, she could do a wash, cut and finish."

I gave her my name and mobile and left. I had two hours to wait, but i had made my mind up. I also knew that I could spend some useful time doing some store visits to look at prints and fabrics in the meantime.

5pm came and I was back at the salon. I met Izzy, and we sat with a coffee and discussed my requirements. She was very young, probably only 25, but exuded a quiet confidence.

Within minutes we had settled on quite a short blunt cut bob style and I was off to get my hair washed.

There was a moment, when after sectioning my hair off, she asked me if I was absolutely sure I wanted to go ahead. I didn't hesitate. I nodded and smiled and she set to work.

The result an hour later was better than I could have hoped for. She had cut my hair with precision and care and the new style looked like nothing I had ever experienced or believed anyone could ever achieve with me as the raw material.. I was smiling as she showed me the back with a hand mirror and talked about how frequently it would need to be trimmed. Coming back to see her, if this was what she could achieve, would not be a chore.

I gave her a handsome tip and walked out of the salon feeling like a new woman. I too looked at my reflection in the plate glass window as I passed...

It had been altogether a very good day.

***

By the time I got home it was nearly dark, but I didn't care. I was enjoying the liberation of my new look. I had also enjoyed more than the occasional glance from a man or woman as I sat on the tube and the train home which affirmed my decision, and Heather's advice.

I made myself an omelette and sat down in the living room ro eat. The apartment was eerily quiet. There was no sound from upstairs, which was unsettling. I put the TV on, flicked around the channels and switched it off. Nothing to watch.

I decided to go to bed. I contemplated trying out the Hitachi, but was worried that the sound from it would travel upstairs. It was eerily quiet that night.

***

The bedside clock was showing 1.30am when I first woke up. I was so deeply asleep it took a few seconds to come to.

I heard a door bang above me and the sound of raised voices.i It sounded like Heather but initially I was not sure. I sat up in bed and put the bedside light on. Another door banged and then I heard more raised voices. They were in the living room. Stephen and Heather were clearly arguing.

I debated whether I should go and listen to what it was about, but discretion got the better of me and I stayed put.

The argument went on...

I fetched a glass of water from the bathroom and looked out my ear plugs. Just as I was about to put them in the sounds of the voices got louder and another door banged.

I guessed they were now directly overhead.

Heather was shouting..

"..and you thought that I wouldn't find out! How fucking stupid do you think I am for Christs sake?"

" I never wanted to hurt you, it only happened twice, I promise...!"

"Well that's twice too many times for me Stephen! I thought we had something special between us, but clearly you are just like the rest, you just can't keep your dick in your trousers..."

"I'm sorry, I'm truly sorry, it won't happen again I promise." Stephen's voice was pleading.

"You're right it won't fucking happen again. We're finished... Start packing."

"Heather please...I love you, I'm sorry..."

"Stephen - I told you when it happened last year, that this was a fresh start and it was your last chance...and what have you done? The same thing all over again but this time with a blonde. You don't love me. You only love yourself.

"Heather...?"

"Just get out...and never come back..."

A door slammed and silence fell.

I got out of bed and went to the dressing table. I put the light on and looked at myself in the mirror.

I smiled...

Perhaps?...

***

Saturday dawned bright and sunny. I got up around 8am and made some coffee and dug out some fruit and yoghurt. There was no sound from upstairs.

I showered and attended to my eyebrows and legs. My hair was still looking immaculate even though I'd slept on it! Izzy was my new bestie!

I decided to start work on the new swimwear line. I got my sketch pad and laptop and looked at the on-line resources. Around 10am I heard voices upstairs. There was no shouting though, so I resisted the temptation to go and listen and carried on with my work.

Later that morning my phone pinged with a text. It was Heather..

- Caroline - can we postpone today? Have bad period - how about next weekend? - sorry Heather xx

- Heather - sorry to hear that, take Ibuprofen - yes sure - see you Saturday?

Caroline xxxx

- Caroline- Great! Hx.

After what I'd heard I was sure Heather was in the middle of a nasty breakup. For all I wanted to see her, I realised that she would scarcely be interested in seeing me. I decided to bide my time.

***

The next week passed at break neck speed. I put three initial designs into sampling on the Tuesday, one bikini and two swimsuits. I was confident that I would get trial samples by the weekend. Trekking back and forth to the sample maker to discuss progress with the seamstress was time consuming, but the samples were ready on time on Friday.

I went to the gym a couple of evenings as my exercise routine had gone off track of late.

I saw nothing of Heather. I contemplated calling her but was not sure what pretext I could use for doing so. There was no noise from upstairs either. In a funny sort of way, the silence was less pleasant than the noises had been.

The following Saturday it rained.

I went into the city to do some shopping. I took the opportunity to revisit the Lingerie Shop I had found three weeks before.

There I spent a good half hour with Joan, the owner, amongst the "frilllies" before selecting a rather elegant low cut bra in coffee coloured satin with tonal lace edging, and some matching hi-cut knickers that made my bum look good but were rather narrow at the front. I also bought a pair of tiny lacy white hipsters. I loved them as they suited my new image, albeit they left little to one's imagination...

I went home, showered, and got ready to meet Heather. I felt like an expectant teenager going on a date. I had decided to wear a green blouse with puff sleeves and a pair of tight navy linen slacks. The new undies accentuated the right places. I made myself up and dried my hair. I chose a neutral lip gloss, dabbed some perfume behind my ears and on my wrists and headed out.

I arrived at the Tapas bar a little after six. Cathy greeted me warmly and complemented me on my new look, before showing me to an intimate corner of the front room where a two seat sofa nestled next to a low coffee table. Heather, in a black silk blouse and matching knee length button through skirt was waiting for me.

"Wow! Well look at you Caroline," she gushed as she rose to greet me. "You look fabulous! I told you to to do it! Now come and tell me all about it."

She poured me a glass of Albariño. I sat down next to her and we clinked glasses.

So I told her of my spontaneous decision in Regent St and she listened attentively. I watched her body language as we chatted. I didn't want to talk about me at all! .I really wanted to know what had happened to her and Stephen but realised I would have to wait for her to tell me...

She did make me wait a good while before she spilled the beans. We were well into some Patatas Bravas and Mushrooms by this point, and also on the second bottle.

"I have some news," she said eventually in a rather quiet voice.

"Oh yes?" I replied nonchalantly.

"It's about me and Stephen," and her voice just caught for a moment as she said his name.

"We've parted company...He was cheating on me," and her lips trembled and her eyes glistened as she spoke the ugly truth...

"I'm so sorry," I replied and gently picked up her right hand an squeezed it. It was the most intimate contact we had ever had.

"He was a compulsive womaniser..." a tear ran down her cheek, she lifted her fingers to catch it. "I should've known after the first time."

"I see," I replied, realising as I said it that actually I didn't see anything...

"We even talked about settling down...he was such a bastard. I'm finished with men you know Caroline...finished!"

"I'm not exactly enamoured with them either," I replied trying to be supportive.

She smiled a small smile, then reached in her bag and found a tissue to dry her eyes.

Even though she'd been crying she still looked beautiful.

We talked a little more about Stephen's indiscretions. My initial thought that he was under-whelming was wide of the mark. He had clearly been a bastard. Why do gorgeous women always fall for absolute bastards I wondered.

Heather had known about his dallying for a while it seemed, and was waiting for a confession that never came. So the night before he was flying off to pastures new, she had confronted him with it...

When her tears were spent, and my grip on her hands had exhausted its course, I let go. We looked at each other for what felt like an age, but was only really seconds...

She changed the subject, asking me about my work. When I told her about the new samples I was working on she offered to model them for me if I ever needed anyone at short notice.

A plan started to formulate in my head...

"Well if you are asking, I need to check the first sample of the bikini. If you have half an hour tomorrow, I could really use your help."

"Of course. How about lunchtime? We could go out somewhere afterwards to get something to eat."

"Perfect," and I smiled her my most demure smile..

"You really do look sexy Caroline," she went on.

I felt a twinge, I couldn't believe she had just said that...

"So what will you do now?" I asked - my curiosity getting the better of me.

"Well, fortunately we rented the flat together and there is three months rent paid in advance. I have some time to think about things. The problem really is Solomon the cat. With just one person to look after him I suspect he'll become a tie. My sister isn't due back in the UK till next year so it might be best to have him put down."

"Oh please don't do that. I can help if you like?" I offered, smiling. "By the way you know I still have a set of your keys don't you?"

"Yes, of course you do. I'd forgotten that. Please keep them for now if you don't mind. You could be a real help with Solomon, thank you for the offer," and her face lit up for the first time that evening.

***

Heather arrived shortly after Noon. I tried not to look flustered, but inside I was a runny mush of nervous anticipation. I'd showered and washed my hair and dried it carefully so the swing of the style moved when I moved my head. I was wearing the new lacy panties, a plain bra and then a black tee and grey leggings.

Heather was in a running vest, shorts and trainers, her hair in a scrunchy. She wore no makeup, and the freckles on her neck seemed to sparkle with an orange glow.

"I went for a run," she said, kissing me on both cheeks as she came into the hall.

"Is that OK or do I need to take a shower? I didn't actually run that far..."

"Don't worry, that'll be fine," I replied smiling. The mere thought of getting close enough to inhale her natural body odours sent a message to my vulva...

"Come in to the workroom. Can I get you anything to drink?"

"Some water would be great...you look terrific by the way, sorry I didn't make more of an effort."

I poured her some water from a jug.

"Don't be silly it's Sunday. I just washed my hair because I mussed it up in my sleep."

"It looks lovely.."

"Uh..well thanks.." my insides were churning again..

I'd laid the three costumes out on the work bench. There were two versions of each style one in black and one in white polyamide. The sample room had also made two versions of the bikini bottoms, one hi cut and one hipster.

"So is this what you are working on?" Heather asked idly picking up the black bikini.

"Yes that's it."

"It looks a nice shape. I prefer halter neck styles. Do you want me to try it on?"

"When you're ready. There is no rush." I smiled at her and she smiled back. Were we weighing each other up or was it just my imagination?

Heather put the glass down on the bench. She then crossed her wrists, grasped the bottom of the vest and with one effortless motion pulled it over her head. She wore no bra underneath and her small breasts were revealed. Was it my imagination or were those nipples already aroused?.

"Shall we get started then?"

"Yurgh, yes." I spluttered, a frog in my throat or was it my heart in my mouth...

With that she kicked off her trainers and pulled down her running shorts. Her bottom encased in diaphanous cream bikini panties faced me. She turned and looked over her shoulder at me in some sort of homage to Hollywood.

"Would you like these off too?" She was smiling demurely.

What a question! My brain hammered... For the last two months this woman had beguiled me with her beauty, and now she was going to reveal all her charms in broad daylight without batting an eyelid.

"It will be easier." I replied, trying to stay matter of fact.

Her fingers hooked the waist band and she pulled them down. That flawless apple shaped bottom revealed once more. She stepped out of the panties and hooked them up with her foot, turning to face me again as she did so, the economy of her motions sublime.

"I still need that wax," she said smiling and ruffling her right fingers in her thatch. "I did trim it a little before I went to Paris, but it grows so fast."

"I know, mine does too," I said, not knowing really why, as to my knowledge my pubes don't grow very fast at all.

"So what do you want me to do?" Another smile...

"Well if you try the black hi cut bikini on first that would be best." I said, handing her back the two scraps of material. She turned away from me and leant forward to put the bikini bottoms on. I stood, riveted to the spot, as the action of bending down revealed her pussy to me. Plump labia with meaty lips shrouded by a thick scrub of cropped pubic hair winked at me momentarily. I felt myself flush with arousal.

I turned to pick up my tape. She stood up and clipped the top on and then twisted it round to pull the halter neck over her head. The bikini top fitted like a glove. The plunge of the design at the front and the generous curvature pulled her breasts up and together. Her nipples were just visible through the material.

I busied myself with the tape.

"I just need to check the pattern is correct" I said, and as calmly as I could manage measured the cup edges.

"It feels about right," Heather said watching my hands intently. "What is so special with this particular design."

"Nothing much in the top, it's pretty standard. The bottom is a bit more challenging. We'll look at that in a minute.."

My concentration on what I was doing was now being sorely tested. The weeks of building desire and infatuation were taking me to boiling point. I just wanted to drop the tape and caress her breasts...

"That all seems about right. Would you mind just turning round?"

She dutifully turned round. Her shoulders were straight and dusted with more amazing pale orange freckles.

"You have amazing freckles," I said trying to make polite conversation as I checked the halter. "Do you have to be careful in the sun?"

"Sometimes, though when we lived in Singapore my skin became quite hardened to the sun. It was the humidity I remember struggling with."

"Yes that's the bit I remember too. OK, I've finished the top. That has been really helpful. Do you need a break or anything?"

"No, I'm fine. In fact I'm enjoying watching you in that long mirror over there," she said pointing at the Cheval mirror my mother had given me.

"It was a graduation present from my Mum - a long time ago..."

"It's very special."

I fetched a cushion from the couch and knelt down on it to look at the bikini bottoms. Heather's flawless buttocks filled them and stretched the material tight. The intricacy in the design was a woven panel around the waistline that created a ruched effect. I measured the panel for width and length between the inserts. It was even.

"Is the back comfortable?" I asked. I hoped against hope that the answer would be no.

Heather looked down at me over her shoulder.

"Yes, it's fine," and as if to make sure, she smoothed her fingers down over her buttocks and then tweaked the bottom of the leg holes to pull them down.

"OK, turn round please, let's just check the front."

She shimmied round, and in front of me, finally, was her barely covered crotch...

The first thing I noticed was the faintest aroma. My nose prickled. I knew that scent...

Oh my God...

My pulse started to hammer. I picked up the tape.

"Sorry, this is a bit up close and personal isn't it?" I said looking up and smiling, my voice as light and indifferent as I could make it.

"It's OK Caroline. I told you I've always been relaxed about my body. You carry on."

"I'll be as quick as I can," and I picked up the tape.

The fit of the ruched panel by the sample seamstress had not gone quite right. The two panels from each side were meant to join in the middle beneath a small v shaped panel. When I measured with the tape, the left hand panel was slightly askew.

Kneeling there, I got a full view of Heather's covered but prominent Mons. To the sides of the vee shaped panels, her curls spilled out slightly. It was a heady mixture. You could have heard a pin drop as I moved the tape from side to side.

There was, I could see, a slight problem. The assembly was not quite right.

"Would it be OK if I just tried to adjust this little ruched panel Heather? I mean it's not essential...you can slip them off if that's easier?

"No it's fine Caro, please do what you need to."

"Great, thanks," I replied and put the tape down. I grasped the little ruched panel and tried to straighten it. It gave a little. I then delicately tried to straighten the v shaped panel in the middle. My index finger grazed the panel lightly and immediately felt a small lump underneath.

It was an accident. I dropped my hand with the shock, and my fingers brushed down the crease of her vulva. I felt incredible heat coming from her, and then another sensation on my fingers

The bikini crotch was wet...really wet.

I stood up in a fluster. I was blushing. I mumbled something like "That's fine," and thanked Heather for her help, but I couldn't look her in the eyes.

And then as if it was something from a dream, she reached up to my face and with both hands, cupped it.

"Caroline, please just hold still for a second will you, I need to do something."

I froze, and then she leaned slowly towards me and kissed me on the lips. It was a deliberate kiss. It lasted a few seconds and she then pulled away and let go of me. There was a residual smell of jasmine.

"I..." but the words just would not come out.

We looked at each other.

She smiled.

I smiled back.

"Don't say anything," she said, and then she leaned forward and kissed me again. This time it was serious. Her tongue pushed its way between my lips. She tasted of peaches and honey.

Her arms engulfed me. I would probably have collapsed if she hadn't caught me.

We kissed slowly and tenderly. It went on and on... I'd wanted this since that first day we met and now it was happening...