Chapter 6

6

K risten forced a polite smile as Justin continued to ramble on about his latest gym exploits. Behind them, the raucous notes of a Christmas carol came over the room's speakers. Raucous, because her colleagues were changing the words to the popular tune to make it more risqué. Justin didn't seem to notice.

“So then I told my trainer that I needed to up my weights, you know, really push myself to the next level.” Justin flexed his biceps for emphasis.

Kristen nodded absently, her mind drifting. She had realized early on in the conversation that she had absolutely nothing in common with Justin. His constant need to talk about himself was grating. The more he spoke, the less attractive he became. She glanced around the room, searching for an escape route.

Her eyes landed on Cin, who was standing near the doorway, her vibrant red hair catching the light. Kristen felt a pang of longing. She wished Cin would come over, interrupt Justin, and rescue her from this tedious conversation. But as soon as she spotted her, Cin turned and walked out of the room.

Kristen’s heart sank. She felt trapped. She desperately tried to think of a polite way to end the conversation, but Justin was relentless.

“So what about you, Carrie? What do you do to stay in shape?” Justin asked, leaning closer.

Kristen swallowed, feeling her throat tighten. “Oh, I, um, I like to go for walks.”

“Walks? That’s nice, I guess. But you should really try weightlifting. It’s life-changing. Especially as you age.”

Kristen didn't even have the energy to get annoyed at the wrong name or the veiled dig at her age. Her gaze remained on the door where Cin had disappeared.

Her anxiety hadn't been bothering her. Not with the Benwa balls lodged inside her core. The heaviness grounded her. But this conversation with Justin was making her feel tired and irritated.

She wished she could slip away unnoticed, but Justin’s presence felt like a heavy weight pinning her down. The lights felt too bright. The festive music grew too loud. Her discomfort grew with each passing second.

"Hey, Justin," said Stephanie, one of the Mrs. Santa impersonators. "I saw you over here by yourself."

That was clearly a dig on Kristen. But she didn't care. She gave Stephanie a grateful smile and ducked out of the conversation.

As she made her way to Cin’s office, the sounds of the party faded into the background. The hallway was dimly lit. The spicy smell of cinnamon grew the closer she got to Cin's workroom.

That was funny. Kristen never associated the spice with the fashion designer. At least not before today. Cin always made her think of warm cocoa.

Kristen paused outside Cin’s door, taking a deep breath to steady herself. Though why she needed to steady herself, she didn't know. Cin never made her nervous. She was always a calming presence. With a gentle knock, Kristen pushed the door open.

Cin looked up from her desk at Kristen's entrance. That vibrant red hair of hers caught the warm glow of the desk lamp. For a moment, Kristen thought she saw a flicker of annoyance in Cin's green eyes, and she hesitated before coming to a dead stop just inside the door.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to intrude."

"You're not," Cin insisted, but there was something missing in her tone that made Kristen hesitant.

Kristen forced a smile, though her nerves made it waver. "I'm done with the party."

Cin's gaze softened slightly, but there was still a hint of something unreadable in her expression. "Headed out with Justin?"

Kristen shook her head, feeling a sense of relief at the opportunity to clarify. "No, Justin isn't my type. I realized that pretty quickly."

Cin's eyebrows quirked up, curiosity replacing the earlier tension. "Oh?"

"No. If I don't hear another word about a weight or protein count, I'll be all too happy."

"Hmmm."

That low hum reverberated through Kristen. Much like the Benwa balls still inside of her.

"And who is your type, Kristen?"

Kristen shrugged, trying to play it off casually but feeling her cheeks warm. "I'd like to be with someone who listens to me. That would be nice. Someone who makes me feel seen."

"Hmmm," Cin hummed again.

A pregnant pause filled the room, but Kristen still felt that hum between her thighs. Or maybe it was the balls. Be it the balls or the hum, the weight of it hung in the air. Cin's gaze roamed Kristen's face, as though she was trying to decide something.

"I should probably change out of this dress and get back into my work clothes. My shirt should be dry by now."

Kristen could hear every step Cin took, each one landing like a drumbeat thrumming through her chest, growing louder, more insistent. The rhythmic sound echoed in her ears, making her pulse quicken. Cin’s presence filled the space between them, drawing closer with an intensity Kristen wasn’t sure she was ready for.

She felt two distinct pulls. One urged her to run, to escape the danger of a predator coming toward her. The other pulled her toward Cin, the only person who made her feel truly safe.

Kristen didn’t move. She couldn’t. Her feet remained rooted to the floor. Her breath was shallow as Cin approached. Her gaze never left Kristen’s face. Kristen knew without a shadow of a doubt that this woman would never cause her harm.

Cin’s eyes roamed her features, as if she were trying to decide something, weighing a question Kristen didn’t yet know.

Kristen’s breath hitched as Cin’s hand reached out, gently resting on her arm. The warmth of Cin’s touch spread through her. Kristen wondered if the Benwa balls came with a remote, because right then they felt like they vibrated. She had to inhale to ensure she didn't orgasm on the spot. How embarrassing would that be?

"Keep the dress," Cin said softly. "It looks good on you."

"I also need to give you your balls back."

Cin nodded, but she made no move.

"Um, how do I get them out?"

"Let me."

Cin held out her hand. Kristen looked down at the offered palm. She placed hers in Cin's.

Cin guided her to sit ontop of her desk. Kristen sat as she always did: prim and proper with her legs closed. Cin placed her palm on Kristen's knee. Her fingers slipped between Kristen's thighs like she was parting the seas. Kristen did as Cin bade and opened her thighs.

Wider. Then still wider until she was spread open, her thighs nearly hanging off each side of the large oak desk.

"I'm going to move your panties aside and place my fingers inside of you, okay?"

Kristen wasn't sure she trusted her voice, so she simply nodded.

Cin did just as she’d described. Kristen fought her body to keep still. She fought her legs to stay open, though they wanted to press together. She fought her hands to stay at her sides, though she wanted to grip the edge of the desk. She fought her toes not to curl… and that battle she lost as Cin's fingers spread her open and then delved inside.

"Shhh," Cin soothed.

Kristen gulped, unable to look away from Cin's gaze. In her periphery, she saw Cin's hand, but she couldn't see what her fingers were doing. She could only feel them. And the pressure of the balls releasing from her was even more delicious than when Cin had put them in.

"Ahhhh," Kristen breathed at the release. Her body pulsed, but not in orgasm. It pulsed in relief, like the sight of home after a long journey.

"Shhh," Cin cooed. "It's okay."

"I'm so embarrassed."

"Don't be. I'm glad it made you feel good." Cin rolled the balls in her palms. As they went round and round, they made a happy chiming sound. As well as a slicking sound from her wetness, which coated them.

"I'll um… I'll just clean these and give them back to you."

"You can keep those, too."

With the balls out, Kristen quickly closed her legs. Her thighs slipped in the slick release she'd left behind on the surface of the desk. "Cin?"

"Yeah, Kristen."

"Can I take you to dinner? As a thank you?"

"I don't date straight women." Cin dropped the balls into Kristen's hands. They clashed into her palm.

"I was asking you as a friend."