Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 DISCLAIMER: The following is a work of fiction and any resemblance between
characters in this work and actual persons living or dead is entirely
coincidental.  This work contains scenes of explicit sex between adults and
is intended for the entertainment of adults only.  If you are offended by
depictions of adult intercourse or if you are less than the age of majority
in your jurisdiction please do not read or download this file.  Because
this is a fantasy, characters in this work engage in unprotected sex in a
universe where AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases do not exist.
In reality sex without protection is unwise and nothing in this work should
be taken as condoning such activity, or any of the other activities
depicted herein.

   BEAUTY AND THE BOOTS By Downing Street Much of this story involves an
auto dealership selling luxury sportcars.  I confess I know next to nothing
about cars and even less about how car dealerships work.  I hope you will
enjoy the story enough to forgive any automotive blunders.  Comments always
welcome: dowstreet@yahoo.com.

   -Downing Street Oh, one more thing.  Deep in the heart of this story you
will find a genuine quote from Shakespeare.  It's from The Merry Wives of
Windsor and I'm very proud of it.

   -D.S.  I.  The Risk of Impulse Buying She found them in the window of a
used-clothing store.  Ruby had been wandering, stretching her lunch hour at
bit, soaking up some of the first real sunshine of spring before heading
back to the office.  There in the window of a little shop called "Second
Delights", crowded in among dresses and shoes and handbags, was a pair of
tall red boots.

   Ruby was window shopping.  The March sun gleamed off the crimson shanks
of the boots.  They stood out among the neat rows of fancy shoes and
purses, looking oddly out of place, like a bottle of good wine in a case of
beer.  Ruby bent over to look at them more closely.  A man passed by; he
turned to admire Ruby's derriere as it pressed attractively against her
hip-hugging black pants.  He smiled.  Most men smiled when they looked at
Ruby.

   She looked at her watch: ten to one.  She shrugged and went into the
store.  A bell tinkled over the door.  The shop was crowded with used
clothing, most of it from the up-scale end of the market.  Ruby reached
into the shelf behind the front window and picked up the red boots.

   She looked at them curiously, turning them over in her hands.  They were
certainly red: bright, lipstick red, with a deep, lustrous finish.  They
looked almost knee-length, but it was difficult to tell because they had
two-inch-thick platform soles and solid, sinuously sculpted heels at least
four inches high.  The toes were narrow but rounded, attractive without the
promise of pinched feet.  Each boot had a narrow red zipper on one side so
cleverly embedded in the fabric that zipped up they nearly disappeared. 
The zippers ran free and completely silent.

   "They're lovely, aren't they," said a voice behind her.  Ruby turned to
find a woman smiling at her.  She looked to be about 40, judging by the
hints of silver in her hair, but her figure was still lithe and trim.  Her
face glowed with youthful vitality.  She wore a stylish, figure-flattering
dress with a double strand of pearls around her neck.

   Ruby smiled back.  "Yes.  Yes, they are.  I was just passing by.  They
caught my eye, I guess."

   The woman said, "You won't find a pair of boots like those nowadays. 
Those are built to last.  Look at the workmanship."

   Ruby ran her hand over the smooth, unblemished shaft.  The woman was not
exaggerating; the boots were exceptionally well made.  What were they made
of?  The fabric was sleek and soft, with just a hint of give to it.  Yet at
the same time it looked as shiny as plastic.  She ran her hand up and down
the fabric.  It really was very nice....

   "They truly are an exceptional value," the shop clerk said.  "Why don't
you try them on?".

   Ruby jumped.  She had forgotten all about the other woman.  "Oh!  Uh,
well, I'm not sure I--" she fussed uncertainly.  She didn't want to get
talked into buying something.  "Oh, no, I don't think that will be
necessary," she said, tossing back her long brown hair with one hand.  "I
really should be going."

   The older woman said: "You know, there's an interesting story behind
those boots.  They say they were hand-made on commission from the great
Doulini, as a gift for one of his stage girls.  He eventually married her,
you know.  Mrs.  Doulini wore those boots for years and years.  In fact,"
--she paused dramatically-- "she was wearing them the day she disappeared."

   Ruby almost laughed out loud.  She didn't want to be rude, but really!

   Of course she knew the stories of the Great Doulini, the fabulous
magician of 30 years ago.  His stunts both on-stage and off were so
astonishing, and so perplexing even to those in the business, that it was
rumored that he was a true magician, with all sorts of magical powers. 
Such rumors were very good for his career, and it was later revealed that
he had started most of them himself.

   Doulini's performances were as well known for their racy content as for
the tricks he performed.  It was true that he had married one of the many
scantily clad girls that decorated the stage during his act.  His wife was
a blonde-haired beauty who went on to considerable wealth and fame even
after her husband passed away.  Until one day, magician- like, she simply
vanished.

   Still, Ruby couldn't help smiling at the thought of a beautiful woman
wearing the same footwear for twenty or thirty years.  These boots hardly
looked to be worn at all.  She turned them over and examined the bottom of
the sole.  Her smile grew wider.  The soles were smooth and red, completely
without scuff marks; even the little ridges behind the toe for traction
were fresh and sharp.  She looked at the heels.  There was not a mark or a
scratch on them.  Just in front of the heel, on the raised part of the
sole, was embossed a large capital "D" in flowing script.

   "They're wonderful, yes," Ruby said, "but I really must be going."

   "Oh, you're sure you won't try them on?  It would only take a moment."

   The shop clerk looked at her expectantly.

   "No, no, I don't think so," Ruby said.  She looked at the sexy boots one
more time.  Aw, why not.  She was hardly going to buy them in any case.

   When she left the store ten minutes later, Ruby was wearing the red
boots.  She was beaming.  The moment she had slipped them on her feet, she
knew she had to have them.  Though there was no size indicated on them
anywhere, they fit perfectly.  They wrapped her feet and legs in a shiny
red sheath, tight as a candy wrapper but without the slightest pinch or
discomfort anywhere.

   They looked terrific.  Even standing in the store with her pant-legs
pulled up above her knee she could see how they lifted her heels and shaped
her calves.  Now, walking swiftly back to work, she realized something
else. The boots were marvellously comfortable.  By the time she had gone
two blocks Ruby had decided that these were the most comfortable footwear
she had ever owned.  The boots felt as light as a feather, despite the
extra-thick platform soles.  The high heels didn't seem to be a problem at
all.

   Ruby couldn't stop smiling.

   She was still smiling when she arrived at the car dealership where she
worked.  Ruby was a receptionist, a "greeter" they called it in the
industry.  She sat behind her big desk by the door, fielding the phones and
making sure that any customer that came in was made to feel welcome.  Well,
it was a job.  Ruby was a little shy on formal qualifications, but she had
a pleasant personality and head-turning good looks, the central
qualifications for this job.  She thanked the salesman who was manning the
desk for her and settled in for the afternoon.

   The boots gave her a lift all day, and more than just physically.  She
felt lively and buoyant, almost giddy.  She kept looking down to admire her
feet.  She got a little thrill every time she saw the bold red boots poking
out from beneath her pantlegs.  The high platforms and higher heels gave
her several inches of extra height, which she didn't need, but every time
she got to her feet she was delighted by the unexpected spring in her step.

   Business was slow for the most part, which gave Ruby lots of time to
admire her feet.  Legendre's Legendary Automobiles was no ordinary car
dealership.  Mr.  Legendre dealt in expensive, high-end cars, Porsches and
Jaguars and half a dozen other names.  Three sales in a week was considered
brisk business.  Still, in that market he could claim to be one of the
biggest dealerships in the city.  "The second biggest," he always said
ruefully, "Page is still the biggest." Ruby didn't mind that her work
wasn't very demanding.  She read a lot of paperbacks.



   Ruby's cheerful mood had not abated when she arrived home.  She flicked
on the light in her one-bedroom apartment, tossed her keys on the table,
and headed into the bedroom to get changed.  Sitting on the bed she crossed
her knees to pull off her right boot.  They were wonderful, but she liked
to spend the evenings in stocking feet.  She reached down to undo the
zipper, but instead ran her hand down the smooth fabric of the boot.  Gosh
but that felt nice.  She reached for the zipper again, but couldn't bring
herself to undo it.  She just loved these boots so much.

   She decided to take her blouse off first.  She threw it over a chair and
returned to the boots.  She reached down to pull the zipper.  She
hesitated, her fingers an inch from the pull tab.  A little frown crossed
her features.  She reached for it again, and again found herself caressing
the fabric encasing her calf.  She became aware of a little tingle in her
breasts.

   She made another grab for the zipper tongue, and clasped it, but somehow
could not make it move.  Hey, what's the problem?  she wondered.  Go ahead,
just unzip the darn thing.

   The zipper stayed zipped.

   Ruby's frown deepened.  This was strange.  Maybe it would be better to
start with the other foot.  She crossed her knees the other way and made
another grab for the zipper.  Her fingers stroked lightly down the boot
shank while she turned her foot to and fro, admiring the heel.  Gosh, these
boots make me feel so sexy she mused.  The tingle in her breasts increased.
But it was time for dinner.  She grabbed the zipper tongue again and --
couldn't make herself pull it down.

   Ruby sat up and undid her bra.  Her nipples were hard on her well-
shaped breasts.  She ran a thumb lightly over one distended nipple.  She
was surprised by the pleasant sensation that ran through her.  "Mmmmm,
yummy," she sighed.

   After a moment she came back to the matter at hand.  Deciding enough was
enough she simply reached down and unzipped the left boot.  Or rather, she
would have, except her hand stopped about an inch away and didn't seem to
want to go any farther.  She tried the other hand.  She tried the other
boot.  Neither one would co-operate.

   Ruby blew out her breath and only then realized she was flushed. 
"Maybe, maybe I'll wait till after dinner," she said out loud.  She got to
her feet, threw on an old sweatshirt and headed off to make supper, still
wearing the shiny red boots.

   She ate dinner feeling kind of silly, but still enjoying the cushy feel
of her new boots.  Then she sat down in the livingroom and turned on the
television.  Casually, while watching a sitcom, she bent over and started
to pull off one boot.  She ended up pulling little pieces of lint out of
the carpet.  By the time the show was over the carpet was much cleaner, but
the boots were still on her feet.

   This was becoming unsettling.

   "I think I need a drink," Ruby decided.  She went to the kitchen and
found a bottle of cheap white wine in the refrigerator.  It was funny, she
thought as she poured herself a glass, her feet should have been tired and
sweaty after wearing boots this long.  But they felt like she had just
slipped the boots on.  Why weren't the heels hurting her ankles?  Taking a
deep sip of the wine, Ruby returned to the livingroom, carrying the bottle
in the other hand.

   Ruby spent the rest of the evening watching television and drinking her
wine, pausing occasionally to try to remove one boot or the other.

   When the telephone rang she was kneeling on the couch, trying to reach
behind herself and pull down a zipper without looking.  She walked over to
the telephone table in her classy high heels, draining her wine glass.

   "Hello?"

   "Hi Ruby!  It's me!" said the voice on the telephone.  "How are you
doing?" It was Lana, her best friend.

   "Oh, uh, hi Lana.  I'm fine I guess.  Just kinda hangin' out this
evening."

   "You sure?  You sound a little strange, Rube."

   "No, no, really, I'm fine.  I've just had sort of a weird day.  And
I've, uh--" she giggled suddenly.  "I've been drinking wine all evening."
She looked down idly to admire her feet.

   Lana laughed too.  "Ruby, you inconsiderate woman.  How dare you open a
bottle without inviting me!  We could get drunk together while I bore you
with talk about Charles."

   "Sorry, wasn't thinkin'" said Ruby.  Lana was ecstatic about her new
man.

   "That's OK.  In fact, I'll give you a chance to make it up to me
tomorrow, OK?  I was supposed to be going out, but Charles has to work late
again." Ruby could almost see the wounded pout on Lana's face.  "Maybe we
could rent a video or something?"

   "Sure, sounds good.  Why don't you just drop over after dinner?"

   They chatted for a few minutes longer and then Lana rang off.  Ruby sat
back down on the couch and refilled her wine glass.  I have got to get
these silly boots off, she told herself.

   By the time the late movie ended the wine bottle was empty.  Ruby was
dozing on the couch, one hand resting on the top of her left boot, the
other gripping the neck of the empty bottle.  She sat up, groaning.  She
dropped the bottle and stumbled into the bedroom, sitting heavily on the
bed.  She pulled her sweatshirt off and tossed it on the chair.

   She lifted one leg and made to unzip the boot.  Her half-hearted effort
went nowhere.

   Maybe she could get her pants off first.  The pants were tight, but they
were stretchy and bell-bottomed, so with a little effort she pulled them
off despite the boots.  Her panties followed a moment later.  Now if she
could just get the boots off, she could go to bed.

   She stood up and reached down to grab for one zipper.  Maybe that was a
mistake because her balance was unsteady and she couldn't seem to grab it.
She felt her nipples tingling pleasantly.  Another try for the other boot
was no more successful.  Her fingers always seemed to stop a couple of
inches away.

   The tingle in her breasts was getting stronger.  She felt herself
moistening.  She stood for a moment and fondled her full, upturned breasts,
basking in the pulses of pleasure that lanced through her.  She glimpsed
her reflection in the full-length mirror on one wall.  She gasped.  Wowee,
did she look hot!

   Up to that moment she hadn't fully realized how much the boots did for
her.  Standing naked before the mirror, one hand on her chest and the other
snaking down toward her needful sex, she looked stunningly sexy, like a
comic book heroine without her uniform.  The red boots wrapped her legs in
a tight second skin to just below the knees, and the sleek, sculpted heels
shaped her entire leg and thrust out the half- moons of her behind.

   Oooooh, soooo hot!  she thought dreamily, playing with herself before
the mirror.  Maybe I'll just -- oooh that's nice-- maybe I'll just, work on
this for a while.  Still admiring her own reflection, she stretched out on
the bed and lost herself in eager self-love.  Somewhere after the second
orgasm, she fell asleep.



   Ruby awoke the next morning after a night of deep and restful sleep. 
The earliest rays of sunlight were lighting her window as she sat up and
stretched langorously.  She had been dreaming: hot, powerful dreams that
seemed to involved her and a great many men.  She grinned at the fading
memories.

   Then she looked at the alarm-clock and frowned.  It was barely six-
thirty.  The alarm hadn't even gone off.  Ruby was a famously late sleeper
who barely made it to work by nine every day.  But this morning she felt
zestful.  She threw back the covers and sprang out of bed.

   Something felt wrong as her feet hit the carpet.  She looked down.  Oh
no way girl, she thought, did you actually sleep with your boots on?  She
thought back to the previous evening.  She must have fallen asleep there
somewhere along the line.  Wait a moment.  She had polished off a bottle of
wine by herself too.  Shouldn't she have a hangover?  She shook her head,
letting the long brown hair fly out loosely.  She felt terrific.

   Well, that was a pleasant surprise.  But today was a work day and she
really needed a shower.  Which meant she really had to get these darn boots
off.  She sat down on the bed and had another go at it, with no success at
all except at getting herself aroused.  Finally, lest she surrender to
another round of hand play, she got up, threw on a robe, and headed off to
have breakfast.

   An hour later Ruby was pacing the floor of her apartment, dressed
incongruously in her robe and boots, debating what to do.  Look, she told
herself for the twentieth time, I need to go to work.  That means I have to
shower.  And that means I have to take off my boots.  So what's the
problem? Just do it.

   She continued pacing.

   OK girl, she thought much later, here we go.  I really need a shower.  I
can't even imagine what my feet must smell like (though in fact her toes
wiggled happily, even now).  So let's get these off.  She sat down in a big
chair in the livingroom and crossed her long legs.  OK, one step at a time.
Take that hand, reach down, that's right, now grab the zipper...  grab the
zipper, no, grab...  oh, what is that material, it feels so nice.

   OK.  OK, let's try again.  Down we go.  Down, down, find the zipper
tongue, yes there it is...  no, you have to touch it, come on, grab it,
closer, closer...  Wait!  Get that other hand away from your tits!  Yes, I
know the nipples are all red again, but you have to concentrate.

   Look, let's switch hands.  Left, you go unzip the boots.  OK, follow the
leg, down we go, there's the knee...  oh wowee, I feel so warm...  but no,
keep going, come on, why are you stopping?  Come on, grab that zipper. 
It's right there, you've almost got it, just keep going and...  and...  and
oooooh yes!  That feels good.  Right hand get out of my snatch!  You're not
helping.  Mmmmmm, you naughty hand.

   OK girl, get serious here.  Time's a-wasting.  Look, I'll grab my wrist
with the other hand, so it can't get away.  We'll go together.  All right,
here we go.  Down, down, that's good.  Keep going.  There's the zipper. 
Now grab it.  Grab...  it...  Yes!

   All right, now, firm grip, stop trembling, just slide it down.  Slide it
down.  That's the way.  Down we go.  Slide it down.  Keep going.  Doing
good.  Nice and easy, just slide that zipper down.  You're slowing down;
keep going, come on, keep going.  Why have you stopped?  Keep going, slide
that zipper down, that's the way, down, down...  no, down, DOWN, no, not
up, down, not UP!  Stop going up, you're going the wrong way...  Darn it!

   She was going to be late for work.

   This is the silliest thing I've ever done, thought Ruby as she stepped
into the shower.  She would probably ruin her new boots.  Strangely though,
she couldn't feel any water on her feet.  She looked down to see rivulets
of hot water running down the shiny red boots.  They looked completely
waterproof.  But why weren't her feet sweating?  Could the material somehow
let moisture move in one direction and not the other?  She pondered these
things as she soaped herself under the comforting spray of the shower. 
There was more to these boots than met the eye.

   Ruby showered and washed her hair, then came back to the bedroom wrapped
in towels.  Her feet felt dry and comfortable.  She was late now so she
dressed hurriedly in a floral jumper over a red sweater that matched her
new boots.  Nylons were apparently out of the question.  So boot-clad and
bare-legged, she dashed for the bus.

   The sexy boots seemed to put a spring in her step.  Ruby found her
upbeat, confident mood of the previous day returning.  She also noticed
that every man she encountered, from the bus driver to the three salesmen
at the dealership, was checking her out admiringly.  Even Mr.  Legendre
smiled when she came in.  He hardly seemed to notice that she was late.  He
did notice her legs though.

   In the washroom she tried twice to remove the boots.  She had just
returned from her second attempt when Robert, one of the young salesmen,
stopped by her desk, as he did so often, to ask her out.

   "Look, Rob, I've told you before, you're really cute, but I just don't
date where I work.  It can lead to all kinds of complications."

   "Ruby, honey, I don't care about that.  You have to go out with me.  I'm
a desperate man!  And you look mega-marvellous today, Ruby.  Can you deny
me a chance to show you how crazy I am about you?"

   It was the smooth patter that sold a lot of cars.  But Ruby had heard it
all before.  She crossed her knees and noticed his gaze drop to her boots.
"Come on Rob, don't get over-dramatic.  I told you before, I just can't....
Hey, are you listening to me?"

   "What?  Huh?" Rob blurted, raising his gaze from her legs.  "Oh, sure
Ruby, it's just that I can't get over, how, how great you look today.  It's
like I've never seen you before.  I mean...  like...  wow!"



   It wasn't like Rob to be lost for words.

   "Look, Rob," Ruby said evenly, "can't we just --" She stopped suddenly.
There was an unmistakable protrusion in Robert's expensive suit.  Ruby felt
suddenly impulsive.  She got to her feet.

   "Robert, we can't go out," she said firmly.  She stepped up close to
him, hands on his lapels.  "But we can do something, here.  Right now." She
leaned close and whispered in his ear: "Meet me in the women's room in two
minutes.  Bring this." She quickly fondled his protrusion.

   Robert jumped.  "What!" he gasped.

   "Two minutes," whispered Ruby.  She saw the other salesmen turn to watch
her walk away.

   Ruby was freshening her lipstick when there came a furtive knock on the
door.  She opened it, grabbed Robert by his suit jacket and pulled him in.
"Ruby I--" he protested, but Ruby cut him off with a long, hungry kiss.

   When their lips separated a moment she fixed him with her heavy-lidded
eyes.  "You have something for me," she husked.  "And I want it!" She
fumbled impatiently with his belt and zipper until she found what she was
looking for.  Robert was too amazed to protest further.  Ruby looked
around, then led him by the handle until he was standing in front of the
toilet and she was sitting on it.  "It's coffee time," Ruby announced,
leaning forward, "mmmmm, and I want cream in mine." Her lipsticked lips
wrapped around him.

   At once she began to suck him hard, slurping energetically up and down
his length, her long brown hair flicking this way and that.  Her tongue
swished about him as she bobbed, and one hand stroked him beyond the reach
of her lips.  Rob groaned helplessly.  It was an assault designed to
overcome all hesitation.  Within two minutes Ruby heard a sharp intake of
breath and then Rob was coming in her mouth.  Eagerly, suddenly hungry for
cum, she swallowed every spurt, and kept on sucking out more, until,
eventually, the crest subsided and she let him slip away.

   Rob stumbled backward, breathing hard.  He almost tripped over his
pants. Ruby licked her lips in satisfaction.  "Oh, Ruby, you doll!" Rob
said, trying to catch his breath.  "That was amazing.  That was --"

   She silenced him with another kiss.  "The best blow job you've ever had,
right?" she teased.

   "Absolutely!"

   "Of course it was.  You were nice and hot for me, too.  Lots of cream
for my coffee!" She straightened her clothing a little and turned to go. 
"Oh, Rob," she said from the door, "don't forget, there's a couple of
coffee breaks every day." She winked and walked away, leaving Rob
weak-kneed and smiling.



   Lana was barely in the door of Ruby's apartment before she noticed the
new boots.  Ruby had tried again to take them off, after work, and ended up
playing with herself.  So she left them on, and her red sweater, and
slipped into a casual denim miniskirt for the evening.  "Wow, Rube, nice
boots!  Where on earth did you find those!" Lana exclaimed.

   "At a second-hand store.  Are you going to come in or just stand there
in the doorway?"

   Lana came in, bearing a video and a bottle of sherry.  She was a small,
shapely woman dressed in tights and an oversized sweater, trendy athletic
shoes.  They opened the bottle and watched the movie, some silly romance
with a hunky male lead.  Afterward they sat on the couch and talked for a
long time about work and men and clothes and nothing in particular. 
Finally, Ruby said, "Lana, there's something I have to tell you about."

   Lana refilled her sherry glass.  "Ooh, sounds serious.  What's the
matter?"

   "Do you like these boots?"

   "Like them?  I love them!  They're gorgeous!  I wish I had some like
that.  Did you really get them from a second-hand store?"

   "Yes, it was called Second Delights.  On Sullivan Street."

   "Never heard of it.  Refill?"

   "Oh, no I've already had...  oh, why not."

   Lana sipped her sherry.  "Are they comfortable?  The boots I mean."

   "Incredibly.  Like walking on air."

   "No kidding?  You're kidding me.  With all that heel?"

   "I'm not kidding.  I wear them all the time."

   "Well, they're gorgeous boots.  Sexy as all hell too."

   "I can't take them off."

   "I don't blame you.  If I had boots like that I'd wear them everywhere."

   "No, I mean, I really can't take them off." She looked away, confused
and embarrassed.

   Lana paused with her glass at her lips.  "What, you mean the zipper's
stuck or something?"

   "No.  Nothing like that.  I just can't take them off." Ruby downed a
half glass of sherry in one gulp.  She held out the glass.  Wordlessly,
Lana refilled it.

   At length she said: "Girlfriend, start making sense.  What do you mean
you can't take them off?  They're just boots."

   "I, I don't know.  About the boots.  I don't know why.  The woman in the
store said they used to belong to a magician, maybe that has something to
do with it.  All I know is, I can't make myself take them off.  Every time
I try I get...  distracted.  Or it's like my will power vanishes.  It's
like trying to resist a hot fudge brownie, only worse." She looked up to
find Lana looking at her strangely.

   "Lana, I've been wearing these boots for 36 hours straight."

   "What!  Come on, that's preposterous.  You don't mean...  nights too?!
Your feet must be killing you!"

   "But that's another weird thing.  They aren't.  My feet feel fine.  Just
as cosy as can be.  No pain, no sweat, no corns.  I told you, it's like
walking on air."

   "But, but, you can't wear them all the time!" She was clearly having a
hard time with this.  "Why don't you just pull down the zippers?"

   Ruby shrugged.  "I can't."

   There was a brief silence.  Eventually Lana said, "You're serious,
aren't you." Ruby said nothing.

   Her friend considered for a long moment.  Finally she said: "I've got
it. Let me take them off!"

   Ruby brightened.  "Say, that might work.  Let's give it a try." She
turned sideways on the couch, putting her boots in Lana's lap.  "Go for
it!" she urged.  "The zippers are on the sides."

   "Yes, I see," said Lana.  She reached out for the nearer one, but got
sidetracked by the glistening red of the boot.  "What are these made of?"

   "Leather I think.  I'm not sure.  The zipper's right there."

   "Yes, I know, I see it," Lana said, a little peevishly.  She reached out
for a zipper, but stopped without touching it.  A flicker of uncertainty
crossed her pretty face.  She tried again, but barely touched the zipper.
"These are so lovely," she said softly, running a hand up her friend's leg.

   "Lana, the zipper." Ruby felt a familiar flush coming over her.

   Lana tried several more times but never managed to get anywhere.  "I
can't uh, seem to, like, get at it," she said.  Her breathing was becoming
shallow.  "Let me try the other one." Ruby crossed her ankles, and Lana
made a grab for the zipper tongue.  She ended up fondling the boot again.
"So lovely," she whispered.

   "Uhm, Lana, maybe we'd better just let this go for now." Ruby made a
move to pull her feet away.

   Lana held her back.  "No, wait, let me just...  get a better grip." She
leaned over her friend's leg, inching her fingers toward the zipper of one
red boot.  Her face was flushed.  Her breasts rubbed against the sole of
the boot and she moaned suddenly.

   "Lana, please, we can try again later."

   "I've-- I've almost, almost got it," Lana murmured, leaning very close
to the crimson boots.  Ruby could almost feel the soles pressing against
Lana's soft breasts.  Her friend was caressing both legs now, making
furtive slides toward the zipper tongues, that always fell short.  Little
sounds were coming from the back of her throat.

   "Lana, what, what are you doing?" Ruby cried as her friend lowered her
mouth against one boot.

   "Can't seem...to grab it...with my fingers....  maybe, if I use my
tongue...."

   But it seemed to Ruby that she was just kissing her boots, coming
nowhere near the tops of the zippers.  She laved the shiny fabric with her
tongue, licking and kissing wetly up and down, switching from one to the
other as she went.  She continued all the way down and kissed the toes
lovingly.

   Ruby was panting now.  "Lana, darling, please, please stop that.  Let go
now.  Please." She felt her pussy moisten, and she wanted to play with
herself in the worst way.  One hand began to knead her tits through her
sweater.

   Lana acted like she hadn't even heard her.  She was working her way back
up the boots now, holding one leg in each hand and moving her body between
them.  Ruby felt her legs begin to spread apart.  "You're so lovely," Lana
cooed, kissing and stroking higher.

   "Lana!  What-- What are you doing!" Ruby cried a few moments later,
"that, that's n-n-not my boot at all.  That's my leg!  Mmmmmmmm, pleeeeese,
stop that, oh god, oh god oh god.  Please stop, ohhhhh!" Lana's head was up
underneath her miniskirt.

   "So lovely," Lana sighed, just before she pulled down Ruby's panties and
buried her head in her crotch.

   "Oh god!" Ruby shouted, then surrendered completely to the divine
sensation as her best friend began to eat her out like her life depended on
it.  Lana lapped and nibbled and licked.  Ruby groaned and bucked and
tossed.  Sprawled across the couch, her skirt rucked up around her waist,
one long leg up in the air and the other on the floor the booted beauty
rocked and rolled through a gloriously satisfying climax.

   For a long moment they just lay there, gasping.  Finally Ruby asked,
"Lana, what's happening?  What are we doing?"

   The smaller girl looked up from between Ruby's legs, an amorous look in
her eyes.  "Something we should have done a long time ago!" she declared.
There was moisture on her chin.  To Ruby's surprise she got to her feet and
started stripping off her clothes.

   "Rube, darling, there's something I want you to do for me," Lana said
intensely.  She sat back down on the couch, now wearing only her sweater.
"I want you to do me.  With your boots!"

   "What?"

   "Look, I'll just sit down here, like this." She lifted Ruby's left leg
and made to brush the heel to clean it, stopping when she realized there
was not a speck of dust on it.  "And you can use your heel, like...  like
this.  Oh yessss!" She guided Ruby's foot down and began to stroke herself
with the long, tapered heel.  "That feels like heaven!" She pushed the
bootheel up and down.

   After a moment Ruby, becoming excited again herself, caught on to what
her friend wanted.  She began to pleasure Lana in earnest, pressing inward
just a little as she gently stroked upward.  She couldn't penetrate very
far, especially with the platform soles, but evidently it was enough,
especially when she paused on the upstroke to tickle the girl's clitoris.
Lana sprawled backwards against the cushions and moaned wantonly, thrusting
her hips forward to meet Ruby's strokes.  Her eyes were half closed.  "Oh
yes, darling, like that, like that, just like that," she chanted, "keep
going, please, keep it up, ohmygod that's so good, don't ever stop!"

   Ruby was fondling her own tits again through her sweater and her other
hand was on its way to her well-worked lovenest.  The sight of her best
friend thrashing about helplessly on the heel of her red boot was
irresistibly erotic.  Soon they were both perspiring and gasping for
breath.

   Suddenly Lana reached out and clasped Ruby's right boot, bringing the
heel up to her mouth.  It too was immaculate.  In an instant Lana had
clamped her mouth around it, sucking and licking the sculpted material
fervorently.

   For a long moment they stayed like that, Ruby's hands busy above and
below and both bright red boots inside her best friend.  Lana's guttural
cries gradually climbed up an octave until she was almost whistling.  A
moment later the bootheel slipped out of her mouth as she came intensely.
Ruby's second orgasm followed a few panting breaths later.

   Some time much later that night, Ruby lay in bed, staring into the
comforting darkness.  Lana had fallen asleep with her head resting on
Ruby's bare chest.  Well, Ruby thought to herself, it looks like I've found
myself a whole new relationship.  Lana stirred, still half asleep, and
began to kiss and nuzzle one red nipple.  Ruby smiled.  It was also obvious
just who was in charge of that new relationship.



   Lana stayed over most of the weekend.  On Saturday they went out
shopping.  Ruby was eager to buy some clothes that matched her new boots.
They made several attempts, separately and in concert, to take the boots
off, none of which lead to anything but lovemaking.  "It has to be
possible," Lana said more than once.  "There's nothing at all stopping us.
It's just a matter of...  willpower.  Concentration.  Let's try again."
They couldn't even get a zipper down.

   On Sunday afternoon though, they made a breakthrough.  Between the two
of them, they did get one boot off.  Ruby was complaining, after they had
both tried wearing blindfolds so they couldn't see the boots they were
trying to remove, that if she didn't get them off she would never be able
to wear nylons, or anything else, on her legs.

   Then they discovered that if Ruby held the nylons in her hand, ready to
be slipped over her foot, she could summon up enough strength to unzip one
boot and slide out her foot.  She was astonished to discover that her feet
were dry and soft and sweet-smelling, like she had just had a shower and a
foot massage.  She slipped one leg of a pair of smoky nylons over her foot
and up the leg.  Before she had really thought about it she had slipped her
foot back into the boot again.  Only when her traitorous hands had done up
the smooth-gliding zipper could she bring herself to undo the other boot.

   She sighed.  At least she could dress her legs.

   II.  Business with Pleasure On Monday morning Lana gave Ruby a long
good-bye kiss and trotted off to work.  Ruby hurried to catch the bus
herself a few minutes later, very aware that she was running late.  Again,
however, Mr.  Legendre hardly seemed to mind.  Ruby was wearing a new
outfit, a silvery pink blouse worn loose over a rather brief red skirt. 
The view of her long legs, decorated with red platform boots and tan
nylons, may have contributed to her boss's forgiving mood.

   Mr.  Legendre was a balding, even-tempered man in his mid-forties.  He
had never been anything but polite and professional toward Ruby.  She
noticed now how his eyes behind his round-rimmed glasses scanned
appreciatively up her legs -- as did the eyes of the three young salesmen,
customers entering the showroom, and just about everybody she passed on the
street.

   Ruby felt sexy and supremely confident in her flashy boots.  She flirted
shamelessly with all the male customers, even when they were with their
wives or girlfriends.  She made sure they got a good look at her legs as
she sat well back from her desk, legs cocked at the perfect angle, nylons
glinting in the overhead lights.  Some men seemed reluctant to leave her.
She accompanied them over to a salesman and stayed with them through the
sales pitch, smiling and posing against the hood of one expensive car or
another.  It didn't hurt sales any.

   It did seem to distract the salesmen though.  Poor Robert became so
obviously uncomfortable that she just had to blow him in the washroom, once
on Monday and twice each on Tuesday and Wednesday.  In the evenings she
made repeated attempts to take the boots off, but that only lead to
hand-play.

   She couldn't get over how good she felt.

   On Thursday the weather turned nasty.  Winter returned for one last,
desperate battle against the invading spring and for a while it held its
own.  When Ruby swung her booted feet out of bed, wet snow was smacking
against the windows, driven by a raw north wind.  Ruby would normally have
worn slacks on a day like this, but when she pulled them out of the closet
she was frowning.  Maybe she would be cold, but she found herself reluctant
to cover her new boots.  Or her legs, which they highlighted so well. 
You're going to regret this, girl, she told herself as she selected a short
jumper instead.

   Waiting at the bus stop she first noticed something odd.  Her spring
jacket was not very heavy and not very long, leaving much of her shapely
legs exposed to the driving wind.  She watched snowflakes swirl around her
knees.

   She wasn't cold.  That was the strange thing.  She wasn't cold at all,
though the man waiting at the stop with her was huddled into his winter
coat.  Ruby felt just fine.  She even smiled at the man, sharing some of
the spring warmth she felt.  He smiled back, scanning her legs with the
same rapt gaze that she got from the bus driver a few minutes later.

   Ruby got her second surprise when she arrived at the dealership, after
slogging for several blocks through wet slush from the bus stop.  She
didn't slip at all despite the icy ground and her high heels.  Standing in
the doorway, she looked sadly at her nice new boots, now begrimed with snow
and mud from the street.  As she watched, drops of water and splashes of
mud were sliding down the smooth material, making little pools on the floor
around her feet.

   She watched for a few moments, fascinated.  It all seemed to be sliding
off: every drop of water, every speck of mud.  When Ruby walked away a
moment later her boots were as clean and shiny as the paint on the luxury
cars in the showroom.
The storm had abated by noon, and the sun was warm when Ruby headed out
to have lunch with Lana.  Her pretty friend arrived late, dressed sharply
for her job as a sales clerk, but with a confused look on her face.  They

had a glass of wine with lunch, and another one afterward.

   Then Lana finally got around to telling her that she had been thinking
about what they did on the weekend, and though it was marvellously exciting
she really had never had any attraction to a woman before and maybe they
should just cool it and go back to being friends.  Ruby listened to her
rambling for a while.  Then, perhaps inspired by the wine, she got tired of
it and started stroking up and down Lana's leg with the toe of one boot.

   Lana jumped.  "Rube!  Hey, cut that out!"

   "Girlfriend you are as tense as two tomcats.  Relax, will you." Ruby
continued stroking beneath the table.

   "Ruuuby!  Come on, stop that," her friend whined.  "You know that... 
bothers me." She made no move to stop her.

   Ruby slumped down in her seat to reach higher up Lana's legs.  Lana's
suit had a short wool skirt that provided easy access.  Ruby forced her
legs apart and began stroking above the knee.  Lana bit her lip.  "Please,
Rube, don't do that."

   "Hey!  Hands above the table!" Ruby said sharply.  "Here, have another
glass of wine." She refilled Lana's glass from the carafe on the table. 
The petite blonde took the glass and drank deeply.  She was trembling.

   "There now, there's nothing to be upset about.  What we did this weekend
we did because we wanted to.  How could something wrong feel so good?"

   Lana let out a little moan.  "But Ruby....  oh god.....  mmmmmmmm!"

   "Here, slide down a little bit.  A bit more.  That's the way.  Can you
feel that?"

   "Oh god can I!  Damn, I wish I wasn't wearing panties.  Here, up a
little bit.  Right there!  Now use the heel...  Oh yes.  Yes yes yes!  Oh
god yessss!" She shuddered through her climax right at the corner table in
the crowded diner.

   Ruby sipped her wine, letting her friend recover for a few moments.  She
looked at her watch.  "Hey, we'd both better get back to work.  Are you all
right now?"

   Lana looked at her fondly.  "Oh Rube, you little minx." She drained her
glass.  "Next time we have lunch together, remind me not to have wine."
Both girls laughed merrily.



   Ruby was a little late, a little drunk and more than a little horny when
she finally made it back to work.  Tim, the salesman sitting in for her,
was irritated by her tardiness and about to say so, but Ruby just gave him
her biggest smile while she took off her coat.  She stood casually with one
leg forward and her chest thrust out.

   Ruby wore a white sweater beneath a black, shape-defining jumper,
decorated with moons and stars.  Her display melted Tim's anger faster than
the sun was melting the snow outside.  "Well, you're finally back!" he
complained.  "Did you have to...  uh...  did you have....er...

   Did you...  have a nice lunch?"

   "Oh, it was just us girls," Ruby said teasingly, "all by ourselves. 
There was nobody to keep us company so we had too much to drink." She
hiccupped loudly.

   "Hmmmm, maybe I should go along next time, just to make sure you behave
yourself." His eyes lingered on her curvy figure.

   "Oh, I probably wouldn't behave myself if you're there," Ruby said
deliberately.  She could almost see Tim's hormone balance changing.  "But
thanks for the offer.  And thanks for sitting in for me." She shifted her
weight from one hip to the other.

   Tim got to his feet awkwardly.  "No problem," he said.  "But I gotta go
now." He was holding a clipboard awkwardly in front of himself.  He turned
back after a few steps.  "Oh, Ruby, I almost forgot.  The big boss wants to
see you.  He's in his office." He took one last lingering look at Ruby's
legs before heading off.

   Ruby watched him go.  Tim was such a dear.  And by the looks of the
bulge in his pants, a buck at that.  Maybe she would have to start giving
him a little of the attention she was bestowing on Robert.  She hiccupped
again, then sat down to fix her hair and make-up before her meeting with
Mr. Legendre.



   "You've got to understand, Ruby, that I have no complaints about your
work.  None at all.  But you might be surprised to learn that despite the
prices on the cars we sell, margins in this business are small.  It's a
very competitive business and overhead can kill you.  There's the rent on
the building, maintenance, loan financing, insurance, the list goes on. 
There's salaries too.  Salaries are always the biggest cost."

   Ruby listened patiently.  She was sitting beside the cluttered desk in
his back office, listening to Mr.  Legendre complain about business costs.
What was he getting at?  He was leading up to something.  Ruby didn't like
the sound of it.

   Mr.  Legendre drew a deep breath, straining the vest of his grey,
three-piece suit.  He admired her boots for a moment.  "Ruby," he said,
"I'm afraid I'm going to have to let you go."

   So that was it.  She was being laid off.  For a moment Ruby just sat
there, too stunned to speak.  "But, but, Mr.  Legendre," she sputtered.

   "Just like that?  I've been working here for nearly two years!"

   "I know, I know," protested her boss, "but we're going through a tough
period here and I just don't see how I can make it if I don't cut costs."

   "But you keep telling me this is one of the biggest specialty
dealerships in the city."

   He frowned.  "The second biggest.  Page is the biggest.  And that's the
whole problem.  Page is robbing me blind.  He's got that brand new
showroom, twice the size of mine, extended hours, ridiculous financing
packages....  I tell you, he's just killing me.  I'm sorry Ruby." He took
off his glasses and wiped them idly with a kerchief.

   Ruby was silent for a moment.  She had lost jobs before and always found
a new one.  But this was different.  She didn't feel like just taking it.
It was so unfair!  "Don't you feel I make a contribution?" she asked
demurely.  She gave him her best wide-eyed look.  A little sex appeal
couldn't hurt.

   Legendre put his specs back on and regarded Ruby softly.  "Of course you
do.  I don't mean to imply anything less.  And this last week especially
I've been...  impressed with....  your enthusiasm." His eyes rested a
moment at the point where her thighs emerged from her mini- length jumper.
He went on, "As a matter of fact, sales are up this week, a good sign, but
I'm afraid it's just not enough to make a difference."

   Ruby was surprised at how easily she had distracted him.  She decided to
try again.  "Can't you compete with Page?" she asked.  "We could offer
special packages too, couldn't we?"

   It was bold advice from a receptionist.  Legendre was about to reply
when Ruby crossed her knees deliberately, letting her hem slide a little
higher.  As she had hoped, Legendre's gaze flicked back to her thigh, then
swept down the dark nylons and over her sexy red boots.  "Uhm." he said at
last.  "Well, I suppose...uh, we could offer something, but I don't see..."
Ruby was bouncing her leg a little, very gently.  Legendre's eyes kept
drawing back to the toe of her boot, glistening as it swung up and down.

   Ruby uncrossed her legs and got to her feet.  "Mr.  Legendre," she said
pointedly, approaching his desk with a deliberate, hip-swinging gait, "I
really think you're being hasty now.  I love my job.  I think I make a
difference to the people I work with, and to the customers.  Are you sure
you want to just let me go?" She was standing in front of his chair now,
and she leaned back against the desk, regarding him warmly.

   Legendre couldn't seem to take his eyes off her legs.  "Well...  uh,
I... " he sputtered.

   Ruby gave him no time to collect his thoughts.  "Look, Mr.  Legendre.  I
think of myself as more than just another pretty face." She smoothed down
her tight sweater as she spoke.  "I'm also a problem- solver.  People come
to me with all their little troubles and worries and I make them forget all
about them." Boldly, she stepped forward and slid one knee up onto her
boss's chair.  She leaned over him temptingly.  "That's really good for
morale, don't you think?"

   Legendre just stared at her, round-eyed.  "Ruby, what are you...." he
began.

   "Oh, look," the red-booted beauty cooed, looking straight down.  "I
think you have a problem right now.  That must be so uncomfortable."

   She ran one finger excruciatingly down his straining zipper.  Legendre
squirmed.  "Here, let me show you how I can help with your problem." And
before her stunned boss could even protest she was on her knees on the
thick carpet, pulling down his zipper.

   She groped around until she found what she was looking for, then gently
pulled it free.  "Oooh, Mr.  Legendre," she husked, flattering him.  "You
have such a big problem here.  I'd better get right to work." She gently
closed her lips around his cock.  Mr.  Legendre, who had a wife, a mortgage
and two children, could only gasp in delight as his randy receptionist
began to suck him off expertly.

   She worked him slowly at first, sliding her lips down his shaft until
she could feel the tip in the back of her throat, then sliding gently
upward with just enough suction to bring his dick to full attention.  "I do
love my job, Mr.  Legendre," she whispered when his cock slipped out of her
mouth.

   She held him firmly in one hand and tongued him noisily for a few
moments, then returned to sucking in earnest.  Throwing back her long brown
hair, she stared upward into his eyes while she sucked, letting him know
that she understood exactly what she was doing to him.  Legendre gripped
the arms of his chair and steamed up his glasses.

   Ruby's hair flung wildly about her face as she slurped noisily on her
boss's tool.  Legendre had his eyes closed and his head thrown back,
lolling in the sweet sensations Ruby was producing.  His climax was only
moments away when Ruby stopped suddenly.  "What?  Ruby, please..." he
moaned, "Don't stop now!"

   She was still stroking him, keeping him on the edge.  "I've got a great
idea," she panted, breathing hard.  She got to her feet and jumped up on
the desk, planting her high red boots on either side of Legendre's wet
cock. She pressed her feet together, gently, and began to slide them up and
down.  "Come on me," she urged.  "Come on my boots."

   In only a moment he did exactly that.  "Oh yes, that feels so great!" he
almost shouted.  "Oh god, here it comes...  Aaargh!" Then he was
ejaculating, spurting ropes of hot cum all over the toes and shanks of her
beautiful boots.  It slid off immediately, falling in big white gobs onto
the carpet.  Ruby worked him thoroughly, teasing out the last of his
contribution until, eventually, he sagged contentedly back into his chair
and began to soften.

   "Ruby what have you done to me?" he asked rhetorically, catching his
breath.  "That was the best...  just the best."

   Ruby smiled impishly.  "I don't think we're quite finished yet," she
said, leaning back on her hands.  "Here, clean me up, OK?"

   "Um, what?"

   "My boots, sweetie.  You just came all over them.  I can't go back to
work like that.  Come on, clean them up for me, please?" She thrust one
crimson toe beneath his nose.

   In fact there was absolutely no need to clean the boots, they showed no
trace of his emissions.  Mr.  Legendre reached out, tentatively at first,
and held her foot with one hand.  He hesitated for a long moment; then his
tongue came out and lightly licked the toe.  Then again.  And again, longer
this time.  In moments he was licking and kissing and tonguing
enthusiastically while his leggy receptionist sat on his desk and wallowed
in the feeling of having her boss lick her boots.

   "Don't forget the other one," Ruby teased, raising her other leg.  Her
boot-licking boss captured it in his free hand and began to lavish
affection on the toe with his tongue.  He lapped happily, switching every
few seconds between one boot and the other.  "You aren't really going to
lay me off, are you, Mr.  Legendre?" Ruby cooed, like she was talking to a
small child.

   "God, Ruby, of course not, darling!" panted her boss, between licks and
kisses.  "I couldn't (lap, lap), begin to get along (lick, slurp) without
you!" He looked up briefly, and found himself with a perfect view up under
Ruby's miniskirt.  His glasses were askew.

   Ruby looked down and saw that Mr.  Legendre was hard again.  "In fact,"
she said softly, stroking his cheek with one red toe, "I bet you'd much
rather just lay me, wouldn't you?"

   Legendre just groaned in helpless lust.  Ruby, who was every bit as
aroused as her boss by now, rose to her feet to strip her underthings away
when she realized she had a problem.  She couldn't love Mr.  Legendre
without removing her pantyhose, but she couldn't do that because the boots
were in the way and she couldn't take them off.  What to do?  Thinking
quickly, Ruby grabbed a pair of scissors and quickly slashed a long cut in
both her panties and nylons.  The pantyhose would be ruined, but Ruby
didn't care.  She was too hot to wait.  Anyway she had just decided to wear
stockings from now on.

   She threw the scissors away and returned her attention to her boss. 
Wordlessly she stood in front of him, hands on his shoulders.  She slid
first one knee, then the other, up onto his big chair, so she was
straddling him, her crotch poised above his still-wet shaft.  She reached
down and held him in one hand.  "Ooooh, nice stick shift, Mr.  Legendre,"
she said as she lowered herself onto him.  "Let's take it out for a test
drive!"

   "Ruby you doll!" her amorous employer cried.  He felt her close around
him, wet, snug and inviting.  "You fucking incredible doll." Ruby bent down
for a long, sloppy kiss.  They started to rock, fucking energetically in
the big stuffed chair.

   "Oh yes, oh yes, oh yes!" Ruby chanted.  She threw her head back, arms
around her lover's neck, and let her hair tumble down.  "Mr.  Le- Legendre,
I, I have some, oh come on, deeper, harder!  I have some....  some ummmm
fuck me you feel good, some ideeeeeas, oh yes, for com-com- com-peting, oh
fuck, with Page!"

   For the next half hour the salesmen tried to distract their customers
from the noises coming from the back office.



   Ruby stepped into her apartment Friday evening to the smell of something
cooking on the stove.  It smelled delicious.  She stepped into the
apartment and removed her suit jacket, leaving her in a silky white blouse
and a floral-patterned skirt.  The skirt ended well above the knee, short
enough to advertise her boot-dressed legs, but just long enough to cover
the tops of her dark stockings.

   "What's this?" she said out loud, looking about her.  It was her
apartment but she barely recognized it.

   It was clean.

   Magazines and books were neatly stacked on a shelf.  Dirty dishes and
empty pizza boxes had disappeared.  The whole place had obviously been
given a thorough dusting and the carpet had been vacuumed.  There were
fresh flowers in a vase on the polished coffee table.

   "Hey, Rube, about time you got home!" said a cheerful voice.  Lana was
standing by the kitchen door, a drink in one hand.  She was dressed in her
casual clothes, a pair of tight, flared jeans and a sweater with an apron
over it.  She was in her stocking feet.  Her sport shoes were sitting by
the door.

   "Lana, what are you doing here?"

   "Well, at the moment, I'm making supper.  I hope you still like Italian.
Here have a drink." She handed her the glass.

   Ruby took the drink gratefully and took a sip.  "Mmmm, nice.  Just what
I need." She stepped into the immaculate livingroom.  "Did you do all
this?"

   "Of course, silly.  Took all afternoon too.  Rube, darling, don't you
ever do housework?"

   "I hadn't quite got around to it," her brown-haired friend replied. 
"But, but, like, didn't you have to work today?"

   Lana waved a hand.  "I had some sick days built up.  Told the manager I
was coming down with something." She smiled slyly.  "He likes me."

   "But how did you get in?"

   "The superintendent, duh!  Ruby, will you stop fussing and just relax.

   Come on, sit down, take a load off those sexy legs." She patted the
couch invitingly.

   Ruby sat, leaning back against the pillows and stretching her legs. 
Immediately Lana grabbed a hassock and slipped it under her feet.  "There,
isn't that better?  Now you just relax for a moment, while I finish supper.
Would you like another drink?"

   "Why not," Ruby declared.  She watched her best friend scamper off to
the kitchen with the empty glass.  Wow, what has come over her, she
reflected privately.  She used to hate housework as much as I do; now she's
acting like my personal servant.  Ruby smiled and closed her eyes, enjoying
the smell of spicy spaghetti sauce and the warmth of the drink.  A girl
could get used to this.

   Supper was excellent.  When it was over Lana insisted that Ruby sit and
finish her wine while she did all the dishes.  A little while later the
smaller girl emerged from the kitchen, tossing the apron over a chair. 
Ruby switched off the television.

   "Hey, listen, Rube," the lithe blonde said, kneeling beside her on the
sofa.  "I've got some ideas.  I want to try taking your boots off again."

   Ruby looked at her with heavy-lidded eyes, the result of too much good
food and good wine.  "Lana you can't take th' boots off.  I can't.  Nobody
can."

   "But we haven't tried everything yet!  Look, somehow it's all a matter
of willpower.  So far we've always tried to do it by ourselves.  But if we
work together, concentrating, like combining our wills..."

   Lana drained her wine glass.  " 's not gonna work, Lana.  An' we'll just
end up, you know, screwin' around."

   "That's a chance we'll have to take," replied her friend, a twinkle in
her eyes.  "Now look, here's how it works.  Instead of taking off one boot,
we'll take them both off at once.  You take the right one and I'll take the
left.  That way we'll have double the willpower!  Here, put your left leg
up here where I can reach it."

   "OK, now what do we do?"

   "We'll go together, at exactly the same time."

   "Well?"

   "OK, OK, don't rush me.  I have to get psyched up, right?  OK.  Here we
go.  Are you ready?"

   "I'm ready."

   All right.  Here we go then.  We're going to do this together.  Here...,
say Ruby are you wearing stockings?  Looks cool!"

   "Lana, don't get started."

   "Oh, yeah, sorry.  OK.  Here we go then.  All together.  Collected
willpower.  One boot each.  Here we go."

   "I'm still waiting."

   I know.  I know that.  I'm just trying to build up my energy.  Let's go
then.  We'll do it on three, OK?  One....  Twoooo.....  Three!  GO!" She
made a lunge for the zipper tab.  Ruby reached down at the same time.

   Half an hour later Lana was kneeling on the floor between Ruby's legs,
wearing only her underwear, avidly tonguing her friend toward her second
climax.  Or was it her third?  Ruby wasn't too sure any more.  The
brown-haired beauty was sprawled across the sofa, long legs spread wide,
wearing nothing but her stockings and garters, and of course her bright red
boots.

   III.  Sales Technique Some days later Ruby was sitting behind her desk
at the dealership, idly watching the traffic and people wander by on the
street outside.  It was noon on a bright spring day.  Ruby was alone in the
gleaming showroom.  Two of the salesmen had gone for lunch and Mr. 
Legendre had been called away to some imaginary crisis at his bank.

   The rule was that at least one seller had to be in the showroom at all
times.  Eric had a lunch date with his fiancee that he desperately wanted
to keep, so he snuck out once Mr.  Legendre was gone, promising Ruby he
would be back as soon as he could.  There weren't many customers this time
of day.

   Ruby crossed her ankles and admired the gaudy red boots on her legs,
enjoying the feeling of warm satisfaction they always gave her.  Even after
wearing them day and night for almost two weeks the gorgeous boots still
kept her feet warm, dry and comfortable.  They did much more than that too:
they buoyed up her mood like a drug.

   It was hard to describe, but ever since she had put the boots on, she
had felt just so delicious: sexy, feminine, confident.  She was ready for
anything, especially if it involved men.  Or women, for that matter.  She
was giving regular service to both Rob and Mr.  Legendre, neither of whom
seemed willing or capable of resisting her advances.  Yesterday she had
seduced Tim, and more and more she found herself coming on to the
customers. Despite a quickie with Rob in the coffee room that morning, Ruby
was feeling very frisky.

   The sound of the door chimes stirred Ruby from her contemplation.  The
man entering the showroom was handsome and richly dressed.  His dark hair
was streaked with grey at the temples, and his thin moustache was perfectly
trimmed.  The woman with him was quite a bit younger, a shapely blonde in a
form-fitting, red-and-white striped dress that almost smelled of money.

   Ruby activated her high-octane smile.  "Good morning!" she said
cheerfully.  "Welcome to Legendre's Legendary Autos.  I'm Ruby.  Could I
just get your names for my book?" She looked up at them with her pen poised
to write.

   The man looked at her for a long moment.  She could almost see the word
"Wow!" running through his head.  Ruby was dressed simply in a snug black
sweater and a revealingly short, black skirt, topped off with elaborately
patterned black lace stockings.  The outfit flattered her curvy figure and
made the most of her long legs, set off perfectly by the high-heeled
platform boots.

   "Well, yes, of course," the man said, smiling in return.  "I'm Clayton
Woodstock, and this is my wife, Bridget." He gestured at the blonde, who
nodded a greeting, her diamond earrings sparkling.  "I was talking last
week to one of your people, can't remember his name, about taking a look at
that new Thoroughbred." He referred to one of the most exclusive makes in
the showroom.

   Ruby noticed his attention lingering on her lace-wrapped legs.  "Oh, the
Thoroughbred", she said, "I absolutely love that car!  It has such smooth
lines, don't you think?" She uncrossed her ankles and crossed them the
other way.

   "Yes, well, I do like the style of it," the man said, his eyes studying
her legs.

   "Of course you do.  I can tell you know your cars.  I wish I could own a
Thoroughbred!  I get excited just sitting in one!"

   The man's grin broadened.  "Well, maybe if I buy one I'll take you for a
ride."

   "Clayton," his wife said.

   The man tore his gaze away from Ruby's legs.  "Ah, well, yes, anyway,
could I talk to the salesperson?"

   "Of course.  That would be Eric.  He's our expert on that particular
line.  But -- oh, I just remembered, Eric has stepped out for a minute.  He
should be back in a few moments.  If you wouldn't mind waiting --"

   That was definitely the wrong thing to say.  "Humph, I don't like
waiting for salespeople!" the man grumped.  "Especially since I told him I
would be here today.  Plain rude if you ask me.  Maybe I'll just look at
some other dealership." Clearly irritated, he made to escort his wife out
the door.

   Ruby did some fast thinking.  She didn't want to lose a big sale.  She
would have to cover until Eric or one of the others got back.

   She kept her smile switch on.  "Please, Mr.  Woodstock, don't be upset."
She got to her feet and walked around the high desk to approach him.  In
her short-short skirt, lace stockings and tight, high-heeled boots she knew
she looked hot.  "Eric was just here, but he got called out on, um, an
emergency consultation.  But I'm sure he won't be away long.  Look, why
don't you both just sit down for a moment and I'll make sure that your
comfortable until Eric gets back.  At Legendre we like to treat our
customers right."

   Mr.  Woodstock hesitated, admiring Ruby's abundant curves, long enough
for her to take his arm.  She linked elbows with his wife on the other
side. "We have a great deal of information on the Thoroughbred and our
other lines that I'm sure you'll want to look at." Mollified, the couple
let her lead them to the waiting area, a little alcove set up like a
livingroom, with expensive furnishings and an artificial fireplace.  Ruby
leaned a little heavier against Clayton than his wife, letting him feel her
breast against his arm.

   "Just have a seat here," Ruby said, leading them to the deep sofa.  "Let
me fetch you a drink." She returned a moment later with a decanter of
well-aged Scotch whisky and two crystal glasses.  She sat down beside
Clayton with his wife on the other side.  They chatted about sportcars
while they sipped their drinks.

   As they talked, Ruby flirted with Clayton and played the hostess, making
sure especially that Bridget's glass was never empty.  When Eric hadn't
returned after a good half hour they made to leave, but Ruby easily talked
them out of it, and into another drink.  Clayton was hungrily ogling her
body.  Ruby made sure she brushed against him as often as possible.

   "Clayton, when are we gonna see thiz car?" Bridget complained, some time
later.  She was sort of slumped in her seat, glass in hand and one white
pump dangling off her toe.

   Ruby pretended to ignore Clayton's hand, that was "accidentally" resting
against her thigh.  She looked at her watch.  Where on earth was everybody?
"I'll tell you what," she said decisively.  "Let's go take a look at the
model we have in the showroom.  I'm sure Eric will be back any minute and
he can fill you in on the technical details.  I think you will find that
the Thoroughbred has features of interest to both of you."

   "Sure, why not," Clayton agreed.  "Come on, honey, let's go look."

   Ruby got to her feet.  "Oh, please, bring your drinks if you want. 
Here, let me top that up for you." She linked arms with the couple again
and led them back into the main showroom.  Mrs.  Woodstock was decidedly
the least sober of the trio, and she leaned heavily against Ruby.  She
didn't notice when Clayton's hand slipped down onto Ruby's barely covered
behind.

   "There now, isn't this a beauty?" Ruby said, as they approached the
gleaming auto.  "Thoroughbreds set the pace for the road." It was a company
slogan she had read somewhere.  She leaned back provocatively against the
red sportcar so her abundant breasts thrust tight against her sweater. 
Clayton's moustache twitched.

   "It'z jus' 'nother car," said his shapely young wife.  "Big 'n' loud for
men to show off." She giggled and took a healthy sip of her drink.

   Ruby said, "Ah, but in a car of this calibre there are features to spoil
every taste." She took her by the hand and lead her to the gleaming
sportcar, opening the door.  "Here, just sit down for a moment.  The seats
are brushed leather of course.  And they adjust a whole bunch of different
ways.  See, you can even lean back." She reached for a button and the seat
back pivotted down gently until Bridget was nearly horizontal.

   "Well, it is very comfor'ble" she conceded.

   "And just listen to this stereo," Ruby continued.  She leaned across her
and turned on some switches.  Soft music began to pump through the car. 
"Eight-speaker surround sound stereo," Ruby said, making it up as she went.
"Doesn't that sound wonderful?"

   Bridget grunted in agreement and sipped her drink.  She closed her eyes.
Ruby said, "Now you just relax there for a moment, and enjoy the music.  I
want to show Clayton a few other features."

   She turned with her hand on the door handle, certain that Clayton had
been staring at her legs while she was bent over.  "With a Thoroughbred,
you never have to worry about road noise again," she said, now quoting
something she had overheard a salesman say.  She shut the door and the
music stopped instantly.  "And of course the windows are tinted for maximum
privacy."

   "I...  like," said Clayton.  He wasn't looking at the car.

   Ruby sidled up to him.  "Here's another feature I'm sure you'll like."

   She had a small black box in her hand.  She pointed it backward without
looking and pressed a button.  A small "click" came from the car. 
"Electronic keyless entry system," Ruby said, very close.  "With driver
override that lets you lock all the doors from the outside." She toyed with
the lapel on his suit jacket.  "A very handy feature, if you have small
children" -- she paused significantly -- "or pets."

   Clayton's face was flushed.  "M-M-Maybe we should, uh, sit down
somewhere, and, and, discuss the um, other features, of this model."

   "Good idea.  Let's use one of the offices." She led him to one of the
private sales rooms, out of sight of the sportcar.  They were barely
through the door before Ruby was in his arms, kissing lustfully.  They
locked together, stumbling backward toward a small sofa, where they landed
with Clayton more or less on top.

   "My god what am I doing!" cried Clayton, even as he pulled up her tight
sweater.  "My wife is right outside!"

   Ruby was already working on his pants.  "Don't, don't worry about her.

   She can't hear anything.  Oh my, Clayton you have a nice gearshift!"

   He was fumbling about, at once trying to kiss her breasts above the top
of her lace half-bra and remove her panties with one hand.  Ruby helped him
with both actions.  When they had removed the bare minimum of clothing to
permit intimacy, Ruby spread her legs, still dressed in boots and fancy
stockings, and guided him downward.  She was wet and ready.  "Screw me,
Clayton," she cried out, revelling in the nasty words, "Burn out my
engine!"

   When Ruby opened the door of the sportcar some while later, the stereo
was still playing.  Bridget was lying back in the seat, asleep.  She was
angry when she woke up though.  "Finally!" she exclaimed, groggily climbing
out of the low-slung car.  "You locked me in!  Clayton, didn't you hear me
calling?"

   Her husband smiled sheepishly.  "Sorry about that, honey," he said
contritely.  "I guess the soundproofing is better than I thought."

   "But didn't you see me waving?"

   "Gee, I guess not.  The windows are all tinted.  But darling, I've got
big news.  I just bought a new Thoroughbred!" He glanced over at Ruby, who
puckered up a kiss for him behind his wife's back.

   "You sold a car!?" said Mr.  Legendre, later that afternoon.

   "Well, I had to," Ruby replied, smiling smugly, "there was no one else
here." They were in his office, Ruby sitting on his desk, leaning back on
her hands with her legs stretched out in front of her.  Mr.  Legendre was
sitting in his big chair, his pants still around his feet.  He was holding
Ruby's ankles and kissing and lapping her slick boots, in what had become
their post-coital ritual.

   "Well I'll be.  What make?"

   She giggled and her bare breasts bounced.  "A Thoroughbred.  Loaded. 
All the options."

   Her boss stopped his tongue work long enough to look up at her
sceptically.  "Come on, baby.  We sell maybe three of those a year."

   Ruby said nothing.  Still smiling, she picked up the sales sheet from
the desk and held it up where he could see.  Mr.  Legendre's eyes went wide
as he scanned down the sheet.  "I don't believe it," he said at last.  "You
sold a Thoroughbred."

   Ruby leaned back and giggled again, dropping one foot to trace the line
of his cock with her heel.  She had been drinking in celebration most of
the afternoon.  "Whoa, wait a minute baby," Mr.  Legendre said suddenly,
"Is that the price you got?"

   Ruby's smile vanished.  "Uh, yeah.  Isn't that right?"

   "Where did you get the number?"

   "I looked it up in the guidebook.  Isn't that what all the sellers do?"
She indicated a black binder sitting on the desk.

   "But Ruby, honey, the guidebook isn't real prices.  Those are just price
points, to get things rolling.  You start with those and then let the
customer bargain down to something reasonable.  Nobody's expected to pay
guidebook prices!"

   "Oh," Ruby said in a small voice.  "I didn't know that."

   Legendre grinned.  "Please, darling, don't apologize." He kissed her toe
lovingly.  "I'll take double profit anytime I can get it!  What about
financing?"

   "Didn't need any," Ruby said, holding up a check.  "He's really well
off."

   Legendre took the check and studied it closely.  The handwriting was a
bit shaky, but there was no doubt about the amount: the full price,
including taxes and preparation charges.  Ruby knew why the handwriting was
shaky.  Clayton had already had her once before they even got around to
talking about prices.  During most of the "negotiation" Ruby had sat on the
desk, like she was now, stroking his rod between her boots, like she was
doing for Mr.  Legendre now, but refusing to let him come until he signed
the check.  Clayton's protests had been faint and fleeting.

   Mr.  Legendre's grin grew wider and his member began to rise again.  He
looked up past the check to the leggy, tipsy, topless brunette sitting on
his desk.  "Ruby, baby" he declared, "how would you like to join the sales
staff?"



   "Oooh, Bobby, you are eager today!" Ruby cooed as she wrapped her legs
around Robert's backside.  Her fellow salesman grunted loudly and plunged
deeper into her, gripping one stocking-covered thigh in each hand.  They
were sprawled on a fully reclined captain's chair, taken from one of the
models of luxury cars the dealership handled.  A few of the chairs were
kept in the salesrooms to demonstrate to customers how comfortable they
were.  Lately they were more often used as beds for Ruby's increasingly
frequent romps with customers and her fellow employees.  It was four
o'clock in the afternoon.  Although Ruby had already blown Robert once that
morning, they had spontaneously decided on a second go to celebrate the
sale of a Jaguar.

   Another sale in what was turning out to be another very good week.

   Ruby's tight boots stroked across Robert's back as the couple heaved and
bucked in the chair.  She was wearing gaudy, red mesh hose that covered her
entirely from the waist down, except for strategic cut- outs around the
crotch and ass.  Mr.  Dneiper, the rich young fellow who had bought the
Jag, had seemed fascinated by Ruby's legs from the moment he entered the
showroom.  As she pranced about in her tight black mini he had frequently
lost track of Robert's sales pitch.  They had been team-selling, an
effective way to use Robert's technical knowledge of the cars and Ruby's
talents at charming the customers.  Mr.  Dneiper was so impressed that he
agreed to purchase even before Ruby's blow job.

   At the moment Ruby's stretchy miniskirt was bunched up around her waist.
Her black velvet top was lying on a filing cabinet.  Robert was pumping
quickly, not trying to hold back.  "You're fucking right I'm eager!" he
grunted, gripping the arms of the chair.  "You drive me wild.  Ah, shit
that feels good!  Nobody gets to me like you do, Ruby, nobody!  Unh!  I can
barely be-believe we sold another -oh god here it comes!  - another,
anotherrrrrr....  JAAAAG!" The last word was half- shouted as he climaxed.

   Ruby wrapped herself more tightly around him, revelling in the feel of
his ejaculation inside her.  She had not quite come herself yet.  She was
completely confident that Robert would take care of her before he went back
to work.  He always did.

   The decision to add Ruby to the sales staff had been inspired.  In a
little under two weeks sales at Legendre's had more than doubled and Ruby
had become the top salesperson in the dealership.  Many of the sales were
very good deals for the company.  The prosperous male customers, panting
with desire or drowsy in satisfaction depending on how Ruby decided to play
them, could hardly concentrate on details like price.

   Women only rarely bought sportcars.  Sometimes the men brought wives or
girlfriends along with them.  They were a nuisance, but with techniques
like the one she had applied to Clayton Woodstock, Ruby usually closed the
deal anyway.  Once, a very wealthy man came in with his daughter, a
fresh-faced girl who had talked her father into buying her a car as a
graduation present.  Ruby, who was more than a little tipsy from a drinking
session with an earlier customer, left the man with Eric, and seduced the
daughter instead.  Daddy bought her a Porsche.

   Ruby's move into sales had created an opening at the greeter's desk. 
Since business was going so well, Mr.  Legendre reluctantly agreed to hire
a replacement.  The new girl, Gladys, was bouncy, busty and bright-eyed,
fresh out of high school.  Ruby initiated her into the workplace one day by
casually asking her for help taking her boots off.  The boots stayed on,
but somehow it was Gladys's clothing that came off.  The reclining chair in
the salesroom was busy for most of the afternoon.

   Ruby enjoyed the attention of the sweet young thing.  She often invited
Gladys to clean her boots, which of course never needed it.  Usually,
Gladys used some piece of intimate apparel, such as her panties, to
lovingly wipe Ruby's gleaming boots.  Usually, her tongue got into the
action very quickly.  Usually, Gladys had an orgasm before she finished the
second boot.

   Now, as she felt Robert become soft inside her, Ruby relaxed and
contemplated how well things were going.  She felt lively and upbeat all
the time these days, not to mention horny.  The boots kept her feet cosy
and comfortable in any weather.  She had even taken a bath with them on the
other night.  With the move to the sales staff her income had improved
substantially, especially since Legendre paid his sellers a combination of
salary and commission.

   Her stomach growled.  She had fucked her way through lunch with -- who
was it?  Oh yes, Timmy -- and hunger was starting to set in.  Ruby sighed
contentedly as Robert pulled out of her.  She wondered what Lana would be
fixing for dinner.



   Ruby sipped gratefully on her after-dinner drink.  "Mmmm, dinner was
delicious, Lana.  Thanks." She sat down on the couch and lifted her legs so
Lana could slip the footrest underneath.

   "No trouble," her pretty friend assured her, although the meal had been
quite elaborate.  She had already cleared the table and put the dishes into
the new dishwasher.  She would wash the pots and pans later.

   Ruby looked around the immaculate apartment.  The carpet was newly
vacuumed and the flowers on the table were fresh.  "Lana, did you remember
to pick up the drycleaning?"

   "Of course.  I hung the things in your closet.  The ironing is all done.
I paid the utility bill too.  Oh, and I mended the hem on your white
dress." She smiled, clearly pleased at having anticipated Ruby's needs.

   "Lana you're a dear." Ruby regarded her fondly, relaxing with her drink.
It was the end of a long but very satisfying day -- in every sense -- and
Ruby was luxuriating in having all her domestic needs taken care of.  It
interfered with Lana's social life a trifle but she didn't seem to mind. 
She didn't see Charles much anymore.

   A gleam came to Ruby's eye.  "Hold on a minute," she said casually. 
"How come you're not wearing that new outfit we got for you?"

   Lana was wearing an oversized sweater and tights, along with her usual
cross-trainers.  "Oh, Rube, come on," she said, "you don't really expect me
to wear those things!"

   "Why not?  We bought them together didn't we?  And you said you liked
the outfit."

   "Yes, but we had been drinking!  And besides...." She paused for a
moment.  "You had been, like, you know, teasing me.  All afternoon!"

   Ruby spoke more firmly.  "Lana, stop fussing and go try it on.  You paid
good money for those clothes and they look great on you."

   "Ruby they're way too young for me!  You know that!"

   "And you know that you're very young-looking.  You should play that up,
it's very attractive.  Come on, go try them on.  The bags are still in the
bedroom."

   "But Ruby!"

   "Get!"

   Pouting like a child, Lana turned and trudged off into the bedroom. 
Ruby finished her drink, chuckling to herself.  She didn't much care what
Lana wore, but it was such fun to dominate her friend-turned- lover.  The
new clothes were an experiment to see how far she could push her. 
Evidently, quite far.

   Lana returned a few minutes later, looking sheepish.  "Is this all
right?" she asked.

   Lana was wearing a cute little outfit.  The snug white pullover was
trimmed with pink and had a small teddy bear embroidered on the front.

   It shaped itself flatteringly to her pert breasts and girlishly slender
waist, and was just short enough to flash her navel.  The matching pink
mini was very wide and boldly short, with a big white belt.  She wore
sleek, white, elastic-topped stockings that came up over the knees and left
the tops of her shapely legs bare.  She was still wearing her multicolored
cross-trainers.

   Ruby giggled.  The outfit took at least five years off Lana's appearance
and made her look like a trendy teenager.  A very hot teenager.  "Hmmmmm,
not bad, not bad at all," Ruby mused out loud.  "But the shoes are all
wrong.  Too heavy.  Go back into the bedroom and pull out the bag under the
bed.  Try those shoes.  I bought them just for you!"

   Lana made as if to say something, then changed her mind.  She left the
room.  When she returned a moment later her cross-trainers had been
replaced by little red sneakers, tied up with big white laces.  "Perfect!"
exclaimed Ruby, a little giddy.  The drink she had just finished was not
her first of the day.  "Lana you look absolutely darling!"

   "I look ridiculous," Lana groused.  "Like an over-built fourteen-year
old!  Ruby I want to take this off now."

   Ruby waved a hand.  "Oh, you'll get used to it, stop complaining.  Now,
remember what we talked about?  Turn around and let me see."

   "Ruby!  You're not serious!"

   "Of course I am darling.  Come on, you promised."

   "But I was drunk!  Oh, this isn't fair!" Nevertheless she turned around
and lifted the hem of her pink microskirt.  Her panties were satiny white.

   Ruby made little clucking sounds of disapproval.  "That's a no-no,
Lana."

   "But, but Ruby, this skirt is way too short already.  I can't walk
around without!"

   "Sure you can.  You can dress yourself when you go out.  Maybe.  Around
the house" -- she lifted one leg and made little thrusting motions with the
toe of her boot -- "I like to have access."

   Lana's eyes fixed on the flexing boot.  All remaining resistance seemed
to leave her.  Wordlessly, she reached down and wiggled out of her panties.
They dropped around her cute red sneakers.  She bent down very carefully
and picked them up.

   "Good girl," Ruby said approvingly.  "Now why don't you come over here
and polish my boots, OK?"

   "Of course, Rube," said Lana, dropping to her white-clad knees.  She
began to rub her panties carefully over the boots, shining the lustrous
material.  "Mmmm.  Wow," she whispered.  "I can't get over how much this
turns me on."



   Several days later, Ruby was sitting comfortably in the big leather
chair behind Mr.  Legendre's desk, legs spread wide, while young Gladys
busily cleaned her boots.  At least, she had started out cleaning the
boots. Her eager tongue action was now focused rather higher up Ruby's
legs.

   Ruby was wearing a red and white leather mini decorated with lots of
bright zippers, most of which were undone to provide Gladys unhindered
access.  Her silvery, lace-topped stockings had bright red seams up the
back.  Ruby was a little sloshed, as she often was in the afternoons.

   "Oooh, Gladys baby you're getting to be so good at this!" Ruby
exclaimed, her head lolling against the deep leather chair back.  "I think
you'll go far in this co-co-company." Gladys made little mewling sounds of
agreement, her mouth too busy for conversation.  She was panting with
excitement, and one hand was busy between her own legs.

   Gladys was looking very fine too, in a figure-hugging, bright- patterned
minidress that strained to cover her ample chest and didn't even try to
cover her legs.  Her nylons were dark and sleek, topped off by chunky red
platform shoes.  Over Mr.  Legendre's feeble objections, Ruby had pretty
much taken over Gladys's training.  Her lessons included ensuring the young
lovely always came to work dressed to kill.  Gladys was an apt pupil, eager
to do anything Ruby asked of her ever since she had begun cleaning and
polishing her boots.

   The door opened and Mr.  Legendre brushed in, carrying a briefcase. 
"Ruby!" he began, "Have you got last week's sales totals?  I thought
you...." His voice died in his throat as he took in the vista before him,
two beautiful woman engaged in intimate pleasuring behind his own desk. 
"Geezuz, Ruby, don't you ever stop?" Legendre said in a small voice.

   For a long moment he just stood there, staring blankly, as Gladys
continued her agile strokes.  From Mr.  Legendre's viewpoint the view was
excellent.  It included an eyeful of Gladys's deliciously round behind,
decked out in lacy, feminine underthings, bared by her too- short dress as
she leaned forward on her knees.  She gave no sign of even being aware that
Legendre was in the room.

   Ruby looked up and brushed her hair out of her eyes.  "Oh!  Uh, hi, uh,
Mr.  Legendre.  Me and Gladys were, uh, just, oh shit, just f-f-
finishing." Her platform boot glistened as she slipped her leg up onto the
arm of the chair.

   Mr.  Legendre found himself shuffling toward them, still staring. 
"Geezuz, Ruby," he said again.

   With an effort, Ruby pushed Gladys away.  The girl looked up at her, a
happy, dazed look in her eyes.  "Sorry, Mr.  Legendre," Ruby said, "I've
got those sales figures right here somewhere." She looked down to the tent
in her boss's slacks.  "Gladys, baby, why don't you take care of Mr. 
Legendre now."

   Gladys murmured "Sure Ruby.  Anything you want." She shuffled on her
knees to where Legendre was standing beside the desk.  He protested briefly
as the blonde began to unzip him, but made no real effort to stop her.  He
was hard and ready, twitching in Gladys's small hands.  But it was Ruby he
stared at hotly while the other girl slipped him into her mouth and began
to draw in and out.  His briefcase thumped onto the carpet.

   Ruby got to her feet smoothly and tugged down a few zippers.  She was
wearing a tight leather top, matching the miniskirt but low-cut enough to
flash the black, lacy nothing she wore beneath.  "Here, boss, why don't you
sit down," she urged, gesturing toward his chair.  Obediently he shuffled
over to his chair and sat.  Gladys whined like a kitten when she lost him
for a moment.  In a few seconds she was back between his legs, head bobbing
rhythmically.

   Ruby hopped up on Legendre's desk.  "Mr.  Legendre, I know you're
awfully worried about this bank meeting," she said, leaning back on her
hands.  She lifted a long leg and began to stroke her boss's cheek with one
red boot.  Legendre was so well trained by now that he immediately began to
lick and kiss it as it went by.

   "Loan manager....old school.....conservative," mumbled Legendre, between
kisses.  "Doesn't like staff changes.  Not in the business plan.  Fuck I'm
horny!" He bucked his hips to meet Gladys's strokes.

   Ruby lifted her other boot to his lips.  "What if," she said
conversationally, "what if you had something new and different to show
them? Like, for instance, a new partner?"

   Legendre stopped sucking on her boot heel for a moment.  He looked at
her with glassy eyes.  "Partner?  Wha?"

   "Me, silly.  I could be a partner, couldn't I?  Didn't you say that I
was your top seller?  And haven't we sold more units since I started than
in all of last quarter?  Hmmm?"

   Legendre was close to climaxing.  His breath was coming in panting
spurts.  "But, but, oh migod don't stop, that doesn't mean, uh, what?  uh,
doesn't mean you, you, unh!  can be argh!  a partnerrrrr!" His glasses
slipped off his face.  Ruby thrust a bootheel into his mouth like a
soother. "Of course I can, Mr.  Legendre.  I'd be a great partner.  You'd
love it, I promise.

   Look, I know exactly what we need to do.  Gladys." She laid a hand on
the built blonde's shoulder and gently extracted her from Legendre's
member.

   "...almost finished," she demurred.

   "I know honey, but I'll finish for you.  Here, you stand here and show
Mr.  Legendre what you bought yesterday, OK?"

   Taking the cue, Gladys got to her feet.  She unbuttoned the straining
top buttons on her dress, letting her bounteous breasts pop into view just
inches from Legendre's eyes.  She was wearing a neon-pink push-up bra that
thrust her tits up and out without actually covering anything.  The perfect
nipples jiggled temptingly.  Ruby embraced her boss's shaft with her boots
and began to stroke gently.  "Now then, Mr.  Legendre," she said softly. 
"Are you sure I can't be a partner?  Go on, tell me why not."

   Legendre gasped and tried to say something.  Gladys simply leaned
forward and pushed a boob into his mouth, silencing him.  "I can't hear
you, boss," Ruby said, stroking faster.  "Are you absolutely sure I can't
be a partner?"

   "Mmmmph, youff, mmmmph, ah, wommph" was all that came from Legendre, as
Gladys neatly guided his mouth from one tit to the other.

   "Gee, I can't make out a word you're saying," Ruby teased.  "I'll tell
you what.  You can come on my boots if you want.  I know how much you like
that.  All you have to do is say 'partner', and I'll let you come, OK?" She
slowed the pace of her stroking just a little.

   Ruby's boss was bucking and groaning helplessly.  "Awww!" he cried when
Gladys let him go for a moment.  "Please!  I can't-- You're driving me
crazy!  Blubublbbb!  He returned to sucking on the nearest breast.

   "Come on, honey, you can say it.  Go ahead.  Don't you want to come?"

   "Uuuungh!" cried Legendre incoherently, "Please!  oh god, please...,
please, pleeeease!  Ohgod oh shit uhhhhhhh!  please, ple-, pa-, unh, paa--,
Paaaartner!"

   "Good boy!" said Ruby.  Immediately she began to boot-fuck him in
earnest, stroking faster and faster up and down his blood-gorged rod.  In a
matter of moments he went over the edge.  With a throaty groan he began to
spurt hot spunk onto the toes of Ruby's crimson platform boots.  It all
slid off, to drop in white gobs onto the carpet.

   "Doesn't that feel better now, partner?" Ruby asked.

   Legendre looked up at her, slumped in his chair, his glasses askew. 
"Partner, you cheat," he said weakly.

   The following Saturday morning found Ruby sitting on a pillow on her
kitchen table, while Lana fussed about with things at her feet.  "Honey,
this is not going to work," she said, sipping on fresh- squeezed orange
juice.

   Lana looked up.  "Sure it will.  It's got to.  Look, just because the
boots somehow, you know, won't let us take them off, doesn't mean they can
resist things like gravity, right?"

   Ruby smiled indulgently.  She was in too good a mood to interfere with
Lana's latest attempt to take off her boots.  After Ruby had officially
become a partner in Legendre's business, the meeting with the bank loan
officer had gone very well.  Legendre was unaccountably nervous, given his
long business experience, but a quick blow job from Ruby in the parking lot
calmed him down a good deal.

   She didn't have to do the banker though, and Ruby was privately
disappointed.  The man had been so impressed with the latest sales figures,
not to mention Ruby's figure, that he had not only accepted the staff and
management changes at Legendre's but also approved new financing for an
expansion.  Finally Legendre would be able to directly compete with Page's
dealership, an opportunity he had wanted for years.  Ruby had worn a svelte
pink suit with a very abbreviated skirt to the meeting.  She made it look
like the distracting glimpses of her stocking-tops the banker kept getting
were accidental.

   "So how is this supposed to work?" Ruby asked.  Spring had truly
arrived, and she was wearing a light pullover and short-shorts along with
her ever-present boots.  Lana sported a striped top and an indecently brief
denim mini, worn with yellow ankle socks and patent black maryjanes. 
Nothing underneath the skirt, of course.

   Lana got to her feet, tugging down her hip-hugging skirt.  "It's simple.
Really.  Look, I'll tie one end of these shoelaces to these weights." She
indicated a pair of ten-pound dumbbells sitting on a chair.  "Then I'll tie
the other end to the zipper tabs.  Then when I push the weights off the
chair, they pull down the zippers, and voila!

   Off come your boots.  It's science in action!"

   "I thought you failed science in high school."

   "Don't be such a sceptic.  This can't fail.  It's just like in the
movies, you know, where they pull a guy's tooth out by tying it to a string
attached to a door and then slamming the door."

   "I must be watching the wrong movies.  All right, go ahead then."

   "OK, you need to sit straight like this.  That's right, with your boots
straight up and down.  Now, I'll tie the shoelaces to the dumbbells, like
this...  and the other one...  and now we tie the other ends to the zipper
tabs....  I have to get them through the little holes in the tabs.  Hey,
stop moving your leg."

   "I didn't."

   "You did too.  I missed the hole.  OK, this goes through here
like...darn it, I keep missing.  This goes through here, OK, now around,
back through here...god I love this material.  Ummmm."

   "Lana, why are you using your tongue?"

   "Hmmm?  Oh, sorry.  Got carried away.  One more time.  Now this goes
through here, around this, back..., through...., over.  Boy, this is
tougher than I thought..." She bent over the boots, concentrating.

   After a long silence Ruby said, "Are we all ready?"

   Lana said nothing, still bent over Ruby's boots.

   "Lana?"

   The pretty girl looked up, sheepish.  "Uh, Ruby, I, uh, I think we have
a little problem."

   "What's that?"

   "Well, uhm, I think I tied my fingers together."

   "What!" Lana straightened and Ruby looked down.  Somehow, instead of
tying the zipper tabs, Lana had tied the shoelaces into a series of
complicated knots that wound tightly around the index fingers from each
hand.  Her fingers were bound together, still connected to the dumbbells.

   "Lana, how in the world did you--" Ruby began, but then she erupted in
an uncontrollable fit of laughter.  Holding her sides, she rolled about,
laughing helplessly, until she nearly fell off the table.

   "Stop it Ruby!" Lana complained, red-faced.  "This isn't funny!  I'm
stuck!"

   Ruby sat up and wiped tears from her eyes.  "Oh gosh if you could only
see how foolish you look!  Dependable as gravity.  Science in action!"

   And she was lost in another round of laughter.  "Oh ho.  Oh gosh, oh
my," Ruby said, slowly composing herself.

   Her petite friend just glared at her.  "Aren't you going to get me out
of this?  I can't do anything with barbells tied to my fingers!"

   Ruby looked at her, considering.  "Naw, I don't think so," she said,
slipping off the table.  "You'll figure it out.  Don't forget the grocery
shopping this afternoon." She walked away, still giggling, leaving Lana to
fume helplessly.

   A few days later, Ruby was sitting in her own office, with her boot-
clad feet up on the new desk.  She was taking a break between customers. 
Sales were still brisk even with the noise of construction as workman put
the finishing touches on the expanded showroom.  She pulled a compact out
of one of the drawers and inspected her make-up carefully.

   Ruby knew she looked good in her tiger-print top and stretchy black
mini, worn with fancy white stockings.  The colour contrast emphasized the
lace stocking-tops, designed to flash with every step she took in her tiny
skirt and tall platform boots.  She had proved to be a major distraction to
the workmen.  She had enjoyed three of them so far.

   There was a polite knock on the door.  A moment later Eric stepped into
the small office.  He was the youngest of the three salespeople, a handsome
fellow who wore his hair short and favoured stylish double- breasted suits.
He was also the only member of the staff that had not known Ruby
intimately.

   "You...  you wanted to see me, Ruby?" he said, a slight hesitation in
his voice.  Perhaps Ruby's meteoric rise from door-opener to owner was
making him diffident.  Or maybe it was the fact that Ruby still had her
feet up on the desk, affording him a perfect few up the length of her
satin-wrapped legs and under the tight miniskirt.

   Ruby smiled warmly.  "Ah, yes, Eric.  Thank you so much for dropping
by." She moved her legs off the desk with deliberate slowness, first one,
then the other, and got to her feet gracefully.  Did Eric catch a glimpse
of the junction of those perfect legs, and see that she was wearing no
panties?  Probably.  His nervousness increased.

   "Well, as you know, Eric," Ruby said, sidling toward him, "we are
undergoing a major expansion here at Legendre's, to compete more
successfully in a tight marketplace." The spandex miniskirt emphasized the
back and forth sway of her hips as she walked.  "We're also going to longer
hours on Thursday and Friday evenings.  Staying open saturdays.  It's a big
change, and to make it work we all have to work together."

   Eric said, "Now Ruby, I know what you're leading up to, but I told Mr.
Legendre already, I can't work any more extra hours.  I need some time
off!" His eyes kept slipping down to Ruby's booted legs.

   "Of course.  Of course you do," Ruby said reassuringly.  "But Eric,
you're the only one who hasn't agreed to some extra hours.  The others are
all doing their part.  And we can't afford to hire more staff until we see
how sales go.  You understand, don't you?" She toyed with the little gold
chain around her neck.  The motion shifted Eric's attention from Ruby's
legs to her cleavage, displayed to perfect advantage by the criss-cross
top.

   Eric looked more nervous than ever.  "No, I can't work more hours.  I
just can't right now." He took a step backward and bumped into the door. 
"You see, I'm getting married in a few days--"

   "Yes, I know," Ruby interrupted softly.  "Congratulations.  Your bride
is a very lucky woman." She was giving Eric a fixed, smoky look that he was
having trouble meeting.

   He blushed at the compliment.  "And, and, I would really like to spend
some time with my wife!  That's not so unusual is it?  I mean, come on,
give me a break here!"

   "I think I'm almost jealous," Ruby whispered, taking another step toward
him.

   "What?" said Eric, caught off guard by the sudden turn of the
conversation.

   "Of your wife.  She gets you all to herself.  In just a few days.  And
every day after that.  Wrapped in the arms of a warm, strong, loving man. A
man who will bring her pleasure in bed and out.  A man who knows how to
satisfy a woman." She sidled forward relentlessly as she spoke.  Now she
was standing just inches in front of Eric, letting him feel the warmth of
her body and smell her subtle perfume.

   The salesman's eyes shifted back and forth like a trapped animal's. 
"Ruby, I don't think --" he began, just as Ruby leaned forward a little and
drowned his protest in a kiss.

   "Please don't deny me, Eric," Ruby husked, when she finally let him go.
Her hands gripped the lapels of his jacket.  She stroked his leg with one
of hers.  "This is my last chance.  Before you're taken away forever.  My
last chance to know" -- she interrupted herself to kiss him firmly-- "the
pleasure that an expert lover can bring."

   Eric was groping for control, like a man about to tumble on a sheet of
ice.  "Ruby I....  Please don't....  no, you don't under...." She smothered
every protest with her lips, and as the kisses grew longer, and hotter, his
cries grew weaker.  Still holding him by the lapels, Ruby pressed herself
insistently against him, her tongue darting about his mouth while her hips
undulated smoothly and demandingly against his groin.  She could feel his
hardness straining his pants.

   Eric's back was against the door.  He put his hands on Ruby's waist,
perhaps to push her away.  Instead they started to slip around her back. 
When their lips separated a quarter inch Eric made one final attempt to
object but all that came out was a silent gulp as his zipper came down. 
Ruby's red-nailed fingers began working magic in his underwear.  Eric's
knees went weak.  Still clinched together, the groaning couple slid heavily
down the wall and onto the carpet.  "I need you, Eric," Ruby whispered,
hiking up her short skirt to sit astride him.  She had his cock out.  She
guided it upward with one hand as she lowered herself onto him.

   Forty-eight hours before his wedding day, Eric and Ruby fucked
energetically on the floor of her office while the bustle of an ordinary
business day went on outside.  The beautiful, boot-clad brunette rode him
enthusiastically, horny and happy, occasionally bending forward to kiss him
all around the face and neck and to whisper in his ear how much the
dealership needed him.  Eric bucked and groaned and gasped until he
couldn't hold back any longer and he shot his load up into her.

   When his ejaculation had subsided to a few twitches, Ruby pulled out and
knelt beside him and carefully licked him clean.  By the time she was
finished he was responding again.  Ruby used her mouth to bring him to full
hardness before he rolled over on top of her for another go at it.

   Ruby wrapped her legs around his back, her gleaming bootheels pointing
at the ceiling, and urged him on like a racehorse.  This time she got her
own orgasm just before he got his.

   She let him rest on the carpet for a few minutes after their second
fuck, then she again began to lick and fondle his cock and balls, taking
her time, letting him wallow in the sweet sensations.  "We need you, Eric,"
she whispered, as if his shaft was a microphone.  "I need you.  Please, you
can do a little more.  For me."

   Eric's suit was a mess and his tie was gone.  "No, wait, Ruby, I...I
can't.  No more..." It wasn't clear whether he was talking about working
late or more sex.

   "Oh, but baby, you have too!" Ruby pouted, between licks and kisses.  "I
know you can.  I need you so much.  You're so good!  Here, I bet this will
help." She swung around so she was sitting beside him, then slipped her
feet over his lap.  She began to stroke him gently between her boots.

   Eric wouldn't have thought it possible, but he was rising again.  "Ruby,
what...  what are you doing?" he gasped as his hardness returned.  "oh dear
god...."

   "I knew you could do it," Ruby cooed in his ear.  She slipped over on
top of him, and the warm, inviting wetness of her pussy enveloped him a
third time.

   Some twenty minutes later they were both lying on the floor, breathing
deeply, a tangle of arms and legs.  Languidly, Ruby raised herself up on
one elbow, fondly regarding Eric as he lay on the deep carpet, nearly
asleep.  She bent down to whisper in his ear.  "Eric, honey." She paused to
lick his earlobe.  "You won't mind working just a little bit of extra time,
will you?  A few evenings?  Just for me?"

   Eric's eyes were half closed.  "Evenin's," he murmured.  "OK"

   "And Saturdays?"

   "Sure.  Saturdays.  Whatever..." He was smiling.

   Ruby was smiling too as she got up and began to fix her clothing.

   IV.  Merger Mania Ruby was smiling again later that week as she strolled
down the street, returning from a very wet lunch with Lana.  She dangled
her purse on the end of one finger, swinging it back and forth.  Ruby
looked dazzling in a shiny, red-gold jacket and skirt outfit.  There was a
big, half-undone zipper on the bomber-style jacket and another on the
skirt. The skirt was snug, and very short, of course, making the most of
Ruby's shapely legs and super-sexy red boots.

   A man went by, and like every other man she had met on the street, he
turned to gawk as Ruby walked away.  Timing it carefully, Ruby pretended to
drop her purse, then bent over from the waist to retrieve it.  She heard a
thump and then an exclamation as the man walked into a lamppost.  Ruby
giggled and sauntered on her way without looking back.

   Lunch with Lana had been fun.  The girl had been complaining that ever
since Ruby had started making her dress in her hot-schoolgirl look to work,
including the absence of panties, her supervisor had been coming on to her.
Ruby let her grouse long enough to get a few drinks into her, then silenced
the issue in her usual way, by giving Lana a foot- job underneath the
table. Since Lana was wearing a mini-length kilt with kneesocks and no
undies, there was absolutely nothing to block Ruby's aggression.

   In a few minutes Lana was gasping and panting openly.  She protested, or
tried to, that the waiter would hear them, but Ruby didn't care.  Ruby had
already "negotiated" an agreement with the restaurant's owner.  Now Lana
could dance nude on the table top and no one would comment.

   Lana's twin ponytails flew this way and that as Ruby worked her toward
her peak.  The pretty girl's hair was tied up in bright yellow ribbons that
matched her kneesocks and her yellow, half-length sweater.  She came loudly
a few moments later and nearly spilled her wine.

   Ruby looked down and contemplated her boots as she walked along, perched
on her two-inch platforms with the high heels that should have hurt her
feet but didn't.  The boots looked as shiny and new as the day she put them
on.  Ruby's life had changed remarkably in the last little while.  She
couldn't shake the feeling that it was somehow all connected to the boots,
though she had no idea how.  Things were just going so splendidly.  A few
weeks ago she had a nowhere job as an entry-level receptionist.  Now here
she was, a partner in one of the biggest, upscale auto dealerships in the
city.  Her sales job was more fun than work, she had every man, and woman,
in the place wrapped around her little finger, and she was making money big
time.

   With the added income, Ruby could afford to move into a spacious new
apartment in the tony part of town.  She shared the flat with Lana, who did
most of the moving and all of the housework.  Ruby was driving to work now
too, in a variety of expensive new automobiles that she changed from day to
day like clothing.  Mr.  Legendre had initially resisted the idea of
letting Ruby "test drive" the showroom cars so she could "get to know the
product from the buyer's perspective", but he came around soon enough. 
Ruby had had her hand, her lips and eventually herself around his cock
while they discussed it.

   Ah, more sex.  Oh boy, was she having sex.  Anytime, anywhere, with
anybody she wanted.  And she wanted it all the time.  Ruby had hardly been
a wall flower before, but now her own libido astonished her.  She chuckled
as she remembered the evening that Lana had come into her bedroom, bearing
Ruby's usual after-work drink on a little tray, to find Ruby on all fours
across the bed, buck naked except for her boots, giving eager head to a
handsome young man while his friend thrust into her from behind.  The guys
were students at the local university or something.  Ruby had picked them
up impulsively in a video store on the way home from work.  They had
already finished the other way around.

   Surprised by the intrusion, both boys froze, and for a moment Ruby lost
her lollipop.  She looked up.  Lana was wearing her teen-age maid uniform
that Ruby had picked out for her, a baby-blue little thing worn with white
lace stay-ups and baby-blue platform sandals.  "Lana, don't just stand
there gawking," Ruby said irritably, "fetch something to drink for my
friends.  And put another couple of plates on for dinner."

   "Yes, of course Ruby," Lana said obediently.  She shuffled across the
room and set the drink on a bedside table, bending very carefully to avoid
revealing that she was bare beneath the too-short uniform.

   Ruby shook her head in amusement.  Poor Lana.  It was such fun to push
her little friend around.  Now that the girl had grown accustomed to taking
orders, Ruby was contemplating telling her to stop resisting her boss's
advances.  Just for the heck of it.  She didn't want Lana to lose her job
though.  The extra income was handy.

   At length Ruby arrived back at Legendre's.  Gladys was at the reception
desk, carefully examining her golden hair in a hand mirror.  She looked up
and smiled.  "Hi Ruby!  How was lunch?" The busty young girl looked totally
hot in a tight-fitting red and black minidress, black nylons, and
block-heeled, red velvet sandals.

   "Lunch was good," Ruby said.  "I drank too much.  By the way I love what
you're wearing.  Anything on for this afternoon?"

   "Hmmmm?  Oh, yes, let me see." The cute blonde brushed aside a pile of
cosmetics that littered her desk and removed a couple of trendy fashion
magazines.  At length she found the day book.  "OK, Tim has a customer
coming for a repeat visit at two this afternoon and he wants you to help
him close.  Eric has one at about three-fifteen and, oh, I almost forgot.
The boss wants to see you right away.  He says it's important."

   "He's not the boss, he's my partner," Ruby corrected her.  She spied
Robert across the showroom and gave him a meaningful look.  "Tell Mr. 
Legendre I'll see him a bit later.  I have some things to do first." Ruby
was in the mood for a little dalliance.

   "Sure Ruby, anything you say," Gladys said.  "Uhm, say, do you want me
to..., you know..." She gave Ruby a wistful, pleading look.  Her eyes
darted down to Ruby's gleaming boots.

   "Maybe later," Ruby replied.  She turned and strode off to find Robert.
Boot polishing could wait.  Right now she needed a man.

   As it turned out, it was several men, several hours and a couple more
good sales before Ruby finally stumbled into Legendre's office.  She had
spent a few minutes fixing her make-up and straightening her hair.

   Maybe she shouldn't have had all that celebratory champagne, but what
the heck.  "You wanted t' see me, pardner?" Ruby cooed, shuffling across
the carpeted office in her sexy platform heels.  Without asking she slipped
onto the arm of his chair and threw her legs across his lap.

   "For heaven's sake Ruby," Legendre said, trying to sound irritated. 
"Have you been drinking again?" Nevertheless he had already started
stroking and fondling Ruby's boot-wrapped legs.

   Ruby planted little kisses on his cheek.  "Drinking?  Hmmmm, maybe
little bit.  Zat so bad?" She guided his hand up her leg.  "I was jus'
celebrating.  We sold 'nother couple cars." She tossed the sales sheets on
his desk.

   Legendre was fighting a hopeless battle to resist Ruby's charms. 
"Honey, that's great, really, but mmmph." She kissed him warmly.  "Please,
Ruby, this is important," he pleaded, when she let him go.

   "Really.  Whuz so 'portant?" the red-booted beauty murmured, deftly
removing his tie.  She found the button that reclined his overstuffed chair
to the full horizontal position.

   Somehow Legendre found himself with Ruby half lying on top of him, her
expert hand sneaking down to open his fly.  "I, I got a phone call today,"
he said.

   Ruby kissed his cheek.  "Tha's nice," she said, working on his belt
buckle.

   "It was from Page."

   That got her attention.  She sat up.  "You mean..."

   "Yes.  That Page.  The man who's been robbing me blind all these years.
He wanted to have a meeting.  He suggested some sort of business deal.  All
very mysterious.  Ruby, I've known this man for fifteen years and he has
never called me like this before.  Something's up."

   "What do you think it means?"

   "I don't know.  I've never trusted that man, and not just because he's
my competitor.  Page is an ass.  A secure ass.  He thinks he can push me
out of the market with his big showroom and fancy advertising.  But we're
not being pushed around any more!" He stroked Ruby's nyloned thigh, just
below the hem of her bright gold mini.  "Thanks to you."

   Ruby smiled at him fondly.  For a paunchy, middle-aged man he was a
remarkably good lay.  "Where's the meeting?" she asked.

   "At Le Papillon D'Or, that fancy French restaurant uptown.  You know it?
Tomorrow night at seven."

   "Hmmmmm, not much lead time.  We'd better discuss strategy." She wiggled
her bum happily as Legendre's hand disappeared underneath her skirt.  "But
first, I think we'd better take care of this!" She cupped his obvious
erection through his pants.

   Legendre groaned.  "Definitely!" he cried.

   It was quite some while before they got around to discussing strategy.



   Page was already waiting for them when they arrived at the restaurant
Friday evening.  The maitre'd barely noticed Legendre, so intent was his
attention to his companion.  Ruby was wearing her boot-inspired version of
the little black dress.  It was short, tight, and sleeveless, designed to
hide nothing of her splendid figure, but to present it all in the most
alluring manner possible.  The thigh-riding hemline displayed every inch of
her shapely legs, decked out in shiny, pink-tinged nylons above the slick
boots.  The neckline was scooped just low enough to make men forget what
they were saying.  But instead of black, Ruby's dress was the same bright,
liquid crimson as her knee-high boots.

   Their entrance to the restaurant was an event.  There wasn't a man in
the place who didn't notice the leggy, curvy brunette in the stretchy dress
and stratospheric platform boots.  Heads turned to stare as Ruby went by. A
waiter nearly dropped a bottle of wine.  The atmosphere of the whole
restaurant abruptly took on a subtle charge of sexual electricity.

   Page was waiting at a discrete corner table in the back.  He rose to
greet them.  Page was a small, sinewy man a few years older than Legendre
and with even less hair.  But his eyes were alive with intelligence.  He
carried himself with a crisp, almost military air.  Unlike Legendre, he
looked at ease in his dinner jacket and tie.  Ruby's partner had been so
nervous that Ruby decided to give him a bit of head in the car on the way
over.  She refused to let him climax though, because she wanted him to keep
his edge during the meeting with Page.

   Page politely introduced himself, and his wife, an elegant woman in a
long, turquoise gown.  "And this is?" Page asked, turning to Ruby.

   "This is Ruby," Legendre said.  "My top seller.  And my partner."

   "Delighted," Page said, shaking Ruby's hand while covertly eyeing her
chest.  "If you don't mind me asking, Legendre, what happened to Claris?"

   Legendre scowled.  "Claris is at home, with the kids," he said.  "She
maintains that working over dinner is uncivilized.  Ruby is my business
partner."

   "A pleasure to meet you, Ruby," Page's wife said, adroitly covering her
husband's faux pas, "And by the way, you look stunning in that dress."

   They sat then and ordered dinner, along with a bottle of good wine.  It
soon became obvious that Page had a little difficulty accepting that a sexy
young thing like Ruby could possibly be a partner in a large automobile
dealership.  Ruby decided to play up his perception.  She made flirty,
girlish conversation throughout dinner.  It also became obvious that Page's
wife was very much a part of Page's business.  More than once she gently
interrupted her husband to remind him of some important detail, or to
politely smooth over his more blunt assertions.

   Ruby made it her business to make sure that everybody enjoyed the wine.
She was successful enough that they finished a second bottle before desert.
She was sitting back from the table, knees crossed fetchingly, when she
noticed a distinguished man at another table scanning her legs.  Ruby had
enjoyed a bit of wine herself.  She blew the man a kiss.

   "You friends with the mayor?" Page said.  He was looking at her
quizzically.

   Ruby improvised.  "Oh, my goodness yes.  We go way back." She sipped her
wine, leaving lipstick on the glass.

   "I think I need to freshen up a little," Page's wife said.  She rose
from the table.

   Ruby said, "I'll go with you."

   "Gracious me, dear, wherever did you get that dress!" said Page's wife
when they arrived in the washroom.  "And those boots.  They're positively
gorgeous!  I confess I've had trouble keeping my eyes off them."

   "Thank you.  I'm very fond of these boots.  But I think I may have a
grain of sand inside the left one.  I need to slip it off for a moment. 
Will you give me a hand?" Abruptly she lifted one leg and planted her foot
on the sink counter between them.  The other woman started for a moment,
surprised by the bold action.

   "Well, I, uh, certainly my dear.  But, what...I mean where is the
zipper?"

   "Right there." Ruby pointed.  "They're embedded in the fabric.  Just
pull it down for me, won't you."

   "Oh yes, I see.  My isn't that clever.  Let me..." She reached for the
zipper tab but instead began stroking the boot shank.  "Such lovely
material" she said softly.

   "Isn't it, though," said Ruby.  "I just love that rich, red glow."

   "Yes..." said Page's wife in a distant voice.  Abruptly she stopped
stroking.  "Oh, yes, the zipper." She made four more grabs for the zipper
tab but always fell short.

   "Is there a problem?" Ruby asked.

   "It...  uh, it appears to be....  stuck...or, or something.  The woman
looked confused.  She kept trying to reach the zipper tab, but only
succeeded in fondling Ruby's gleaming boot.  "Why can't I..."

   "Try using both hands," Ruby supplied.  Page's wife did, and a few
minutes later she was looking very flushed as she ran her fingers lovingly
up and down the boot shank.  "Such lovely boots," she said dreamily.

   "Well, we're not getting anywhere, are we," Ruby said decisively.  She
put her foot down and took the other woman by the arm.  "Let's try in
here."

   Giving Page's wife no time to protest, Ruby led her to a toilet stall,
sat her on the seat and closed the door.  "OK, now try," she said.  The
older woman's gown had a slit up the middle.  Ruby boldly planted her foot
on the toilet seat, between her legs.  Suddenly Page's wife found herself
with Ruby towering over her, the toe of her boot a few inches from her
pubes.  She had a clear view up Ruby's leg and under her super-short dress,
to where her underwear should have been.  As usual, Ruby's pantyhose was
open at the crotch.

   "Ruby, I, I don't think..." the woman tried to protest.

   "Please, the zipper."

   Gamely, Page's wife kept trying to grab the zipper.  Soon both women
were breathing hard.  Ruby slid her foot forward, a little at a time, until
the toe of her platform boot rested against the older woman's panties.  She
began to stoke gently, up and down.  Page's wife leaned forward and
embraced Ruby's leg, as shudders of arousal washed over her.

   "Oh gracious!  What....  what's happening!" she cried, bewildered.

   Ruby said: "Something wonderful.  We're getting all turned on by each
other." She was working to keep her own arousal in check.

   "But that's not possible!"

   "Sure, sure it is.  Look, you're all wet." She deliberately ground her
boot toe in the other woman's panties, eliciting a surprised gasp.

   Then, leaning against one wall for support, she lifted her boot to the
other woman's face.  "You got my boot wet."

   She stared at the crimson boot, mesmerized.  "No, I was just...  you
said....  the zipper...."

   "Don't you think you'd better clean that off?" Ruby said.  Without
waiting for an answer she pushed the toe of her boot between the other
woman's lips.  Page's wife hesitated only a moment.  Her lips seemed to
begin kissing of their own will.  A second later her tongue darted out and
began eagerly licking.  She raised her hands to hold the boot like a
chalice.

   "Mmmmmm, that's very good, baby," Ruby murmured after a few minutes. 
"But let's do it right.  Abruptly she put her foot down, pulled Page's wife
to her feet, and sat down herself.  "Now clean it all," she commanded,
lifting her boot back up again.  With a groan of confused lust the other
woman began lapping and kissing in earnest, holding up Ruby's leg with both
hands.  Her eyes were glassy.  Ruby lifted her other leg and inserted it
into the slit in her friend's gown, using her toe to tease along her nether
lips.  She could tell Page's wife was close to orgasm.

   Ruby pulled her boots away and sat up.  Page's wife rocked a little,
looking stunned.  "You're overdressed," Ruby pronounced.  She leaned
forward and reached up under her gown, pulling down panties and pantyhose
in one swift tug.  Page's wife stepped out of her shoes, as instructed, and
Ruby pulled off her under things and tossed them away.



   "Now come on down here."

   The older woman dropped loosely to her knees.  Ruby guided her hands and
lips up her legs, until her mouth found the little slit in Ruby's shiny
pink nylons that revealed her pussy.  Ruby came loudly a few seconds later.

   When she was finished they reversed positions and Ruby brought Page's
wife to a brilliant climax with her bootheel.  Ruby wanted to be sure that
the other woman was completely satiated, so she brought her to orgasm twice
more, once by rubbing her boots along her chest, once by letting her sit on
the toilet and play with herself while she sucked and licked at Ruby's
raised boot.

   When they were finally finished and calmed down enough to return to the
restaurant, Ruby helped Page's wife freshen up and straighten her hair. 
She had to be reminded to put her shoes back on.  Ruby didn't remind her
about her panties.  As they left the washroom, Ruby, with one hand on her
new lover's back to steady her, whispered in her ear.  "Honey, will you do
me a favor?"

   "Anything, Ruby." said Page's wife.  She looked dazed.

   "When we get back to the table, I want you to keep one hand on your wine
glass.  Don't let go until we leave.  Put your other hand in your pussy and
play with yourself, real slow.  Will you do that for me?"

   "But why...."

   "Never mind, dear, just enjoy yourself."

   The two women returned to the table to find Page and Legendre arguing
about what constituted unfair advertising.  "What kept you?" Page asked,
looking at his wife curiously.

   "Oh, girl troubles," she replied with a giggle.  She sat down beside her
husband and rested a hand lightly on her wine glass.  With her other hand
she put her napkin in her lap.  Her hand stayed there.

   Legendre said, "Well, now that dinner's over and we're all here, maybe
you can tell me what this is all about, Page."

   Page frowned.  "It's about business, Legendre.  My business.  And yours.
Look, I'll tell you how it is.  You've been giving me tough competition for
years.  I accepted that, but you were never a real threat to my profit
margin.  No, hold on, let me finish.  But this expansion of mine has spread
my resources very thin.  Maybe I overextended myself a little.  It seemed
like a reasonable risk to take at the time, since I was certain I could
divert some of the high end business away from you and some of the small
fry.  We were looking good there for a while.  Admit it, I had you
worried."

   "A trifle," Legendre conceded.

   Page laughed bitterly.  "Well, that didn't last.  All of a sudden you
started selling cars like there was no tomorrow.  I couldn't believe it. 
I've been losing customers left right and centre.  Advertising didn't help.
Special deals didn't help.  Don't think I don't know that you're watching
me, Legendre.  Your expansion matched my expansion.  You're financing
packages are almost the same as mine.  So why are you selling so many more
cars?"

   Legendre smiled.  "I'll be honest with you.  It had very little to do
with me.  The real impetus came from my new partner, Ruby."

   Page looked across the table, shocked.  Ruby winked at him.

   "Is this for real?" Page demanded.  "Are you really that successful? 
What's your secret?"

   Ruby said, "It's all a matter of product promotion.  We try to present
our product as attractively as possible, and then ensure all our customers
are...  satisfied." She reached for the bottle to refill wine glasses. 
Page's wife smiled blankly, her hand moving slowly beneath the table.

   Legendre said to Page: "Let's not get sidetracked by sales techniques. I
have a feeling you were leading up to something."

   "Hmmm?" muttered Page, turning his attention away from Legendre's lovely
partner.  "Oh, yes, I was indeed.  Listen Legendre, we have been fighting
like two bull elephants over territory for ten years or more now, and it's
never gotten either of us anywhere.  Maybe it's time we put an end to it.
We both sell the same cars.  We both draw on the same customer base.  Why
don't we try working together instead of competing?"

   Legendre failed to conceal his surprise.  "Page, are you...  are you
talking about a merger?"

   "That's exactly what I'm talking about.  Think about it.  It makes
sense. Page-Legendre MotorWorks.  Or something like that.  Two showrooms.
Two locations.  One management, shared market.  Bigger profits for both of
us."

   Legendre stared into his wine glass for a long time, as if seeking
inspiration there.  "Suppose I was interested," he said finally. 
"Hypothetically.  Just what kind of arrangement did you have in mind?"

   The conversation diverted into an animated argument about the exact
terms of the business deal and Ruby's attention wandered.  Men, she
thought, smiling.  So predictable.  Proud Mr.  Page pretended he wasn't
concerned about the sudden growth at Legendre's, but anyone could see he
was lying.  Legendre, cautious as ever, didn't realize he had the upper
hand and so wasn't being aggressive enough to push for a good deal.

   Page's wife made a little happy grunt and sipped her wine.  Her face was
flushed and a lock of hair had fallen across her eyes.  Ruby refilled her
glass and watched the slow, rhythmic movements of her left arm, the hand
invisible beneath the table.

   This part of her plan was working to perfection.  To make her hand on
the wine glass look natural, Page's wife was sipping Bordeaux constantly.
By now she was contentedly sloshed.  Her other hand provided delightful
distraction and kept the adventure with Ruby in the washroom fresh in her
mind.  The combination effectively removed the woman from making any
contribution to the discussion.

   Ruby smiled.  Now for the main event.

   She tuned the men back in again to find them arguing loudly about how
the new business would be owned.  Neither of them, Ruby saw at once, wanted
to cede control to the other.  "Boys," Ruby interrupted gently,

   "I have an idea."

   Both men turned in surprise, their bickering abruptly silenced.  "It
seems to me," the brown-haired beauty said, getting to her feet, "that you
boys have a very simple problem." She made a show of smoothing down her
slinky minidress.  Two pairs of eyes followed the path of her hands.  "Why
don't you let me help you out?" She rounded the table to the side where
Page and Legendre were sitting, giving them plenty of time to admire the
long length of perfect legs displayed so fetchingly by the super-short
dress and tall, slick boots.  She caught the mayor staring from his table,
and winked.

   Ruby pulled a small chair from the wall.  She sat down at the corner of
the table, within easy reach of both Page and Legendre, but screened by the
table from the rest of the restaurant.  Both men kept eyeing her legs. 
"You see, dearhearts," Ruby said condescendingly, "both of you boys have
worked sooo hard on your own little dealerships, you don't want the other
one to ruin it.  You keep pretending you can have a big, merged dealership
and still have everything your own way." She shook her head and made little
"tsk-tsk" sounds.  Page's wife moaned suddenly but neither man noticed.

   At last Page managed to tear his eyes away from Ruby's glimmering
nylons. "Look, um Miss, um, Ruby, I don't think you quite understand-- "

   "Oh but of course I understand, sweetheart," Ruby cooed.  She leaned
toward him earnestly, letting him have an unrestricted eyeful of her
cleavage.  Her ample breasts threatened to fall out of the low-scooped
front of her dress.  "Don't forget I'm a partner here too.  Now really,
60-40, is that fair?" she asked, referring to Page's latest offer.

   Page rallied gamely.  "Well, it was, I mean, uhm, considering
everything, it seemed, uh, fair...." Ruby's sultry face was poised just
inches from his.  Her clingy dress emphasized the curvaceous abundance of
her figure.  "Uh...  yes, I, uh, maybe..., uhm, fair," Page mumbled, as
Ruby began to rub his leg with the toe of one boot.

   "Oh, Mr.  Page", Ruby pouted, like a child denied a lollipop, "you're
such a hard man." As she spoke, one delicate hand snaked out and caressed
his cock through his pants.

   Page jumped like he had been stung.  He was nice and firm, Ruby
discovered, as she stroked him lazily up and down.  With other people all
around him, Page clearly had no idea what to do.  He looked nervously over
at his wife, but she just smiled vacantly, eyes half closed.  More hair had
fallen across her face but she had no free hand to brush it away.  She took
a healthy drink of wine and spilled some down her chin.  She tried to wipe
it up with the back of her hand, still holding the wineglass, and spilled
more down the front of her expensive gown.  She giggled.

   Legendre spoke up.  "Ruby, you said you had an idea.  I'd like to hear
it."

   "Why of course, partner," Ruby said softly, still fondling Page beneath
the table.  She leaned forward a little in her seat and neatly slid her
free hand into Legendre's lap.

   "Uh, Ruby, I, I don't think..." he tried to protest, but her hand was
already busy, lovingly stroking his rapidly stiffening member.  He made no
real move to stop her.  Ruby smiled inwardly: Legendre was so well trained.

   "Don't think, honey.  Just listen.  I have the answer to all your
problems.  Of course a joint dealership is a good idea.  We all agree on
that, right?" She put a little extra pressure on both hands.  Both men
grunted something that might have been agreement.

   "But the trouble is you boys can't agree on anything.  You'll be
fighting all the time, just like little boys.  So what you need is a
go-between, you know?  Like, a third party that can, gee, what's the word,
arbitrate, right?  Oh, Mr.  Page, pour us some more wine, won't you?" Her
request diverted Page's attempt to remove her hand from his trousers. 
While he was engaged Ruby deftly undid the buttons on his fly.  Her hand
slipped inside and he spilled wine.

   Legendre was breathing hard.  "What...  what do you mean?"

   "I mean, it's really simple, boys.  We'll split the shares three ways.

   Thirty-three percent for you" -- she squeezed Legendre's cock teasingly
-- "and thirty-three percent for you." Page let out a little yelp in spite
of himself.  His wife was panting drunkenly, but he hardly noticed.  "And
I'd be the arbitrator," Ruby finished brightly, "so I'd get the rest. 
Let's see, that's what, thirty-four percent."

   Page was the first to object.  "Wh-wait a minute!" he cried, "Th-that
would make you the s-senior partner!  You'd have special voting rights,
and...  and...  ahhhh." His protest became garbled as the boot- clad vixen
played her fingers along his flute.  She leaned toward him intently, her
eyes hot.  "Mr.  Page," she husked, "you look soooo sexy in a tux!" She
kissed him fervorently.  "I'd only get one percent more," she whispered
when their lips finally separated.  "That's not so much, is it?"

   Page's eyes were glassy.  "I...  I, well, I guess..." he stammered.

   Ruby was pumping both men in earnest now, barely bothering to conceal
her actions.  "How about you, Mr.  Legendre?  You don't have any objections
to this arrangement, do you?" She stopped stoking him just long enough to
guide his right hand onto her nylon-gilt leg, just below the hem of her
micro-mini.

   "Wait, wait, Ruby, this isn't fair.  I, I can't think, I --- oh shit
those legs!"

   Ruby returned her hand to his crotch.  "Oh, there's nothing to think
about, darling," she reassured him gently, sliding down his zipper for
better access.  "It's perfectly simple.  And we'll all make lots of money.
Isn't that right, Mr.  Page?"

   "Wha?  Uh, yeah, ungh, make, make lots of m-m-money.  Oh please, wait,
don't, don't stop!"

   Ruby paused just long enough to lead Page's hand to her other thigh. 
Then she returned to pumping both men in unison.  Her hands were thrusting
up and down like pistons on both sides.  Page's wife made an animal sound
and knocked over her wine glass.  She put both hands into her lap and
ground her hips upward.

   "So we're all agreed then!" said Ruby triumphantly.  She was getting a
little distracted herself from the hands under her red dress.  "We'll split
the shares 33-33-34.  And we'll call the new dealership "Ruby's"!  All
those in favor speak now."

   Legendre's head rolled backward.  "Oh yes!  oh god yes yes yes!" he
cried, his hips bucking.  He came violently into his underwear.

   Page tried to say something, but Ruby had timed him well.  All that came
out was "Wai...  wa....  waaa...  ungh!  ungh!  ungh!" as he too went over
the top, convulsing in climactic spasms in his chair.  His wife came too a
moment later.  She bent forward at the waist, her eyes closed, grunting
gutturally with each sharp, staccato burst of pleasure, shaking the table
so hard the cutlery rattled.

   Ruby smiled in satisfaction.  Her hands ached.  Delicately she extracted
the men's hands from beneath her dress and began to clean her fingers on a
napkin.  A waiter came by then, perhaps attracted by the commotion.  He
took in the sight: the two sighing men, the obviously smashed, wine-stained
older woman, the overturned glasses on the table.  His eyes lingered on
Ruby, looking composed and super-sexy in her figure-hugging red minidress
and shiny platform boots.  "Hi," she said.  She favored him with a smile
like a warming oven.  "I think we're about ready for desert."

   BEAUTY AND THE BOOTS By Downing Street V.  Epilogue The afternoon sun
was warm and soothing on Ruby's bare back as she lay on her apartment
balcony, sipping a cooling drink.  "Just a little lower please," she
instructed Lana, "a little more, ah!  right there." Ruby was lying on a
padded deck chair, splendidly naked but for her tall red boots, and Lana
was standing beside her, massaging her back lovingly.  Lana sported the
short blue maid's uniform she wore all the time now when she wasn't at
work. Her over-the-knee stockings were sheer white, but her girlish
platform slides had neon-bright colored stripes.  The gentle breeze kept
lifting the skirt, tickling Lana's bare behind.

   "Would you like some more lotion?" Lana asked, pausing to pull down her
skirt.  A futile effort.

   "No, that's fine for now.  Mmmmmm, honey you're getting good at this. 
That course really paid off.  Say, are there any messages for me?"

   Lana switched to rubbing Ruby's shoulders.  "A couple.  Let's see now.

   Mr.  Page called again.  He wants to know when you'll let his wife make
love to him."

   Ruby yawned.  "Maybe next week.  He still hasn't got those new sales
projections done."

   "And the mayor called, twice.  He wants to take you out again."

   Ruby sipped her drink.  "Such a nice man," she said dreamily.  "I think
the dealership may get an easement on our muni taxes." She settled her
cheek more comfortably into the deep pillow.

   There was silence for a little while.  Ruby began idly swinging one foot
in the air.  "I guess I shouldn't complain," she said at last.  "These
boots really are wonderful.  You know, I think they've completely changed
me, somehow.  But it would still be nice to take them off, at least
occasionally."

   "Maybe you don't need to take them off.  They look marvellous, and you
said yourself they don't hurt your feet."

   "Yes, but, what if I want to go to the beach?  I can't wear boots
there."

   "Honey you never go to the beach, remember?  It's boring and you can't
swim."

   "OK, but come on, that was just an example.  What if, oh I don't know,
what if I decided to go hiking or take up tennis.  There's lots of times
when boots just won't do."

   "Hey, stop this, baby, you'll make yourself all tense again.  Look, Ruby
you know there is like zero chance of you ever taking up things like
hiking. Face it, you're a city girl." She began working on Ruby's thighs.
"Besides, you still like your boots, don't you?"

   "Mmmmm, I love them."

   "And they're still comfortable, aren't they?"

   "Exquisitely."

   "Well then, there you go.  Maybe these boots really are magic or
something.  Oh, that reminds me." She wiped her hands on a cloth and
shuffled back into the apartment, accidentally flashing her bare bottom as
she went.

   She returned a few moments later with a newspaper in one hand and a
glass in the other.  "There was something in the paper today that I thought
might interest you.  Oh, here, I brought you a fresh drink."

   She flipped through the paper until she found what she was looking for.
She began reading out loud.  The article was entitled "Whatever Happened to
Scarlett Doulini?"

   "Today marks the third anniversary of the disappearance of Scarlett
Doulini, one of our town's most successful and flamboyant citizens.  The
popular widow of the late stage magician Dominic "The Great" Doulini,
Scarlett Doulini was for years a goliath in the city business community,
controlling enterprises ranging from hotels and restaurants to movie
theatres and clothing stores.  The extent of her personal wealth was a
closely guarded secret, but most observers estimate she was one of the
richest women in the city, if not the whole tri-state area."

   "At the height of her popularity and success, Scarlett Doulini suddenly
announced that she was withdrawing from the limelight to 'live a private
life.' She transferred all her business holdings to a blind trust and
disappeared, saying only that she 'might open a little shop somewhere.' She
has not been seen in public since."

   "Before her disappearance, Scarlett Doulini was as well known for her
lifestyle and the company she kept as for her financial success.  A
strikingly beautiful woman, she apparently had many lovers, including,
rumors have it, CEO's of five major corporations, two former city mayors
and at least one prominent judge.  Mrs.  Doulini was a fashion icon, always
showing the latest and best fashions, and wearing them well.  Yet she
earned the nickname "boots" for the flashy red boots she so often wore to
--"

   Ruby sat up and tore the newspaper from Lana's hands.  "I would have
given it to you," the girl demurred.

   Ruby scanned the article quickly.  There were several pictures.  "Lana,
that's it!" she almost shouted.  "Scarlett Doulini.  I know where she is!
These were her boots!  She can tell me how to get them off!"

   "Um, Ruby, are you sure..."

   "Lana, don't just stand there, find my car keys.  I have to get
dressed."

   An hour later, Ruby was strolling along Sullivan Street, turning heads
in a tight, white sweater and skimpy red shorts, feeling happier than she
had ever been.  Remarkable how her life could change so much in -- was it
only four months?  Here she was, at 22 the senior partner and top
salesperson in the biggest, most successful auto dealership in the city. 
Business was booming, and there were easy prospects for expanding into
other arenas.  The next step might be retail clothing: Lana's manager, the
franchise owner as it turned out, would certainly be willing to consider
concessions in return for continued access to Lana's charms.  Ruby was
certain she could sweet-talk the major into a nice tax break.

   Ruby looked down at her glistening red boots with the towering platform
heels.  The boots she couldn't take off.  The boots that made her look
great.  The boots that made her feel zestful, confident, sexy...  and
horny.

   That was the best part.  She couldn't seem to get enough sex now.  A few
months ago she might have tentatively moved toward bed with a promising man
after several dates.  Now it seemed she was fucking everybody in sight. 
Men worshipped her; women couldn't resist her.  She winked at a man driving
by on the street and he nearly had an accident.  Ruby laughed with
unabashed delight.  At last she came to the second-hand shop where it all
began.  Where she would finally get to say "Thank you!" to Mrs.  Scarlett
Doulini.

   She looked in the window.  The shop was empty.  The racks of clothing
were gone and the interior was dark and deserted.  A "For Lease" sign hung
crookedly on the door.

   Ruby tried the doorknob.  It was unlocked.  She stepped inside.  Her
bootheels clicked on bare concrete.  A few coat hangers littered the floor.
Empty boxes were stacked in one corner.

   Ruby looked around the empty shop, her heart heavy.  "You disappeared
again," she said quietly.  "All I wanted to do was say thank you." Her gaze
fell on a scrap of paper lying on the floor.  She bent over and picked it
up, held it up in the light from the window.  It looked like a business
card.  But all it said, in big, red, flowing letters was:

   "YOU'RE WELCOME."

   Ruby's smile returned.  Mrs.  Doulini, a magician's wife.  But then
another thought occurred to her.  Without Scarlett's help, how would she
ever get the boots off?  She turned the card over.  On the other side, in
the same cursive script, it said:

   "WHEN YOU GIVE THEM TO SOMEONE ELSE."

   Ruby began to laugh.  She laughed loud and long and carefree.  She was
still laughing when she tossed the card away and walked out the door, her
tall red boots gleaming in the summer sunshine.