Turns out I much prefer writing isolated stories than series.
I should point out that this is a wholly ficticious depiction of an adult store. This is NOT a reflection of how adult stores function in real life. Please treat those who work in the industry with respect as you would with those in any other retail job.
This is my second attempt at erotic fiction. Enjoy!
***
The rain started during my lunch break. Of course, today was the day I decided not to wear a coat.
The train journey had given me some respite from the downpour, but the rainfall picked up seemingly just in time for my 20-minute walk home. By the time I had left the station and started picking my way through my local suburban maze, I was already soaking wet. I didn't even bother running. Waste of energy.
So as I trudged down the dirt path by the now deserted local park, my already foul mood grew even worse. As if it wasn't bad enough working overtime and having my train delayed by half an hour, I was now getting caked in mud while the contents of my backpack were probably getting destroyed by the water. I grumbled various expletives to myself as I got back onto the road and walked past a small industrial complex.
It was mostly dark, as usual for this sort of time, save for one building. I glanced again and noticed with some surprise that it was the adult store.
Of course, I'd known it was there. I had walked past this group of buildings every day on my way to the station for the past five years. Two years ago, the company that owned the smaller warehouse had gone bust, and a new company had quickly filled its place. They called themselves "Allure," presumably to appear both suggestive and discreet. The entranceway had been converted into a shop floor and, rather amusingly, was the only actual shop in the complex. Every time I walked past it for the past two years, I always looked over. Not once had I seen anybody go in.
While I was busy wondering why a sex shop would stay open while every surrounding business had packed up for the day, I found myself walking through the iron gates and heading directly towards the entrance. I had always been curious of the funny little shop in the distance, but I never thought I would actually make the conscious decision to visit. Frankly, the mere promise of warmth and shelter was "alluring" enough, and there's a first time for everything.
The windows were all blacked out, so every sight was new to me as I opened the door and shuffled inside. Wiping my shoes on the mat, I saw pretty much exactly what I expected: a smallish shop, with shelves stacked with various shiny and overwhelmingly pink items. On closer inspection, I found myself looking at a vast array of sex toys, supplements, clothing items, novelty gifts and even a couple of shelves of porn mags on the far wall. I didn't think anyone actually paid for their porn nowadays, especially in hard copy.
"Oh my god, you're drenched!"
A soft, female voice followed by a subdued sympathetic giggle gave me a start. I looked over to my right and saw a fairly young woman, probably in her early 20s, sat behind the counter. Her look might have been described as "alternative"; one side of her black hair was dyed a dark blue, with matching lipstick, and her outfit was predominantly black. Her eye shadow was dark, which may have contributed to how incredibly striking her pale blue eyes were. Right now, her expression was a mixture of amusement and pity. I looked down at myself.
"Yeah. The weather's..." I shrugged. "You know."
"You poor thing. Well you can stay here until the rain stops. I'm not going anywhere."
Her voice was deep and rich, with a kindness in her tone that contrasted against her icy dress sense. I looked at her again. She was very pretty. The warmth in her voice was reflected in her features, in her delicately pointed chin, her smiling lips and her little button nose. But her
eyes.
She was still staring at me. They pierced my own gaze and seemed to cut right through my damp clothes, through my skin.
"Thanks."
"And look," she said, motioning to the ceiling. "There's a heater. It's already cranked up to high so you'll dry off in no time."
"Thanks," I mumbled again as I moved to the middle of the shop, feeling the heat wash over me. "I'm very grateful."
"It's not a problem, really." I wasn't looking at her but I knew she was still staring at me. There was a brief, uncomfortable silence as I remembered where I was.
"I, uh, don't usually visit this... place."
"I know. I've never seen you before."
"Oh right?" I glanced at her. Still staring. "So you've been here a while, then?"
"Since it opened. I started a little while after my 18th and haven't really thought of working anywhere else."
"Convenient?"
"Yeah, it's literally a ten minute drive. The pay's not all that bad, either. And it's quiet."
"I bet." I removed my backpack and saw that I was actually steaming. "Do you get many customers?"
"A fair few. We've picked up a lot of regulars in these past couple of years. All sorts."
"Ah. Cool beans."
Cool beans? What the fuck? When was the last time I said that? When was the last time anyone said that?
To my relief, she laughed. "Cool beans, indeed."
We looked at each other for a moment and for the first time since my lunch break, I cracked a smile.
"So are you just here for the free hospitality or are you interested in our stock?" she asked, leaning over on the counter.
"A bit of both, I suppose," I replied with some embarrassment.
"For yourself or for a partner?" She dismissed my embarrassment instantly. She clearly knew what she was doing.
"Well, for myself. I live on my own."
Again, why? Why did I feel the need to tell her that? What am I trying to achieve, here?
"Cool. Same." Yet again she swatted away my embarrassment like it was nothing. Yet again, she immediately put me at ease. God, she was irresistible. "Are you looking for toys, pills, lube or sexy underwear?"
"Uh... Toys?"
"Sure!" She smiled and pointed at the wall behind me. "All the men's stuff is behind you. I'll admit, there's not quite as much as the women's, but I reckon we still have a decent amount."
I turned to look at the shelves. She was being modest. There was a huge variety of male sex toys on display. Much of it I recognised: different brands of fleshlights, penis pumps, buttplugs and dildos. There were, however, a number of items I had never seen before. A range of very expensive, high-tech contraptions with wires and battery packs. On the top shelf, an entire silicon torso and lower half of a female body, complete with breasts, belly button and vagina. Directly in my eye line, there was a selection of premium fleshlights that were apparently actual moulds taken from porn stars. It felt odd looking at these scantily clad figures, some of whom I recognised, in a public setting.
I reached down and picked up an oval-shaped item, turning it over in my hands and inspecting it.
"That's a male masturbator." Her voice floated over my right shoulder. I jumped. I hadn't heard her approach.
