Growing into the Job, Post 531: Retail Therapy, p5

The air in Lustre: A Salon, here on the first floor of the Vendare Center, smelled gently like vanilla mist and fresh peonies. The walls were all frosted or mirrored glass and soft earth tones, trimmed in brushed gold and chrome. Everywhere I looked, it shimmered. I wasn’t exactly sure how I’d ended up here, squished between Josie and Lakshmi at one of the long, glowing vanity mirrors, but here I was. I’d practically had to climb onto the bench on which the three of us were pressed. Josie’s shapely hips were on my right, pushing into me with their warm heat. Lakshmi’s frankly stupendous ones were to my left, and were massive enough that they took up nearly as much real estate on the bench as Josie and I put together. 

The two girls had already had their blowouts and nails done, along with a touch-up on their makeup and both of them looked - there was no other word for it - stunning. Aubrey was still around the corner; I could hear the hair dryer going.

The air in here was a bit chill, so Josie had put on a thin, long-sleeve top she had in her bag. Her long, soft brown hair - which tended to have a life unto itself, to say the least - had been curled at the ends by the stylist into big, luxurious waves that framed her high cheekbones and glowing cheeks. For the moment, it was behaving nicely, and looked really, uh…nice. Her lips, freshly glossed, shimmered like polished rose quartz. Lakshmi’s was similarly glammed-up, her lashes thick, her lips painted a bit deeper pink that made her warm brown skin absolutely radiant. Not bothered by the air conditioning, she had actually removed her scrub top and now sported a deep rose tank that matched her lips. Her mane had been taken out of its simple ponytail and fluffed and blown out; she had thick, long, gorgeously soft and dark hair.

Now, they were both comparing shades of lipstick again, holding them up in little silver tubes and giggling over names like “Power Kiss” and “Concubine.”

As Lakshmi and Josie tried on new lipsticks in the mirror, seated on either side of me, their laughter bubbled up with every exaggerated pout. They’d both picked out nearly identical shades of deep rose and were swiping it on in slow, deliberate strokes, watching themselves in the mirror - and maybe watching me watch them. They leaned close to compare, giggling - “ooo! Now we match!” - their shoulders brushing past mine.

I tried not to stare. I failed.

Lakshmi noticed first. “Awww,” she cooed, capping her lipstick up closed, “Dr. J is looking at our lips..."

Josie gave an innocent blink, catching my gaze first in the mirror but then turning her head slowly toward me. “Oh my gosh, you were watching us this whole time?”

I swallowed. “Uh - I was just...I mean, you’re right next to me.”

“Mmhmm,” Josie hummed, smirking knowingly into the mirror as she adjusted the line of color on her bottom lip. “We’re just too distracting, huh?”

Lakshmi leaned back a bit, her elbow bumping my upper arm. “Do not worry, Dr. J. We do not mind being looked at.” She paused, and for a moment puckered her lips for the mirror, an air-kiss with a casual little <smack>. “Not when it is by you.”

I saw in the mirror how the two of them then shared a glance behind me - silent, conspiratorial. Both smirked.

“I think maybe he’s jealous,” Josie added sweetly, now leaning in, her big eyes wide with mock innocence. “Do you want a turn with the lipstick, little guy? Wanna try some on?”

Lakshmi gasped like it was the greatest idea ever. “Yes! Matching lipsticks! All three of us! Come on, Dr. J, do not be shy. Just a little…pop of color.”

“N-no,” I started, shaking my head, “I just - wasn’t - uh -”

“Oh come on,” Lakshmi grinned, already uncapping her lipstick again. “You would look so handsome in this shade.”

Before I could protest again, she was tilting my chin with two fingers and dabbing a careful smear of dark pink playfully across the tip of my nose.

Both girls giggled at the sight.

“Girls, c’mon…” I protested, weakly.

And now Josie twisted her tube, bringing up fresh color. “Should we make him match us?”

“I - I don’t really think-” I started, but it was too late.

Lakshmi was already gently guiding my chin with one finger. “Just hold still,” she said, with the calm authority of someone who’d done this a hundred times. Josie giggled behind her hand, eyes bright as she watched this operation of emasculation unfold.

The lipstick went on with practiced ease. I felt the tickle of it, the softness of the pigment, the press of Lakshmi’s knuckle under my chin to keep my head steady. She was being so gentle - top lip, then bottom - which only made me more pink with embarrassment….

“There,” Lakshmi said, pulling back to admire her work. We all looked at me in the mirror.

…as pink, now, as my lips.

“Omigod!” Josie squealed, “You’re so cute!!!”

“Language, Josie,” scolded Lakshmi, but her smile was broad and proud.

Behind me, I suddenly heard Aubrey’s laugh - soft, breathy. “Oh, stop! Poor Dr. J!”

Aubrey had emerged from her own salon chair around the corner, and even before I really looked at her, at her reflection in the mirror, I could feel the shift in the air behind me. She was tall already - taller even than Josie and Lakshmi by a good bit - but now she looked completely statuesque. Regal, even. Her usually tied-back-in-a-bun hair had been gently blown out into long, voluminous waves, soft and silky, cascading past her shoulders like a shampoo commercial from a bygone era. The warm amber tones in her natural brunette had been enhanced somehow - a glaze or something subtle - but the effect was luminous. It caught the light in a way that made her skin look like candlelit porcelain.

She still looked like Aubrey - gentle, reserved, sweet - but the kind of sweet that sneaks up and knocks you flat without trying. They’d given her a cat-eye with soft brown liner, a little blush to warm her cheeks, and a subtle nude gloss that made her lips look fuller. And of course, like always, she was watching me. Watching everything. Sensing every flinch, every quickened breath. Seeing my wide-eyed reaction to her appearance, she didn’t say anything - just offered a knowing little smile as I tried not to stare.

“I’m…f-fine,” I finally mumbled, through pink-painted lips, totally not fine. My face was burning, my ears were hot. Josie and Lakshmi were leaned in so close on either side of me that I could smell their perfumes - warm sugar and spiced florals, playing together - and feel the softness of their arms as they boxed me in. The mirror showed me my reflection: blushing cheeks, freshly-glossed lips, eyes wide like I was caught in a dream - or in front of an oncoming truck. “I think maybe we’re ready to g-”

“Wait, wait, not yet!” Josie chirped, leaning in. “Now for the best part! Ready, Kiki?” Josie asked.

Before I could even ask what that meant, they both leaned in - one on each side, turning towards me, leaning down into me as I watched in the mirror 

“One, two - ” Lakshmi said, giggling.

“Three!” sang Josie

<SMOOCH!>

I felt two big, exaggerated kisses land on both sides of my face at the exact same time. First the soft heat of their lips, then the cool tack of the gloss they'd just applied. They’d each planted a smeary kiss on either cheek. Lakshmi on my left - <mwah!> as she pulled away, and Josie on my right <mwah!> as she did too.

I blinked.

The mirror now showed my cheeks emblazoned with two huge, unmistakable lipstick marks - perfectly mirrored on either side, like twin stamps of ownership. If I thought I felt knee-deep and emasculated before, I was now drowning in it, in dusky-rose lipstick.

My face had flushed to nearly match the shade.

Josie burst out laughing, Lakshmi clapped her hands in delight, and even Aubrey had to turn away for a second to stifle her squeal.

“Oh my,” Josie gasped, “you are so cute right now I can’t even stand it!”

“I wish Melissa could see this,” Lakshmi added, eyes sparkling.

I swallowed. Hard. I wasn’t sure if I was more mortified, dizzy, or...something else. Something warmer. Something that came with a secret, scary thrill.

They, the three of them - Josie, Lakshmi and Aubrey -  were all still looking at me, giggling. I tried to smile.

“Thanks,” I muttered, lips still sticky.

That made them just giggle more.

The mirror reflected all four of us. Josie and Lakshmi glowing on either side, their makeup perfect and their eyes bright. Aubrey behind me, one hand on the back of my chair, beaming with warmth. And me, in the middle - lipstick on my mouth, kiss marks on my cheeks, and three stunning women laughing at how adorable I looked.

I had never felt smaller. 

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