Stepan: 3:23 PM: Take it off then.
Marina: 3:24 PM: You'd like that wouldn't you?
The devil horns and smirking face I send has him sending yet another eggplant.
Stepan: 3:24 PM: I'd like a lot of things right now.
Marina: 3:25 PM: Tell me...
Stepan: 3:25 PM: Not over text. I'd rather show you.
My face is hot when Elira glances at me and raises an eyebrow. At this rate, everyone in this store is going to smell my arousal. I lock the phone and hold it at my side as the seamstress turns back, now working on the shoulders. I can't afford to let her see my messages. I don’t know who she is or if she knows Maksim well, but if word got back to him about how I'm messaging another man, he would flip out entirely.
For the next twenty minutes my phone is quieter, a few notifications I check but no texts from Stepan. I wonder if he's gotten busy, but then I feel the phone vibrate and know it's him.It makes my body tingle just wondering what he's going to say next.
"We're all done now. You can go change back into your normal clothing." The seamstress looks up at me with curious eyes and glances at my phone. She's a nosy one, and I'm glad I didn't look at that message with her leaning over my shoulder.
"Thank you," I mumble as I step down from the pedestal. Elira and the seamstress wrangle the ridiculous six-foot train behind this gown as I waddle toward the dressing room. I have no clue how Maksim expects me to walk down the aisle while dragging this much extra material, anyway. He wanted it to be longer, but I put my foot down. It's a dumb tradition, and everyone knows he has money. He doesn't need my dress to show it off.
I have to unzip the dress and peel it off before I can even think of fitting into the dressing room, but Elira holds a sheet up to keep me modest, turning her head as I step out in just my panties to slip into the room.
"You good?" she asks, and I grunt my response because I’m too busy locking the door and checking my phone.
Stepan: 3:48 PM: Still thinking about you in that dress.
Marina: 3:50 PM: What if I told you I'm not in the dress anymore...
Stepan: 3:50 PM: Then I'd be thinking about you out of it.
I look at myself in the mirror. My skin is flushed, my hair falling out of its clip. I pick up the phone, angle it, and take a quick picture. The angle isn't quite right, and my nipples aren't hard, so I pinch them and then I take another one. This one is perfect,and I know Stepan will appreciate it, so I insert it into a message and hitSend.
My hands are shaking as I wait for his response to me. I fumble with my bra, attempting to put it on as my phone buzzes again. This time it's a flame emoji and a devil. The rush I get has me sweating as my phone buzzes again.
Stepan: 3:51 PM: More please... Show me your ass.
I grin at the phone and snap my bra, then turn away from the mirror. With just a little bend at the waist and the camera positioned over my shoulder, I snap a picture of my reflection and it's perfect. My ass is on display for him.
I have never done such risky things before and it feels even more dangerous given that I'm in a bridal shop trying on wedding dresses as I send nudes to a man who is very much not my betrothed.
Stepan: 3:52 PM: Holy fuck, Marina... You're making my dick so hard. I want to come.
I snicker and set the phone down. I hear Elira out there pacing, probably having yet another glass of champagne as she waits for me. I don't have the stomach for it today or else I'd have had my own four glasses. But I've been feeling tired and a bit moody. Adding alcohol to that mix on a day I have to do wedding stuff seemed like a bad idea.
Slipping into my red dress, I hear the phone buzz again and glance at it. It's definitely Stepan, but it takes me a few seconds to get my heels on and my hair straight before I shoulder my purse and check the messages.
Stepan: 3:55 PM: I'm outside the shop. Come out.
Stepan: 3:55 PM: Now.
Marina: 3:55 PM: You're here??
"Mari?" Elira asks, tapping lightly. "You doing okay?"
I ignore her to read the next message he sends which makes my heart race.
Stepan: 3:56 PM: I've been here for twenty minutes. And now I'm looking at those pictures and I need you to come outside before I come in there.
It makes me feel so flustered, I fumble with the door latch and when I pull the door open, my best friend is there staring at me. She reads my face in about two seconds.