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 Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2013 11:22 am
While The Spot wasn't Liberty's hangout spot of choice after she finished class, it had caught her eye a few weeks ago, and she'd just now gotten the bravery to actually give the place a better look.
It was impossible not to tell that the shop was female friendly, but Liberty reminded herself that she couldn't afford lengerie, and who was she going to buy it for anyway?
But that wasn't the only reason you visited a shop dedicated to sexual freedom and positive body image. At 19, it would have been ridiculous to say Liberty didn't have roommates that rattled on about vibrators, or friends that hadn't mentioned them at some point or another. But, the one time Liberty had dared an internet search, she was left in a swamp of vibrator technology with no way to swim and no knowledge of how to get out. They didn't exactly have the classy shops like this back home, so she wasn't exactly familiar with toys. There was rarely ever a mention of woman's pleasure, and so when you found that hole in the wall sex-shop, you avoided it like the plague. Even the idea of walking in this one made Liberty think her feet were going to burn off.
Fortunately, or unfortunately, for the redhead, when she made up her mind do do something, her own stubborn nature made her do it. And, today, she'd made a pact with herself. Wasn't she always telling others not to be so shy about their bodies and their sexuality? Taking her own advice was harder than she liked.
Wanting a vibrator isn't weird, Libby.
The phrase seemed to be serving her well enough for now. The bell jingled, the door swung, and she stepped through. There were no flames, there were no accusations, and there wasn't a large d***o staring her in the face.
Liberty exhaled and moved into the store. This wasn't so bad.
-
It was a lazy afternoon, and there had been a brief break in the nasty, winter weather. A dull, grey haze blanketed the sky, trapping in precious little warm air. Thankfully, there was no wind of which to speak. The outdoors were almost bearable with a decent jacket. Inside The Spot, the weather may as well have been perfect.
Uuni popped a bubble in the gum she was chewing. A bored tongue shifted it from one side of her mouth to the other, before she began the process again. There had been a lull in customers just after lunch, and so the brunette was leaning against a counter, reading a book (or at the very least looking for any stray pictures), and chatting it up with the fine, young Avery Hollister.
Uuni was flicking through the pages of Healthy BDSM, and then her whole body seemed to settle. The book was closed, and in an act that only Avery Hollister would be allowed to catch, she set it exactly where she had originally found it.
The two had met the year prior, at random, when Uuni had claimed to be doing an informational survey for school. Really, it was a survey compiled to get some talk from that piece of hot a**, and even after registering the ruse, Avery seemed to humor Uuni's sense of amusement.
"That," she said, leaning heavily against the counter and letting her eyes trail the entire length of Avery's legs and back up, "Should be on you and not the shelf." Was she imagining it? Absolutely. Why not? There wasn't anyone else here at the moment.
"I'd love to--" The bell chimed. "Stay and chat, but I have a new job." Uuni had definitely put some brag on the end of that sentence. Their favorite topic seemed to be Bad Life Choices, and there was no harm in wallowing in the decent human being mud puddle now and then. It couldn't be so bad, Avery seemed to like pretending she frequented it.
By now, Avery was far enough down the ladder that Uuni could lean in, weight full against her friend's back for the moment it took to kiss her on the cheek. "Leave some money in their pockets, hm?"
In other words, Uuni meant: Flash them a smile and rob them dry.
With one, exiting wink in Avery's direction, Uuni snatched up her bag from the chair behind the front desk and moved to the door. There was a brief slowing as her eyes caught on the "customer", and she was unable to hide the smirk that found her lips.
"Have fun, sugs."
Uuni was laughing by the time she was out the door, leaving a redhead with a face of equal color behind.
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Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2013 11:08 am
No, there were no garish displays of tacky sexuality. Instead, Liberty would find a well-lit, pleasant space with wooden floors and glass cases around some of the pricier objects. The half of the store looked more like a clothing boutique than anything else, with numerous books on stands and tables throughout the space. The second half, beyond the sales counter, contained what Liberty was actually looking for, arranged in colorful groupings on glass shelves set into the wall. A poster on the wall was a guide to those shy patrons looking to shop without assistance, illustrating a system of colored shapes to indicate use of toys [a gold star for staff favorites, silver for best sellers, red for strap-on play, etc.]
As Liberty entered, she would hear a softly accented, "You're incorrigible," delivered to familiar, raven-haired young woman. The speaker, carefully balanced in heels on a small ladder, was even more familiar. Avery Hollister. They had both a stable and a class in common.
"Don't smudge my counter." Avery, clad in a sundress that was decidedly the opposite of one might expect of a sex shop employee, placed the last box of merchandise [stockings and garters, if one was curious enough to look], before stepping down and into Uuni's affections. It was an exceeding European farewell, Avery's red lips curving as she leaned in to press an answering kiss to her friend's pale cheek.
"Mmn," She acknowledged. "Try to avoid sleeping with your new boss, then." If that was a joke, it was hard to tell.
Whomever had entered must've been either the shy sort, or a shoplifter. Both types tended to avoid the staff, and both were in need of some extreme customer service, as Avery liked to call it.
Her gaze flicked throughout the racks until she spotted movement, and she headed over, planting her brightest smile on her face.
"Can I help you find something?"
The words came out just as she rounded the corner and caught sight of just whom had entered the shop.
Fun.
"Hullo," Her smile changed into something warmer, more private.
The confident Avery Hollister would find the redhead fingering a plaid collar, her work-tanned body as close to the books as one could possibly manage without looking abnormal. It didn't take a geneticist to discover books were a far-cry from a vibrator, but Liberty needed time to warm up.
It would have felt strange to walk in, eyes wandering, as if she were searching just for the sex toys like a sex-driven pervert. Besides, it would have become very clear, very quickly, that she had no idea what she was doing. The confidence of a mission would have drained away to humiliation.
So, Liberty thought about the best way to go about asking while she found solace in the books.
The redhead heard the footsteps, felt a tickle of familiarity, and glanced over her shoulder. "I--" she began, having been mulling over just how she'd ask for help in her head.
The words fell off her tongue and rolled away on the floor. You are not a shy person, Liberty Marie. Only, right now, turning to make sure what her eyes saw was real, she certainly felt like one.
"Avery?" It slipped out before she had a chance to stop herself. "Hi," she managed more smoothly, in a calm breath as a wide, nervous Reever grin spreading across her features. Liberty dropped her eyes. What was someone like Avery Hollister doing in a sex shop? The 'can I help you' re-entered her mind, and it quickly became more than that. Worked in a sex shop. Liberty's stomach shifted and then aggressively flipped over.
Did they pretend not to know each other? Did they strike up conversation? What did you do? If it had been a grocery store, she might have asked about classes, or Adorn, or anything, but things were different when someone was ringing up your Bell Pepper instead of your 12 inch silicone d**k. Or were they?
"I could definitely use some help," Liberty finally admitted, taking in a long breath. She glanced to the far back wall and then back to Avery Hollister.
"Liberty," Avery mimicked the redhead's tone, eyes bright with a delightedly wicked sort of humor. If she was worried about someone discovering her part time gig, there was no sign of it. Miss Hollister was, as a rule, Shameless.
Hazel eyes flicked to the side, trailing Liberty's gaze as mischief graced the corner of her full mouth.
Cowboy with a harness? That was objectively hot.
"I'd be happy to lend a hand," She looked over Liberty's flushed face. "Why don't you tell me what you're looking for?"
Surely Liberty had not thought she could fool Avery Hollister into thinking she was some other redhead. Yet, there was still a strange sense of being caught as Avery returned her name, teasing, almost mocking, and somehow still utmost friendly. Liberty chewed on the inside of her cheek, and her eyes made an apologetic flick to the side.
The positive side of her mind pressed away that nervous, cold feeling as her muscles began to grip up, and reminded her that Avery seemed perfectly at home with the concept of Liberty in a sex shop.
The hard part was supposed to have been walking into the store. Usually, once she made up her mind, her subconscious took over, and everything was easy. Words flowed, her movements were natural.
Then again, she usually didn't ask her subconscious to explain she wanted a vibrator to a girl with a killer smile; a girl who probably had a pluthera of sexual knowledge under her belt.
"To be honest. . . " Should she be honest? Was it okay to skirt the truth? Make it seem like she knew more than she did? The frown was evident on Liberty's face as she mentally kicked the line of thinking away. "I have no idea where to start."
What would her friends say? her roommate? when she told them the sociable, good-looking girl from the stables, the one who shared a class with her, was also working in The Spot. They probably wouldn't believe her. Even Liberty's mind was questioning reality. Thankfully, this made it easier to admit she really was at a loss.
"I was looking for a vibrator, but I can't tell what have these things are." Being closer to the room in the back would probably help, but those cold muscles weren't offering her any nudges in the correct direction.
"Honesty is a good start," Avery looked delighted, reaching out to squeeze a plaid-covered forearm. It was firm to the touch. Strong. "It'll help me find what's right for you."
Her squeeze shifted until it was a pinch of the fabric, tugging slightly. "Well, come along then, you won't figure it out from over here by the fisting manuals."
She flashed an entirely too cheerful grin over her shoulder toward the more reluctant girl. "Let's have a look, hm?"
Standing before the wall, Avery finally released her, crossing an arm under her chest and using the other to prop up her chin as she examined the merchandise.
"First, tell me what sort of sensations you like. Gentle or intense? Textures? Then tell me your budget."
She pursed her lips. "We'll start you with something simple."
There was a feeling that came with her heavy release of breath. It wasn't quite relief, because there was too much emotion rushing up along her throat to her smile.
"Oh." Liberty's eyes moved to the alleged fisting manuals, while her footsteps voluntarily took her after Avery. "Right." Her gaze quickly reoriented along their path, using the time that Avery's back was turned to steal longer looks at her surroundings.
The walking was helping, she could feel her chest rising normally and the images that entered her mind were beginning to make more sense. She even took an extra look at a deep red corset as they passed it by.
By the time they'd reached the merchandise, Liberty had convinced herself into a state of calm. The redhead's eyes fixed on Avery's expression, for a moment, the edges of her lips twitching at that briefly sincere look. They could have been picking out wall paint for a baby's room.
Then Liberty's world fell apart all over again.
"Uhm." She shifted on the balls of her feet and crossed her arms over her own chest for a moment. Then, remembering it was a defensive poseg, she slid one hand up the back of her neck to untuck the braid from her shirt collar and try and hide the nervous motion.
Start? Had she given the impression she wanted an arsenal.
"Intense?" she thought at first, looking to Avery for support that it was an acceptable answer, and then reconsidered. Maybe that was throwing the ball too high. She had a feeling intense might be far more intense than she was used to. "Simple is good."
Liberty ran a hundred scenarios over in her head, winced at a few, and finally arrived at a somewhat decent fantasy that fit the bill. "I want something I can feel, but that isn't, well, taking over." Alighting on something worrysome, she added, "Not big."
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Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2013 11:10 am
Avery nodded encouragingly. She was good at her job, and it showed in the complete lack of surprise or judgement on her features. Instead, there was only an earnest interest and desire to help. It was clear that she was going to have to pull the words from Liberty's shy throat, but that was nothing new.
"We'll go with something where you have control over the intensity." Her hazel eyes flicked over the shelves again, already picking out a few for Liberty to look at, though she didn't reach for them. "What's your price range for today, love?" It wouldn't do to find the perfect toy, then have the redhead puke when it was far too expensive. Some of the equipment were several hundred dollars, after all.
Not big, she reminded herself.
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Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2013 11:27 am
It was a good thing that Avery Hollister knew what she was doing, because Liberty Marie's eyes wandered over the shelves with little more than an active imagination. It may as well have been a scene straight from a book--thankfully, Avery seemed to be passing on the gross, subtle innuendo you'd expect from a PG-13 attempt to portray a sex shop.
The word love tickled her ears, Avery's mellow accent pleasing and calming in its own right. The familiar, affectionate term sought to do the same. Liberty briefly wondered if this sensation was hers alone, or if others found themselves leaving with more than they'd bargained for merely because that voice made them want to.
It was probably just her.
"I'd like to stay underneath $150 if I could." It was a higher range than she'd originally planned for, but the quick internet search she'd done had given her a huge range in price, and she imagined quality was more important. Now that she was here, now that she knew who would be helping her pick a vibrator out, Liberty found she didn't want to insult Avery by looking cheap.
"But, I can manage more. I'm hoping to get something sturdy, that will last a while." She swallowed. "That will travel well."
Avery's voice hadn't started back up again, so the nervousness crept back in, and Liberty filled it with conversation. A glance, catching onto those hazel eyes wandering the shelves. "I'm a firm believer in buying something of quality, once." Liberty passed her a slight smile.
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Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2013 11:37 am
"Smart girl," Avery answered with an approving grin, though her gaze didn't shift from the shelves. She stepped forward and stretched onto her tiptoes to snag a box. "I can send you out of here with something marv for less than that." At least it was apparent she wasn't trying to squeeze money out of her.
"Waterproof?" It cost a bit more, and would put it toward the high end of the scale, but not having to worry about taking it everywhere and cleaning it? Worth it, in Avery's opinion, especially if you only had one toy. Avery had an arsenal.
Another was plucked from the shelves, followed by a third, and she set about removing them from the packaging so that Liberty could get a proper look. "These three have some similar qualities; they vibrate, can be used internally or externally, and are average when it comes to girth and length, but they have different textures and shapes."
"They come in various colors, too." She offered one to Liberty, indicating the three small buttons after she'd accepted it. "Increase speed of vibrations, decrease, and that middle button is to rotate through patterns. It's fully charged, so give it a go."
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Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2013 11:52 am
Waterproof? Waterproof?
In hindsight, Liberty thought she should have seen it coming. When it was initially presented to her, however, the idea was so foreign it took her a moment to respond.
"Yeah. That sounds like a good idea."
There she was, fingers adjusting her collar again. A pause, as she hooked a finger through one her belt loops and took in a long, slow breath she hoped Avery wouldn't notice.
And colors. Not just white, or black. Blues, reds. Liberty extended her hand, muscle memory working when the rest of her wouldn't, and already felt dirty for touching it. Secondary thoughts, like what toy was Avery's favorite, only helped to ease the discomfort somewhat.
Never the less, Liberty Marie gave it a go. Stubborn as always, she moved through the bottons systematically. Paused to force herself to think about it before she asked to feel the difference in the next. By the time she'd hit the third, she had it down to a science. She asked to feel the first two again.
"The second, definitely. Does it come in black?" All logic said yes--what didn't come in black?--but life had a funny way of not being logical.
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Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2013 12:00 pm
Avery resisted the urge to tease Liberty, as she looked at the first object like it might come alive and bite her. She waited patiently, and without staring at the poor girl as she compared the toys to one another.
"Definitely," Avery's voice was alive with playful amusement as she carefully enunciated the syllables of the repeated word. "Black goes with everything." Good choice, if you were only going to have one. Avery, of course, liked to color coordinate.
Taking back the 'sample' toys, she re-boxed and shelved them, before indicating the register. "Back there." She led the way, stepping behind the counter in a practiced motion before running her finger along plain black boxes until she found the one she wanted, indicated by a small label. Pulling it, she set it on the glass, before grabbing a fist-sized bottle and setting it down, as well. It was followed by an even smaller bottle.
"Lube. Toy cleaner," she noted, somewhat absently as she began to ring up the purchase. "That'll come to $117.83, after tax." She flashed her bright smile.
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Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2013 12:12 pm
Definitely.
Liberty's smile grew. Following, that was easy, and Liberty let Avery guide her back with an invisible rope, before she settled onto her side of the counter.
Both her eyebrows rose at the additional bottles, about to interject, but Avery was already informing and adding up numbers. There was no sense in arguing at this point, instead Liberty reached out a hand and plucked the lube from the counter.
Her eyes scanned over the label before she calmly set it back down. Did Avery get a brief fantasy, whether wanted or not, of everyone who came in to buy something? Or was it so commonplace that she didn't even have to think about it?
"Here," she said, instead of bothering to ask such a private question. It was both her driver's license (issued for New Mexico) and credit card.
"Avery," she began again, the slightest of questioning tones placed at the end of the name. "Thanks. I, uh, think I would have been a bit lost without your help."
A lot lost.
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Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2013 12:17 pm
"New Mexico," Avery murmured with more than a little interest. "I've never been." Of course, she hadn't been much of anywhere in this boisterous country. She ran the credit, sliding the receipt and a pen to Liberty to sign, before returning both cards to their owner with a friendly laugh.
"Of course! My pleasure." A non-descript black bag, with her purchases wrapped in tissue paper inside, was handed to Liberty. The mischief returned to her smile.
"Have a lovely day, Liberty. See you Monday."
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Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2013 12:24 pm
Maybe it was the atmosphere, maybe it was Avery's friendly smile, or perhaps her businesslike character, but it had been easy to start believing The Spot existed in an isolated state. That whatever happened in it would never reach the outside world, and other than a familiar face, the outside world did not exist within it.
"Yeah."
Liberty's answer was breathy as she took the handle of the bag. Red tint moved up the side of her neck, pinkening her cheeks.
"You too."
The only thought Liberty had when she stepped out onto the street was whether or not Avery Hollister would think less of her if she had any idea about the themes that would accompany the use of Liberty's new purchase.
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